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Researchers at the U.S. National Astronomy and Ionosphere centre (NAIC) in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, used the facility's 305-meter diameter radio telescope to transmit a signal toward SOHO on July 23. The 70-meter dish of NASA's Deep Space Network in Goldstone (USA), acted as a receiver, locating the spacecraft's echo and tracking it using radar techniques for more than an hour.
Preliminary analysis of the radar data, which is ongoing, indicates that SOHO is still in its nominal halo orbit near the "L-1" Lagrangian point in space, and is turning slowly at a rate of roughly one revolution per minute. Staff members of NAIC and the Deep Space Network, in close co-operation with ESA and NASA, are continuing to analyse the radar data to extract more precise information on SOHO's location and motion.
ESA and NASA engineers also are continuing their efforts to re-establish radio data communication with the spacecraft, encouraged by the radar measurement of a slow spin rate, which suggests minimal structural damage has occurred. Data also suggest that the satellite's solar panels will soon face the sun again. Radio contact can be only be re-established after the probe's batteries have been recharged which is hoped to happen over the coming few weeks.
SOHO: http://sohowww.estec.esa.nl/
ESA science Web site: http://sci.esa.int/
The Zenith took off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Sources at the Russian Strategic Missile Troops told Itar-Tass the satellite reached its orbit after about 13 minutes.
The news agency noted that "The previous launch of a Zenith rocket-booster was thrice postponed because of malfunctions" but did not explicitly say that this was the first attempt to launch the new Kosmos satellite.
It is yet pretty unclear how such a venture would work. Klaus Ensslin, member of the DASA administration council, said the companies would explore the practical aspects of the possible joint venture over the next three months.
The aim, however, is to pool European and Russian data and technologies in order to deliver up-to-date maps and information on land, sea and atmosphere in order to enhance nature preservation, regional planning, the protection of forestry and agriculture, and emergency management.
The first customers are expected to be government agencies; at least DASA does not expect a commercial market for the service. European Research Commissioner Edith Cresson said the EU planned to support the project [with money, I suppose--hidden subsidies?]
Yuri Koptev, director general of the Russian Space Agency, said Russia would make available 30 years of environmental data and provide government funding to the project. [Hmm... they even haven't got enough money to keep their space station Mir up, and the construction of the new International Space Station may be delayed partly because of Russia's financial troubles.]
Koptev added that "we want to make this system accessible to any other industrial organisation that has experience and a wish to co-operate in this international project." And which has, of course, some money.
ONdigital Chief Executive Stephen Grabiner said the company changed its name partly to avoid confusion with its main rival, BSkyB, and that company's interactive BIB unit. "There are too many Bs," Grabiner told a news conference.
He said ONdigital plans to spend at least £80 million (US$132.5 million) to launch its digital terrestrial TV service in the first year. ONdigital is counting on Granada and Carlton, both leading ITV commercial broadcasters, to help make a name for itself as it competes with BSkyBs well-established Sky brand, which dominates Britain's pay-TV market.
Probably commenting upon BSkyB's planned 200-channel satellite-based service, Grabiner said that "People don't want hundreds of channels. The core promise of ONdigital is we need to pick the best of what is available."
Just what that may be, and how much it will cost, will be revealed next September.
by Dr Sarmaz
And that's it really. Telecom Italia last week said Australian-born businessman and head of News Corp Keith Rupert Murdoch was in talks to join the digital television venture. The announcement had sparked some sharp criticism in political circles, asking how U.S. citizen would fit into a European solution.
"Of course, if I were making and exporting ballistic missiles I'd lobby for a ban on anti-missile systems too!!"
Yep, I guess the military-industrial complex is more or less the same all around the world. However, I was more or less interested in the part that called for a ban on anti-satellite weapons. Have a look at the article's headline: "China opposes anti-satellite weapons."
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