- Email: [email protected]
Satellite imagery conflict?
Mollilor
Long-term plan for Eumetsat A hmg-term plan was presented to Eumetsat's council at its 4th meeting in Darmstadt, F R G cm April 23 and 24, describing several future activities which could be carried out or coordinated with the direct assistance of Eumetsat. The purpose of the plan was to define Eumetsat's future objectives and the means by which they could be achicved from within the European meteorological community, so that it can decide upon its requirements relating to satellite observations up Io the year 2000. To this end a comprehensive overview was provided by Eumetsat's Director, John Morgan, ranging from short-term activities to improve the use of existing Meteosat satellites, the development of a European infrastructure to distribute meteorological data from other satellites, and the in3t~lementation of new satellite programmcs. It was emphasized that Eumetsat could play a decisive part, now that it had taken over the role of the Secretariat of an informal group of satellite operators from Europe, India, Japan, and the USA called the C o o r d i n a t i o n of G e o s t a t i o n a r y Meteorological Satellites (CGMS), in coordinating activities relating to the global observation of the world's weather from space. It was important for Eumetsat to start now to plan the developnlent of European nleteorological satellite systems to tnake the best use of facilities offered by Member States in future years. Eumetsat is currently operating a preoperatiomd series of Meteosat satellites, developed and hmnched by thc European Space Agency (ESA). I l o w c v e r , an improved series of Meteosat Operational Programme (MOP) satellites will be exploited in 1988. The launches of three MOP satellites are scheduled for 1988. 1989 and 1990. Eumetsat will continue to operate the MOP system until at least 1995. Phummg has already begun for a second generation of Meteosat type satellites to be exploited by Eumetsat beyond 1995. The satellite system envisaged, to be developed by ESA,
266
will contain a sophisticated package of i n s t r u m e n t s designed to provide meteorologists not only with a detailed knowledge of Earth's cloud systems, but also, through the usc of infrared and microwave sounding, an accurate description of the \ertical temperature and humidity structure m the atmosphere. Possible participation in the polar phltform concept is also being seriously studied by Eumetsat. Although the choice of either a serviceablc platform or a free flying satellite for the next series of polar orbiting meteorological satellites has yet to bc dctermined, Eumetsat considers that the European m e t e o r o l o g i c a l comtnunity should phty an active role in determining the instrument package for a system that best meets its futurc observation requirements. The financial aspects of the longterm plan will be discussed in greater detail ;,It Eunletsat's next two Council meetings.
GHz and a 2-channel repeater ~q+,crating at 30/20 (}tlz will hc explored. ESA and Eutelsat will cooperate in identifying experimenters and in pro paring proposals for the use of ()lyrepus in the fieM of tmblic international telecomnmnications in F.uropc. I;tu this purposc ;All ()lympus F'SS c x p e r i mcnt evaluation group will hc sol up The group will act as a constthati,.c l',ody to tllc Dircctor (Ticncral ol I"N.,X Its nlain tasks v, ilt mcltLde the ;'xaht;~ lion lind catcgorizatiOll t)l i++.l+oxalfor the use of ()Jynlpus+ inlplcmclltat lion and tcrnls and conditions of such use, assistance to the cxpcrimcnlct>,. and ewduation of the results ~H ,'.he experiments performed. Source: l'~utclsat. ['our Maim: Montparnassc 33. Avenue du Maine. 75755 Paris Cedcx 15. t:r4llCC
Satellite imagery conflict?
Source: Eumetsat, Am Elfengrund 45. 6100 Darmstadt, FRG.
Olympus agreement A cooperative agreement betwecn ESA and Eutelsat has been signed with a view to developing a programme of telecommunication experiments and demonstrations using the experimental Olympus satellitc. The prime objective of the Olympus satellite, due to be launched in 1988, is to demonstrate new applications in c o m m u n i c a t i o n s and broadcasting which should pave the way for opcratiomd activities in line with an mcreased competitive role for European industry in this field. Under the agreement, the use of fixed-satellite services (FSS) of the Olympus satellite and, in particular, a 4-channel repeater operating at 14/12
The routine use ol satellite photogra play bv [JS tclevisi,on nctwork~ and other news media could lead It+ conflict between the media's first amendment rights and I.!S national sccurit\ and foreign policy interests, acoarding It) a Technical Mcmorandtlm prcpared by thc ('ongrcssional Office of Technolog} Assessment (OTA). though the high cost of such satellite svstcmn suggests conflicts will not occur 1.nlti[ new technologies bring costs do,at> The Memorandunl. ( o . m z c r c i a / Newsgatheri,g from 5pace, published in May 1987 hypothesizes that the media might disseminate information regarding US military operations, ~,l int:ormation considered sensitive b\ foreign govertlmelllS. Furthermore. ;~ crisis could bc prccipitatcd b,+ the nfisinterprctatiotl of satellite image13 Attempts bv the US govcl+nnlclll 1,~ restrict the media's access to satellite imagery arc likeh to result in [iisl amendment challengcs to such limitations. The outcome of these chal tenges will hinge on the exact nature of the government limitations and the Supreme Court's determination of the
SPACE POLICY August 1987
Long-term plan for Eumetsat A hmg-term plan was presented to Eumetsat's council at its 4th meeting in Darmstadt, F R G cm April 23 and 24, describing several future activities which could be carried out or coordinated with the direct assistance of Eumetsat. The purpose of the plan was to define Eumetsat's future objectives and the means by which they could be achicved from within the European meteorological community, so that it can decide upon its requirements relating to satellite observations up Io the year 2000. To this end a comprehensive overview was provided by Eumetsat's Director, John Morgan, ranging from short-term activities to improve the use of existing Meteosat satellites, the development of a European infrastructure to distribute meteorological data from other satellites, and the in3t~lementation of new satellite programmcs. It was emphasized that Eumetsat could play a decisive part, now that it had taken over the role of the Secretariat of an informal group of satellite operators from Europe, India, Japan, and the USA called the C o o r d i n a t i o n of G e o s t a t i o n a r y Meteorological Satellites (CGMS), in coordinating activities relating to the global observation of the world's weather from space. It was important for Eumetsat to start now to plan the developnlent of European nleteorological satellite systems to tnake the best use of facilities offered by Member States in future years. Eumetsat is currently operating a preoperatiomd series of Meteosat satellites, developed and hmnched by thc European Space Agency (ESA). I l o w c v e r , an improved series of Meteosat Operational Programme (MOP) satellites will be exploited in 1988. The launches of three MOP satellites are scheduled for 1988. 1989 and 1990. Eumetsat will continue to operate the MOP system until at least 1995. Phummg has already begun for a second generation of Meteosat type satellites to be exploited by Eumetsat beyond 1995. The satellite system envisaged, to be developed by ESA,
266
will contain a sophisticated package of i n s t r u m e n t s designed to provide meteorologists not only with a detailed knowledge of Earth's cloud systems, but also, through the usc of infrared and microwave sounding, an accurate description of the \ertical temperature and humidity structure m the atmosphere. Possible participation in the polar phltform concept is also being seriously studied by Eumetsat. Although the choice of either a serviceablc platform or a free flying satellite for the next series of polar orbiting meteorological satellites has yet to bc dctermined, Eumetsat considers that the European m e t e o r o l o g i c a l comtnunity should phty an active role in determining the instrument package for a system that best meets its futurc observation requirements. The financial aspects of the longterm plan will be discussed in greater detail ;,It Eunletsat's next two Council meetings.
GHz and a 2-channel repeater ~q+,crating at 30/20 (}tlz will hc explored. ESA and Eutelsat will cooperate in identifying experimenters and in pro paring proposals for the use of ()lyrepus in the fieM of tmblic international telecomnmnications in F.uropc. I;tu this purposc ;All ()lympus F'SS c x p e r i mcnt evaluation group will hc sol up The group will act as a constthati,.c l',ody to tllc Dircctor (Ticncral ol I"N.,X Its nlain tasks v, ilt mcltLde the ;'xaht;~ lion lind catcgorizatiOll t)l i++.l+oxalfor the use of ()Jynlpus+ inlplcmclltat lion and tcrnls and conditions of such use, assistance to the cxpcrimcnlct>,. and ewduation of the results ~H ,'.he experiments performed. Source: l'~utclsat. ['our Maim: Montparnassc 33. Avenue du Maine. 75755 Paris Cedcx 15. t:r4llCC
Satellite imagery conflict?
Source: Eumetsat, Am Elfengrund 45. 6100 Darmstadt, FRG.
Olympus agreement A cooperative agreement betwecn ESA and Eutelsat has been signed with a view to developing a programme of telecommunication experiments and demonstrations using the experimental Olympus satellitc. The prime objective of the Olympus satellite, due to be launched in 1988, is to demonstrate new applications in c o m m u n i c a t i o n s and broadcasting which should pave the way for opcratiomd activities in line with an mcreased competitive role for European industry in this field. Under the agreement, the use of fixed-satellite services (FSS) of the Olympus satellite and, in particular, a 4-channel repeater operating at 14/12
The routine use ol satellite photogra play bv [JS tclevisi,on nctwork~ and other news media could lead It+ conflict between the media's first amendment rights and I.!S national sccurit\ and foreign policy interests, acoarding It) a Technical Mcmorandtlm prcpared by thc ('ongrcssional Office of Technolog} Assessment (OTA). though the high cost of such satellite svstcmn suggests conflicts will not occur 1.nlti[ new technologies bring costs do,at> The Memorandunl. ( o . m z c r c i a / Newsgatheri,g from 5pace, published in May 1987 hypothesizes that the media might disseminate information regarding US military operations, ~,l int:ormation considered sensitive b\ foreign govertlmelllS. Furthermore. ;~ crisis could bc prccipitatcd b,+ the nfisinterprctatiotl of satellite image13 Attempts bv the US govcl+nnlclll 1,~ restrict the media's access to satellite imagery arc likeh to result in [iisl amendment challengcs to such limitations. The outcome of these chal tenges will hinge on the exact nature of the government limitations and the Supreme Court's determination of the
SPACE POLICY August 1987