Sentries in the Sky: Using Space Technologies for Disaster Response

Yesterday, CNAS released a new policy brief exploring how
the United States can make better use of space technologies to improve disaster
warning and response.

Sentries in the Sky: Using Space
Technologies for Disaster Response explores some of the challenges with
sustaining America’s disaster warning and response services by relying solely
on ground-bases sensors to collect information about natural disasters and
other events that could threaten U.S. communities. Alternatively, space
technologies – which have not yet reached their full potential in disaster
warning and response services – can complement existing ground-based sensors by
combining new modes of data collection and delivery from space to improve the
ability of first responders and others charged with protecting the United
States to respond to natural and man-made disasters.

The policy brief focuses specifically on advancing tsunami
detection through space-based services as just one of many ways that space
technologies can advance disaster warning and response capabilities. But
despite this narrow focus on tsunami detection, the policy brief is intended to
encourage policymakers and others to think more creatively about ways to
leverage space technologies to enhance U.S. national security missions, particularly unconventional (but increasingly important) missions such as
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  

The policy brief builds on a broader body of work at the
center on the role of Earth monitoring satellites in national security and
foreign policy making. In August 2011, Christine Parthemore and I published Blinded:
The Decline of U.S. Earth Monitoring Capabilities and Its Consequences for
National Security. More to come from us in this research area.

Photo: An artist concept of the Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason 2 Earth satellite. Courtesy of NASA. 

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www.cnas.org