©
When it comes to protecting the environment and tracking changes in our climate, satellites and drones have become indispensable. If only there wasn’t the issue of all that space debris… In RESET’s latest special feature, we’ve been taking a look at the potentials – and pitfalls – of satellites and drones for a sustainable future on this planet.
Satellites have long been used to monitor deforestation, but how can that data be used to actively create results on the ground?
Water security is increasingly becoming one of the fundamental issues of the 21st century, especially for states in the dryer and more arid regions of the world. With water forming the basis of all life, some nations are adopting increasingly radical solutions to ensure a fresh supply of water. For example, states such as the
Poorly understood peatlands have long been carelessly exploited, releasing their stored up carbon. With the help of satellites and advanced software, researchers now hope to accurately measure their vital signs.
The satellite images made during large ESA and NASA space missions are freely accessible to the general public - in theory at least. But in reality, not everyone can use them. Niklas Jordan wants to change that, with his project OpenSpaceData.
Satellites are powerful weapons in the fight against deforestation, overfishing and plastic waste. But there are downsides too, to the recent huge increase in the number of satellites orbiting the Earth. In RESET's upcoming event at the re:publica conference 2021, we'll be taking a closer look at projects using satellites for the good of the planet, and discussing a whole range of different solutions for sustainable space travel.
NASA scientists will be teaming up with epidemiologists in the agency’s first health-focused mission. With satellite data, they’ll find out how air pollution affects health in cities around the world.
A decade ago, it would have been impossible to create an accurate picture of the world's fisheries. But advances in satellite technology, cloud computing and machine learning have made it possible.
Are photos made by satellites problematic in terms of data protection? Is there enough regulation around the use of drones? How can we ensure that remote sensing data isn't misused? We talked about all of this with data protection expert Marit Hansen.
Space missions have to be many things – including safe, successful and cost-efficient. But what about eco-friendly, too? As we enter a new era of space exploration, the European Space Agency is taking steps to ensure that sustainability is integrated into all phases of its future missions - and hopes that other space actors will follow suit.
