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/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Wed, 16 May 90 02:38:02 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <4aIDIda00VcJMREk4q@andrew.cmu.edu> Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Wed, 16 May 90 02:37:31 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #408 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 408 Today's Topics: space news from April 9 AW&ST Re: SPACE Digest V11 #387 NASA Headline News for 05/15/90 (Forwarded) EXOSAT observations Re: Terraforming Venus (was: Manned mission to Venus) Re: Voyager Update - 05/08/90 Re: Terraforming Venus (was: Manned mission to Venus) Naming Stars ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 16 May 90 05:31:43 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: space news from April 9 AW&ST Editorial commenting on the EVA issue for the space station: "The real challenge is not EVA estimates. It is working with the program's byzantine management structure to incorporate thousands of technical refinements across all station areas. These engineering change requirements are about to flood in from nearly 100 technical assessments preceding the station's preliminary design review in December..." NRC tells White House that NASA makes a good case for the first package of Earth Observing System instruments being on a single large platform, but the case for the second set is much weaker. Picture of Israel's second satellite launch. Offeq-2 went up March 3. Mission said to be similar to Offeq-1, a technology test mission for equipment that could be used on operational satellites later. SUCCESSFUL PEGASUS LAUNCH!!! Payload in orbit at 1219 PDT April 5, after a one-day postponement due to bad weather at Edwards and along the flight path. The payload was a NASA barium-release experiment, a small experimental Navy comsat, and flight instrumentation funded by DARPA and developed by Dryden for monitoring Pegasus's hypersonic flight. Defense Science Board criticizes SDIO for its headlong plunge into Brilliant Pebbles, saying it is "fixing the system design too early" at a time when technology is evolving rapidly, inhibiting innovation despite attempts to encourage it. The Board says SDIO seems to be working at cross-purposes with itself, with the research people and the near-term-deployment enthusiasts competing. The Board also questioned SDI's need for the Boost Surveillance and Tracking Satellites, designed with a different system architecture in mind and overly large, complex, and ambitious for the current one. Bush approves early talks with the USSR to explore Soviet involvement in the Moon/Mars project. Similar talks with Canada, Japan, and ESA are planned. Nothing will happen quickly [of course] because the National Space Council will take 18 months or so, minimum, to decide how the talks should be handled. [...words fail me.] The Cape York spaceport, complete with Soviet Zenit boosters, is going full speed ahead whether the US likes it or not. United Technologies' USBI division would like to take on the job of managing construction and operation of the spaceport, and the Australians like the idea, but Cape York wants to start *operations* in 1995 and the White House is still dithering about export licenses to permit USBI to participate. "An Administration source" says no decision is likely until Washington figures out its policy on launch competition from "non-market economies". The Australians point out that they're already stretching their original March 23 deadline, and they have a list of non-US companies that could do the job. The Australians are hoping for a sensible US policy on Soviet boosters at Cape York, and see some reasons for hope. Cape York is entirely a commercial venture with no government financing. There would be no Soviet involvement on-site -- Glavcosmos would be strictly a hardware supplier, and local personnel would be trained to operate Zenit. Cape York would get exclusive foreign rights to Zenit. And USBI would be making money on the business, if it's involved. Cape York has started work on an environmental impact statement, with construction to begin immediately on final approval in 1992. A Soviet satellite might be the first payload launched, in 1995. Full operation, in 1997, would start at five launches per year. The basic Zenit is Zenit 2, two LOX/kerosene stages lifting 15.7 tons into low orbit from Cape York. Zenit 3 adds a third stage from Proton, giving 4.5-5.9 tons into GTO, giving 1.9-2.4 into Clarke orbit. The Zenit 3 has not yet flown, although its components all have considerable flight experience, with Zenit 2 flying since 1985 and the third stage used many times on other boosters. Glavcosmos says Zenit reliability is 95%. Cape York is looking at putting a Western third stage on Zenit 2. Flap in Washington: China's bid, rumored successful, to launch one of the Arabsat series is said to be much lower than Western bids, a possible violation of the restraint-of-trade agreement signed last year. Soviet military launches declined somewhat in 1989, but this seems to be mostly normal statistical variation across assorted programs; there is no sign of a cutback or slowdown. The only significant reductions in 1989 activity for budget reasons were in the manned program. Soviet activity in 1989 averaged a launch every five days, although launches less than 24 hours apart were not uncommon. There *does* seem to be a change underway in the Soviet short-life spysat program, with launches substantially down in 1990 so far. The speculation is that the Soviets are shifting to a launch-on-demand approach, away from the previous philosophy of having major capability aloft at all times. On the other hand, the electronic-eavesdropping naval recon satellite system is seeing major growth, possibly as a replacement for the nuclear radarsats (none of which have been launched since another one malfunctioned in 1988). Another launch in the Almaz series -- big radarsats, roughly the size of a Salyut -- is planned this year, although the program is still experimental and commercial data marketing has not started seriously. Almaz can carry a large camera or other sensor package internally, it has been revealed, to supplement the external radar system. The Soviets have also launched another Okean ice/ocean-monitoring radarsat, and are working on a new "Earth resources platform", planned to have both a bigger radar and optical sensors, for launch as early as 1992. [NASA hopes to launch its first EOS platform in 1995 or so.] Letter from James Duval in Pasadena... "If Columbus or Magellan had been victims of the same 'analysis paralysis' that seems to grip NASA management, they'd still be pacing the decks pondering the weather, food preservation, scurvy and the possible long-term effects of constant seasickness and salt air exposure. Fortunately, they were explorers, not bureaucrats... ...few people today would argue that the risk was unacceptable and that these expeditions should not have taken place until advances in transportation technology could virtually eliminate all risk... ...my guess is cruising the planets in inflatable modules beats crossing seas in wooden ships." -- Life is too short to spend | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology debugging Intel parts. -Van J.| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 15 May 90 14:18:27 GMT From: nsc!taux01!amos@hplabs.hp.com (Amos Shapir) Subject: Re: SPACE Digest V11 #387 In article <9005141453.AA00923@alw.nih.gov> AZM@CU.NIH.GOV writes: >Before we can capture and mine asteroids for metals, and build "space colonies," >we must learn to keep men alive and HEALTHY in space for more than seven days at >a time, must develop REAL spacecraft that are not just bullets with men in their >noses, develop human psyches that will not become deranged by close confinement >with other humans for more than 30 days at a time, develop equipment that can >do more in space than just open its doors and pop weapons satellites into orbit, >and develop the intellectual advancement necessary to produce a world whose >population cooperates for the mutual good of mankind and the planet Earth, If by "we" you mean the whole human race, you're simply wrong - all this and more has already been done. If you mean the USA, you seem to suffer from the same narrow-mindedness of which you accuse the SDI-mongers. -- Amos Shapir amos@taux01.nsc.com, amos@nsc.nsc.com National Semiconductor (Israel) P.O.B. 3007, Herzlia 46104, Israel Tel. +972 52 522255 TWX: 33691, fax: +972-52-558322 GEO: 34 48 E / 32 10 N ------------------------------ Date: 15 May 90 18:06:21 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 05/15/90 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Tuesday, May 15, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Tuesday, May 15.... Kennedy Space Center activities at Pad 39-A include replacement of a coolant regulator valve. Following a complete purge of the system, technicians will remove the valve. The line will also be inspected for sources that could create any blockage. The new valve will then be replaced and X-rayed. The work will take approximately three days to complete. ******** Langley engineers have completed the extensive photographic survey of the Long Duration Exposure Facility. The investigations at the Kennedy Space Center included video, meteoroid and debris analyses of the structure. It is in excellent condition. The structure is now being moved out of the processing facility and into temporary storage. ******** Controllers say taking the Hubble Space Telescope through the paces is a steady process. NASA astronomer Ed Weiler is quoted by UPI as saying the systems are operating properly. And, "this is a complex machine...when an Indy 500 racer rolls off the assembly line you don't drive it around the course at 230 miles per hour. You're constantly trying to tune it up." A bright rogue star was discovered during a test of the telescope guidance system. The Hubble mistakenly pointed toward it preventing the instrument from locking onto the proper stars for correct guidance. After ignoring the star, focusing procedures were repeated successfully. ******** Space Fax Daily reports that Michael Duke, NASA Program Scientist, said he's looking for long-term power systems. The Lunar and Mars Exploration Office studies reveal the power required to maintain a lunar outpost requires technology with efficiencies ten times greater than those currently under development for Space Station Freedom. He said the space station exemplifies how a specific mission can develop technologies that will be useful in the long-term. ******** ---------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Wednesday, May 16.................. 12:00 Noon Launch of Consort III. (Tape replay) Thursday, May 17................... 11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted. 12:00 Noon AMBLER planetary robot vehicle video. 12:30-2:30 P.M. Mercury Program. Earth life of a spacecraft. Servicing at space station. Hubble Space Telescope program. Project Laser. All events and times are subject to change without notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Select TV: Satcom F2R, Transponder 13, C-Band 72 Degrees West Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz. ----------------------------------------------------------------- These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 Noon, EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ. ------------------------------ Date: 15 May 90 02:38:32 GMT From: munnari.oz.au!bruce!monu1!vaxc!phs404g@uunet.uu.net (G.Anders) Subject: EXOSAT observations Hi net people..... I've just been reading an article regarding EXOSAT x-ray observations of a short period RSCVn binary star, and thought such observations would greatly improve the analysis I am currently undertaking for an RSCVn of my own. I already have several optical light curves, but I think I could really nail down the positions of any active regions on the stars if I had x-ray observations as well! The problem is that I don't really know how to go about setting up observation time on EXOSAT, or who to speak to, or even where to find relevant information. If anyone out there knows more than I do about applying for time, it would be great if you could drop me an e-mail message :-) **************************************************************** *** Greg Anders, Physics Department, Monash University - Australia.*** **************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: 14 May 90 19:29:53 GMT From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!zardoz.cpd.com!dhw68k!ofa123!rick@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Rick Ellis) Subject: Re: Terraforming Venus (was: Manned mission to Venus) In a message of , Brian or James (jdnicoll@watyew.uwaterloo.ca) writes: BoJ> I think using Saturn's rings as H2O fodder for terraforming BoJ> Venus is a Bad Idea. There are other sources of ice in the BoJ> Solar System, and destroying a beautiful ring sytem unecessarily BoJ> seems wrong. Kind of similar logic to national parks or BoJ> historic buildings. The Rings have a value where they are. The same could be said of Venus itself. I'd hate to see us jumping into terraforming planets before we have a chance at long term study of their natural state. -- uucp: Rick Ellis Internet: rick@ofa123.fidonet.org BBS: 714 544-0934 2400/1200/300 ------------------------------ Date: 14 May 90 16:58:35 GMT From: rochester!rit!cci632!lmm@rutgers.edu (Lance Michel) Subject: Re: Voyager Update - 05/08/90 In article <403.264D77BB@ofa123.fidonet.org> rick@ofa123.fidonet.org (Rick Ellis) writes: >In a message of , Lance Michel (lmm@cci632.UUCP) writes: > > LM> > One Week Propellant Remaining Output Margin > LM> > Spacecraft (Gm) (Kg) Watts Watts > LM> > Voyager 1 42 36.5 + 2.0 370 59 > LM> > Voyager 2 6 39.6 + 2.0 374 66 > LM> Okay, I give... What is this? >Grams of propellant used per week. But why would either Voyager use ANY propellant? I thought they were finished making course corrections. Also, why would one Voyager use 42Gms and the other use only 6? ___________________________________________________________________________ | | Lance Michel | | "If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting..." | lmm@cci632.UUCP | |___________________________________________C._Lauper____|__________________| (Song stuck in my head at the moment) ------------------------------ Date: 15 May 90 14:31:30 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!watdragon!watyew!jdnicoll@ucsd.edu (Brian or James) Subject: Re: Terraforming Venus (was: Manned mission to Venus) In article <14807@frog.UUCP> john@frog.UUCP (John Woods) writes: >In article <44694@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu>, hagerp@iuvax.cs.indiana.edu (Paul Hager) writes: >> jdnicoll@watyew.uwaterloo.ca (Brian or James) writes: >> ]historic buildings. The Rings have a value where they are. >> ] JDN >> Personally, I'd dismantle the rings in a New York minute if I >> could terraform a planet in the process. This puts me at the >> opposite pole. > >What you need to do is get an -> art <- grant for terraforming Venus... The horror, the horror! Imagine [for example] the awful weathered concrete- rusting steel fountain that Canada gave San Fransisco around 1970 replacing the Rings [Ok, you'd have to scale it up:]. Industrial squalor can't match the apparent ugliness of inaccessable artwork. Imagine if the US gov't had commisioned a red, white and blue moon for your bicentenial, ot the Soviets an orbital hammer and sickle for their fiftieth! [Other nationalities or special interest groups may insert appropriate pieces of artwork here]. John Varley had a story about a war over the paiting of Saturn's rings, come to think of it. I still think that the terraforming of Venus does not require the destruction of the Rings. To a large extent, the Rings got me interested in astronomy, and I'd hate to see them eliminated without a very compelling reason. JDN PS: The SF fountain is one of the few pieces of artwork that the US could validly go to war over to return to the senders. Worth checking out if you are in the Bay area. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 15 May 90 16:21 EDT From: Mark C. Widzinski Subject: Naming Stars It's a harmless novelty, as long as people don't think that these names become "real" names used by astronomers. At least they get their names printed in a book that probably gets a few thousand copies sold, and they can show their copy around and impress their friends. I got my name printed in a book with *hundreds* of thousands of copies distributed. I got a phone. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #408 *******************