South Korea's space agency has joined its international counterparts in putting satellite data at the disposal of rescue authorities following major disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, formally became the newest member of the International Charter 'Space and Major Disasters' on 7 July. Read more
The UK is to lead the international effort that coordinates the acquisition of satellite pictures whenever there is a natural disaster. Britain will chair the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters for the next six months. Read more
10th Anniversary of the International Charter "Space and Major Disasters"
In 2000, the International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" was set up on the initiative of ESA (European Space Agency) and CNES (France's Centre national d'études spatiales). Its purpose is to make it easier for emergency services to access satellite data in the event of natural or man-made disasters. On Tuesday 19 October, ESA, CNES and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of this Charter, which has been joined by a further seven space agencies worldwide and activated on average more than twice a month since its creation. Read more