Small satellites - a capacity building driver

Kurzfassung

Since the advent of modern technologies, small satellites have been perceived to offer an opportunity for countries with a modest research budget and little or no experience in space technology, to enter the field of space-borne Earth observation and its applications. This was very much in line with the charter of the IAA (International Academy of Astronautics) Study Group on Small Satellite Missions for Earth Observation. One of its intentions was to help bringing within the reach of every country the opportunity to operate small satellite Earth observation missions and utilize the data effectively at low costs, as well as to develop and build application-driven missions. In this context IAA supported all activities to develop and promote concepts and processes by various user communities to conduct or participate in Earth observation missions using small, economical satellites, and associated launches, ground stations, data distributions structures, and space system management approaches. The question now is: What is the contribution of small satellite development and application to capacity building, and how are the processes of building and/or using of small satellites initiated. The paper tries to give an answer touching different aspects like student education for science, technology and management as well as international cooperation and infrastructure and industrial basis development.