France in Space No. 185

1: NASA DECORATES CNES CHAIRMAN BENSOUSSAN

** 1: NASA DECORATES CNES CHAIRMAN BENSOUSSAN

On October 31, Alain Bensoussan, chairman of the Centre National d’Etudes
Spatiales (CNES – French Space Agency) received NASA Distinguished Public
Service Medal (DPSM), at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. This is the
highest honor that NASA confers to a non-Government individual. Bensoussan
was presented with the award by NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin, at a
ceremony marking the key milestones in the history of French-US space
cooperation since 1992. DSPM is granted only to the individuals whose
distinguished accomplishments substantially contributed to the NASA mission.
[CNES Press Release, 11/05/2001]

** 2: EUROCKOT WINS ITS FIRST SATELLITE LAUNCH CONTRACT IN JAPAN

The launch of the SERVIS-1 (Space Environment Reliability Verification
Integrated System) spacecraft will be performed with the Rockot launch
vehicle, Eurockot Launch Services of Bremen, Germany. Eurockot, the
EADS-Khrunichev joint venture, was awarded its first contract in Japan on
November 2. The launch is planned for 2003 from Plesetsk Cosmodrome,
Russia. SERVIS-1 is a small technology-demonstration satellite designed by
the Institute of Unmanned Space Experiment Free Flyer of Tokyo. The
spacecraft will be placed into a 1,000-kilometer sun-synchronous orbit.
[Astrium Press Release, 11/02/2001 and SpaceNews, 11/05/2001]

** 3: WANT VOLUNTEERS TO STAY IN BED

The European Space Agency (ESA) in association with CNES and NASDA, the
French and Japanese space agencies are now looking for 14 volunteers
interested in spending three months in bed. A long-duration bed-rest study
is one of the means available on Earth to stimulate the effects on the
human body experienced in weightless environment. Current research
objectives are to develop means to protect astronauts’ health while living
in space for over 6 months. For the ongoing first phase of the study, 14
volunteers began the 3-month bed-rest last August at the MEDES Space Clinic
in Toulouse. The 14 new volunteers will take part in the second 3-month
phase of the study.
[ESA Press Release, 10/29/2001]

** 4: 2002 INTERNATIONAL SPACE SYMPOSIUM WILL TAKE PLACE IN TOULOUSE

November 7, the Space Foundation and the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
(CNES – French space Agency) announced that Toulouse, France, will be the
site of the 2002 International Space Symposium (ISS). CNES will be the
sponsor of this event, which will gather the global space leaders. “The
Space Foundation is proud to enjoy a strong, long-term partnership with the
CNES” said Foundation President and CEO Elliot G. Pulham. “There can be no
better place than Toulouse – one of Europe’s most important space
communities, for the ISS to make its European debut” Pulham added. CNES
President, Alain Bensoussan, said “CNES is proud and honored to be the host
sponsoring space agency for the first European debut of the Space
Foundation’ ISS”.
[CNES Press Release, 11/07/2001]

[From Astrium Press Release (Astrium), CNES Press Release, ESA Press
Release, SpaceNews]