Metop Metop-A Launch October 2006, Metop-B 2010, Metop-C 2015 Cryosat Launch Failure October 2005 Cryosat-2 Launch March 2009 Goce Launch December 2007 Programme

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 PROJECT JFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASONDJFMAMJJASOND COMMENTS SPACE TELESCOPE LAUNCHED APRIL1990 Programmes ULYSSES LAUNCHED OCTOBER 1990 SOHO LAUNCHED DECEMBER 1995

HUYGENS LAUNCHED OCTOBER 1997

XMM-NEWTON LAUNCHED DECEMBER 1999

CLUSTER RE-LAUNCHED MID-2000

INTEGRAL LAUNCHED OCTOBER 2002

MARS EXPRESS LAUNCHED JUNE 2003

SMART-1 LAUNCHED SEPTEMBER 2003 TC-1 LAUNCHED DECEMBER. 2003 SCIENTIFIC DOUBLE STAR in Progress PROGRAMME TC-2 LAUNCHED JULY 2004 ROSETTA LAUNCHED MARCH 2004

VENUS EXPRESS LAUNCHED NOVEMBER 2005

HERSCHEL/PLANCK LAUNCH JULY 2008

LISA PATHFINDER LAUNCH 4TH QUARTER 2009 Status end-December 2006 GAIA LAUNCH END-2011 JWST LAUNCH JUNE 2013

BEPICOLOMBO LAUNCH AUGUST 2013

METEOSAT-5/6/7 M5 LAUNCHED 1991, M6 1993, M7 1997

ERS-2 LAUNCHED APRIL 1995

ENVISAT LAUNCHED MARCH 2002

MSG-1 MSG-2 MSG MSG-3 LAUNCH 2011, MSG-4 LAUNCH 2013

METOP METOP-A LAUNCH OCTOBER 2006, METOP-B 2010, METOP-C 2015 CRYOSAT LAUNCH FAILURE OCTOBER 2005 CRYOSAT-2 LAUNCH MARCH 2009 GOCE LAUNCH DECEMBER 2007 PROGRAMME

EARTH OBSERVATION EARTH SMOS LAUNCH MAY 2008

ADM-AEOLUS LAUNCH JUNE 2009

SWARM LAUNCH 2010

EARTHCARE LAUNCH END-2012

ARTEMIS LAUNCHED JULY 2001

ALPHABUS LAUNCH 2009

SMALL GEO SAT. LAUNCH JUNE 2010

GNSS-1/EGNOS OPERATIONS START 2007 COMMS./NAV. PROGRAMME

GIOVE-A GIOVE-B GALILEOSAT GIOVE-A LAUNCHED DEC. 2005 GIOVE-B LAUNCH NOV. 2007, IOV END-2008 PROBA-1 LAUNCHED OCTOBER 2001

PROBA-2 LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2007 PROG.

TECHNOL. SLOSHSAT LAUNCHED FEBRUARY 2005

COLUMBUS LAUNCH OCTOBER 2007

ATV FIRST LAUNCH JULY 2007

NODE-2 & -3 & CUPOLA LAUNCHES SEPTEMBER 2007 & APRIL 2010 CUPOLA WITH NODE-3 ERA LAUNCH NOT BEFORE END-2009

MSG MELFI 1 EDR/EUTEF/SOLAR MELFI 2 ISS BARTER & UTIL. PREP. EUTEF/SOLAR WITH COLUMBUS

FOTON-MI APCF-6/BIOBOX-5/ MATROSHKA FOTON-M2 TEXUS-42 MAXUS-7/TEXUS-43 PCDF TEXUS-44/45 MASER-11 MARES ARMS/BIOPACK/ EMIR/ELIPS MASER-10 EML-1 EMCS/ MAXUS-8 FAST-2/ERISTO MAXUS-6 PEMS FOTON-M3 MSL MFC BIO, FSL, EPM with COLUMBUS & EXPLORATION PROGRAMME & EXPLORATION ASTRONAUT FLT. HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT, MICROGRAVITY HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT,

AURORA CORE

EXOMARS LAUNCH MID-2013

ARIANE-5 DEVELOP. OPERATIONAL

ARIANE-5 PLUS AR5-ECA QUALIF. LAUNCHED FEBRUARY 2005

VEGA FIRST LAUNCH DECEMBER 2007 PROG.

LAUNCHER SOYUZ AT CSG READY FOR LAUNCH MAY 2009

DEFINITION PHASE MAIN DEVELOPMENT PHASE STORAGE

LAUNCH/READY FOR LAUNCH OPERATIONS ADDITIONAL LIFE POSSIBLE

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HUYGENS LAUNCHED OCTOBER 1997

XMM-NEWTON LAUNCHED DECEMBER 1999

CLUSTER RE-LAUNCHED MID-2000

INTEGRAL LAUNCHED OCTOBER 2002

MARS EXPRESS LAUNCHED JUNE 2003

SMART-1 LAUNCHED SEPTEMBER 2003 TC-1 LAUNCHED DECEMBER. 2003 SCIENTIFIC DOUBLE STAR in Progress PROGRAMME TC-2 LAUNCHED JULY 2004 ROSETTA LAUNCHED MARCH 2004

VENUS EXPRESS LAUNCHED NOVEMBER 2005

HERSCHEL/PLANCK LAUNCH JULY 2008

LISA PATHFINDER LAUNCH 4TH QUARTER 2009 Status end-December 2006 GAIA LAUNCH END-2011 JWST LAUNCH JUNE 2013

BEPICOLOMBO LAUNCH AUGUST 2013

METEOSAT-5/6/7 M5 LAUNCHED 1991, M6 1993, M7 1997

ERS-2 LAUNCHED APRIL 1995

ENVISAT LAUNCHED MARCH 2002

MSG-1 MSG-2 MSG MSG-3 LAUNCH 2011, MSG-4 LAUNCH 2013

METOP METOP-A LAUNCH OCTOBER 2006, METOP-B 2010, METOP-C 2015 CRYOSAT LAUNCH FAILURE OCTOBER 2005 CRYOSAT-2 LAUNCH MARCH 2009 GOCE LAUNCH DECEMBER 2007 PROGRAMME

EARTH OBSERVATION EARTH SMOS LAUNCH MAY 2008

ADM-AEOLUS LAUNCH JUNE 2009

SWARM LAUNCH 2010

EARTHCARE LAUNCH END-2012

ARTEMIS LAUNCHED JULY 2001

ALPHABUS LAUNCH 2009

SMALL GEO SAT. LAUNCH JUNE 2010

GNSS-1/EGNOS OPERATIONS START 2007 COMMS./NAV. PROGRAMME

GIOVE-A GIOVE-B GALILEOSAT GIOVE-A LAUNCHED DEC. 2005 GIOVE-B LAUNCH NOV. 2007, IOV END-2008 PROBA-1 LAUNCHED OCTOBER 2001

PROBA-2 LAUNCH SEPTEMBER 2007 PROG.

TECHNOL. SLOSHSAT LAUNCHED FEBRUARY 2005

COLUMBUS LAUNCH OCTOBER 2007

ATV FIRST LAUNCH JULY 2007

NODE-2 & -3 & CUPOLA LAUNCHES SEPTEMBER 2007 & APRIL 2010 CUPOLA WITH NODE-3 ERA LAUNCH NOT BEFORE END-2009

MSG MELFI 1 EDR/EUTEF/SOLAR MELFI 2 ISS BARTER & UTIL. PREP. EUTEF/SOLAR WITH COLUMBUS

AURORA CORE

EXOMARS LAUNCH MID-2013

ARIANE-5 DEVELOP. OPERATIONAL

ARIANE-5 PLUS AR5-ECA QUALIF. LAUNCHED FEBRUARY 2005

VEGA FIRST LAUNCH DECEMBER 2007 PROG.

LAUNCHER SOYUZ AT CSG READY FOR LAUNCH MAY 2009

DEFINITION PHASE MAIN DEVELOPMENT PHASE STORAGE

LAUNCH/READY FOR LAUNCH OPERATIONS ADDITIONAL LIFE POSSIBLE

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meeting. NASA’s decision on the extended found a bright variable X-ray source in a fraction of the annual observing time in order Ulysses mission is expected in early 2007. globular cluster around galaxy NGC-4472, to achieve its objectives. Now that the AO-5 about 50 million light-years away. The Key Programme observations are known, On 17 November 2006 Ulysses reached 70ºS On the science side, the confirmation that the extreme brightness and variability indicates potential Integral users will be able to solar latitude, marking the start of the third northern ‘lakes’ contain liquid methane that the source is almost certainly a black propose for targets in these fields that are South Polar Pass. Preparations for the next (Nature, 4 January 2007) provides another hole. But what sort? It could be a black hole not part of the original scientific nutation season, predicted to start in piece of the puzzle regarding the complex with a mass a few times more than our Sun investigations, using the large fields of view February 2007 and last for approximately Mercury's path across the solar disc as seen by SOHO/MDI methane hydrological cycle on Titan. (these are relatively common in our Galaxy) of the Integral instruments. 12 months, continued. During this period, or it could be an intermediate-mass black the motion of the spinning spacecraft is hole. These are black holes with masses of One of the most interesting regions for disturbed by non-symmetric heating of the spectrometers. The data that MDI, CDS and 100–1000 solar-masses and are intermediate Integral is the galactic centre as it contains axial boom. Activities included scheduling EIT recorded during the transit are being XMM-Newton between the million or more solar-mass Magnetohydrodynamic simulation result of the Kelvin-Helmholtz many bright hard X-ray and gamma-ray and testing in connection with the planned used to characterise better the point spread giants found at the centre of many galaxies wave. The magnetic field (arrows) and the z-component of the sources – at least it normally does! use of ESA’s Kourou and New Norcia ground function of the optics, understand image XMM-Newton operations continue smoothly, and the few stellar-mass black holes current density Jz (colour coded) are plotted on the left panel. Whenever the galactic centre region is The right panel represents the plasma flow (arrows) and the stations that will be employed to fill gaps in distortions better and improve stray light with the satellite, instruments and ground resulting from stellar explosions. Such a plasma density (colour coded). The black lines are magnetic field visible, Integral makes frequent and regular coverage arising from incomplete spacecraft models. There was also considerable public segment all performing nominally. A total of black hole may have a better chance of lines. Magnetic reconnection is initiated in the centre of the observations in order to study this variability. visibility from NASA’s Canberra Deep Space interest in this event, with over 2.4 million 594 proposals were received in response to surviving in a globular cluster. How such vortex. (N. Nykyri, Imperial College, UK) Surprisingly, in April 2006 nearly all the well- Network complex. A joint ESA/NASA Nutation requests to the SOHO web server and a total the 6th Announcement of Observing (AO-6) objects form and evolve is a key question for known sources around the galactic centre Readiness Review was held in JPL on download volume of over 215 GByte on that opportunity; the requested time was 6.9 astronomers which these observations may were too faint to be detected. The figure 24 January. The subsystems and science day. The next Mercury transit is on 9 May times more than that available. Proposals help to answer. Double Star data. N. Nykyri from Imperial shows an image of the galactic centre with instruments remain in good health. 2016. were received from 425 different principal College (UK) published a paper in Annales circles indicating the positions of the investigators from 29 different countries. Geophysicae using Cluster data, showing normally bright sources. Old favourites At the beginning of November, more than 80 Including co-investigators, a remarkable that, surprisingly, reconnection can take include the normally bright black hole scientists from Europe and the US gathered 1550 individual scientists were involved in Cluster place within giant vortices produced by candidate and the micro-quasar in Oxnard, CA, to pore over the latest results Cassini-Huygens the response to AO-6. Kelvin-Helmlotz instabilities. Previous studies 1E 1740.7-2942. from the Heliospheric Network. The Network The four satellites and instruments are favoured one of these processes to occur, is the collective name for the international The nominal 4-year Cassini-Huygens mission An international team of astronomers has operating nominally. Constellation depending on the interplanetary magnetic fleet of spacecraft studying the Sun and ends in June 2008; a 2-year extended orbiter found a black hole where few thought they manoeuvres were executed in November- field, but not both at the same time. heliosphere, of which Ulysses is a key mission is being contemplated. Extended could exist – inside a globular star cluster. December 2006 to change the configuration Mars Express member. The four themes of the Workshop mission scenarios were extensively These are dense bundles of thousands to from a 10 000 km tetrahedron to a multi- were ‘The Outer Heliosphere and Interstellar discussed at the Cassini-Huygens Project millions of old stars. Computer simulations scale configuration (like a ‘flat pyramid’), The spacecraft successfully passed through Connection’, ‘Solar Wind Transients’, Science Group (PSG) held in Pasadena on show that a black hole formed in a globular where the distance between Cluster-3 and Integral the Mars solar conjunction, and signals were ‘Energetic Particles’ and ‘Solar Cycle 16–20 October 2007, and the selection of the cluster will be rapidly ejected owing to Cluster-4 is 500 km and between C1, C2 and picked up again. Mission science resumed on Variations’. With its comprehensive dataset 2-year extension trajectory in January 2007 gravitational interactions with the cluster’s C3 is 10 000 km. Integral operations continue smoothly, with 6 November 2006, following a small orbit already covering almost a full 22-year will be on the agenda of the next PSG myriads of stars. Black holes are, by the satellite, instruments and ground control manoeuvre required to return to the magnetic cycle of the Sun, Ulysses is playing definition, invisible. However, the region JSOC and ESOC operations are following the segment all performing nominally. The 9th nominal orbit. This ended a 10-week science a central role in all of these areas. around them can become bright, particularly master science plan. The data return from annealing of the SPI spectrometer was blackout period (except for some radio in X-rays, when nearby gas falls onto the September to December 2006 was on successful. Targets selected in response to science) induced by the longest eclipses black hole and is heated to high average 99.1%. AO-4 are being performed. AO-5 experienced so far, while at aphelion, being temperatures. Using XMM-Newton, the team observations will start in August 2007 and followed by the solar conjunction. SOHO The Cluster Active Archive (CAA) is operating will include Key Programme peer review- nominally. User access is growing every selected observations of the galactic centre During the blackout, all the instruments were On 8 November 2006, Mercury passed month and a total of 351 users were and Cygnus regions and an extragalactic in hibernation (except for a very small directly between the Sun and Earth. The Radar data from the 22 July 2006 flyby of Titan by Cassini registered at the end of December (about a field. A Key Programme is a scientific window during which HRSC and OMEGA innermost planet was seen not as a bright provides convincing evidence for large bodies of liquid on the 30% increase from last report). The system investigation that requires a significant were active). After, all payloads began point in the sky but as a tiny black dot, moon. Intensity in this colorised image is proportional to how was optimised to increase the efficiency of functioning normally again. The only problem much radar brightness is returned (more specifically, the silhouetted against the brilliant surface of the logarithm of the radar backscatter cross-section). The colours are the ingestion process and all data delivered related to the pre-heating of OMEGA. With Sun. In previous centuries, transits not representative of what the human eye would see. The lakes, are online. The CAA team is developing new the instrument having been off for an (especially of Venus) were used to measure darker than the surrounding terrain, are emphasised by tinting software to provide additional quicklook plots extended time, coupled with the generic the Sun-Earth absolute distance. Nowadays, regions of low backscatter in blue; radar-brighter regions are and on-demand plots to the users. reduction of heater power during the they are mostly observed for enjoyment. For shown in tan. The strip of radar imagery is foreshortened to simulate an oblique view of the highest latitude region, seen the SOHO instrument teams, however, a from a point to its west. The image is centred near 80ºN/35ºW As of end-December 2006, 560 papers were transit provides a unique opportunity for and is about 140 km across; the smallest details are about 500 m published in the refereed literature and 30 better characterising their imagers and across. (NASA/JPL/USGS) PhDs had been obtained using Cluster and Integral’s view of the centre of our Galaxy

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blackout, it took much more heating to get on 25 February 2007. This is one of the of the Mars approach began. From mid- the OMEGA interface back to the required mission-critical operations, requiring intense January 2007, all spacecraft operations will temperature. The problem was fixed with a preparations, because the spacecraft has to focus on determining and achieving the minimal loss of OMEGA science. achieve the proper trajectory for the correct trajectory for the swingby. This will subsequent Earth-gravity assist in November include further trajectory corrections in The problems in operating the SPICAM 2007. Frequent tracking passes for precise February if necessary. instrument, as reported earlier, continue. orbit determination are carried out, including These affect about 50% of the data, but the the use of the ‘Delta-DOR’ technique, based instrument can still perform its science on radio signal interferometry using two observations and it continues to deliver ground stations in parallel. This technique is Venus Express excellent science data. being used both with NASA Deep Space Network stations and with the ESA Deep The mission is now well into its nominal A Mars Express science team meeting was Space Antennas at New Norcia and Cebreros. operational phase and the day-to-day held at ESTEC 5–7 December 2006. September 2007. Operations of the At ESOC, the special spacecraft activities have reached a routine level. Discussions included the requirements on equatorial TC-1 satellite will end then with configurations and operations timeline Nevertheless, the small teams working on the evolution of the orbit, and agreed to entry into the Earth’s atmosphere; it will have around Mars closest approach have been science planning in the PI institutes and the change the orbit, at the earliest convenience, operated more than 2 years beyond its defined and validated using the spacecraft science operations centre in ESTEC, as well The map above left shows the surface temperature derived from several VIRTIS measurements during orbit 122 on 10 August 2006; the to a ‘18/5 resonance’. This predominantly nominal lifetime of 1.5 years. simulator and the Rosetta Engineering Model. as the mission operations team in ESOC, are map at right shows a synthetic temperature distribution created from a topographic map based on data from NASA’s Magellan orbiter influences the night-day distribution of A simulations campaign, required to train all very busy because new onboard activities are (1990–1994) and assuming a temperature dependence on altitude, with the temperature decreasing linearly with increasing altitude. Comparing such maps can reveal surface hotspots due to, for example, volcanic eruptions or fresh lava fields pericentre passages such that the visible- The two satellites and their instruments are the mission controllers in the execution of all carried out eveery day. Several light instruments will also have (provided a operating nominally. TC-1 successfully nominal and contingency operations for this measurements addressing a large number of mission extension is approved) excellent passed the long eclipse season in November critical phase will be performed in January- scientific topics are made daily and these observation opportunities. The meeting also 2006. February 2007. The Rosetta Science have to be carefully planned to match the where it is possible to see very deep, and further revealed by the contrasting discussed the data-return allocation for the Operations Team in close collaboration with different constraints. The available data link even down to the surface, through the thick distribution of the interstellar matter and the first quarter of 2007. The European Payload Operation System the Experiment Teams and the Mission and the thermal environment are normally and hot carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere. stars. The interstellar matter forms a disc (EPOS) coordinates the operations for the Control Team at ESOC prepared the science the most constraining restrictions. Between structure, while the stars are located in the A very successful dedicated session on Mars seven European instruments and is running operations sequences for the Mars flyby, mid-October and early November 2006, ‘spindle’ in the lower half of the image. This Express took place at the American smoothly. Data are acquired using the which will include a Mars observation Venus passed behind the Sun (‘superior shows that the two components are clearly Geophysical Union meeting on 11 December VILSPA-2 ground station and the rate has campaign and a joint observation campaign conjunction’) and all the instruments were Akari (Astro-F) displaced. Astronomers believe that the 2006. reduced to 2–2.5 h per day because TC-2’s of Jupiter with NASA’s New Horizon Mission switched off for about 3 weeks. The most observed star formation and the apogee is now in the southern hemisphere. to Pluto, which will perform its Jupiter-gravity critical spacecraft parameters could be The Akari IR surveyor, a Japanese mission displacement were both triggered by the The Second Mars Express Science assist when Rosetta is close to Mars. monitored on a daily basis in spite of the with ESA participation, has completed its gravitational force generated by our own Conference will take place in ESTEC on A study on substorm generation mechanisms very limited telemetry link. first scan of the entire sky. During this phase, Galaxy. These and new data obtained by 12–16 November 2007, possibly including a was published in Geophysical Research After the periodic checkout of the Attitude it supplied the broadest wavelength coverage Akari will unlock the secrets of how both the topical workshop on ‘The Meaning of Letters by Takada et al. from IWF (Austria) and Orbit Control Subsystem in October The spacecraft and the active instruments all of the Large Magellanic Cloud to date, and Large Magellanic Cloud and our own Galaxy Methane on Mars’ and dedicated sessions on using Double Star and Cluster data. It 2006, a small (10 cm/s) trajectory correction work very well and provide a continuous provided fascinating new images of this formed and evolved to their current states. future Mars Exploration in Europe. examined the bursty bulk flow (BBF) events was executed on 13 November, to improve stream of data for the individual science galaxy. observed at Cluster and magnetic the targeting of the Mars swingby. The teams. The data acquired so far have ESA’s contributions to the mission are A few major Mars Express papers based on dipolarisation observed at Double Star. It payload was inactive until 22 November, addressed topics in all of the seven Science The Large Magellanic Cloud is the closest working well: regular and efficient ground MARSIS results have been submitted for showed that 33% of dipolarisations are when the first payload active checkout Themes that were defined as part of the neighbouring galaxy to the Milky Way. The publication, and more are in preparation. One associated with BBFs. This suggests that campaign of the mission began. This scientific objectives of the mission. Among far-IR view by Akari reveals the distribution was published in Nature on 14 December BBFs dissipate over a limited range, around consisted of a month of intense payload the many interesting results are the crisp of interstellar matter (dust and gas) over the 2006 and describes the impact of the fact 4–8 Earth-radii, and that the magnetotail operations, including activation and checkout VIRTIS images of the south pole double entire galaxy. Dust grains in these interstellar that MARSIS found evidence that buried topology is a key element in the dissipation. of all instruments, pointing and calibration vortex structure and the measurements of clouds are heated by the light from newborne impact craters – from about 130–470 km in Such studies help to further the activities. In addition, onboard software the global wind fields at different altitudes stars, and they subsequently reradiate this diameter – are under much of the northern understanding of the generation and maintenance, followed by inflight verification and latitudes. Both topics are strongly related energy as IR. This emission indicates that lowlands. development of magnetospheric substorms. tests, were carried out on several to the unexplained atmospheric super- many stars are currently being formed. The instruments, including OSIRIS, ROSINA, rotation that makes the atmosphere circle the nature of the Large Magellanic Cloud is RPC, MIDAS and the Lander Philae. planet in only 4 days, while the rotation rate OSIRIS observed Lutetia, Rosetta’s second of the solid planet is as slow as one asteroid target, on 3 and 4 January 2007, revolution in 243 days. Another important This false-colour view of the Large Magellanic Cloud is a Double Star Rosetta composite of images taken by Akari at 60, 90 and 140 micron. result is the construction of the first surface Interstellar clouds in which new stars are forming are distributed The Double Star mission has been extended Rosetta is cruising towards Mars, which it With the completion of the payload active temperature maps (see the illustration), over the entire galaxy. The bright region at bottom-left is the a second time, from January 2007 up to end- will pass at an altitude of 250 km at 01:57 UT checkout on 22 December, the critical period relying on usage of the near-IR windows ‘Tarantula Nebula’ – a highly productive factory of stars. (JAXA)

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station coverage from Kiruna (S) and and is ready for acceptance. The other pointing reconstruction software, developed Herschel’s cryostat being viewd by the Director cluster is under assembly. at ESAC. The ESAC team is in close contact General (far right) and the Bavarian Minister with the Open Time users in Europe, to of Finances and Technology (second from right) The Ground Segment, consisting of the during a visit to ESTEC maximise the overall scientific return of the Mission Operation Centre and Science and pointed observations programme, despite Technology Operation Centre, has been increasing operational constraints. More than defined and underwent the PDR in October. 100 European observations were performed in the period. The launch is expected to take place at the end of 2009.

COROT The LISA Technology Package Central Assembly, showing the two inertial sensors, containing the proof masses, the Zerodur optical Microscope Artist’s impression of the Gaia satellite COROT, the satellite developed by CNES to bench and side slabs supported by eight carbon fibre struts detect exoplanets and to probe stellar CNES approved extra funding to ONERA for interiors, arrived at Baikonur Cosmodrome the T-SAGE accelerometer development for Contractor is imminent. Polishing of the on 14 November 2006. The checkout and Microscope, which proved more complex technology mirror was successful and the launch campaign proceeded normally until than originally envisaged. CNES continued companies to produce and polish the the filling of Fregat’s with hydrazine. system-level work in particular on magnetic flight mirrors have been selected. The In 2003, NASA's WMAP satellite provided the first detailed all-sky Originally planned for 21 December, the map of temperature irregularities in the Cosmic Microwave field effects that require shielding on the schedule for a launch at the end of 2011 is launch was delayed owing to a Fregat leak, Background. That map is shown behind Planck as a false-colour payload. maintained. which turned out to be a false alarm. image of the whole sky, highlighting the structure of the Universe about 300 000 years after the Big Bang. The cosmological Progress on the Electric Micropropulsion The Announcement of Opportunity for the The launch took place 27 December at information that astronomers look for is buried in the precise System, to be provided by ESA, is under way Gaia Data Analysis and Processing Centre shape and amplitude of all the little bumps and wiggles in this 14:43:00 UT. The first complete map. Planck will enormously improve the sharpness and clarity A caesium ion slit emitter during validation testing for LISA within LISA Pathfinder. was released and a response was submitted Soyuz 2-1b/Fregat injected COROT into an of all the features in the map and increase the amount of useful by a European Consortium of scientific orbit so near-perfect that the planned cosmological information by around a factor of 15 The inertial sensor (ONERA) and the Field- institutes. Their proposal is under evaluation inclination correction was cancelled. As a some CDRs have been conducted. The PDRs Emission Electric Propulsion (FEEP) remain by an ESA team and a recommendation will consequence, COROT began operations with for the two European micropropulsion the most critical technologies to qualify. The be submitted to the Agency’s advisory a larger propellant reserve than expected, of the system, the demonstration of a very Both Planck instruments have been delivered technologies (needle indium thrusters and next ESA/CNES electric propulsion system structure in early 2007. which may be used for a mission extension. low cryostat internal straylight level and and are being integrated with the spacecraft. slit caesium thrusters) took place. Many key-point review now coincides with the LISA The satellite and all the scientific instruments measurement of the electromagnetic The Herschel instruments are undergoing development tests are being performed to Pathfinder Interim Test Review, planned for were switched on and tested during the first sensitivity of the SPIRE Engineering their final phase. prove the readiness of the technologies for mid-2007. 7 days in orbit; all systems were found to be Qualification Model focal plane unit. A final the final selection in the second half of 2007. JWST nominal. The telescope door was planned to qualification step will be the demonstration be opened in mid-January, with science of the lifetime of the cryostat. This will be Many LTP CDRs have already taken place; Nine out of the ten specific JWST critical operations starting at the beginning of measured with near-orbital temperatures in LISA Pathfinder good progress is being made despite the Gaia technologies have reached Technology February. ESA’s contribution to this mission the Large Space Simulator at ESTEC in many technical challenges. The most critical Readiness Level 6, including the lightweight included the telescope baffle and onboard February 2007. The Herschel Service Module All SMART-2/LISA activities are proceeding subsystems are still the inertial sensor The competitive selection of subcontractors beryllium optics (primary mirror), wave front processing units. FM completed its electrical, functional and largely according to schedule. The main vacuum enclosure, the electrostatic for the software, flight and ground sensing and control (WFSC), near-IR performance testing and was delivered to system activity in the reporting period was suspension front-end electronics and the equipment continues in quite good detectors, mid-IR detectors, micro-shutter Astrium for system integration. the consolidation of the satellite design and caging mechanism. The caging mechanism agreement with the schedule. More than two- assembly, large cryogenic structures the modification of the LISA Technology assembly breadboard showed that the thirds of the suppliers for spacecraft (Backplane Stability Test Article, or BSTA), Herschel/Planck The Planck spacecraft FM integration is in Package (LTP) Central Assembly (LCA) design is viable; manufacture of the equipment have been selected and the sunshield membrane, cryogenic ASIC and the final stage. The LFI and HFI instruments accommodation inside the spacecraft. The qualification model is under way. The front- remaining part of the competitive bidding cryogenic heat switch; the tenth technology The development activities in industry for were integrated in the Payload Module, with LCA will now be installed on eight struts; the end electronics breadboard tests were phase is going according to plan. The (MIRI cryocooler) is under testing and Herschel and Planck flight hardware are the final stage being the mating of the hyperstatic mounting will guarantee LTP performed, and the Engineering Model is progress of this activity is highly critical for should be completed before the end of progressing well, with the delivery of the Payload Module with the Service Module in Zerodur structural integrity during launch now under test. maintaining the schedule and the launch January. TRL-6 requires a system or Service Modules and the completion of the early 2007. The FM acceptance tests will and the high level of thermal stability needed date. subsystem model or prototype Herschel cryostat qualification testing. The continue throughout the year. during the science phase. NASA has made progress on its Disturbance demonstration in a relevant environment cryogenic qualification test campaign of the Reduction System (DRS) contribution to The flight CCD production continued (ground or space) and is one of the main Herschel cryostat continued with the The Herschel telescope is being stored until In parallel, many satellite subsystems and LISA Pathfinder: the first colloidal satisfactorily and the handover of the formal criteria to pass the gate to mission verification of the launch autonomy capability its integration with the spacecraft. equipment have undergone their PDRs and micropropulsion cluster has been assembled procurement contract from ESA to the Prime implementation phase (Phase-C).

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Orbiter (MMO) was approved by JAXA and The first round of the Mock LISA Data European GOCE Gravity Consortium was held representative composite of solar array the SPC. Challenge (MLDC) was completed in in October 2006; in addition, a bridging substrate, with inserts, solar cells and other December. These challenges are blind tests phase was kicked-off in November. The electrical hardware. Following preliminary Detailed work with the launch provider has and serve the dual purpose of fostering the On-Site Acceptance Test of the Reference testing, it was placed in a thermal cycling begun and the launcher performance has development of LISA data analysis tools and Planning Facility was completed at ESRIN in facility where it will undergo a representative been confirmed. capabilities and of demonstrating the October. The ground segment overall set of cycles to simulate the full mission technical readiness achieved by the validation activities were kicked off and are lifetime. This accelerated cycling should be gravitational-wave community. Ten groups expected to last until summer 2007. completed by March 2007. JWST’s Sunshield Pathfinder at NASA BepiColombo cruising to Mercury using ion propulsion took part to the first round of MLDCs. LISA Finally, the third in a series of International Some production problems have occurred, Cooperation with NASA is proceeding well; GOCE User Workshops was held at ESA- including the delay in the Star Tracker The NIRSpec assemblies’ procurement Committee (SPC) for approval in February The main activity of the Mission Formulation the two projects are operating like a single ESRIN 6–8 November 2006. This workshop delivery, as mentioned in the previous campaign has concluded and the industrial 2007. has been completed, with the definition of a virtual project, providing good results. was timed to take place prior to the closure Bulletin. As expected, that delay has been consortium is complete. The detailed design reference baseline architecture for the of the GOCE Data Announcement of ameliorated by harmonising deliveries with phase of all the SiC ceramic parts were The Mercury Polar Orbiter (MPO) Science mission. Some recent achievements, though, The review for the prioritisation of the NASA Opportunity, released in October 2006. another ESA project. Overall, the problems completed and the release of the Working Group meeting was held at ESTEC indicated the possibility of simplifying the Beyond Einstein programme initiated by Plenary sessions were designed to provide have been absorbed within the schedule manufacturing of the remaining optical bench 29–30 November. The instrument design and architecture of the scientific complement and NASA HQ and performed by the National potential users of GOCE data products with without affecting the launch date, which and camera optics ceramic blanks is prototyping is proceeding according to plan for this reason it was decided to extend the Research Council is under way. the opportunity to obtain the latest remains March 2009. However, there is now imminent. and the interface definition and payload Mission Formulation contract until mid-2008. information on the spacecraft and mission negligible scope to absorb any further accommodation work is now proceeding on This extension will allow finalisation of a performance, as well as details on flight slippage. Problems encountered with acoustic and the basis of the selected spacecraft design. system trade-off involving in-field guidance, operations, calibration and validation, ground random vibration tests for the micro shutter The commitment from the Lead Funding a technique that allows pointing the laser GOCE segment operations, data products and user assembly (MSA) developed by NASA were Agencies to support the BepiColombo beam within the telescope field-of-view, in services. solved and verified by test. This enabled the payload was formalised in a Multi-Lateral order to compensate for seasonal The completion of the gradiometer flight SMOS MSA to pass the TRL-6 gate Agreement between ESA and those agencies. constellation breathing, as opposed to hardware is progressing well. The first two The involved SPC delegates supported the moving the whole telescope to obtain the pairs of Accelerometer Sensor Heads (ASHs) During execution of the antenna pattern Subassemblies and parts for MIRI’s iterations on this document, which will be correct pointing towards the opposite have been integrated and aligned. In parallel, CryoSat-2 measurement campaign at the Technical Instrument Verification Model are nearing submitted for final approval to the SPC in spacecraft. This activity will be completed by the final functional testing of the Gradiometer University of Denmark, one antenna showed completion. The system-level integration is February 2007. September 2007 and will be followed by the Proto-Flight Model (PFM) electronic units, During the last quarter of 2006 the build-up abnormal behaviour. Detailed analyses due to start early March. The instrument- definition of requirements. In parallel, a LISA namely the three Front-End Electronic Units, to the system-level delta-CDR continued, revealed a problem with the way the antenna level CDR kicked off in early December; the The Memorandum of Understanding with simulator is being developed to support the the Thermal Control Electronic Unit and the through a number of lower-level delta-CDRs, patch was produced and soldered to the Board meeting is planned for mid-February. JAXA for the Mercury Magnetospheric requirements definition process. Gradiometer Accelerometer Interface and in late November the system-level review support, resulting in the need to reprocure all The finalisation of the detailed design phase Electronic Unit, was performed. The itself started. This review process is intended the antenna patches and solder them with an for the filter wheel assembly remains the integration and test of the sixth ASH, which to scrutinise the parts of the satellite design improved process. All of this rework was main open engineering issue. suffered significant delays in the last quarter that have changed, for reasons of completed, including the mounting of the of 2006, was completed at the beginning of obsolescence, design improvement or to antennas in the LICEF receivers and the The Definition Phase of the Launch Services January 2007. All six ASH FMs have cope with the redundancy that was mounting of the LICEF receivers in the arms began with Arianespace. This will cover therefore been completed – a major introduced into the payload. This process has and the hub of the proto-flight model of the activities from now until 3 years before milestone for GOCE. been very efficient and most of the updated payload. launch, and is meant to assist NASA and satellite equipment has been released for JWST Prime Contractor NGST during Astrium GmbH pre-delivered the Platform manufacture, while unchanged equipment The last remaining subsystem for the development of the mission. PFM to the prime contractor Alcatel Alenia had been released already. In many cases, payload, the 12 Command and Monitoring Space Italy (AAS-I) at the beginning of equipment manufacture is now well Nodes and the Command and Correlator October 2006. Since then, AAS-I has underway. Unit, completed their AIT programme and mechanically and electrically integrated the were delivered to EADS CASA. With that, the BepiColombo Gradiometer PFM electronic units and the The carbon-fibre composite antenna payload integration was completed in 2006. upgraded Gradiometer Core Structural & reflectors for SIRAL have been manufactured Electrical functional tests at payload level The proposed core team for the satellite Thermal Model on the Platform PFM and and an aluminium layer deposited. The began in early January 2007, to be followed industrial procurement was strengthened in started Gradiometer instrument functional thermal stability of these antennas is of by deployment tests of the three arms. the autumn. The contract proposal was testing. crucial importance to the overall mission submitted at the end of the year to ESA’s performance. The integration of the SMOS platform, based Industrial Policy Committee for approval. The For the ground segment, the Acceptance on the recurrent Proteus bus, was completed BepiColombo cost-at-completion will be The LISA spacecraft Review of Version 2 of the Level 1 to Level 2 In November the solar array test sample was at Alcatel Alenia Space (Cannes, F). After the submitted to the Scientific Programme High Level Processing Facility of the delivered to ESTEC. This consists of a successful Corot launch using the same

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platform, the communication protocol instrument and equipment is well advanced continued with the B side. No mission behaviour at the end of the autumn eclipse Space Infrastructure Development between payload and platform will be verified and will be completed within the early impacts are implied with this anomaly. season. Winter decontamination took place The period was characterised by the on the generic simulator bench with the Phase-C of the project. for the SEVIRI instrument on 11 December. successful STS-116 assembly flight 12.A1, payload engineering model. Other than this, all anomalies so far have On 22 December, Meteosat-9 celebrated its including the three EVAs conducted by been minor and could be corrected by first year in orbit. It remains the hot backup Fuglesang. For the ground segment, most of the procedural or software updates. for Meteosat-8. elements of the Flight Operations Ground MetOp For ATV-1 ‘Jules Verne’, a successful Segment were delivered and installed in the Following in-orbit verification, the work of MSG-3 thorough review was conducted in front of respective facilities at Toulouse (Satellite) MetOp-A, launched successfully on the MetOp Single Space Segment team It is planned to move MSG-3 from several NASA officials, including the and ESAC (Payload). The Data Processing 19 October 2006 from Baikonur switched to a support role for Eumetsat, who intermediate storage in the Alcatel Alenia Administrator and senior officials. The Flight Ground Segment is lagging behind but not Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, passed through are now starting the Commissioning phase, Space cleanroom into long-term storage in Model testing and integration activities are significantly. Installation work at ESAC its early operations phase, under ESOC including calibration/validation, for the spring 2007. Launch is projected for early progressing well. The launch target date is (computer and operator rooms, offices, control, without incident. This phase overall system. This should be completed 2011. no earlier than July 2007. antenna base) is progressing nominally. included the automatic deployment sequence around March, and routine operations will of the solar array, release of the reaction then begin. MSG-4 The provision of additional ATVs to NASA is wheels, attitude acquisition and MSG-4’s Thermal Vacuum Test and Optical under discussion. Thomas Reiter works with the Cognitive Cardiovascular deployments of the payload antennas The project and industrial activities are now Vacuum Tests were successfully completed. (Cardiocog-2) experiment in Zvezda. Cardiocog-2 is being used to ADM-Aeolus (ASCAT, LRPT, CRA and GRAS). The orbit transitioning into a standby mode, with MSG-4 is now prepared for its final test in With the Columbus module in storage at the determine the impact of weightlessness on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and cognitive reactions. The results will help was adjusted to reach the final operational MetOp-1 (MetOp-B) and MetOp-3 (MetOp-C) the Compact Antenna Test Range. The Kennedy Space Center (KSC, Florida), the in developing countermeasures to keep crewmembers healthy Integration of the Platform FM at Astrium orbit. Activities were completed by in storage, waiting for the restart in 2009 for Pre-Storage Review is planned for April Flight Acceptance Review 1 close-out was during long missions Friedrichshafen (D) continues. Most units 22 October, when control of the satellite was the next launch (MetOp-B) in 2010. 2007, after which MSG-4 will be prepared for completed. The next System Validation Test have now been integrated. passed to Eumetsat. long-term storage. Launch is planned for no (SVT2b), involving the EuTEF external earlier than 2013. payload and the Columbus Control Centre Rack in the Destiny module. ESA’s GRAVI Thermal/mechanical problems with the laser The satellite In-Orbit Verification phase was (Col-CC) is being conducted. A delay in experiment is in progress with the support of continue. A Tiger Team is investigating their then started, with the successive switch-on MSG Soyuz flights and reassessment of activities the Norwegian User Support and Operations systematic resolution; results are expected in and check-out of the payload instruments. A before STS-122 may result in a delay of the Centre (USOC). February. In October 2006, the Aladin delay is required in this process to allow the Meteosat-8/MSG-1 Human Spaceflight, Columbus launch. The Flight Operations Airborne Demonstrator completed its first cooled instruments (IASI, AVHRR, HIRS and The autumn eclipse season ended on Readiness Review was successful at the For ISS Increment-15, the utilisation package ground campaign at the Lindenberg site of GOME) to decontaminate their sensitive 15 October 2006, with fully nominal satellite Microgravity & beginning of December at Col-CC, and for Charles Simonyi, who will be launched as the German Meteorological Office (DWD). optical and thermal surfaces. behaviour. Instrument performance remains included experts from ESA, NASA, the a ‘space tourist’ onboard Soyuz-14 in April About 100 h of data were obtained in parallel of excellent quality. Exploration German Aerospace Agency (DLR), the 2007, is being prepared following the with five other lidars and a series of ground By the end of 2006, all instruments had been Japanese space agency (JAXA) and industry. agreement with Roskosmos. instruments. This will allow confirmation of switched on and first-light data were Meteosat-9/MSG-2 Highlights It concluded that ESA and its partners are on important instrument design assumptions. available. No major anomalies were Meteosat-9 also showed fully nominal The highlight of the period was the Celsius track for the launch of Columbus. Discussions with ASI are progressing encountered with the instruments; their mission of Christer Fuglesang, who concerning a joint utilisation plan (including A review of the Ground Segment Design in performances were as expected. The performed three EVAs during his 13-day The Technical Assessment Board for the scientific and educational and public November 2006 concluded that the design Eumetsat data-processing ground segment Mount Etna’s latest eruption was captured on 24 November 2006 mission, and the completion of the very Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space (ACES) outreach) for Paolo Nespoli’s mission during was good for the present stage of the performed well during this phase. One by MetOp-A and Meteosat-8. Ash fell on Catania, closing successful long-duration Astrolab mission by Space Hydrogen Maser (SHM) was STS-120 for further formal submission to project. anomaly with the LRPT (Low-Rate Picture Fontanarossa airport. The satellites witnessed the thin ash cloud Thomas Reiter, who spent 171 days in space. concluded, confirming the SHM design NASA. Transmission) downlink transmitter was and its movement towards the south-east. They also recorded the They were both brought back to Earth by feasibility and readiness to start development heat emitted from the new lava flows. Left: Metop-A, AVHRR, Launch of Aeolus is now expected in June encountered; a failure of Side-A was 09:30 UT, RGB composite, VIS0.6, VIS0.8, IR11.0; right: Space Shuttle Discovery during the night of of the Engineering and Flight Models. The USOCs are focusing their efforts on 2009. identified. No definite cause for this failure Meteosat-8, 12:00 UT, RGB Composite, IR12.0-IR10.8, IR10.8- 22 December. Fuglesang was the first Nordic Columbus commissioning and utilisation has been so far established. Operations have IR8.7, IR10.8 (Eumetsat) citizen to fly in space, while Thomas Reiter is The Eurobot Wet Model (EWM) was built and preparation. now the European record-holder for the tested at Alcatel Alenia Space (AAS-I); longest cumulative time spent in space. technical issues are being addressed and The payload development for Foton-M3, with Swarm solved. an expected launch around mid-September The Heads of the International Space Station 2007, is in its final stage, with the integration The definition phase of the satellite and its partners met at ESA Headquarters on Utilisation of flight payloads scheduled to start in late instruments (Phase-B) is ongoing and will be 23 January 2007 to review ISS cooperation. A series of experiments was performed by spring. completed in early 2007 by the Satellite PDR. The Heads of Agency expressed their Thomas Reiter and Christer Fuglesang The PDR of the Absolute Scalar continued appreciation for the outstanding (ALTEA-CNSM, Altcriss, Low-Back Pain, Astronauts Magnetometer (ASM) and Electrical Field work by the ISS crews and ground personnel Neocytolysis). A NASA experiment (Tropi) The period was dominated by the two highly Instruments (EFI) was completed. The to bring the Station to its full productive was successfully run in the European successful missions carried out by Christer procurement activity of the satellite’s capacity. Modular Cultivation System in the Express Fuglesang (Celsius) and Thomas Reiter

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(Astrolab). In particular, Fuglesang prime contractorship of Alcatel Alenia The approved activities (Planetary Protection, performed three EVAs: two as planned and a Space-Italy. The System Requirements Review Radiation Effects and Radioisotope Power third added as a contingency during the is scheduled to start mid-February. In the Sources) are being committed. Further ITTs mission. The Space Shuttle mission, meantime, a Concurrent Design Facility (mainly in Entry, Descent and Soft-Precision launched on 9 December, delivered a new (ESTEC) study was carried out addressing the Landing and Autonomous Rendezvous) are ISS Truss segment, Station supplies, ExoMars alternative launchers with positive under preparation. equipment and research payloads, such as results. additional shielding panels to protect the Phase-B2 of the ARES air-revitalisation Russian Zvezda Service Module from The Rover Vehicle contract was kicked off, system was concluded with a final review. micrometeoroids and space debris. The crew while negotiations on the industrial teaming Further ARES activities are being prepared also undertook a major reconfiguration of the for the main subsystems are under way. and discussions held with international ISS power supply and thermal control partners to find a suitable location for an system, patching in the new set of solar Several Invitations to Tender (ITTs) were ARES flight experiment aboard the ISS. The wings and radiators delivered by Shuttle released, including the Rover Chassis and SpaceHaven Habitation study was also Atlantis in September 2006. This Locomotion Design and Breadboarding, the completed. Future activities in this domain reconfiguration prepares the way for further Drill Breadboarding and the Rover Operation will be the subject of a Request for growth of the ISS, including the arrival of Control Centre hardware, software and Mars Quotation. Columbus later this year. Simulation Terrain. Significant progress has been made in Thomas Reiter took up his duties as ISS The Pasteur Payload Confirmation Review is developing the science-driven scenario. The Flight Engineer on 4 July 2006, thereby under way. Science Peer Review meetings consolidation of scientific interests and reopening the third permanent crewmember were completed and Technical Panel work is priorities will be completed at a science slot, which had had to be discontinued being conducted. workshop planned for 14–15 May in Athens. following the Shuttle’s grounding after the This workshop is organised by an ad-hoc Columbia accident in February 2003. During Following the selection of the ExoMars Project group of the European Science Foundation in the Astrolab mission, Reiter carried out Manager, Don McCoy, the selections for the close collaboration between D/SCI and numerous operational and maintenance second management layer in the ESA project D/HME. Work on the industrial/ economic- activities for both the US and Russian team is under way; the nominations of a driven scenario is underway. A milestone will segments, and operated research facilities in Payload and AIV manager, a System be a workshop organised by the Fraunhofer support of international science experiments. Engineering Manager and a Rover Manager Institute for Industrial Engineering on He conducted a programme of European are expected in the near future. 26–27 April in Stuttgart with representatives experiments in human physiology and from the (non-space) applied research and psychology, microbiology and plasma The Mars Sample Return Phase-A2 1-year industrial community to assess the broader physics, and performed technological study is under way under the prime innovation potential of enabling space demonstrations and industrial and contractorship of AAS-I. The study, due to end exploration capability development and educational experiments for universities and in autumn 2007, is focusing on refining the research. schools. mission architecture. A Mission Definition Review is due in the coming months, marking The Edinburgh workshop was held on This was the first long-duration mission for the start of the study’s second phase. This will 8–9 January to review the status of the an ESA astronaut aboard the ISS, providing concentrate on the Pre-Phase-A of ‘precursor scenario and architecture work as well as to invaluable experience in the operations of missions’. Two studies of these missions were discuss the drivers for different stakeholder such missions. included in the original contract. Two groups and discover the status of the additional studies are subject to a change-to- exploration initiatives of European nations A series of debriefings on the two missions contract notice in the original contract; and other international partners. was held at the European Astronaut Centre in proposals were due in the last week of Cologne throughout January. January (restricted competition procurement). The work on the framework strategy document for space exploration with 14 ATV, Columbus and payload training was A series of ITTs was released on various space agencies worldwide has progressed conducted November – December with technology aspects, such as the integration of well. The document is being finalised along several astronauts from ESA, Roskosmos radioisotope heater units, low-temperature with the principles for the international and NASA. sterilisation, and a vision-based hazard coordination mechanism and the open avoidance system experiment; proposals were reference architecture. e Exploration due by the end of February 2007 or early Mission-system activities continued under March.

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