Bernard Foing
Encyclopedia
Bernard Foing is a scientist at the European Space Agency
(ESA), Executive Director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) and was Principal Project Scientist for SMART-1
, the first European mission to the Moon
.
in Astrophysics and Space Techniques. He worked 3 years in Chile as an astronomer for the European Southern Observatory
(ESO), the French embassy, and as Professor of Astrophysics. A researcher at French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) since 1986, Foing obtained the Habilitation
for direction of research in 1990. At ESA since 1993, he is Senior Research Coordinator at the Research and Scientific Support Department. He was president of ILEWG in 1998-2000 and now is their Executive Director.
. Serving as Principal Project Scientist from conception in 1996, SMART-1 was the first European mission to the Moon. SMART-1's goals were both technological and scientific. First in a series of "Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology", SMART-1 was used to test new state-of-the art instruments such as a solar-electric primary propulsion system
. SMART-1 also performed scientific observations of the Moon including determining the Moon's mineralogical composition and the presence and quantity of water
in the craters at the Moon's south pole. Launched on September 27, 2003, SMART-1 entered lunar orbit in November 2004 and continued orbit until it was intentionally crashed into the lunar surface on September 3, 2006. Said Foing, "SMART-1 data are helping to choose future landing sites for robotic and possible manned missions, and its instruments are upgraded and being flown again on the next generation of lunar satellites."
, a space exploration mission by the European Space Agency. Launched on June 2, 2004, Mars Express is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. Foing is also co-investigator of the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) for the Mars Express orbiter. The HRSC is a high-resolution camera that can make full-color 3-D images of Mars's surface. The camera can also zoom in for a closer look and may be helpful in identifying useful landing sites for future Mars missions.
European Space Agency
The European Space Agency , established in 1975, is an intergovernmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 18 member states...
(ESA), Executive Director of the International Lunar Exploration Working Group (ILEWG) and was Principal Project Scientist for SMART-1
SMART-1
SMART-1 was a Swedish-designed European Space Agency satellite that orbited around the Moon. It was launched on September 27, 2003 at 23:14 UTC from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. "SMART" stands for Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology...
, the first European mission to the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
.
Biography
Born in France, Bernard Foing has a PhDPHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in Astrophysics and Space Techniques. He worked 3 years in Chile as an astronomer for the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
(ESO), the French embassy, and as Professor of Astrophysics. A researcher at French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) since 1986, Foing obtained the Habilitation
Habilitation
Habilitation is the highest academic qualification a scholar can achieve by his or her own pursuit in several European and Asian countries. Earned after obtaining a research doctorate, such as a PhD, habilitation requires the candidate to write a professorial thesis based on independent...
for direction of research in 1990. At ESA since 1993, he is Senior Research Coordinator at the Research and Scientific Support Department. He was president of ILEWG in 1998-2000 and now is their Executive Director.
SMART-1
Foing is known as the father of SMART-1SMART-1
SMART-1 was a Swedish-designed European Space Agency satellite that orbited around the Moon. It was launched on September 27, 2003 at 23:14 UTC from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana. "SMART" stands for Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology...
. Serving as Principal Project Scientist from conception in 1996, SMART-1 was the first European mission to the Moon. SMART-1's goals were both technological and scientific. First in a series of "Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology", SMART-1 was used to test new state-of-the art instruments such as a solar-electric primary propulsion system
Spacecraft propulsion
Spacecraft propulsion is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. There are many different methods. Each method has drawbacks and advantages, and spacecraft propulsion is an active area of research. However, most spacecraft today are propelled by forcing a gas from the...
. SMART-1 also performed scientific observations of the Moon including determining the Moon's mineralogical composition and the presence and quantity of water
Lunar ice
Lunar water is water that is present on the Moon. Liquid water cannot persist at the Moon's surface, and water vapour is quickly decomposed by sunlight and lost to outer space...
in the craters at the Moon's south pole. Launched on September 27, 2003, SMART-1 entered lunar orbit in November 2004 and continued orbit until it was intentionally crashed into the lunar surface on September 3, 2006. Said Foing, "SMART-1 data are helping to choose future landing sites for robotic and possible manned missions, and its instruments are upgraded and being flown again on the next generation of lunar satellites."
Mars Express
Foing is an organic chemist for Mars ExpressMars Express
Mars Express is a space exploration mission being conducted by the European Space Agency . The Mars Express mission is exploring the planet Mars, and is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. "Express" originally referred to the speed and efficiency with which the spacecraft was...
, a space exploration mission by the European Space Agency. Launched on June 2, 2004, Mars Express is the first planetary mission attempted by the agency. Foing is also co-investigator of the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) for the Mars Express orbiter. The HRSC is a high-resolution camera that can make full-color 3-D images of Mars's surface. The camera can also zoom in for a closer look and may be helpful in identifying useful landing sites for future Mars missions.
External links
- If We Had No Moon - An essay by Bernard Foing
- Noah's Ark on the Moon - An essay by Bernard Foing
- Planetary Radio - Interviews conducted by The Planetary Society
- The Space Show - Interview conducted by David Livingston August 11, 2009; (MP3MP3MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
) - Talk of Bernard Foing at the Origins 2011 congress