The COSPAR IDEA Summit in Singapore in February 2024 Jointly Hosted with Space Faculty

In 2022, COSPAR created an international Task Group to promote Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility and the critical role this plays in scientific research in space. The new IDEA Initiative provides a forum, open to all, for the discussion of challenging issues that may affect global scientific research. COSPAR has committed to collaborating with other, like-minded organizations, to cohost events and to support shared visions related to IDEA Initiative.

Space Faculty, strategically based in Singapore—an innovation and talent hub in Asia Pacific— brings together critical stakeholders across the government, industry and education landscapes to focus on talent, encourage innovation through space in public and private sectors, and enable industry development in the Asia-Pacific region. There are literally thousands of students and young professionals currently benefiting from this effort to open doors to space, deep technology and advanced robotics careers.

Space Faculty hosts the annual STEM 2.0 Education Forum alongside the Global Space and Technology Conference (GSTC). First held in 2007, with a focus on Asian space issues, the annual February GSTC has evolved to become recognized as a critical international platform for Space professionals.

The STEM 2.0 Education Forum is an annual highlight event for the space industry as it puts into focus the discussion of talent for the growing space industry. It is the nexus between education and industry, bringing together governments, the private sector and educators at all levels to create a coherent pathway into the space industry.

To that end, it is a pleasure to share that COSPAR is collaborating with Space Faculty to organize a new Forum on Diversity and Education as a key agenda in the STEM 2.0 Education Forum at GSTC. Both COSPAR and Space Faculty look forward to welcoming your participation at the next STEM 2.0 Education Forum in Singapore on February 14-16, 2024 where we will kick off the Forum.

Please save the date and plan to join us in Spectacular Singapore!

What to Expect:

• Global Experts IDEA topics and STEM Education

• Workshops

• Robotics Competition

• Student Innovation Challenges

• Speaker panels on Space industry talent development

Information on Registration will be provided soon. For additional questions, contact Mary L. Snitch, COSPAR IDEA Coordination Officer, mary.snitch@lmco.com

First Announcement for the IAU Symposium on Astronomy and Satellite Constellations: Pathways Forward

2-6 October 2023, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain

If you are interested,

• In the latest news on the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy,

• In meeting the people at the forefront of this work,

• In sharing your efforts and knowledge in this area through networking or contributed talks,

• In helping to shape the next steps in protecting our dark and quiet skies from satellite constellation interference, then please join us online or in-person on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands of Spain from 2-6 October 2023 for the IAU Symposium on Astronomy and Satellite Constellations: Pathways Forward.

More information

The proliferation of satellites launched into orbit around the Earth has improved our ability to communicate globally instantaneously; however, there are concerns about the impact these technologies have on astronomical observations and the preservation of dark and quiet skies. The rapid growth in light pollution, which is only being exacerbated by the new satellites, impacts the entire society. Many of us have never seen an unobscured night sky and over a third of humanity cannot see the Milky Way. These new satellites are encroaching on the few remaining dark sky reserves and radio-quiet zones.

To address these challenges, the IAU Symposium 385: Astronomy and Satellite Constellations: Pathways Forward will take place in La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. 2–6, October 2023 with the support of the International Astronomical Union (IAU)’s newest specialist centre, the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS) cohosted by NSF’s NOIRLab and the SKA Observatory (SKAO). The Symposium local organiser is the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias and the scientific organisers are listed here

The symposium is planned as a dedicated space where astronomers, industry, space lawyers and other interested stakeholders can share the current status of their work with respect to large satellite constellations and their impact on astronomy and the night sky. Through presentations, and panel discussions and networking, the current status of studies, observations and mitigations will be explored and gaps addressed to help define further the pathways forward.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Software Development

• Updates in Observations

• Brightness testing and modeling

• Mitigation measures

• Industry Perspectives

• Policy Developments

• Communications, Education, Outreach and Engagement

See https://research.iac.es/congreso/iaus385/ for full information, including registration, abstract submission and fees payment.

15th International Conference on Substorms (ICS-15) 16-20 October 2023, Deqing, China

The 15th International Conference on Substorms (ICS-15) will be held this year, from 16-20 October 2023, in Deqing, China. The conference aims to bring together scientists from the magnetospheric, ionospheric, and planetary communities to review the recent discoveries in light of recent space missions and numerical simulations, and to discuss the current status and future direction of substorm research.

The meeting will be a hybrid meeting with online components, but the organisers strongly encourage in-person participation, since the conference series are known for the atmosphere of lively discussion. Each day will start with a tutorial lecture on a specific topic, and sufficient time will be provided for questions and dialogues on each session. For more details, please visit the meeting website at http://ics15.cssr.org.cn/.

Call for Proposals to host the 2024 (8th) Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium, Moon Village Association (MVA)

The workshop and symposium is the major annual forum organized by MVA. It is devoted to discussions of different aspects of the exploration and utilization of the Moon, and is focused on the most recent progress achieved by the MVA along the lines of its ongoing activities and on the future planning. In accordance with the currently adopted MVA policy regarding the Association’s annual event, its location is to be alternated between Europe, the Americas and Asia. As a consequence, the 2024 event will be held in Europe.

Typically, the event is held during November-December time frame and lasts for 2.5 days. It starts with an evening special and/or social events and continues through the following two full days. The program consists of both Plenary Sessions (held in a large hall) and Splinter/Working Sessions (in smaller rooms). An outreach event for 0.5-1 full day is welcome.

Total number of participants and accompanying persons can typically be in the range of 150-200 people, but a bigger number is welcome and should be envisaged. A proposal can be made by an MVA institutional or individual member, or a group of members, possibly in cooperation with non-member organizations.

Full details to make a proposal to host the Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium in 2024 can be found here: https://moonvillageassociation.org/call-for-proposalsto-host-the-20248th-global-moon-village-workshop-symposium/

Meeting Reports

5th COSPAR Symposium 2023: Space Science with Small Satellites

16-21 April 2023, Singapore

[L. Fergus, Executive Editor, SRT]

The COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) organizes a series of Symposia to promote space research at a regional level, and these events are generally held in countries with medium or small-size space infrastructures. The fifth COSPAR Symposium was held in Singapore, 16 to 21 April 2023, and addressed the broad topic of "Space Science with Small Satellites".

The event was organized by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Satellite Research Centre and hosted by NTU. All events except the first Get Together and the final Gala dinner, took place in the Nanyang Executive Centre at NTU. The Symposium was sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore, CAS Space, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Space: Science & Technology, LightHaus Photonics Pte. Ltd, Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI) and MDPI AG, supported by the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau and Singapore Space and Technology Ltd.

The Scientific Organizing Committee (SOC) for the symposium included the Co-Chairs Amal Chandran (University of Colorado, Boulder, USA) and Erick Lansard (NTU, Singapore), both giving their all to make the event successful and without whom the Symposium could not have taken place. Other key members in the SOC were Charles Elachi (Caltech, USA and NTU, Singapore), Ben Horton (NTU, Singapore), Mary Snitch (Lockheed Martin, USA), Mengu Cho (Kyushu Institute of Technology/ JAXA, Japan) and Daniel Hastings (MIT, USA). Key members of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) were Patricia Wong (NTU, Singapore) and Wee Seng Lim (NTU, Singapore). The full list of the SOC and LOC members can be found on the LOC Symposium website www.cospar2023.org .

This fifth Symposium covered the rapid advances made in the last decade in small, micro, and nano-satellites for space science. In addition, the Symposium included the issue of emerging space debris in Low-Earth Orbit. Plenary lectures were featured, alongside parallel sessions, poster sessions and an exhibition.

Participation

The Symposium attracted more than 300 participants from a total of 29 different countries, with one-third of the participants from Singapore.

"This fifth Symposium covered the rapid advances in small, micro, and nanosatellites for space science"

Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony on the first full day, 17 April 2023, saw the main amphitheatre packed to hear a talk by Guest-of-Honour Lui Pao Chuen (Temasek Defence Professor, Temasek Defence Systems Institute, National University of Singapore), an official Welcome from Nanyang Technological University’s Ling San, and from Pietro Ubertini, COSPAR Vice-President.

Pascale Ehrenfreud, the COSPAR President, was unable to attend due to prior engagements but had recorded her sincere best wishes for the success of the Symposium. In her message she introduced Pietro Ubertini, as her representative, standing in for her during the week. You can view her Welcome Message here

One of the main announcements at the Opening Ceremony was that Singapore, through the Office for Space Technology & Industry (OSTIn), had officially joined COSPAR, becoming the 46th National Member and the 15th Asian country to join. The Opening Ceremony was followed by three keynote speeches, the first given by Charles Elachi, (CalTech, USA) entitled "Earth and Space Exploration with Small Satellites," the second talk by Anny Cazenave (LEGOS-CNES, France) on "Present-day Sea Level Rise: the Role of Satellite Observations" was delivered by Jérôme Benveniste (ESA-ESRIN, Italy), and then Yuya Nakamura (Axelspace, Japan) asked—and answered—"How Can Next-gen Microsatellites Contribute to Space Science and Technology?" The thought-provoking talks were varied as well as entertaining.

Roundtable of Space Agency Leaders

Also on the programme for the first day was a Roundtable of Space Agency Leaders with the participation of space agencies from around the world, namely Singapore (OSTIn), USA (NASA), Europe (ESA), France (CNES), Germany (DLR), India (ISRO), South Korea (KASI) and Japan (JAXA). This Roundtable was moderated by COSPAR Vice-President Pietro Ubertini and generated much active audience involvement with the question and answer session at the end, although time ran out before all the questions could be addressed.

Regional Character

What stood out during the week was the strong regional character of this Symposium. This was represented not only in the participation from Asian-Pacific countries and particularly from the host nation, Singapore, and its neighbours, but in the well-attended and informative events scheduled, namely the Town Hall and the Asia-Pacific Regional Forum.

The Town Hall on Space Science with Small Satellites in Singapore, on the second day, featured talks by speakers from key entities in the local space sector and was opened by Cheong Chee Hoo, CEO of DSO National Laboratories, and David Tan, Executive Director of OSTIn, with concluding remarks by Erick Lansard. The event showcased the vibrant Singapore space ecosystem with emphasis on space science, small satellites and related technologies.

Each presenter had their own style and delivered talks that were informative and often amusing. The speakers were Tai Wei Chua, from ST Engineering Satellite Systems, Lim Wee Seng, of the Satellite Research Centre (NTU), Yun Sang-Ho, Earth Observatory of Singapore, Kwoh Leong Keong, from the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing (CRISP) at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Low Kay Soon, Satellite Technology and Research Centre (STAR), at NUS, Hao Tang, Centre for Nature-Based Climate Solutions (CNCS), at NUS, Francois Chin, Institute of Infocomm Research (I2R), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), and Dale Barker, Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), Meteorological Services Singapore (MSS).

Asia-Pacific Regional Forum Discussion, also on the second day of the Symposium, was very ably moderated by Ronald Tong, Deputy Executive Director of the Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTIn), Singapore. The participants were Arvind Ramana, Director of Space Technology at the Australian Space Agency (ASA), Erna Sri Adiningsih, Chair of the Indonesian Space Agency, National Research and Innovation Agency (INASA-BRIN), and Marc Caesar Talampas, Director of Space Technology and Systems Missions Bureau (STMSB) at the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA). Thanks to Ronald Tong’s careful questioning and summing up, the audience was able to get a better picture of how these agencies are making use of the latest in space research and satellite technology for the benefit of their country and citizens.

Three "Firsts"

The 5th COSPAR Symposium boasted three "firsts". This was the first time a host country has announced its joining COSPAR announcement (as mentioned above). It was also the first time a session on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility was featured in the Symposium programme with a panel discussion on the Promotion of Women in Engineering, Research, and Science (POWERS): Addressing Challenges for Girls in STEM through Mentoring. This session, chaired by Mary Snitch (Lockheed Martin), had three experts, Yeong Wai Yee (NTU), Jovanni Spinner (American Institute of Physics) and Sook Yee Loh (Maxar Technologies) describe something of their own careers and focus on advancing diversity in STEM education and into the workforce, sharing their personal perspectives on this critical topic. And thirdly, it was the first Symposium to call for a Special Issue of Advances in Space Research on Science and Applied Research with Small Satellites.

Exhibition

In addition to the oral and poster sessions, an Exhibition was also organized with the following exhibitors present: Addvalue Innovation Pte Ltd., CAS Space, Emposat Co. Ltd., Hex20 Pty Ltd., Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI), LightHaus Photonics Pte. Ltd, Lockheed Martin (LMC) , MDPI - Remote Sensing, Metasensing AP Pte Ltd., Mitsui Bussan Aerospace Co. Ltd., Office for Space Technology & Industry, Singapore (OSTIn), Planet Labs Singapore Pte Ltd., Space: Science & Technology, Tsinghua University, World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd.,

Social events

The Get Together Event on first evening at the Chancellor Hotel was friendly and informal with copious –and delicious—local cuisine and drink for all, a perfect ice-breaker for new-comers and COSPAR regulars.

The Welcome Reception on the first full day was held at the Executive Centre at NTU in the central concourse to enable all participants present to attend, before catching the shuttle bus back to their accommodation. Everyone seemed to enjoy the colourful and tasty local fare, beautifully presented, and the chance to relax and discuss the day’s events.

Gala dinner at the Concorde Hotel on last full day rounded off the week. One of the highlights of the evening—apart from the varied and tasty feast offered--was a "face-changer" act who treated the participants to a seemingly infinite series of different faces or masks, changed in the blink of an eye, followed by some flawless magic tricks. There was also a dance performance concluding with participation of some of the diners.

Conclusions

In short the 5th COSPAR Symposium (COSPAR Symposium 2023) was a great success, with a large number of papers and participants. A short slideshow video of photos of the event can be seen on our YouTube channel here. We look forward to the forthcoming Special Issue of Advances in Space Research, and also to the next Symposium in 2025—the 6th Symposium. COSPAR member nations are invited to apply (see page 23).

Capacity Building Workshop PORSEC

7-8 December 2022, Malaysia

[Nimit Kumar, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services, INCOIS, India]

The 15th Pan-Ocean Remote Sensing Conference (PORSEC, originally planned in 2020, but postponed due to pandemic) was hosted by Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) on 7-8 December 2022 (after the pre-conference tutorial during 3-6 Dec).

2022 is an important year for PORSEC since it celebrated three decades of its inception. The postponement of the conference however yielded two iterations of the PORSEC MOOC (in collaboration with UTM CDex) as well as citable publications with ISBN including a book of extended abstracts. The MOOC also won the International University Carnival on E-Learning (IUCEL)-2021 silver award. Dr. Nurul Hazrina Idris (LOC Chair of 15th PORSEC) was awarded the PORSEC Distinguished Science Award whereas Dr. Nimit Kumar (Executive Secretary and ChairMembership, Education & Outreach) was awarded the PORSEC Distinguished Service Award for these achievements.

Participants of the in-person tutorial in December 2022 were mostly MOOC alumni and hence, the tutorial focused chiefly on hands-on and field sessions. The field session was arranged at Tanjung Piai mangrove forests, which is a Ramsar site. The conference had keynotes from some of the sponsors. The sessions comprised various sessions mainly focusing on (but not limited to) coastal remote sensing including using drones. One of the unique offerings of PORSEC is a special issue in international journals including Tyler & Francis International Journal of Remote Sensing (IJRS) where selected papers will be published by late 2023.

During the valedictory ceremony, Prof. Ming-An Lee and Dr. Stefano Vignudelli were announced to be acting President and Vice-President, respectively, of the PORSEC Association. Other important support of the 15th PORSEC was provided by COSPAR, SCOR, MySA and MyCEB.

Correction to an article in Space Research Today, issue 216, pages 40-41

Double Anniversary of Astronomy in Bern

Editors’ Note: Our sincere apologies for not including the photo credits that illustrated the “Double Anniversary of Astronomy in Bern” article in the previous issue of Space Research Today, 216. The correct credits are as follows:

Picture 1: on page 40, Photo credit: AIUB, Foto Manu Friederich

Picture 2: on page 40, Photo credit: Bibliothek ETH Zürich, KGS-454-0

Picture 3: on page 41, Photo credit: Universität Bern, Foto Sascha Aebischer Our apologies once more.