- Email: [email protected]
Entry into force of the ESA Convention
2. NEWS FROM INTERNATIONAL 2.1. BRIGHT SUPERNOVA
INSTITUTIONS
DISCOVERED
AND ORGANIZATIONS
IN EXTERNAL GALAXY”’
The flaring up of a bright supernova is an exciting astronomical event in which a single star ends its life in an explosion as bright as a whole galaxy of one billion stars. On 28 October 1980 Professor P. Wild of the Astronomical Institute, University of Berne, discovered a new one in the spiral galaxy NGC 6946, and immediately alerted the astronomical community. The first spectrum of this object was acquired in the ultraviolet by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) at the ESA Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station on 30 October within three hours of notification of the event, and before optical astronomers had taken spectra from the ground. IUE is a joint satellite observatory of the European Space Agency (ESA), the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the British Science Research Council (SRC). Supernovae of comparable apparent magnitude are rare events indeed, only two per decade occurring on the average. IUE observers have been fortunate to witness this outburst -and all the more so since this is already the second to be observed since its launch in January 1978. Early spectra captured at the ESA Tracking Station near Madrid reveal a supernova nearly at maximum and fading slowly, with a strong continuum representing a temperature of perhaps 20000 degrees. NGC 6946 is a relatively nearby galaxy seen nearly face-on and has proved a prolific source of supernovae; five in the past 63 years. In the next few months, before the supernova fades too far, it will be the target of concerted observational efforts spanning the electromagnetic spectrum.
2.2. ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE ESA CONVENTIONi2’
On 30 October 1980 France deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention for the Establishment of a European Space Agency, thus completing the legal formalities required for the Convention’s entry into force. Although the countries which had signed it on 30 May 1975 had agreed to apply its provisions immediately-which has enabled ESA to operate “de facto” for more than five years -the political importance of the formal entry into force of the Convention should not be underestimated. The eleven Member States’” now have the means of taking advantage of all the possibilities offered by the ESA Convention, whose purpose is to give Europe’s space effort a truly European dimension. The formal entry into force of the Convention also has consequences for two countries which are already participating in the Agency’s activities:
51
Ireland, which signed the Convention on 31 December 1975 and concluded with the Agency an ad hoc agreement for the transitional period, will acquire the legal status of a Member State of the Agency by depositing its own instrument of ratification, and this it will do very shortly; Austria, which has been linked to the Agency by various agreements on its participation in certain programmes, becomes officially an “Associate Member” of the Agency, as defined in the Convention. Canada and Norway, which also take part in certain of the Agency’s programmes, retain their present observer status.
2.3. CONTRACT
FOR LEASE OF MARECS SATELLITES”’
At its last meeting held from 12 to 19 November 1980 in London, the Council of the International Maritime Satellite Organisation, INMARSAT, awarded the European Space Agency a contract for the lease of two MARECS satellites (MARECS A and B). It should be recalled that the complete INMARSAT system will cover the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and will combine the MARECS satellites, Intelsat V satellites, equipped with maritime communications payloads, and one of the already orbiting MARISAT satellites. MARECS will provide a high-quality reliable real-time operational maritime communications service. It will be the first time that a European-built satellite has made such a contribution to communications which would enable ships on the high seas to dial shore-based subscribers directly and to establish telephone and telex links with them. The system will enable ship-to-shore search and rescue messages to be relayed quickly, and will also be invaluable for transmitting messages of a more routine nature. All satellites operate in the 4 and 6 GHz bands and in the 1S/l.6 GHz frequency band. This contract, which will become effective early in 1982 will run initially for a period of five years at an annual cost of approximately US$l3 millions per year (firm fvted price). The two satellites, which will be part of the INMARSAT global maritime satellite communications system, will be located over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. INMARSAT is responsible for defining, procuring and managing the operational maritime communications systems. 24.
SPACELAB CREW UNDERGOING AND MARSEILLE’w
TRAINING
AT TOULOUSE
The American and European Mission and payload specialists who will provide the crew of the European space laboratory, Spacelab, designed and developed by f4)ESA News Release No. 28 of 20 November 1980. c5)ESA News Release No. 30 of 3 December 1980.
52
INSTITUTIONS
DISCOVERED
AND ORGANIZATIONS
IN EXTERNAL GALAXY”’
The flaring up of a bright supernova is an exciting astronomical event in which a single star ends its life in an explosion as bright as a whole galaxy of one billion stars. On 28 October 1980 Professor P. Wild of the Astronomical Institute, University of Berne, discovered a new one in the spiral galaxy NGC 6946, and immediately alerted the astronomical community. The first spectrum of this object was acquired in the ultraviolet by the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) at the ESA Villafranca Satellite Tracking Station on 30 October within three hours of notification of the event, and before optical astronomers had taken spectra from the ground. IUE is a joint satellite observatory of the European Space Agency (ESA), the American National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the British Science Research Council (SRC). Supernovae of comparable apparent magnitude are rare events indeed, only two per decade occurring on the average. IUE observers have been fortunate to witness this outburst -and all the more so since this is already the second to be observed since its launch in January 1978. Early spectra captured at the ESA Tracking Station near Madrid reveal a supernova nearly at maximum and fading slowly, with a strong continuum representing a temperature of perhaps 20000 degrees. NGC 6946 is a relatively nearby galaxy seen nearly face-on and has proved a prolific source of supernovae; five in the past 63 years. In the next few months, before the supernova fades too far, it will be the target of concerted observational efforts spanning the electromagnetic spectrum.
2.2. ENTRY INTO FORCE OF THE ESA CONVENTIONi2’
On 30 October 1980 France deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention for the Establishment of a European Space Agency, thus completing the legal formalities required for the Convention’s entry into force. Although the countries which had signed it on 30 May 1975 had agreed to apply its provisions immediately-which has enabled ESA to operate “de facto” for more than five years -the political importance of the formal entry into force of the Convention should not be underestimated. The eleven Member States’” now have the means of taking advantage of all the possibilities offered by the ESA Convention, whose purpose is to give Europe’s space effort a truly European dimension. The formal entry into force of the Convention also has consequences for two countries which are already participating in the Agency’s activities:
51
Ireland, which signed the Convention on 31 December 1975 and concluded with the Agency an ad hoc agreement for the transitional period, will acquire the legal status of a Member State of the Agency by depositing its own instrument of ratification, and this it will do very shortly; Austria, which has been linked to the Agency by various agreements on its participation in certain programmes, becomes officially an “Associate Member” of the Agency, as defined in the Convention. Canada and Norway, which also take part in certain of the Agency’s programmes, retain their present observer status.
2.3. CONTRACT
FOR LEASE OF MARECS SATELLITES”’
At its last meeting held from 12 to 19 November 1980 in London, the Council of the International Maritime Satellite Organisation, INMARSAT, awarded the European Space Agency a contract for the lease of two MARECS satellites (MARECS A and B). It should be recalled that the complete INMARSAT system will cover the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans and will combine the MARECS satellites, Intelsat V satellites, equipped with maritime communications payloads, and one of the already orbiting MARISAT satellites. MARECS will provide a high-quality reliable real-time operational maritime communications service. It will be the first time that a European-built satellite has made such a contribution to communications which would enable ships on the high seas to dial shore-based subscribers directly and to establish telephone and telex links with them. The system will enable ship-to-shore search and rescue messages to be relayed quickly, and will also be invaluable for transmitting messages of a more routine nature. All satellites operate in the 4 and 6 GHz bands and in the 1S/l.6 GHz frequency band. This contract, which will become effective early in 1982 will run initially for a period of five years at an annual cost of approximately US$l3 millions per year (firm fvted price). The two satellites, which will be part of the INMARSAT global maritime satellite communications system, will be located over the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. INMARSAT is responsible for defining, procuring and managing the operational maritime communications systems. 24.
SPACELAB CREW UNDERGOING AND MARSEILLE’w
TRAINING
AT TOULOUSE
The American and European Mission and payload specialists who will provide the crew of the European space laboratory, Spacelab, designed and developed by f4)ESA News Release No. 28 of 20 November 1980. c5)ESA News Release No. 30 of 3 December 1980.
52