CENAP Infoline - no 112

Magazine Overview

This issue of MORGEN, dated Monday, July 17, 2000, under the publication CENAP-INFOLINE and identified as NR.112, focuses on space exploration and technology. The main headlines announce the successful launch of satellites, including the German 'Champ' satellite and the European 'Cluster' mission, as well as the launch of the 'Swesda' module for the International Space Station (ISS). The issue also features an article on the Cassini mission to Saturn and a piece on faster-than-light experiments.

Raumfahrt frohlockt: Satelliten endlich im All

The lead article, "Raumfahrt frohlockt: Satelliten endlich im All" (Spaceflight rejoices: Satellites finally in space), details the recent launches of two significant space projects. The German 'Champ' satellite, the first East German space project from development to data evaluation, was successfully launched from the Plessezk launch site in northern Russia. This 65 million Mark project is designed to explore Earth's interior and magnetic field, and its data may improve short-term weather forecasts. The 'Champ' satellite orbits Earth every 93 minutes at an altitude of 460 kilometers, with a polar orbit covering almost the entire planet.

Following a delay due to technical problems, two European 'Cluster-II' satellites were also launched. This mission, considered particularly important by the European Space Agency (ESA), involves a total of four spacecraft that will provide insights into the solar wind. A previous launch attempt on Saturday was aborted seconds before liftoff due to a connection problem. In June 1996, two Cluster satellites were lost during the maiden flight of the Ariane 5 rocket. Two more identical Cluster satellites are scheduled for launch on August 9th. The quartet will orbit Earth for two years, studying the Sun and its influence on Earth's magnetosphere.

The 'Cluster' mission is described as searching for "leaky windows" in Earth's magnetic field, which allow radiatively charged particles from solar storms to enter, potentially causing damage to satellites and affecting human well-being. The article notes that a severe solar storm in 1989 rendered satellites blind and caused power outages in Canada and Sweden.

Das „Gehirn“ der Internationalen Raumstation hebt ab

Another major article, "Das „Gehirn“ der Internationalen Raumstation hebt ab" (The 'Brain' of the International Space Station takes off), reports on the launch of the Russian 'Swesda' module, the new living quarters and central onboard computer for the International Space Station (ISS). This launch, with a two-year delay due to financial problems in Russia, occurred on July 13, 2000, from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The approximately 20-ton module is designed to be the heart of the ISS.

'Swesda' also carries the first European component for the ISS: a central onboard computer developed by Astrium in Bremen for ESA. This 100 million Mark computer is considered the "brain" of the entire space station, which involves 16 participating nations. The construction of the ISS is set to continue in 2004 with the launch of the European research laboratory Columbus.

Juri Koptew, head of the Russian Space Agency, expressed ambitions for larger solar system exploration projects based on the ISS project. However, NASA's Daniel Golding cautioned that many problems still need to be addressed before further exploration, such as a Mars mission, can be considered. An ESA expert compared the construction of the ISS to the significance of the 1969 moon landing.

The 'Swesda' module is expected to dock with the ISS on July 26th. A Soyuz rocket is on standby in Baikonur to assist with docking if necessary. The first 'official' ISS crew, consisting of cosmonauts Sergej Krikaljow and Juri Gidsenko, and US astronaut William Shepherd, is scheduled to launch on October 30th. The 'Swesda' module has limited sleeping quarters, with one crew member needing to use a sleeping bag. Before this crew arrives, a fourth module is planned to expand the space station.

„Wir sorgen dafür, dass es dem Baby da oben gut geht“

This article, "„Wir sorgen dafür, dass es dem Baby da oben gut geht“" (We ensure that the baby up there is doing well), focuses on the Mannheim-based computer scientists involved in the Cassini mission to Saturn. Professor Dr. Franz Stetter and his colleague Stefan Helfert from the University of Mannheim, along with Ralf Srama from the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, are responsible for the software and data analysis of the Cassini spacecraft.

The Cassini spacecraft, launched in October 1997, is traveling at over 50,000 kilometers per hour towards Saturn. Stetter and Helfert manage the software running on two of the spacecraft's 44 computers. Srama analyzes data from the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA), which measures the speed, size, direction, electrical charge, and chemical composition of particles in space. Srama hopes this analysis might reveal clues about the origins of the solar system and potentially even signs of life.

The six-meter long, 5.6-ton probe is expected to reach Saturn and its 18 moons in about four years, and is planned to orbit them until at least 2008. After deploying the Huygens probe to study the moon Titan, the Cassini spacecraft will focus its dust analyzer on the smaller moon Enceladus, aiming to prove that it ejects ice particles forming an 'E-ring' around Saturn.

The Cassini spacecraft is equipped with various research instruments controlled by individual computers. The central control in Pasadena, California, acts as a supervisor. The Mannheim team has access to their data for eight hours twice a week, and can perform quick checks via the internet to monitor parameters like temperature and power consumption. The article quotes Helfert saying, "We ensure that the baby up there is doing well, around the clock."

Communication with Cassini currently takes about 15 minutes for a signal to travel the 450 million kilometers to Earth. Upon reaching Saturn, this will increase to about one and a half hours. Early data transfer rates were slow, but the Mannheim team developed software to maximize usable data transmission. Currently, the dust detector registers about one particle per week, but this is expected to increase dramatically near Saturn, with over 1000 impacts per day anticipated.

Schneller als das Licht

A short piece titled "Schneller als das Licht" (Faster than light) describes a US research experiment involving a special material and cold cesium atoms to send light pulses through a chamber, potentially achieving speeds faster than light in a vacuum. This technology is presented as a trick developed by US researchers to send light pulses significantly faster than with known light speed in a vacuum of 300,000 kilometers per second.

Ab heute suchen sie die undichten Fenster der Erde

This article, "Ab heute suchen sie die undichten Fenster der Erde" (From today, they are searching for Earth's leaky windows), reiterates the purpose of the 'Cluster' mission. It explains that the mission's four satellites will search for "leaky windows" in Earth's magnetic field, which are responsible for allowing harmful solar wind particles to enter. The article mentions the devastating solar storm of 1989 as an example of the dangers posed by these particles, which can blind satellites, cause power outages, and potentially lead to human depression or aggression.

The 'Cluster' mission, launched from Baikonur, will deploy two satellites initially, with two more to follow a month later. The quartet will orbit Earth for 27 months at altitudes up to 119,000 km, at a cost of 616 million Marks. The article also recalls the failure of the Ariane 5 rocket in 1996, which carried four satellites.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue of MORGEN are the advancements and challenges in space exploration, with a particular focus on satellite technology and international cooperation. The editorial stance appears to be one of reporting on scientific progress and the ambitious goals of space agencies, while also acknowledging the technical hurdles and financial complexities involved. There is a clear emphasis on German and European contributions to space missions, highlighting the work of German scientists and companies. The publication also touches upon the potential dangers of space phenomena, such as solar storms, and the ongoing quest for knowledge about the universe, including the possibility of life beyond Earth.