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European Space Agency

Press Release

Space technology helps win race at Estoril

16 April 2003
 
Pescarolo Sport won Sunday's race at Estoril in Portugal, the first
in the 7-event FIA Sportscar Championship, helped by technology
originally designed for ESA's space programme.
 
The partnership between Pescarolo Sport and ESA's Technology Transfer
Programme (TTP) began in December last year. Its aim: to apply space
technology in the field of sports car endurance racing and to
demonstrate how space technology can be used 'on Earth'. This year's
International Automobile Federation (FIA) Sportscar Championship was
a good test of whether this partnership is working well. Judging by
Sunday's results the answer is a resounding yes.

Says Henri Pescarolo, team leader of the Pescarolo Sports Team, "the
whole team is delighted with Sunday's results which puts us in the
lead of the Sportscar Championship. Undoubtedly the space technology
we used improved the car's performance and safety". 
 
ESA, together with Henri Pescorolo and Andre de Cortanze, technical
director of the Pescarolo Sport team, identified two important areas
where space technology could be used: performance and security.
Performance to weight ratio is vital in racing and high-tech carbon
composite materials, used to build satellites, were used in the
construction of the sports car. This gave a reduction of 29 kg in the
car's weight, and compensated for the reduction in engine power of 60
horsepower, required by the new Automobile Club de l'Ouest
regulations for the world famous 24-hour Le Mans race that will take
place in June. 

To improve safety, thermal shields similar to those used on Europe's
Ariane launchers were placed between the engine and the flexible fuel
tank to protect it from engine fire hazards. The same material was
also used to insulate the manifold and turbo. 

Pescarolo is not just interested in winning, the safety and comfort
of his pilots also has high priority. For the 24-hour Le Mans race -
the yardstick in endurance racing for pilots and cars - a cooling
system tested during the Dakar 2003 rally will be in place. This will
prevent pilots from suffering from dehydration by providing them with
cooling drinks throughout the race. This technology also derives from
space.

The Pescarolo team is now busy preparing for the next race in the
championship, scheduled for Lausitzring in Germany in May. This
latest cooperation of ESA's TTP programme is just one more example of
how space technology can speed up travel on Earth as well as in
space.

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