Small Satellites for Earth Observation, Selected Proceedings of the 5th International Symposium of the IAA, Berlin, April 4 - 8, 2005

Abstract

As in the preceding symposia, the contributions showed that dedicated Earth observation missions cover a wide range of very different tasks. These missions provide increased opportunities for access to space and can be conducted relatively quickly and inexpensively. The spacecraft bus, the instruments, and the ground systems can be based either on optimized off-the-shelf systems with little or no requirements for new technology, or on new high-technology designs. Thus a new class of advanced small satellite missions, including autonomously-operating "intelligent“ satellites and satellite constellations can be created, opening new fields of application for science and the public. This book of selected proceedings contains only orally presented papers and a small number of poster contributions the long versions of which have been made available to the editors within a given time frame after the symposium.