List of Contents

Foreword
Preface
List of figures

1. The environment of outer space
Deep space
Near-Earth space

2. Orbits
General principles
The orbits of sun-synchronous satellites
The geostationary orbit
The Lagrangian points and associated orbits
Orbits of space probes

3. Ground tracks
General characteristics
From orbit to Earth: mapping the track
Types of tracks
Tracks and the orbital cycle

4. Occupation of space
The geography of spacebourne objects
Satellites and Probes
Civilian and military applications

5. Space policy and budgets
Budgets and space activity throughout the world
Russia and the CIS Republic
The United States
Europe
Japan
China
India
Israel, Canada, Brazil and Australia

6. Access to space
Overview
International Comparison
Russia and the CIS Republic
The United States
Europe
Japan
China and India
Israel, Brazil and other countries

7. Circumterrestrial scientific missions
Scientific research
Study of the Earth
Observation of the circumterrestrial environment
Astronomical observation
Other fields of investigation

8. Exploration beyond geocentric orbit
Exploration and geography
The Moon
Solar system observation missions

9. Earth observation
Overview
Sensors
Images of the Earth
Meteorology
Remote sensing of terrestrial resources
Optical remote sensing systems
Sar-equipped earth resource systems
Remote sensing - the way ahead

10. Telecommunications
General considerations
Frequencies and reservations
Missions
International systems
Regional systems
National systems

11. Positioning and navigation
Systems using downlink signals
Systems using uplink signals

12. Military applications in space
Status of military activity
Collection of information
Telecommunications
Space: the new battlefield?

13. Living in space
Human occupation in space
First steps in space
The early (first?) space stations
The Shuttle, MIR and Buran
The international space station
Future Chinese programme

Bibliography
Internet sites
Index