1.

Introduction

Prof. Dr.-Ing. F. N. Karanja

 Lecture Objectives
At the end of this lecture the learner
should be able to:-
Explain the usefulness of space technology
from a global perspective.
Discuss the historical developments in
space technology
Describe how Kenya is positioning itself in
order to benefit from space technology.
 Lecture 1 Outline
1.1. Overview
1.2. Historical Developments in Space
Technology
1.3. Kenyas Role in Space Technology
and applications of Remote Sensing
1.1. Overview
Overview (1)
Overview (2)
Overview (3)
Overview (4)
 What is Space Technology
Space technology includes spacecraft,
satellites, space stations, and support
infrastructure, equipment, and procedures.
RS Platforms
Platforms, Sensors and Images
RS Technologies
Understanding SDGs through Space
Technology Lens
National Priority Areas
Example of Application 1
Example of Application 2
 About Space
Space has always excited and challenged the human intellect.
Starting with the Soviet Sputnik in 1957, human endeavour in
space has seen several milestones including:
The Apollo mission to the moon,
International Space Station,
Inter-planetary explorations and
Very high resolution earth observation satellites.
However, the real challenge is on earth not in space.
To co-ordinate space activities and to ensure peaceful use
of space, a policy framework at various levels is a
prerequisite.
No single country owns space, but every single nation
regardless of political geography can make best use of it.
 Definition-Air and Outer Space-1
Airspace is that portion of the atmosphere controlled by a
particular country or political subdivision on top of its territory
and territorial waters.
The Chicago convention of 1944 clarifies that every State has complete and
exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.
By international law, this corresponds with the maritime definition of territorial
waters as being 12 nautical miles (22.2 Km) out from a nations coastline.
Outerspace is the region of space beyond its limits determined
with reference to boundaries of a celestial body or system
especially the region of space immediately beyond the earths
atmosphere and interplanetary space-this however is an
arbitrary definition.
Challenge has been technology changes in aircraft, spacecraft, positioning
systems and remote sensing, combined with the growth in number of space
faring nations making it difficult to define the spatial boundary between airspace
and outerspace-this effectively means defining the extent of air law and space
law.
There is no consensus on the definition of a uniform boundary delimitation of the
outer space.
Definition-Air and Outer Space-2
 Layers of the Atmosphere
The atmosphere is a protective layer of gasses
that shelters all life on Earth, keeping
temperatures within a relatively small range
and blocking out harmful rays of sunlight.

The atmosphere has five different layers that

are determined by the changes in
temperature that happen with increasing
altitude.
Layers of the Atmosphere-1
Layers of the Atmosphere-2
 Layers of the Atmosphere-3
Troposphere
Living at the surface of the Earth, we are
usually only aware of the events happening
in the lowest layer, the troposphere, where
all weather occurs. The base of this layer is
warmer than its top because the air is
heated by the surface of the Earth, which
absorbs the Sun’s energy.
 Layers of the Atmosphere-4
Stratosphere
Above the troposphere lies the stratosphere
where jet airplanes fly. Temperatures
increase with altitude because of increasing
amounts of ozone. The ozone layer within
the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet
rays of sunlight.
Layers of the Atmosphere-5
Mesosphere
As the mesosphere extends upward
above the stratosphere, temperatures
decrease. The coldest parts of our
atmosphere are located in this layer and
can reach –90°C.
 Layers of the Atmosphere-6
Thermosphere
In the fourth layer from Earth’s surface, the
thermosphere, the air is thin, meaning that
there are far fewer air molecules. The
thermosphere is very sensitive to solar
activity and can heat up to 1,500°C or higher
when the Sun is active making an aurora that
lights up the night sky. Astronauts orbiting
Earth in the space station or space shuttle
spend their time in this layer.
 Layers of the Atmosphere-7
Exosphere
The upper layer of our atmosphere, where
atoms and molecules escape into space, is
called the exosphere.
Platform Types with respect to altitude
Advantages of Space
The unique vantage point of observation offered by space
enables many infrastructures and a myriad of applications and
utilities through satellite communication, navigation and
geospatial technologies.
National security and public safety, economic competitiveness
and scientific capabilities are all dependent on access to
space and space-based capabilities.
The growth of global space capabilities presents several
important opportunities and challenges for both developed
and developing countries.
Consequently, a country needs to evolve a national space
policy to address its priorities and also understand the
changing international landscape, from low earth orbit to
geosynchronous orbit to the Moon and beyond.
 Space Management-UN
A growing number of states are seeking to develop and extend
their space capabilities through formulation of space
capabilities.
Private actors are also extending their involvement in space
activities.
In order to co-ordinate this, the United Nations which is an
inter-governmental forum dealing with various space issues of
global importance has come in.
It has come along way, since the Outer Space Treaty of 1967
in formulating a framework and guiding principles of acitivities
in space.
Some nations have advanced policies given the technical
capabilities, while others techno capabilities are way ahead of
policies.
The growing reliance on space technology and the increasing
pace of international space activities demands a more co-
ordinated and strategic approach to space activities at a global
 Space Policy
It is important that each country has its own policy in tandem with
international policies to ensure a rational and responsible approach to the
exploration and use of Outer Space.
Space policy and law address diverse aspects like:-
Military activities in the Outer Space
Building of satellites and launch vehicles
Liability for damages caused by space objects
Settlements of disputes
Protection of national interests
Rescue of astronauts
Sharing of information about potential dangers in outer space and use of space-
related technologies
Space Policy can be broadly divided into two:-
International space policy, which governs the activities of states and inter-
governmental organisations
Domestic space policy, which governs the activities of individual countries.
 Treaties governing outer space
Space Law is associated with the rules, principles and standards of
international law appearing in the five international treaties and five sets
of principles governing outer principles.
The United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space under
United Nations Office of Outer Space Affairs (UN-OOSA) is the only
international forum for the development of international space law.
The Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space was set up by the
United Nations General Assembly in 1959 to:-
Review the scope of international cooperation in peaceful uses of outer space
To devise programmes in this field to be undertaken under the auspices of
United Nations
To encourage continued research and dissemination of information on outer
space matters
Study legal problems arising from the exploration of outer space.
Since its inception, the Committee has concluded five international legal
instruments and five sets of legal principles governing space-related
activities.
It has put up efforts in considering space as a means of uplifting mankind
through peaceful use of outer space.
It has also worked on many issues and looked at ways to promote
regional and international cooperation in the field of space.
 Treaties
Outer Space Treaty-1967: It is on principles
governing activities of states in the exploration and
use of outer space, including the Moon and other
Celestial Bodies.
Rescue Agreement-1968:This is on rescue of
Astronauts, the return of astronauts and the return of
objects launched into Outer Space.
Liability Convention-1972: this is a convention on
international liability for damage caused by space
objects.
Registration Convention-1975: This is for registration
of objects launched into Outer Space.
Moon Agreement-1979: This governs the activities of
states on the moon and other celestial bodies.
Dual Use of Space Technologies
Countries want to reap the benefits of space
science, technology and scientific
information available.
However, there is need to recognize that
being in Space Club is a responsibility and a
collective obligation.
Technologies that enable access to space
can be used in two ways namely:-
Peaceful Exploration, or
Carry weapons of mass destruction
 Historical
Developments in
Space Technology
Timeline of Space Exploration
The first steps of putting a man made object into space were
taken by German scientists during World War II while testing
the V2 rocket which became the first human-made object in
space on October 3, 1942 with the launching of V-4.
After the war, the Allies used German scientists and their
captured rockets in programs for both military and civilian
research.
The first scientific exploration from space was the cosmic
radiation experiment launched by the U.S. on a V2 rocket on
May 10, 1946.
The first images of Earth taken from space followed the same
year while the first animal experiment saw fruit flies lifted
into space in 1947, both also on modified V2s launched by
Americans.
These suborbital experiments only allowed a very short time
in space which limited their usefulness.
 Fruit Flies-Space Missions
Why were fruit flies chosen for the
cosmic journey?
• Genetically, their species are found
to be more with Homo sapiens
• Around 75% of all the disease-
causing genes present in humans
have analogues in the fruit fly's
genetic code.
• Studying fruit flies can therefore
teach us a lot about our own genetic
make-up, which is a big reason the
insects are so popular amongst
biological researchers.
• It's also the reason the White Sands
Missile Range wanted to see what
would happen to them in outer
space.
 First Flights
The first successful orbital launch was of the Soviet unmanned Sputnik
("Satellite I") mission on October 4, 1957. The satellite weighed about
83 kg and is believed to have orbited Earth at a height of about 250 km.
It had two radio transmitters (20 and 40 MHz), which emitted "beeps" that
could be heard by radios around the globe. Analysis of the radio signals
was used to gather information about the electron density of the
ionosphere, while temperature and pressure data was encoded in the
duration of radio beeps.
Sputnik 1 was launched by an R-7 rocket. It burned up upon re-entry on
January 3, 1958.
This success led to an escalation of the American space program, which
unsuccessfully attempted to launch Vanguard 1 into orbit two months
later.
On January 31, 1958, the U.S. successfully orbited Explorer 1 on a Juno
rocket. In the meantime, the Soviet dog Laika became the first animal in
orbit on November 3, 1957.
Laika-First Animal to Orbit Earth
 First Human Flights
The first successful human spaceflight was Vostok 1 ("East
1"), carrying 27 year old Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on
April 12, 1961. The spacecraft completed one orbit around
the globe, lasting about 1 hour and 48 minutes. Gagarin's
flight resonated around the world; it was a demonstration of
the advanced Soviet space program and it opened an entirely
new era in space exploration: human spaceflight.
The U.S. first launched a person into space within a month of
Vostok 1 with Alan Shepard's suborbital flight in Mercury-
Redstone 3. Orbital flight was achieved by the United States
when John Glenn's Mercury-Atlas 6 orbited the Earth on
February 20, 1962.
Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, orbited the
Earth 48 times aboard Vostok 6 on June 16, 1963.
China first launched a person into space 42 years after the
launch of Vostok 1, on October 15, 2003, with the flight of
Yang Liwei aboard the Shenzhou 5 (Spaceboat 5) spacecraft.
 First planetary explorations
The first artificial object to reach another celestial body was Luna 2 in 1959.
The first automatic landing on another celestial body was performed by
Luna 9 in 1966. Luna 10 became the first artificial satellite of another
celestial body.
The first manned landing on another celestial body was performed by Apollo
11 in its lunar landing on July 20, 1969.
The first successful interplanetary flyby was the 1962 Mariner 2 flyby of
Venus (closest approach 34,773 kilometers). Flybys for the other planets
were first achieved in 1965 for Mars by Mariner 4, 1973 for Jupiter by
Pioneer 10, 1974 for Mercury by Mariner 10, 1979 for Saturn by Pioneer 11,
1986 for Uranus by Voyager 2, and 1989 for Neptune by Voyager 2.
The first interplanetary surface mission to return at least limited surface
data from another planet was the 1970 landing of Venera 7 on Venus which
returned data to earth for 23 minutes.
In 1971 the Mars 3 mission achieved the first soft landing on Mars returning
data for almost 20 seconds.
Later much longer duration surface missions were achieved, including over 6
years of Mars surface operation by Viking 1 from 1975 to 1982 and over 2
hours of transmission from the surface of Venus by Venera 13 in 1982 (the
longest ever Soviet planetary surface mission).
An example of an astronaut
Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space
Space Shuttle Disaster:The Challenger
Jan 28, 1986; 73 seconds in flight, Killing 7 crew
members
 Space Missions
For as long as there have been people on Earth, we have looked up at the
sky and wondered about the Sun, Moon, stars, and occasional dramatic
events we see there.
But it is only in the past 40 years that technical ability was developed to
leave our planet and actually visit other bodies in the universe.
After World War II, both the United States and the Soviet Union created
programs to impove the design of rockets which would make space travel
possible. What then followed was a race to travel into space with unmanned
probes and manned spacecraft.
During the last four decades, hundreds of satellites, probes and space
shuttles have been launched, which have explored near-Earth space,
travelled to the Moon, the Sun, and to other planets.
And, with permanent space stations already in orbit around Earth and
telescopes exploring more and more of our universe, space research is still
continuing. Talk of future developments includes building a colony on Mars,
searching for life in other galaxies, and other exciting programs.
International Space Station
Space Shuttle before Launch( source
NASA)
Magellan orbiting Venus, in August 1990
Rocks on Mars:Evidence of Living
organisms 4 billion years ago
Evidence of Water on Moon
 Kenyas Role in
Space Technology
and application
 The San Marco
The San Marco Project Research Centre (CRPSM) is a research centre of
the University of Rome "La Sapienza", and represents the continuation of
the San Marco Project which, instituted in 1962 by his founding father,
Prof. Luigi Broglio, marked the beginning and the earliest substantial
development of Italian space activities bringing Italy to be the third
country in the world, after Russia and United States, to send a satellite in
orbit (San Marco I, 1964).
In 1964 CRPSM set up an operational base in Kenya (today L. Broglio
Space Centre) comprising a launch base on sea platforms and a ground
base equipped with TT&C (Tracking, Telemetry and Command) and
Remote Sensing stations.
The Broglio Space Centre (BSC) has been the world first launch base
located near the equator for obtaining equatorial orbit with a minimum
energy expenses.
From this site 9 satellites and 20 sounding rockets have been launched up
to the 1988. Four of the satellites were Italian, 4 from US and 1 from UK.
The San Marco Launch Platform
Coordinates: (2° 56' 18" S, 40° 12' 45"E)
Tracking Assets
 Activities of San Marco
aerospace related research projects conducted
autonomously;
scientific and technological space research
programmes in collaboration with domestic and
international organizations;
development and optimisation studies of the
technological resources available at BSC;
support operations for scientific and technological
programmes carried out at its Telemetry, Tracking,
& Command, and Remote Sensing Stations.
training courses.
 Projects: Remote Sensing
Development of applications based on Earth observation
satellites. Development of softwares devoted to process
remotely sensed images.
A) Global Monitoring for Security and Sustainability (GMOSS)
the specific science and technology needed to provide:
• effective monitoring of international treaties protecting
against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction;
• better estimates of static and dynamic populations on a
global scale;
• better monitoring of infrastructure and borders;
• rapid remote assessments of damage;
b) SFIDE (System for Fire Detection)
Satellite based system for a real-time detection of wild
fire in the Mediterranean area. This system, based on
the exploitation of geostationary satellite images
(MSG/SEVIRI sensor) is part of the SIGRI (Sistema
Integrato per Gestione Rischi Incendi) project.
c) Central-East Africa Satellite Monitoring

The Remote Sensing station located in

Kenya (Malindi) is well equipped to
acquire environmental, medium and high
resolution satellites images covering the
Central-East part of Africa.
MODIS, SeaWiFS, AVHRR (on NOAA 14,
15, 17, 18) and SAR sensors are currently
acquired.
Natural Resource Managment-L.Victoria
Over time, the Lake Victoria, Kenya has experienced a host
of problems including some water pollution from effluents
and untreated waste from the nearby town (Kisumu),
sediment loads from riparian and catchment areas, algal
blooms, eutrophication pesticides from agricultural areas in
the catchments, and fish species introductions that have
interfered with the fisheries ecosystem. But the most
severe of the problems has been the invasive weed water
hyacinth.
An activity of monitoring of the Lake based on satellite
images, supported by ground based measurements has
been started by CRPSM in 2004, with the aim to
investigate, and produce information for management.
 Environment:Desertification
Availability and access to information and technology is the main challenge in the
development and management of natural resources in dry lands. Notable
environmental monitoring programmes which have been on going in Kenya are:
Wildlife and livestock and their ecological environment using aerial survey, drought
and famine using meteorological data and NOAA-AVHRR and rangeland biomass
using NOAA-AVHRR.
Current desertification monitoring programmes are mainly localized and ground
based. Ground monitoring has limitations due to the costs involved to carry out such
programmes and thus have a likelihood of discontinuity. Remote sensing
programmes to complement the ground surveys provides a solution to long term
monitoring programmes.
Estimate of change for 1985-1991 in Kenya dry land environment was that its state
was worsening while recent reports have reported accelerating degradation.
The main aim of this research is to integrate remote sensing; field and ancillary data,
and using Geographic information system (GIS) determine the status of
desertification in the dry lands of Kenya by accomplishing the following objectives:
Assess current extent and trend of desertification;
Identify areas at risk (hot spots) by modelling degradation/desertification using remote
sensing and other spatial entities;
Search for a methodology for calibrating arid and semi arid NDVI;
Start a spectral library of semi arid and arid environments of Kenya.
 About Kenya Space Agency
Established as a State Corporation under the Kenya
Space Agency Order of 2017 (Legal Notice No. 22 of
7th March 2017) as a successor to the National Space
Secretariat, which had been established via Gazette
Notice No. 5563 of 5th June 2009.

Mandate: To promote, coordinate and regulate space-

related activities to enhance utilization of space
technology for national socioeconomic development.
 Role of KSA
collaborating with stakeholders to enhance their
ability to use space technologies,
coordinating public sector involvement,
developing local space capabilities and
infrastructure,
formulating and implementing space policies,
fostering international cooperation on space-
related matters,
establishing a legal and regulatory framework for
space activities, and
promoting awareness of space technologies and
their benefits.
The End