The prospects for enhanced international polar-orbiting satellite cooperation

With robust polar satellite missions demonstrated and/or operational in the USA, Europe, Japan, China, Russia, India, and Brazil, and with other natio ns also likely to develop such capability, this paper examines the prospect s for as well as the potential challenges to closer and perhaps more formal international polar satellite cooperation. In suggesting that now is the t ime to explore the development of a coordinated polar observing system, the present paper identifies potential contributors, assesses the relevance of existing space-based Earth observation international coordination mechanis ms, and considers three potential models for a future system. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.