lnterview with the Life in a Spin - What New Director General has been learnt from A New Perspective for Earth Observation space 2SYears of European Human Spaceflight Interview with the New Director General AlphaBus: Europe's Contender in the Large Satcom Market Jack Bosma et al. 25Years of European Human Spaceflight J6rg Feustel-Bilechl The International GPS Service (lGS) John M. Dow o+ A New Perspective for Earth Observation Jose Achache 22 SSETI and ESEO - Launching the dream! Lierni Arana 70 Mapping Photosynthesis from Space Malcolm Davidson et al .t+ Programmes in Progress 76 Life in a Spin - What has been learnt from space News - In Brief 90 Gilles Clement, Oliver Angerer & Didier Schmitt 38 Publications 100 The Future is Our Business - How ESA prepares its technology Xavier Barbier, Eike Kircher & Pedro Cordero 40 The World Solar Challenge Eric Trottement & Corinne Flandv 52 eso bulletin ll6-november 2003 Alcotel Espocio Your Best Sponish Spoce Supplier Mo in Prod ucts , Digitql Electronic Equipment - On-Boord Doto Hondling - Digitol Poylood Engineering - Antenno Pointing Systems Rodiofrequency Equipmenl - S-Bond TTC Digitol Tronsponders ond Tronsceivers - S-Bond TTC Spreod Spectrum Tronsponders - S-Bond TTC High Power Amplifiers - L-Bond Tronsmitters - BPSK/aPSK Modulotors - Filters, Diplexers, Multiplexers, etc. ','' Sysfems Engineering - On-Boord Processing (OBP)/Multimedio - Sotellites Telecommunicotion Systems Studies - Specific Checkout Equipment TSCOE) - Power Benches RF Active ond Possive, On-Boord Doto Hondling Equipment ond Subsystems is our moin line of business. We ore speciolised in the development ond monufocture of o few equipment, through portnership with the moin spoce prime controctors. Our trock record includes porticipotion in more thon 45 progroms sotellites. Alcotel Espocio is o Sponish subsidiory compony of Alcoiel Spoce Induslries ARCHITECTS OF AN INTERNET WORLD Alcolel Espocio, S,A, C/ Einstein, 7.2876A Tres Contos (PTM) . 1t4o6r;6 - Spoin. Tel. 34 9l 8A7 79 OO Fox34 91 847 79 C9 www: o lcolel. es/espocio/i ndex_i. h tm scope in the security domain, there is also It is ESA's role to respond to the demand new demand, for example to reduce the created by European citizens and for that digital divide between old and new we depend on industry for the supply. We Member States. On the other hand the have to make sure that industry is able to public budgets dedicated to space are respond to the existing demands. One decreasing and space industry is in a particular point where we can indeed help crisis with its capability decreasing by industry is to develop the technologies to around 30 percent. There is a clear make Europe more competitive. Europe is discrepancy between increasing demand in a peculiar situation because industry and decreasing supply. ln 'Agenda 2007', cannot survive only on the money they I say that we have to close that gap. This receive from governmental programmes largely depends on the relationship - the size of public programmes here is between ESA and the European Union, six to seven times smaller than in the and the main objective of this relationship United States. is the increase ofresources for space to reconcile the supply with the demand. The European Union will soon huve Our respective roles are clear: the EU is ten new Member States. How will this in charge of the demand, while ESA influence cooperation between ESA orovides the solutions. and the EU? In recent years, restructuring The enlargement of the European Union in the European space will have tremendous effects on ESA. It industry has produced a increases the demand for space infra- small number of major structure, including the need to reduce the players, How will Agenda digital divide. Some new EU members 2007' change the scene for will wish to join E,SA, so we have to be European space industry and ready and look at the conditions under whst role does ESA play in which we could integrate them. These are strengthening its co m mercial imporlant aspects for future collaboration. competitiveness? With the Jirst experiences in When we say we have to increase the cooperating with the EU on the A.fler three months in ofiice, you have resources dedicated to space, this implies Galileo project, how will relations issued a 4(-puge plan for the future of that we have to reinforce the industrial develop between our orgunisations in ESA in the next four years, called capability in Europe and size the coming years? Agenda 2007'. Could you summarise it according to the demand. Industry is the key points ofthis plan? the condition sine qua non for providing Of course, we are already successfully solutions to the demand for space in cooperating the Galileo project is living 'Agenda 2007' is a big document, so Europe. Unfortunately, space is only a proofofthis - and we have to increase naturally it is hard to sum up in a few small element in a much wider context that cooperation. We need to increase sentences. At the moment we have the comprising aeronautics and the defence resources for the further development of paradoxical situation in the space sector sector, and restructuring is not driven only space systems, and a Framework that the demand for space systems is by space. ESA has to make sure that Agreement between ESA and the going up while the public budget declines. future restructuring will not destroy European Commission with this content On the one hand, every European citizen capabilities that are necessary for was adopted by the ESA Council on depends on space systems - I do not think developing and operating space systems. 12 November, after the EU Council had that there is a single European who does Another important role for ESA and adopted it on 20 October. It was formally not make use ofspace technology - and Member State governments ts to put signed on 25 November. This Agreement consequently the demand for systems is European industry on an equal footing provides the institutional framework to set increasing. Because the European Union with international competitors in the up new programmes. As it is valid only is enlarging its borders and widening its commercial marketplace. for four vears. however. we still need to - www.eso inl eso bullefin I l6 november 2003 further increase institutional relationships budget is concerned it really corresponds these officers as well. A Commissioner in between ESA and the European Union. to the perceived demand. charge of space is of course important to I believe that we must acquire legitimacy promote space within the Commission, within the EU institutions. At the moment Do you think thut u dedicuted but the demand stems from the individual we are completely separated from them Commissioner for space affairs and policies. I am very happy with the White and cannot increase our cooperation space budget could also be a solution Paper that Commissioner Busquin without this legitimacy. We are therefore for this? How important is this for presented on 1l November because it is at the very beginning ofthe relationship ESA and the EU? fully coherent with 'Agenda 2007'. It is between the EU and ESA. exactly what I was waiting for: it clearly Of course it is not for me to define the states that there is a demand and it asks for How realislic is the envisaged 30% new European Commission, but it is the European Union to be more involved increase in ESA activities, based on an essential that there is a Commissioner not in space aclivities. including recruiting in cre as e d Ji n u n ciq I co ntrib utio n fro m necessarily in charge of, but at least more resources. the EI/? interested in space, like Commissioner for Research Philippe Busquin. The fact that You have mentioned the possibilist of The question is not whether this planned he is interested in space has been Russia becoming sn Associate Member increase in activities is realistic, but what instrumental in establishing the of ESA.ll/hat role does ESA play in is demanded from us. I think 30% is the relationship between ESA and the drawing Russia closer to Europe? right otder of magnitude. We need to take European Community. However, in terms the increase step-by-step because more of meeting the demand, a space In 'Agenda 2001',1propose that Russia solutions mean more industrial capability Commissioner alone is not sufficient - becomes an Associate Member of ESA and more competences, and we cannot space covers many areas. such as because it is Europe's neighbour. Russia increase these in one day. The increase is transport, environment and security, and has such a big potential in all areas of realistic in technical terms. As far as the we need to maintain good relations with spaceflight and technology and it is eso bullelin ll6-november 2003 high time for us to have a closer Thirdly, ESA is not involved in security are still at school - even still at primary relationship with them. A concrete and defence issues at the moment, and I school - today. ESA is not in charge of example ofthat cooperation could be think this should be changed as there is education itself, but we can provide launching Soyuz from Kourou, but no fundamental technological difference space-related tools to educators in Europe I personally think we need to go beyond between civil and defence systems. The that could contribute to the revival ofthe mere cooperation and work together on best examples are GPS, a US military attractiveness of science and engineering. an institutional basis. system used for civil purposes, and Every schoolgirl and -boy is interested in Galileo, a civil system that will also be space - astronauts, rockets and satellites, Do you think ESA will cooperate more used by the defence community.