Disaster Management: Web Articles
The End of Magical Climate Thinking | Foreign Policy
"The Obama administration succumbed, like many others, to a sort of magical climate thinking that promised a painless and even prosperous transition to a low-carbon future with the tools already at hand. The only official within his administration to accurately grasp the technology challenges faced, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, was sidelined at crucial moments. Here is the back story of how the Obama administration dramatically raised and then dashed America's -- and the world's -- hopes that 2009 would be a pivotal year for remaking our collective energy future." This article places blame on both government and green energy advocates for "magical thinking" about what will surely at minimum be a tough, expensive, decades-long slog. The importance of space infrastructure advancements, especially by the private sector, to developing innovative lower-cost solar power and biospheric and climate monitoring systems will be major. Earth and its environment are increasingly understood as one evolving macro-ecosystem traveling through space over eons.
Space-Age Safety: How GPS Satellites Could Help Prevent Auto Accidents | GPS Daily
"Researchers have found potential for a GPS satellite to act as an early warning system that detects when a vehicle is about to lose control and communicate with the vehicle's stability control systems and other safety features to prevent a rollover or other serious accident." Ford Motor Company's investment in university R&D is paying off.
A Day Without Space: Economic & National Security Ramifications
"Space systems provide significant benefits to American commerce and national security. On October 16, 2008 the George Marshall Institute and the Space Enterprise Council of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce co-hosted a "A Day Without Space" to discuss the implications of losing access to space-borne assets and information for the U.S. economy and national security."
A final discussion on this topic was held on October 1, 2009 but is not yet published. The value of space to our nations competitivensss, security, and planetary health and survival is a very hot topic due to competing priorities for federal funding. This report reminds us of how much space has become an assumed part of our national infrastructure, but it needs sufficient resources to ensure its survivability.
Satellite-based Disaster Mitigation Case Work - NASA : MilsatMagazine
"May 28th, 2009, at 2:24 a.m. local time, a deadly earthquake rocked Honduras, killing seven people and injuring several others, demolishing homes, damaging scores of other buildings, and sending terrified residents running through the streets. Fortunately for the shaken residents, disaster officials knew exactly where to send help. A state-of-the-art Earth observation system called SERVIR1 directed them to the hardest hit areas.
Meaning “to serve” in Spanish, SERVIR is a joint effort of NASA, CATHALAC2, the U.S. Agency for International Development, the Regional Center for the Mapping of Resources for Development, and other partners. The system uses satellite imagery to zero in on places where a flood, fire, hurricane, or earthquake has left destruction in its wake. Team members combine satellite data with ground observations, and display a near real-time map of crisis points. At a glance, decision-makers can see the locations of most severe damage so they can send help in a hurry."
Satellites Guide Disaster Relief | NASA
"On Thursday, May 28th, at 2:24 a.m. local time, a deadly earthquake rocked Honduras, killing seven people and injuring several others, demolishing homes, damaging scores of other buildings, and sending terrified residents running through the streets. "I woke up immediately, and all I could do was hug my youngest son and pray," says Dalia Martinez of San Pedro Sula, Honduras. "After a few minutes, my family and I went outside, where my neighbors were already gathered, likewise terrified about what happened but grateful we were all okay. Since then, we've been sleeping with flashlights and telephones within reach, because the aftershocks have been strong." Fortunately for Martinez and other shaken residents, disaster officials knew exactly where to send help. A state-of-the-art Earth observation system called SERVIR1 directed them to the hardest hit areas."
Satellite Utilization Revolutionizing NextGen Air Traffic Control (ATC)
"The nation’s aerospace industry is engaged in a major effort to use the latest satellite and communications technology to transform the nation’s air traffic control system so it can meet an expected doubling of demand over the next couple decades. The FAA's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program, as the initiative is called, will bring greater precision and accuracy to flight, and at the same time enhance safety while improving aviation’s environmental performance through advanced aircraft capabilities and alternative fuels." NextGen will provide a boost to commercial satellite business and ground-based commercial implementation of upgraded ATC.
NASA Puts the Right Stuff in the Right Hands | NASA
"Imagine a monster tornado is ripping through a neighboring county and bearing down on yours. If you live in north Alabama, your forecasters are well prepared to tell you when to seek shelter. The National Weather Service there shares a building – the National Space Science and Technology Center – with NASA's Short-term Prediction Research and Transition, or SPoRT, Center. SPoRT puts state-of-the-art NASA satellite data directly into forecasters hands, arming them to recognize weather that threatens your safety." Science@NASA continues to identify and track application benefits emerging from NASA's research, development and exploration programs. Reading their compelling stories is one of the best ways to understand the real return on the public's investment in the Agency.
Satellites Show how Earth Moved during Italy Quake | ESA Portal
"Studying satellite radar data from ESA’s Envisat and the Italian Space Agency’s COSMO-SkyMed, scientists have begun analysing the movement of Earth during and after the 6.3 earthquake that shook the medieval town of L’Aquila in central Italy on 6 April 2009. They are using a technique known as SAR Interferometry (InSAR), a sophisticated version of 'spot the difference'. InSAR involves combining two or more radar images of the same ground location in such a way that very precise measurements – down to a scale of a few millimetres – can be made of any ground motion taking place between image acquisitions. By using available 3D ground displacements from five GPS location sites around the affected area, they were able to confirm the preliminary results obtained with Envisat data," The increasingly sophisticated analysis of actual earth movements may well develop into commercial applications in the near future, including prediction of danger zones to be avoided.
NASA - Severe Space Weather--Social and Economic Impacts
A summary article from Science@NASA based on a recent National Academy of Sciences report titled “Space Weather Events: Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts”. It explains the major vulnerability of our electricity grid to solar storms and the importance of early warning satellite systems and other improvements needed in technology to mitigate the damage. Commercial applications from space-based data systems should be assessed.