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Earth observations – JAXA’s role
Kazuo Umezawa, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
I
n the mid-1980s, several space organizations recognized
the need for international coordination in the effective and
efficient collection of Earth observation data. As a result,
they decided to establish Committee on Earth Observation
Satellites (CEOS).
Then, during the 1990s, CEOS members felt strongly that obser-
vation data should be utilized more effectively by research
communities. The Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS)
was organized among communities focused on elements such as
the ocean, land and atmosphere.
Today, IGOS has 14 international organizations including CEOS,
which are undertaking work on several themes, including ocean,
water and atmospheric chemistry. However, more work was needed
as it became clear that satellite Earth observation could be indis-
pensable to the public and society. This led to creation of GEOSS.
The second Earth Observation Summit was held in April 2004,
and adopted the framework of a ten-year implementation plan,
aimed at the establishment of an integrated earth observation
system of systems known as the Global Earth Observation System
of Systems (GEOSS).
Agreement on a ten-year Implementation plan for GEOSS was
reached by the participating countries and organizations of the ad-
hoc Group on Earth Observations (GEO) at the Third Earth
Observation Summit held in Brussels, in February 2005; on that
occasion GEO was also formally established.
Based on this background, the Council for Science and
Technology Policy in Japan issued the
Earth Observation Promotion
Strategy
in December 2004 to clearly state Japan’s basic policy on
Earth observation and identify important issues to be strategically
resolved.
In addition, the Council for Science and Technology has
proceeded collaterally with the consideration of essential policies
for establishing the Third Science and Technology Basic Plan. The
council indicated in its report that it is necessary to carefully select
and promote significant technologies that form the basis for
sustainable development of the nation. These will be promoted
via a long-term national strategy.
As a sound policy decision toward ensuring the sustainability
and welfare of mankind, and with consideration of the Japanese
nation’s prominent position in Earth observation, Japan’s basic
strategy on Earth observation consists of the following three aims:
1. Constructing an integrated Earth observation system driven by
user needs
2. Maintaining Japan’s autonomy while exercising leadership in
the integration of international Earth observation systems
3. Establishing an Earth observation system through strengthened
collaborative relationships with the Asia and Oceania regions.
In this context, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
(JAXA) has been developing a future Earth observation
programme to contribute to GEOSS in cooperation with
other space agencies. At the second summit, JAXA
committed to contribute to GEOSS the use of satellites
such as the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS),
known as Daichi; the Greenhouse gases Observing
Satellite (GOSAT), and the Global Precipitation
Measurement (GPM) project, mainly focused on obser-
vations of disaster, global warming and water cycle. In
addition, JAXA will propose a series of satellites for
establishing a GEOSS to monitor climate change. JAXA
is studying the Global Change Observation Mission
(GCOM) to contribute to the process of study, the
prediction of global change phenomena and the preser-
vation of global environments.
ALOS
ALOS is the first step in JAXA’s contribution to the safety
and security of the world, which should be realized in
the GEOSS era. The main mission of ALOS is mapping,
which means that it also performs Earth observation,
including disaster monitoring. ALOS images have been
distributed around the world as a result of JAXA’s signing
the international charter Space and Major Disasters in
2005. These images are already being used in planning
measures for disaster areas, which means that the first
steps have been taken toward this goal.
Related ministries have been holding discussions and
hearings on disaster monitoring, to generate ideas for
future satellites. In addition, the Space Activities
Commission is discussing four satellites that can observe
the Earth at all times for future disaster monitoring. So
apart from JAXA, the Japanese Governments, local
governments and corporations are initiating these kinds
of disaster prevention and reduction activities. In 2006,
the private sector set up the Disaster Mitigation Strategy
(DiMS) Forum with the aim of reducing damage from
future disasters. This forum advises the Government,
related ministries and local governments so they can
respond quickly to disasters in Japan as well as other
Asian countries. In addition to the space agency, indus-
try, academia and governmental institutions have all
started working on disaster issues.
International collaboration on ALOS made it possi-
ble to establish a network called Sentinel Asia, which
uses satellite data for disaster management in the Asia-
Pacific region. The network enables online sharing of
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