France in Space #232

** 1: FRENCH EARLY WARNING SATS SET

France will build an experimental early warning satellite system as a
prelude to an expanded missile defense system capable of protecting European
territory and population, not just battlefield forces, from attacks by rogue
states. The French government issued a call for proposals for a
demonstration low-Earth-orbit early warning satellite program approved under
France’s revised multi-year defense spending plan. The system would feature
two or three microsatellites using a small (around 120 kg. (204 lb.)) Myriad
bus identical to that already earmarked for France’s experimental Essaim
system. The spacecraft would fly in a highly elliptical orbit to simulate
the angles of view that would be required to detect and track incoming
ballistic missiles. The system could be orbited in 2006, two years after
Essaim.
[Aviation Week & Space Technology 03/17/2003]

** 2: THE ENVISAT SATELLITE WILL SOON BE VALIDATED USING BALLOONS

By March 27, CNES (French Space Agency) will launch nine stratospheric
balloons from Kiruna base in Sweden, beyond the Arctic Circle. Envisat,
European Space Agency’s Earth observation satellite, includes three
instruments dedicated to atmospheric chemistry: GOMOS (Global Ozone
Monitoring by Occultation of Stars) measures the ozone concentration in the
atmosphere, SCIAMACHY (Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer for
Atmospheric Cartography) measures the aerosol and trace gas concentrations
in the atmosphere, and MIPAS (Michelson Interferometer for Passive
Atmospheric Sounding) studies the chemical processes in the stratosphere. To
validate these scientific instruments, ESA, CNES and DLR (German Space
Agency) have implemented several similar measurement campaigns using
CNES-developed stratospheric balloons. Besides NASA, CNES is actually the
only other space agency in the world that has mastered this technology for
several decades.
[CNES Press Release 03/14/03]

** 3: ARIANE 5 FAILURE TO COST 700 MILLION EUROS

The European Space Agency (ESA) has just introduced an Ariane 5 ECA
re-launch plan to European governments. The Agency focuses on maintaining an
independent European access to space. The cost of the December launch
failure is now assessed at 700 million Euros. ESA offers to pay 400 million
Euros of its own funds, which represent ten percent of the Agency’s annual
budget. The remaining 300 million Euros would be provided by the European
industry. The cost of 700 million Euros includes the re-qualification of the
Vulcain 2 engine, two new test launches, and Arianespace’s losses due to the
three-year delay in the commercial release of Ariane 5 ECA. EADS considers
also that Arianespace’s financial capabilities should be restored and they
are prepared to take over all or part of the CNES (French Space Agency)
interest in Arianespace. EADS suggests that the company’s role should be
limited to the marketing of the rockets. François Auque, Director of EADS
Space, stated, “We are at a crossroads. Either European States agree to fund
an independent European access to space and the launcher industry will then
follow, or the appropriate resources are not provided and the launcher
industry will collapse. The launcher industry just cannot survive without
institutional support.” It also appears that EADS Launch Vehicle would be
interested in the acquisition of the CNES’ Launcher Research Center located
in the Paris area.
[Les Echos 03/17-19/2003, La Tribune 03/19/03 Le Nouvel Economiste 02/28/03]

** 4: DIFFICULT SUCCESSION AS LEADER OF EADS

Jean-Luc Lagardère’s death marks a turning point in French aeronautics
history. In 1999, he played a decisive role in the creation of EADS –
European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company, the 30-billion-Euros-revenue
French-German consortium involved in the aeronautics (Airbus), military
(MBDA, Eurocopter) and space (Arianespace, Astrium, Launch Vehicle)
industries. The shareholder agreement that binds Lagardère SCA Holding and
Damler-Chrysler Group will expire this summer. The shareholders may then
consider selling their interests in the company. However, they maintain that
they will not abandon ship before 2006 when the A-380, Airbus giant
airplane, is supposed to be released, boosting EADS worth once industrial
risks are removed. Philippe Camus, co-chairman of EADS executive committee,
will most likely follow this path. But, Arnaud Lagardère, the heir of his
father’s empire, has never made it a secret that he was not really
interested in the aeronautics and military industries, even though he stated
that he does not consider selling his share in EADS by 2006. In a field that
is so politically sensitive to the future of Europe, Lagardère SCA would not
be able to change freely a balance that has taken so many efforts to build
between the French and the Germans.
[Le Figaro, Les Echos 03/17/03 Libération 03/15/2003]

** 5: 5th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAUNCHER TECHNOLOGY

CNES (French Space Agency), in cooperation with EADS Launch Vehicles, is
happy to inform you of the 5th International Conference on Launcher
Technology: Missions, Control and Avionics of Launchers, which will be held
in Madrid (Spain) from November 25th to 28th, 2003. The objective of this
conference, organized with the main international space actors, is to bring
together professionals, to stimulate exchanges and to promote scientific
innovations on the following themes, applicable to expandable and reusable
launchers:
• Missions analysis
• Trajectory optimization, performances
• GNC and related architectures
• Redundancies and safety
• Modeling and simulation
• Electrical architectures
• Space environment
• Avionics (sensors, actuators, computers, etc…)
• Flight software
• Qualification and verification process
• Post Flight Analysis
CONTACT CNES – Agnès LERR – Email: agnes.lerr@cnes.fr
http://www.colloquium.fr/lanceurs2003
[CNES Press Release March 2003]

** 6: NEW LASER DATA LINK

The first satellite-relayed images from Envisat have been received, via the
Artemis geostationary spacecraft, at European Space Agency (ESA)’s data
processing center near Rome, Italy. “Bringing Artemis online to relay Earth
imagery and scientific measurements means that more data can be acquired and
downloaded and the process of delivering Earth observation data to end users
will be much faster” said Jose Achache, Director of ESA’s Earth Observation.
Meanwhile, a team led by Contraves of Switzerland is developing a
second-generation optical terminal designed for intersatellite data link
applications but is also thought to offer spin-off opportunities for combat
aircraft interflight links. The new terminal will weigh only about 40 kg
(88lb.) and will draw only 160 watts of power. It will be capable of
transmitting 1 Gbps, over a range of up to 45,000 km (28,000 mi.). Programs
leaders are now looking for a flight opportunity, perhaps on an ESA flying
test bed such as Alphabus or a commercial piggyback payload co-funded by the
agency.
[ESA Press Release 03/18/2003, Aviation Week & Space Technology 03/17/2003]

** 7: IN BRIEF

Finmeccanica and Snecma (French Propulsion Company) have a hard time
finalizing their joint offer to take over FiatAvio. They are expected to
offer 1.6 billion Euros, whereas Carlyle fund made an offer of 1.8 billion
Euros. Finmeccanica is not enthusiastic about investing in FiatAvio, but the
Italian government is pushing an agreement because it wants to keep an eye
on the strategic activities of the group. . [Les Echos 03/17-18/2003] The
possibility of the US global positioning service (GPS) to be partially
turned off during the US military intervention in Iraq highlights the need
for a European satellite navigation project. [Le Monde 03/13/2003] Mars
Express will be ESA’s first probe to be launched towards a planet. It is
fitted with a 2-to-10-meters resolution camera (6-30ft) and a sounder. The
launch is expected in late May 2003. [AFP Press Release 03/13/2003] DLR
confirms that Columbus research module launch to the International Space
Station could be delayed due to the Columbia accident. [AFP Press Release
03/13/2003] In Brussels, the European Research Commissioner met with 16
European astronauts who explained their space ambition for Europe. [AFP
press Release 03/13/2003]

[From AFP Press Release, Aviation Week & Space Technology, CNES Press
Release, ESA Press Release, Libération, Les Echos, Le Figaro, La Lettre de
l’Expansion, Le Monde, Le Nouvel Economiste]