Space Technology: a Boon to Health and Education Services Worldwide

Abstract

Organized telemedicine can claim a history of more than three decades. Distance education began more than 60 years ago. Slow progress was made in both, until the beginning of the space age. In the United States ATS1 and ATS6 satellites were used for distance medical teaching in the Pacific North West, and many space-related telemedicine programmes were carried out during the 1970s. Canada, the third nation into space, emphasized telecommunications and the social applications of the technology. The Communications Technology Satellite (CTS), called Hermes in Canada, was a joint venture between the US and Canada and was launched in 1976. Several telemedicine and distance education projects, including that of Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), used this satellite. In 1977 MUN developed a one-way television, two-way voice network to support remote education and the transmission of medical data. The spin-off from that project was the productive and internationally recognized telemedicine and distance education programme of the university. Subsequently, Memorial’s space projects have included several satellite projects, which demonstrate a variety of systems and approaches to distance delivery of information in health and education programmes.

To date there has been a trend worldwide to emphasize satellite technology for health applications to the exclusion of other needs. There is an equal, and possibly even greater, need to combat illiteracy and deliver educational services worldwide. Geographical areas of special need include South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, circumpolar areas, mountainous countries and sparsely populated areas, island countries, archipelagos and the marine environment. Space technology can indirectly promote health care through remote sensing and monitoring capabilities. Lessons learned from the author’s experience, and guidelines which have been developed, will be reported, and the presentation will discuss some factors, which are inhibiting the use of space technology for social and economic applications.