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 ; Thu, 21 Jun 1990 01:31:59 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Thu, 21 Jun 1990 01:31:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #547 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 547 Today's Topics: Re: Model Rockets in Orbit Info from RISKS on Hubble Re: Model Rockets in Orbit Re: Saturn Rockets Re: Rockets to the moon Payload Status for 06/20/90 (Forwarded) NASA Headline News for 06/20/90 (Forwarded) Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 Jun 90 13:01:38 GMT From: mojo!SYSMGR%KING.ENG.UMD.EDU@mimsy.umd.edu (Doug Mohney) Subject: Re: Model Rockets in Orbit In article , mvk@pawl.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent) writes: >In response to 1st Lt. Henry S. Cobb, who writes about Project Goddard, MIT's >attempt to perform the first private launch. He writes, "...in any case, the >goal has been achieved by the first launch of Pegasus...": > >Not to put down Pegasus -- it is an amazing accomplishment -- but I believe >McDonnell Douglas beat OSC to orbit by a good seven months. McDonnell-D was using a booster which was developed with government R&D money, basically (correct me if I'm wrong). Pegasus was a more private venture, with the government as a paying customer... I suspect someone else will make a clear statement on the legalese of a "private" launch. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 8:52:33 CDT From: Will Martin Subject: Info from RISKS on Hubble The following item was in the latest RISKS Digest; I scanned the recent SPACE Digest traffic and did not find it posted there, so am sending a copy to SPACE -- if it turns out to be a duplicate, my apologies... RISKS-LIST: RISKS-FORUM Digest Tuesday 19 June 1990 Volume 10 : Issue 10 Date: 19 Jun 90 03:09:36 CDT (Tue) From: karl@sugar.hackercorp.com (Karl Lehenbauer) Subject: More Space Telescope Problems The June 18th issue of Aviation Week and Space Technology has a half-page article on two problems the Hubble Space Telescope has been having. One problem is that some RAM used by the fine guidance system is being scrambled when the telescope passes through the South Atlantic Anomaly, a region representing a "dip" in the Van Allen Belts that has been known to be hazardous to spacecraft electronics for decades. This happens for a ten minute period during every 98-minute orbit. The NASA deputy project manager of the HST, Jean Olivier, said that they had evaluated the radiation effects very carefully, but that they had apparently miscalculated. The data in the RAM is supplied, according to the article, by the telescope's Rockwell Autonetics DF-224 general purpose computer. The magnetic core memory used by the Rockwell computer is not considered to be susceptible to disruption by radiation. Olivier said that the Rockwell computer can be programmed to refresh the RAM ten times a second, with the result being that a completely new set of parameters in the fine guidance sensor electronics would be calculated every five seconds, thereby eliminating the problem. The second problem is with the telescope's solar arrays. Analyses done in Europe and the United States sugest that the poles that hold the solar arrays in place, called bistems, bow under a 50F degree temperature gradient, causing the ends of the arrays to move about ten inches, resulting in their oscillating for up to six minutes. Olivier said that the solution is to program the spacecraft's magnetic torquers to apply counteracting forces. ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jun 90 16:12:48 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Model Rockets in Orbit In article mvk@pawl.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent) writes: >In response to 1st Lt. Henry S. Cobb, who writes about Project Goddard, MIT's >attempt to perform the first private launch. He writes, "...in any case, the >goal has been achieved by the first launch of Pegasus...": > >Not to put down Pegasus -- it is an amazing accomplishment -- but I believe >McDonnell Douglas beat OSC to orbit by a good seven months. Only if you consider an ex-missile developed on government money to somehow be a "private" launcher. -- As a user I'll take speed over| Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology features any day. -A.Tanenbaum| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jun 90 20:17:46 GMT From: swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!milano!peyote!mosley@ucsd.edu (Bob Mosley III) Subject: Re: Saturn Rockets ...Henry's comments on the Saturn series of launch vehicles brings up two questions: 1) We've seen the results of the Saturn program, but what about the progress on the followup, the Nova series? I remember seeing photos of Werner Von Braun standing beside small models of proposed Nova boosters, but these were from 1964 or so. How far did development go on the Novas, and when did they officially get the axe? 2) We've seen a great deal of text files appearing on here over the years. Is there an archive site available for them? i'd be curious to see what's been posted that I've missed.... OM ------------------------------ Date: 20 Jun 90 17:01:42 GMT From: lc2b+@andrew.cmu.edu (Lawrence Curcio) Subject: Re: Rockets to the moon Some detailed calculations, here. Assumptions: Rocket takes off from platform above significant air resistance Gravity doesn't change much during burn time Rocket is composed of class N clusters, because Class N engines have the best mass ratios Top stage is one N engine Each stage carries stages above it that total half of the mass of the current stage => mass ratio of each stage is 2.0 There is no payload or structural mass other than the engines themselves. So here's a BASIC program that does some quick calculations: 10 TB=3.78:REM BURN TIME 20 EV=7*5280:REM ESCAPE VELOCITY=7 MILES/SECOND 30 EV=EV*12*2.54/100:REM M/SEC 40 PRINT "ESCAPE VELOCITY=";EV 50 VE=211*9.8:REM EXHAUST VELOCITY=Isp*g 60 PRINT "Ve=";VE 70 N=4:REM MASS RATIO OF BARE N ENGINE 80 N=(4+2)/(1+2):REM MASS RATIO OF EACH STAGE 90 REM ASSUME ALL UPPER STAGES ARE 1/2 CURRENT STAGE MASS 100 PRINT "MASS RATIO EACH STAGE=";N 110 RV=VE*LOG(N)-9.8*TB:REM CORRECTED FOR GRAVITY 120 PRINT"VELOCITY INCREASE EACH STAGE=";RV 130 NSTAGE=INT(EV/RV +.999):REM ROUND UP 140 PRINT"MIN STAGES FROM 150K FEET";NSTAGE 150 NENG=3^(NSTAGE-1):REM WORK IT OUT 160 PRINT"ENGINES REQUIRED=";NENG 170 COST=NENG*1300 180 PRINT "MINIMUM COST IN $";COST Output: ESCAPE VELOCITY= 11265.41 (M/sec) Ve= 2067.8 (M/sec) MASS RATIO EACH STAGE= 2 VELOCITY INCREASE EACH STAGE= 1396.246 (M/sec) MIN STAGES FROM 150K FEET 9 ENGINES REQUIRED= 6561 MINIMUM COST IN $ 8529300 (That's $8,529,300.00) Any calculational errors? Please correct and repost. I don't think this is practical, but I AM ready for SOMETHING! Larry Curcio (CMU) ------------------------------ Date: 21 Jun 90 03:07:23 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Payload Status for 06/20/90 (Forwarded) Daily Status/KSC Payload Management and Operations 06-20-90. - STS-35 ASTRO-1/BBXRT (at OPF) - The payload bay doors will be reopened today and experiment purge lines will be reconnected. - STS-37 GRO (at PHSF) - Propellant system leak checks will be performed today. - STS-40 SLS-1 (at O&C) - CITE interface testing continues. - STS-41 Ulysses (at ESA 60) - Ulysses systems test continues. CITE MUE validation at the VPF and goal software verification at the O&C will be active today. - STS-42 IML-1 (at O&C) - Rack, floor, and module staging is continuing. - STS-45 Atlas-1 (at O&C) - Sepac installation will occur today. - STS-46 TSS-1 (at O&C) - Paper closure is active today. - STS-47 Spacelab-J (at O&C) - Rack 4 will be removed from the handling frame on first shift. Rack 11 staging continues on second shift. ------------------------------ Date: 21 Jun 90 03:05:36 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/20/90 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, June 20, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News FOr Wednesday, June 20....... At the Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39-A yesterday, the Auxiliary Power Units #1 and #2 were successfully hot fired on the Space Shuttle Atlantis. The Countdown Demonstration Test with the STS-38 flight crew is scheduled for this Wednesday and Thursday, June 20-21. It will include a simulated engine firing and cutoff at 11:00 A.M. on Thursday. The official launch date will be set at the Flight Readiness Review which is scheduled for next week. Meanwhile, at the Kennedy Space Center Orbiter Processing Facility, preparations are underway to open the payload bay doors of the Space Shuttle Columbia early next week to allow access to the Astro-1 payload and the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope. The 17- inch disconnect valve on the external tank was removed and the valve was shipped out to the vendor. A new valve is being installed. In preparation for launch of the CRRES at Cape Canaveral in Florida, the Atlas Centaur Rocket sucessfully completed the Countdown Dress Rehearsal Test. The spacecraft will be taken to the launch pad next Tuesday. The launch is scheduled for 4:50 P.M. EDT on July 9. ******** The Magellan spacecraft continues to cruise and perform well. It is scheduled to encounter Venus in 50 days. The week was capped with a very successful test of the personnel, the software and the command sequences required to recover the random access memory safing within 10 hours of orbit insertion. The spacecraft is now 113 million miles from Earth and has closed to within less than 10 million miles from Venus. It is now traveling over 80,000 miles per hour. ******** President Bush is scheduled to speak to NASA employees, contractors and teachers attending an education seminar today following his arrival at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The President will participate in a briefing on the Space Exploration Initiative and tour of the Hubble Space Telescope facilities. Coverage of the tour begins at 3:00 P.M. His live remarks will be on NASA Select TV at 3:30 P.M. EDT. -------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Wednesday, June 20...... 3:00 P.M. Coverage will begin of the President's arrival at the Marshall Space Flight Center. 3:10 P.M. The President participates in a Question and Answer Session. Highlights of his tour of the Hubble facilities will be included. 3:30 P.M. The President's live address. 4:00 P.M. X-29 Press Conference tape replay at 12:45 P.M. at the Watergate. Thursday, June 21 10:00 A.M. STS-38 Countdown Demonstration Test. The simulated liftoff will begin at 11:00 A.M. 11:30 A.M. NASA Update will be transmitted. Friday, June 22......... 11:00 A.M. CRRES mission briefing and photo opportunity. For more information call 407/867-2468. ----------------------------------------------------------------- All events and times are subject to change without notice. These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 P.M. EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communications Branch, NASA HQ. Contact: JSTANHOPE or CREDMOND on NASAmail or at 202/453-8425. ----------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Select TV: Satcom F2R, Transponder 13, C-Band 72 Degrees West Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 20 Jun 90 23:26:30 EDT From: kfl@quake.LCS.MIT.EDU (Keith F. Lynch) Cc: Re:HAWAII/ROCKET.very.long.-.61k@quake.LCS.MIT.EDU, kfl@quake.LCS.MIT.EDU > From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!bionet!arisia!cdp!jhanson@ucsd.edu > Some soils in Hawaii contain as much as 31.7% aluminum. And it's a common food ingredient - check some labels. But you object to a few tons being dumped in the air near Hawaii? > The volcano releases sulfuric acid, whereas SRMs produce a much more > concentrated hydrochloric acid. Volcanos produce both acids. Hydrochloric acid is also found in the human stomach. > If there is an accident involving plutonium, it may take 50,000 > years before humans would be allowed to move back! No isotope of plutonium is more radioactive than the ore it was mined from, after 600 years. And the isotope that's used in space probes has a half life of only 88 years. > ... one of the most toxic substances known. Wrong. I wouldn't sprinkle it on my food, but any exposure much less than that is pretty safe. Others on this list mentioned that Edward Teller offered to eat as much plutonium as a reporter will eat caffeine. > The U.S. has launched more than 30 RTGs with a significant failure > rate of 10-15%. Does this include the RTGs that were cleaned off and reflown? How many broke open? Any? How many people were hurt by them? Any? > BERYLLIUM and its compounds are severe pulmonary irritants, skin > irritants and skin sensitizers. A few years ago I was working on a project that involved handling beryllium sheet metal. I wasn't poisoned. My skin was unharmed. I suggest you re-evaluate the reliablity of your sources. ...Keith ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #547 *******************