CENAP Infoline - no 174

Magazine Overview

Title: CENAP-INFOLINE
Issue: NR.174
Date: 30. April 2003

This issue of CENAP-INFOLINE, an informational supplement to the CENAP-Report, focuses on current developments in space exploration and related scientific and technological advancements. It provides updates on international UFO scene information and is planned for a three-weekly release schedule.

Mars Express and Beagle 2 Mission

The lead story details the impending launch of the European Space Agency's (ESA) "Mars Express" mission, scheduled for June 6, 2003, from Baikonur Cosmodrome. The mission's primary objective is the search for water and life on the Red Planet. Project leader Rudi Schmidt of ESA highlights the preparations and the dual approach: investigating Mars from orbit with high-tech instruments and deploying a 65-kilogram robot named "Beagle 2" onto the surface. The "Beagle 2" is equipped with a special drill to collect soil samples up to one meter deep and will transmit data to Earth using a unique signal composed by the British band Blur, inspired by the theme music of "Dr. Who." The article also mentions the involvement of Ferrari in commercializing space travel, with their signature red color potentially being sent to Mars. The German contribution to the 320-million-Euro project is about ten percent. Schmidt expresses hope that "Beagle 2" can withstand the extreme Martian temperatures (ranging from minus 20 to minus 100 degrees Celsius) and the challenges posed by dust storms that can affect solar panel efficiency. The "Mars Express" is expected to operate in orbit for at least two Earth years, utilizing a special radar to detect potential water ice deposits up to four kilometers deep and a spectrometer to identify minerals indicative of water. A camera built in Berlin is anticipated to provide "fantastic, colorful stereo images" to create a map of Mars.

The article also notes the increasing traffic in Mars orbit, with the European "Mars Express" joining the American Mars Odyssey and a Japanese probe. NASA is also sending two additional robots to the surface. Scientists are keen to understand if Mars once held vast amounts of water, if life ever existed there, and why Mars's atmosphere differs from those of Venus and Earth.

New Mars Images Available Online

Space enthusiasts can access over 11,000 new images from the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) online at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mgs. These images showcase various Martian features, including sandstorms, canyons, landslides, water ice clouds, and frost, bringing the total number of MGS images available online to over 123,800.

Venus Express Mission

Astrium has been commissioned by ESA to build the Venus Express space probe, valued at 82.4 million Euros. The probe is slated for launch in November 2005 aboard a Soyuz rocket from Baikonur. After a five-month journey, the mission will spend approximately two Venusian years (about 500 Earth days) studying the planet. The research aims to provide insights into the prevailing conditions in Venus's atmosphere and its environment, hoping to yield important findings for understanding long-term climate changes on Earth. The probe will orbit Venus in a highly elliptical path from 250 to 66,000 kilometers, analyzing its dense atmosphere for structure, composition, and dynamics. The spacecraft will carry seven scientific instruments, including spectrometers, a plasma analyzer, and imagers covering ultraviolet to infrared light. The mission's relatively low cost is attributed to the reuse of designs and components from the Mars Express and Rosetta missions. Astrium France is the main contractor, with Astrium UK handling mechanical and propulsion systems, and Astrium Germany providing solar panels and the mass memory unit. The mass memory unit, an advancement from the Mars mission, will have a capacity of 1.5 Gigabytes, capable of storing approximately 750,000 pages of text. The system is designed with redundancy for safety.

Columbia Shuttle Disaster Investigation

Investigators believe they have identified the cause of the "Columbia" space shuttle disaster: a piece of insulation foam from a fuel tank struck a seal on the left wing during launch. This impact allegedly caused a gap that allowed hot gas to enter the shuttle during re-entry, leading to its disintegration. Admiral a.D. Harold Gehman, chairman of the investigation committee, stated that the findings would be presented to NASA leadership soon, with the final report expected by mid-summer. Radar recordings indicated that a piece of the seal detached on the second day of the flight. While it's too early to definitively state the exact sequence of events, the evidence strongly points towards this scenario. Similar damage to insulation foam has been found on other tanks during investigations.

Satellite to Crash in Amazon

Between May 1 and May 4, 2003, the BeppoSAX satellite, deactivated last year, is predicted to fall into the Amazon rainforest, according to a warning from the Brazilian space agency.

ISS Crew Change

For the first time since the "Columbia" disaster, a Russian-American astronaut duo successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS). Commander Juri Malentschenko (Russia) and Flight Engineer Edward Lu (USA) were welcomed by the three-person ISS crew. Due to the grounding of NASA's shuttle fleet, only Russian Soyuz rockets have been able to fly to the ISS since the Columbia accident on February 1. The new crew will spend nearly a week on the station. They brought essential supplies and research instruments, but were prevented from bringing a traditional Russian Easter cake, "Kulitsch," due to flight regulations. The current ISS crew, consisting of two Americans and one Russian, will conclude their mission and return to Earth on a Soyuz capsule, marking a new chapter in spaceflight cooperation between the USA and Russia. The article notes that both nations are facing challenges in securing reliable transportation to the ISS, with Soyuz rockets being the sole connection.

New Crew Preparing for ISS Launch

Approximately three months after the "Columbia" disaster, a new crew is preparing for a launch to the ISS from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, scheduled for Saturday, May 5.54 AM.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The issue consistently highlights the advancements and challenges in space exploration, particularly focusing on missions to Mars and Venus. There's a strong emphasis on international cooperation, especially between Russia and the USA in the context of the ISS. The magazine also reports on significant events like the Columbia disaster and its implications, as well as the technical aspects of space missions. The editorial stance appears to be one of informing the public about the latest developments in space science and technology, while also acknowledging the risks and complexities involved.