Calgary Space Workers Society

The Calgary Space Workers Society is now an affiliation with the Moon Society (www.moonsociety.org) and will strive toward common goals. The president of the Moon Society, Peter Kokh and author of the Moon Miners Manifesto have offered several ideas to continue in our research station habitat in Drumheller, Alberta. Several ideas on our expansion to the inflatable corridor and modules have opened many avenues for future development. The Moon Society will be working with us toward our Moon habitation goals.

A satellites orbital slot determines the types of service it can provide. For remote sensing LEO is often used. The MEO is often the location used for critical navigation systems such as the GPS and the upcoming European Union Galileo system. Most communications and weather satellites are positioned into a GEO slot over the earth. The GEO is different than others in that the orbital movement of the satellites at this altitude is in synch with the earth’s 24hour rotation. This causes the satellite to appear to remain in a stationary location over a single area of the earth. This eliminates the need to buy vary expensive tracking receivers.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) convention states that satellites radio efficiency and economical operation must be maintained so that countries or groups of countries may have equitable access to both. In this case we are speaking of the GEO orbital slots that are allocated by the ITU. The language used is interpreted as meaning that such a position should be made available on a first-come first-serve basis. In order so that the frequency interference does not occur GEO satellites are required to maintain at least 2 degrees of orbital separation, depending on the band used for transmitting, receiving and the "field of view" of their ground antennas. This leaves room for a maximum of 180 satellites that could be in the prime equator orbital path. In the most desired equatorial slots across the USA there is room for only 38 satellites.

Over the years the increase demands for the most desired orbital slots have caused space actors to file requests for orbital slots prematurely and/or in great quantity. This caused a backlog at the ITU and delays for legitimate requests. In 1992, a conflict occurred when a company called Pasifik Satellite Nuantana (PSN) of Indonesia launched a satellite and placed it in a vacant GEO slot that was registered to a company called Tonga through the ITU. Indonesia and PSN refused to abide by the ITU ruling. The dispute escalated in July of 1993 when a U.S. firm leased the slot from Tonga and orbited a satellite into position but too close for comfort for PSN. In 1996 Tonga leased the same slot to a Chinese company which prompted PSN to jam the satellite. Ultimately PSN abandon their satellite. Perhaps the most disturbing however, is that the ITU could not stop Indonesia’s or PSN’s actions.

Compounding the problem that the ITU was having with the ability to stop PSN was that space actors registered slots but were not paying up as agreed. In year 2000 the ITU predicted a short fall of 16 million for the year 2004 and this would continue annually through to 2007. The ITU has tried to collect money owed for slots registered but then finally accepted help from Ad Hoc Group- Cost Recovery for Satellite Network Filings. The Ad Hoc Group has formed the methodology behind the charge for filing and made recommendations to the ITU.

The increased use of space inevitably leads to an increased demand for the portions that are available and progress in the ability to have colonies on the moon will be no exception. Efforts to undermine the ITU’s legitimacy could be a cause for concern in the future and progress will be needed toward the use of the Moon as well. It is however, a thought for future explorers who want to live in space and on the moon. What methodology can we use for filings and what charge can we make? How can we enforce a lease for the space or land? How can we collect?