PRODEX

PRODEX is an optional Scientific Programme established to provide funding for the industrial development of scientific instruments or experiments proposed by institutes or universities, which have been selected by ESA for one of its programmes in the various fields of space research (science, microgravity, Earth observation, etc.).

The Agency provides both administrative and financial-management know-how and technical support. The projects being developed range from small ERS data-analysis programs, to fully-fledged instruments for scientific programmes.

The ESA Member States currently participating in PRODEX are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland, together with Hungary. On 13 June, the Czech Republic officially became the eighth PRODEX participant.

During 2000, the following experiments or experiment subsystems were finalised:

• Integral: Radiation Environment Monitor (REM) and contribution to the Optical Monitor Camera (OMC)
• Hipparcos: Contributions to exploitation on Double Stars, and study of Red Giants
• Rosetta: Phase-B of the Micro-Imaging Dust-Analysis System
• Envisat: Specific algorithm development for GOMOS
• Miscellaneous: Phase-B of the Airborne Prism Experiment, Phase-B of Biopack, and parabolic flights for Dynamics of Prehension.

There are also many design activities in progress, covering such items as the Command and Data Management System (CDMS) and the Simple Plasma Monitor (SPM) for the Rosetta Lander.

Source: ESA Annual Report 2000