Res Communis

FAA: ANALYSIS OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT SAFETY – Report to Congress

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The FAA has posted Analysis of Human Space Flight Safety: Report to Congress. From the Executive Summary:

Scope
This study addressed the following eight topics related to activities and responsibilities of the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (FAA/AST):

1. The standards of safety and concepts of operation that should guide the regulation of human space flight and whether the standard of safety should vary by class or type of vehicle, the purpose of flight, or other considerations;

2. The effectiveness of the commercial licensing and permitting regime under chapter 701 of title 49, United States Code, particularly in ensuring the safety of the public and of crew and space flight participants during launch, in-space transit, orbit, and reentry, and whether any changes are needed to that chapter;

3. Whether there is a need for commercial ground operations for commercial space flight, including provision of launch support, launch and reentry control, mission control, range operations, and communications and telemetry operations through all phases of flight, and if such operations developed, whether and how they should be regulated;

4. Whether expendable and reusable launch and reentry vehicles should be regulated differently from each other, and whether either of those vehicles should be regulated differently when carrying human beings;

5. Whether the Federal Government should separate the promotion of human space flight from the regulation of such activity;

6. How third parties could be used to evaluate the qualification and acceptance of new human space flight vehicles prior to their operation;

7. How nongovernment experts could participate more fully in setting standards and developing regulations concerning human space flight safety; and

8.Whether the Federal Government should regulate the extent of foreign ownership or control of human space flight companies operating or incorporated in the United States.

ITU Radio Regulations Board concludes meeting

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From the ITU:

ITU Radio Regulations Board concludes meeting

Geneva, 5 December 2008 — The ITU Radio Regulations Board (RRB) concluded its deliberations today. Meeting under the chairmanship of Ms Julie N. Zoller (USA), the 49th meeting of the Board completed revisions to the Rules of Procedure for the application of the Radio Regulations as modified by the World Radiocommunication Conference held in 2007.

The Radio Regulations comprise of the international treaty governing the use of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. The Radio Regulations Board addresses matters which cannot be resolved through application of the ITU Radio Regulations and to consider cases of unresolved radio interference among countries. The twelve members of the RRB are elected by ITU Member States.

The Board elected Dr Ali R. Ebadi (Malaysia) as chairman and Dr Mindaugas Zilinskas (Lithuania) as vice-chairman for the year 2009 and will resume its work at the 50th meeting in March 2009.

2008 Moot Court Final Video Available

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The video of the finals from the 2008 <a href="http://www.iislweb.org/competition.html“>Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is online.

Report: Real Space, Real Law, Real Progress

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

A report on the IAC plenary meeting Real Space, Real Law, Real Progress is available from the IAF website.

JAXA and UNESCO concluded Memorandum of Unity for Monitoring World Heritage Sites

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From JAXA:

JAXA and UNESCO concluded Memorandum of Unity for Monitoring World Heritage Sites

December 2, 2008 (JST)

Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) concluded a Memorandum of Unity (MOU) for cooperating in monitoring World Heritage Sites using the Advanced Land Observing Satellite “DAICHI” (ALOS) to watch and protect the common legacy of all mankind.

Since 2003, UNESCO has been monitoring the World Heritage Sites by satellite to protect them in corporation with the European Space Agency (ESA) under the “open initiative on the use of space technologies to support the World Heritage”*1.

Meanwhile, JAXA has been monitoring all over the Earth for about three years through the “DAICHI” since its launch in January 2006. Our accumulated observation data includes that of World Heritage Sites.

Under the abovementioned background, JAXA and UNESCO had been discussing the possibility of using data acquired by the “DAICHI,” and decided to conclude a MOU.

Under the MOU, JAXA agrees to acquire image data on 10 World Heritage Sites*2 in Japan and other foreign countries, mainly Asian countries, about twice a year to provide the data to UNESCO. In addition, JAXA plans to make a data base of World Heritage Site images acquired to date to publish them. UNESCO will use the data to help protect World Heritage Sites with other related research institutions in the world and the hosts of the Heritage Sites.

JAXA and UNESCO will cooperatively do our best to carry out our respective roles to protect the World Heritage Sites, which have a common universal value for all mankind, and to ensure they are inherited to the next generation.

JAXA and UNESCO held a ceremony for concluding the MOU at the JAXA Tokyo office on December 2, 2008, and President Tachikawa of JAXA and Director General Matsuura of UNESCO signed the pact. Vice Minister Sakata of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports Science and Technology of Japan (MEXT), Mr. Yamamoto, the Japanese ambassador to UNESCO and other MEXT and UNESCO personnel were also present.

* *1 Open initiative on the use of space technology to support World Heritage sites
This is a joint cooperative activity to monitor and protect the World Heritage sites using space technology led by UNESCO and ESA that started in 2003. The organizations and institutions who participate in the initiative provide technological cooperation and other support for the common objective of monitoring and protecting World Heritage sites.
Currently, 24 space related organizations in addition to the ESA participate in the initiative including the following: Le Centre national d’etudes Spatials (CNES,) Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrs (DLR,) the Canadian Space Agency (CSA,) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA,) the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL,) the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Indian National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA,) the China Research Center, and organizations from Iraq, Syria, Brazil, Lebanon, Argentine, Egypt, and Morocco.

* *2 DAICHI observation target sites (Currently under coordination. It is planned to mainly select natural Heritage Sites based on the special features of the DAICHI sensor.
Shirakami mountain region, Yakushima island, and Shiretoko in Japan, Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries (China), Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal,) Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India,) Ha Long Bay (Vietnam,) Ancient Maya City of Calakmul (Mexico,) Historic Sancutary of Machu Picchu (Peru)

(Reference)

* World Heritage Sites
The registered World Heritage sites based on the “Convention concerning the Protection of World Culture and Natural Heritage” are categorized in the fields of cultural heritage, natural heritage and cultural and natural heritage (mixed.) As of July this year, the total number of cultural Heritage Sites was 679, that of the natural heritage sites was 174, and the mixed ones were at 25. (Among them, 11 cultural Heritage Sites and three natural sites are in Japan.)

Russia – India Space Cooperation

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

From RIA Novisti:

Russia, India to ink deals on arms, space, nuclear power
10:14 | 05/ 12/ 2008

NEW DELHI, December 5 (RIA Novosti) – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s current visit to India is expected to see the two countries sign a number of high-profile deals.

The Russian president arrived in India on Thursday on an official two-day visit to discuss bilateral ties amid the global financial crisis and anti-terrorist efforts in the aftermath of the recent Mumbai attacks that left 174 people dead.

Medvedev is being accompanied by a host of officials and businessmen from various state-run and private agencies and companies during his visit. . . .

. . . Russia’s space agency said Moscow and New Delhi would sign a new document on cooperation in space exploration, which includes plans to send two Indian astronauts to space on board a Russian Soyuz spacecraft in 2013. . . [Full Story]

From Roscosmos (unofficial Google Translation):

05-12-2008 Today, Russia and India plan to sign a new manned space program

Today, Russia and India plan to sign a new manned space program, which in 2013 on Russian Soyuz flight on Indian astronaut, told reporters on Friday Roscosmos head Anatoly Perminov.

“Today will be signed for a new manned program – said Perminov.

According to the document, said Perminov, the first flight of Indian astronauts to be held in 2013 on the Russian ship.
At the spacecraft’s own production of Indians are planning to commit a flight in 2015, Perminov added.

“The program in late December – early January 2009 Russia and India intend to carry out pre-event, and the contract is scheduled for signature in 2009″ – said the head of Roscosmos.

Perminov explained that India will pursue its pilot program, Russia also will assist in the establishment of pilot ships and training of astronauts. ”

This is an unofficial translation and is provided to the readership of Res Communis as a convenience.