Over the past 40 years, satellites have played a key role in creating a global culture, spreading worldwide entertainment, stimulating technological interchange, and promoting trade around the world. Communications Satellites: Global Change Agents addresses communications satellites not only in terms of the technology and the services they provide, but also with consideration of the technology's impact in socio-political, security, economic, policy, news, entertainment, and cultural spheres. Editors Joseph N. Pelton, Robert J. Oslund, and Peter Marshall bring together contributions that place satellites into a broad context and examine how they influence and define today's world. Written in a non-technical, reader-friendly style, chapters investigate how satellite communications work and explore the role of satellites in such arenas as: *news and entertainment systems around the world; *Internet, E-business, and the new global economy; *global television and radio channels; *military operations; and *education, health services, economic development, and electronic immigration. Communications Satellites: Global Change Agents examines what satellites have been and projects how they will evolve in the future, articulating what they mean to the world today and forecasting what they will mean tomorrow. As the definitive source on communications satellites and their role in today's world, this volume serves as a valuable, unique, and timely resource for scholars and students in telecommunications, communication and technology, mass communication and society, and broadcasting.

The Middle East's digital turn has renewed hopes of socio-economic development and political change across the region, but it is also marked by stark contradictions and historical tensions. In this book, Mohamed Zayani and Joe F. Khalil contend that the region is caught in a digital double bind in which the same conditions that drive the state, market, and public immersion in the digital also inhibit change and perpetuate stasis. The Digital Double Bind offers a path-breaking analysis of how the Middle East negotiates its relation to the digital and provides a roadmap for a critical engagement with technology and change in the Global South.

The Alchemy of Technological Transcendence In the boundless tapestry of human ingenuity, where innovation intertwines with the raw elements of nature, emerges a chronicle that transcends the ordinary—a narrative of metamorphosis, from the humble grains of Thar's sands to the pinnacle of technological sophistication. This odyssey, etched in silicon dreams and forged in the crucible of progress, unveils the alchemy that transforms arid landscapes into the very foundation of our technological future. As we embark upon the pages that follow, envision a realm where the golden sands of Thar, once whispered secrets of ancient seas, now yield the treasures of silicon, iron, arsenic, and rare earth elements. Each grain, a repository of geological history, becomes a testament to the inexhaustible wellspring of possibilities that lie within. In the crucible of innovation, silicon emerges as the maestro, orchestrating a symphony of microprocessors that transcend the limits of computation. Satellites, once beholden to the constraints of technology, now navigate the cosmos with unparalleled efficiency, their silicon hearts pulsating with the rhythm of exploration. Across the expanse of industries, from the intricate circuits of robots to the pulsating veins of instruments on spacecraft, Thar's silicon becomes the catalyst for a technological renaissance. But the narrative extends beyond the silicon horizon, weaving in the rich hues of iron-infused sands. From the crucible of metallurgy arises a structural metamorphosis that defines our skylines, bridges our worlds, and propels the wheels of progress. Iron, once a mere component of Thar's red grains, now forges infrastructures that stand as testament to the synergy between the terrestrial and the technological. Arsenic, often deemed a harbinger of toxicity, unfolds as a paradoxical pioneer in the realm of sustainable electronics. Thar's sands, laden with arsenic, become the crucible for innovations that balance the scales between technological advancement and environmental stewardship. Gallium arsenide, an offspring of this alchemical process, finds its place in the solar cells that harness the energy of the sun and semiconductor devices that propel us into an era of green technologies. The pink sands, adorned with rare earth elements, unfold a chapter of technological marvels that span the realms of magnets, electronics, and renewable energy. Neodymium, dysprosium, europium, and their kin become the unsung heroes of a silent revolution, propelling us into a future where sustainability intertwines with innovation. But this narrative is not confined to the cold precision of circuits and structural frameworks; it extends its tendrils into the very heart of our homes—the kitchen. Thar's sands, infused with silicon, become the unseen chefs in our culinary endeavour. Smart appliances, guided by silicon's intelligence, elevate the act of cooking to an art form, where precision meets creativity, and tradition dances with innovation. On the wrist, the sands of Thar find expression in the elegance of smart watches. Beyond their temporal duty, these wearables become the companions of our daily lives, seamlessly integrating with the rhythm of our existence. Thar's sands, with their unique composition, inspire designs that transcend mere functionality, becoming statements of personal style in the ever-evolving tapestry of fashion and technology. Projectors, infused with the magic of Thar's silicon, redefine visual experiences. The once passive act of projection becomes an interactive symphony, where the virtual and the physical converge in a dance of light and shadow. High-resolution displays transform home theatres into cinematic realms, and professional settings into arenas of immersive engagement. Yet, this journey doesn't conclude with the marvels on the surface. It delves into the ethical and sustainable, where responsible resource management and fair labor practices become the guiding stars of technological progress. The sands of Thar, once perceived as an arid expanse, become the stage for a harmonious coexistence between human advancement and environmental preservation. As the pages unfold, envisage a future where the sands of Thar become the catalyst for a global collaboration that transcends geographical boundaries. A future where technological literacy, ethical considerations, and sustainable practices become the pillars of innovation. The alchemy of sands to silicon, to iron, to arsenic, to rare earth elements, and their subsequent metamorphosis into instruments, gadgets, and marvels, is a testament to the indomitable spirit of human curiosity and resilience. This book is an exploration, an invitation to traverse the sands of Thar not merely as arid landscapes but as repositories of untold potential. It is a celebration of the synergy between the elemental and the ethereal, where the mundane is transformed into the extraordinary. Join us on this odyssey—a journey from grains to grandeur, from sands to silicon dreams, and may the alchemy within these pages inspire the architect of tomorrow's technological marvels.

This book details key trends involving the recent formation of scores of companies that build and launch small satellites or provide key components for small satellite constellations. The applications and usage are quite diverse and include student experiments, serious scientific experimentation, and totally new types of commercial constellations, particularly in telecommunications and remote sensing. The explosive growth in the design, manufacturing, and launch of small satellites is one of the most dynamic aspects in the area of space exploration and exploitation today. New commercial space companies such as Planet Labs, Sky Box, OneWeb, and LeoSat are now building and launching thousands of small satellites and cubesats into orbit. Small companies and big aerospace companies alike are getting into this exciting and interesting new business. This is a practical guide that provides advice to students, researchers, LEO satellite companies, and regulators wrestling with some of the new challenges that small satellites present as more and more companies and countries around the world enter the new small satellite arena.

Y. Fujimori, Symposium Programme Committee Chair, and Faculty Member, International Space University e-mail: [email protected] M.Rycroft, Faculty Member, International Space University e-mail: [email protected] N. Crosby, International Space University e-mail: [email protected] For the sixth annual ISU Symposium the theme was "Smaller Satellites: Bigger Business? Concepts, Applications and Markets for Micro/Nanosatellites in a New Information World". Thus, the Symposium addressed the crucial question: are small satellites the saviour of space programmes around the world It did this from the unique perspective of the International Space today? University - the interdisciplinary, international and intercultural perspective. This Symposium brought together a variety of people working on small satellites - engineers, scientists, planners, providers, operators, policy makers and business executives, together with representatives from regulatory bodies, from national and international organizations, and from the finance sector, and also entrepreneurs. Discussion and debate were encouraged, based on the papers presented and those published here.