Lee calls on S. Korea to join ILN

The Chosun IIbo (South Korean) President Lee Myung-bak wants Korea to join an international lunar exploration program. In a speech at the opening of the 60th International Astronautical Congress in Daejeon on Monday, Lee said, "Many countries are cooperating to carry out large-scale space projects such as the lunar exploration program."

He said gaining an understanding of outer space through international cooperation and sharing achievements in space research "are necessary to improve quality of life for all mankind."

Lee was referring to the International Lunar Network project which brings together eight countries under NASA supervision and aims to explore the environment and resources of the Moon by sending six to eight robotic spacecraft to various locations on the lunar surface and building mobile or fixed science stations.

The ILN was chosen on the agenda for the Korea-U.S. summit last year, and Korea signed a letter of intent to join. The government has set a goal to launch a lunar orbit satellite by 2020 and a lunar probe by 2025. Before it attains this goal, it is looking for help in obtaining space technology by participating in the ILN.

Lee also said, "Korea is strong in information technology, nanotechnology and biotechnology. The country can make contributions significantly, though belatedly, to the development of the world's space industry, if it uses those technologies to enhance space technology."

The congress is attended by about 3,000 space experts from some 70 countries and will run until Oct. 16.

Nair new head of IAA

Bangalore, Oct 12 (IANS) India’s top space scientist G. Madhavan Nair has been elected president of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) at its general assembly in South Korea, the Indian space agency said Monday.

Nair, chairman of the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), has been vice-president of the IAA for four years prior to taking over the prestigious post Sunday at Daejeon in South Korea.

As an independent organisation of distinguished individuals elected by their peers for their outstanding contributions to astronautics and space exploration, the Paris-based IAA organises conferences and collaborates with other partner societies.

Nair, who is also secretary of the department of space, has been responsible for design, development and operationalisation of the indigenously developed polar satellite launch vehicle (PSLV).

During his four-decade long association with the space agency (ISRO), Nair held various positions, including director of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) and the Liquid Propulsion System Centre at Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala.

Under his chairmanship since 2003, ISRO has successfully launched 25 missions, including India’s maiden lunar mission Chandrayaan-1 in October 2008.

International Survey on Space Exploration

The United Nation's Office for Space Affairs is keeping the fires burning for thousands of young space enthusiasts throughout the world who have become members of Space Generation. A more enthusiastic group of future space scientists and explorers would be difficult to name.

Their regional representatives met this week in Vienna, and in tribute the International Astronautics Academy in Paris set up a website called Space Expectations, and they would like about five minutes of your time to offer an opinion about your priorities, for your nation and yourself, and the future of space exploration.

Take the Survey HERE.