France in Space #231

** 1: A 2,400 METERS (7,500FT) UNDER SEA TELESCOPE

A new kind of European telescope is currently being installed 2,400 meters
(7,500ft) under sea, off the coast of Provence, France. Named Antares, this
project should bring some answers to the questions of the creation of the
universe. For this, the telescope will analyze elementary particles, also
known as neutrinos, which are messengers from the cosmos boundaries.
Observing neutrinos is a tough challenge since they hardly ever interact
with the matter. When one of them hits an atom of matter, it turns into an
electrically charged particle called muon. Under water, this phenomenon
appears as a ray of light, also known as the Tcherenkov effect, and can be
measured using photo-multipliers. This project is funded 50% by France and
50% by 6 other countries (Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, the UK and
Russia). With a budget of 18 million Euros, Antares works on installing 12
lines of 1,080 sensors in the Mediterranean Sea by 2005. Researchers hope
they will catch 10 high-energy neutrinos a year.
[AFP Press Release 03/09/2003]

** 2: EXPEDITION IN THE GREAT CANADIAN NORTH

Four months ago, Stéphane Lévin, a 34-year-old geologist, arrived in the
northeast area of Cornwallis Island in Nunavut (Canada), escorted by a
convoy of snowmobiles and sleds carrying 800kg (1,700lbs) of equipment. “The
purpose of this expedition was to be self-sufficient in wintering
conditions, spending the polar night on ice alone, and making scientific,
medical and physiological studies”, stated the scientist from Toulouse,
France, who still showed traces of deep frost bites on his body. The
environment was ideal to analyze how the human body adjusts to extreme
conditions. He had to live with temperatures down to -74°C (-165F), complete
darkness for 55 days and winds up to 140 km/hr (90mph). Physicians found
that the awake-asleep cycle gradually changed from 8 hours of sleep to 12
hours of sleep. In addition, physical and intellectual abilities were
altered. For example, it would take Lévin 2 hours to get his breakfast ready
towards the end of his trip. Such experimentation is very useful for the
European Space Agency (ESA) in its preparation of future interplanetary
missions to Mars.
[Le Figaro 03/08-09/2003]

** 3: MASSIVE LAY-OFFS AT EADS SPACE

Due to the telecom crisis affecting the satellite launch market and also due
to problems with the Ariane 5 program, the Space division of EADS (European
Aeronautics Defense and Space Compagny), the European aeronautics and space
leader, had already initiated a plan to cut 1,600 positions in 2002. Now,
the company has introduced a new downsizing plan in its space division that
will lead to 1,700 job losses in Europe by 2005. EADS’s space division
(Astrium satellites, Ariane launcher) employs approximately 10,500
employees. The goal of the European group is to save 495 million Euros by
next year, mainly through this new downsizing plan. EADS announced 266
lay-offs in France (4 plants), 237 in the UK (2 plants) and 206 in Germany
(4 plants), but the European corporation does not plan on closing any plant.
The group has had to invest in the development of its new large Airbus A380
carrier (800 million Euros) and allocate budgets to its new production
plants in Toulouse and Hamburg (900 million Euros). EADS Airbus export sales
have been affected by the weak US dollar, closing at 1.05 Euros at the end
of last year. The US dollar has undermined the group’s sales and
consequently its order book lost 14 billion Euros.
[AFP Press Release, La Tribune, Les Echos 03/11/2003]

** 4: DOWNSIZING TREND IN THE FRENCH ARMS INDUSTRY

Hit full blast by the air transportation crisis and facing tougher
competition from the US, the aeronautics and space industry would definitely
appreciate a stronger support from the French government. The French and
European space industry has been riding its toughest storm ever. On the
other side of the Atlantic Ocean, the US industry can rely on a commercial
and military market strongly supported by the Washington, DC administration.
This explains why the US competition has been less affected by the crisis.
Philippe Camus, chairman of the French Aeronautics Industry Group
(Groupement des Industries Françaises Aéronautiques – GIFAS), would like to
see a wider opening of the US market to European competition and insists on
the need for a balanced cooperation. Charles Edelstenne, Dassault’s CEO,
stated that this could be achieved by encouraging European governments to
buy within Europe, also adding that, “If US corporations have to work with a
European partner to enter our market, then there would necessarily be a
cooperation.”
[La Tribune 02/26/2003]

** 5: EUROPEAN ASTRONOMERS OBSERVE FIRST EVAPORATING PLANET

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have observed for the first
time the atmosphere of an extrasolar planet evaporating into space. Much of
this planet may eventually disappear, leaving only a dense core. The planet
is a type of extrasolar body known as a ‘hot Jupiter’. These giant, gaseous
planets orbit their stars very closely, drawn to them like moths to a flame.
A mainly European team led by Alfred Vidal-Madjar (Institut d’Astrophysique
de Paris, CNRS, France) is reporting this discovery in the March 13 NATURE
Magazine: “We were astonished to see that the hydrogen atmosphere of this
planet extends over 200 000 kilometers,” says Vidal-Madjar. The planet’s
outer atmosphere is extended and heated so much by the nearby star that it
starts to escape the planet’s gravity. Hydrogen boils off in the planet’s
upper atmosphere under the searing heat from the star. “The atmosphere is
heated, the hydrogen escapes the planet’s gravitational pull and is pushed
away by the starlight, fanning out in a large tail behind the planet – like
that of a comet,” detailed Alain Lecavelier des Etangs from the Institut
d’Astrophysique de Paris, CNRS, France. Astronomers estimate the amount of
hydrogen gas escaping HD 209458b to be at least 10 000 tons per second. The
planet may already have lost a large portion of its mass. Watch pictures of
the extrasolar planet:
http://ravel.esrin.esa.it/images/heic0303a_large.jpg
[ESA Press Release 03/12/03]

** 6: IN BRIEF

Arianespace announced its goal to reduce its workforce from 355 employees
down to 230-250 by early 2004, which represents a 30% reduction. [La Tribune
03/12/03]
Within the next 12 months, Snecma (French Propulsion Company) plans on
stopping the development of its new nozzles for the European launcher’s
boosters in order to cut costs by 30%. This is the direct consequence of
last December’s Ariane 517 failure. [La Lettre de l’Expansion 03/10/2003]

[From AFP Press Release, Les Echos, ESA Press Release, La Lettre de
l’Expansion, Le Figaro, La Tribune]

France In Space is a weekly synthesis of French space activities based on
French press. Its content does not reflect an official position of the
French Government or CNES. It is provided by the CNES office in Washington
D.C
Editors: Vincent Sabathier, Thibaut Girard – Translator: World Traduction –
Corrector: Janick Bielskis-Jaeger