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, 29 Jun 1990 02:29:47 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 29 Jun 1990 02:29:18 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #581 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 581 Today's Topics: Re: The Manned Orbiting Laboratory (was: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was?) NASA Headline News for 06/27/90 (Forwarded) Re: The Scout, Pershing II's and ICBM's Re: NASA announces next steps in Space Exploration Outreach Program (F Re: Spacelab costs, pricing politics Unofficial HST report - aberration problem NASA Headline News for 06/28/90 (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: 27 Jun 90 17:23:35 GMT From: mephisto!prism!dsm@rutgers.edu (Daniel McGurl) Subject: Re: The Manned Orbiting Laboratory (was: Anyone Know What MOL Is/Was?) In article <1951@cfa237.cfa250.harvard.edu> mcdowell@cfa250.harvard.edu (Jonathan McDowell) writes: >---- The Space Station that Never Flew: MOL ------ [lots of neat studd deleted] >However, real hardware for the program was behind schedule, >and after many delays the program fell victim to the Vietnam >war and was scrapped in 1969. Are you sure about this? You message seems to imply that hardware was built, but my reference says that no hardware was built for the project. Quoting without permission for _Deep Black_ "there was a planned satellite designated KH-10 (this was the MOL we've been talking about), but it was superseded so quickly by the KH-11 that it never made it off the drawing board" (p 21) I guess it could just be a definition of what real hardware is being different. At any rate, where did you get that info from? (If nothing else it ought to be another good source about satelite hardware :-) >------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > - hope you find this interesting. Jonathan it was... Daniel Sean McGurl "He is always decieving you into believing Office of Computing Services and that he's only hunting for mice." Information and Computer Science Major at: Georgia Institute of Technology ARPA: dsm@prism.gatech.edu -- Daniel Sean McGurl "He is always decieving you into believing Office of Computing Services and that he's only hunting for mice." Information and Computer Science Major at: Georgia Institute of Technology ARPA: dsm@prism.gatech.edu ------------------------------ Date: 27 Jun 90 17:24:48 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/27/90 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, June 27, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Wednesday, June 27 ...... The Space Telescope Program Office called a press conference today at 3:00 p.m. at Goddard Space Flight Center to brief media on a problem discovered with the Hubble Space Telescope's optical system. Anticipated image quality for the mirror system has not been achieved and computer models suggest this may be the result of "spherical aberration." The HST project is now assessing the cause and will determine the implications to the astronomical science program. An inquiry board will be named. At Kennedy Space Center the special tanking test call-to-stations is set for 4 p.m. today with the test scheduled to begin tomorrow at 4 p.m. The Rotating Service Structure will be moved away from Atlantis at about 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. The tank will be filled about half full with about 200,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen while engineers monitor sensors from the Firing Room to determine if there are any leaks. Meanwhile, in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF), preparations are underway to remove the 17-inch disconnect on Columbia. The valve is expected to be out by this weekend and will be shipped to Rockwell for testing and analysis. The disconnect from the Shuttle Endeavour has arrived at KSC. Also in the OPF, Discovery had a functional test of its star tracker completed and checkout of the main propulsion system liquid hydrogen system is scheduled to start today. Orbiter structural inspections and routine testing of all Discovery's systems are continuing this week. And in deep space, the Magellan spacecraft continues its normal cruise toward its rendezvous with Venus August 10. All star calibrations during the past week were successful with an average attitude update of 0.04 degrees. The spacecraft team is closely monitoring the predicted gradual temperature increases of spacecraft components as Magellan approaches closer to the sun. So far, actual temperatures are within the predicted tolerances and no problems are anticipated. Magellan is now 117 million miles from Earth and about 250,000 miles from Venus moving at a heliocentric velocity of just over 82,000 miles per hour. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory a very successful Venus Orbit Insertion (VOI) operations readiness test was conducted last week. The test anomalies presented to the flight team were solved more rapidly than the training coordinators had anticipated, and the test was completed a half-day early. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern Daylight Time. Wednesday, June 27.......... 3:00-4:00 pm Hubble Space Telescope Status Report and Press Briefing from Goddard Space Flight Center. ----------------------------------------------------------------- All events and times are subject to change without notice. These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 pm, EDT. This is a service of the Internal Communciations Branch, NASA Headquarters. Contact: JSTANHOPE or CREDMOND 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: 27 Jun 90 16:31:01 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: The Scout, Pershing II's and ICBM's In article <3628@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca> msdos@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca (Mark SOKOLOWSKI) writes: >On the other side, Pershing II stages are wasted in >massive media oriented buring seances, so why not use them >for other purposes. Because the treaty which rendered them obsolete specifically demanded that they be destroyed, period. The problem with hanging onto them for use as space launchers is that it means *hanging onto them*, with no easy way to guarantee that, in a crisis, they couldn't just be fitted with warheads again. -- "Either NFS must be scrapped or NFS | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology must be changed." -John Osterhout | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 90 21:55:05 GMT From: att!mcdchg!laidbak!obdient!vpnet!akcs.gregc@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (*Greg*) Subject: Re: NASA announces next steps in Space Exploration Outreach Program (F Getting idea's from proper scientwits is the best way to obtain lowcost conception. Corporations, Schools, Groups of Professionals all want to achieve space as a reality. And if *we* get involved, (we = Corporations, Private Business, Scientists, (the little guy), *we* will provide answers where as other countries are dealing in a certain group. Plus, think of Private Funding! After all, wasnt the trip that the Mayflower took to reach America a *Private* escape? Was government involved in this? (Only to stop them). And when America was thriving, England tried to bust up the colonies. If you remember history corectly, we became a nation and are still surviving. ALL because of 3 ships which contributed to the making of America. If you just leave out Business and the little guy, you will stifle exploration. Hinder fundings for research and allow other governments which are trying to get to the moon.. to beat us in inovation. We still are in a race. If Corporate America will pitch in. We will have the funds to make dreams possible. But as far as I am concerned, lets not allow (our laws and sensibilities) to be left out of space exploration. And look for the open door to our vast universe with an humble but "pitch in" additude. * Our Cosmos is awaiting. We must make endeavors now. For this will make space a possibility tomorrow. * [Just think a moment] What if Russia or Japan or Europe gets a Colony on the moon first? What kind of {sensibilities} will they bring with them? What "idealologies" will they include in their view of life? What kind of freedoms? What kind of beliefs? The choice is clear. It cuts into our being. We must make an effort for the Cosmos that captured the hearts of mankind from our beginning. To insure that our future will never forget our ventures. And make our mark in history for the future. Never leave out the common man. And the freedom and ideals that are the heart of America. Paid for in blood. :End ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 90 16:28:44 GMT From: clyde.concordia.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@uunet.uu.net (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Spacelab costs, pricing politics In article <2985@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: >> ... Spacelab is considered more a "dead end" (because of its Shuttle reliance) >> and Ariane is the "European success story". >What about the Columbus pressurized module, is this not a Spacelab >derivative ? Only in a very loose sense. -- "Either NFS must be scrapped or NFS | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology must be changed." -John Osterhout | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 90 16:30:15 GMT From: uoft02.utoledo.edu!fax0112@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu Subject: Unofficial HST report - aberration problem Here is some more unofficial info and comments from developements over the last few weeks. After a series of tests it has been realized that there is more spherical aberation in the secondary than expected. Thus 90% of the light is focused into an image about 2" in diameter, poorer than earth based observations for most telescopes. They are planning to send the second generation WFPC up in '93 with a corrector lens which should help considerably. I have heard no mention for the other instruments. While some ingenious processing can be done ("Postprocessing") this does seriously compromises the data. For example, the high dispersion spectrograph was designed for an input image of something like 0.1" thus most of the light will be lost (==> 10% efficiency) and with the additional guiding problems calibration will be VERY difficult. Thos who work with IUE are familiar with that. Same goes for the high speed photometer. There have been reports in the press that the complete system had not been tested. Before everyone jumps on this I think this is *probably* not unreasonable (but we will have to wait until the dust settles before we can be sure). I cannot speak for NASA but I suspect they felt that testing the complete thing under GRAVITY would not be terribly useful since things will change considerably in orbit. Thus they chose to test all the components as accurately as possible. Actuators were added to make corrections but they seem to be larger than anticipated. Before people like certain chem profs jump on this lets wait and see what is really going on. Some of my info comes stright from StSci, other from the press. Robert Dempsey Ritter Observatory (Thanks to MO and ANW for info and comments). ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 90 20:18:29 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/28/90 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, June 28, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, June 28........ Dr. Lew Allen will head an inquiry board, members of which will be named soon, to investigate the cause of the aspheric mirror problem on the Hubble Space Telescope. The Kennedy Space Center Ground crews have completed the loading of storable propellants aboard the shuttle Atlantis. The hydrogen leak check is scheduled this afternoon. Recent thunderstorms have slightly slowed work at the launch pad. However, the Rotating Service Structure has been moved away from the orbiter in preparation for the testing. The Flight Readiness Review will be held on schedule beginning today and will conclude tomorrow afternoon. The current mid-July launch date will be discussed tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile, the 17-inch quick disconnect will be removed from the orbiter Columbia this weekend. The replacement valve should arrive today. The target launch date remains mid-August. ******** AEROSPACE DAILY reports the Senate Commerce Committee has approved a $14.755 billion FY '91 NASA authorization bill. The authorization bill made marginal cuts in the Space Station, zeroed the funds for Moon/Mars missions and authorized the full National Aero Space Plane budget request. It is $370 million below the Administration's request. The panel approved the full $119 million request for NASA's portion of an effort to develop the high technology Aero Space Plane. ******** The results of a Penn State Biomodule experiment flown on last month's Consort-3 microgravity flight show that a Chameleon's skin cells did not respond in near zero gravity as they do on the ground. However, the director of the Biomodule project cautioned that it is too early to label internal structure alteration as an effect of microgravity. The skin cells were sent into space to test a hypothesis that weightlessness alters internal cell structure, thereby preventing cells from responding normally. ******** The European Space Agency Spacecraft, Giotto, will perform its first-ever Earth gravity assist July 2. The Giotto will come within 23,000 km of our planet this Monday. It has been assigned its long awaited second tour of duty to rendezvous with comet Grigg-Skjellerup on July 10, 1992. It was first launched to encounter Halley's Comet on July 2, 1985. ******** _________________________________________________________________ Here's the broadcast scheule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Thursday, June 28........ 11:30 A.M. NASA Update 12:00 P.M. Hubble Space Telescope Status News Briefing Replay 1:10 P.M. The Hubble Space Telescope: The Challenge and Complexity of Operations 1:30 P.M. The Hubble Space Telescope 3:00 P.M. Kennedy Space Center Tanking Test of the Space Shuttle Atlantis. Live. 4:00 P.M. Tanking Test Commentary. _________________________________________________________________ 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. _________________________________________________________________ ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #581 *******************