"Space activities are impacting society in a variety of very significant ways, some of which are immediately apparent and some of which are less obvious.
Climate change and Environmental monitoring is key to the future sustainability of the human race, and much of this work takes place directly from Space - for example monitoring changes in the ozone layer, measuring pollutants in the upper atmosphere, recording global increases in sea-surface temperature including El Nino.
Global communications in now almost entirely the prerogative of space. Most international News / TV comes via direct broadcast satellite, as does an increasing proportion of home television. Direct broadcast TV is also used for education purposes in much of the developing world, where remote villages connected to the internet, to medical facilities, to teachers.
GPS systems are now widely used in shipping, by commercial aircraft, by troops, by the public in cars, trekking.
We are also learning more from space studies of the Sun on the impact of solar activity on Earth climate.
Finally, Space is now regarded as the best medium for getting kids interested in Science and Engineering at School and University."
Prof.
Richard
Holdaway
Director, Space Science & Technology
Rutherford Appleton Lab
http://www.sstd.rl.ac.uk
Professional Category:
Physical Sciences
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