Asian space: return of an Asian invention

dynasty when rockets were first used to repel invaders at the battle of Kaifeng (Kai-fung-fu) in AD 1232. In Asia in recent years there has been a dramatic growth in space activities both in the utilisation of space-based services and the production of satellites and launchers. This rapid expansion has led many analysts to predict that Asia will become an important provider of services in space. B Worldwide there have been dramatic developments in space technology, and these have been eagerly embraced by Asian nations, which have found them to be especially adaptable for their particular problems. Asia, and Southeast Asia in particular, experiences recurrent large-scale environmental problems including storms and flooding, forest fires, and crop failures. The space application that has attracted the most attention in this region, therefore, is remote sensing. Remote sensing satellites, equipped with instruments to take photographs of the ground using different wavelengths, provide essential information about natural ground cover and planted crops, and this information facilitates work in environmental management, disaster prevention, and sustainable planning. C Imaginative and innovative applications of satellites are…