Res Communis

EU-South Africa Space Cooperation Report

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The European Council has posted a Space Cooperation Report in relation to cooperation between the EU and South Africa. The report states:

Following the July 2008 EU-South Africa Summit, which identified space as one of the possible areas for future enhanced bilateral cooperation, the JCC approved in October 2008 the Terms of Reference for an EU-South Africa Space Dialogue, prepared together by the European Commission, the South African Department of Science and Technology and the European Space Agency.

The first annual dialogue meeting under these Terms of Reference took place on 27 January 2009 in Pretoria. It offered an opportunity to exchange information on space policy and programmes, which have entered important stages on both sides with the European Space Policy and the adoption of South Africa’s National Space Science and Technology Strategy.

Next to discussions on how this Space Dialogue could promote scientific exchange and the opportunities for South Africa to participate in the relevant future calls under the EU’s 7th Framework Programme, as well as in the ESA science programmes, both sides highlighted the importance and potential for cooperation in the areas of Earth observation and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).

The participants agreed on the importance of Earth observation as a critical instrument to inform and support policy- and decision-making in the interest of sustainable growth and development.

Cooperation in this area should build on existing contacts and respective initiatives like the South African national Earth observation programmes, the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, and the European Space Agency Earth Observation programs. The parties agreed to also explore opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation in the field of ground segment and data exchange. They highlighted the importance of relevant multilateral cooperation, like in the Group on Earth Observation (GEO), but also the recent GMES-and-Africa initiative as part of the broader Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

In this context, the meeting also reaffirmed the commitment of participants to contribute through their bilateral cooperation in space to the implementation of the Science, Space and Information Society Partnership of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy.

The parties agreed to further develop cooperation with regard to the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay System (EGNOS) and to establish relevant focused working groups, including to consider and implement new initiatives, in particular as regards the extension of basic EGNOS performance beyond 20° South over Africa as a first step towards full performance extension, and the installation of elements of the Galileo ground infrastructure in South Africa. Following the Space Dialogue in January in Pretoria, a specific experts meeting was held in June 2009 in Brussels to define a roadmap for the project implementation.

The next meeting of the Space Dialogue should take place in early 2010 in Brussels. It has been agreed to establish a list of contact points in the relevant services and to identify a selected set of concrete areas of cooperation and actions ahead of that meeting.

Alaska: SB 125: An Act changing the name of the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation to Alaska Aerospace Corporation

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

Alaska’s SB 125: An Act changing the name of the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation to Alaska Aerospace Corporation was signed into law by the governor on June 30, 2009:

AN ACT
Changing the name of the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation to Alaska Aerospace
Corporation.
_______________
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:

AN ACT
Changing the name of the Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation to Alaska Aerospace Corporation.

_______________

* Section 1. AS 14.40.821(a) is amended to read:
(a) The Alaska Aerospace [DEVELOPMENT] Corporation is created as a public corporation of the state. The corporation is a body corporate and politic located for administrative purposes within the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development and affiliated with the University of Alaska but with a separate and independent legal existence.
* Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to read:
REVISOR’S INSTRUCTION. The revisor of statutes shall substitute “Alaska Aerospace Corporation” for “Alaska Aerospace Development Corporation” in
(1) AS 14.40.841(a), 14.40.951(a), 14.40.956, 14.40.990(1), 14.40.990(2);
(2) AS 24.20.201(a)(12);
(3) AS 36.30.015(e), 36.30.990(1)(B)(vi);
(4) AS 36.90.300(c)(4);
(5) AS 38.05.810(h);
(6) AS 39.25.110(11)(F);
(7) AS 39.50.200(b)(53);
(8) AS 41.23.250(b);
(9) AS 44.12.200(b); and
(10) AS 44.99.030(a)(1), 44.99.400

IMSO Signs LRIT Services Agreement With Ecuador

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From the International Maritime Satellite Organization:

IMSO NEWS 019
23 July 2009
IMSO SIGNS LRIT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ECUADOR

The IMSO Director General, Captain Esteban Pacha-Vicente, today signed the LRIT Services Agreement between IMSO and the Direccion Nacional de Espacios Acuaticos (DIRNEA) of Ecuador, represented by its National Director Mr Jaime Ayala, in the presence of Captain Remigio Haro, Permanent Representative of Ecuador to IMO and Naval Assistant to the United Kingdom.

IMSO Director General Capt Esteban Pacha (left) presenting a signed LRIT Services Agreement to the Permanent Representative of Ecuador to IMO Capt Remigio Haro (right)

The LRIT Services Agreement, prescribed in the IMSO Convention, establishes the relationship between IMSO, as the LRIT Coordinator appointed by IMO, and the LRIT Data Centre for the audit and review of each Data Centre. A Model LRIT Services Agreement was approved for this purpose by the IMSO Assembly at its 20th session on Malta in 2008.

Ecuador has established a National LRIT Data Centre that started its testing on 30 June 2009 and therefore is expected to be integrated by IMSO into the LRIT production environment as soon as the testing phase is successfully completed.

Captain Pacha expressed his satisfaction with the current level of progress on implementation of the LRIT system worldwide and in particular with the commitment of Ecuador to make it happen by using its own resources. Together with those of Brazil, Chile and Panama, the LRIT Data Centre of Ecuador is the fourth that has been established in the Latin-American region.

A total of 22 LRIT Data Centres have been integrated into the LRIT system and a further 14 LRIT Data Centres, including Ecuador National LRIT Data Centre, have been authorised to start developmental testing by IMO, and expected to be integrated shortly by IMSO. In total, these Centres represent more than 80 percent of the world’s registered fleet.

IMSO continues to be actively involved in the integration process of further LRIT Data Centres, leading to an estimated total of 62 Data Centres overall by the end of 2009.

H. Res. 607: Celebrating the Fortieth Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

H. Res. 607: Celebrating the Fortieth Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing was passed by the House of Representatives on July 20, 2009:

HRES 607 EH

H. Res. 607

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

July 20, 2009.

Whereas President John F. Kennedy in his May 25, 1961, speech to Congress set forth the goal of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth;

Whereas the Apollo program was designed to achieve the goal established by President Kennedy by sending a crew of three astronauts to the Moon and returning them safely to the Earth;

Whereas the Apollo program built on the knowledge and experience gained from the Mercury and Gemini human space flight programs, as well as from precursor robotic lunar exploration activities;

Whereas the crew of Apollo 11 consisted of Neil Armstrong, Mission Commander, Buzz Aldrin, Lunar Module Pilot, and Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot;

Whereas the crew of Apollo 11 launched into space aboard a Saturn V rocket on July 16, 1969, on a 4-day trip to the Moon;

Whereas, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin successfully piloted the Eagle Lunar Module to the surface of the Moon;

Whereas, on July 20, 1969, when Neil Armstrong took his first step on the Moon, he became the first person to walk on the surface of another celestial body;

Whereas the Apollo 11 Moon landing was the culmination of the efforts of tens of thousands of scientists, engineers, and other dedicated individuals and organizations;

Whereas the Apollo 11 Moon landing was experienced by millions of people all around the world by means of radio and television broadcasts;

Whereas the Apollo 11 astronauts left a plaque on the lunar surface that stated: `We came in peace for all mankind’;

Whereas the successful Apollo 11 Moon landing was one of the most significant events of the 20th century and inspired a generation to strive towards great accomplishments in space and on Earth; and

Whereas the Apollo 11 achievement continues to inspire Americans as we prepare for future human journeys back to the Moon and other destinations in the solar system: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

(1) celebrates the 40th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing;

(2) honors the brave crew of the Apollo 11 mission–Neil Armstrong, `Buzz’ Aldrin, and Michael Collins; and

(3) commends all those individuals and organizations who contributed to such a historic achievement that continues to be an inspiration to the Nation and the world.

Attest:

Clerk.

S. Res. 222: A resolution recognizing Lieutenant Commander Chris Cassidy, space shuttle mission specialist of the STS-127 space shuttle mission and the Expedition 19 International Space Station mission, for becoming the 500th person to fly into space.

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

S. Res. 222: A resolution recognizing Lieutenant Commander Chris Cassidy, space shuttle mission specialist of the STS-127 space shuttle mission and the Expedition 19 International Space Station mission, for becoming the 500th person to fly into space was introduced on July 23, 2009 by Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME). The text is not yet available.

Apollo 11 Customs Form

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

After the Apollo 11 astronauts returned to Earth, they had to do what everybody does when entering the United States: go through customs. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has posted a copy of the customs form filed on behalf of the astronauts at the Honolulu Airport the day they returned to the Earth. More at Space.com.