"Our civilization is no more than the sum of all the dreams that
earlier ages have brought to fulfillment. And so it must always
be, for if men cease to dream, if they turn their backs upon the
universe, the story of our race will end." Arthur C. Clarke
United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative (UNBSSI) The
United Nations Basic Space Science Initiative (UNBSSI) is a
global initiative to involve developing countries in the
planning and celebration of the International Heliophysical Year
in 2007 (IHY 2007). For more information, please visit:
Astronomy and basic space science have advanced rapidly in
recent years. This has mainly been driven by the advent of the
Space Age over the past five decades. At the same time the needs
for a new development process became obvious as countries made
efforts to benefit from rapid progress in space science and
technology. This process required a complete innovation of the
driving forces for development where no previous examples were
available. Although new development m