Working Groups

The new generation of small satellites, such as CubSats, can carry a variety of payloads, from multispectral and hyperspectral cameras to spectrometers that can acquire important and useful information while they are in orbit around the Earth. Several institutions in South America have been developing small satellite technology as independent initiatives, gathering experience relevant for the implementation of small satellite based missions which could benefit the region. This working group will focus on identify benefits of making and acquiring small satellites, the possibilities to generate collaborative programs in this area, and the current state of affairs regarding the technology capacities, towards making a first approach for emergent countries towards the space sector, and serve as a platform for solving some problems of the region that could be aided by the use of space located assets, such as natural disaster control.

With a growing in interest around the world in crewed missions towards the Moon, Mars, and several outer space destinations, there has also been a development in analogue missions, field tests in locations that have physical similarities to the hostile and extreme space environments that we can find in other locations in outer space. Analogue missions experiments involve testing of new technologies, robotic equipment, vehicles, habitats, communications, power generation, mobility, infrastructure as well as the observation of human factors such as the analysis of behavioral effects, isolation and confinement, team dynamics, fatigue, among others. This working group will identify how South American countries can take part in crewed missions towards space exploration, and boost their participation in analogue missions regarding locations/facilities for the development of analogue missions, formation of human resources for future missions, and interaction between the region and external agencies and institutions.

In the early stages of space exploration most activities were undertaken or guided by states, however there is a current trend of private companies developing several aspects of space exploration, creating a new age of space exploration: NewSpace. The South American region could benefit from the development of a space economy ecosystem, by becoming the next hub for the appearance of private space companies. This working group will focus on identifying the market and opportunities existing in the region, as well as the actors needed in the generation of these companies and their current relationships with government, private sector, academia, and society, and the steps to interconnect these actors by analyzing benefits, contributions, operative costs and human resources for each part.

South American Space Agencies have been growing in the past years, promoting civilian space activities in the region. Additionally, a Latin American Space Agency (LASA) has been proposed by different space scientists, governments and research institutions. Space Agencies are the enablers in the organization and development of space-related projects, shared knowledge and/or experiences in space technology implementation, identification of applications, among others cooperative activities. However, these institutions need long-term government policies in science, technology and innovation, financial support on research, interest on wide-area risk management, society benefits, etc. This working group will identify the benefits and necessity to have a Space Agency in developing countries, how to overcome the human and financial resources challenges, as well as the option of founding a Latin American Space Agency and its feasibility.