APRSAF-9

Background

The Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) is an annual meeting to exchange opinions and information on space affairs including space development in the region and to adopt recommendations. Under the theme of "Beneficial Space Application for the Region", the ninth session was held at the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in Daejeon, Korea from 25 through 27 March 2003. The Session consisted of the Plenary and the four working groups meetings to discuss various space matters, including space technology applications in disaster monitoring, communications, and environmental protection, space education, and commercialization.

• The 1st Session : Tokyo, Japan / Sep. 1993
• The 2nd Session : Tokyo, Japan / Oct.-Nov.1994
• The 3rd Session : Tokyo, Japan / Mar.1995
• The 4th Session : Tokyo, Japan / Mar.1997
• The 5th Session : Ulanbaatar, Mongolia / Jun.1998/Co-Host Style
• The 6th Session : Tsukuba, Japan / May 1999
• The 7th Session : Tokyo, Japan / Jun.2000
• The 8th Session : Kuara Lumpur, Malaysia / July 2001 / Co-Host Style

Participating Countries, and International Organizations at APRSAF-9

• Asian Region -

  Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand

• Pacific Region -

  Australia

• Other Countries -

  France, Germany, Russia

• International Organizations -

  AIT, ESA, ICIMOD, UN/ESCAP

NASDA's Roles:

As one of the organizing agencies, NASDA plays a central role not only in planning and organizing the annual meeting of APRSAF, including secretariat functions, but also in sending its staff members to make a leading speech and other presentations at every APRSAF meeting.

Joint Organizers

• Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand (MOST)
• Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
• Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT)
• Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS)
• National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA)

Date

March 25 ~ March 27, 2003
(Technical Tour in the afternoon of March 27)

Place

Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI)
Daejeon, Korea

Co-Chairperson

Dr. Zeen-Chul Kim, Vice President, KARI Mr. Masahiro Kawasaki, Commissioner, Space Activities Commission (SAC) /MEXT
Dr. Yoji Furuhama, Executive Director, NASDA (for the final day)

Program

First Day (March 25):

• Working Group Sessions:
  • - Earth Observation,
  • - Communication Satellite Applications,
  • - Space Environment Utilization,
  • - Space Education and Awareness,
• Plenary - Special Speeches,
• Working Group Sessions

Second Day (March 26):

• Session: Space Education and Awareness, Communication Satellite Applications, Earth Observation
• Working Group: Earth Observation, Communication Satellite
• Applications, Space Education and Awareness

Third Day (March 27):

• Plenary - Summaries of the Four Working Groups, Closing Session
• Technical Tour organized by KARI: KARI, KAIST/ SaTReC, ETRI and Donghaksa

Recommendations

• To recognize by the plenary meeting the adoption of the four Working Groups' recommendations,
• To reinforce secretariat function by NASDA in cooperation with KARI, including registration of focal points in each member country, at NASDA and Working Group Chairpersons,
• To enhance capacity building in the Region, especially,
• Distribution of information and status including disaster charter,
• Exchange of small satellite information,
• To sustain personnel exchange among member countries through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Report