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Aviation History
1961
1961 - 0266.PDF
270 FLIGHT, 3 March 1961 Missiles and Spaceflight . . . ANGLO-FRENCH INDUSTRY STUDIES JOINT SPACE PLAN THE second expression of interest in space activities byBritish industry in recent weeks, and the first to involvecompanies abroad, was the announcement on February 28of joint studies which have been carried out by the Hawker tSiddeley Group and the French company SEREB (Societe pour'l'Etude et la Realisation d'Engins Ballistiques). Three projects have been put forward for government consideration; (1) civilcommunications satellites, (2) civil navigation satellites, and (3) military anti-satellite missiles. It was stated by Sir Roy Dobsonthat the studies had already been submitted to the British and French Governments. The designs, he said, were not allied to anyparticular rocket combination. The results of the joint studies are contained in a 225-pagebrochure entitled Industry and Space. A Franco-British Study of European Potential. Considered in turn in this report are theorigin of and recent developments in astronautics; economic and financial aspects; technical aspects; advanced studies for a spaceprogramme; and technical and industrial co-operation on space matters. Main points from a number of these sections are givenon this page; it is hoped to describe the technical aspects of the individual satellite designs in future issues. After considering the respective defence expenditures (inrelation to gross national product) of the United States, Britain, France and the other European countries; and European grossnational products as proportions of that of the USA, the authors of the report suggest that an Anglo-French programme couldamount to $400-500m over a four-year period, and an OEEC programme could reach $800-1,100m. For an $80Om programme, it is suggested, the total could bedivided into $300m for research, equipment, data acquisition and handling; $300m for technological developments includingvehicles; and $200m for specific space applications. Assigning individual national costs on the basis of national income, theannual costs for Britain and France would be; (1) On the basis of an Anglo-French four-year programme of $400m: Britain 59m,France 41m. (2) On the basis of co-operation between Britain, France, Ger-many, Italy and Benelux in a four-year, $800m programme: Britain 60m, France 44m. (3) On the basis of co-operation between all European countriesin a four-year, $800m programme: Britain 50m, France 36m. Two separate proposals for an active communications satelliteare presented in the report, one British and the other French. The British one is based on a station-keeping, attitude-stabilized satel- The larger of two communications satellites described by Hawker Siddeley and SEREB as suitable for a European space programme, the proposal illustrated here is the work of the former organization 1 solar-cell erecting mechanism, 2 solar-cell panels, 3 radio equipment, 4 infra-red sensors, 5 aerials, 6 final-stage attachment points, 7 attitude stabilization propellant tank, 8 batteries, 9 attitude stabilization nozzles, 10 thermal control shutters lite whose transmitter incorporates a travelling wave tube operat-ing on a frequency of approximately 2,000Mc/s—implying high power requirements but a less-severe problem of frequency alloca-tion. The French proposal is designed around a transmitter using a triode valve or transistors and operating around 500Mc/s. Thissatellite would have no mechanical stabilization, but could incor- porate "electronic stabilization" by antenna selection. This wouldbe a smaller, lighter satellite, but might be required in greater numbers. In addition to the communications and navigation satellites andthe anti-satellite missile described in the report, it is suggested that the launching of a large number of small (100-2001b) scientificsatellites would be most useful, particularly in gaining experience and obtaining reliability. It is considered in the report that a European programme wouldessentially involve three main phases. First, a formulation by government authorities of joint specifications. Secondly, the pre-paration of design studies by industry. Thirdly, research, develop- ment and production of a space system. Work would be appor-tioned on the basis of participating countries' financial contribu- tions, with particular countries participating only in the particularprojects in which they were interested. The French SEREB company was set up by the French Govern-ment in 1959 to act as systems managers for the development of ballistic weapons. Shares in the company are held by Nord-Aviation, Sud-Aviation, SNECMA, Office National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aeronautiques. Generate Aeronautique MarcelDassault, MATRA and SEPR. VENUS PROBE: FIRST PICTURE "IMPROVED accuracy and a more-precise date of arrival for the*- Soviet space probe now heading towards Venus were announced by the Tass news agency on February 26. The distance of theprobe's nearest approach to the planet was estimated at "less than 100,000km" (62,000 miles), and it was stated that this positionwould be reached on May 19 or 20. On the same day, 14 days after the launch of the probe, the firstpictures of it were released for publication. The shape of the space- craft is cylindrical, and the size (excluding antenna; and solar-cellpanels) is 2.03 metres (6ft 8in) in length and 1.05 metre* (3ft 6in) diameter. The news agency described the special controland tracking centre as an "automatic measuring radio technical complex" which had been created "to guide the automatic spaceship, define its orbit and keep up two-way communication over hundreds of millions of kilometres." According to an article in Pravda on February 26, data concern-ing the orbit of the satellite from which the probe was launched was obtained by a number of ground stations and also by ships atsea. The probe was said to carry four antenna;; one for short-range communication, two for medium-range work, and a parabolicframework designed to provide communications for the final approach to Venus. Spectacular achievements, delayed announcement of details, and poo'- quality photographs have come to be regarded as the Soviet trad-ton in space affairs. The third of these characteristics is illustrated hs'e in the first picture of the Venus probe, stand-mounted prior to launch
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