France In Space #253
** 1: KEEPING SPACE FREE OF DEBRIS – CNES DE-ORBITS SPOT 1
On 22 February 1986, a European Ariane 1 launcher orbited SPOT 1, the
first
European Earth observation satellite decided by the governments of
Belgium,
Sweden and France. Initially designed to operate for three years, SPOT
1 has
since supplied commercial operator Spot Image with more than 2.7 million
high-quality satellite images. Now at the end of its service lifetime,
SPOT
1 is being de-orbited by engineering teams at CNES’ Toulouse Space
Centre
starting since 17 November, lowering the satellite into an orbit below
600
kilometres.
Although still capable of acquiring high-quality imagery after 18 years
in
service, SPOT 1 has reached the end of its operating lifetime.
Consequently,
CNES has decided to use the satellite’s last reserves of fuel to place
it in
a lower orbit. If the satellite was left alone at its current altitude,
it
would continue to orbit the planet for another 200 years before
re-entering
the atmosphere, gradually breaking up over the years and leaving a
trail of
debris in its wake. Guidelines laid down in October 2002 by the Inter
Agency
Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) are designed to avert such
situations by requiring all satellites in low-Earth orbit to be
de-orbited
within no more than 25 years. Although the guidelines do not in fact
apply
to SPOT 1, which was built well before they came into effect, CNES has
decided to set an example by voluntarily de-orbiting the satellite. In
this
lower orbit, SPOT 1 will be subjected to higher drag that will cause it
gradually to lose altitude and break up naturally in the atmosphere
after
about 15 years, thus posing no danger to populations on Earth. The other
three SPOT satellites-SPOT 2, SPOT 4 and SPOT 5-will continue to deliver
imagery, which is marketed by Spot Image. SPOT 5’s enhanced performance
has
confirmed the remarkable imaging capability of the SPOT Earth
observation
system in service since 1986. The recent contract awarded to EADS
Astrium to
build two Pleiades satellites carrying high-resolution instruments
supplied
by Alcatel Space assures continuity of service for the next decade.
[CNES
11/13/2003]
** 2: EUROPEAN SATELLITE MAKERS INCREASINGLY TEAMING UP
Europe’s leading satellite makers face the pressure to close factories,
reduce suppliers and slash other costs. Unable for now to agree on a
long-term merger plan, they are taking the less controversial route of
teaming up on a growing array of commercial and government projects,
easing
at the same time some of that pressure. Coming off a historic global
decline
in orders for new satellites, France’s Alcatel SA and Astrium NV of the
Netherlands, the satellite-making unit of European Aeronautic Defense &
Space Co., recently landed some $500 million of work to jointly build
two
communications satellites for a Saudi Arabian-based consortium, plus a
pair
of European earth-observation spacecraft. The companies also have put in
joint bids on a Vietnamese project and expect to take a similar
approach on
others, likely including an ambitious military-communications system
planned
by Germany. Since Alcatel currently has the capacity to provide twice as
many payloads as the number of satellites it assembles each year as a
prime
contractor, “we have to feed that organization the way it is,” through
aggressive partnering, according to Pierre de Bayser, the Alcatel unit’s
executive vice president. Merger talks have stalled over sharp cultural
differences between the two European companies. Both companies have
major
facilities in France, which makes layoffs particularly difficult. [EADS
Astrium 11/13/2003]
** 3: TELEMEDECINE AND E-LEARING PROJECTS FRANCE COULD BENEFIT FROM
Two telecommunications projects were introduce this week at the Salon
des
Maires at Porte de Versailles, in Paris. This annual event is held for
mayors, local government officials and parliamentarians from every
region of
France. The itinerary includes a series of demonstrations of ESA
Telecommunications projects focused on bridging the Digital Divide. Two
ESA
funded projects were invited to demonstrate their potential for France;
both
with proven contributions to bridging the Digital Divide. TeLeCare from
Canada is a telemedicine project allowing remote patient diagnosis and
monitoring via satellite. It allows nurses to videoconference with a
patient
several hundred kilometers away. The other project is the award winning
“Expresso for Schools”. This UK-based e-learning project broadcasts
multimedia content to the nation’s students and teachers. Currently
reaching
1750 institutions, the service goes out to over 400 000 users. Both
projects
have been in operation in their home countries for some time already.
[Space
Daily News 11/12/2003]
** 4: MARS ENCOUNTER, ON CHRISTMAS DAY
Compared to the twin NASA rovers, the European lander expected to reach
Mars
around Christmas Day is smaller, less mobile, and more
biologically-oriented
in its testing protocols. Called Mars Express, the lander is so called
because it will be built more quickly than any other comparable
planetary
mission. Its soft-lander is called Beagle 2 –so named since it will
conduct
biological experiments and share an investigative rapport with the ship
in
which Charles Darwin sailed when formulating his ideas about evolution.
To
begin its atmospheric entry, the mission profile is geared for a final
soft
landing using a sophisticated system of parachutes and airbags. With a
landed mass of less than 30 kg, Beagle 2 represents the most ambitious
science payload-to-systems mass ratio ever attempted. Almost a third of
the
payload will carry out various types of analysis or be used to
manipulate
and collect samples for study on the surface of Mars. One of its main
tasks
will be the step-wise heating of martian soil in a kind of oven, to
determine the elemental composition of any volatiles including organic
compounds. According to mission status reports, “The Mars Express
spacecraft
is in good health and is operating normally. [ESA 23/11/2003]
** 5: IN BRIEF
Dave Calhoun, president of General Electric Aircraft Engines, announced
GE’s
interest in the privatization of SNECMA, a French propulsion company.
“Obtaining 10% of the assets would be a very good investment for us and
reinforce our partnership with SNECMA.” Calhoun said. GE and SNECMA have
been partners for over 30 years in the joint venture CFM International
(CFMI). [La Tribune 11/20/2003] A bill currently under development will
help
the French government to keep a closer eye on the assets of contracting
companies working on defense matters. Foreign investments in the areas
of
defense, IT and telecom will also have to be approved by the Finance
department. France will arm itself with new level of legal protection
similar to the one in the United States. [La Tribune 11/14/2003]
** PLEASE NOTE
The publication of France-in-Space will be suspended for one week until
December 8th, 2003.
[From CNES, EADS Astrium, ESA, Space Daily News, 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 and the
Office
of Science and Technology of the French Embassy in Washington D.C
Editors: Vincent Sabathier, Thibaut Girard, Valery Tessier-Leon
France In Space is available online at
http://www.france-science.org/france-in-space
you will find there the current issue, the subscription and
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About CNES
“CNES develops and leads national space programmes. The main thrust of
its
action is to serve France’s ambition to sustain a strong space
capability
and contribute to scientific discovery at the highest levels. CNES is
committed to fostering innovative space technologies that meet the
current
and future needs of society. Most programmes are pursued in cooperation
with
international partners. CNES also plays a central role in programmes
initiated by ESA, the European Space Agency, to which it is a major
contributor. It is thus a driving force behind ESA programmes and
activities”.
