News Mails - 2016

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ASIA-PACIFIC REGIONAL SPACE AGENCY FORUM (APRSAF)
News Mail No. 138 Feb/29/2016
http://www.aprsaf.org/
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- * CONTENTS

• 1. News on APRSAF: APRSAF-23 Date and Venue Announced
• 2. News on APRSAF: Call for Proposals for Asian Try Zero-G 2016 and a Report from Thailand
• 3. News from APRSAF Community: International Conference on Space-2016 in Pakistan
• 4. Event Calendar
• 5. Turkey to Use Satellite Data for Precision Agriculture
• 6. India and Kuwait Sign MoU on Peaceful Use of Outer Space
• 7. LAPAN Announces its Vision
• 8. GISTDA Opens a Space Museum

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* 1. News on APRSAF: APRSAF-23 Date and Venue Announced
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The 23rd session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-23) will be held from November 15-18, 2016 at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila in the Philippines (http://www.sofitelmanila.com/en).

APRSAF-23 is being jointly organized by the Department of Science and Technology of the Philippines (DOST), the Department of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines (DFA), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The main theme of APRSAF-23 is "Building a Future through Space Science, Technology, and Innovation."

Further information will be posted on the APRSAF website in due course:
http://www.aprsaf.org/annual_meetings/aprsaf23/meeting_details.php

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* 2. News on APRSAF: Call for Proposals for Asian Try Zero-G 2016 and a Report from Thailand
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As mentioned in the last News Mail, the Kibo-ABC initiative is now accepting proposals for ideas for experiments to be conducted in the "Kibo" Japanese Experiment Module at the International Space Station (ISS). The submission deadline is February 29, 2016 (JST 17:00). Details are available on the Kibo Utilization Office for Asia (KUOA) website:
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kuoa/news/151225_call_for_proposals.html

Five students from Thailand, one of the Kibo-ABC member countries, submitted a proposal that was accepted for Asian Try Zero-G 2015 and were invited to the Government House on National Children's Day in January to introduce the achievements of the program. For a detailed report on the event in Thailand, please visit the KUOA website:
http://iss.jaxa.jp/en/kuoa/news/kibo_abc_news_160121.html

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* 3. News from APRSAF Community: International Conference on Space-2016 in Pakistan
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Pakistan's space agency, the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), in collaboration with Institute of Space Technology (IST), Islamabad, is organizing the 2nd International Conference on Space (ICS-2016) to be held from September 20-22, 2016 in Islamabad, Pakistan. For details, please visit the conference website:
http://suparco.gov.pk/webroot/pages/ICS-2016.asp

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* 4. Event Calendar
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- 14th International Conference on Space Operations
(May 16-20, 2016, Daejeon, South Korea)
http://spaceops2016.org/

- 41st COSPAR Scientific Assembly
(July 31-August 7, 2016, Istanbul, Turkey)
https://www.cospar-assembly.org/

- 2nd International Conference on Space (ICS-2016)
(September 20-22, 2016, Islamabad, Pakistan)
http://suparco.gov.pk/webroot/pages/ICS-2016.asp

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* 5. Turkey to Use Satellite Data for Precision Agriculture
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The Space Technologies Research Institute of Turkey (Tubitak Uzay) and the Southeastern Anatolia Project, a regional development initiative, held a meeting on January 25 regarding system development for a joint project for promoting precision agriculture and sustainable applications in the region. The meeting featured presentations and discussions on agricultural projects, including projects involving precision agriculture, using high-resolution satellite images, particularly those taken by Turkey's Gokturk-2, which has a resolution of 2.5 m and was launched in December 2012. Images taken from Gokturk-2 and by plane will be utilized to understand crop growth, prospective yields, crop disease, and other agricultural issues.

References:
- Tubitak Uzay News (in Turkish)
http://uzay.tubitak.gov.tr/tr/haber/hassas-projesinde-2-gozden-gecirme-asamasi-tamamlandi
- GAP News (in Turkish)
http://www.gap.gov.tr/hassas-projesi-nde-2.-gozden-gecirme-toplantisi-gerceklestirildi-haberi-30.html

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* 6. India and Kuwait Sign MoU on the Peaceful Use of Outer Space
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On January 20, the government of India announced that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research (KISR) had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding cooperation in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes. Under the MoU, KISR will use data acquired by Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) satellites for certain research and application projects; moreover, both sides will carry out satellite construction and launches, as well as training. ISRO and KISR will establish a joint working group for further work on implementing the MoU.

References:
- Press Information Bureau, Government of India
http://www.pib.nic.in/newsite/erelease.aspx?relid=134639
- KISR, History
http://www.kisr.edu.kw/en/about-us/history

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* 7. LAPAN Announces its Vision
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On January 21, Prof. Dr. Thomas Djamaluddin, Chairman, National Institute of Aeronautics and Space of Indonesia (LAPAN), announced that LAPAN would lead Indonesia in the aerospace field to achieve LAPAN's future vision and to realize the country's development and independence. Prof. Dr. Djamaluddin added that for this purpose, LAPAN had initiated major programs involving space science and atmospheric science for decision-making, the technological development of sounding rockets, the establishment of a national remote-sensing databank, and other developmental issues in accordance with the national space law enforced in August 2013. In addition, to fulfill this vision, LAPAN intends to engage in efforts to improve human capacity and services through cooperation both with domestic and international entities.

Reference:
- LAPAN News (in Indonesian)
http://www.lapan.go.id/index.php/subblog/read/2016/2315/Tata-Nilai-untuk-Wujudkan-Visi-LAPAN

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* 8. GISTDA Opens a Space Museum
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In January, the GeoInformatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) opened a museum where children can learn about space, the Space Inspirium, at GISTDA's Space Krenovation Park in Chonburi Province, Thailand. According to Dr. Anon Sanitwong Na Ayudhya, Director of GISTDA, the museum is expected to work as a starting point to promote children's interest in space technologies and geographic information in the context of their increasing importance. The museum has 13 zones, each with a different subject, starting from "Universe" and ending with "Application for Tomorrow."

References:
- GISTDA News
http://www.gistda.or.th/main/en/node/1105
http://www.gistda.or.th/main/en/node/1104

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Copyright 2016 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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