APRSAF-13

Recommendation

Recommendations of the thirteenth session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-13)
Jakarta, Indonesia / 7 December 2006

Recognizing the importance of working together to address issues of common concern in the region toward building a secure and prosperous society through the use of space technology and its applications,

Recognizing the need to make further efforts to enhance disaster management by using space technologies and ensuring the progressive development of the Sentinel Asia project, particularly in view of the tragic losses and damages caused by recent disasters,

The participants of APRSAF-13 adopted the following recommendations:

1. The Joint Project Team shall strengthen the Sentinel Asia activities and improve the operability of the existing systems, taking into account the needs such as to enlarge the scope of the project to cover various types of disasters, to increase the number of Earth observation satellites involved and to implement dedicated training programs, expressed by the participants of APRSAF-13.

2. Earth Observation Working Group shall study the feasibility to establish a similar project in the environment field, based on the experience of Sentinel Asia project.

3. Communication Satellite Applications Working Group shall share the information relating to digital divide in Asia Pacific region, recognize the role of satellite communications and navigation, and identify solutions for the region.

4. Communication Satellite Applications Working Group shall consider applying the Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS) experiment program to study: i) the technical issues of Ka-band satellite communications, satellite IP network, broadband communications; ii) the application of WINDS to Sentinel Asia project, and iii) post WINDS program with cooperation of Asian countries.

5. International Space Station (ISS) Working Group shall accelerate the joint research coordination and start the feasibility studies for ISS/Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) utilization, and promote human resources development to realize the international cooperation among the Asia-Pacific countries.

6. Space Education and Awareness Working Group shall promote space education activities at all levels, such as the Water Rocket Event, Poster Contest, Space Education Forums and Seminars as well as CanSat activities, within the framework of APRSAF, and APRSAF shall encourage collaborations among Working Groups of APRSAF by creating synergies among their efforts toward the enhancement of space education in the region.

7. Entities participating in APRSAF shall explore possible funding sources for the successful implementation of the recommendations.