OBJECTIVES and SCOPE

Preamble: The fifth RAST (Recent Advances in Space Technologies) Conference) or RAST 2011 has gained a special significance in that it coincides with the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Air Force (TuAF). Appropiate with the occasion of the event, the theme of the conference is based on a quotation from a speech given by Ataturk when he visited an air base in 1936. In that astoundingly visionary speech he went on to say: “Mankind will one day walk in space and travel to distant planets. And we will not need to wait until the end of the century to see all that”. Guided by the contents of his speech and also his visionary statement “Future is in the Skies”, for the celebration of the TuAF centennial anniversary, the organizers of RAST 2011 have decided to dedicate RAST 2011 to a look to the future of space. 

Numerous accomplishments in space science and technologies in the last half century have not only broadened our view of the universe and our place in it, but have also blessed us with such capabilities as, communicating with any point in the World, enabling us to know our coordinates anywhere around the planet and providing us with valuable data to manage our natural resources. Interesting and amazing new space developments are surely in store, some of which most of us may not have dreamed of yet. RAST 2011 welcomes prospective contributors to offer their vision of the developments in space in their respective fields. However as always, RAST conferences are open to all areas of space technologies as listed below, as well as relevant areas in space science and space business.

Objectives:As before, RAST 2011 has the general objective of providing a forum for the presentation of recent developments in space technologies. Furthermore and in particular, the organizers wish to make RAST 2011 a special event for looking into the future of space technology developments.

Participants:The conference should be attractive for participants coming both from technical and management/policy backgrounds, including academicians, engineers, space agency officials, other government officials, space company managers, businessmen, educators, and students.

Topics:In general, contributions regarding all aspects of recent developments in space technologies are welcome. In particular presentations addressing the specific theme of RAST 2011 are especially encouraged. Papers may fall under, but not be limited to the following topics:

• Utilization of space for the future of mankind;
• Space technologies that contribute to security, including all  aspects and threats, natural, man-made, humanitarian etc.
• Computational modeling for design, development and control of aerospace vehicles, during launch, space travel (orbit), and reentry
• Earth observation projects and programs geared especially toward prediction, mitigation monitoring of natural disasters
• Developments in GNSSs, interoperability, new applications
• Small satellites, micro, nano and pico satellites, cubesats
• New and novel instrumentation for various spacecraft functions, including ADCS, power, vehicle control, space robotics etc.
• Space law, space medicine, and benefits of information available from space (social, educational and others)
• Visions into future of space science, multiverses, black holes, etc.
• Energy from space
• Design and construction of space structures, space systems, materials, simulation and testing
• Computational modeling of material processing and other flow physics associated processes under microgravity conditions in space
• New remote sensing technologies and applications, i.e. hyperspectral sensing, SAR, applications in meteorology, environment, agriculture, etc.
• Affordable and novel launch systems
• New space communication techniques, higher frequencies, new apps
• Scientific applications, deep space, space weather and near Earth space microgravity
• International cooperation, especially among space-faring and developing countries.
• Space travel; colonization of other heavenly bodies; SETI;