News Mails - 2015

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ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL SPACE AGENCY FORUM (APRSAF)
News Mail No. 131 July/30/2015
http://www.aprsaf.org/
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- * CONTENTS

• 1. News on APRSAF: The 7th SAFE Workshop in Vietnam Report Available
• 2. News on APRSAF: The 1st Space Exploration and Kibo Utilization for Asia Workshop Report Available
• 3. News from APRSAF Community: ISNET/SUPARCO Workshop on Student Satellites to be Held in Nov
• 4. Event Calendar
• 5. Himawari-8 Operation Begins
• 6. New Launch Site to be Built in New Zealand
• 7. UAE's New Space Center Established

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* 1. News on APRSAF: The 7th SAFE Workshop in Vietnam Report Available
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The 7th Space Applications for Environment (SAFE) workshop was held successfully on June 17, 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At the workshop, five ongoing projects reported their current status, and one new proposal from Malaysia about oil palm management was reviewed and approved with reservations. Additionally, five special reports from local and international stakeholders were presented. For further information, including brief comments on each prototyping project and the agenda with presentation materials, please visit the SAFE Portal:
http://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/SAFE/events/7thws_report.html

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* 2. News on APRSAF: The 1st Space Exploration and Kibo Utilization for Asia Workshop Report Available
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As informed in the previous News Mail, the 1st Space Exploration and Kibo Utilization for Asia Workshop, organized by the APRSAF Space Environment Utilization Working Group and hosted by the National Institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia (LAPAN), was held successfully on May 28, 2015 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The summary report including presentation materials has been posted on JAXA's Kibo Utilization Office for Asia (KUOA) website:
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kuoa/news/150630_workshop_report.html

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* 3. News from APRSAF Community: ISNET/SUPARCO Workshop on Student Satellites to be Held in Nov
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The Inter-Islamic Network on Space Sciences & Technology (ISNET), in collaboration with the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), will hold a five-day workshop on student satellites from November 2-6, 2015 in Lahore, Pakistan.

The workshop will include a two-day seminar followed by a two-day lecture-based, hands-on training workshop on different software and tools required for design and development of student satellites. It will also include an interactive session with renowned experts on the latest trends in the student satellite arena. At the end of the workshop, a day-long technical visit to the SUPARCO facilities will be organized for participants.

For further information and inquiries, please visit the workshop website:
http://www.isnet.org.pk/pages/activities-2015-02.asp

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* 4. Event Calendar
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- International Workshop on Air Quality in Asia
(August 4-7, 2015, Bogor, Indonesia)
http://gofc-fire.umd.edu/meeting/static/Indonesia_Workshop_2015/index.php

- Geosmart Asia 2015
(September 29-October 1, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
http://geosmartasia.org/

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

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* 5. Himawari-8 Operation Begins
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The Himawari-8 geostationary meteorological satellite commenced operation on July 7, 2015 (UTC). Himawari-8 was launched by the H-IIA launch vehicle on October 7, 2014 as the successor to the MTSAT missions, and is managed by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). With its advanced earth monitoring capacity, based on multi-band, high-resolution, and high frequency observation, Himawari-8 is expected to provide highly improved meteorological services such as weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and natural disaster prevention and mitigation for the East Asian and Western Pacific regions.

References:
- JMA press release
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/satellite/news/himawari89/20150707_himawari-8_operation_initiated.pdf
- JMA Himawari-8/9 leaflet
http://www.jma.go.jp/jma/jma-eng/satellite/news/himawari89/himawari89_leaflet.pdf
- Himawari-8 movie library (NICT)
http://himawari8.nict.go.jp/himawari8-movie.htm#

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* 6. New Launch Site to be Built in New Zealand
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A new launch site will be built on Kaitorete Spit, in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand's South Island, a spaceflight company called Rocket Lab announced. According to the release, the launch site will be used to launch small satellites to Low Earth Orbit by the company's launch vehicle, Electron.

- Reference:
Rocket Lab Ltd. press release
http://www.rocketlabusa.com/worlds-first-commercial-launch-site/

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* 7. UAE's New Space Center Established
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Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has issued a law establishing Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC). In addition, the PM appointed Dubai's Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, as Chairman and Supervisor of all the center's projects as well as strategic and developmental plans. The PM also issued a law that the Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST) shall join and be under the umbrella of MBRSC.

MBRSC will be responsible for strengthening the space science field in the UAE, supporting technical innovation, conducting joint programs with international institutions, and supervising the UAE's first Mars mission, Al-Amal, or Hope. The center will also have authority to fund research and innovation projects related to space and to establish technological companies.

References:
- His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum News
http://www.sheikhmohammed.co.ae/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=26939628ec16e410VgnVCM1000003f64a8c0RCRD&vgnextchannel=2777bc9e88caf210VgnVCM1000004d64a8c0RCRD&vgnextfmt=default&date=1436635748723&type=sheikh
- Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre, About Us
http://mbrsc.ae/en/page/introduction

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Copyright 2015 The APRSAF Secretariat

APRSAF News Mails are distributed to update the readers on
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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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