Springer Space Technologies for the Benefit of Human Society and Earth

Overview of Space Technology It has been over 50 years since the rst satellite was sent into orbit, and the impact of space technology can be felt in many aspects in our day to day life. In addition to the convenience of knowing exactly where we are on the planet via GPS satellites; or deciding what to pack for a trip based on forecasts from weather satellites; watching CNNinaremotevillageviabroadcasting satellites;therearenowsomecrucialen- ronmental uses of Space technologies in the areas of natural resources management and environmental monitoring. Remotely sensed data reveals an unparallel view of the Earth for systems that require synoptic or periodic observations such as inv- tory control, surveying, agriculture, business, mineralogy, hydrography, geology, land mass cover, land utilization and environment monitoring. The advancement of remote sensing has made remote sensed data more affordable and available to merge with a variety of data sources to create mash-ups. The amalgamation of these data sources into disciplines such as agriculture, urban planning, web applications, cartography, geodetic reference systems, and global navigation satellite systems, are an important advancement of space applications and space science. Space Technology and Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) The MDGs are a set of time-bound, measurable goals and targets that are global as well as country-speci c for combating poverty, hunger, diseases, illiteracy, envir- mental degradation and discrimination against women. From the Back Cover When discussing the advancement of space science and space technology, most people instinctively think about deep space flights, lunar stations, and thrilling outer space adventures. The fact is that the majority of the human technology in space, which consists of interconnected satellites, points towards Earth, and is used to provide services for and fulfil the goals of people on planet Earth. Over the next decade, there will be an increased need for innovative Earth information systems to support the international space community's efforts to provide a robust infrastructure. This book describes some of the most important applications being developed, along with the space infrastructure upgrades being implemented to support them.It also provides a comprehensive review of how space technology can be used to resolve fundamental environmental, technological, and humanitarian challenges that we are experiencing on our planet. Finally, the book demonstrates to the IT and business communities how space technology can be incorporated into terrestrial IT applications to facilitate decision-making.