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News archive 2004 Space Sciences: ESA's Huygens Probe set to Detach From Cassini Orbiter December 22, 2004 - The highlights of the first year of the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn can be broken into two chapters: first, the arrival of the Cassini orbiter at Saturn in June, and second, the release of the Huygens probe on Dec. 25, 2004, on a path toward Titan. This release be confirmed by 5:30 in the morning (Brussels time), images of the probe in flight will be available at the end of the afternoon on December 25. The probe is currently fully awakened and making its last check-ups.
Earth Sciences: Earth & Space Expo in Brussels from 12-20 February 2005 December 21, 2004 - The European Commission organises the Earth & Space Expo, a world-class public exposition, which will run from 12-20 February 2005, one of main the events planned in Brussels during Earth & Space Week (Autoworld, Cinquantenaire). Visitors will experience an interesting collection of exhibits, from genuine Space- and Earth observation-related tools, equipment and artefacts, to state-of-the-art audiovisual and interactive displays and demonstrations. They will get to know the planet, and the stars, and get a chance to speak, one-on-one, with world-renowned experts on volcanoes and earthquakes, the polar ice caps and life in the oceans, and maybe even shake hands with an astronaut or two. More details on the Earth and Space Week Website
Space Technology: Helios IIA satellite launched December 20, 2004 - Last Saturday at 17:26 (CET) Flight 165 lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on its northward mission to Sun-synchronous orbit. This is the 17th commercial mission of the Ariane 5 Generic launcher. Onboard the launcher is France’s Helios IIA satellite, a second-generation military surveillance satellite developed and built in cooperation with Belgium and Spain. The Belgian industrial participant in this mission is ETCA (Charleroi). Sources : Cnes Helios II page + ESA Launchers
Microgravity: Space station Utilisation Contest Calls for European Student initiativeS December 14, 2004 - SUCCESS is a competition for European university students* from all disciplines to propose an experiment that could fly on board the International Space Station (ISS). * Up to Masters level or equivalent
Microgravity: ESA astronaut Roberto Vittori to fly to ISS on Italian Soyuz mission ENEIDE December 13, 2004 - Roberto Vittori will be the next ESA astronaut to fly to the International Space Station, on the 10-day Italian Soyuz mission, scheduled to be launched on 15 April next year from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The mission is called ENEIDE. Vittori is a member of ESA’s European Astronaut Corps and also an active Italian Air Force pilot. He is scheduled to take off on flight 10S to the ISS as flight engineer on board the Soyuz TMA-6 spacecraft alongside the Soyuz Commander and Roskosmos cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev and NASA astronaut John Phillips. The main objectives of the mission are: for the ESA astronaut to perform a full experimental programme of major scientific interest and valuable international cooperation on board the ISS; to exchange the station lifeboat, Soyuz TMA-5, for Soyuz TMA-6; and to exchange the current ISS Expedition 10 crew (Leroy Chiao and Salizhan Sharipov) for the ISS Expedition 11 crew (Krikalev and Phillips). Microgravity: Successful flight of Maxus 6! November 22, 2004 - The scientific rocket Maxus 6 was successfully launched from Esrange today. Everything proceeded as planned and the scientists are looking forward to some exciting analysis of the data. He and his team are studying the structure of multicomponent alloys. The structure is strongly determined by the parameters of the solidification process, i.e. the temperature gradient and the cooling rate. More specifically the belgian scientists try to understand ternary alloys, because there is still a big deficiency in understanding how the structure of ternary alloys develops under different solidification conditions and for varying compositions. (Binary alloys have been intensively investigated in the past.) The experiment, with two AlAgCu alloys of slightly different near eutectic compositions aims to investigate the structure evolution at the same temperature gradient but for different cooling rates. The experiment needs to be performed in microgravity to exclude the disturbing influence of buoyancy convection resulting from density differences within the melt. More info on the Swedisch Space Corporation Website
Space Sciences: Europe reaches the Moon November 16, 2004 - ESA’s SMART-1 is successfully making its first orbit of the Moon, a significant milestone for the first of Europe's Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology (SMART) spacecraft. More details on the ESA News website
Microgravity: ESA's 38th Parabolic Flight Campaign with strong Belgian flavour October 28, 2004 - The 'Zero-G' Airbus A300 aircraft took off the day before yesterday from Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport, France, for the first of three consecutive flight days for ESA's 38th Parabolic Flight Campaign. The thirteen experiments planned for the campaign range from testing a 'gravity simulator' treadmill, through to an experiment looking at the chemical processes that could have lead to the creation of life on Earth.
Organised by ESA, the Parabolic Flight Campaigns are used to conduct research experiments in weightlessness, and to prepare experiments and equipment for later use on board the International Space Station (ISS). - 'Gravity simulator' treadmill The scientists are hopeful their treadmill will be an improvement on exercise machines that are currently used by astronauts during long-term stays in weightlessness and will lead to a reduction in the amount of muscle and bone loss experienced. - Hand-eye coordination - Belgian subjects - 4000 parabolas Details on the ESA News Website and ESA Belgium Nederlands / Français
Space Sciences: Cassini has successful flyby of Saturn's moon Titan October 26, 2004 - The ESA-NASA Cassini spacecraft, carrying the Huygens probe, had a successful flyby of Saturn's moon Titan. Passing just 1200 km above the surface the spacecraft has returned the highest resolution images ever taken of Titan. The images, obtained through 1 km of haze especially at the wavelength of 932 nm reveal large inhomogeneities on the surface which would point to continents. The radar results are not yet available but could indicate the nature of the surface. Belgium has industrial participation in the power conditioning of the Huygens probe and was very active at proposal level for the design of a microwave spectrometer which NASA deselected around 1988 and the first design of the French-Austrian ACP (Active Cavity Pyroliser) was made together with the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy and VITO. Unfortunately, industrial financing of the project could not be ensured in due time and the Belgian sciences teams had to withdraw from the project. Cassini-Huygens science results
Earth Sciences: Three years of Proba, a Belgian satellite October 25, 2004 - On 22 October 2001, the first ESA micro-satellite PROBA was launched from Sriharikota in India. This satellite was entirely of Belgian design and was developped by the Verhaert company in Kruibeke under a Belgian funded GSTP (Global Support Technology Program) of ESA. PROBA I was designed for autonomous operations and experimental earth observations, it is followed from the ESA station in Redu also in Belgium. The operation has been a full success and results from the first three years are shown on the ESA Portal. It is now planned to build a second PROBA which will carry a solar physics payload associating the Royal Observatory of Belgium, the Belgian institute for Space Aeronomy and the Centre Spatial de Liège.
Microgravity: New crew heading for ISS October 14, 2004 - Today, expedition 10 Commander Leroy Chiao, Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov and Russian Space Forces Cosmonaut Yuri Shargin lifted off from the bleak steppes of Kazakhstan with their Soyuz TMA-5 at 03:06 GMT (7:06 Moscow time). They will dock with the International Space Station two days later. Chiao and Sharipov will spend six months on the Station, while Shargin will return to Earth October 24 with the Station's current residents, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke. Monday, October 18th, the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will perform the Belgian Cardiocog experiment. The objectives are to evaluate changes in cardiovascular function induced by long-term periods in microgravity, to compare altered function to pre- and post-flight data and to compare continuous microgravity effects on the cardiovascular system to short periods of microgravity and to simulations. Sunday 17th and Monday 19th the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will perform the Belgian Neurocog experiment. With Neurocog scientists want to study the effect of space flight conditions on the perception and the process of astronauts memorizing the orientation and location when performing investigations in a virtual environment. On ground the B-USOC (Belgian User Support Operations Centre) follows the experiment and host the Principal Investigators in close collaboration with ESA! (See pictures of Frank De Winne performing the Neurocog experiment)
Earth Sciences: Belgium contributes to global nitrogen dioxide pollution maps October 13, 2004 - ESA announced the development of global nitrogen dioxide pollution maps from the German-Dutch-Belgian SCIAMACHY instrument on ENVISAT: ESA News Article. Nitrogen dioxide is essentially produced from high temperature combustions as in internal combustion engines. It is a precursor of photochemical smog and above a certain threshold, it acts as a toxic gas. A team of the BIRA-IASB is contributing to this work and publishes regular nitrogen dioxide maps on http://www.temis.nl/airpollution/no2.html The results show the importance of East Asia as a source of nitrogen dioxide and have confirmed the transport of tropospheric pollutants across the oceans, especially transatlantic transport from the Eastern United States to Europe.
Microgravity: Astronaut performs Belgian Neurocog experiment in ISS September 20, 2004 - Today, and wednesday, the crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) performs the Belgian Neurocog experiment. With Neurocog scientists want to study the effect of space flight conditions on the perception and the process of astronauts memorizing the orientation and location when performing investigations in a virtual environment. During the Neurocog sessions the Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka first free-floats wearing the virtual reality headset, and then remains in a fixed position while performing the experiment. (See pictures of Frank De Winne performing the Neurocog experiment). This is the last Neurocog session for the Expedition 9 crew in the International Space Station. On ground the B-USOC (Belgian User Support Operations Centre) follows the experiment and host the Principal Investigators in close collaboration with ESA! During in-orbit operations, if needed, USOCs allow for interaction between the scientists and the mission sites which are in direct contact with the astronaut performing the experiment.
Microgravity: NASA astronaut runs Belgian HEAT experiment September 8, 2004 - Last sunday and monday NASA astronaut Mike Fincke on board of the International Space Station (ISS) performed the Belgian HEAT experiment. HEAT was one of the experiments of Andre Kuipers' Delta Mission in april 2004. Installed in the Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG), it was to investigate heat transfer performance of grooved heat pipes, but the experiment failed to work properly, hampered by insufficient heat transfer from the condenser area of the HEAT base plate to the MSG coldplate, upon which HEAT is mounted. Mike Fincke has now volunteered to run it again. In the weightlessness of space heat pipes are used to transfer heat from hot surfaces (e.g. electronic devices) to cold surfaces (e.g radiative panels). One of the main aims of this technology demonstration is the characterisation of the heat transfer performance of a grooved heat pipe in weightlessness, by measuring the maximum rate of heat flow sustainable in three different modes: Anti-parallel heating/cooling (i.e. heating from one side of the pipe then cooling from opposite side) and mixed heating/cooling conditions (i.e. heating from two sides of the pipe then cooling from one of these sides). Another goal is the validation of the existing mathematical model that is used to evaluate the performances of new heat pipes. Furthermore HEAT wants to prove that the grooved heat pipe design is an appropriate design, which can cope with the formation and trapping of vapour bubbles in the pipe. A build up of vapour on the inner surface of a pipe creates an insulating layer, which reduces the pipes effectiveness to transfer heat. Responsible scientists are J.C. Legros (Euro Heat Pipes S.A. Belgium) and L. Barremaecker.
Space Technology: ESA signs Cooperation Agreement with Turkey September 7, 2004 - On 15 July in Ankara, Mr Jean-Pol Poncelet, Director of External Relations, and Prof. Nüket Yetis, President of the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), signed the Framework Cooperation Agreement between ESA and the Government of Turkey concerning Cooperation in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space for Peaceful Purposes. More... Microgravity: ISS spacewalk succesfull September 6, 2004 - Smoothly and ahead of schedule, Expedition 9 Commander Gennady Padalka and Flight Engineer Mike Fincke completed the fourth and final spacewalk of their six-month mission last friday. Padalka and Fincke spent five hours, 21 minutes outside the International Space Station (ISS) on maintenance tasks and installing antennas to prepare for the initial arrival of a new European cargo spacecraft next year. Padalka and Fincke spent two and one half hours on the exterior of Zvezda, installing three communications antennas at its aft end. Those antennas, along with other equipment installed during their Aug. 3 spacewalk, will be used next year. They will guide the European Space Agency's unpiloted Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), the "Jules Verne" cargo spacecraft, to its maiden docking with the Station. The next Station crew, Expedition 10, will install three more ATV navigation antennas in February. The Expedition 11 crew will install ATV communications gear inside Zvezda as well. Details on the NASA Humans in Space Website
Earth Sciences: Envisat witnesses return of the South Polar ozone hole September 1, 2004 - The 2004 Antarctic ozone hole has just been reported by the ESA ENVISAT and ERS-2 satellites through the GOME and SCIAMACHY instruments. Both instruments were designed with the assistance of Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy scientists and in the case of SCIAMACHY, essential components were built in Belgian industry by OIP in Oudenaarde. The Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy contributes to data analyses through the TEMIS project and several other scientific projects. The Belgian part of the management of the SCIAMACHY project which is common to the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium was performed by the B.USOC through the ESA PRODEX programme. Whole article on the ESA News website
Microgravity: A room with a view for the ISS: Cupola observation module completion August 31, 2004 - The cupola, currently scheduled for launch in January 2009, is an observation and control tower for the ISS, with windows that will provide a panoramic view for observing and guiding operations on the outside of the station. The pressurised module will accommodate command and control workstations and other hardware, enabling crewmembers to control the station’s robotic arm - for attaching and assembling various station elements - and to communicate with other crewmembers in other parts of the station or outside during spacewalk activities. The cupola will also be used for observational applications in the areas of Earth observation and space science. The cupola project is the outcome of a bilateral barter agreement between the European Space Agency and NASA, under which ESA is providing the cupola for the ISS in exchange for Shuttle transportation of European equipment and experiments to the station. The completion of the cupola marks the end of the development phase of the project, which began with the signing of the cupola contract between ESA and Alenia Spazio on 8 February 1999. Under the contract, Alenia Spazio acted as prime contractor for production, responsible for coordinating six other firms: CASA (Spain), APCO (Switzerland), SAAB Ericsson and Lindholmen Development (Sweden), EADS Space Transportation (Germany) and Verhaert (Belgium). The 1.8-tonne cupola is now ready to be transported to the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida. There, it will go through a final set of checks before being put into storage for four years, at the end of which it will be prepared for launch. More details about Cupola on the ESA Human Spaceflight Website
Microgravity: Progress docks with ISS August 16, 2004 - A Russian Progress supply spacecraft docked with the International Space Station early Saturday, bringing supplies for the station's two-man crew. The Progress M-50 spacecraft (called Progress 15P by NASA) docked with the station's Zvezda module at 1:01 am EDT (05:01 GMT) Saturday, three days after a Soyuz rocket launched the spacecraft from Baikonur. The Progress is carrying about 2.5 tons of food, water, propellant, and other supplies for the station and its two-man crew. The Progress will also be used to measure the overall mass of the station, Russian media reported, by measuring the acceleration of the station when the Progress fires its thrusters. Source: spacetoday.net
Microgravity: ISS prepares for ATV arrival with another spacewalk August 13, 2004 - In preparation for the arrival of the first European-built Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), the ISS supply vehicle due for launch next year, the ISS Expedition 9 Crew installed important hardware during an extra vehicular activity (EVA) on Tuesday 3 August. Read whole article on the ESA Human Spaceflight Website
Earth Sciences: Instrument MIPAS on ENVISAT resumes operations August 11, 2004 - The MIPAS interferometer on ENVISAT which had interrupted operations on March 26 has resumed operations on August 7. The anomalies which led to this interruption are avoided by decreasing the spectral resolution by a factor 2.5. This handicap will be compensated by a modification of the processor, the software program that produces the vertical distributions of the trace gases of the atmosphere. Distribution of the data will begin again in the autumn allowing the MIPAS users, including the BASCOE assimilation model, to resume production of their own advanced products (forecasts, global coverage, etc.). This success proves the built in flexibility of ENVISAT instruments and the ESA ability to conduct operation modifications on an already commissioned satellite. A complete description of MIPAS including the basics of interferometry can be found on the ESA ENVISAT Website
Space Sciences: Cassini detects lightning and a new radiation belt at Saturn August 6, 2004 - The Cassini spacecraft, which began its tour of the Saturn system just over a month ago, has detected lightning and a new radiation belt at Saturn, and a glow around the planet's largest moon, Titan. Latest images and more information
Space Sciences: MESSENGER spacecraft launched towards Mercury August 4, 2004 - The NASA planetary spacecraft MESSENGER has been launched from Kennedy Space Center on August 3 at 8:16 Brussels time. The scientific part of the mission is managed by John Hopkins University and described here.
Microgravity: Frank De Winne on UNICEF mission to Darfur July 30, 2004 - ESA astronaut of Belgian nationality Frank De Winne, a UNICEF goodwill ambassador since January 2003, and the Director General of UNICEF Belgium, Christian Wiener, will leave on July 31 for a short humanitarian mission to Darfur, Sudan. Their mission consists in bringing support to the UNICEF teams on site, attracting public attention to a disastrous situation in which the population is struggling to survive, and fostering greater solidarity, particularly for the children of Darfur. More details on ESA Portal News
Earth Sciences: Verhaert presents 'S(tr)atellite' July 26, 2004 - Last month the Belgian company Verhaert presented Mercator 1, a High Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Air Vehicle, in short HALE-UAV. The stratellite (word composition of stratosphere and satellite) weighs 18 kg and will be able to circle around in the stratosphere at an altitude of about 18 km for months. Goal is to observe areas with a surface comparable to Belgium. Mercator 1 should be operational in 2008. See picture and more information in Dutch on the ESA België Website
Space Sciences: Spectacular observations of Saturn and some of its moons June 29, 2004 - The ESA-NASA Cassini-Huygens spacecraft has in the last months already performed spectacular observations of Saturn and some of its moons which can be seen on the NASA Cassini-Huygens website. The most spectacular of these early results were obtained on June 11 when the Phoebe satellite was imaged, preliminary analysis show a composition of water and organic ices similar to comets and lead to identify it either as a primitive body of the solar system or, like Pluto and the new planetoid Sedna a Kuiper belt object. The obtained data are now under study and while consistent with a dirty ice model pose still numerous unanswered questions. On 1 July, after a journey of almost seven years and four gravity-assist swing-by manoeuvres, the spacecraft will be inserted into its orbit around Saturn and will reach its closest approach to the planet. The Huygens probe will be detached from the mother ship on 25 December and is due to land on Titan in January next year.
Microgravity: 7th Student Parabolic Flight Campaign June 28, 2004 - This week 124 excited students will gather in Bordeaux for what will be the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to test their experiments in weightlessness during the 7th Student Parabolic Flight Campaign. The fry of tilapia, a freshwater fish that lives in Africa’s rivers, move collectively in both aquariums and under natural conditions, for reasons still unclear to biologists. Belgian students will examine the influence of a number of parameters that could disturb schools of fish, such as light, gravity and small shock waves.
Microgravity: Opportunity in Life and Physical Sciences and Applied Research Projects June 18, 2004 - The directorate for Human Spaceflight intends to announce a new research opportunity in the areas of Life and Physical Sciences on 12 July 2004. The Announcement of Opportunity will solicit basic and application-oriented space research projects in Life and Physical Sciences.
Planned Issue Date: July 12, 2004 - Notice of Intent due: August 31, 2004 - Proposals due: November 12, 2004 - Review foreseen completed: March 31, 2005 - Proposal Workshop, ESTEC, Noordwijk: September 13, 2004. More info about the Announcement of Opportunity will be found.
Earth Sciences: Announcement of opportunity for Eumetsat Polar System June 15, 2004 - The EUMETSAT Polar System (EPS/ MetOp RAO) is the European contribution to the joint European/US operational polar satellite system, the Initial Joint Polar System. The purpose of the EPS system is to provide an end-to-end service for the morning orbit, as well as back-up cross support and data exchange with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), wich will continue to provide the afternoon orbit service. The EPS system is planned to be established in 2005. The operations will start in 2006 and will continue over 14 years. Microgravity: Cosmonaut performs Belgian Cardiocog June 13, 2004 - The Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka on board the International Space Station ISS performed the 2nd session of Cardiocog. The objectives are to evaluate changes in cardiovascular function induced by long-term periods in microgravity, to compare altered function to pre- and post-flight data and to compare continuous microgravity effects on the cardiovascular system to short periods of microgravity and to simulations. This session has been successful: the data transfer succeeded and all the data are stored on the hard disk and the PCMCIA card. The session was initially foreseen for the 27th of June, but it was advanced because of the Extra Vehicular Activity foreseen for the end of June.
Microgravity: ESA's 37th Parabolic Flight Campaign underway June 8, 2004 - The 37th ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign started last week in Bordeaux, France, with preparation and training for the experimenters involved. On 8 June 2004, the specially strengthened 'Zero-G' Airbus A300 aircraft will take off for the first of three consecutive flight days.
In a specially-assigned air corridor high above the Gulf of Gascogne, the Airbus will fly a series of 30 parabolic arcs, providing researchers with a total of 10 minutes of weightlessness each day. The parabolic flight campaigns are organised to conduct research experiments in weightlessness, and to prepare experiments for space flights on board the International Space Station (ISS). A Belgian physiology experiment (more specifically muscle and bone physiology) will be flown as well. Responsible scientist: M. Hinsenkamp from the Institut Supérieur d'Education Physique of the université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB). Source: ESA Human Spaceflight news
Earth Sciences: SCIAMACHY observes troposphere over Belgium May 19, 2004 - Since its launch in March 2002, the ENVISAT satellite has performed nominally and since the end of the commissioning phase, the instruments have produced data which will remain an unprecedented set for the study of the state of the earth's atmosphere, ocean and surface for the period from 2003 to the mission end, probably well after 2010. One of the instruments is the SCIAMACHY limb and nadir atmospheric sounder built together by Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The Belgian hardware contribution is a Polarisation Measuring Device (PMD) used for radiometric correction of the main channels, this PMD has scientific value in itself as an aerosol and surface colour monitor. Microgravity: interesting flash animation about Odissea mission May 13, 2004 - This week, ESA focuses on the Odissea mission with the Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne. Take a look at an interesting flash animation about this adventure in space on the ESA Focus On website. Microgravity: Astronaut performs Belgian Cardiocog experiment in ISS May 8, 2004 - The new crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) performs the Belgian Cardiocog experiment. The objectives are to evaluate changes in cardiovascular function induced by long-term periods in microgravity, to compare altered function to pre- and post-flight data and to compare continuous microgravity effects on the cardiovascular system to short periods of microgravity and to simulations.On ground the B-USOC (Belgian User Support Operations Centre) follows the experiment and host the Principal Investigators in close collaboration with ESA! Microgravity: Astronaut performs Belgian Neurocog experiment in ISS May 3, 2004 - Tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday, the new crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) will perform the Belgian Neurocog experiment. With Neurocog scientists want to study the effect of space flight conditions on the perception and the process of astronauts memorizing the orientation and location when performing investigations in a virtual environment. During the Neurocog sessions the Russian astronaut Gennady Padalka first free-floats wearing the virtual reality headset, and then remains in a fixed position while performing the experiment. (See pictures of Frank De Winne performing the Neurocog experiment) On ground the B-USOC (Belgian User Support Operations Centre) follows the experiment and host the Principal Investigators in close collaboration with ESA! Durring in-orbit operations, if needed, USOCs allow for interaction between the scientists and the astronaut performing the experiment. USOCs also receive facility and experiment data.
Microgravity: Successful European DELTA mission concludes with Soyuz landing April 30, 2004 - The 11-day DELTA mission to the International Space Station (ISS) came to a successful conclusion when the Soyuz TMA-3 command module, carrying Dutch ESA astronaut André Kuipers and the ISS Expedition 8 crew, touched down early this morning near the town of Arkalyk in Kazakhstan at 07:12 local time (02:12 Central European Summer Time) after a return flight of just over three hours. Belgium is not so heavily involved in the DELTA mission as in the two previous taxi-flights, but is nevertheless playing a role in technology demonstrations and educational projects. Researchers from the K.U.Leuven (dienst Cardiologie) are involved in the CIRCA-experiment (blood pressure and heart rate) and the return container of the Belgian PromISS-3 experiment is brought down back to Earth. Furthermore the microorganisms in the Recomb-K equipment coming from the biotechnical experiment CONJUGATION in the Russian segment of the ISS will be jointly analysed by the Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK•CEN) (Mergeay), the UCL (Mahillon and Hanus), and the IMBP (V. Ilyin) in Moscow. Microgravity: DELTA mission and ESA astronaut dock with ISS April 21, 2004 - The DELTA mission, with European Space Agency astronaut André Kuipers from the Netherlands, and the ISS Expedition 9 crew, successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) today. Docking by Soyuz TMA-4 with the nadir port of the Russian Zarya module took place at 07:03 Central European Time (CET). Following the scheduled post-docking checks, the hatch between the spacecraft and the ISS was opened at 08:27 CET. During his 11-day mission, nine of them on the ISS, Kuipers will carry out an extensive experiment programme in the fields of human physiology, biology, microbiology, physical science, Earth observation, education and technology. Belgium is not so heavily involved in the DELTA mission as in the two previous taxi-flights, but is nevertheless playing a role in the following activities: technology demonstration HEAT (Heat transfer performance of a grooved heat pipe), and educational projects ARISS (Amateur Radio on the International Space Station) and VIDEO-3 (Educational demonstration of human physiology). Researchers from the K.U.Leuven (dienst Cardiologie) are involved in CIRCA. The CIRCA experiment aims to measure the pattern of blood pressure and heart rate in an astronaut during a 24-hr period. The combined data from 2 different instruments used in this experiment will enable the experiment teams to improve their understanding of how the cardiovascular system (system of heart and blood vessels in the body) adapts to a weightless environment. The experiment will do so by taking repeated measurements of blood pressure using devices attached to the upper arm and to the finger. Another interesting fact is that the return container of the Belgian PromISS-3 experiment will be brought down back to Earth with the Soyuz 7S by ESA astronaut Andre Kuipers.
Microgravity: DELTA mission heading to ISS with Dutch ESA astronaut April 19, 2004 - The DELTA mission, with European Space Agency astronaut André Kuipers, and the ISS Expedition 9 crew lifted off today in the Soyuz TMA-4 spacecraft on flight 8S to the International Space Station. The launch took place from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan at 09.19 local time (05.19 Central European Time). After launch and nine minutes of propelled flight, the Soyuz TMA-4 is in orbit and it will now take the crew, Kuipers, Russian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka and NASA astronaut Edward Fincke, about two days to reach the ISS. They are scheduled to dock at 07:00 CET on 21 April, with the hatch opening at 08:25. Microgravity: DELTA Mission with ESA astronaut André Kuipers April 14, 2004 - ESA astronaut André Kuipers will depart for the International Space Station (ISS) on 19th April 2004. Kuipers will join a Soyuz flight, to be launched by the Russian space organisation, in the role of First Engineer. Together with Russian cosmonaut Gennadi Padalka and NASA astronaut Mike Fincke, he will make the two-day journey to the Space Station. The DELTA Mission will take ten days in all and has four objectives: replace the Soyuz lifeboat, change of permanent crew, science experiments and education. All details can be found on the DELTA Mission Website "I was on board the International Space Station in November 2002 during the Belgian Odissea Mission, so I am also able to help André on the basis of personal experience. Regular meetings are held twice daily to discuss the agenda. This mainly concerns the scientific experiments. The Crew Interface Coordinator is supported by an entire team of specialists to deal with really detailed questions. The team members are spread throughout various European countries, but they can lend assistance rapidly via live communication channels."
Space Sciences: Methane in the atmosphere of Mars April 1, 2004 - The PFS instrument on Mars-Express confirms the presence of methane in the atmosphere at a concentration of about 10 part per billion. This result conforts a still unpublished observation obtained during the opposition of 2003 from ground based telescopes. It gives also support to the observation of formaldehyde performed by BIRA-IASB together with IKI (Moscow) from the PHOBOS mission in 1989. The only possible sources of methane are contemporary volcanism or life on the planet. The Mars-Express spacecraft is functionning nominally and the deployment of the radar antenna on April 20 will start the nominal mission which is expected to begin returning results in early May. Space Sciences: Evidence for ancient shoreline on Mars! March 24, 2004 - After the discovery at the OPPORTUNITY land site of the mineral jarosite, hematite spherules and bromine and chlorine rich grains, NASA announced yesterday ripples in sedimentary rocks indicative of currents corresponding to a regular surf. This means that a body of surface water once covered for long periods this landing site. It is too early to determine its depth and the duration of its existence. A water pool on the surface is obviously a possible life habitat but until now the OPPORTUNITY microscopes failed to detect any structure resembling an ancient microbial fossil. The NASA briefing is available here.
Microgravity: European Astronauts training in Cologne (Germany) March 19, 2004 - Training of ESA's astronauts is mostly performed at NASA/Houston and in Star City near Moscow. However, training sessions in the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne (Germany) will become more frequent as ESA prepares for utilisation of the ISS. Next week, such an ISS training session will take place and it has been possible to arrange for a filming opportunity on 24 March 2004, from 16:00-19:00 hours. Six astronauts are available for filming and interview: Jean-Francois Clervoy, Claude Nicollier, Hans Schlegel, Umberto Guidoni, Frank De Winne and Bob Thierke. They use six different training facilities: Fluid Sciences Lab, Biolab, Columbus Training Mock-Up, ATV Training Mock-Up, and the large NBS diving water pool for neutral buoyancy training. The filming opportunity is exclusively for broadcasters! For further information visit the the ESA Television website. Microgravity: Life Science Meeting in Leuven March 17, 2004 - Download folder about the Life Science Meeting of April 6 on our Microgravity pages.
Space Sciences: Sedna, the tenth planet? March 16, 2004 - NASA has announced the discovery of the largest body in the solar system since the discovery of Pluto in 1930. This planetoid orbits the Sun with a period of about 10500 years. It might be an unperturbed element of the Kuiper belt of asteroids which lies in the same orbital plane as the main planets very far from Pluto or even an element of a new class of asteroids: the inner Oort cloud objects. Earth Sciences: Ancient desert markings imaged from orbit March 15, 2004 - The CHRIS camera on the Belgian built ESA PROBA satellite has recently imaged the the ancient Nasca markings on the desertic Nasca plain at the Southern end of Peru. The combination of these images with ESA ERS-2 radar images allow to assess possible damage related to roads development and rain increase due to climate change. ESA Protecting the environment News Microgravity: Promiss-3 experiment successfull March, 3, 2004 - After about 1 month of functionning, PromISS-3 stopped to record pictures on board of the International Space Station the day before yesterday around 16h GMT. PromISS was deactivated today. The 6 cells were tranferred in the Promiss 3 Return Container that will be placed in Aquarius (thermostatized at 22 °C) until their return on Earth at the end of the Dutch Soyuz Mission (in April 2004). On Earth the scientists will study two aspects, the video tapes and the cristals. This Belgian experiment is a success, and will be followed by a Promiss-4 (possible at the end of this year) and a Promiss-5 experiment.
Space Sciences: Rosetta lift-off March 2, 2004 - At 08:17 CET (07:17 UT), Rosetta was launched by an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The Rosetta spacecraft will be pairing up with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and accompanying it on its journey, investigating the comet’s composition and the dynamic processes at work as it flies sunwards. The spacecraft will even deposit a lander on the comet. Various countries in Europe are involved in this spectacular mission, and have experimental instruments on the Rosetta orbiter and lander. The Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy is responsible for the DFMS sensor on the ROSINA instrument on the orbiter nl/fr .
Microgravity: Belgian experiment in International Space Station: Promiss-3 February 27, 2004 - The Belgian scientist encountered an unexpected reset of Promiss experiment yesterday at around 16h52 GMT. A table was upload from ESTEC, with the support of NASA MSG team and University of Brussels User Home Base. The reset had the same effect as a power on/off sequence of the experiment. After this reset, the telemetry immediately showed that everything looked 100% nominal. The loss of science appears to be limited. Space Sciences: Rosetta : launch has been delayed February 27, 2004 - Today's launch of Flight 158 with the Rosetta spacecraft has been delayed for technical reasons. A piece of foam became detached from the main stage and technical inspections are in progress. The Rosetta spacecraft is safely under control and no interventions are required. Launch is tentatively rescheduled for early next week. Arianespace will hold a press conference in Kourou at 11h00 GMT Ferbruary 26, 2004 -Due to bad weather in Kourou, the launch has been delayed to tomorrow at about the same time (7h36 GMT)
Space Sciences: Spectacular Science results with Mars Express February 24, 2004 - Mars-Express yields already spectacular science results during its early commissioning phase, the following science data is already going public: SPICAM results (BIRA-IASB): The first interpreted results of SPICAM including ozone distribution, the first identification of oxygen airglow at 1.27 micrometer and identification of Antarctic ices are available on the meetings website of the Lunar and Planetary Institute. These results and others will be presented at the Lunar and Planetary Science meeting in Houston which meets since 1969 to confront the most important results in planetary research. MaRS results (ORB-KSB): Mars Express conducted its first bistatic radar observation on 21 January. The first gravity field observations will be performed at the periaster of 28 February and will be repeated at all following periasters. These results will also be presented at the Houston meeting. Mars Radio Science First Results Space Sciences: Rosetta will be launched towards a comet February 23, 2004 - Arianespace Flight 158 will launch the European Space Agency's Rosetta spacecraft, which is to make a 10-year interplanetary trip for a rendezvous with the comet Churyumov-Gerasimnko. Liftoff of Flight 158 is set in the morning of February 26 at 07h36 GMT (04h36 Kourou time). Arianespace's live video broadcast of Flight 158, complete with commentary in French and English, will be carried live in the Video Corner of the Arianespace Web site. February 16, 2004 - The European Space Agency’s Rosetta mission will be getting under way in February 2004. The Rosetta spacecraft will be pairing up with Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and accompanying it on its journey, investigating the comet’s composition and the dynamic processes at work as it flies sunwards. The spacecraft will even deposit a lander on the comet. The trip is certainly not short: Rosetta will need ten years just to reach the comet. This places extreme demands on its hardware; when the probe meets up with the comet, all instruments must be fully operational, especially since it will have been in “hibernation” for 2 and a half years of its journey. During this ‘big sleep’, all systems, scientific instruments included, are turned off. Only the on-board computer remains active. Various countries in Europe are involved in this spectacular mission, and have experimental instruments on the Rosetta orbiter and lander. The Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy is responsible for the DFMS sensor on the ROSINA instrument on the orbiter nl/fr . Microgravity: Human Physiology: Vacancy February 12, 2004 - The Microgravity Instrumentation Section (TOS-MMG) of ESTEC deals with the development of instrumentation for microgravity environment utilisation. In particular the development of instrumentation required to support scientific experiments in the area of high temperature material science, crystal growth, aerosols, fluid science, human physiology, biology and biotechnology. The Microgravity Instrumentation Section is looking for a new employee with a University degree in the field of biology or human physiology. Task Description (.doc, 32KB). Please note that the B.USOC has no connection with Serco Facilities Management BV in this description. Earth Sciences: Meteosat-8 with Belgian contribution operational February 11, 2004 - Meteosat-8 was launched in August 2002 and is operational since 1st February 2004 . The new satellite is improved in a number of ways. Images are taken in more wavelength areas; they are taken every quarter of an hour instead of every half hour. And they are sharper, they have a higher resolution (one kilometer instead of 2.5 km). The satellite helps to study climate and environment changes. It's is for example possible to detect forest fires, sand storms, etc. The Belgian contribution to Meteosat-8 is the GERB-instrument. The Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium (RMIB) played an essential role in the development, will give operational support and will be processing datal. The GERB instrument helps to collect information about global warming. It measures the amount of solar radiation reflected, absorbed or emitted into space. The results are available on the GERB Website Microgravity: Belgian experiment in International Space Station: Promiss-3 February 10, 2004 - At 06h28 GMT, a new table upload has been performed to modify the video-recording rate of the experiment. PROMISS now records only 1 revolution every 2, thus for a given Region of Interest, the images are now obtained every 2 hours. This in order to safe tape, to use the tape for a longer time. Later on this parameter will be set to 1 recorded revolution for every 4. Digital pictures of the PROMISS-3 have have been taken by astronaut Michael Foale. Those pictures have been downlinked by NASA. Up to now, PROMISS is running nominally in a very stable temperature environment. Our ULB colleagues have processed the housekeeping data of the MSG, and in this graph you can find the temperature profile since the activation of PROMISS into MSG. February 4, 2004 - Following the desiderata of belgian scientists, a new table upload took place on February 3, at 18h41 GMT. The cell number and time incrustation on the images received from Promiss was quite wrong. The problem is now solved. A new table upload is sent today at 13h53 GMT. February 2, 2004 - The studied protein crystal growth processes of the Promiss-3 experiment can be followed on the ground by the responsible scientists. The B.USOC receives the experiment images (.jpg, 98 Kb) from the International Space Station (ISS) and the Promiss team verifies their usability as they arrive. This way, corrections in the set up are still possible if necessary. At 8h30 GMT the video for the next correction table calculation was downloaded. At 14h27 GMT the correction table was uploaded succesfully. Everything is functionning normally. February 1, 2004 - Successful activation of Promiss-3 at 16h27 GMT with a direct video control after the activation. The B.USOC has sent what is called a "correction table" to the ISS. This demand for small changes in the set up op the experiment is part of the normal procedures for the realisation of Promiss. The first table was uploaded by the B.USOC teleoperation team at 17h13 to ensure that the video images obtained of the protein growth will be as sharp and clear as they can be. Night recording started at 17h32.
Life Science: Research Announcement on the International Space Station February 4, 2004 - The European Space Agency together with NASA, JAXA, DLR, CNES, CSA, and NSAU are soliciting proposals for Space Life Science experiments to be conducted on the International Space Station (ISS). ESA Research Announcement: Life Science Research on the International Space Station. Issued: February 2, 2004, Notice of Intent due: March 2, 2004, Proposal due: May 5, 2004. The current Announcement includes opportunities in Biological, Physiological and Exobiological Sciences.
Microgravity : Successful launch for Progress January 29, 2004 - An unmanned Russian Progress cargo spacecraft was launched today at 12:58 Central European Time (16:58 local time) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The Progress supply vehicle is also carrying samples of the Belgian Promiss-3 experiment.
Space Sciences: Water Ice in the Martian Antarctic January 28, 2004 - The infrared SPICAM AOTF (Acousto-optical transmission filter) infrared channel, on satellite Mars Express, has shown together with the infrared spectral imagers PFS and OMEGA a capability to observe Martian Antarctic ices and to discriminate between them. The discovery of water ice on the surface leads to speculate on a deep antarctic ice cap. It confirms also that the hydrogen observed in the same regions by Mars Odyssei belongs mainly to water ice. The seasonal variation of this phenomenon together with the study of the gas phase will be accomplished during at least one Martian year (two earth's years) by Mars Express.
Space Sciences: Mars Express sees its first water – scientific results January 23, 2004 - Mars Express, ESA’s first mission to Mars, will reach its final orbit on 28 January. It has already been producing stunning results since its first instrument was switched on, on 5 January. One of the main targets of the Mars Express mission is to discover the presence of water in one of its chemical states. A complete description of the results can be found on ESA Mars Express website; the results of instruments with Belgian implication in the paragraphs below. The MaRS instrument (Royal Observatory of Belgium), a sophisticated radio transmitter and receiver, emitted a first signal successfully on 21 January that was received on Earth through a 70-metre antenna in Australia after it was reflected and scattered from the surface of Mars. This new measurement technique allows the detection of the chemical composition of the Mars atmosphere, ionosphere and surface. Another exciting experiment was run by the SPICAM instrument (an ultraviolet and infrared spectrometer, Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy) during the first star occultation ever made at Mars. It has simultaneously measured the distribution of ozone and water vapour, which has never been done before, revealing that there is more water vapour where there is less ozone.
Microgravity: PROMISS-3 in the ISS January 19, 2004 - The next Belgian experiment, due to fly to the International Space Station (with the Progress 13P on 29th January 2004) is PROMISS-3. Its main scientific objective is to improve the understanding of protein crystal growth processes on protein models. The B-USOC will be the European responsible center for operations. Read more...
Space Sciences: ESA's Martian weather report January 16, 2004 - Every day, people around the world tune in weather forecasts to plan their days ahead. Soon ESA will be delivering the same service for Mars, thanks to an ingenious experiment on board Mars Express. Yet it will provide the precise condition of the Martian atmosphere from ground level up to an altitude of fifty kilometres. Included in these data will be a measure of the ground air temperature of Mars to twice the accuracy usually seen in weather reports on Earth! A team of the Royal Observatory of Belgium participates in the MaRS experiment. More info on the ESA Mars Express Newsletter Space Sciences: SPICAM Experiment January 15, 2004 - The SPICAM instrument on Mars Express performed a first test of stellar occultation yesterday, January 14, the results show a spectacular star rise where the signal, first completely occulted by the planet appears showing progressively spectral structures indicative of the composition of the Martian atmosphere as a function of altitude. The operation of the instrument is apparently nominal and scientific interpretation of the results will soon start.
Space Sciences: Mars Express, Belgian participation January 12, 2004 - The first scientifically usable orbit of Mars-Express will reach its perigee on January 13 and will mark the startup of all the instruments of the payload, included the instrument with Belgian participation SPICAM-Light (Institute for Space Aeronomy of Belgium). The first data in orbit of SPICAM-Light should be available around mid-February. The experiment MaRS (Royal Observatory of Belgium), will only be completely operational in May when the nominal orbit is reached. A first test allowing an evaluation of the Mars gravity field is schedules for January 19.
Microgravity: Belgian companies will develop payload for studying zeolites January 8, 2004 - Zeolite structures have been identified as an important area of research and application, especially for the petrochemical industry, for several years. The two Belgian companies, Verhaert DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT and Lambda-X, have been proposed for their specific technical know how in the field of microgravity payload development and integration to develop Zeolite inserts. These are parts of the Protein Crystallisation Diagnostics Facility (PCDF) in the European Drawer Rack in the Columbus Payload Facility of the International Space Station.
Microgravity: Space station has air pressure drop January 7, 2004 - The International Space Station is experiencing a slow, steady drop in air pressure, and American and Russian flight controllers are investigating possible causes of the leak. Astronaut Michael Foale and cosmonaut Alexander Kaleri also did some checks but couldn't find anything. According to Mission Control there's no reason for immediate concerns. The next Belgian experiment, due to fly to the International Space Station in February, is Promiss-3. Its main scientific objective is to improve the understanding of protein crystal growth processes on protein models. The B.USOC will receive the experiment images from the International Space Station. Responsible scientists are Lode Wyns, VUB; Ingrid Zegers, VUB; Frank Dubois, ULB Source: CNN Science & Technology
Space Sciences: Mars Express attempts to 'talk' to Beagle 2 January 6, 2004 - As of Wednesday 7 January 2004, and for the following three days, ESA's Mars Express orbiter will be as little as 315 kilometres above the landing area of the still-silent Beagle 2. Since Christmas attempts to communicate with the tiny lander through NASA's Mars Odyssey orbiter and radio telescopes on Earth have been unsuccessful. However, Mars Express and Beagle 2 are the only systems tested end-to-end, giving ESA more confidence of establishing contact with the lander in the coming days. More info on ESA Mars Express Website
Space Sciences: Closing in on the Red Planet: Mars Express orbit lowered January 4, 2004 - Today at 14:13 CET, ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft successfully executed an essential planned manoeuvre to reduce its orbit around the Red Planet. In a polar orbit, Mars Express can now start to prepare its scientific observation mission as planned, working much like an 'Earth-observation satellite' but around Mars. From the second half of January 2004, the orbiter's instruments will be able to scan the atmosphere, the surface and parts of the subsurface structure of Mars with unmatched precision. A team of the Royal Observatory of Belgium will participate in the MaRS experiment and the other Belgian involvement in Mars Express is the Instrument SPICAM-light (Ultraviolet and Infrared Atmospheric Spectrometer) of the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy. More info on ESA Mars Express Website
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