ABSTRACT
Abstract: This chapter focuses on how the international humanitarian community, including the United Nations (UN) and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) benefit from space-based technologies to support humanitarian emergency response interventions. The tools discussed include satellite imagery, satellite communication, and global navigation satellite systems. Space technologies are currently used in a wide range of intervention types, including natural, technological, and chemical disasters as well as conflict situations. What is important to realize is that this community is very pragmatic. There is no room for experimenting with unproven applications and cost is always a major issue. Hence, when including space-based applications in the disaster management decision-making process, the UN and NGOs must be assured that services are indeed available when needed. The international humanitarian community is a complex set of actors. Some are more technologically advanced than others. It is therefore important to tailor applications to the varying requirements and uptake conditions. In general, UN and NGOs primarily use space technologies for telecommunication in disaster areas. However, with geographic information system (GIS) software becoming more user friendly and affordable, global positioning system (GPS) receivers becoming part of standard field equipment, and information derived from satellite imagery distributed in short turnaround times at the relevant level of details, the use of these tools in disaster management has also increased. This chapter provides a background on state-of-the-art operational use of space technologies and examples on how various actors choose to integrate solutions for their operations.
