The environment

Satellites are shaping our understanding of the natural world and our impact on it. Satellite based observations of Earth are giving policy makers continuous, global and accurate data, and are underpinning the evidence base behind our environmental policies.

UK space is working in partnership with Government to offer practical, low cost contributions to the understanding and mitigation of environmental and sustainability questions.

Underlying effective action on the environment must be continuous improvements to our understanding of the Earth system, achieved through effective observation of the natural systems usually on a global scale.

One of the largest environmental problems currently facing society is climate change. Action in response to climate change is a top priority for the UK. The issues are complex, affecting people in the UK through rising sea levels and extreme weather but also having more dramatic effects on vulnerable regions such as Africa.

The UK space community has made leading contributions to climate change science, mainly through the ESA Explorer Programme, and should maintain that leading position by full participation in satellite observing systems within internationally coordinated programmes such as GMES as part of the GEOSS initiative and the Eumetsat series of satellite. The European Space Agency-EU Global Monitoring for the Environment and Security (GMES) initiative is the major European contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). A decision to fund at full GDP levels the next phase of GMES is imperative.

Constellations of small affordable satellites, can also play a major part in addressing environmental key objectives. Such constellations provide the opportunity to involve developing countries as active participants through their own satellite programmes, as in DMC (the Disaster Monitoring Constellation), in global efforts to address climate change.

There is a growing volume of analysis which shows there are considerable socioeconomic benefits of space derived data and information. The Oxford Economic Forecasting study points to gains to the UK of between £400m and £1000m per annum resulting from satellite meteorology.

Key applications derived from the use of satellites in support of environmental issues and sustainable development strategy are:
Climate Change. Satellites are the best way to highlight gradual environmental change on a global scale. UK space has developed world-leading expertise in analysing global atmospheric behaviour and greenhouse gas emissions.
Flood and Land Cover Monitoring. Long term Earth observation from space helps to protect and manage natural land cover and coastlands threatened by climate change and sea level rise.
Disaster Management. Space observation plays a critical role in tracking, monitoring and assessing natural hazards including tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanoes, and severe weather phenomena. Mitigating the impact of these disasters requires a better integration of observations from various Earth observing systems, improved predictive modelling, and the dissemination of timely and accurate information. Satellites have a unique capability to cover all remote sites and disseminate information immediately to users at local, regional and global levels. Disaster prevention and mitigation represent an area where space is a fundamental tool for all countries, especially developing ones.
Sustainable Development – Africa. Space supports the development of more sustainable African communities, providing a direct communications infrastructure, access to educational opportunities and enhanced environmental monitoring to deliver basic human rights of freedom from hunger and disease. This is evidenced by the participation of African nations in the UK led Disaster Monitoring Constellation, which is enabling them to assess the early effects of climate change, to which they are already highly vulnerable.
Sustainable Forestry and Marine Production. Satellites play a vital part in supporting sustainable production through the monitoring of forest over-harvesting and fire damage, as well as the assessment of the release of greenhouse gases. Satellites are also increasingly important for marine production through the protection of fish stocks from illegal fishing, and management on the basis of fish stock assessment.
Sustainable Urban Management. Space derived information provides a holistic approach to decision-making across a wide range of urban policy areas. It brings together information which is typically heterogeneous and disparate; to support an integrated system of data collection, modelling and applications which is the key to the sustainable development of cities.
Low Emission Transport. Satellites can play a vital role in improving transport efficiency providing an unobtrusive and cost effective global service. Space based systems can reduce road congestion and increase efficiency of road haulage, help to manage air traffic and reduce fuel wastage and increase capacity and improve safety whilst cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Space also informs shipping for routing to avoid adverse conditions thus cutting journey times and reducing emissions. Developments in advanced weather monitoring may also enable aircraft to benefit from high altitude winds further increasing efficiency.
Green Telecommunications. A satellite-only based TV broadcasting system for the UK would provide a real digital dividend in terms of increased spectral resources and reduced carbon footprint. Of the 1100 UHF transmitters which provide the current analogue terrestrial TV service in the UK, the 50 most powerful require 54MW of electricity – resulting in 250,000 tons of CO2 per annum. Satellites use electricity from sunlight to power transmissions during their 15 year operational life. The frequency spectrum due to be released as part of the switch from analogue to digital broadcasting will be able to carry approximately 14 HDTV channels – the latest European telecommunications satellite launched in August 2006 can carry 150 HDTV channels. Industry is also working to introduce self-powered wind-up satellite receivers for the developing world.
Illegal oil dumping. Policing of environmental legislation will be key to making progress. Only satellites offer a cost effective global mapping solution.

Space is monitoring our management of pressures on natural resources and global climate and is helping to provide ‘green’ alternatives to terrestrial infrastructures

Science

Britain is a world leader in space science and space science is a crown jewel in Britain’s science base. Space science and astronomy have been drivers for civil space activities in the UK and Europe since the 1960s. The longstanding, close and productive interaction between the science base and the space sector has led to the development of revolutionary and sophisticated satellite payload technologies. The development of Earth observation and sensing technology has moved in parallel with the need to understand the Earth as a system, driving the science of Earth observation and encouraging the exploration and development of new technologies. These include Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) sponsored Earth Observation Centres of Excellence. Space also brings major benefits from knowledge transfer and technology spin-out. Space science is also an important source of inspiration for scientific education.

The main scientific customers for UK space are the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) and NERC. PPARC’s space science goals address some of the most fundamental questions about the origins of the universe, its physical and chemical characteristics and processes and whether life exists elsewhere. NERC uses space-based equipment to deliver world-class environmental science to aid our understanding of the Earth.

Space offers a unique environment to make observations about the solar system and the universe and to provide a global view of the Earth and increase understanding of the Earth as a system.

Role of Research Councils

Both research councils engage with space through the scientific exploitation of existing space facilities, the development of new facilities through the provision of new scientific instruments, and the preparation for future facilities through technology development. To achieve this, they contribute funds to collaborative European Space Agency (ESA) programmes that support both the development of specific space missions and the advancement of technology.

The most important current ESA science delivery programmes for PPARC and NERC are the core Science Programme, the Aurora Exploration Programme, and the Earth Observation Envelope Programme. By exploiting their unique characteristics, UK space scientists also compete successfully to win PPARC and NERC grants for national programmes.

Successes and Maturity of Engagement by the Research Councils

UK scientists have played a leading role in ESA sponsored missions and have acquired a world-class position in the field of space science and Earth observation. UK centres have led key elements of the Mars Express, Venus Express, Huygens-Cassini and BepiColumbo programmes. Other notable achievements include the use of space to monitor arctic ice levels using the ERS and Envisat missions.

Industrial engagement with science for space

ESA programmes are the primary focus for PPARC and NERC space funding. This provides a vital route for British industry in the development, construction and testing of spacecraft. ESA participation guarantees an industrial return to the UK and differs considerably from many other international subscriptions where UK industrial return may be extremely low.

Equally, the NERC and PPARC national programmes also provide opportunities for UK industry on scientific space projects. Smallsats can provide opportunities for flexible, rapid deployment of novel payloads, enabling UK scientists to stay ahead. Other opportunities include joint technology development with university research groups and funded programmes to encourage knowledge transfer. The latter involves both the space and non-space sectors.

Examples of knowledge transfer from space to other sectors include the Terahertz Imaging developed for Earth atmospheric monitoring, which has been used to improve medical scanning and airport security systems; and the Beagle-2 Miniature Lab, which is being developed for terrestrial healthcare, environmental and security markets.