Section I – Scientific knowledge and applications of air and space

In a first step, the section participated in studies on the relationship between aeronautics and airspace via two cross-cutting approaches:

• impact of air traffic and launchers on the atmosphere and climate ;
• the impact of physico-chemical changes in the atmosphere on the design of aeronautical and space vehicles.

The first topic was followed up by the Cosefa committee “Environmental consequences of an aircraft fleet”, on which three members of the Académie and three members of the Académie des Sciences sat.

The section helped organize a symposium in 1993 to identify problems and propose further observations. Joint summary reports were published and presented in 1997.

The activity of the section is also exercised on another axis: use of space for scientific purposes. This activity was not explicitly addressed at first. One of the reasons for this is the extensive involvement of section members in existing scientific structures, such as the cnes scientific program committee and ESA expert groups. However, it is worth noting the large number of high-level scientific conferences given by leading international researchers, enabling the Académie to play its role in disseminating knowledge.

More recently AAE took the initiative, in cooperation with the Bureau of Longitudes and the French Académie de Marine, for joint work to highlight the important elements of the Galileo project. The final document is an important contribution and a basis for future studies.