JOINT VENTURE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 16
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 14, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 5, 1987
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
For Official Use Only
Foreign
Broadcast
I nformation
Service
Vol. 2, No. 11
5 August 1987
lgraryd Perspectives
DEVELOPMENTS
Joint Venture
(FRG/Thailand) In an effort to acquire FRG technologies, the Thai
Government will propose in October some 20 areas for possible joint ventures,
including petrochemical, biochemical, pharmaceutical, plastics, and printed
circuit production. Further information on the Thai proposals can be obtained
from the DEG (German Development Association) in Koln, Tel. 0221-
4986405. (Duesseldorf HANDELSBLATT 15 Jun 87) Elli M. X2519
..... . . Continued on Page I
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE: Aerospace Technology Contents Inside Cover
Designed for hypersonic transport, the French AGV (shown above) will also serve as a technology
demonstrator for the STS 2000 orbital aircraft. (See Feature Article.)
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FRANCE: Hypersonic, Orbital Aircraft Page 4
Three major French aerospace firms are jointly developing a hypersonic transport and an
orbital aircraft whose advanced aerodynamic designs feature leading-edge engine technology.
USSR: New Booster Key to Space Transport System Page 7
Reportedly equipped with the world's most powerful rocket engines, the new Energiya booster,
which was test launched in mid-May, has been designed as an integral part of the Soviet space
transport program.
REPORTS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY UPDATE (Japan: Patent Applications;
PRC: Latest Research Results) Page 11
JAPAN: Deep-Sea Research Vessel Page 12
HUNGARY/AUSTRIA: Joint CAD-CAM Venture Page 12
PREVIEWS Page 13
PERSPECTIVES selections are based solely on foreign press,
books and journals, or radio and television broadcasts. Some
of the materials used in this publication will appear as
abstracts or translations in FBIS serial reports. Comments
and queries regarding this publication may be directed to the
Managing Editor (Craig M. or to individuals at
the numbers listed with items.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
DEVELOPMENTS
DEVELOPMENTS highlights worldwide S&T events reported in the foreign media. Items
followed by an asterisk will be published by FBIS. The contributor's name and telephone number
are provided.
Aerospace
Ceramic Engine
Computers
(FRG/Italy) Microgravity experiments in combustion technology, materials
research, and biotechnology will be conducted at the FRG's first free-fall
tower (138 meters high and 8.5 meters in diameter) at the University of
Bremen's Center for Applied Aerospace Technology and Microgravity
Research. In addition, FRG and Italian researchers are jointly designing an
unmanned spacecraft to be used in microgravity experiments. The vehicle
reportedly will be launched from a platform off the coast of Kenya. The
vehicle's reentry capsule, designated TOPAS, has a 240 kilogram payload
capacity. A second capsule is also being built. (Frankfurt/Main
FRANKFURTER ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG 3 Jun 87) Elli M. X2519
(South Korea/West Europe) South Korea's Ministry of Science and
Technology will spearhead a project to develop a domestic launch capability
for telecommunications and scientific satellites weighing up to a half ton.
Although no decision has been made on the launch pad location, work will
soon begin on a ground station scheduled for completion in 1991. South
Korea's first satellite, which will be a 50-50 collaboration with as yet
unidentified West European research institutes, is slated for launch in 1996.
(Frankfurt/Main FRANKFURTER ZEITUNG/BLICK DURCH DIE
WIRTSCHAFT 27 May 87) Elli M. X2519
(Japan) The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) has
launched an eight-year joint R&D project with Toyota, Nissan, and
Mitsubishi to develop a ceramic gas-turbine engine. The engine's combustion
chamber and turbine will be made of a heat-resistant ceramic (not further
identified). Prototypes of a 2,000cc sedan and a 6,000cc truck engine will be
tested at combustion temperatures of 1,350?C in an effort to obtain a
40 percent increase in fuel efficiency. Anticipating 20 billion yen in
development costs, MITI will request that the Finance Ministry include the
expenditure in the 1988 national budget. (Tokyo NIHON KEIZAI
SHIMBUN 4 Jun 87) Akiko S. X2726
(Japan/USSR) Japan's Toray Management Research Institute is conducting a
one-year survey of Soviet synthetic/chemical fiber plants in order to collect
material for a report on computer software and hardware requirements.
Toray estimates that their recommendations could cut these facilities' energy
bills by half and save the chemical fiber plants alone $600 million annually.
(Tokyo NIHON KEIZAI SHIMBUN 9 May 87) Junko A. X2726
(Hungary/FRG) SZAMALK (Computer Technology Applications Enterprise)
has purchased the AKSA (Automatic System for Kinematic Analysis)
software package from the FRG firm IKOSS at a cost of some 10 million
1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Ion Sensor
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
forints. The package includes the FEMGEN (Finite Element Method
Generator) and the FEMVIEW pre- and post-processors. The program is
already running on SZAMALK's IBM mainframe computer. (Budapest
COMPUTERWORLD SZAMITASTECHNIKA Nos. 10-11, 18 May 87) Sari
P. X2907
(France) Researchers at the Lyons Ecole Centrale have developed a chemical
sensor that detects silver ions and has applications in fine chemical analysis.
Based on ISFET (ion sensitive field effect transistor) technology, the
miniature sensor is made by implanting silanes in a silicon dioxide thin film
on a silicon substrate. The silanes contain ion clusters that act as ion-sensitive
grids. ISFET sensors for detecting other ions are under development. (Paris
L'USINE NOUVELLE 18 Jun 87) Antwerp Unit/Eva L. X2519
Microelectronics (Hungary/USSR) In April, the Hungarians and Soviets jointly established the
Intermos Microelectronics Limited Liability Company in Budapest. It will
have 56 million forints in start-up capital, 30 percent of which will come
from the Microelectronics Enterprise (MEV) and 20 percent from the
Hungarian Communications Engineering Cooperative while the Soviet
Development-Production Association Scientific Center and the
Elektronzagranpostanka All-Union Association will provide 45 percent and
5 percent respectively. The company will establish an IC manufacturing
facility by 1989. (Budapest FIGYELO No. 12, 18 Jun 87) Sari P. X2907
New Materials (Japan) Kobe Steel has developed carbon/carbon (C/C) composites using
nonwoven carbon fiber fabrics. The new material's bending and pressure
resistance is more than three times that of conventional C/C composites
made by CVD (chemical vapor deposition), and it is good to a temperature of
2,000?C. The new method is less expensive than CVD and can be used with
other elements, such as copper and aluminum. The breakthrough has
applications in the aircraft and aerospace industries and in semiconductor
production. (Tokyo NII(K.AN KOGYO SHIMBUN 19 May 87) Junko A.
X2726
(Japan) The Science and Technology Agency's Aerospace Technology
Institute will establish a research project on "gradient functional materials."
The result of institute and University of Tohoku research, these materials are
made by combining compounds such as metals and ceramics at the atomic or
micro-particulate level by means of CVD and powder metallurgy. Tests have
been conducted on composites of zirconium oxide with tungsten, silicon
carbide with carbon, and titanium boron with copper. The composites are
intended for use in space vehicles and nuclear reactors. (Tokyo NIKKEI
SANGY0 SHIMBUN 8 Apr 87) Junko A. X2726
(Bulgaria/USSR) In a joint venture with the USSR, Bulgaria's Friedrich
Engels Machinebuilding Combine in Kazanluk has opened a small enterprise
for the manufacture of synthetic industrial diamonds. Some 60,000 carats
have already been produced. An agreement was also signed calling for the
establishment of a Bulgarian-Soviet laboratory that will develop equipment
and technologies for the increased production and application of synthetic
diamonds. (Sofia ROBOTNICHESKO DELO 7 Jun 87) Rita S. X2609
Superconductive (Japan) The Japan Shipbuilding Promotion Foundation is evaluating a
Boat "superconductive electromagnetic propulsion boat," which it plans to test in
1990. The boat, which is 25 meters long with a 150-metric-ton displacement,
2
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
uses superconductive wire made of niobium-titanium and niobium-tin. Tests
have produced a 19-tesla magnetic field. The boat requires neither a
conventional engine nor a propeller, making it both noise and vibration free.
It currently can attain speeds of only 10 knots. (Tokyo NIKKEI SANGYO
SHIMBUN 18 May 87) Junko A. X2726
3
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
FRANCE: HYPERSONIC, ORBITAL AIRCRAFT
Key Points: The French are designing two new aircraft: the STS 2000, a horizontal takeoff and
landing orbital vehicle, and the AGV, a hypersonic transport that will also serve as a technology
demonstrator for the STS 2000. These aircraft will feature combination turbojet-ramjet-rocket
engines, according to June reports in AIR & COSMOS, SCIENCE & VIE, and FLUG REVUE.
French research on the STS 2000 (Space Transportation System for the 21st Century) is being
driven by the need to develop an aircraft with improved thrust-to-weight ratio capable of carrying
heavier payloads. Current plans call for a 300- to 400-ton aircraft with a thrust-to-weight ratio of 0.6 or
0.7 and a 7-ton payload capacity. It would take off horizontally, attain Mach 6 at an altitude of 30,000 to
35,000 meters, and then accelerate to an orbital speed of Mach 25 to reach low orbit at an altitude of
300 kilometers. Crucial to this capability is a propulsion system that combines features of air-breathing
and rocket engines. As a result, Aerospatiale, ONERA (National Aerospace Studies and Research
Office), and SEP (European Propulsion Company) are studying two "hybrid" designs that incorporate
turbojet, ramjet, and rocket features in a single engine. R&D on the scramjet (supersonic combustion
ramjet) has reportedly been abandoned.
Hybrid engines proposed for the STS 2000
Key: a. compressor
b. turbine
c. fuel
d. turbojet-ramjet-rocket
e. oxidizer
f. variable section nozzle
g. rocket-ramjet-rocket
h. nozzle
One design under consideration is a turbojet-ramjet-rocket. At takeoff and up to about Mach 2, it
functions as a turbojet (1,2), accelerating the vehicle to Mach 2. At this point the engine becomes a
ramjet (3), which requires no mechanical air compressor because the forward motion of the engine
compresses the air sufficiently for combustion. At Mach 6 (at an altitude of about 40 kilometers) the
rocket engine (4) ignites, fueled by onboard liquid hydrogen and oxygen.
4
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
The second proposed hybrid engine is a combined rocket-ramjet-rocket. It operates up to Mach 2 as
a rocket (5), then becomes a ramjet (6) for propulsion up to Mach 6. At Mach 6 the rocket engine (7) is
restarted to accelerate the aircraft to an orbital speed of Mach 25.
The engines and aerodynamic design of the STS 2000 will have much in common with the AGV
hypersonic passenger transport, a second aircraft being developed by a 30-member research team at
Aerospatiale. Designed for a cruising speed of Mach 5.5 at an altitude of 30,000 meters, the 300-ton
AGV will carry 200 to 250 passengers and have a range of 10,000 to 15,000 kilometers.
The AGV wind tunnel model. Unlike the AGV model shown on the cover, this design features winglets. The
proposed aerodynamic profiles of the AGV and STS 2000 are similar.
Design concept for AGV seating, engine, and wing configuration
The AGV will have 4 or 6 turbojet-ramjet engines providing a total thrust of 120 tons. The engines
will be positioned on the lower aft fuselage, taking maximum advantage of external air compression.
The turbojet and ramjet sections of the engines will use liquid methane and have common air inlets and
nozzles.
The AGV will be a control-configured vehicle with an automatic flight control system to
compensate for aerodynamic instability and provide greater maneuverability than in conventional
aircraft. Aerodynamic efficiency and lift will be maximized by an elliptical fuselage profile that allows
improved wing-to-fuselage attachment. Alternative design proposals feature winglets and canards.
5
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Researchers are studying the use of tantalum and niobium, which can withstand temperatures of
1,650?C, for aircraft structures subject to high temperatures. Consideration is also being given to cooling
the aircraft's outer surface with the onboard liquid hydrogen or liquid methane.
According to an ONERA expert involved in both programs, prototypes for the AGV and STS 2000
are projected for the year 2010. He also noted, without further explanation, that the AGV could be used
"more for military purposes than passenger transport."
Eva L. X2519
6
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
USSR: NEW BOOSTER KEY TO SPACE TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Key Points: The Soviets have hailed the first launch of the Energiya heavy-lift booster as a major
step toward creation of a new multi-use space transportation system. The Energiya 's increased
payload capacity (five times that of the Proton) will enable the Soviets to launch their space
shuttle?designed specifically for joint operations with manned orbital complexes.
The first flight test of the USSR's new heavy-lift booster vehicle Energiya (Energy) took place at the
Baykonur cosmodrome on 15 May. According to the TASS launch report, the new "universal" booster is
intended for orbiting both shuttle spacecraft and large space vehicles with scientific and economic
missions. The two-stage booster (core stage plus four strap-ons) carried a side-mounted "mockup,
satellite" with the weight and dimensions of an actual payload. The two booster stages operated
successfully, but the satellite payload failed to achieve orbit due to a guidance system failure that forced
it to splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Despite the failure of the payload section, TASS emphasized that
"the goals and tasks of the first launch were fully achieved." In an unusual note, the TASS
announcement stated that, in addition to scientific, design, and production organizations, "military
specialists" were also involved in developing and testing the new booster. On 16 May, Moscow
Television Service broadcast a video of the Energiya launch that included a sequence shot prior to the
launch which provided unprecedented coverage of the facilities at Baykonur.
The Energiya booster at Baykonur
7
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Soviet coverage to date has provided the following technical specifications for the Energiya booster:
Liftoff weight: 2,000 tons
Liftoff thrust: 4,000 tons
Height: 60 meters
Maximum cross section: 20 meters
Payload (to low Earth orbit): 100 tons Diameter of second stage (core): 8 meters
First Stage: 4 liquid-fuel strap-ons
Propellant: kerosene ?
liquid oxygen
Thrust: 800 tons
First stage total thrust: 3,200 tons
es)
Second Stage (Core): 4 liquid-fuel engines
Propellant: liquid hydrogen ?
liquid oxygen
Thrust: 200 tons
Second stage total thrust: 800 tons
Diagram showing three views of Energiya
8
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
The new booster's 100-ton payload capacity is approximately five times greater than that of the
Proton, currently the USSR's largest operational launch vehicle, and would represent a single-launch
delivery of a mass approximately twice that of the four-spacecraft complex presently in space (Mir
station-Kvant module-Soyuz TM-Progress). The Energiya first-stage strap-on engines reportedly are the
most powerful rocket engines in the world. The total power of the booster engines is said to be
equivalent to 170 million horsepower. Sergey Grishin, deputy chief of the Flight Control Center, has
stated that all eight engines of the first and second stages are ignited at launch and that the Energiya
could deliver a payload of 32 tons to the moon or 27 tons to Mars or Venus. The French aerospace
journal AVIATION MAGAZINE INTERNATIONAL (1-14 Jun) published a diagram of Energiya (see
above) that gives a dimension of 38 meters for the side-mounted payload canister.
In a feature article in the 12 June issue of IZVESTIYA, doctor of technical sciences V. Karashtin
discussed the computerized system used for the Energiya preflight and launch control operations.
According to Karashtin, new programming methods were employed which made it possible to develop
the hardware and software for the Energiya system even though some specifications for elements of the
new booster had not been finalized. Emphasizing the high degree of automation in the fueling and
checkout procedures, Karashtin pointed out that the entire system uses Soviet computers, both series-
produced models and units specially designed for the Energiya complex. The system reportedly is
programmed to automatically handle over 500 irregular situations in the pre-launch sequence.
Authoritative commentators in the Soviet press have discussed a number of near- and long-term
applications for the new booster. An article in the 22 May SOTSIALISTICHESKAYA INDUSTRIYA
by Guriy Marchuk, president of the USSR Academy of Sciences, focused on the role of the new booster
as "the fundamental component of a multiple-use transportation system being developed in the USSR."
In contrast to previous negative assessments of the US shuttle and noncommittal public comments
regarding Soviet research on shuttle spacecraft, Marchuk declared:
We regard such systems as a promising means of transport and we are studying questions of
their efficient use for performing wide-ranging research and the systematically planned
habitation of space.
Prior to the 15 May launch of Energiya, a commentary in the 7 April issue of TRUD contained the
most specific reference to the USSR's shuttle program to date. A TRUD correspondent at the Flight
Control Center concluded a standard commentary on cosmonaut activity on the Mir station complex
with the assertion that Soviet scientists are working on a space shuttle system and that they had taken
into consideration the problems which were apparent in US spacecraft such as Atlantis, Columbia, and
Challenger. He went on to say that several special shuttle landing strips have already been constructed at
Baykonur and that in an emergency they could be used by US shuttle craft. According to Marchuk,
manned orbital stations will remain the main direction for the Soviet space program. However, new
large stations and modules are also being developed. For this reason, he stated, the Soviet shuttle is
being designed with the specific purpose of joint operations with future manned orbital complexes.
Marchuk added that the Soviets will continue to use their inventory of expendable boosters so that
Earth-orbit transport will be facilitated by an optimum combination of boosters, spacecraft, and
interorbital tugs.
Space scientist V.S. Avduyevskiy emphasized in May that the launch of a Soviet shuttle craft will
not necessarily take place in the near future. He pointed out that a careful reading of the Energiya launch
announcement shows that the new booster can be used for launching large scientific modules as well as
shuttle spacecraft. The payloads that will be given priority, he maintained, will depend "on the direction
in which the development of space proceeds." Marchuk similarly concluded that the future of the Soviet
space program "will depend to a great extent on the actions of the American side."
A.I. Dunayev, head of the new Soviet space agency Glavkosmos, stated in June that the next phase
of the Soviet space program will require a new type of space transportation system. In Dunayev's view,
the growing industrialization of space with heavier cargo flows to and from Earth orbit will require a
system combining high capacity and economy of operation. He maintains that the key to
9
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
economy lies in reusability of all system elements: partially or fully reusable boosters, shuttle spacecraft,
and space tugs for transport between low and high orbits. Soviet commentators have long argued that
the current system of space station plus expendable transport and resupply ships was superior to the US
shuttle system on economic grounds. According to Dunayev, the technical base for creating a reusable
system has already been demonstrated by the achievements of the Soviet rocket building industry.
Reusability of main rocket engines has been shown by multiple test-stand firings of high-thrust liquid
fuel engines with both high-boiling and cryogenic fuels. Although Dunayev makes no reference to
reusability of any Energiya booster components, he does state that the engines are test fired on ground
stands prior to launching. In an apparent reference to the Soviet shuttle orbiter test program, he states
that successes have been achieved in development of structural and heat insulating materials and that
significant theoretical and experimental data have been obtained on aerodynamic and thermal
characteristics of "aircraft returning from orbit over a wide range of velocities in the atmosphere."
Apart from the role of Energiya as the launch vehicle for a space shuttle, Soviet commentaries have
noted the following possible applications for the new booster, some restating previously discussed long-
range space goals, others breaking new ground:
? Placing heavy communications satellites in geostationary orbit
? A solar probe mission
? Missions to Jupiter and the outer planets
? Orbiting of large stations and modules
? Deployment of solar power units for orbital manufacturing operations
? Creation of complexes in orbit for assembly, refueling, repair, or launching of spacecraft
? Manned lunar bases
? Expeditions to Mars, including landing of large mobile laboratories on the surface of the planet.
A 1 June TASS report quotes Glavkosmos head Dunayev to the effect that the Energiya booster
could be made commercially available to foreign partners once it is fully developed.
John C. X2725
10
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
REPORTS
REPORTS surveys science and technology trends as detailed in articles, books, and journals. It
also includes summaries and listings of articles and books which may serve as potential sources
for future research. Conference proceedings will occasionally be presented in this section.
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY UPDATE
JAPAN: PATENT APPLICATIONS
The firm Sumitomo Electric Industry has applied for 600 superconductivity technology-related
patents, according to the Tokyo press. By applying for these patents, the company hopes to be able to
cross-license should superconductivity patents be obtained by US firms. The Sumitomo applications
break down into 25 percent for materials technology, 25 percent for process technology, and 50 percent
for marketable products (not further identified). The firm annually applies for about 2,000 patents. By
the end of this year, over half of these applications will be in superconductivity-related fields. (In
addition, Sumitomo has allocated 1 billion of its total 20 billion yen R&D budget to superconductor
research. Similar increases in superconductivity R&D are taking place at Hitachi, Toshiba, Showa,
Furukawa, and Fujikura.) Prior to this latest round of patent applications, Sumitomo had submitted
30 superconductivity patent requests while the Polymer Chemical Research Institute had filed seven
applications.
Junko A. X2726
PRC: LATEST RESEARCH RESULTS
Unlike previously announced single occurrences of superconductivity (see PERSPECTIVES Vol. 2,
No. 6 pp 5-6), several PRC universities and government research institutes recently demonstrated
stable, repeatable results in which superconductivity was achieved at critical temperatures between 77K
and 95K using a yttrium-barium-copper oxide ceramic. Produced by double sintering or vapor
deposition, the ceramic was tested in bulk sample, thin film, and rod form, according to May reports in
the PRC press.
A research team composed of members of the Departments of Chemistry, Electronics, and Physics
at Nankai University used double sintering to make a bulk sample which achieved superconductivity at
91.6K and had an initial transition temperature above 118K. The Chinese Academy of Sciences'
Institute of Physics reportedly confirmed these results.
Beijing University produced a thin film (0.5-1 microns), using vapor deposition, that achieved a
critical temperature of 84K.
The Shanghai Silicate Institute produced a bulk sample 100 millimeters in diameter (the largest to
date in China) that attained a critical temperature of 95K and an initial transition temperature above
100K.
A research team led by Zheng Jiaqi at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Physics used
vapor deposition to develop a 1-micron-thick superconducting film with a critical temperature of 77K
and an initial transition temperature of 96K. The film demonstrated diamagnetic characteristics.
Researchers at the No. 903 Plant and the Applied Physics and Computer Science Research Institute
(both subordinate to the Ministry of Nuclear Industry) produced a large number of superconductor rods
11
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
11 millimeters in diameter and 110 millimeters in length that displayed a critical temperature of 90K
with an initial transition temperature between 105K and 106K.
Arlene A. X2676/Parker H. X2726/Tom C. X2726
JAPAN: DEEP-SEA RESEARCH VESSEL
The Science and Technology Agency's Oceanic Science and Technology Center has contracted with
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to build the SHINKAI 6000, a deep-diving research vessel, according to
NIKKAN KOGYO SHIMBUN (18 Apr). The 25-ton vessel will be capable of diving to 6,500 meters
which will enable scientists to survey 36 percent of Japan's 200-mile economic zone (6 percent more
than that reachable by the SHINKAI 2000). The vessel is slated for completion in 1989 at a cost
(including construction of a mother ship) of some 19 billion yen.
The SHINKAI 6000 will incorporate seven tons of titanium in its cabin and use fiber reinforced
plastics in its hull. Power is supplied by silver-zinc batteries, and an AC/DC converter developed by
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Electric will be used with insulation oil to eliminate the
need for a pressure-resistant container. An improved vessel configuration will enable the SHINKAI
6000 to reach maximum depth in 2.5 hours.
Junko A. X2726
HUNGARY/AUSTRIA: JOINT CAD-CAM VENTURE
On 1 June, Hungarian and Austrian industrialists and bankers officially chartered the Flexys
Production Automation Share Company (to be established in Budapest), according to FIGYELO of
4 June. Created as part of Hungary's effort to facilitate the transfer of research results to industrial
production (for related reporting on this topic, see PERSPECTIVES Vol. 2, No. 7 p 11), the firm will
draw upon Hungarian R&D expertise and Austrian CAD-CAM technology. The firm, which will have a
Hungarian staff of some 1,000 specialists, will develop and market CAD-CAM systems, devoting
40 percent of its efforts to producing systems for the Hungarian market, 40 percent to producing systems
for Bloc countries, with the remaining 20 percent of company capacity devoted to troubleshooting
engineering problems and writing software packages for Western consumers (primarily in Austria).
Flexys will also act as prime contractor in component design and development projects and will conduct
cooperative research with Hungary's SZTAKI (Computer Technology and Automation Research
Institute).
Flexys, which will be under the direction of Laszlo Edelenyi with Istvan Eeszes (formerly of
SZTAKI) as business manager, will have a registered capital of 150 million forints with stock shares
valued at 500,000 forints. Seventy percent of the firm's shares will be held by SZTAKI, the Bank of
Budapest Share Company, and TRANSMERX (a subsidiary of the Oesterreichische Laenderbank of
Vienna). Other Hungarian shareholders include INVEST Bank, the Intercooperation Share Company,
and the Orient Share Cooperative. Some shares are also held in the US.
Flexys is currently working on several foreign and domestic CAD-CAM projects (for the Ikarusz
Bus Company, the Diosgyor Machine Factory, the Bakony Works, and the Machine Tool Industry
Works) that had been assigned to SZTAKI and Hungary's Mechanical Engineering R&D Association in
1985.
Sari P. X2907
12
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
PREVIEWS
PREVIEWS is an annotated list of selected science and technology items being published by
FBIS. The list may also contain previously published items of wide consumer interest.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY/EUROPE & LATIN AMERICA
R&D STRENGTH OF 17 WEST EUROPEAN STATES COMPARED
The article presents a brief comparative study of the S&T potential and policies of 17 West
European countries prepared by scientific attache services of the French embassies in Europe.
(Paris SCIENCES & TECHNIQUES Jun 87)
EUREKA'S 108 PROJECTS SURVEYED
Following a brief introduction, the titles, participants, duration, and cost of EUREKA'S 108
projects are outlined. (Paris SCIENCES & TECHNIQUES Jun 87)
AEROSPATIALE: CAD/CAM EMULATION LANGUAGE FOR AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY
Article details Aerospatiale development of a standard data communication language (called SET or
Exchanges and Transmission Standard) which permits communication between CAD software and
hardware of different kinds. It would allow communication between Europe's major aircraft
manufacturers. (Paris L'USINE NOUVELLE 11 Jun 87)
HUNGARY'S COMPUTER BASE, TRADE OVERVIEWED
The article presents a survey of computers in Hungary: the existing computer base, hardware
production, East-West trade, and computer smuggling. (Amsterdam COMPUTERWORLD 16 Jun
87)
NEW ESD MANAGER EXPLAINS STRATEGY
In an interview, Bertrand Daugny, new CEO of Electronique Serge Dassault, talks about the
company's product and R&D strategy, cooperation with Thomson, and military and civil activities.
(Paris L'USINE NOUVELLE 18 Jun 87)
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA REPORT
GUIDE TO SOUTH AFRICA'S CSIR
Excerpts from the 1985 edition (the latest available) of the DIRECTORY OF SCIENTIFIC
RESEARCH ORGANIZATIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA contain a detailed breakdown of the
government's science and technology arm, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
(CSIR). The organizational structure of each group, foundation, program, laboratory, and service in
the CSIR is provided. Also included for each unit are the names of top staff members, areas of
research, and publications.
13
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1
For Official Use Only
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/14: CIA-RDP90-00065R000100140007-1