ESA Secures New Generation MetOp-SG Weather Satellites

Contracts were signed today to build three pairs of MetOp Second Generation satellites, ensuring the continuity of essential information for global weather forecasting and climate monitoring for decades to come.

MetOp-SG is a cooperative undertaking between ESA and Eumetsat, the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites.

These new satellites offer enhanced continuity of the current MetOp series, today’s main source of global weather data.

Comprising six satellites in total, the mission is based on a pair of satellites that carry different packages to deliver complementary meteorological information.

The A series of satellites will be equipped with atmospheric sounders as well as optical and infrared imagers, while the B series focuses on microwave sensors.

Following the first documents that were signed at the Berlin Air Show earlier this year, the full contracts to build the six MetOp-SG satellites were signed today by ESA and Airbus Defence and Space.

The ceremony at ESA headquarters in Paris, France, was attended by Geneviève Fioraso, the French Minister for Higher Education and Research, and the Director-General of Eumetsat, Alain Ratier.

Airbus Defence and Space France now takes up the role as prime contractor for the A satellites and Airbus Defence and Space Germany for the B series.

Although the different satellites will be developed and built in Toulouse, France and Friedrichshafen, Germany, respectively, a large industrial consortium of many European companies will be involved under the leadership of Airbus Defence and Space.

JAXA Epsilon Launch: New generation of Japan Rocket launched

Japan's new Epsilon rocket launches on its debut mission from Uchinoura Space Center on Sept. 14, 2013 carrying the SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) satellite designed to study the planets of the solar system from Earth orbit. 

Credit: JAXA

Japan space agency JAXA, has launched the first in a new generation of space rockets, hoping the design will make missions more affordable.

The Epsilon rocket is about half the size of Japan's previous generation of space vehicles, and uses artificial intelligence to perform safety checks.

Japan's space agency Jaxa says the Epsilon cost $37m (£23m) to develop, half the cost of its predecessor.


Epsilon launched from south-western Japan in the early afternoon.

Crowds of Japanese gathered to watch the launch, which was also broadcast on the internet.

It was carrying  SPRINT-A (Hisaki) space telescope, being billed by Jaxa as the world's first space telescope that will remotely observe planets including Venus, Mars and Jupiter from its Earth orbit.

Jaxa said the rocket successfully released the Sprint-A telescope as scheduled, about 1,000km (620 miles) above the Earth's surface.

Epsilon's predecessor, the M-5, was retired in 2006 because of spiralling costs.

Jaxa said the Epsilon was not only cheaper to produce, but also cheaper to launch than the M-5.

Because of its artificial intelligence, the new rocket needs only eight people at the launch site, compared with 150 people for earlier launches.

New Generation of Canadarm: Pack and Go!

The Next-Generation Large Canadarm is a 15-metre robotic arm which is able to collapse and fit onboard future smaller spacecraft.

Credit: Canadian Space Agency

Canada has developed a new version of its famed robotic space arm to give exploration of the final frontier a helping hand.

The nation's Next-Generation Canadarm (NGC) program is designed to support both missions in low-Earth orbit and deep space, ranging from repairing communication satellites to assisting manned missions to the moon, asteroids, Mars and other corners of the universe, officials said.

"With the retirement of the space shuttle, a new generation of crewed space exploration vehicles will soon become available," said Alain Ouellet, director of space exploration development at the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

SGAC has released the Executive Summary of its 2011 Annual Report

SGAC has released the Executive Summary of its 2011 Annual Report 

Click on the picture to visit the website.

Humanity Must Save the Wild Tigers: An Obligation without Negotiation

There are only 3000 Tigers left in the wild. There are only 3000 Tigers left in the wild. Sorry, but it needs repeating. Wild Tigers have never been in a tighter spot and only humanity can help.

Only 1.7 per cent of historical tiger numbers are alive today. Indian tigers, such as the one seen here charging the camera, could be a new focus of conservation.

New research in PLoS Genetics suggests that the most effective way to save the wild tiger or at least a representative group, is to focus conservation efforts on the Indian variety, which has over half of the species's genetic diversity. By default, this also means turning our backs on 50% of Tiger genes that we deem as 'un-saveable' or beyond 'salvation'. It brings great shame on humanity to admit this and endorse it.

Indian tigers are equipped with such eclectic genes, that it could be better able to adapt to the future change, inflicted on it by humanity, than any other tiger on Earth.

Why are we continuing to stress this species to extinction. Is it purely economics and money or is it simply a selfish drive to become, not only the dominant species on the Earth but the only species.