France in Space #290
** 1: EUROPE RECOMMANDS A ROVER MISSION TO MARS IN 2011
Following a workshop in Birmingham, England, on April 6-7 organised by the U.K’s Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC), European space scientists have strongly recommended a mission equipped with a rover for the next scientific mission to Mars as part of the European Space Agency’s Aurora programme of planetary exploration. Aurora was kicked off in 2001 with the task of establishing a road map follow up the ESA’s Mars Express and Smart-1 lunar exploration missions. It has since been given a broader mandate covering all future exploration activities. The recommended mission would consist of a launch in June 2011 onboard a Soyouz 2b vehicle, followed by a two-year journey, to deliver in June 2013 a probe on the Red Planet. The mission would conduct a detailed analysis of the Martian Environment, including characterization of the subsurface composition, search for traces of past or present life on Mars, and identify surface and environmental hazards to future human missions. The rover would thus contain a drill which would penetrate the surface to a depth of 2 meters as well as a Beagle 2-type life marker experiment such as a Gas Analysis Package (GAP) capable of studying stable isotopes in the atmosphere, rocks, and soil. Telecommunications between the probe and the Earth would be achieved via NASA orbiting spacecraft. Three candidate missions are right now considered, called ExoMars, its less ambitious variant ExoMars-Lite, and BeagleNet. A detailed proposal should be ready by midyear and will be considered by ESA Member States at the Agency’s Council Meeting at Ministerial Level in December 2005. Looking beyond 2011 the scientists confirmed their commitment to collaborating in an international Sample Return Mission in 2016 (which would include sample acquisition and handling, mobility and planetary protection), as a logical sequence to the recommended mission in the future roll out of ESA’s Aurora programme. [ESA 04/08/2005, Aviation Week & Space Technology 04/18/2005]
** 2: SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF ALCATEL SPACE APSTAR VI
The Apstar VI communications satellite, built by Alcatel Space as prime contractor, was successfully put into orbit by a Long March 3B launcher from Xichang, China on April 12. The satellite will provide advanced broadband multimedia, new digital television service and traditional communications services in the Asia Pacific Region. It will be operated by APT Satellite Holdings Limited. Apstar VI is based on the second new generation platform developed by Alcatel Space called Spacebus 4000. This is one of the largest and most powerful satellite platforms available on the market today. [Alcatel Space 04/12/2005]
** 3: ARIANESPACE AND ROSKOSMOS SIGN SOYUZ CSG INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRACT
Jean-Yves Le Gall, CEO of Arianespace, and Anatoli Perminov, Director of the Russian Space Agency Roskosmos, signed on April 11, 2005 an agreement concerning the production and supply of Russian equipment and systems for the construction of facilities needed to launch Soyuz from the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in French Guiana. This partnership contract deals with the manufacture, assembly and validation by Russian companies of Soyuz launcher interface systems and equipment, the adaptation of this launcher to conditions at the Guiana Space Centre, as well as completion of final development of the latest version of the launcher, Soyuz 2-1b. This contract marks the first step in application of the inter-governmental agreements between France, Russia and ESA to allow Soyuz launches from French Guiana starting in 2008. It follows four agreements on program financing signed on March 21, 2005 (cf. France In Space No 288 Article 1). [Arianespace 04/11/2005]
** 4: ARIANESPACE COMPLETES BASIC LAUNCH VEHICLE FOR FLIGHT 166
Preparations for the upcoming generic Ariane 5G flight have reached the advanced phase with completion of the launcher’s initial build-up inside the Launcher Integration Building at the European Spaceport in French Guiana. Indeed, the integration of the Vehicle Equipment Bay (VEB) and the EPS (Etage à Propergols Stockables) upper stage atop the launcher has been accomplished. The VEB carriers the launcher’s flight control unit, power distribution system, telemetry system and other elements dedicated to flight guidance, orientation and sequencing required for the mission. Completion of the Ariane 5G’s initial build-up will allow transfer to the Final Assembly Building, where it will be ready to receive the Flight 166 mission payload. Arianespace has not yet announced nor the payload neither the date of the flight 166. [Arianespace 04/19/2005, www.spaceflightnow.com 04/20/2005]
** 5: BALTIC SEA PROVES IDEAL SETTING FOR FINAL PRELAUNCH VALIDATION OF CRYOSAT
Due for launch on September 15, 2005 onboard a Rockot launcher from the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in Russia, the Cryosat probe will be the first Earth Explorer to be launched as part of European Space Agency’s (ESA) “Living Planet” Program. This radar altimetry mission will examine variations in the thickness of the Earth’s continental and marine ice covers. Recently, a mission led by several European scientists in the northernmost part of the Baltic Sea validated the accuracy of the Cryosat sea ice measurements. 1600 kilometres of data were collected from the air in order to calibrate the radar altimeter used to determine ice thickness. Cryosat has been built by EADS Astrium as prime contractor. It is currently undergoing tests in Ottobrun, Germany. [ESA 04/18/2005]
** 6: LOOKING FOR A JOB OUT OF THIS WORLD?
The Toulouse-based company Spacelinks has relaunched its popular Space Careers website (www.space-careers.com). In addition to its jobs bank, the new site now features a resume database of space professionals. This is the only website in Europe dedicated to employment in the space and defense industry and, with 500 job offers, Space Careers has become the reference recruitment website in this sector. Space Careers also includes the largest space industry directory on the web and up-to-the-minute space news feeds. So if you are looking for a new opportunity in space, look no further: with Space Careers, you have everything at your fingertips to help you find your next space job.
** 7: CORRECTION
The article “FRANCE TO STENGHTEN ITS MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS” (cf. France In Space No 289, article 1) incorrectly reported that the development cost of the Syracuse 3 program totals 2.3 million Euros over a period of 15 years. It should have said 2.3 Billion Euros.
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
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 un-subscription forms, as well as the archives with a search engine.
