Beyond Malaysia Airlines Flight 370: The Evolving Role of Satellites in Aviation Safety

On March 8, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared from radar while en route to Beijing. With citizens from over a dozen nations on board, the disappearance led to weeks of speculation about the airplane’s whereabouts and initiated a complicated international search effort that involved over 25 countries in a wide search area. During the search, space assets, particularly satellite imagery and communications, featured prominently as investigators pieced together the airplane’s actual flight path and its final destination. Many around the world wondered why, even with the help of high-resolution imagery, satellite navigation systems, and advanced communication satellites, the search for the missing airplane proved so challenging.

On Thursday, May 8, 2014, from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EDT, Secure World Foundation hosted a panel discussion that examined the challenges of combining multiple sources of ground-, air- and space-based data. Experts highlighted the value and limitations of space assets in the search of the missing airplane and considered how space may play an increasing role in aviation safety, helping prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Speakers:

• Mr. John Mackey, Senior Vice President of Network Operations, Inmarsat
• Mr. Keith J. Masback, CEO, United States Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF)
• Mr. Brian Weeden, Technical Advisor, Secure World Foundation

Ms. Laura Delgado López, Project Manager, Secure World Foundation, moderated the discussion.

Media Coverage:

"Secure World Foundation Event Explores the Evolving Role of Satellites in Aviation Safety" - Christopher Johnson & Laura Delgado López, Space Safety Magazine, May 15, 2014.