Address Through Multi-media Tele-conference To The Symposium On 'the Future Of Space Exploration: Solutions To Earthly Problems' Boston University, Usa, At Rb Multimedia Studio, New Delhi

Space Exploration and Human Life

"Dream transforms into thoughts 
Thoughts result into actions"

I am delighted to participate in the Symposium on ?The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems? organised by (a) the Centre for Space Physics, (b) the Pardee Centre for the Study of Longer Range Future and (c) the Secure World Foundation of Boston University to mark the occasion of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the dawn of Space Age. My greetings to this distinguished gathering of space scientists, technologists, academicians, futurologists, industrialists, social scientists and students. May I address you, as a fellow scientist, who has been part of the growth process of space science and technology in India. This field of human endeavour has, in the last fifty years, made an unprecedented impact on the life of human race. As the first citizen of India, I am aware of the aspirations and pain of our people and the great expectations they have for further improving their quality of life using technology including space. I am glad to know that you will be discussing how space technology can enhance further, the quality of life of world citizens while examining many innovative ideas for space exploration, exciting aspects like space colonies, search for extra terrestrial intelligence and planetary exploration. We have to understand our planet more completely, evolve and adapt our life to its environment and ecology. Hence, I have chosen the topic, "Space Exploration and Human Life".

Indian Space Visionary

As you know, fifty years ago, space initiatives started with only two major space-faring nations. Now, there are many. I am happy to say that India is one among them with space science and technology accelerating the social and economic advancement of the nation. When I think of space accomplishments of the last fifty years and the vision for the future, I recall Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, who pioneered India?s space programme, which in the last four decades has been touching the lives of many among the billion people of India in several ways.

The Indian Space Programme

Prof. Vikram Sarabhai unfurled the socio-economic application oriented space mission for India in 1970. Today, India with her 14,000 scientific, technological and support staff in multiple space research centers, supported by about 500 industries and academic institutions, has the capability to build any type of satellite launch vehicle to place remote sensing, communication and meteorology satellites in different orbits and space application has become part of our daily life. India has today a constellation of six remote sensing and ten communication satellites serving applications like natural resource survey, communication, disaster management support, meteorology, tele-education (10,000 class rooms) and tele-medicine (200 hospitals). Our country is in the process of establishing 100,000 Common Service Centres (CSC?s) across the country through public-private partnership model for providing knowledge input to rural citizens.

Recently, India has launched into orbit and recovered a space capsule after performing micro gravity experiments. This is a major technological milestone is an important step towards reusable launch vehicle and manned space missions. India is now working on its second space vision. I foresee that an important contribution for future of exploration by India would be, space missions to the Moon and Mars founded on space industrialization.

Space Research as a Technology Generator

Space research is truly inter-disciplinary and has enabled true innovations at the intersection of multiple areas of science and engineering. It has been consistently aiming at the ?impossible? and the ?incredible?, every time moving the frontiers of our knowledge forward. Space research has had as its major focus, on making things work and bringing the dreams of mankind to fruition through technologies that the mankind can be proud of. It is almost a ?Green Technology?. Its greatest asset is that in many cases what is perfected as a space technology becomes a technology that enhances the quality of human life on the earth. Some examples are - the revolution in communication, tele-presence, infotainment, and an integrated picture of earth and its resources. Besides direct contributions, the fruits of space research have also resulted in designing innovative products such as cardiac stent and heart pacemaker for healthcare.

World Population in the 21st Century & Its Relation to Future of Space Exploration

The world population today is 6.6 billion which is projected to be over 9 billion by 2050. The critical issues arising from this population growth are shortage of energy, shortage of water and increasing damage to the natural environment and ecology.

Planetary Energy Supply & Demand: Role of Space Technology

Civilization on earth will run out of fossil fuels in this Century. Oil reserves are on the verge of depletion, followed by gas and finally coal. However, Solar energy is clean and inexhaustible. For example, even if 1 % of India?s land area were harvested of solar energy, the yield would be nearly 1000 Gigawatts, or 10 times more than the current consumption. However solar flux on earth is available for just 6-8 hours every day whereas incident radiation on space solar power station would be 24 hrs every day. What better vision can there be for the future of space exploration, than participating in a global mission for perennial supply of renewable energy from space?

Water for future generations

More than 70% of earths? surface is water; but only one percent is available as fresh water for drinking purposes. By 2050 when the world population will exceed 9 billion, over 6 billion may be living under conditions of moderate, high and extreme water scarcity. There is a four-fold method towards providing safe and fresh drinking water for large population. The first is to re-distribute water supply; the second is to save and reduce demand for water; the third is to recycle used water supplies and the fourth is to find new sources of fresh water.

Space technologies for new sources of fresh water

In India earth observation satellites having unique resolution are being deployed for the survey of water bodies, their continuous activation so that water storage during rainy season is maximized. Establishing new water supply sources using advanced reverse osmosis technologies for sea water desalination on large scales is a cost effective method of providing a new source of safe and fresh drinking water. However, desalination is an energy intensive process. Hence, the use of renewable energy through space solar satellites can bring down the cost of fresh water substantially. Space based solar power stations have six to fifteen times greater capital utilization than equivalent sized ground solar stations. Linking Space solar power to reverse osmosis technology for large-scale drinking water supplies could be yet another major contribution of Space.

Integrated Atmospheric research

In the last four decades, space observations through balloons, rocket experiments, satellites, recordings through sophisticated ground installations, experimental techniques and instrumentation have provided valuable integrated information on atmospheric processes. I asked myself what have we learnt from atmosphere during the last four decades. What information enriched us? How our atmosphere is dynamically changing in 20th century to now in the 21st century? As you all are aware, Earth is experiencing both stratospheric cooling (due to ozone hole) and tropospheric warming (due to increased green house gases).

While the twentieth century has witnessed CO2 content in atmosphere going upto three parts per 10,000, in the early part of 21st century we are already experiencing 6 to 10 parts per 10,000. This is equivalent to nearly 30 billion tones of carbon dioxide injection to the atmosphere every year. The solution for preventing further damage to the atmosphere would be immediate adoption of energy independence through use of clean renewable sources of energy.

Disaster Management

In many places in our planet, we experience severe disasters like earthquakes, tsunami, cyclone resulting in loss of life, loss of wealth and in some cases it destroys the decades of progress made by countries and their valuable civilizational heritage. India has earthquake problems periodically in certain regions. US, Japan, Turkey, Iran and many other countries also suffer due to earthquakes.

Earthquake/tsunami is a sub terrain phenomenon and predicting this from space observations would be a great challenge. Space scientists of multiple nations should work together to use satellite deep penetration images to predict the earthquake or shock wave propagation. Other possibilities are precise geodynamic measurement of strain accumulation by satellite to detect pre-slip, and electromagnetic phenomena prior to final rupture. The focus must be on earth quake forecasting with adequate warning so that the people can move to safer areas. Space technology can also be used for forecasting and modeling of volcanic eruptions, land slides, avalanche, flash floods, storm surge, hurricane and tornadoes.

Potentially Dangerous Asteroids

Space community has to keep monitoring the dynamics of all potentially dangerous asteroids. Asteroid 1950DA's rendezvous with earth is predicted to be on Mar 16, 2880. The impact probability calculations initially indicated a serious condition of 1 in 300 which has to be continuously monitored. In such a crucial condition, we should aim to deflect or destroy this asteroid with the technology available with mankind.

Space Missions (2050)

Now, I would like to discuss with you certain specific priority areas in space technology and exploration.

Geosynchronous Equatorial Orbit (GEO) is a well utilized resource. The spacecraft orbiting in GEO are very high value resources. However, the life of these spacecraft are determined by component failure, capacity of fuel, internal energy systems and space environment. While new design practices and technologies are constantly increasing the life of satellite, there is a requirement for extending the life of satellite through in-orbit maintenance such as diagnosis, replacement, recharging, powering, refueling or de-boosting after use. This calls for creation of Space Satellite Service Stations for all the spacecraft in the GEO as a permanent international facility. Future satellites and payloads have also to be designed with self healing capability and midlife maintenance.

Space Industrial revolution

Mankind?s 21st. Century thrust into space would herald in the world?s next industrial revolution, what might be termed as the Space Industrial Revolution. This does not mean that the revolution will take place only in Space. What it essentially means is the creation of architectural and revolutionary changes leading to new space markets, systems and technologies on a planetary scale. Such a Space Industrial Revolution will be triggered by the following missions that can address all segments of global space community. What are the possible drivers for such a Space Industrial Revolution?

The first major factor will be man?s quest for perennial sources of clean energy such as solar and other renewable energies and thermonuclear fusion. Helium 3 from Moon is seen as a valuable fuel for thermonuclear reactors.

Mining in planets or asteroids would need innovative methods for exploring, processing and transporting large quantities of rare materials to earth. Moon could become a potential transportation hub for interplanetary travel. The moon?s sky is clear to waves of all frequencies. With interplanetary communication systems located on the far side, the moon would also shield these communication stations from the continuous radio emissions from the earth. Hence the moon has potential to become a ?Telecommunications Hub? for interplanetary communications also.

The Moon also has other advantages as a source of construction materials for near Earth orbit. Its weak surface gravity is only one-sixth as strong as Earth's. As a result, in combination with its small diameter, it takes less than five percent as much energy to boost materials from the lunar surface into orbit compared with the launch energy needed from Earth's surface into orbit. Electromagnetic mass drivers powered by solar energy could provide low-cost transportation of lunar materials to space construction sites.

Low gravity manufacturing holds tremendous promise for mankind in new materials and medicines. Studies also have shown that the needs of 12 workers could be met by a 16-meter diameter inflatable habitat. This would contain facilities for exercise, operations control, clean up, lab work, hydroponics gardening, a wardroom, private crew quarters, dust-removing devices for lunar surface work, an airlock, and lunar rover and lander vehicles.

Habitat at MARS: As my friend Prof UR Rao, former Chairman of ISRO says, space scientists are habituated to protecting systems against single point failures; so, in the longer term, creation of extra terrestrial habitat in MARS should be studied as fail safe mechanism for our problems on earth. How would we create livable conditions on Mars?

Moon-Based Solar Power Stations

Space solar power stations have been studied extensively during the past 30 to 40 years. However, non-availability of low cost, fully reusable space transportation has denied mankind the benefit of space solar power stations in geo-stationary and other orbits.

Moon is the ideal environment for large-area solar converters. The solar flux to the lunar surface is predicable and dependable. There is no air or water to degrade large-area thin film devices. The Moon is extremely quiet mechanically. It is devoid of weather, significant seismic activity, and biological processes that degrade terrestrial equipment. Solar collectors can be made that are unaffected by decades of exposure to solar cosmic rays and the solar wind. Sensitive circuitry and wiring can be buried under a few- to tens- of centimeters of lunar soil and completely protected against solar radiation, temperature extremes, and micrometeorites. Studies have also shown that it is technically and economically feasible to provide about 100,000 GWe of solar electric energy from facilities on the Moon.

If we have to achieve these along with the full potential of space benefits with current applications, there is one major problem we have to solve. That is, how are we going to make the cost of access to space affordable?. The question hinges on creating space markets and developing cutting edge technologies to make low cost of access to space a reality. The future of the space industrial revolution created by a space exploration initiative would hinge greatly on new means of safe, affordable access to near earth space, as the platform for deep space exploration.

Cost of access to Space

It is becoming clear that present level of markets for communication, are getting saturated. Optical fiber technologies are providing large band width for terrestrial communications. The life of satellites in orbit having increased to 12-15 years, along with advanced technology with higher bandwidth for transponders have further reduced the demand for telecommunication satellites. The current cost of access to space for information missions such as telecommunication, remote sensing and navigation varies from US $ 10000 to US $ 20000 per kg in low earth orbit. As mentioned, this market is saturated. Hence the future of space exploration requires that space industry moves out of the present era of information collection missions, into an era of mass missions. There is a need to reduce the cost of access by two to three orders of magnitude. It is only by such reduction in cost of access to space that mankind can hope to harvest the benefits of space exploration by 2050.

Affordable, Low Cost Space Transportation for Space Exploration Missions

The payload fraction of current generation expendable launch vehicles in the world does not exceed 1 or 2% of the launch weight. Thus to put one or two tonnes in space requires more than one hundred tonnes of launch mass most of which-nearly 70% - is oxygen.

Such gigantic rocket based space transportation systems, with marginal payload fractions, are wholly uneconomical for carrying out mass missions and to carry freight and men to and from the moon.

Studies in India have shown that the greatest economy through the highest payload fractions are obtained when fully reusable space transportation systems are designed which carry no oxidizer at launch, but gather liquid oxygen while the spacecraft ascends directly from earth to orbit in a single stage. These studies in India suggest that a ?aerobic? space transportation vehicle can indeed have a 15% payload fraction for a launch weight of 270 tonnes. This type of space plane has the potential to increase the payload fraction to 30% for higher take off weight. For such heavy lift space planes, with 10 times the payload fraction and 100 times reuse, the cost of payload in orbit can be reduced dramatically by several orders of magnitude lower than the cost of access to space with expandable launch vehicles.

While space industrialization and space exploration will expand initially using the current generation launch vehicles, the real value of space exploration for human advancement will occur only when mankind builds fully reusable space transportation systems with very high payload efficiencies. This will become available when the technology of oxygen liquefaction in high-speed flight in earth?s atmosphere is mastered. This technology will also be useful for mass collection from the atmosphere of other planets at a later stage in space exploration.

Maintaining Peace in Space

We must recognize the necessity for the world?s Space community to avoid terrestrial geo-political conflict to be drawn into outer space, thus threatening the space assets belonging to all mankind. This leads on to the need for an International Space Force made up of all nations wishing to participate and contribute to protect world space assets in a manner which will enable peaceful exploitation of space on a global cooperative basis.

Challenges before the Space Research Community

Space research has many challenges that can stimulate intellectually alert and young minds. But the attraction for the youth of today to take up science or technology as a career option has many lucrative diversions. The future of space research cannot be as green as it was in the last fifty years, if we the space scientists do not ensure a steady stream of youngsters embracing the discipline. For this to happen, the scientists of today must come up with a steady fountain of ideas that would attract the students. This is a great challenge. I would be happy if the great minds gathered here, articulate to the young, the space vision for the next fifty years and challenges presented and discussed in the Symposium. Space does not have geographic borders and why should those who pursue space research have any borders?

Space Missions 2050

I would like to suggest the following space missions for the consideration by the space community assembled here to be fully accomplished before the year 2050. 
1. Evolving a Global Strategic Plan for space industrialization so as to create large scale markets and advanced space systems and technologies, for clean energy, drinking water, tele-education, tele-medicine, communications, resource management and science; and for undertaking planetary exploration mission. 
2. Implementing a Global Partnership Mission in advanced space transportation, charged with the goal of reducing the cost of access to space by two orders of magnitude to US $ 200 per kg. using identified core competencies, responsibilities and equitable funding by partners, encouraging innovation and new concepts through two parallel international teams 
3. Developing and deploying in-orbit Space Satellite Service Stations for enhancing the life of spacecraft in GEO as a permanent international facility.

Conclusion

Since the dawn of space era in 1957, space science and technology has enhanced man?s knowledge of earth, atmosphere and outer space. It has improved the quality of life of human race. Our space vision to the next fifty years has to consolidate these benefits and expand them further to address crucial issues faced by humanity in energy, environment, water and minerals. Above all, we have to keep upper most in our mind the need for an alternate habitat for the human race in our solar system. The crucial mission for the global space community is to realize a dramatic reduction in the cost of access to space.

To meet this challenge the scientific community can draw the inspiration from the saying of Maharishi Patanjali, about 2,500 years ago "When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all your thoughts break their bounds. Your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction, and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents come alive, and you discover yourself to be a greater person by far than you ever dreamt yourself to be."

I wish you all success for this Symposium on ?The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?

May God bless you.

Questions and Answers Session

1. South Asia is rapidly developing in terms of economic growth, but there are still political and even military rivalries between countries of the region. Do you think that the Indian space program, and its planned growth for the future, will foster the integration and cooperation of the countries of the region, and how?

- Ka-men Ko-za-rev, CSP, Astronomy grad student

Ans: I met the Heads of State and Heads of Government of SAARC countries (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) on 3rd April 2007, where we discussed the Vision-2017 for these countries. This can be realized through the use of individual core competence of partner countries for the benefit of all the SAARC countries and also to provide goods and services to other nations. The connectivity provided by the Indian space programme can play a major role in spreading literacy, healthcare, resource management and creation of employment opportunities.

2. Does India plan to enter the race (or cooperation?) for a manned mission to Mars? Is this a priority for the Indian space program?

Ans: The interplanetary exploration is a necessity. Living people of the planet Earth have to pave the way for alternate abode for human beings. Indian Space Programme accords maximum priority for socio-economic development through connectivity of the nation. Future interplanetary programmes should be carried out as a multinational joint collaborative venture.

3. As a Lebanese graduate student studying in the US with dreams of incorporating my knowledge to better my country's research and educational prospects in Astronomy and Space Science, I feel that one of the biggest challenges will be to find appropriate funding. In this day when politics governs much of science, what are the prospects for finding international funding for space science projects external to the US and Europe?

- Majd May-yasi, CSP Astronomy grad student

Ans: During my visit to Singapore, I visited the facility built up in Biopolis, Singapore. There I saw an innovative programme of development of quality manpower in life sciences. Biopolis has a scheme of searching talent globally and providing them all the facilities to acquire qualification of their choice from any University located in the world. They provide the funds for the entire programme of study and they require the students to come back and work in Singapore in the field of life sciences for a minimum of six years. This idea has emanated because they want quality manpower across the world to enhance their R&D potential leading to commercialization initiatives. I am advocating implementation of this concept in my country.

4. What do you consider to have been the greatest impacts of India's space industry on its own development and that of the rest of the world to date? How do you see the growing global space industry affecting developing nations in the next 50 years? In particular, could you please share your thoughts on the effect it might have regarding the distribution of wealth throughout the world?

- Bri-an Hicks, Graduate Student in Electrical Engineering at BU

Ans: The greatest impact of Indian Space Programme has been felt in communications, tele-education, tele-medicine and resource mapping, bringing the benefits of space research to the common man. As I have already explained to you, education is spread to remote localities and medi-care of super specialty hospitals to the rural population. Space inputs are enriching every sector of Indian development process. Our aim is to address, through space and other technologies, the crucial problem faced by mankind in energy, water, environment and habitat. In my address I have highlighted the vision for 50 years for space technologies in such areas.

5. You spoke on exploration and S&T during the last 50 years for peaceful purposes. However, when we look at the world today most satellites are military satellites. Today the military satellites are passive. Some people are even considering of weaponization of space. How do you see the armaments and weaponization of the space.

- William Marshall, Space Policy Institute

Ans: I have explained to you how Indian Space Programme has brought connectivity and served socio-economic development. I have expressed very clearly against weaponization of space. You can see my website. The terrestrial geo-political conflicts should not be carried forward into space. To facilitate the above I have also suggested a global task force. I have advocated an International Space Force to protect world space assets in a manner which will enable peaceful exploitation of space on a global cooperative basis.

6. In your talk you have expressed many ambitious ideas for India. You have also mentioned your intentions about manned and planetary missions. The thrust of India?s space programme is based on improving the socio ? economic conditions of the people. In this context how do you think interplanetary missions will be a priority.

- Angel, George Washington University

Ans: You are absolutely right that the Indian Space Programme is for improving the socio-economic conditions of the people. I have explained to you in detail how such applications are carried out with the help of ten tele-communication satellites and a dozen of remote sensing satellites. The connectivity has spread to many remote schools and healthcare is extended to distant rural villages. Presently, the world is going through serious problems of energy, water and climate change. We have already seen how the planetary resources like Helium-3 can help us. For solving the major problems faced by the humanity, we the living people now, have the responsibility to explore alternate habitat.

Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam