Abstract
This chapter describes the author's proposal on the necessity of Establishing an Asian Space Agency (ASA). The establishment of the ASA will promote the international cooperation among Asian countries in space exploitation, research and technology, as well as their space application and developments, much like the European Space Agency in Paris. It is desirable and necessary for us to establish ASA in order to promote cooperation in space policy, law, science, technology, and industry among Asian countries. The creation of an ASA would lead to a strengthening of the cooperation deemed essential by the Asian community towards joint undertakings in space and would act as a catalyst for the efforts on space exploitation and allow resources, technology, manpower, and finances to be centrally managed in an independent fashion to the benefit of Asian countries. It is desirable and necessary for us to establish the ASA in order to develop the space industry to strengthen friendly relations and to promote research cooperation among Asian countries.
Top17.2. History Of The Regional And International Cooperation In The Asian Countries
Especially among Asian countries situated in the same geographic area, motivations of a political, economic, technical and social nature have strongly promoted cooperation in the field of space communications and industry as well as in political and economic organizations.
As a result, several regional, political and economic organizations were set up, such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 4), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)5), the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) 6) and cooperative conferences such as the “Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum” at Tokyo, Japan, the “Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific”, the “Asian-Pacific Multilateral Space Technology Cooperation Symposium” at Beijing, China, and the “UN-ESCAP Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific” in India.
Key Terms in this Chapter
ISRO: The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) is the national space agency of the Republic of India, headquartered in Bengaluru. It operates under Department of Space (DoS) which is directly overseen by the prime minister of India while chairman of ISRO acts as executive of DoS as well. ISRO is the primary agency in India to perform tasks related to space-based applications, space exploration and development of related technologies. It is one of six government space agencies in the world which possess full launch capabilities, deploy cryogenic engines, launch extraterrestrial missions and operate large fleets of artificial satellites. ISRO launched its second lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 to study the lunar geology and the distribution of lunar water. ISRO’s Mission to Venus is scheduled for 2025 that will include a payload instrument called Venus Infrared Atmospheric Gases Linker (VIRAL) which is co-developed with Laboratoire atmosphères, milieux, observations spatiales (LATMOS) under French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Roscosmos. The next Mars mission, Mars Orbiter Mission 2, also called Mangalyaan 2 (Sanskrit), will be launched in 2024. It will have a less elliptical orbit around Mars and could weigh seven times more than the first mission. This orbiter mission will facilitate the community to address several open science problems. The science payload of the planned satellite is estimated at no more than 100 kg (220 lb.).
APRSAF: The Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) is an inter-governmental organization operated as a non-profit independent body with full international legal status. It is headquartered in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Members include agencies from: Bangladesh, China, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, and Thailand. Indonesia and Turkey also signed the APSCO convention. In 2005, the APSCO convention was signed in Beijing. Representatives from Argentina, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia and Sri Lanka also attended the founding ceremony.
APSCO: The Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) is an inter-governmental organization operated as a non-profit independent body with full international legal status. It is headquartered in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Members include agencies from: Bangladesh, China, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Peru, and Thailand. Indonesia and Turkey also signed the APSCO convention. In 2005, the APSCO convention was signed in Beijing. Representatives from Argentina, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia and Sri Lanka also attended the founding ceremony.