Kooperativer Bibliotheksverbund

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Format: 1 online resource (xxi, 514 pages) : , digital, PDF file(s).

ISBN: 0-511-89807-X

Content: This book documents how a complex branch of science was started and encouraged to grow both nationally and internationally, as seen through the eyes of two authors who together played a major role in many of the events that they describe. It traces the beginning and subsequent development of a space science programme for British scientists from the early 1950s to the early 1980s, and gives the scientific, technological and administrative background whilst highlighting some of the outstanding successes of the programme. Cooperation with NASA in the United States is described in some detail, and the part played by Britain in establishing European cooperation in space science is outlined, as is the more modest cooperative programme with Commonwealth countries. This historical account will be of interest to all space scientists, geophysicists and astronomers, as well as to those concerned with the administration and organisation of large, co-operative scientific programmes.

Note: Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015). , Cover -- Half-title -- Title -- HISTORY OF BRITISH SPACE SCIENCE -- Copyright -- Contents -- Glossary of abbreviations in text and annexes -- Glossary of abbreviations in appendices -- Preface -- The scientific background -- 1 Ionospheric research in Britain -- 2 The Gassiot Committee of the Royal Society and atmospheric research -- 3 The American Upper Atmosphere Research Panel -- 4 Proposal for a conference on rocket exploration of the upper air -- The technical background -- The initiation of the Skylark rocket programme - the IGY and artificial satellites -- 1 Prelude to the conference - an offer of rockets -- 2 The Oxford Conference -- 3 Initiation of a rocket programme -- 4 Advice on the rocket programme - Gassiot Sub-committee D -- 5 The first grant applications -- 6 Arrangements at Woomera -- 7 The Skylark rocket and its development -- 8 The first Skylark flights -- 9 First experiments carried out in the Skylark programme -- 10 Later development of the Skylark -- 11 The International Geophysical Year -- 12 The Artificial Satellite Sub-committee -- 13 The Russians steal the show -- 14 British observers take advantage of Soviet satellites -- 15 Working groups of the artificial satellite sub-committee -- 16 Central satellite facility -- 17 Further satellite developments - mainly but not exclusively American -- 18 Looking to the future -- 19 Contribution by British scientists to IGY research using rockets and satellites -- 20 Results obtained from observation of earth satellites -- Post-IGY developments - NASA - COSPAR - British National Committee for Space Research - British satellite experiments -- 1 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the USA -- 2 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) -- 3 The British National Committee for Space Research -- 4 The key question - British satellites?. , 5 A national launching system or international collaboration? -- 6 The US offer -- 7 The overall organization for space science -- 8 Further development of launching systems -- The Ariel programme -- 1 General co-operative arrangements -- 2 The first payload -- 3 Meeting the satellite requirements -- 4 Tracking and data acquisition -- 5 Preparation of scientific equipment -- 6 The planned orbit - observation of the first phase -- 7 The launching of S-51 -- 8 Subsequent life of Ariel 1 -- 9 Scientific results from Ariel 1 -- 10 The second Ariel satellite -- 11 The Space Research Management Unit -- 12 The launching of Ariel 2 -- 13 Ariel 3 -- 14 Ariel 4 -- 15 Ariel 5 -- 16 Ariel 6 -- The European Space Research Organization -- 1 The commencement of European discussions -- 2 Early UK reactions -- 3 Informal meeting in London, April 1960 -- 4 Provisional European space research group - proposed preparatory commission -- 5 Technical discussion meeting, London 3-6 October, 1960 - proposed technical organization -- 6 UK decision to join preparatory commission -- 7 General inter-governmental meeting - preparatory commission established -- 8 Satellite launcher development in Europe - beginnings of ELDO -- 9 Progress of the preparatory commission -- 10 UK overall space science programme - agreed financial limits -- 11 Progress towards the establishment of ELDO -- 12 ESRO - the financial protocol -- 13 The selection of sites for ESRO establishments -- 14 ESRO network of tracking and telemetry stations -- 15 The organisation of ESRO and its establishments - senior staff appointments -- 16 Signature of the ESRO Convention and its ratification -- 17 The first Council meetings -- 18 The initiation of the scientific programme of ESRO -- 19 The sounding rocket programme -- 20 Small spin-stabilized satellites -- 21 The first deep space probe - HEOS 1. , 22 The small stabilized satellites TD-1 and TD-2 -- 23 The two large projects -- 24 The first large project (LAS) -- 25 The second large project -- 26 The Bannier Committee and the re-organization of ESRO -- Commonwealth co-operation in space reseach -- 1 Royal Society Meeting on Commonwealth co-operation in space science -- 2 The Commonwealth Consultative Space Research Committee -- 3 The use of small rockets -- 4 Developments in India and Pakistan -- 5 Possibility of a Commonwealth synoptic rocket programme -- 6 Proposal for a conference of Commonwealth space scientists -- 7 The Colombo Conference -- 8 Contribution to conference recommendations from the UK -- 9 The Commonwealth co-operative programme in operation -- Smaller rockets for scientific purposes - Skua and Petrel -- 1 The scientific case -- 2 The payload specification and other design features -- 3 The technological background -- 4 Alternative ways ahead -- 5 The development of Skua -- 6 The development of Petrel -- 7 The main characteristics of Petrel 1 -- 8 The Fulmar rocket -- Attitude controlled Skylark rockets -- 1 The scientific case -- 2 The engineering approach -- 3 Uncontrolled sky scanning -- 4 Further engineering developments -- 5 The UK Atomic Energy Authority interest in stabilized rockets -- 6 The RAE proposals for a staged programme of development -- 7 Technical features of Stage 1 -- 8 The first three launchings of Stage 1 -- 9 The Stage 3 stabilization system -- 10 The development of Stage 5, the star pointing system -- 11 The final stages -- The Trend Committee and the Science Research Council -- 1 The Trend Committee -- 2 The problem of 'big science' -- 3 Royal Society discussions and proposals -- 4 The Trend Committee Report -- 5 The Science Research Council and space science -- 6 Beyond the SRC -- 7 Further changes in the SRC organization. , 8 The Radio and Space Research Station -- 9 Space science and astronomy -- The transformation of ESRO into ESA -- 1 The European Launcher Development Organization -- 2 Problems for ESRO -- 3 The British view -- 4 The growing crisis in European space policy -- 5 The international policy of NASA relevant to Europe -- 6 The Puppi proposals -- 7 Changes in the ESRO organization following the 1971 package deal -- 8 The genesis of the European Space Agency -- 9 The ESA Convention and space science -- 10 The ESA organization -- 11 New space science programmes -- The Space Science Committee for Europe -- 1 The formation of the Provisional Space Science Board for Europe -- 2 Incorporation in the ESF - the Space Science Committee -- 3 Early activities of the PSSB and SSC - the ESA Convention -- 4 The space telescope -- 5 Other activities of the Provisional Committee - the Spitzingsee Conference -- 6 The future of the SSC - establishment as a Standing Committee of the ESF -- Scientific studies by British space scientists - figure of the earth and the neutral atmosphere -- 1 The analysis of satellite orbits -- 2 The neutral atmosphere studied by rocket techniques -- 3 Remote sounding from satellites with infra-red sensors -- 4 Atmospheric composition -- 5 Airglow studies -- 6 Micrometeoroids -- 7 Lunar and planetary observations -- Scientific studies by British space scientists - the ionosphere, the magnetosphere and cosmic rays -- 1 Ways and means -- 2 Results obtained in ionosphere studies -- 3 Low-frequency radio noise -- 4 Medium-frequency terrestrial radio noise -- 5 Particles and magnetic fields in the magnetosphere and beyond -- 6 Cosmic rays -- The contribution from British space scientists to astronomy -- 1 Solar X-ray and ultra-violet astronomy -- 2 Cosmic ultra-violet astronomy -- 3 Cosmic X-ray astronomy -- 4 Gamma-ray astronomy. , 5 Infra-red astronomy -- Concluding remarks -- National Space Science Programme of unstabilized Skylark rockets -- A2 Programme of attitude controlled Skylark experiments -- British experiments and British/Commonwealth co-operative experiments in Petrel, Fulmar and Skua rockets -- Experiments in the Ariel series of satellites and in the British-launched Prospero satellite -- British experiments in ESRO sounding rockets and in ESRO/ESA scientific satellites -- British participation in international co-operative sounding rocket experiments and international spacecraft -- Details of the principal UK space science groups 1982 -- The changes in the value of money -- Discussion on observations of the Russian artificial earth satellites and their analysis -- Charter of COSPAR -- UK participation in research with artificial satellites. Paper by H.S.W. Massey -- Formal offer of international co-operation by the USA through COSPAR -- Parliamentary statement about a British contribution to space research -- Governmental exchange of notes between the UK and the USA on co-operation in space research -- European space research meeting to initiate co-operation -- Outline proposals by scientists for a co-operative European programme -- Formal agreement setting up a Preparatory Commission -- Financial protocol of the European Space Research Organization -- Report on location of ESRO headquarters and establishments -- Need for basic studies in support of space science. Statement by H.S.W. Massey -- Memorandum of understanding between agencies of Pakistan, the UK and the USA -- Attendance at the Williamsburg Conference, to consider the large space telescope project -- Press release on the Williamsburg Conference -- Provisional membership of the Standing Committee on Space Science -- Terms of reference of the Standing Committee on Space Science -- Notes -- Index. , English

Additional Edition: ISBN 0-521-12338-0

Additional Edition: ISBN 0-521-30783-X

Language: English

URL: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511898075