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, 27 Jun 1990 03:04:57 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <0aW5dxW00VcJ03Y04d@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Wed, 27 Jun 1990 03:04:30 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #577 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 577 Today's Topics: Re: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was? Re: Pegasus HST Update - 06/26/90 (Forwarded) Re: SPACE Digest V11 #563 Payload Status for 06/26/90 (Forwarded) comp.lang.idl-pvwave passes Re: NSS protests Chinese launch pricing Re: Circles in Fields KSC makes use of spin-off heat pipe technology (Forwarded) Re: Pegasus Re: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was? 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: 26 Jun 90 14:48:55 GMT From: usc!samsung!umich!terminator!um.cc.umich.edu!Gavin_Eadie@ucsd.edu (Gavin Eadie) Subject: Re: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was? In article <440@newave.UUCP> john@newave.UUCP (John A. Weeks III) writes: > Can anyone tell me more about MOL, or at least point MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) was a USAF project to use Gemini technology to gain experience of longer duration space experience. If my memory serves me well, MOL was a combination of a Gemini capsule and another tank-like structure that sat on top of the Titan launcher where an interstage would sit. The best part was that access to the tank was through a hatch cut in the heatshield of the Gemini. I always wondered if that could actually work without excessive risk ... we'll never know! Gavin Eadie, University of Michigan Information Systems ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 18:49:31 GMT From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!titan!heskett@ucsd.edu (Donald Heskett) Subject: Re: Pegasus Exactly. All remaining B-70s and B-58s are in mothballs. Spare parts would be difficult or impossible to come by, ditto maintenance and support personnel. Besides, the B-58 was a small plane, not much larger than many fighters. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 21:59:44 GMT From: usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: HST Update - 06/26/90 (Forwarded) HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE ADVISORY - June 26, 1990 In assessing the Hubble Space Telescope's optical performance, the orbital verification team conducted a series of focus tests, which involved moving the secondary mirror to a number of positions. Wide Field Planetary Camera images were taken at each position to assess how the image quality changes with secondary mirror motion. The anticipated image quality was not achieved. Computer models of the images indicate the source of this lesser quality image may be what is called "spherical aberration." A spherical aberration occurs when all the light from a mirror does not focus precisely at the same point. NASA managers are now assessing the cause, studying how to compensate and determining its science implications. A news briefing will be held at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., tomorrow afternoon, at approximately 3-4 p.m. EDT, following a planned science review. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jun 90 20:37:22 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!umich!umeecs!msi-s0.msi.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!cybrspc!roy@ucsd.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) Subject: Re: SPACE Digest V11 #563 AZM@CU.NIH.GOV writes: > What is interesting to me is the way everyone takes the word of farmers, > day laborers, dishwashers, and delivery boys regarding the geometrically > perfect nature of these symbols left behind by visiting aliens. Of course, > we all realize that each of these occupations requires at the very least, > one advanced degree in mathematics. Better add news photographers to your list! I saw some very convincing photos on CNN a few days ago, taken from an overhead viewpoint. They looked very circular to me. > We should also place complete faith in the testimony of these persons, > who derive their sustenance from the brown, narrow-necked bottle... Thank you for writing off all those reports with such a grand stroke! If you're through being the eternal skeptic, may we proceed? (Sheesh! I suppose you think we're the only intelligent civilization in the galaxy.) -- Roy M. Silvernail | 'I don't see why you people | Opinions found now available at: | seem to think this is magic... | herein are mine, cybrspc!roy@umn.cs.edu | Its just this little chromium | but you can rent (cyberspace... be here!)| switch here...[click]' | them. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 14:39:27 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Payload Status for 06/26/90 (Forwarded) Daily Status/KSC Payload Management and Operations 06-26-90. - STS-35 ASTRO-1/BBXRT (at OPF) - Spacelab powered up testing was completed third shift today. - STS-37 GRO (at PHSF) - Functional testing continues. - STS-40 SLS-1 (at O&C) - Stowage container installation and closeout inspections will be performed today. - STS-41 Ulysses (at Hanger AO) - At the VPD, IUS will be installed into the VPHD today. - STS-42 IML-1 (at O&C) - Rack, floor, and module staging is continuing. Rack 5 will be mated to the floor today. - Atlas-1 (at O&C) - Orthogrid strut installation will occur today. - STS-46 TSS-1 (at O&C) - Closeout inspections continue. - STS-47 Spacelab-J (at O&C) - Rack 11 and 7 staging continues on second shift. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 14:47:06 GMT From: caldwr!rfinch@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu (Ralph Finch) Subject: comp.lang.idl-pvwave passes The proposed group comp.lang.idl-pvwave tentatively passes, following the 5 day waiting period. Vote count: NO votes: 22 YES votes: 142 Total votes: 164 Thanks to all who participated. If no serious discrepancies are found in the votes a newsgroup creation will be requested after the 5 day waiting period. I sent the mass acknowledgment (detailed vote list) to Eliot Lear [lear@turbo.bio.net], the moderator of news.announce.newgroups. -- Ralph Finch 916-445-0088 rfinch@water.ca.gov ...ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!rfinch Any opinions expressed are my own; they do not represent the DWR ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jun 90 11:08:52 GMT From: uc!cs.umn.edu!cybrspc!roy@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) Subject: Re: NSS protests Chinese launch pricing Forgive me, but I joined this thread late... David.Anderman@ofa123.fidonet.org (David Anderman) writes: > Here's a puzzler: what if the Chinese offered to launch *people* into > space at a lower rate than the US (assuming that the US actually charged > money for space flights). Should the NSS oppose cheap spaceflight, even > if it could culminate in the creation of a spacefaring civilization? Perhaps the NSS opposes cheap spaceflight simply because the U.S. is being underbid, or because they wish to preserve the strength of the U.S. presence in space? (in other words, blind nationalism) -- Roy M. Silvernail /\ #include ; /\ "I don't see why you now available at: \/ #define opinions MINE \/ think this is magic... cybrspc!roy@umn.cs.edu /\________________________/ Its just this little, (cyberspace... be here!)\/ Firesign Theater---===> chromium switch." ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jun 90 09:43:14 GMT From: mcsun!ukc!reading!minster!george@uunet.uu.net Subject: Re: Circles in Fields Not only circles either! Was a program on the radio (BBC R4) this morning which had a bit of info - apparently now getting very strange shapes, e.g. dumb-bell with 3 semicircles above it. Also, circles as large as 100yds across have been seen. One interesting thing is that the corn or rape is not broken at the base, but bent at approx 90 degrees. I saw one near my home, and was suprised at the sharp cutoff at the edge of the circles (this one was one large circle with four smaller circles round it), one moment the corn was bent over, the next moment it was perfectly ok! Funny noises and flashes of blue light have been reported, but not substantiated by any evidence. Mainly seen in UK, but have also been reported in Australia + USA a few times. Problem is that unless you look for them, you don't see them. Two things which do seem clear; 1) they are not hoaxes (those that are are clearly so), and 2) they are not formed by a wind vortex or mini tornado due to the unusual shapes What are they - who knows???! I'm not going to say because I certainly don't. Maybe people could look around near them for these things. George Bolt ------------------------------ Date: 25 Jun 90 17:23:58 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: KSC makes use of spin-off heat pipe technology (Forwarded) Bruce Buckingham 407/867-2468 June 22, 1990 KSC RELEASE NO. 116 - 90 KSC MAKES USE OF SPIN-OFF HEAT PIPE TECHNOLOGY Later this summer, Kennedy Space Center will get a taste of its own progress when spin-off technology is used to upgrade the Space Station Logistics and Resupply section of the Payload Support Building. Under a contract awarded to Precision Mechanical, Inc., a Cocoa, Florida small business firm, heat pipe technology will be used in the addition of a new air conditioning system which will control the temperature and humidity in the Payload Support Building. KSC is the first NASA center to make use of this energy saving technology. Heat pipes were initially used as an efficient cooling method for satellites in space. Later, through the efforts of the NASA Technology Utilization office, heat pipes were adapted to assist in the air conditioning and dehumidification of buildings on Earth. Heat pipes eliminate the "re-heat" cycle used in conventional air conditioners for humidity control and adds a pre-cooling cycle to the main cooling pool. Substantial amounts of energy are required to run inefficient conventional air conditioners which must "over-cool" the air in order to bring humidity down to acceptable levels. Heat pipes, however, cool the air before it enters the air conditioner and then decrease the relative humidity of the cooled air prior to it entering the room. Heat pipes have coolants inside sealed tubes. These tubes are placed on either side of the air conditioner -- in front of the warm air intake and after the cooled air out-flow. The liquid inside the heat pipe evaporators absorb heat from the in coming warmer air and passes the vapor into the condenser section of the pipes. The vapor then re-condenses inside the heat pipe and transfers the heat to the cold air supply coming out of the air conditioner, thereby lowering the relative humidity of the air out-flow. Because the relative humidity of the passing air is lower, rooms feel cooler even at the higher air temperatures. Thermostats can be adjusted and the air conditioners aren't required to operate as often. Outside applications for heat pipe dehumidification began with the work of Khanh Dinh of Alachua, Fla. The Dinh Company was founded in 1983 to capitalize on heat pipe transfer technology. Dinh's proposal led to a working relationship with NASA to develop and refine the space technology. Working under a contract with NASA, Dinh Company developed a line of heat pipe dehumidification systems that significantly increased the moisture removal capacity of conventional air conditioning systems. Such a system will be used in the Payload Support Building. Dinh has also introduced a line of stand alone heat pipe dehumidifiers for libraries and offices which offer double the efficiency of conventional dehumidification. This resulted in energy savings to users of 15 to 20 percent. Technology for the use of heat pipes was recently inducted into the U.S Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame at Colorado Springs, Co., during the Sixth National Space Symposium. Current applications of heat pipe technology include uses at Bob's Candies, Albany, Ga., and on the Alaskan pipeline. ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 03:22:57 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Pegasus In article <751C7FA3D3BF201604@vaxsar.bitnet> THBLERSCH%VASSAR.BITNET@vma.cc.cmu.edu writes: >...launching Pegasus from an XB-70 instead of a B-52. > My question is: why not launch from an old B-58? ... Because the extra speed and altitude are not that much help, and flying and maintaining a (now) one-of-a-kind high-performance aircraft would be very expensive. Let's not start this protracted and pointless discussion again, please. -- 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: 26 Jun 90 18:34:10 GMT From: ksr!clj@uunet.uu.net (Chris Jones) Subject: Re: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was? In article <440@newave.UUCP>, john@newave (John A. Weeks III) writes: > I have been unable to find out anything >about MOL except the following: > > 1. It stands for Manned Orbiting Labratory > 2. It was a super-secret Air Force project > 3. It was cancelled in 1968 > > I am curious as to >what the mission was, what if any hardware was built, >and why it was cancelled. I'm not sure what the mission was, though I'd guess "spying". The MOL was to be a modified Gemini capsule (I believe they weren't going to have the Gemini instrument unit/retro module and there would be a hatch in the heat sheild(!) to allow access to the laboratory part). The laboratory was smaller than Salyut/Mir sized, I think. The whole thing was to be launched by a Titan III, and the missions were for up to 30 days. I don't know why it was cancelled (wouldn't help us get to the moon by 1970 is a guess), but I think astronauts were chosen, and some of them later transferred to the NASA astronaut corps. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #577 *******************