Abstract: A stratospheric airship includes a nonrigid balloon equipped with a solar generator arranged on the upper part of the nonrigid balloon intended to be illuminated in flight by the sun, the airship comprising: at least one device for managing the position of the centre of gravity of the airship; at least one device for stabilizing the attitude of the airship; and a module for the coupled control of the devices, configured to control the airship, when the speed of travel of the airship with respect to the surrounding air is below a first threshold (S1) and/or the temperature of the solar generator is above a second threshold (S2), in such a way that it rotates by substantially half a turn about its longitudinal axis (AL), so as to protect the solar generator from illumination by the sun.

Abstract: A device for permanently maintaining the altitude of a payload the altitude-maintenance energy source of which is practically permanent and extracted from the medium includes at least two gliding bodies connected together by at least one physical link and being, in use, at different altitudes relative to the ground and for which the instantaneous winds have, practically permanently, different characteristics, and further includes a system for controlling the respective attitudes of these two bodies.

Abstract: A method for capturing a container of planet ground samples moving in space by a probe also moving in space includes, when the probe is on the orbit of the container, at a distance of a few meters therefrom and the receiving face of the probe is oriented toward the container, generating, on board the probe, a first controlled magnetic field to reduce the angular speeds of the container and orient it in a preferred direction for the capture, and, when these speeds have become negligible and the probe is positioned in the correct orientation, while the probe is being brought closer to the container, a process of attraction of the container relative to the probe is begun using another field whose field lines converge toward the capture zone of the probe.

Abstract: A method for capturing a container of planet ground samples moving in space by a probe also moving in space includes, when the probe is on the orbit of the container, at a distance of a few meters therefrom and the receiving face of the probe is oriented toward the container, generating, on board the probe, a first controlled magnetic field to reduce the angular speeds of the container and orient it in a preferred direction for the capture, and, when these speeds have become negligible and the probe is positioned in the correct orientation, while the probe is being brought closer to the container, a process of attraction of the container relative to the probe is begun using another field whose field lines converge toward the capture zone of the probe.

Abstract: A device for permanently maintaining the altitude of a payload the altitude-maintenance energy source of which is practically permanent and extracted from the medium includes at least two gliding bodies connected together by at least one physical link and being, in use, at different altitudes relative to the ground and for which the instantaneous winds have, practically permanently, different characteristics, and further includes a system for controlling the respective attitudes of these two bodies.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method of providing protection against the effects of protons of solar origin, so as to make it possible for a start sensor to be reconfigured. The system detects the arrival of an eruption of solar origin protons, supplies a control signal and triggering operation of the second star sensor in tracking mode on the basis of attitude data supplied by the first star sensor.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of providing protection against the effects of protons of solar origin, so as to make it possible for a star sensor to be reconfigured.

Abstract: Earth acquisition from the Sun pointing attitude starts with angular displacement of the satellite so that, in the field of view of a Sun sensing system, the direction of the Sun is brought into an orientation S' such that subsequent rotation of the satellite about the orientation S' brings the Pole Star into the field of view of a star sensing system whose optical axis is substantially parallel to the pitch axis. During this rotation the stars sensed are compared with those in a catalog containing, in addition to the Pole Star, stars likely to be encountered upon such movement. At least two of these stars are identified and then the Pole Star is captured. The satellite is then rotated in pitch until the Earth is sensed and captured.

Abstract: A high speed laser ranging device composed of a transmitter/receiver unit and a target including a retroreflector adapted to receive a laser pulse (Ii) transmitted by the unit and to return it parallel to itself. This transmitter/receiver unit travels, with respect to the target, along a relative path with an overall relative velocity V, and normal to an instantaneous line joining it to the target, with a transverse relative velocity v.sub.t which, on average, is of the order of at least 1 km/sec. The retroreflector has a cube corner shape with three reflecting plane faces, two of which are normal to the third one, and forming between each other a dihedral angle (7.sub.1) referred to as the "corrected dihedral angle", differing from 90.degree. by a deviation value .epsilon. at least equal to one arcsecond.