14. Atmospheric electricity. 1412

Electricity plays such an important part in modern life that in order to get it, men have been burning millions of tons of coal. Coal is burned instead of its being mainly used as a source of valuable chemical substances which it contains.

Finding new sources of electric energy is the most important problem that scientists and engineers try to solve. They dream of transforming atmospheric electricity into useful energy.

Hundreds of millions of volts are required for a lightning spark. However, this does not represent very much energy because of the intervals between thunderstorms. Power spent in producing lightning flashes all over the world is only about 1/10,000 of the power got by man­kind from the sun, both in the form of light and that of heat.

Atmospheric electri­city is the earliest manifestation of electricity known to man. However, nobody understood that phenomenon and its properties until Benjamin Franklin made his kite ex­periment.

On a stormy day he launched a kite to the clouds where light­ning flashed. The key was connected to the lower end of the kite’s string. "If lightning is the same as electricity," Franklin thought, "then some of its sparks must come down the kite string to the key."

When the rain fell and wetted the string, the wet string conducted the electricity from the clouds down the string to the key. Thus, it was proved that lightning is a discharge of electricity.

15. Satellites. 1294

Since the launch of the first Russian Sputnic on 4 October 1957 and the first American Explorer on 31 January 1958 the number of satellites orbiting the Earth has increased incredibly. Various satellites are in use for communications, navigation, media broadcasts, weather monitoring, imaging the surface of the Earth, space exploration and, of course, military and defense applications.

Satellites have enabled vastly improved insights into the weather systems and ecology of our planet.

More recently, satellites have played a crucial role in the growth of telecommunications and broadcast media industries.

Some of the fastest developments in satellite technology have resulted from the commercial opportunities involved in telecommunications and media broadcast industries. Numerous companies and organizations are involved in the development of these areas.

Satellites have a huge impact on society. A vast international market moves large quantities of digital information (Web sites, telephone calls, e-mail, teleconferencing, digital films, faxes etc.) from place to place.

The use of satellites to monitor and explore the universe and our own planet is already well established. Space-based telescopes, cameras and multi-spectral sensors will continue to grow in both quality and quantity.

16. Ico Roaming. 1467

ICO GLOBAL Communications was established in January 1995 as a private company to provide global mobile personal communications services by satellite, including digital voice, data, fax and messaging services.

It comprises telecommunications and technology companies from over 50 markets around the world. Its services are marketed to international and domestic cellular users who roam outside the areas covered by compatible cellular networks.

Offshore telecommunications is a very important market for ICO. ICO has opened regional offices in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.

Establishing the link through the satellite is only part of job. Much thought has gone into integrating the electronics and software for the two modes – ICO and cellular. ICO–enabled products are well performed, look good and meet the highest requirements for size, weight and functionality. They support features ranging from e-mail and fax to electronic games, calculator and access to the Internet.

The dual–mode handheld phone must be able to link its user from any point on the globe to satellites orbiting far above the Earth. It must also work with terrestrial mobile networks where available.

Telecommunications is one of the boom industries nowadays. The number of subscribers is constantly growing all over the world. People in the country’s remote and rural areas are able to use it to contact each other and the rest of the world quite easily.