News Mails - 2007
[[APRSAF-14, November 21-23, 2007, Bangalore, India]]
The leaflet is now available on APRSAF website:
http://www.aprsaf.org/annual_meetings/aprsaf14/meeting_details.php
************************************* T O P I C S ******************************************
1. Workshop on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Himalayan Region - Sharing Knowledge and Bridging Gaps" Nepal - May 9 - 11
2. The 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, Vietnam - May 17 - 18
3. Vietnam to launch a telecom satellite, "Vinasat," in early 2008, Vietnam
4. Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD)
5. The "SinoSat-3," a communications satellite successfully launched, China - June 1
6. [[Event Information and APRSAF Website Updates - June - July 2007]]
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Workshop on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Himalayan Region - Sharing Knowledge and Bridging Gaps" Nepal - May 9 - 11
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 60 key disaster management practitioners from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan met from May 9 to 11, 2007, in Kathmandu during a workshop organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to share knowledge and experiences on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Himalayan Region."
This ICIMOD initiative supported by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (DG ECHO) is of great importance also for technical oriented practitioners working in the field of space activities.
More data and new technology will not contribute to reduce the rise of natural hazard risks and vulnerability. The use of satellite data and space technology in disaster preparedness need to be combined with a better understanding and integration of ground data both technical and social for disaster risk reduction. The proceedings of the workshop will be shortly posted on the website
(www.disasterpreparedness.icimod.org).
For further information, please contact Dr. Mats Eriksson
(meriksson@icimod.org), Water, Hazards and Environmental Management, ICIMOD.
ICIMOD Website:
http://www.icimod.org/home/
Full text of the article:
http://www.aprsaf.org/interviews_features/features_2007/feature_14.php
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, Vietnam - May 17 - 18
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since 2002, the Mekong Flood Forum has been conducted every year by the Mekong River Commission (MRC). The forum provides opportunities for managers, planners, practitioners and scientists from riparian states, international organizations, and civil society organizations to meet and share experiences and information regarding flood issues and identify ways to improve flood management taking a balanced regional and holistic approach.
On May 17 and 18, 2007, the 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum was held in Ho Chi Minh City, with the theme of "Improving Inputs Towards Medium-term Flood Forecasting and Warning in the Mekong Basin" with 132 participants from 17 countries.
During the forum, the technical advisor of the Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre (RFMMC) of MRC, Bob Pengel, reported on the Satellite Rainfall Estimate (SRE), which would play an important role to manage the Mekong flood.
Mekong River Commission Website:
http://www.mrcmekong.org
Full text of the article:
http://www.aprsaf.org/interviews_features/features_2007/feature_13.php
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Vietnam to launch a telecom satellite, "Vinasat," in early 2008, Vietnam
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vietnamese first telecommunication satellite, "Vinasat" is now under development. The Vinasat is manufactured by the American satellite maker Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems (LMCSS). According to LMCSS, 30% of the satellite hardware has been manufactured and the remaining 70% is scheduled to be made before January 2008. In Vietnam, two operation stations are scheduled to be completed on June 30, 2008. Vietnam is planning to launch the satellite on March 29, 2008, and the satellite is expected to begin providing telecom services to remote and isolated areas of Viet Nam in late April 2008.
The Vice Director of the Space Technology Institute (STI) and the Head of the Mechatronics Department of the Institute of Mechanics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Dr. Pham Anh Tuan said "VINASAT is one of the main task of the Master Plan for Research and Application of Space Technology of Viet Nam to 2020, approved by the government on June 14, 2006."
Information of the Master Plan for Research and Application of Space Technology of Viet Nam to 2020:
http://www.aprsaf.org/newsmails_newsletters/update/text_20070613.php
VietNamNet Bridge - May 21, 2007, by Mr. Hoang Hung
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/tech/2007/05/697251/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The senior science research specialist of PCASTRD, Jose Edgardo L. Aban, reported:
PCASTRD was established in 1987 as one of the sectoral planning councils of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) tasked to develop, integrate, and coordinate the national research system for the advanced science and technology (S&T) sector in the country. PCASTRD has developed its activities in a wide range of research fields in cooperation with government entities, academia and research laboratories.
In terms of space activities in the Philippines, the National Congress on Space Technology Application Research (NC-STAR) will be held in November 2007. This is a follow-up event of the Science and Technology Application and Research (STAR) Plan held in November 2005. Also, a small modular project of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) is now under development in collaboration between the Advanced Sciences and Technology Institute (ASTI) and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).
Besides, for the space education and awareness activities in Philippines, the water rocket launch competition will be held in June as a domestic event for school students and its winner will be awarded with an opportunity to participate in the competition of the APRSAF-14 side event to be held in November in Bangalore, India.
PCASTRD Website:
http://www.pcastrd.dost.gov.ph
Full text of the article:
http://www.aprsaf.org/interviews_features/interviews_2007/11.php
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. The "SinoSat-3," a communications satellite successfully launched, China - June 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
China launched the SinoSat-3, a communication satellite for radio and television broadcasting, aboard a Long March-3A carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan province, southwest China, at 0:08 a.m. (Beijing Time) on June 1, 2007 and the satellite was separated from the rocket about 24 minutes after lift-off and before entering its geosynchronous orbit.
The SinoSat-3 and its carrier rocket were mainly developed and manufactured by the China Academy of Space Technology (CAST) and the China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT).
The launch was the 100th time of China's Long March series of rockets.
China view - June 1, 2007, by Mr. Mu Xuequan -
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-06/01/content_6182044.htm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. [[Event Information and APRSAF Website Updates - June -July 2007]]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*June 14-16, 2007
RAST 2007 3rd International Conference on Recent Advances in Space Technologies
Istanbul, Turkey
http://www.rast.org.tr/
*June 20-27, 2007
Geoinformation Forum Japan 2007
Yokohama, Japan
http://www.jsurvey.jp/eng-geoforum2006.htm
*June 25-28, 2007
Second Global Conference on Economic Geograph
Beijing, China
http://courses.nus.edu.sg/course/geoywc/conference/econgeog.html
*June 27-29, 2007
Good Land Administration
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
http://www.la-east-west.mn/
*July 3 - August 4, 2007
Asia Oceania Geosciences Society, 4th Annual Meeting
Bangkok, Thailand
http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2007/
*July 5-7, 2007
Geoinformation Forum Japan 2007
Yokohama, Japan
http://www.jsurvey.jp/eng-geoforum2006.htm
*July 10-13, 2007
4th International Conference on Population Geographies
Hong Kong
http://www.grm.cuhk.edu.hk/en/4ipgc.htm
*Jan 7 - Apr 25, 2008
International Institute for Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC)
Nairobi, Kenya
http://www.itc.nl/itc_worldwide/kenya_brochure.pdf
+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+
Copyright 2007 The APRSAF Secretariat
APRSAF Secretariat