Space technology is technology that is related to entering space, maintaining and using systems during spaceflight and returning people and things from space.

Teddy bears lifted to 30,085 metres above sea level on a heliumballoon in a materials experiment byCU Spaceflight and SPARKS science club. Each of the bears wore a different space suitdesigned by 11-13 year olds from SPARKS.

"Every day" technologies such as weather forecasting, remote sensing, GPS systems, satellite television, and some long distance communications systems critically rely on space infrastructure. Of sciences astronomy and Earth sciences (via remote sensing) most notably benefit from space technology.

Computers and telemetry were once leading edge technologies that might have been considered "space technology" because of their criticality to boosters and spacecraft. They existed prior to theSpace Race of the Cold War (between Russia and the U.S.A.) but their development was vastly accelerated to meet the needs of the two major superpowers' space programs. While still used today in spacecraft and missiles, the more prosaic applications such as remote monitoring (via telemetry) of patients, water plants, highway conditions, etc. and the widespread use of computers far surpasses their space applications in quantity and variety of application.

Space is such an alien environment that attempting to work in it requires new techniques and knowledge. New technologies originating with or accelerated by space-related endeavors are often subsequently exploited in other economic activities. This has been widely pointed to as beneficial by space advocates and enthusiasts favoring the investment of public funds in space activities and programs. Political opponents counter that it would be far cheaper to develop specific technologies directly if they are beneficial and scoff at this justification for public expenditures on space-related research.

Advantages Of Technology

"The advantages Technology has given us outweigh the disadvantages."

Many argue that as we venture further into the frontier of technology we proceed with a slow death of society, by losing culture and ultimately a sense of self. To a certain extent this may be true, but realistically if we cease to progress we wont be able to survive. (Robert)
There are many examples of advantages and disadvantages some mentioned were " Technology has the ability to create shortcuts in working and can make tasks easier also. Solid examples are cars, calculators and phones, through technology life may be faster but is also easier. To further this point a fact brought up by Jo-ann was that diseases we have today would be and could have become epidemics, if it were not for technology being there in the field of medicine, medical advances would not have happened or would have come years later (Jo-ann). As far as transportation man has come a long way from horses and coal driven trains to computer navigable and driven cars. In boats crossing the Atlantic it took four to six months, in 747 airliner commercial jets takes ten to fifteen hours (Dana), even though they add to the pollution crisis a population accustomed to having these conveniences is still using them regardless. Among other advantages is the fact that with technology communications is a hundred times faster than without it (Ailua). Before telephones, emails and fax machines, there were trains, carriages and the pony express with the modes of traveling we have now we have been able to make the world smaller so to speak. With technology we enjoy luxuries such as movies, television, fresh food and refrigerators, ovens to cook on and bake in. And with every advantage that technology gives, it brings along with it a disadvantage we have come to depend on it more and more as we advance in the field.
If we didn't have technology we would become victim to things we were ignorant of. An...

INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Although there are differing opinions about the nature of instructional technology, the Commission on Instructional Technology (1970) provided the following definition:

Instructional technology is a systematic way of designing, carrying out, and evaluating the total process of learning and teaching in terms of specific objectives, based on research in human learning and communication, and employing a combination of human and nonhuman resources to bring about more effective instruction. (p. 199)

Typical applications of instructional technology may use conventional media such as videotapes, computer assisted instruction, or more complex systems, such as hypermedia programs in which computers are used to control the display of audio and visual images stored on videodisc (Blackhurst & Morse, 1996), CD-ROM and digital video discs. The use of telecommunication systems, particularly the Internet (Williams, 1995) and its World Wide Web component (Williams, 1996), have great promise for use in classrooms and for distance education. Computer software systems are now available that can be used to manage the delivery of instruction via the Web. Such systems have been used successfully to deliver instruction to undergraduate and graduate students on topics related to special education (Blackhurst, Hales, & Lahm, 1997).

It is important to note the various components of the above definition and to realize that technology is actually a tool for the delivery of instruction. In this conceptualization, technological devices are considered as means to an end and not an end in and of themselves. Use of technology cannot compensate for instruction that is poorly designed or implemented.

Clean Sky JTI

Clean Sky JTI

Joint Technology Initiative (JTI): What is it? A JTI is a new instrument created by the European Commission for the 7th Framework Programme for Research (FP7) to allow large scale and long term public private research partnerships to implement the ambitious research priorities of the Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) which are of such scale that they will require the mobilisation and management of very substantial public and private investment. The "Clean Sky" JTI The "Clean Sky" JTI is an industry driven 7-year research programme plan for greener generation of European Air Transport that will radically improve impact on the environment while strengthening and securing European aeronautics industry’s competitiveness. Its purpose is to demonstrate and validate the technological breakthroughs that are necessary to reach the environmental goals set by the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE: the European Technology Platform for Aeronautics & Air Transport). Goals ACARE goals to be obtained in 2020 through the Technology Domains developed in the Clean Sky JTI: 50% reduction of CO2 emissions through drastic reduction of fuel consumption 80% reduction of NOx emissions 50% reduction of external noise A green design, manufacturing, maintenance and disposal product life cycle These Technology Domains are developed within six Technology Platforms, and a Technology Evaluator will evaluate the global impact of the technologies on the environment. Next