France in Space #281

** 1: SPACE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS: CLOSER TIES BETWEEN EUROPE AND RUSSIA

The agreement signed January 19, 2005 between Russian Federal Space Agency
and ESA will strengthen a long-term cooperation on access to space. The
European-Russian partnership is based on two main pillars: first, the
exploitation of the Russian Soyuz launcher from Europe’s Spaceport in French
Guiana and second, cooperation, without exchange of funds, on research and
development in preparation for future space transportation systems. ESA aims
at having a new generation of launchers ready by 2020, and to achieve this
goal, European and Russian teams will work together to develop reusable
liquid engines and stages as well as experimental vehicles. [ESA 01/20/2005]

** 2: ALCATEL AND BOEING SIGNED A STUDY CONTRACT FOR GPS III

Boeing Integrated Defense Systems has awarded a study contract to Alcatel in
the frame of the U.S. Air Force GPS III System Preliminary Definition
phase.  Alcatel said the contract firms up last year’s discussions between
Boeing and Alcatel Space to develop cooperation in Global Navigation
Satellite Systems (GNSS). The contract is the first ever agreement between
the European Union and the United States industry leaders in Satellite
Navigation since the EU-US high level agreement signed in June 2004. 
Alcatel Space scope of activity under this contract is the definition of the
architecture of the GPS III global integrity as well as the compatibility
and interoperability with the Galileo European system. [Alcatel 01/20/2005]

** 3: CANDIDATES TO GALILEO CONCESSION HAVE SUBMITTED THEIR PROPOSALS

The iNavSat and Eurely consortia bidding for the Galileo global satellite
services concession ave submitted their proposals to the Galileo Joint
Undertaking (GJU) January 25, 2005. On one hand, iNavSAt, led by EADS Space,
Inmarsat and Thales offers a 40 partner portfolio including Boeing, Lockheed
Martin, Siemens, Infineon and Ericsson. The consortium is supported by eight
European banks, including ING Group, and offers a solution which reduces the
public sector contribution for the 20-year-long concession. On the other
hand, Eurely, led by Alcatel and Finmeccanica, gathers also about 40
partners, including ASF (Autoroutes du Sud de la France), SFR, Boeing, Saab
and Cap Gemini. A preferred bidder should be selected in February, followed
by the immediate start of the concession contract negotiation. [EADS
01/25/2005, AFP 01/25/2005]

** 4: FRENCH COLLOQUIUM ON SPACE AND SECURITY

The Aeronautics and Space department of French Research Ministry has
organised January 18, jointly with I-SPACE, a colloquium on space capacities
dedicated to security purposes. The following subjects have been raised:
people security in case of emergency, transportation systems security and
surveillance, natural and industrial risks management (sea pollution,
volcanic activity, subsidence phenomenon). I-SPACE, which supported the
colloquium, gathers major players from the French Space community, including
CNES, and aims at promoting French Space industry in international Space
applications market. [Air & Cosmos 01/21/2005]

** 5: THE ASTROPHYSICS LAB OF MARSEILLE, A KEYPLAYER FOR ASTRONOMY MISSIONS
INSTRUMENTATION

The Astrophysics Laboratory of Marseille (LAM) has resulted from a merger
between the Marseille Observatory and the Laboratory of Space Astronomy,
whose creation in 1965 was initiated by CNES and the French Scientific
Research Centre CNRS. Its mission is twofold: first, developing research in
astronomy, and second, developing technologies for space and ground-based
instrumentation. LAM has participated in the correction of Hubble myopia and
has been strongly involved in many interstellar exploration missions such as
Sun corona observation, ultraviolet radiation of stars and cartography of
the sky with the NASA satellite Galex. LAM has provided instruments for the
ESA mission Rosetta, launched in 2004 to the comet Churyumov- Gerasimenko,
and for the French space telescope Corot, whose launch is planned in 2006.
In few months, the LAM will be installed in a new and larger site, equipped
with instrumentation facilities worth 7 million euros (9.1 million dollars).
[Les Echos 01/26/2005]

** 6: IN BRIEF

The European spacecraft SMART-1 captured its first close-range images of the
Moon during a sequence of lunar observation tests from altitudes between
1000 and 5000 kilometres above the lunar surface. A first mosaic, produced
from images of the crater Pythagoras taken consecutively along one orbit,
will help scientists to build up an overall medium-resolution map. Later on,
images observed from lower altitude will be integrated to this first map so
as to improve its resolution. [ESA 01/26/2005]

During an international conference dealing with the assembly plan of the
International Space Station (ISS), Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of
ESA, has confirmed that the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) maiden launch
is planned by the end of the year, but no date has been announced yet. [ISS
conference 01/26/2005]

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: Jean-Jacques Tortora, Clémence Le Fèvre

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“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
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committed to fostering innovative space technologies that meet the current
and future needs of society. Most programmes are pursued in cooperation with
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initiated by ESA, the European Space Agency, to which it is a major
contributor. It is thus a driving force behind ESA programmes and
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