[TWI-ONLY] ACESTI Thread (IC)

[Corindia]

"Corindia wholeheartedly supports an effort by ACESTI to encourage space exploration, including IslesNet. Corindia already works extensively on joint space projects with its allies in the MSTO, and would like to see this cooperative spirit extend to the greater regional community as well."

[Athara Magarat]

"Thank you delegate. We would be pleased if your government could motivate your universities to participate in this program. Most of the MSTO nations are launch capable as far as I know. It will be good to utilize those services here. Alteran Republics and your fellow MSTO member Polar Svalbard have been the primary launch service oroviders till date. "

"Now, I am sure there are a lot of questions and sone reservations. We will try to answer them in order to promote the IslesNet Program."

[Negarakita]

"How can we be sure that this will not be used for espionage?"

[Corindia]

"The satellites don't exactly have the capabilities of military observation satellites, I wouldn't be worried about anything like that."

[Athara Magarat]

"Indeed. These are not military satellites. The CubeSat to be used on this program are ideally between 2.6 to 4 kg. The components necessary for a functional military satellite are, at the moment, too large to fit into these CubeSats. There is no need for such espionage concerns and it has been stated in the paper that we will check all the CubeSats that will be involved in this program, before we give the green light and ship them to the launch service provider nations."

[Ainslie]

Kate listened to the Athara Magarati's response before raising a question of her own. "We do not have any issues with the program, however would like clarification as to who exactly will be administering and overseeing the project. Is it the League, ACESTI, A private council of the universities?, or someone else?"

[Athara Magarat]

"That would be the universities that take part in the project; but only with the support from their respective governments. The universities plan to utilize platforms such as ACESTI to reach out to the governments of nation-states across the Isles. They believe that the universities must have considerable support from their respective governments for this program."

[Ainslie]

"So there will be a council of university representatives that coordinate the project - or is administration on a university by university basis?"

[Athara Magarat]

"There is a council of universities from each nation related to this project. The number of that council is not fixed. It swells as members of the project increase. However, each university is to build its own CubeSat with only certain technical support from others. The scientific data gathered on lower thermosphere is shared among all member universities; and through them, to their respective governments. As the ones who first proposed this program, the University of Arun Valley and Sinja University, will be the link between member universitoes and launch service providers like ANSA or PSSA."

[Negarakita]

"There is a council of universities from each nation related to this project. The number of that council is not fixed. It swells as members of the project increase. However, each university is to build its own CubeSat with only certain technical support from others. The scientific data gathered on lower thermosphere is shared among all member universities; and through them, to their respective governments. As the ones who first proposed this program, the University of Arun Valley and Sinja University, will be the link between member universitoes and launch service providers like ANSA or PSSA."

"At what kind of cost? Universities must pay for their facilities, teachers, scholarships. Most nations cannot afford to build space programmes? I would like to know such frivolous spending, especially when there are already space programmes that we can work with, could ever be justified. The University of Negarakita, and the Negarakita University of Science and Technology for that matter, cannot spend this much money when we must continue providing high-quality education. We work with the private sector instead, and think that that is more practical."

[Athara Magarat]

"My dear delegate, you misunderstand. This is shared payment to especially help nations that are not space flight capable. The launching of a CubeSat costs generally begins at around 100,000 dollars. Launch vehicles have payloads in thousands of kg. A CubeSat starts at 1.33 kg weight to around 4 kg. The lesser the weight of the payload, thd more they charge you. Now my dear delegate, will it not be cost effective if dozens of CubeSats are launched with the aame vehicle and the payment is evenly paid by everyone involved? It is a win-win scenario for everyone. Us, you, the launch service providers like Alteran Republics and Polar Svalbard and the entire world."

"The reason why every university is building its own CubeSat with some technical supporf from others is that young engineers and scientists work themselves with dedication to this project, get good experience and hone excellent skills fir future projects. And of course, other universities will be providing support when needed to build the CubeSat. University of Arun Valley and Sinja University will be checking them finally to ensure everything is okay and shipping them to the launch service providers."

"Believe me, this is not frivolous spending. Not at all, dear delegate. This is one of the greatest opportunities for every Isles nation to send their CubeSats up there. You might be looking as to where the catch is. Yes, the catch is that this is technically not a space exploration program. The CubeSats will be spread across the thermosphere at 200 - 380 km above us. But this is just the small step the Isles will be taking for giant leaps ahead in the future."

[Negarakita]

"My dear delegate, you misunderstand. This is shared payment to especially help nations that are not space flight capable. The launching of a CubeSat costs generally begins at around 100,000 dollars. Launch vehicles have payloads in thousands of kg. A CubeSat starts at 1.33 kg weight to around 4 kg. The lesser the weight of the payload, thd more they charge you. Now my dear delegate, will it not be cost effective if dozens of CubeSats are launched with the aame vehicle and the payment is evenly paid by everyone involved? It is a win-win scenario for everyone. Us, you, the launch service providers like Alteran Republics and Polar Svalbard and the entire world."

"The reason why every university is building its own CubeSat with some technical supporf from others is that young engineers and scientists work themselves with dedication to this project, get good experience and hone excellent skills fir future projects. And of course, other universities will be providing support when needed to build the CubeSat. University of Arun Valley and Sinja University will be checking them finally to ensure everything is okay and shipping them to the launch service providers."

"Believe me, this is not frivolous spending. Not at all, dear delegate. This is one of the greatest opportunities for every Isles nation to send their CubeSats up there. You might be looking as to where the catch is. Yes, the catch is that this is technically not a space exploration program. The CubeSats will be spread across the thermosphere at 200 - 380 km above us. But this is just the small step the Isles will be taking for giant leaps ahead in the future."

Sofi looked thoroughly embarassed. She had assumed that the satellites were far bigger than they were. Turning scarlet, she conceded defeat.

"I seem to have misunderstood the program. I can see that this would work, and support it."

[Athara Magarat]

"Thank you for your support, honorable delegate."

[Thuzbekistan]

"Thuzbekistan would be highly interested in these. They would be communication oriented, however. Given light of recent development in international issues, we are very willing to have our devices thoroughly inspected."

[Corindia]

"If it's going to be university students designing these then I certainly hope they're inspected, if only for safety! In all seriousness though, while I absolutely trust our nations' budding engineers to design and produce these satellites, some oversight and inspection is in order."

[Athara Magarat]

"University of Arun Valley and Sinja University assure us that they will provide necessary technical support and check the CubeSats before they are sent over to the launch service providers." Charles Burja tried to make his voice as reassuring as possible. "Thank you for bringing out your concerns."

[Ainslie]

"Yes - that's precisely the concern. Who has oversight over the whole project? Councils of universities from individual nations don't facilitate the coordination of efficient projects of such a complicated program - there needs to be someone above the nation level."

[Samudera]

"I agree with concerns raised by the honourable Ahnslen delegate. May I suggest to incorporate this project under ACESTI's umbrella?"

[Athara Magarat]

"That idea sounds very appropriate."

[Ainslie]

"I assume that means it gets placed under the Science and Innovation Department?"

[Thuzbekistan]

"Yes, existing organs could easily handle this problem.

[Athara Magarat]

"If we all agree on this; then so be it." Charles Burja nodded. His assistant Samuel McNair started handing out the papers. "Delegates; we would like you to request your governments and universities to fill this form."

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=450213

[Ainslie]

Secretary-General Wollock watched as paper flew around the room. She hoped the Athara Magarati would send the documents to the offices of these ambassadors as well.

[Corindia]

"Delegates, as by now you are no doubt aware, yesterday Corindia and Polar Svalbard have completed assembly of a manned space station in low Earth orbit. I hope that this success can inspire the international community to further collaborate to colonize space for the good of the whole region. Although this represents a monumental achievement by Svalbardian and Corindi scientists and engineers, we see it as only a first step, and would be happy to assist in an inter-regional effort to explore the stars, which we see as the true next step in our plan to explore the universe."

[Athara Magarat]

"That is wonderful indeed. If I am correct, your spacecrafts also took a couple of Magarati CubeSats along. I hope that we all can work together on shared goals like space exploration and humanitarian crisis."