JAXA to Monitor World Heritage Sites

World Heritage sites have another valuable watchdog to monitor them from space per an agreement signed yesterday. Director General of UNESCO Koïchiro Matsuura and Dr. Keiji Tachikawa, president of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), signed an agreement that indicates JAXA will assist UNESCO in using space technology to examine and protect World Heritage sites such as the Great Wall.



This agreement brings the latest satellite technology to UNESCO member states and adds a significant member to the "Open Initiative on the use of space technologies for World Heritage sites” formed in 2001. The inclusion of JAXA in this group also mobilizes the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS or also known as the Daichi) for the study and protection of World Heritage sites. For the full article and information on other space initiatives, click here.