European Multinational Efforts
Transoceanic Flights with High-speed Internet
Satellite communications are enabling new comforts for long-distance commuters and airline customers. JetBlue, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Blue of Australia are among the airlines that offer satellite TV.
Expanding Missile Defense to Europe and Space
The United States’ proposal to develop a European Missile Defense shield also stirred international discussion. The proposed European shield would field a limited-capability defense using a series of radar stations to track ballistic missiles, and ground-based interceptor missiles.[
How Bad is Pollution in China?
ESA satellites have been used to monitor air pollution levels in a number of studies, including the measurement of gaseous pollutants in India, and nitrogen dioxide emissions during a traffic restriction event in Beijing, China.
Helping the Blind Get Around
A prototype project in Europe uses GPS signals to guide visually impaired individuals to their destinations. Tested in Madrid, this European Space Agency (ESA) project — developed in partnership with the Spanish firm GMV Sistemas and the Spanish National Organization of the Blind — uses a handheld device with headphones to give auditory directions to a visually impaired user.
2005 – Benefits of Technology Transfer
Space technologies can also be used by manufacturers to create, modify or improve new and existing components and products which, in turn, provide industry, commercial users and ultimately the general public with a wider choice of robust and reliable goods.
2005 – Spinoffs
Technology developed in association with space activities is used in many industries and non-space applications. Technology is transferred through intentional efforts by governments to identify new applications, as well as through organic adaptation of technologies, via connections among researchers, labs, and companies.
2005 – Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) Satellite Design Activities
Direct-to-home (DTH) television is the transmission of television programming directly to end-user equipment. Other terms are direct broadcast and satellite television. The term broadcast service satellite (BSS) is often used to describe satellites offering these services. BSS satellites operat… Thank you for visiting The Space Report! The Authoritative Guide to Global Space Activity, Packed with…
2005 – Space Products and Services Overview
We have characterized space products and services as directly enabled by space infrastructure and intended to be in the space environment or directly interacting with the space environment.
The year 2005 saw growth in subscribers and offerings for mobile satellite services, launches of probes to explore Mars and Venus, a probe landing on Saturn’s moon Titan, and growth in commercial space transportation services.
2005 – Probes
Currently, ## scientific satellites are in orbit around the Earth. These satellites address a wide array of scientific issues. For example, NASA characterizes scientific satellites by the following types: astronomy, earth science, planetary science, solar physics, space physics, life science, and microgravity.
2005 – ISS
The largest in-space platform ever constructed is the International Space Station (ISS). “Led by the United States, the ISS draws upon the scientific and technological resources of 16 nations: Canada, Japan, Russia, 11 nations of the European Space Agency [Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom], and Brazil,” according to NASA.