McGill University-World Economic Forum
Session on the Economic Benefits of Space
Joseph N. Pelton
Former Dean, International Space Univ. and
former Director of Intelsat’s Project SHARE
July 2013
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• Space technology is now essential to coping
with climate change, problems such as the
Ozone Hole and other atmospheric and
stratospheric issues. Recently there are signs of
“cracks in the Earth’s magnetic field and
changes to the Van Allen’s belts that suggest
serious concerns from cosmic hazards may
increase in coming years. Again the economic
impact and risk levels are outside the scope of
easy imagination but understand that this ricks
are potentially far, far greater than the damage
caused by weapons of mass destruction.
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Tele-education and tele-health services are just the start
Emergency warning systems (hurricanes, tsunamis,
volcanoes, tornados, earthquakes, etc.) and emergency
recovery
National and regional coordination of governmental
programs
Health alerts and pandemic warnings
National criminal data bases & police communications
(terrorist attack responses, amber alerts, etc.)
Air traffic control and management, especially during take
off and landing.
Air, land and water pollution alerts (oil spills, toxic waste)
Global ability to respond to climate change & severe
weather events/natural disasters.
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Remote/Rural Education and Healthcare.
Effective land use by Farmers, Foresters, Miners, etc.
Fire detection and mitigation.
Location of fish or wildlife
Detection of oil, gas, or mineral reserves
Air and water pollution detection and mitigation
National Defense
Map Making and Updating
Weather forecasting
Flood control (planning, forecasting, mitigation)
Industrial training
Development of new industries
Effective broadband digital national
telecommunications, IT and video networks for news,
sports, entertainment, education and health services.
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There are about 1,400 communicable diseases and
half of the world's population lives in endemic areas.
Despite the advances of modern medicine, diseases
like malaria, dengue fever and even the plague still
afflict millions of people each year. Malaria alone
infects up to 500 million persons each year, killing at
least a million.
Global climate change and variations with the
seasons have a significant effect on environmentdependent diseases.
In recent years earth observation technology has
been used to improve risk mapping for
communicable diseases such as malaria, blue tongue,
water-borne cholera and of course malaria. Much
more needs to be done to get this information to
health care workers and doctors.
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Australia satellite based health services are integrated
with bush-pilot doctors
Canada has perhaps the most experience with rural
based tele-education and tele-health services than any
country.
Satellite networks for the Caribbean and South
Pacific have been providing tele-health and teleeducation for decades. (University of the South
Pacific) and the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning
Network) (Satmex)
Evolution of the Indosat network. (Indonesia satellite
one of the first networks—first designed for remote
oil & mining, then extended to tele-education and
now for tele-health services.
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The “vibrations” that were set in motion with the flight of
Sputnik in October 1957 have shaken up global civilization. The
shifts, triggered by new space-related enterprise, now provide
improvement to our lives, more effective education and research
system and better health care, improved methods to cope with
climate change, and even strengthened patterns of global
cooperation. The result has been thousands of new industrial
products and tens of thousands new services.
Earlier studies concluded that every dollar invested in space
research producing $7 in new economic activity. (See Mid West
Research Report), Most fundamentally space applications and
research plays a critical role in human survival by its
contributions to the understanding of climate change and the
key role the ozone layer plays in saving humans from genetic
destruction due to radiation from outer space. Dr. Lance Bush,
Pres. & CEO, The Challenger Center.
Today almost 1/3 of India’s ATM are broadband Satellite based.
The African Development Bank connections to the cloud at 32
and soon 36 locations are satellite based. New O3b satellite will
change the equation even more in equatorial regions.
Note: MRI study of the Apollo program projected that $25 Billion in research produced
$181 Billion in economic activity. Other studies have estimated as much as 40 to 1
return from basic research in terms of all new economic products and services and
social benefits.
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Satellite and Fiber network objective is to convert
Ethiopia from Rural and Agricultural society to
an “Information Society” (World Bank financed)
454 senior secondary schools, 36 agricultural
colleges, and 620 Woredas sites using broadband
satellites and some fiber connection (2004-2006)
Over 800 HDTV screens connected across the
country.
Only means to achieve transformation.
African Development Bank (36 site sat network)
Hub site: Cyberjaya in Kuala Lumpur with 2.6 Mbps
Outbound transmission.
Interactive Sites at 170 kbps include Penang,
Melaka, Kuantan, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuching
Edusat launched in 2004 is dedicated to tele-education. Operated by ISRO.
Program started with SITE Experiments in 1974-75 with NASA ATS-6
satellite. Then with INSAT and now EDUSAT. In phase 3-150,000 terminals
KU and C band national coverage plus five KU band regional spot beams
provide: radio broadcasting, tv broadcasting, videoconference, Internet chat
, night time computer loading, On-line education via Internet, use of
telephone , Internet and webcam as return link, Assymetrical Internet via
TVRO terminals
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Experiments began via INTELSAT’s Project Share in
1986. 35 locations in remote China
Today there are plans for half of China’s elementary and
middle school students (i.e. half of 280 million and half of
high school students (i.e. half of 73 million) to have access
to education. Today 20% of all university students (20%
of 4.3 million are using distance learning. More Internet
than satellite based.
China Sat: Offers basic education on health and
sanitation, etc. TV based distance learning offered to
general public in remote areas. 90,000 TVRO terminals.
Central China TV, Ministry of Education, but also private
ventures and joint projects with other countries such as
Japan, etc. More than 10 million teachers in China.
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Every classroom is equipped with one computer, the Enciclomedia
software and a projector and interactive blackboard and has access
to the Internet via satellite to support the teaching.
Alef uses satellite bandwidth on an Intelsat 707 Ku-band
transponder provided by GlobalSat Technology Corp.
The cost of the equipment is about $5,000 per classroom, including
the VSAT terminal provided by Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (or
Via Sat), a computer, a projector, a touchscreen blackboard and a
printer.
The average rate of the services to the government is about $240
per month per classroom, which includes the use of the
infrastructure, connectivity to the Internet, and full service and all
technical support.
Network uses DOCSIS (Digital over Cable System Interface
Standard) rather than DVB-RCS (Digital Video Broadcast-Return
Channel Service) standard because of cost efficiencies.
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NIGCOMSAT 1 project started in 2004. Award to Great Wall
Industry of China in 2007 (Satellite, launch, two control earth
stations)
The loss of the satellite at the time generated great furor. This led
to calls that Nigeria should stop investing in costly satellite
technology but should concentrate on investing in technologies
that would bridge the digital divide at lesser cost to the country.
Controversy subsided, when the Chinese authorities promised to
replace the lost satellite at no cost to Nigeria.
The replaced satellite named NIGCOMSAT R is nearly completed
and launch set very soon. It features two L-Band transponders,
eight Ka Band transponders, four C-Band transponders and 14
KU-Band transponders and has a projected 15 yr lifetime.
The initial system leased capacity on Intelsat for regional schools.
Also some educational services have been distributed via Afristar
operated by Worldspace. (audio, text, and delayed video).
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This 8 Satellite MEO constellation is optimized to
provide service to the 3 billion people in the 150
countries and developing economies. This project is
backed by HSBC bank, Google, SES, Liberty,
Development Bank of So. Africa, etc.
Concept is to link satellites to broadband wireless
Internet (i.e. IP data backhaul via WiFi, etc.) with an
architecture optimized to developing economies.
O3b is able to offer cost effective ICT services that
include tele-education, tele-health, and a host of
other services. Started as terrestrial system for
Zambia and abandoned in favor of satellite solution
Sample o f Various Satellite Based University Programs Around the World
Name
Jones
International
University
Modern
University
of the
Humanites
of EurAsia
University
of the
Caribbean
Hub
&
Concept
Denver, Co.
Initially
provided
satellite-based
courses but
are now
largely on-line
Hub based in
Russia and
serves over
800 towns via
V-Sat
terminals
Network
Course Offerings
Operates in 44
countries
Degrees in MA & PhD in Education and Masters in
Business
Multiple degree in higher education, bachelors and
Masters degrees, including economics, computer
engineering, law, political science, management,
linguistics,
psychology,
philosophy,
and
educational instruction.
Hubs at each
major campus
Operates in Russia,
Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhastan,
Kyrgyzstan,
Modova, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Ukraine,
Georgia, Vietnam,
Israel and China
Operates throughout
the Caribbean
Each country specializes in a few disciplines and
shares faculty and course curricula throughout the
Caribbean via satellite courseware. Also provide
health services.
Operates throughout Provides higher education courses but supports
other forms of education and training and health
the South Pacific
care
Operates throughout Although this provides commercial radio
broadcasts, this satellite also provides health and
Africa.
education services.
Major Hub at
University
of the South Suva, Fiji
Pacific
Worldspace Utilizes
Afrisat
satellite
Examples of Various Types of National Satellite-Based
Educational and Health Services
Country
Algeria
Australia
Brazil
Canada 1
Canada 2
Hub-City
Location
Algers
Educational
Network
Provides satellite
services to regional
centers in the
Saharan desert area
Optus provides an
Sydney
extensive network
of remote
educational and
health services to
the Outback
Brazilia,
Brazilsat and
Rio
de Telebras support
Janeiro,
educational and
and
Sao health services.
Paolo
Vancouver Knowledge
Network
Types of Offerings
Toronto
and
Montreal
ASN also devoted a significant amount of its daytime
schedule to educational programming. The
Distance
University Education via Television (DUET) service is offered
by ASN in partnership with participating universities in
Atlantic Canada. Some of the university programs offered
through DUET include full degrees
CTV Two Atlantic
Education from primary through college level courses as well
as health services.
Provides extension courses across the country of Australia as
well as emergency health and nutritional services.
There are a number of networks, but one of the most
extensive and vital is a satellite network to support the
Amazonia region.
Wide range of programming available via Bell Satellite
Television and Shaw Satellite Television.
Additional Examples of Various Types of National
Satellite-Based Educational and Health Services
China
Colombia
Egypt
Ethiopian
Satellite
Education
Program
India
Beijing,
Open Combines
satellite
University of China network and Internet.
Currently nearly 3 million
(OUC)
students. OUC Partners
with
21
conventional
universities
Provides educational and
Bogotá
health services
7
dedicated
satellite
Cairo via Nilesat
channels for education.
Services some 9500 school
locations in remote areas..
Provides service to 450
Addis Abba
schools via 8000 HDTV
plasma screens
Edusat, operated by
ISRO,
Bangalore,
India and New
Delhi,
University
Grants Consortium
Operates in about 8
languages and covers all of
India. About 1 million
students but only 5% (i.e.
about 50k) are enrolled in
higher education.
75 majors in 9 disciplines and 24 specialties
including science, engineering, agricultural
science, medicine, literature, law, economics,
management, and education
Provides particularly vital services to the
Andean region.
Began in 1998. Serves primary education,
technical education, secondary education. One
channel is for instruction of teachers. Another
is used for literacy training.
Kagiso
Educational
TV
and
Sasani
Instructional TV produced educational
programming for Grades 9 to 12 under a
World Bank loan. Transmits 70 half hour
educational programs a week.
Primary emphasis is primary and secondary
education and vocational schools. Partnership
with a number of universities include the
National Open School.
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Satellite based tele-education and tele-health services are only one
option. Hybrid systems are often optimum solution. Fiber,
broadband terrestrial and satellites are . (See O3b)
Dedicated satellites are often not needed. Intelsat, SES, O3b lease
can be cost effective way to start.
The requirements for tele-education & tele-health are different.
Tele-health services need greater resolution. Network, throughput
and resolution requirements different for different application
Many models are available in terms of satellite hardware,
terminals, network design, educational & health delivery
programs. Prior experience is key.
Should always explore synergies for all types of integrated
services. (eg. Indonesia—oil, mining, & education.)
Project Share lessons are useful. “Imported programs” do not
sustain themselves. “Home grown” program have much more
staying power.
Satellites are particularly key for island countries, countries with
rain forests, mountains areas, extensive wetlands, deserts, remote
populations. The future are hybrid networks.
Space Program Technology and Commercial “Spin-offs”
Product
Space Origin
Tumor tomography
NASA scanner for testing
Battery powered surgical instruments
Apollo Moon program
Non-reflective coating on personal computer
Gemini spacecraft window coating
screens
Emergency blankets (survival/anti-shock)
Satellite thermal insulation
Mammogram screening, plant photon-counting
Space telescope instruments
technology
Skin cancer detection
ROSAT X-ray detection
Dental orthodontic spring
Space shape memory alloys
Early detection of cancerous cells
Microwave spectroscopy
Carbon composite car brakes
Solid rocket engine nozzles
Car assembly robots
Space robotics
Flameproof textiles, railway scheduling, fuel tank
Various Ariane components, including software
insulation
Lightweight car frames, computer game controllers, Various Space Shuttle components
fuel cell vehicles, coatings for clearer plastics, heart
assist pump, non-skid road paint
Fresh water systems
ISS technology
Corrosion free coating for statues
Launch pad protective coating
Flexible ski boots, light allergy protection,
Various space suit designs
firefighter suits, golf shoes with inner liner
Healthy snacks
Space food
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Materials and construction
Sporting equipment
Surgery and Medical Care
Heating, Ventilation and Cooling Systems
Climate Change and Environmental Safety
Security systems and strategic defense
Telecommunications and Broadcasting
Green energy systems
Transportation and navigation
Manufacturing
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Rank
Rank
Country
1.
China
2.
US
3.
India
4.
Japan
5.
Russia
6.
Brazil
7.
Germany
8.
Indonesia
9.
Mexico
10.
U.K.
What the top 7 countries have in common are significant space programs and the
top 3 have intensive sat education programs. There are other factors, but space
industries and applications are key technology drivers and strategically significant.
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Space technology can and in fact does leverage our
global service economy in a wide range of ways. The
Internet, global banking and insurance services,
airlines and transportation systems, weather alerts,
educational and health care systems, to name a few, are
dependent on space systems to achieve global coverage
and connectivity. A day without space would cripple
connectivity to the Internet for about 100 countries,
cancel millions of banking transactions, and shut down
thousands of airline flights and put thousands more in
peril. The direct economic cost to the space industry if
it were out of business for a single day might be
calculated in the millions of dollars, but the indirect
secondary impacts might run into many billions.
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Humans travel through space at 66,000 miles per hour (or about
125,000 kilometers/hour) on a modest space ship—at least when
reckoned in cosmic terms. This spaceship has an external biosphere
that is protected by a thin breathable atmosphere--equivalent in
size to the rind of an apple. It is time we recognize that humans
and all of our increasingly complex machinery are very vulnerable
to cosmic threats. Space programs to create a planetary defense are
not a frill but something that are needed to protect human
civilization and our high tech modern infrastructure that is also
prone to cosmic hazards. Billions could die and economic loss
could be in the quadrillions of dollars (U.S.) if hit by an asteroid as
large as 1 kilometer in size
Space technology is now essential to coping with climate change,
problems such as the Ozone Hole and other atmospheric and
stratospheric issues. Again the economic impact and risk levels are
outside the scope of easy imagination—far greater than the
damage of weapons of mass destruction.
Conventional economic metrics are simply not able to cope with
the value with globally significant risks related to prevention of
total catastrophic loss.