Longueuil, Quebec, May 31, 2005 -- The Canadian Space Agency (CSA) confirms that FOTON-M2, a recoverable Russian science research satellite with a Canadian payload onboard, was successfully launched by a Soyuz-U rocket at 9:00 a.m. EST today from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The launch was carried out by Roskosmos for the European Space Agency (ESA). One of the experiments aboard FOTON-M2, the Soret Coefficient in Crude Oil, or SCCO, is a collaborative research project involving C-CORE of St. John's, Newfoundland, Ryerson University in Toronto, the Microgravity Research Centre of l'Université libre de Bruxelles, the Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen, Université de Pau in France, and Total Fina Elf in France. This project is funded by CSA, CRESTech, which is based in Toronto, and ESA. The experiment should make the estimation of deep oil reserves such as those of the Hibernia project more precise. Performed in microgravity for more accurate results, the testing of crude oil samples aims to improve our knowledge of the dispersion of fluids in porous media-for example, oil bearing sand or rock. In turn, better prediction models of the limits of deep oil reservoirs could be developed, improving the precision and cost-efficiency of drilling operations. FOTON-M2 is carrying a payload of 39 experiments for ESA in physical sciences, biology, fluid physics, exobiology, as well as materials science and technology. Scientists from several ESA member-countries will conduct experiments during this 16-day flight. This mission provides reflight opportunities for payloads lost in a failed Foton-M1 launch on October 15, 2002. SCCO experiment Web page: http://www.espace.gc.ca/asc/eng/sciences/scco.asp - 30 - For Information: Nicholas Girard Communications Advisor Media Relations Canadian Space Agency Telephone: (450) 926-4370 E-mail: nicholas.girard@espace.gc.ca
