12th Annual Space Generation Congress: Agency Session Report on Space Communications in Our Daily Lives
- Paper ID
23366
- author
- company
Space Policy Institute, George Washington University; Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC); University of Stuttgart
- country
United States
- year
2014
- abstract
Space applications, particularly those related to space communications, play a significant role in society and in our technologized world. Communications satellites are vital in supporting our global information infrastructure and a multitude of critical activities on a daily basis. From navigation, to weather forecasting, disaster response, and search and rescue efforts, economic and national security is becoming increasingly tied to space communication assets. As such assets become an increasingly necessary part of daily life, expanding global awareness and imparting the benefits of space communications to the general public is essential. This paper focuses on identifying the benefits of space communications in daily life and outlines strategies for conducting public and stakeholder outreach. This study sought to define the content to be communicated, and established an educational and dynamically integrated video, image, and game application campaign as the most effective means of targeting and engaging stakeholders. In order to successfully integrate a global campaign, coordination with a neutral organization comprised of active students and young professionals, such as the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC), was recommended. Collaboration with existing outreach campaigns, such as NASA's International Space Apps Challenge and U.K. Catapult "Future Cities" were evaluated as strategies for funding. This study recommended that the outreach strategy be divided into several short, medium, and long term efforts in order to provide an interesting chance of return on investment if stakeholders, such as satellite communications providers, were to consider participating in the short term efforts discussed in the working group, thus establishing a basis for medium and long term outreach phases. This study was conducted in support of NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Program and undertaken during the Space Generation Congress of the Space Generation Advisory Council in September 2013. This final paper outlines the strategies and recommendations of representatives of the young generation from 14 countries.