JAPAN SPACE NET
Japan Changes Earth Observation Policy
TOKYO -- April 22, 1997 -- A new Earth Observation Policy report prepared by the Science and Technology Agency (STA) of Japan has called upon the National Space Development Agency of Japan to drastically rethink its earth observation program.

The 100 page report, published April 1, evaluated a series of scenarios and proposed a four-point initiative. The report's recommendations were prepared within a framework of limited budgets. Key recommendations included more focus on software development, a greater diversity of sensors, improved data management and distribution systems to support researchers, and increased emphasis on public relations.

The Space Activities Commission decided that NASDA should increase its budget for software over hardware. Until now NASDA has used most of its EO budget for hardware, causing a variety of software related problems, said Ryuichi Sekita, deputy director of STA's space policy division.

Officials said the report was part of a long-term review process and was not prompted by recent complaints from the international scientific community over delays in accessing data from NASDA's latest EO satellite, the Advanced Earth Observation Satellite (ADEOS). ADEOS, which was launched last August carries six earth observation sensors, but researchers are experiencing delays of up to 45 days getting images from several of the satellite's sensors, including the NASA-built Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS).

"We had to study these issues following principles laid down in (1994's) fundamental policy review to develop more flexibility [in our Earth Observation goals]," said Mitsugi Chiba, director of STA's space policy division.

According to the report NASDA should aim at using the Mission Demonstration Satellite (MDS) program to speed up the development of cheaper and smaller scale satellites in addition to large ADEOS-type platforms.

"We will need many spacecraft and points of observation. The USA can develop a satellite in five years. Whereas, ADEOS took 10 years, we must reduce this to five years," said Sekita. The MDS program has two confirmed missions so far with MDS-1, a components testing satellite and MDS-2, a laser radar test satellite to be launched by the first H-2A launch in August 2000. Either the third or fourth MDS satellite will carry a high resolution optical sensor.

The concentration on MDS may also breathe new life into the J-1 rocket which is struggling to find a role as a small satellite launcher. "NASDA is looking at developing small one-mission EO satellites, that can be launched by either the J-1 or H-2A. However the H-2A looks to be the preferable option, he added.

"If a contractor can get two or three satellites in one launch, it'll be good for reducing costs," he said. STA will also be pressing NASDA to develop suitable MDS buses.

Yoshifumi Yasuoka, Director of the Center for Global Environmental Research, Ibaraki, near Tokyo, welcomed the report, saying that there was a gap between NASDA and the user community over ADEOS that needed to be bridged. "Japan's EO policy was driven by hardware systems development and there was no close linkage between NASDA and the user community. NASDA will have to develop this capability themselves. Hardware design was largely dictated by the current status of technology. Nowadays NASDA are realizing that they need to listen to the opinions of the actual users," he said.

Yasuoka said that NASDA had been aware of the need to more effectively utilize data and had set up an Earth Observation committee five years ago, which he criticized as having become "too big to manage."

A representative from NASDA's Earth Observation Research Center (EROC), responsible for data processing and distribution from ADEOS, denied that NASDA had neglected the user community. "We haven't only concentrated on hardware," said EROC's science project manager, Takashi Moriyama, who is responsible for developing EO mission scenarios through to 2020.

EROC recognized the importance of effective data distribution and would be seeking to increase development of value-added data products in the wake of experience learned from ADEOS, he said. Moriyama also defended EROC's performance, saying that ADEOS' data represented a "very high information volume." EROC would also work on cutting distribution times of its six data type sets of CD-ROMs as well developing price structures for commercial sales.

Yasuoka also revealed that the STA was considering setting up a council of researchers and academics this October, called "Earth Frontier," which will develop and exploit a supercomputer-driven global environment simulator to more effectively exploit ADEOS' data. EROC currently lacks an integrated supercomputer system and relies on a few workstations. "EROC's systems weren't designed from the users' point of view and it's been subject to a lot of criticism," he said.

"We understand [the users'] viewpoint. Our current effort is the best we can do, we've been slow but we're proud of what we have achieved and how widely ADEOS data is being used," said Moriyama.

Large platform buses will remain a key plank of NASDA EO policy, said Ryoichi Kuramasu, former deputy director of NASDA's earth observation satellite department. NASDA is already planning a successor to ADEOS-2 in order to maintain a continuous global monitoring program. ADEOS 2 will be launched by the seventh flight of the H-2 rocket in August 1999.

"I hear JPL have already proposed some replacements for [ADEOS'] NSCAT and ADEOS 2 scanning-type scatterometer. ADEOS 3 will have a combined scatterometer and a radiometer function. Regarding software development, we are already carrying out STA's wishes with ADEOS, which was developed with a lot of very hard work," he said. ADEOS 3, which is entering conceptual design phase this year, will be launched between 2002 and 2003 with a mission life of five years.

Other commentators recognized that NASDA and EROC will have to work harder on data distribution. "NASDA needs more variety in the way it distributes data. We must rely on more balanced computer technology, easier outputting and a closer interaction with the user community," said Yukio Haruyama, senior engineer of NASDA's earth observation planning department.


NASDA's Earth Observation Satellite Page

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