Call for papers: 7th IAA Symposium on Small Satellites for Earth Observation

This symposium will be held in Berlin (Germany) in 4-5 May 2009. It is organised by the International Academy of Astronautics, and Supported and hosted by the DLR.

The great number of scientists, engineers, and manag-ers who participated in the hitherto existing symposia reflects the high interest in the use of small satellites for dedicated missions applied to earth observation, from scientific earth observation missions to technol-ogy demonstration missions.

These types of missions can be conducted relatively quickly and inexpensively and provide increased op-portunity for access to space.

The spacecraft bus and instruments can be based ei-ther on optimized off-the-shelf systems, with little or no requirements for new technology, or on new high-technology systems. Thus a new class of advanced small satellites, including autonomously operating "intelligent" satellites may be created, opening new fields of application for scientific purposes as well as operational, public and commercial services.

The symposium will provide a forum for scientists, engineers and managers to exchange information about planned and on-going programs and missions, and present new ideas, covering small satellite mis-sion objectives as well as technology and management aspects for dedicated earth observation satellites. Ar-eas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Small Satellite Mission Programs

• International and national programs
• University programs
• Planned and on-going programs

Objectives for Small Satellite Missions

• Scientific earth observation missions
• Operational systems for disaster prevention and rescue
• Technology demonstration missions
• Commercial service and applications

Mature (off the Shelf) Systems

• Sensors and instrumentation
• Spacecraft concepts and sub-systems
• Ground stations and communication
• Mission operation and facilities
• Launch systems

Advanced Technology Approaches

• Sensors and instrumentation
• Microelectronics and micromechanics
• Optics and filters
• Communication and ground stations

Low-Cost Management Aspects

• Project management
• Quality assurance
• International co-operation
• Data base functions and data distribution

Results of Small Satellite Missions

User Requirements and Expectations

Student Prize Paper Competition

The symposium will consist of

• Lectures by invited speakers
• Contributed papers selected from abstracts received in response to the call for papers
• Poster sessions
• Panel discussions

You are invited to contribute a paper for presentation at the symposium. The one-page, single-spaced abstract of no less than 300 and no more than 500 words must be received by 31 October, 2008.