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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 12/97 ESA HAS ONLY SMALL ROLE IN SPACE STATION by Wolfdietrich Hoeveler The European Space Agency ESA will invest ECU2,651 billion (approximately five billion Marks) into the International Space Station. However, there is no provision for the operation and usage of station in this budget. Beginning in 2003, at which point the American habitation module is operational, experts expect annual costs for Europe in the amount of ECU238 million. Meanwhile, the main contract for the Columbus space laboratory (COF) has been signed with Dasa as the main contractor. The contract for the Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV), which is an intelligent upper stage of Ariane 5 for the transport of material to the space station, will supposedly follow next year. Aérospatiale will be the main contractor for the ATV. With ECU360 million, the costs for the ATV development are reportedly half of the investments necessary for the space laboratory. Further contracts are on the table, covering the studies for a crew transport vehicle (CTV), the development of the European Robotic Arm (developed under the lead of Fokker Space), the data management system of the Russian service module, and for several individual elements and laboratory equipment. All together, Europe is contributing payloads to 22 assembly flights. Only with the beginning of the operational phase can ESA, by using Ariane 5 and the ATV, start a contribution in kind to cover its part of the operational costs. This will be approximately DM200 million for each launch of an Ariane. Since Ariane 5 can be produced for the same manufacturing costs as a Ariane 4, while carrying twice the payload of Ariane 4, the new launch rocket pays of "double" on the flights to the space station. A kilogram payload is transported and accounted for approximately 60 percent of the costs of an Ariane 4 launch. Based on this calculation, one launch per year would pay for the European share of the ISS operational costs. Europe's five-percent owner-share of the space station has a direct effect on the composition of the crew. With the start of the routine utilization phase of the COF in 2002 begins the so called owner-share status. A seven-person crew is earmarked as the permanent crew (84 man-months per year). Based on this availability, ESA will be able to have an astronaut on board the station for four months per year. Until then, ESA must trade slots with the USA or Russia. One possibility could be that German Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Reiter will fly to ISS on board a Russian Sojus, to accomplish the assembly of the European Robotic Arm. He is the ESA astronaut with the most station experience, and also has the most EVA experience (extra vehicular activities). The next largest task package includes a promotion program that will support the utilization in the areas of science, earth surveillance, material science, biology, medical science, along with industrial and commerical applications. All of the partners are already successfully preparing for these tasks. ESA, for example, has received 200 offers in a very short time when it called for tenders for twenty experiments. From 102 experiments that were suggested for the European outside platform of the station, 47 are dealing with technology research. The bids came mainly from ESA member states but, also from other countries. It's interesting also that 22 experiments are dealing just with spaceflight research. ESA components Columbus Orbital Facility (COF) The European space laboratory is being developed and built under the development guideline "design to cost" by an industry team lead by Daimler-Benz Aerospace. It measures 6,7 meters in length and has an outside diameter of 4,5 meters. The COF has a launch mass (without the scientific equipment) of 9,5 tons. The launch of the COF on board a Shuttle is scheduled for October of 2002. The launch costs will be balanced with ESA delivering nodes 2 and 3, along with other hardware to NASA. Automatic Transfer Vehicle (ATV) The Automatic Transfer Vehicle will be used with the Ariane 5 launch rocket and is designed for the transport of material to the space station. The vehicle is supposed to accomplish its first demonstration flight in October of 2002. The launch of the second ATV is currently projected for the first supply flight with an Ariane 5 in the year 2003. Thereafter, one ATV is supposed to fly to the station every 17 months. It can stay docked to the ISS for up to six months and will be able to accomplish reboost tasks. It is then loaded with surplus material and will then be released to burn out in the earth's atmosphere. Supposedly, ATV will be able to fly autonomously close by the station also. Since it has only half the size of the COF laboratory, it is possible that the "free flyer" can be used later on for experiments while flying in formation with the station. Individual components Based on bilateral agreements, ESA will supply the European Robotic Arm, a data management system to Russia, and several elements for the American laboratory equipment, allowing for the accomplishment of work on board the station as early as possible before the COF is launched. Ground segments It is planned to set up a COF control station for the system and payload control, an ATV control center for the flight operation, as well as, a joint communications network for the COF and ATV operations. Furthermore, several units for the technical service, as well as, for maintenance and repair tasks on the COF and ATV. Trainer and simulators for COF operations will supposedly be set up in the USA and in Europe. There are also ATV simulators planned to train the crews. From page 42 of FLUG REVUE 12/97 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 12/97 Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated November 7, 1997 FLUG REVUE, Ubierstr. 83, 53173 Bonn, Germany