The PREASA program was developed to address the problems identified by the telecommunication industry in the Asian sector. Particularly to the increasingly important role of satellite services in developing counties. Projects such as the Pan-Pacific Regional Telecommunications Network Experiment and Research by Satellite "PARTNERS", initiated as one of the International Space Year activities, was instrumental in illustrating the importance of using satellite communications to build wideband digital networks in developing countries. In the PARTNERS project the ETS-V satellite was used to conduct computer networking, distance-education, Tele-medicine, Tele-consulting and TV conference experiments. While the project was successful, it further showed the vulnerability of satellite-ground communication systems due the effect of irregularities in the ionosphere.

The PREASA program was designed to investigate the dynamics and coupling of the middle altitude atmosphere, the high, middle and latitude ionosphere to the ionospheric regions controlled by the equatorial anomaly phenomena, so as to better understand the characteristics, and mechanisms responsible for producing these irregularities. Currently three campaigns have been conducted. PREASA-I from 22 February to 14 March 1996, PREASA-II from 22 Feb. to 14 Mar. 1997 and PREASA-III from 22 Feb. to 14 Mar. 1998. The campaigns began during solar minimum conditions and are being conducted each year in preparation for the up coming solar maximum period.

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