IUCr 1993 Triennial Report - ICSU Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)

The main activity of COSPAR in the triennium was in the organization of the World Space Congress-I, held in Washington, DC, USA, 28 August-5 September. The Congress was jointly organized by COSPAR and IAF by merging the Plenary Meeting of COSPAR and the IAF Congress and was intended to celebrate the International Space Year, a concept first originated in the US and finally endorsed by the United Nations Assembly in 1990. The principal objective of World Space Congress-I was that of gathering a wide representation of the world space community at every level (universities, research centers, industry, governments, project and marketing managers), with the purpose of creating a meeting with such a critical mass of specialists that significant statements could be made in view of future preparation and planning of space research worldwide. The success of the Congress is given by numbers: it was attended by more than 4000 paying delegates from 65 countries, 1100 exhibitor personnel from 135 exhibiting companies, 284 print media representatives and 45 radio and TV crews. It was estimated that in total more than 10000 persons participated in one way or another in the Congress. The next World Space Congress-II is scheduled in the year 2000, very probably in the same location in Washington.

A number of awards were made during the Congress. As relevant to crystallography, the following must be reported:

COSPAR International Cooperation Medal (1992) to Hubert Curien, for his untiring efforts to encourage international cooperation in many different areas, including crystallography, to which he made significant contributions (study of elastic waves in crystals, study of the Compton effect through the analysis of crystals by intense X-rays and others). Professor Curien is a former member of the IUCr Executive Committee. He has also been President of the European Physical Society and President (1981-84) of the Council of ESA.

Zel'dovich Award for Commission G (Materials Science in Space) to Stefan van Vaerenbergh, in recognition of his contributions to non-equilibrium thermodynamics, in particular with respect to the role of the Soret effect in directional solidification.

During the triennium, the COSPAR Information Bulletin (three issues per annum) has undergone several changes since 1991, including a section for Guest Articles. Contributed articles giving an overview of the relevance of crystallography and materials science in space research would be welcome

6 May 1993                                C. PAORICI, Representative

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