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Aviation History
1967
1967 - 1445.PDF
EHT International, 20 July 1967 117 Icis/ons, decisions .... The second meeting of \ European Space Conference gets under way. 'commendations for unifying the three major iropean Space organisations (ELDO, ESRO and ITS) into a central body received much attention tnmitn mmu FPBPF* Spaceflight UROPE MEETS IN ROME ppresentatives of eighteen countries of the European Space tmference met last week in Rome to discuss at ministerial level | co-ordinated European space policy to cover satellite com- iinications, space research and other non-military projects, ^ to examine how the three major European space organisa- ons, ELDO, ESRO and CETS, might be unified into a single bdy, as proposed by Belgium. (Presiding over this second meeting of the conference—which •eluded seventeen non-Communist European countries and |ustralia—was the Italian Minister for scientific research, Sig eopoldo Rubinacci. In his opening speech he said that no ngle European country could overcome the financial and chnical problems of space research. He went on: "Overcom- ig, even partially, the gap which divides us from the United pates and the Soviet Union in this sector requires the sacri- eing of individual short-term interests and ambitions for the of a common committment for a common result." On this anti-unilateral note, the conference got down to usiness. Representing Britain was Mr John Stonehouse, Minister of jtate for Technology, accompanied by Mr Goronwy Roberts, linister of State for Education and Science. The conference emphasised that it was '"necessary and urgent have a conducted space policy, incorporating space activities If every nation, both in the fbld of scientific research and in flat of applications." To ensure the continuity and effectiveness if such co-ordination, and recognising that a merger If the three existing European space organisations was not yet |ossible, the conference adopted a resolution to set up a con- ultative committee of scientists and economists (the latter being [nggested by Mr Stonehouse). The task of the committee. Vhose chairman is M J. P. Causse of France, is "to make proposals for the establishment of a European space policy ncluding, in particular, projects concerning scientific and tech- nical research and practical applications, as well as the con- struction of launchers indispensable for these projects." The committee will deliver its first report, a definition of he medium and long-term aims of a European space policy, the next meeting of the conference, which will be held later his year in Bonn. Among items discussed was a European telecommunications atellite programme and preparation for negotiating a world Agreement on communication satellites. I Mr Stonehouse is reported to have laid down four condi- tions before Britain can approve the programme for a European telecommunications and television system. These were, that Europe must ensure that it had the financial and technical resources to sustain such a programme; that there must be the possibility of an economic pay-off from any such programme; that such programmes must meet the needs of the ultimate con- sumer; and that they must provide export opportunities for European industries to the rest of the World. In contrast to this cautious approach, the West German Minister for Scientific Research, Herr Gerhard Stoltenberg, called for quick decisions on a European television satellite programme. It appears that Britain was able to secure the £10 million which was included in the ESRO budget for its first three years, but which remained unspent; the original assumption, which was that the member-governments would allow this to carry over, was not realised, and the money was frozen last year. , ,,.. _; - . • _ u , , ... , ... ,. _; . . . ... EARLY WARNING FROM PIONEERS Data transmitted from Pioneers 6 and 7 are providing the first regular source of information to the Solar Disturbance Forecast Centre of ESSA (Environmental Science Service Administration) at Boulder. Colorado, on the condition of the face of the Sun not visible on Earth. The Sun rotates about its axis once in 27 days, so that the hidden hemisphere comes into view from Earth every 13.5 days. Observation of the hidden face can therefore provide warning of new or expanding storm areas, which produce a large increase in the level of solar cosmic radiation, as much as 13.5 days in advance of Earth-based detectors. An addition to the scientific benefits resulting from being able to maintain a continuous study of the Sun, the increased warning time will be of use in planning manned flights to the Moon, when the radiation from solar storms will constitute an additional hazard. The two Pioneers observe solar phenomena by measuring the intensity of radiation from the Sun. Although less infor- mation on the location of active storm areas is obtained than from photographs, these measurements provide much more data on the physical characteristics of the storms themselves. Each Pioneer carries two solar cosmic ray experiments, two solar wind experiments, and a magnetometer. These en- able the surface of the Sun to be monitored up to 90° from the position of the spacecraft at any given time, although the longitude of storm areas can be calculated only 45" from the craft. Visual plots of disturbed areas on the visible face cor- related with Pioneer measurements of the same areas allow the prediction of conditions on the hidden side with a reasonable degree of accuracy.
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