GMV
Conducts
Successful
First
Satellite
Ground
Systems
Testing
for
Hubble
Telescope
Successor,
World
Space
Observatory
16
February
2010
GMV
announces
the
successful
first
testing
of
the
satellite
ground
segment
of
the
World
Space
Observatory
Ultraviolet
mission
(WSO-UV).
An
international
project
led
by
the
Russian
Space
Agency,
ROSCOSMOS,
with
the
participation
of
Spain,
Germany,
Ukraine
and
China,
WSO-UV
will
fill
the
gap
left
by
the
Hubble
telescope
at
the
end
of
its
mission,
becoming
the
planet’s
only
ultraviolet
astronomical
observatory
during
its
operation.
The
first
simultaneous
demonstration
of
the
coordinated
telescope
control
operation
was
conducted
on
Feb.
12
by
the
two
observatories
of
the
new
space
telescope—Universidad
Complutense
de
Madrid
(UCM)
and
the
Astronomy
Institute
of
the
Russian
Academy
of
Sciences—and
GMV,
leader
of
the
industrial
consortium
developing
the
satellite
ground
segment.
“Delivering
on
these
challenging
first
tests
with
a
smooth
connection
is a
testament
to
the
continued
success
of
the
ground
systems
portion
and
the
project
as a
whole,”
said
Theresa
Beech,
general
manager
and
vice
president
of
business
development
for
GMV.
“Working
with
such
esteemed
partners
from Russia and other parts of the world
makes
this
feat
in
observation
something
we
can
share
across
the
globe.”
Both
scientific
teams
at
the
two
locations
worked
simultaneously,
posing
a
stiff
liaison
challenge.
During
the
demonstration,
held
at
the
site
of
UCM’s
control
center
in
the
University’s
Statistics
School (Escuela Universitaria
de
Estadística),
both
observatories
successfully
maintained
a
live
connection,
involving
a
check
of
the
complete
telescope
operation
chain
for
any
observation.
The
tests
were
witnessed
by
all
partners
participating
in
the
project:
the
Ministry
of
Industry,
Tourism
and
Trade
(Ministerio
de
Industria
Turismo
y
Comercio),
the
Ministry
of
Science
and
Innovation
(Ministerio
de
Ciencia
e
Innovación),
the
Universidad
Complutense
de
Madrid,
GMV,
CSIC
(Higher
Council
of
Scientific
Research)
and
INTA
(National
Spanish
Aerospace
Technology
Institute).
WSO-UV
represents Spain’s
heaviest
investment
in
space
astronomy
together
with
the
Russian
Space
Agency.
Scientific
responsibility
for
the
project
falls
on
the
Universidad
Complutense
de
Madrid.
Spain is also providing one of the
three
observation
instruments,
the
ultraviolet
field
camera
unit
ISSIS
and
is
participating
in
the
definition
of
the
project’s
central
observation
program,
leading
several
research
lines.
Spain
will
also
be
assisting
with
the
ground
segment,
developed
by a
GMV-led
consortium,
not
only
cooperating
in
the
development
of
mission
software
and
scientific-operation
software,
but
also
providing
backup
for
these
missions
throughout
the
telescope’s
useful
life.
Spain’s
participation
in
this
large-scale,
10-year
project
showcases
the
strength
and
competence
of
its
scientific
team,
which
will
be
carrying
out
important
work
during
the
entire
project.
It
is a
very
important
project
for Spain
economically
and
because
of
the
credibility
it
brings
to
the
country.
The
use
of
the
Spanish
technology
propels Spain’s technological capacity onto a worldwide
platform,
thus
demonstrating
that Spain is an exporter of top-quality,
high-level
technology.
The
Hubble
telescope,
launched
in
1990
and
orbiting
593
kilometers
above
the
earth,
has
been
kept
going
all
these
years
by
service
missions
sent
out
on
space
shuttles.
Now
that
NASA
has
abolished
these
missions,
its
days
could
be
numbered.
The
ultraviolet
telescope,
known
as
T-170M
and
currently
being
built
in Russia,
will
orbit
at a
height
of
42,164
kilometers
above
the
earth,
obviating
any
atmospheric
interference.
It
will
carry
a
1.7-meter
diameter
mirror
and
will
be
fitted
with
specialist
instruments
for
making
various
measurements.
The
telescope
is
expected
to
start
producing
scientific
results
months
after
orbit
insertion.
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