Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from beak.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Wed, 11 Oct 89 03:22:43 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Wed, 11 Oct 89 03:22:21 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #134 SPACE Digest Volume 10 : Issue 134 Today's Topics: NASA seeks Space Station Assured Crew Return Vehicle proposals (Forwarded) Geyser-like plume discovered on Neptune's moon Triton (Forwarded) NASA Headline News for 10/05/89 (Forwarded) NASA Headline News for 10/04/89 (Forwarded) Re: Titius Series / Quantum orbits? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 9 Oct 89 05:31:20 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA seeks Space Station Assured Crew Return Vehicle proposals (Forwarded) Jim Cast Headquarters, Washington, D.C. October 3, 1989 Kari Fluegel Johnson Space Center, Houston RELEASE: 89-157 NASA SEEKS SPACE STATION ASSURED CREW RETURN VEHICLE PROPOSALS NASA today released a request for proposals (RFP) for definition studies of a new vehicle that would serve as a lifeboat for Space Station Freedom, providing the capability for assured crew return from space. Deadline for proposal submission is Nov. 16, 1989. The Assured Crew Return Capability (ACRC) System is conceptualized as a vehicle, continuously berthed at Space Station Freedom, for crew return to Earth in event of a medical emergency or other contingencies which cannot be supported by the Space Shuttle, for any reason, including grounding of the Shuttle fleet. The RFP encourages the use of existing technologies for a simple and reliable ACRC vehicle. ACRC necessitates that a vehicle be berthed at the station for immediate use and be reliable enough to be maintained at Freedom for long periods of time before use. Since the beginning of the manned space program, NASA has been dedicated to assured crew return capability for its space vehicles. In the Mercury and Gemini program flights, the first orbit's trajectory assured the return of the spacecraft. Apollo missions were flown on lunar "free return" trajectories where the spacecraft could circle the Moon and return to Earth automatically. During Skylab missions, an Apollo spacecraft was docked at the facility whenever crewmembers were aboard. NASA will award two parallel contracts providing for a $1.5 million, 6-month effort to prepare final ACRC system requirements, to assess feasible configurations and to examine cost, risks and schedules. The contracts also will include an option, valued at $4.5 million, which, if exercised, will provide for systems definition and preliminary design of the ACRC system. The contracts (basic contracts plus options), with a potential value of $6 million each, will support efforts leading to initiation of full-scale development of a vehicle in 1992. The definition studies will be managed by NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. - end - EDITORS NOTE: The Assured Crew Return RFP is available for press review in the Johnson Space Center newsroom and will be available in the Headquarters newsroom within 3 days. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Oct 89 05:27:57 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Geyser-like plume discovered on Neptune's moon Triton (Forwarded) Charles Redmond Headquarters, Washington, D.C. October 2, 1989 Mary Beth Murrill Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. RELEASE: 89-156 GEYSER-LIKE PLUME DISCOVERED ON NEPTUNE'S MOON TRITON A 5-mile-tall, geyser-like plume of dark material has been discovered erupting from the surface of Neptune's moon Triton in images returned last month to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft. The discovery comes just as the Neptune encounter -- Voyager 2's fourth and final planetary flyby in 12 years -- officially ends today, Oct. 2. This is the first time geyser-like phenomena have been seen on any solar system object, other than Earth, since Voyager discovered eight active geysers shooting sulfur above the surface of Jupiter's moon, Io. The new finding -- Voyager's last hurrah in its journey past the planets -- augments Triton's emerging reputation as the most perplexing of all the dozens of moons Voyagers 1 and 2 have explored. Voyager 2's camera captured the eruption shooting dark particles high into Triton's thin atmosphere. Resembling a smokestack, the narrow stem of the dark plume, measured using stereo images, rises vertically nearly 5 miles and forms a cloud that drifts 90 miles westward in Triton's winds. While Voyager scientists are trying to determine the mechanism responsible for the eruption, one possibility being considered is that pressurized gas, probably nitrogen, rises from beneath the surface and carries aloft dark particles and possibly ice crystals. Whatever the cause, the plume takes the particles to an altitude where they are left suspended to form a cloud that drifts westward. Voyager 2's working life among the planets may be at an end, but the spacecraft and its twin, Voyager 1, are expected to continue returning information about the various fields and particles they encounter while approaching and eventually crossing the boundary of our solar system. The plutonium-based generators that provide electricity to the spacecraft are expected to keep alive the computers, science instruments and radio transmitter for up to 25 or 30 more years. As of today, the long-lived project will be known as the Voyager Interstellar Mission. The Voyager Project is managed for NASA's Office of Space Science And Applications by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Oct 89 05:39:21 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 10/05/89 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, October 5, 1989 Audio: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, October 5.... The countdown for the launch of STS-34 begins at 8:00 A.M., Eastern time, Monday. Yesterday, mission managers gave the okay for an October 12 launch after a computer in the Inertial Upper Stage booster was replaced. Crew Commander Don Williams, Pilot Mike McCulley and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ellen Baker and Shannon Lucid will arrive at Kennedy Space Center Monday. Lift off is scheduled for the opening of a 10-minute launch window next Thursday at 1:29 P.M., Eastern time. Deployment of the primary payload...the Galileo spacecraft...will occur about 6 hours after launch. The 2-ton spacecraft will take 6 years to reach its target...Jupiter. In order to get there, the spacecraft will fly past Venus and twice by Earth, using gravity assists from the planets to gain enough velocity to reach Jupiter. During its trip Galileo will collect scientific data about Venus...the Earth-Moon system...fly formation with one or two asteroids for short periods and observe various interstellar phenomenon. A Space Station rephasing plan has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget by NASA Administrator Richard Truly that cuts back on station crew size and electrical power, but holds first element launch to March 1995. According to station program director Dick Kohrs, the revised configuration includes options to expand the station to near full capability when construction is completed in 1999. The plan delays launch of the European Space Agency and Japanese modules. Permanent manned activities would begin in 1996. The plan is based on a FY 1990 space station appropriation of $1.85 billion. Aerospace Daily says the Air Force and NASA have started stockpiling carbonized rayon yarn in the event the Avtex Fiber plant in Front Royal, Virginia, is shut down. The yarn is used in solid rocket motors. The state's attorney general is still trying to close the plant, charging that it's polluting the Shenandoah River. * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Monday, October 9... 9:00 A.M. STS-34 launch countdown status from KSC. Tuesday, October 10... 9:00 A.M. Countdown status 9:30 A.M. Galileo/IUS 1:00 P.M. Shuttle Solar Backscatter U-V instrument 1:45 P.M. Growth hormone concentration and distribution in plants. 2:15 P.M. Polymer morphology 3:00 P.M. Student experiment 3:30 P.M. Mesoscale lightning experiment Wednesday, October 11.... 9:00 A.M. Launch countdown status 11:00 A.M. The Jovian system 1:00 P.M. Pre-launch news conference All events and times are subject to chnge without notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------- These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, Eastern time. ----------------------------------------------------------------- A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Oct 89 05:17:18 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 10/04/89 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Headline News Wednesday, October 4, 1989 Audio: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Wednesday, October 4..... Space shuttle managers are expected to make a decision later today on when to launch the STS-34 mission. Yesterday, they had deferred a decision until a computer problem on the Inertial Upper Stage rocket was resolved. The IUS will boost the Galileo payload on its way to Jupiter. The suspect computer...one of two aboard the IUS...was removed last night and a replacement installed. Testing of the computer system is expected to be completed this evening. Meanwhile, in Washington, Federal District Judge Oliver Gasch requested documents today from three anti-nuclear activist groups who want to stop the flight. A government response will be filed Friday. A hearing on the issue before Judge Gasch is scheduled for next Tuesday. The activist groups say if their legal appeal fails they will attempt to disrupt the countdown and stop the launch by trespassing on the Kennedy Space Center. Aerospace Daily reports that two teams of aerospace firms will bid for definition studies for a space station crew emergency return vehicle. The groups, one led by Rockwell International...the other by Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. answered the Request For Proposals issued yesterday. NASA is seeking a vehicle capable or being maintained for long periods of time before use. Two female monkeys have checked out fine after completion of their 14-day flight aboard the Soviet biosatellite that returned to Earth last Friday. Other occupants of the so-called "living corner" of Cosmos 2044 included rats, fish, insects and plants. Over 80 experiments were aboard the satellite. The United States, France, Canada and the European Space Agency participated in the mission. A news briefing will be held tomorrow on the pending launch of the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite. The briefing will be held at 1:30 P.M., Eastern time, at NASA Headquarters in Washington and may be seen on NASA Select television. Launch of the spacecraft is scheduled for November 9. * * * * ----------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Thursday, October 5... 11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted. 1:30 P.M. Cosmic Background Explorer satellite briefing from NASA Headquarters. Monday, October 9.... STS-34 briefings begin at 9:00 A.M. if October 12 is designated launch day. A full rundown on the briefing schedule will be filed Thursday. All events and times are subject to change without notice. -------------------------------------------------------------- These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon, Eastern time. ----------------------------------------------------------------- A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Oct 89 19:30:59 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx!grads@ucsd.edu (Feulner ... Matt Feulner) Subject: Re: Titius Series / Quantum orbits? In article <2876@psivax.UUCP> torkil@psivax.UUCP (Torkil Hammer) writes: > >Los Angeles Times 'Science' column a few weeks ago was by Asimov who >pointed out that 500 million years ago the year had 35 days more than >today, as evident through diurnal and annual patterns in sediments. >Asimov pointed out that tides slow down the earth diurnal rotation at a >predictable average rate (but with unpredictable pertubations due to >snow caps and moving land masses), and the average rate explained the >extra days to a nicety. Of course, along with the loss of angular momentum of the Earth (slowing down of the earth's diurnal rotation) comes the gain in angular momentum of Earth's only moon, the Moon. Some have guessed that the month (period of rotation of the Moon) used to be on the order of 10 hours. This means the Moon has changed into increasingly higher orbits over the past n-million years. I don't know that people have looked at the effects of tides on multi-mooned planets, but this leads me to believe that if there is indeed a pattern to the locations of the moons, that it is due to dynamical effects of other moons or planets, as opposed to "that's where they were formed". Matthew Feulner a dynamic effect of other moons or planets, as opposed to ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V10 #134 *******************