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emerging space powers the new space programs of asia the middle east and south america
p this work introduces the important emerging space powers of the world . many of their space programs are little known but they all play vital roles . some have quite ambitious goals and are even challenging the leaders in the space community . p brian harvey describes the origins of the japanese space program from rocket designs based on ww ii german u boats to tiny solid fuel pencil rockets which led to the launch of the first japanese satellite in 1970 . the next two chapters relate how japan expanded its space program developing small satellites into astronomical observatories and sending missions to the moon mars comet halley and asteroids . japanese astronauts flew on the space shuttle and military satellites now spy on north korea . p chapter 4 describes how indias vikram sarabhai developed a sounding rocket program in the 1960s . modeling their own rocket on the american scout launcher india eventually put a satellite into orbit in 1980 . the following chapter describes the expansion of the indian space program . chapter 6 relates how the indian space program is looking ahead to the success of the moon probe chandrayan due to launch in 2008 and its first manned launching in 2014 . chapters 7 8 and 9 demonstrate how in iran communications and remote sensing drive space technology . the new islamic republic abandoned most of the shahs space and nuclear plans . iranian work on satellites and rocketry was started in the mid 1990s . indigenous technology combined with foreign help should eventually lead to a thriving independent iranian space program . p chapter 10 outlines brazils road to space begun in the mid 1960s with the launch of the sonda sounding rockets . the following two chapters describe brazils satellites and space launch systems and plans for the future . chapters 13 and 14 study israels space industry . israel is developing spacecraft with some european cooperation and launchers with south africa and usa . in 1988 israel became the ninth country in the world to successfully launch a satellite ofeq 1 with its own vehicle shavit . the next chapters look at the burgeoning space programs of north and south korea . south korea aims to become a major international player in both space systems and in manned ventures . launch vehicles are being developed with russian help while european partners are aiding with the production of advanced remote sensing satellites . p the book ends by contrasting and comparing all the space programs and speculating how they may evolve in the future . an appendix lists all launches and launch attempts to date of the emerging space powers .