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Aviation History
1965
1965 - 0091.PDF
=i;6HT International. 14 January 1965 57 Europe's Comsat Plans EUROPE has embarked on a firm programme of componentand satellite development in order to contribute effectivelyto the proposed global communication satellite system. To gain experience and compete realistically with United States companies in the provision of hardware for the global system, orbital tests using European Launcher Development Organization vehicles are envisaged. European plans were crystallized during the latter half of 1964 under the aegis of the European Conference on Satellite Communi- cations, culminating in a meeting of the full Conference in Bonn during October 27-29. Earlier deliberations included meetings of the space technology committee of the Conference in London in September, October and November of 1963 and in January, April, July and October 1964. In the first four meetings of the space technology committee, the main objective was to gain a clear insight into the technical plans of the US Communications Satellite Corporation. Joint meetings were held with the Americans and with the artificial- satellite working-group of the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations, and a fact-finding mission visited Washington. Interim negotiations with the USA and other countries were then continued on the basis of European acceptance of the technical programme proposed by the US Comsat Corporation, since the space technology committee endorsed the experimental geostationary proposal and plans for choosing the characteristics of the next succeeding phase of this programme. The fifth, sixth and seventh meetings of the committee were mainly devoted to formulating a possible European development programme, so that Europe would be able to take advantage of the right to supply approximately one-third of the global requirement in equipment and services, should she wish to do so. A development plan was drawn up (see diagram); this, the committee believed, indicated the only path by which Europe could hope to be in a position to supply adequately developed equipment for use in the global system from 1970 onwards. In attempting to plan a co-ordinated European comsat develop- ment programme, the planned activity of the interim committee (for the global comsat system) and of ELDO clearly formed a starting point. At the July meeting in London a broad, three-phase programme was agreed:— (1) System studies and laboratory work on components, tech- niques and sub-assemblies should extend over the period 1965-67. This work, at least for the first two years, could be done by individual countries at their own cost.- (2) A joint programme should begin not later than the end of 1966 under which selected sub-assemblies could be fully developed to the point of trial firings in 1967 and 1968. These flights would not need to be made at full comsat orbital heights, and the use of Europa 1 (carrying heavy test capsules in relatively low orbits), and cheaper, smaller launchers such as Diamant, would be of interest. The use of European Space Research Organization ground stations for receiving information from these orbital payloads could well be valuable. (3) The global system for operation beyond 1970 would need to be agreed during 1967 or, at the latest, early in 1968. When this system and possible sub-systems were defined, European work (by that time jointly financed) could be concentrated on the operational versions. High-orbit tests should be undertaken in 1969 and prototypes should be placed in their correct comsat orbit in 1970. The proposed ELDO B launcher would meet this requirement in both performance and time-scale. Because the period needed to specify, develop and test a satellite for flight is about two years, 1970 flights must be specified by the end of 1967. This was seen as an added reason for ensuring that the joint European programme came into force not later than early 1967. At the October meeting of the space technology committee the programmes subcommittee reported that, while the development of space technology and programmes (particularly those of the USA) should be kept under review, European programmes should follow an independent line. These should aim to give Europe an all-round general capability in satellite technology. Exploratory studies should enabla Europs to define particular areas where European industry would be really competitive with US industry. Overall aims of the programmes would be to facilitate European contributions to the global system; and to enable Europs to set up a subsystem of the global system if necessary. (A third suggested Development plan for European communication satellite co-operative programme, as proposed by Britain and accepted by the European Conference on Satellite Communications 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 I97O ORGANISATION PREPARATION O'F CONVENTION RATIFICATION &"• NATIONALLY FUNDED R &. t> _L J JOINT EUROPEAN-FUNDED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME I I DEFINITION OF SURVEY OF SYSTEM SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS PACKAGE I GLOBAL SYSTEM -, /OR SUB-SYSTEM J ^gf-~ ' - tY . TESTS (COMP) TESTS(SUB"ASS) PROBABLE ELDO CAPABILITY VEHICLE OPERATIONAL LAUNCH SITE ELDO INITIAL PROGRAMME FIRST OPERATIONAL OPERATIONAL SYSTEM LOW-Oflft.IT1-: ^LOW-ORBIT TESTS LOW-OftBIT , TESTS (:APOC.fi STUDY CONSTRUCTION HlCHrppBlT1 i TESTS (st?6-ASS COMPLETE •' SATELLITES •:/HORB TESTS HICH-ORBtT , TESTS INSTALLATIONAND PROVING OPERATIONAL, ORBITS • OPERATIONAL CAPABILITY
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