ESA Bulletin 137 (February 2009)
This issue of the Bulletin, ESA’s flagship magazine, is an 'SMOS' special, giving a closer look at different aspects of SMOS, ESA's 'water' mission due for launch later this year. Read online
The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission is the first dedicated to measuring both the moisture in soil and salt in the surface waters of the oceans. By mapping soil moisture and ocean salinity, it will further our understanding of Earth's water cycle. These data are key to advancing research into global and regional climate change, as well as weather and extreme-event forecasting.
Also in this issue, we look at Gaia, ESA's science mission with the goal of making the largest, most precise three-dimensional map of our galaxy by surveying over a thousand million stars.
There is a report on the flyby of asteroid Steins, by ESA's comet chaser spacecraft Rosetta, from a navigational and operational viewpoint.
We have an update on the Node-3 and Cupola modules, marking the completion of the development of ESA’s permanent pressurised elements for the International Space Station.
There are also articles on ESA's future launcher technologies, and research into a novel communications system, using strange phenomena only explained by quantum physics.
The Bulletin is published four times a year to inform the space-interested public of ESA’s activities. In addition to a wide range of articles, every issue provides an overview of the status of ESA's major space projects.
Contents
THE PROGRAMMATIC AND TECHNICAL CHALLENGES OF SMOS
A foreword
Volker Liebig
EXPLORING THE WATER CYCLE OF THE BLUE PLANET
The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission
Mark Drinkwater et al
STAR IN THE SKY
The SMOS payload: MIRAS
Manuel Martín-Neira et al
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
SMOS operations and products
Susanne Mecklenburg et al
LEAP AHEAD IN SPACE COMMUNICATIONS
Quantum technologies for space systems
Josep Perdigues-Armengol et al
A TOUCHSTONE FOR SUCCESS
Core technology activity for future launchers
Guy Ramusat
ESA’S ‘BILLION-PIXEL’ CAMERA
The challenges of the Gaia mission
Giuseppe Sarri et al
ESA’S ROOM WITH A VIEW
Node-3 and Cupola ready for launch
Philippe Deloo & Sara Pastor
THE FIRST EUROPEAN ASTEROID ‘FLYBY’
Rosetta operations for the flyby of asteroid 2867 Steins
Sylvain Lodiot et al