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 ; Fri, 25 May 90 04:00:46 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 25 May 90 03:59:39 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #451 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 451 Today's Topics: Re: Endangered squirrels Re: archaic units Re: DOD/NASA announce National Aero-Space Plane contractor team (Forwarded) Spaceflight Re: APPLICANTS FOR ASTRONAUTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 24 May 90 14:46:07 GMT From: philmtl!philabs!briar!rfc@uunet.uu.net (Robert Casey) Subject: Re: Endangered squirrels Are these red squirrels the *only* squirrels on this mountian? ------------------------------ Date: 24 May 90 21:35:42 GMT From: convex!ewright@uunet.uu.net (Edward V. Wright) Subject: Re: archaic units In article <1990May19.214927.14745@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes: >I'm not sure about new programs in general, but the official units for >the space station are imperial units, because of fears that astronauts >might forget how long a centimeter is in a crisis. That's interesting. I remember that the astronauts on the Moon always gave distances in meters and speed in klicks, etc. Has the crisis in American education affected the space program? -:) ------------------------------ Date: 25 May 90 04:03:54 GMT From: cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: DOD/NASA announce National Aero-Space Plane contractor team (Forwarded) In article <9404@pt.cs.cmu.edu> vac@sam.cs.cmu.edu (Vincent Cate) writes: >Are there sound economic reasons for building a single-stage-to-orbit >launcher or was this just a political decision? Yes. :-) There are some arguments in favor of a single stage: it avoids assorted practical problems like staging, and in particular eliminates the need to recover lower stages from inconveniently-long distances downrange. On the other hand, SSTO was definitely a political decision for the Aerospace Plane in particular. >Can you use the same >engine as both a jet and a rocket by just adding your own oxygen when >you want it to be a rocket? Yes, but. In general, optimization for one mode of operation gives you a very different engine from optimization for the other. Whether you can build something that really works well both ways is an open question. Actually, this applies even to jets, because the sort of engine you need for takeoff is very different from the sort you need at Mach 8. >Can a "plane" get going so fast on jets that >it is really almost into space? (I find this hard to believe) There is no theoretical problem. There are many practical problems. How well the Aerospace Plane can deal with them is, at the moment, still classified. -- 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: 25 May 90 04:28:59 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Spaceflight This month's issue of Spaceflight (one of the BIS publications) is one of the best ads yet for this excellent magazine. A large assortment of news on spaceflight in Europe, the USSR, etc. Some details of the Austrian Mir mission, now set for Nov 1991. Two pages on the Cape York project, including drawings and photographs of the Zenit launcher that will be used. An interview with the Assistant Deputy Administrator of NASA, talking about nasty things like funding instability. (He observes that Endeavour, unlike almost any other NASA project, is ahead of schedule and under budget! He says the reason is very simple: it was funded all at once, in a lump sum, so NASA knows where it stands financially for the entire project, and can confidently plan several years ahead.) Full-page color painting of an extended-duration orbiter docked to the space station. Page after page of HST coverage, including a page and a half on in-orbit servicing and the plans to replace various components and instruments over the next decade. Three pages on the SIRTF infrared-telescope project. Three on the imminent Astro-1 shuttle mission. A feature article on Endeavour construction, with color photos. It's been some time since I've been this impressed with an issue of a space periodical. For information on membership in the BIS: British Interplanetary Society Ltd. 27/29 South Lambeth Road London SW8 1SZ UK -- 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: 23 May 90 18:16:32 GMT From: hpfcso!hpfcdj!tom@hplabs.hp.com (Tom Myers) Subject: Re: APPLICANTS FOR ASTRONAUTS > In reading the March issue of Spaceflight, for the recently selected group I would like to read this. Can you tell more about the publication so I can locate a copy? Thanx, TRM ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #451 *******************