ESA Bulletin 129 (February 2007)
Global environmental change is the most fundamental challenge facing humanity. How are satellites providing the information needed for understanding the effect of increasing human activity? The two lead articles in the latest issue of ESA's magazine tackle the subject.
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Later this year, Europe will become a major shareholder in the International Space Station when its Columbus laboratory is attached to begin at least 10 years of experiments. 'Building the Future' looks at how previous astronaut missions are providing the experience for this major step.
Operating high-tech satellites is a demanding and unforgiving business, especially when they are heading towards old age and their power systems are starting to fail. That's exactly the problem facing the controllers of ESA's quartet of Cluster satellites, launched to investigate the magnetic connection between the Sun and Earth. Periodic and tender loving care is required to maintain the flow of invaluable information.
More articles look at how two small satellites have qualified new technologies for use in space. One pioneered the use of electric thrusters at the same time as returning important information on the Moon, while the other is packed with new technology and after 5 years continues to delivere thousands of Earth images.
The Bulletin is published four times a year to inform the space-interested public of ESA's activities. In addition to a wide range of articles, every issue provides an overview of the status of ESA's major space projects.
Contents
The Changing Earth
– New Scientific Challenges for ESA’s Living Planet Programme
Volker Liebig et. al.
Reaping the Rewards
– Coordinating Europe’s Earth Observation Ground System
Eugenia Forcada et al.
Sleeping Satellites
– Nursing Cluster through Critical Eclipses
Jürgen Volpp et al.
Building the Future
– Acquiring Experience for Space Station and Columbus
Aldo Petrivelli
Electronic Propulsion on SMART-1
– A Technology Milestone
Denis Estublier et al.
Proba Proves the Technology
– Proba-1 Passes 5 Years in Orbit
Frederic Teston et al.
Strengthening the Management of ESA
– The Inter-Directorate Reform of Corporate & Risk Management
Jörg Feustel-Büechl et al.
Developing Trends in Public Procurement
– A Unique Symposium for Space and Defence Procurement
Eric Morel et al.
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