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RAND was an early leader in the field of space science, producing seminal works in the design, launch, and operation of satellites in the 1940s and '50s. RAND continues to pursue space studies: Current topics include international cooperation (and the United States' dependency on foreign components), orbital debris (or "space junk"), and the funding of space missions.

Report

Responsible Space Behavior for the New Space Era

Apr 26, 2021

The early space domain was dominated by two superpowers. Today, the world has more than 60 spacefaring nations, multiple commercial space operators, and a global economy that is inextricably linked to space. Now is the time to develop responsible space norms.
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Introducing the RAND Space Enterprise Initiative

Sep 4, 2020

RAND Space Enterprise Initiative lead Bruce McClintock describes the mission and goals of the Space Enterprise Initiative and the importance of making space research available to all.

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Excess Capacity in International Telecommunications: Poor Traffic Forecasting or What?

Under international cooperative arrangements, governments and private firms have been remarkably successful in building worldwide systems of communications satellites and undersea cables.

Jan 1, 1986
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Improving MILSATCOM Acquisition Outcomes: Lease Versus Buy

Military satellite communication systems will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. The magnitude of these costs and their distribution in the economy will be directly affected by whether public policymakers choose to lease or to buy these systems.

Jan 1, 1985
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Commercial and Military Communication Satellite Acquisition Practices

... tests the contention that the commercial sector consistently manages acquisition programs better than the military.

Jan 1, 1985
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Interference problems for nongeostationary satellites

The interference problems faced by nongeostationary satellites may be of major significance. A general discussion indicates the scope of the problems and describes several configurations of importance. Computer programs are described, which are empl...

Jan 1, 1984
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A Development of Logistics Management Models for the Space Transportation System

This report identifies the characteristics of logistics system capability assessment and stockage optimization methods that reflect the unique nature of NASA's Space Transportation System's (STS) launch and recovery cycle.

Jan 1, 1983
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PACSAT: A Passive Communication Satellite for Survivable Command and Control

Examines passive communication satellites as alternatives to active communication satellites in the hostile environment that may exist in the postattack period of a nuclear war.

Jan 1, 1981
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Measuring the Impact of Launch Operations Upon Satellite Effectiveness

The successful operation of a space launch system is vital to the maintenance and improvement of satellite operations. This Note demonstrates that a method exists for quantifying this dependence relationship, laying the groundwork for a cost-effectiveness analysis of alternative backup launch systems.

Jun 1, 1980
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Coordinates of features on the Galilean satellites

Control nets of the four Galilean satellites have been established photogrammetrically from pictures taken by the two Voyager spacecraft during their flybys of Jupiter in 1979. Coordinates of 504 points on Io, 112 points on Europa, 1,547 points on G...

Jan 1, 1980
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Concepts of Signal Acquisition and Processing for Use With a Passive Space Communication Array

A passive communication satellite is attractive for relaying strategic messages between distant points under conditions where active communication satellite and other terrestrial links have been negated.

Jan 1, 1980
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Satellite Constellations for Worldwide and Hemisphere Coverage

The satellite constellations discussed in this Note are designed to maximize the probability that one or more of the satellites in the constellation will always be at an elevation angle of 20 degrees or more above the horizon of the ground station.

Jan 1, 1979
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Cost-Effectiveness Measures of Replenishment Strategies for Systems of Orbital Spacecraft

Describes the differences and similarities of the three most common simulation programs employed and establishes a simpler, closed form approximation which may be implemented on a desk-top calculator.

Jan 1, 1979
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The Feasibility of Employing Frequencies between 20 and 300 GHz for Earth-Satellite Communications Links

Develops a model for estimating in a new way the statistical distributions of signal attenuation, sky noise temperature, and total atmospheric-induced degradation.

Jan 1, 1978
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Application of Electron Beams in Space for Energy Storage and Optical Beam Generation

Examination is made of the potential for in-space-propagated electron beams for storage rings that buffer solar energy collected in low-orbit-altitude satellites.

Jan 1, 1978
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Media for Satellite Communication.

Satellites provide a powerful new means for distributing the communication media we have. Today at least 30 distinguishable media and multimedia combinations can be transmitted via satellite--where "medium" means a method of originating, encoding, t...

Jan 1, 1975
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Martian Surface Coordinates

Methods and results for primary and secondary triangulation of the martian surface.

Jan 1, 1973
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The Communication Satellite--A Perspective for the 1970s.

International and domestic point-to-point communication satellite systems are expected to multiply throughout the decade. In developed regions, they will remain auxiliary to the overall ground communication complex, even though very significant in d...

Jan 1, 1971
Report

Broadcast Opportunities with Satellites and CATV, and Their Control in the Public Interest.

Prepared for the 7th Space Congress, April 1970, this paper explores the opportunities for providing new TV broadcast services and a variety of social benefits from broadcasting with satellites and CATV. The relative costs of the various alternative...

Jan 1, 1970
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Satellite Spacing and Frequency Sharing for Communication and Broadcast Services.

A general approach for the efficient use of satellite orbits and the radio frequency spectrum. The protection of received signals, equipment capabilities, and pertinent systems considerations are reviewed before systematically examining the principa...

Jan 1, 1970
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Communications Satellites, Technology Transfer, and Economic Development.

The use of educational television to improve the quality and quantity of education in developing countries is examined. A simple model relating economic development in emerging countries to education and the level of applied technology is presented....

Jan 1, 1970
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Creation of an Atmosphere for the Moon

The description of a method for creating a lunar atmosphere similar to that of the earth.

Jun 1, 1969

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Research conducted by

Researcher Spotlight

Erik Van Hegewald

Assistant Policy Researcher, RAND

Erik Van Hegewald is a Ph.D. student in the Research, Analysis, and Design stream at the Pardee RAND Graduate School and an assistant policy researcher at RAND. His research interests include space policy, information theory, applications of artificial intelligence, and grand strategy and doctrine.
Yool Kim

Acting Associate Director, Force Modernization and Employment Program, RAND Project Air Force

Yool Kim is the acting associate director of the Force Modernization and Employment Program within RAND Project AIR FORCE. She is a senior engineer at the RAND Corporation and a member of the Pardee RAND Graduate School faculty. Kim conducts and leads space policy research on topics spanning…

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