Lesson from Introducing New Scientific Disciplines into European Space ResearchFrom Quantum to Cosmos, 22 May 2006, Airlie CenterM.C.E. Huber

Lessons from Introducing New Scientific Disciplines

into European Space Research

Martin C. E. HuberPaul Scherrer Institut

Laboratory for AstrophysicsVilligen PSI, Switzerland

— former President of the European Physical Society —

The Position Paper Advisory Committee

• J.P. Blaser• R.M. Bonnet• T.J.-L. Courvoisier• A.M. Cruise• T. Damour• K. Danzmann• W. Ertmer• C.W.F.Everitt• G. Haerendel• M. Jacob• C. Laemmerzahl• P.Melville (EPS Secr.)• J.L. Puget• S. Reynaud

• C. Salomon• M.C.W. Sandford• G. Schäfer• W. Schleich• B. Schutz (Chair FPAG)• N. Straumann• T.J. Sumner• G.A. Tammann• C. Turon (Chair AWG)• G. Veneziano• S. Vitale • A. Watson• L. Woltjer• Secretary R. Reinhard

Status of space technologies available for scientific

missions35 to 40 years ago:

• Astronomy and Solar Physicso Pointing and scanning systems

in the arc-min to sub-arc-min rangeo Photoelectric Detectors

(usually with high voltage)• Space Plasma Physics

o Spacecraft were usually spinnerso Magnetically clean spacecraft

or long booms

… on the other hand,Fundamental Physics in Space

requires• purely gravitational

orbits, control systems for fine orbit and attitude control with– inertial sensor N-propulsion systems

(He-proportional thrusters or small ion thrusters)

– drag-free control software

– proof mass charge control

• measuring accuracy– high precision

displacement sensors (SQUIDS)

– ultrastable lasers in space

– lightweight H-maser clocks

• spacecraft/experiment interrelation

• He-dewars (where needed)

• special orbits

… this required considerable additional developments in the

laboratory …

… but now we have the shining result of such efforts: the first orbiting

fundamental physics experiment in space:

GP-B

… and several Fundamental Physics Experiments are currently under development

in Europe (and also in collaborations)

• LISA Pathfinder (ESA/NASA)– technology test for LISA

• Microscope (CNES/ESA)– test of the Equivalence Principle to 10-15

• ACES– Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space

• H-maser and Cs clock on the International Space Station)

… as a first ‘STEP’, the French/ESA ‘Microscope’ Satellite will verify the

Equivalence Principle to 10-15

… in the meantime new physical methods were developed, such as• cold-atom physics

– Bose-Einstein condensates

• atomic clocks – using laser-cooled atoms

• atom-beam interferometry

whose potential is further increasedin an undisturbed environment in space

Given this inventory — and with LISA on hold —

let’s have a look at what happened to Solar Physics

and also with Planetary Sciences

in ESRO and (as of 1975) in ESA

These two sub-disciplines were not really part of ESRO and of the early ESA Science Programme

Interlude: Structure of ESA’s Advisory System

• Permanent Advisory Structure– Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC)

• Astronomy Working Group (AWG)• Solar System Working Group (SSWG)• Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (FPAG)

• For discussing long-term programmes, such as Horizon 2000 (1985), Horizon 2000+ (1995) and ‘Cosmic Vision’ (2005)– ad-hoc Survey Committees

• with topical teams (not necessarily mapping sub-disciplines covered by AWG, SSWG and FPAG)

Members of the H2000 Survey Committeeand Topical-Team Chairs during a break (May 1984)

The Long March of Solar Physics

• was competing in ESRO and ESA selections, could provide individual instruments on some missions, but never got a dedicated mission (GRIST , DISCO )

• got STS Cornerstone in H2000 (ESA/NASA collaboration)– SOHO & Cluster in Solar Terrestrial Science Programme

• got Solar Orbiter Cornerstone in H2000+• Characteristics of field: ‘mature’ science, yet still

pioneering stellar research– coronal heating– origin and acceleration of solar wind– solar interior through helioseismology (neutrino problem)

• solar physicists got training in non-European missions– OSOs, SKYLAB/ATM, SMM, Yohkoh …

Resurrection of Planetary Sciences

• were consciously excluded in the 1960s, thus scientists participated in non-ESA missions ( got training!)

• THEN in 1985 Giotto made the closest fly-by at P/Halley

• in Horizon 2000 the planetary community obtained:– Rosetta Cornerstone – Huygens probe on Cassini mission

• in Horizon 2000+:– Mercury (Bepi Colombo) Cornerstone– additional, inexpensive Mars-Express as part of H2000+ – then also Venus Express

• argument in hindsight: – Beppi Colombo arrives at Mercury after Messenger– total ESA expense on planetary sciences 1990-2010 was 2.3

G€, equivalent to 10 Mars-Express missions. Thus, would concen-trating on the ‘most attractive planet’ Mars, have brought more?

The Roller Coaster of Fundamental Physics at

ESA• was postponed in the late

1970s, because technology was lacking

ESRO/ESA Fundamental Physics Panel

(1971-1979)

• H. Bondi (Chair)

• I. Roxborough (deputy)

• J. Blamont• G. Cocconi• G. Colombo

• B. Laurent• R. Lüst• G. Occhialini• E. Schatzman• D. Sciama

The Roller Coaster of Fundamental Physics at

ESA• was postponed in the late 1970s,

because technology was lacking• had a topical panel in H2000

( STEP Proposal)

• creation of FPAG, the Fundamental Physics Advisory Group

• and got LISA Cornerstone in H2000+• led to LISA Pathfinder precursor

mission

Elements of Success for Solar Physics in ESA

• solar physicists and planetary scientists got training and hands-on experience through non-European missions

• solar physicists united behind one given mission at a time (GRIST, DISCO, SOHO) and realised that trans-atlantic collaboration was mandatory for their community to be above critical mass

A Decisive Moment in International Collaboration

• Stan Shawhan’s informal, international review of Solar-Terrestrial and Space-Plasma Missions

• ESA-, ISAS- & NASA-related scientists met in Washington DC (summer 1983)– reduced an excessive list of missions to a

rational ensemble, the ‘International Solar-Terrestrial Physics (ISTP)’ Programme

– in the long run, ISTP resulted, e.g., in two satellites of the NASA ‘OPEN’ Programme being taken on by two additional players

• Geotail/ISAS, Equator/China

– and in the ESA/NASA SOHO/Cluster Program

SOHO looks at the Heliosphere

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… a result o

f

linkage across communities !!!

international collaboratio

n !!!

Conclusions/Suggestions

• assure training and hands-on experience for space missions of future investigators, if necessary by going abroad

• assure wide advocacy by– installing a Fundamental Physics Advisory

Group/Board/Committee in your Space Agency

• and insist on its support by the Agency and the community

– running summer schools for the future generation

Conclusions/Suggestions

• a grand project (LISA) will only succeed, if the community is united behind it– caveat: a mission that is ready for flight

is always somewhat obsolete• look to emerging communities and agencies

(Asia/Pacific, South America)• … and finally: should the informal

‘Interagency Consultative Group’ (IACG) be brought back to life in an enlarged form?– it ‘supervised’ the flights to P/Halley– it ‘supervised’ the ISTP Programme– it resulted in valuable coordination for

VLBI, etc.

Final Remark on ‘what is Fundamental

Physics’(see also the EPS Position Paper)

• Fundamental Physics Explorer is right direction to go for physics experiments in space (drag-free platform)

• LISA is for the time being better located under Fundamental Physics

• Cosmology is best shared, depending on the mission, between Observational Astronomy and Fundamental Physics

• Astroparticle Physics belongs predominantly into Fundamental Physics

Lesson from Introducing New Scientific Disciplines into European Space Research

From Quantum to Cosmos, 22 May 2006, Airlie Center

M.C.E. Huber

… the end

Conclusions/Suggestions

• For Fundamental Physics in Space:

1. First-class science2. Space must be unique asset3. Prestige and originality may

attract the public’s attention and influence politicians sitting on committees

4. Technological benefits