France in Space #285
** 1: EU DEFERS ITS DECISION TO SELECT THE FUTURE GALILEO SERVICE CONCESSION
The iNavSat and Eurely consortia bidding for the Galileo global satellite
services concession have both been retained by the European Union to pursue
negotiations with the Galileo Joint Undertaking (GJU). According to the
European Commission press statement, governments officials “came to the
conclusion that there was very little difference” between the two
candidates, Eurely (composed primarily of Alcatel, Finmecanic and Hispasat)
and iNavSat (led by EADS, Thales and Inmarsat). European Union will thus
enter parallel negotiations with both ventures that will last up to three
months. This new stage in the selection procedure should not impact the
established timeline. French newspapers such as Les Echos and La Tribune
report that this decision could lead iNavSat and Eurely to cooperate.
[European Commission press release 03/01/2005, Les Echos, Le Figaro, La
Tribune 03/02/2005]
** 2: SMART-1 NOW IN DEFIITIVE ORBIT AROUND THE MOON
The European SMART-1 spacecraft has reached its definitive observation orbit
around the Moon after a successful final positioning operation of its
electric propulsion system. The Hall effect plasma thruster designed by
SNECMA Moteurs, France, has logged over 4,600 hours of operation – a world
record for this type of propulsion. Offering competitive specific impulse,
the so-called PPS1350 thruster propelled SMART-1 from the initial Earth
orbit to the Moon in 17 months, consuming 75 kilograms of xenon. Because of
the amount of xenon saved during the flight, the observation mission will be
extended by a year and triple the harvest of scientific data collected in
visible, infrared and X-ray bands. [SNECMA Moteurs 03/01/2005]
** 3: JAPAN’S MTSAT CARRIES AN ALCATEL-BUILT PAYLOAD FOR AIR TRAFFIC
MANAGEMENT
The MTSAT-1R satellite, successfully boosted into orbit on February 26 by
the Japanese H2A launcher, was built by Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) for the
Japanese Ministry of Transportation in order to achieve a two-fold mission,
air traffic control and weather observation. As subcontractor, Alcatel Space
designed and built the navigation and aeronautical communications payload in
its Toulouse facility. Both services, navigation and communication, will use
the Ku and Ka bands to link the satellite to the Earth segment and the L
Band to link the satellite to aircrafts. Moreover, Alcatel Space, jointly
with MELCO (Mitsubishi Electronic Corporation), will supply the 4 Ground
Earth Stations (GES) for the Japan’s Civil Aviation Bureau (JCAB). [Alcatel
Space 02/28/2005]
** 4: COMMUNICATION SYSTEM FOR ATV DOCKING LAUNCHED TO ISS
An S-band communication system aimed at enabling the docking of the future
European cargo vehicle ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) to the International
Space Station has been launched onboard the Progress cargo February 28. This
system called PCE (Proximity Communication Equipment) will be installed
onboard the Zvezda module and tested in early April 2005. PCE will operate
during the last 30 kilometres of ATV flight. It has been developed and
integrated in Toulouse by EADS Astrium. [EADS Press Release 02/28/2005]
** 5: ESA CLUSTER MISSION EXTENDED THROUGH 2009
The European Cluster mission, launched in 2000 and originally planned for
two years, is currently operating under a three-year extension. The four
identical Cluster satellites are flying in formation to study solar winds
and their interaction with the Earth’s magnetic field. Through a new 4-year
extension funded at 30 million euros (39.8 million dollars), ESA plans to
study new regions of space and perform additional plasma measurements.
[Space News 02/28/2005]
** 6: IN BRIEF
The Odin international science mission aimed at studying the upper
atmosphere and to survey interstellar space for water and oxygen has been
extended for a fifth year. Launched into a 600-kilometer orbit in 2001, the
spacecraft carries instruments developed by Canada, Finland and France.
[Space News 02/28/2005]
—-
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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