CENAP Infoline - no 104

Magazine Overview

This issue of CENAP-INFOLINE, titled 'Science & Technology', dated February 22, 2000, with issue number 104, focuses on a diverse range of scientific and technological advancements and events. The cover prominently features an article about the total lunar eclipse of January 22, 2000, and a piece on Soviet-era space weaponry.

Lunar Eclipse: The Earth Casts a Shadow

The lead article, 'Die Erde stellte den Mond in den Schatten' (The Earth put the Moon in the shadows), details the total lunar eclipse that occurred on January 22, 2000. While most of Germany was clouded out, the event was visible in the north and Saarland. Astrophysicist Stefan Jordan from the University of Kiel described the darkness as comparable to a moonless night. The phenomenon, termed a 'Mofi' by fans, happens when the Earth aligns perfectly between the Sun and the Moon.

Soviet 'Star War' Preparations

An article titled 'Sternen-Krieg auf Russisch' (Star War in Russian) reveals that the Soviet Union was actively preparing for a 'Star War' in space during the 1970s. They equipped the 'Saljut-3' space station, launched in 1974, with a 23mm cannon. This weapon could be fired by cosmonauts or remotely from Earth, intended to destroy enemy satellites or spacecraft in close proximity.

Mars Polar Lander: A Glimmer of Hope

Under the headline 'Wieder Hoffnung: Polar Lander piepst' (Hope Again: Polar Lander Beeps), the magazine reports on the US space agency NASA's renewed hope of re-establishing contact with the lost Mars Polar Lander. A faint signal, possibly from the probe, was detected, prompting NASA to send a command for it to re-establish contact. However, project leader Richard Cook cautioned against excessive optimism, noting the signal's origin was uncertain. The probe had been officially declared lost on January 17, 2000, after disappearing during its landing approach. This marked the second loss of a Mars probe within three months, following the Mars Climate Orbiter in September due to a calculation error.

Falling Ice Blocks Mystify

A brief report, 'Wieder fielen Eisblöcke vom Himmel' (Ice Blocks Fell From the Sky Again), describes a phenomenon where large ice blocks, some weighing up to a kilogram, were falling from the sky in Italy, following a similar event in Spain. Not all instances could be explained as frozen waste from passenger jets.

HA Schult's Sculpture Travels to Space

'HA-Schult-Figur ins All' (HA Schult Figure into Space) announces that a sculpture by performance artist HA Schult, a 18 cm replica of a human made from trash, was to be launched into space aboard a Space Shuttle. The artist intended this as a statement about humanity's impact on Earth. The primary goal of the NASA mission was to create a three-dimensional map of the Earth.

German Astronaut Gerhard Thiele's Space Mission

Several articles focus on German physicist and astronaut Gerhard Thiele. 'Deutscher Astronaut vermisst die Erde' (German Astronaut Misses Earth) and 'Gerhard Thiele muss weiter vom All träumen' (Gerhard Thiele Must Continue Dreaming of Space) detail his upcoming mission aboard the US space shuttle Endeavour. The mission's objective is to create a highly precise, 3D digital map of Earth using the German-Italian X-SAR radar system and the American SIR-C radar. The Endeavour's launch, initially scheduled for January 2000, was repeatedly postponed due to technical issues, including a faulty turbo-pump on a sister shuttle and problems with a safety computer on the Endeavour itself, as well as unfavorable weather. The launch was eventually rescheduled for February 9th, then February 11th, due to a packed launch schedule.

Thiele, who studied physics in Munich and Heidelberg and worked at Princeton University, was to be responsible for operating the radar and data acquisition. This mission marked the first time a German astronaut had flown in space since February 1997. The detailed map generated by the mission is intended to aid meteorologists, climatologists, geologists, hydrologists, and others in understanding environmental issues and natural phenomena.

'Nomad' Robot Seeks Extraterrestrial Life in Antarctica

'Nomad - dieser Roboter sucht am Südpol nach außerirdischem Leben' (Nomad - This Robot Searches for Extraterrestrial Life at the South Pole) introduces a four-wheeled robot developed by engineers at Carnegie-Mellon University. The 800 kg robot, powered by a gasoline engine, is designed to search for meteorites in the Antarctic ice. Scientists believe that organic material from Mars may have been found in Antarctic meteorites, and 'Nomad' is equipped with sensors to analyze the size, shape, color, and composition of stones, potentially identifying extraterrestrial material. William L. Whittaker, the expedition leader, expressed hope that 'Nomad' would be the first machine with intelligent behavior.

Physicists Recreate 'Primordial Soup'

'Physiker kochen „Ur-Suppe“ neu' (Physicists Cook 'Primordial Soup' Anew) reports on an international team of physicists at CERN in Geneva who have recreated the state of matter that existed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang. By accelerating lead ions to temperatures over 100,000 times hotter than the sun's core, they produced a state where quarks and gluons, the fundamental particles and their binding force, moved freely. This 'primordial soup' represents the state of the universe from about ten microseconds to three minutes after the Big Bang, a state previously difficult to achieve experimentally.

Spacecraft Docking and Mini-Satellites

'Platz für Raumfrachter' (Space for Cargo Ship) notes the undocking of an old Progress cargo spacecraft from the Russian space station Mir and its controlled descent into the Pacific Ocean to make way for a new Progress M1-1 freighter. Another article, '200 Gramm - NASA schoss Mini-Satelliten ins All' (200 Grams - NASA Launched Mini-Satellites into Space), highlights NASA's launch of the world's smallest satellites, each weighing about 200 grams and fitting in a handbag. These satellites are being tested to see if their small size has any detrimental effects in space.

UFOs Over London's Millennium Dome

'Immer mehr UFOs: Zieht Londons Millennium Dome Außerirdische an?' (More and More UFOs: Is London's Millennium Dome Attracting Aliens?) speculates on a surge in UFO sightings over London since the opening of the Millennium Dome. The article mentions nine reported sightings in one week, including descriptions of a 'glowing ball' and a hovering aircraft. It suggests that the dome, being a prominent man-made structure visible from space, might be mistaken by extraterrestrials for a giant mothership.

Failed Rocket Launch

'210 Millionen verglühten im Weltall' (210 Million [currency units] Burned Up in Space) reports on a failed launch of a Japanese rocket that deviated from its course 55 seconds after liftoff, causing the mission's hope to vanish. The rocket was intended to place a newly developed Astro-E satellite into orbit for energy research in space.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently covers space exploration, from lunar eclipses and planetary missions to the development of space technology and the challenges of astronaut training. There is a clear interest in unexplained phenomena, such as UFO sightings and the potential for extraterrestrial life, as evidenced by the articles on Soviet space weaponry and the 'Nomad' robot. The publication also highlights international scientific collaboration, particularly between the US, Germany, and Russia, in fields like astronomy, physics, and Earth observation. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on scientific advancements, space missions, and intriguing phenomena with a degree of curiosity and factual reporting, while also acknowledging the speculative nature of some topics like UFOs.