News Mails - 2015

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ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL SPACE AGENCY FORUM (APRSAF)
News Mail No. 128 Apr/28/2015
http://www.aprsaf.org/
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- * CONTENTS

• 1. News on APRSAF: APRSAF Website Updated
• 2. News on APRSAF: First Space Exploration Workshop to Be Held on May 28 in Jakarta
• 3. News on APRSAF: 7th SAFE Workshop to Be Held in June
• 4. News on APRSAF: Sentinel Asia Participates in the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
• 5. Event Calendar
• 6. KOMPSAT-3A Successfully Launched
• 7. India's Fourth Navigation Satellite Successfully Launched
• 8. VAST and MoNRE Sign Agreement on Natural Resources, Environmental Management, and Satellite Utilization
• 9. ADB and Japan to Help Asia Use Space Technologies for Disaster Planning

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* 1. News on APRSAF: APRSAF Website Updated
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The APRSAF home page has been updated to promote the coming session, APRSAF-22, in Bali, Indonesia.
http://www.aprsaf.org/

According to the reorganization of working groups approved last December at APRSAF-21 in Tokyo, Japan, to facilitate outcome-oriented activities based on recommendations of APRSAF-20, our website for the working groups section has been updated. The initiatives section has also been modified to highlight recent developments.
http://www.aprsaf.org/working_groups/about/
http://www.aprsaf.org/initiatives/about/

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* 2. News on APRSAF: First Space Exploration Workshop to Be Held on May 28 in Jakarta
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The first Space Exploration Workshop for Asia will be held on May 28, 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia. This workshop is organized by the Space Environment Utilization Working Group (SEUWG) and hosted by the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) to ensure firm progress towards international space exploration programs among the Asia-Pacific countries following the recommendations of APRSAF-21 in Tokyo last December.

Further information will shortly be posted on the APRSAF website and be also sent to APRSAF News Mail subscribers.

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* 3. News on APRSAF: 7th SAFE Workshop to Be Held in June
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The 7th Space Application For Environment (SAFE) Workshop will be held on June 17, 2015, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The workshop is jointly organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Resources Geography (HCMIRG) of Vietnam and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).

The SAFE secretariat is accepting proposals for SAFE prototyping until May 8, 2015.

For further information, please visit the SAFE portal:
- Information on 7th SAFE Workshop
http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/SAFE/events/7th_ws.html
- Call for proposals
http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/SAFE/events/call_for_proposals_7thws.html

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* 4. News on APRSAF: Sentinel Asia Participates in the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
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Sentinel Asia presented its activities at the 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held March 14-18, 2015, in Sendai, Japan. The Sentinel Asia Success Story in the Philippines, as a good example of an earth observation data application for disaster risk reduction, was introduced to a panel as "Earth Observation and High Technology to Reduce Risks" by Dr. Renato Solidum, Jr., Director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

At an associated event hosted by Tohoku University with the theme "Enhancing Disaster Resilience by Fusion of Simulation, Sensing and Geospatial Information," the Asian Disaster Reduction Center referred to Sentinel Asia activities. In addition, an introductory video and related documents for Sentinel Asia Step3 were presented and distributed at the exhibition booth and during other related events.

References:
- Sentinel Asia website
https://sentinel.tksc.jaxa.jp/announce/2012/07/26/SECRisis0001201207260001/WCDRR.html
- Sentinel Asia Step3 introductory video
https://sentinel.tksc.jaxa.jp/announce/2012/07/26/SECRisis0001201207260001/index.html
- 3rd UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction
http://www.wcdrr.org/

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* 5. Event Calendar
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- Third UNISEC-Global Meeting
(July 3-5, 2015, Tokyo, Japan)
http://www.unisec-global.org/meeting3.html

- Joint Conference 30th ISTS, 34th IEPC & 6th NSAT
(July 4-10, 2015, Kobe, Japan)
http://www.ists.or.jp/2015/

- 66th International Astronautical Congress
(October 12-16, 2015, Jerusalem, Israel)
http://www.iac2015.org/

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* 6. KOMPSAT-3A Successfully Launched
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A South Korean multipurpose satellite, KOMPSAT-3A, was successfully launched by an RS-20 Dnepr launch vehicle from Yasny Launch Base, Russia, on March 25, 2015 (GMT). Developed based on KOMPSAT-3 (currently in operation), KOMPSAT-3A carries an Electro-Optical Infrared camera to collect data for analyzing climate change and monitoring disasters, land, resources, and the environment.

The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) has released first images acquired by KOMPSAT-3A for performance testing of the payload camera.

References:
- ISC Kosmotras News
http://www.kosmotras.ru/en/news/165/
- First images, KARI News (in Korean)
http://www.kari.re.kr/sub0402/articles/view/tableid/bodo_data/id/3104

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* 7. India's Fourth Navigation Satellite Successfully Launched
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On March 28, 2015, IRNSS-1D, the fourth satellite in the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) was launched successfully by ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C27, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR in India.

IRNSS will have seven satellites in all for the space segment; the next satellite, IRNSS-1E, is slated to be launched in the coming months. The remaining satellites are scheduled to be launched by 2016.

Reference:
- ISRO Press Release
http://www.isro.gov.in/update/28-mar-2015/pslv-c27-successfully-launches-indias-fourth-navigation-satellite-irnss-1d

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* 8. VAST and MoNRE Sign Agreement on Natural Resources, Environmental Management, and Satellite Utilization
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On March 23, 2015, the president of the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Professor Chau Van Minh, and an organizational delegation visited the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Laos (MoNRE) and held talks to further cooperation in science and technology. In their discussions, they focused on environmental impact assessment, climate change, ecology, and biodiversity; additionally, they consulted about training programs regarding image processing to monitor environmental resources through satellite data. After the talks, both sides agreed to proceed with certain plans, including mutual visits of the respective organizations, establishment of cooperative projects, and joint organization of conferences/seminars. The visit concluded with both parties assenting to a cooperation agreement on natural resources and environmental management.

Reference:
- VAST News (in Vietnamese)
http://www.vast.ac.vn/tin-tuc-su-kien/tin-vien/2252-buoc-tien-moi-trong-quan-he-hop-tac-voi-cac-doi-tac-cong-hoa-dan-chu-nhan-dan-lao

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* 9. ADB and Japan to Help Asia Use Space Technologies for Disaster Planning
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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced that ADB and Japan will help four Asia-Pacific countries, Armenia, Bangladesh, Fiji, and the Philippines, make use of state-of-the-art technology (including satellite maps) for disaster planning by training government and community officials and local volunteers in each country. The four countries were selected as models for the program, which aims for further application of technologies in countries throughout the region.

Reference:
- ADB Press Release
http://www.adb.org/news/adb-japan-help-asia-tap-space-technologies-counter-disasters

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Copyright 2015 The APRSAF Secretariat

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APRSAF Secretariat
c/o Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
ochanomizu sola city, 4-6 Kandasurugadai, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 101-8008 Japan
Tel: +81-50-3362-5880 / Fax: +81-3-5209-3208
E-mail: secretariataprsaf.org
Web: http://www.aprsaf.org
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