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 ; Sat, 30 Jun 1990 02:53:33 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Sat, 30 Jun 1990 02:53:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #590 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 590 Today's Topics: Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 Testing of Hubble Space Telescope Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 NASA Headline News for 06/29/90 (Forwarded) Nebulae/Galaxy GIFS/Rasters wanted Re: RE Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 Re: NASA Headline News for 06/26/90 (Forwarded) HST Focus problem Payload Status for 06/29/90 (Forwarded) Apollo reference 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: 29 Jun 90 21:14:27 GMT From: earthquake.Berkeley.EDU!gwh@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (George William Herbert) Subject: Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 In article <734@idacrd.UUCP> mac@idacrd.UUCP (Robert McGwier) writes: > BUULLLLL SSHHHIIITTTT! > > >I don't believe this for a second when I KNOW of testing facilities that >EXISTED at the time and from yesterday's papers they were offered and >the SNOTS at NASA said `Not invented here.' I haven't been this livid >since I watched seven people die on television. Nice idea, but it's not quite that simple. You have intrinsic problems testing a flexible mirror in a gravity well when it's supposed to be operational in space. I.E. it wouldn't have looked right even if we DID test it down here. -- == George William Herbert == Quantum Mechanics can explain everything == JOAT for Hire: Anything, === except Madonna, Flame Wars, and NASA's space =======Anywhere, My Price.======= Policy. We're working on the first two... == gwh@ocf.berkeley.edu == :::"Gee, I Hope that wasn't a hostage..."::: == ucbvax!lilac!ocf!gwh == The OCF Gang: Making Tomorrow's Mistakes Today ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 90 00:10:04 GMT From: lc2b+@andrew.cmu.edu (Lawrence Curcio) Subject: Testing of Hubble Space Telescope Forgive me. I don't know much about anything, and you have all convinced me that a full-scale test of Hubble would have been impossible. On the other hand, I would expect some kind of test, at least a scaled-down mach-up of the fundamental optical arrangement. Is that possible? Must we go directly from computer printout to operational product? How about something the size of a Questar(tm)? Isn't that common sense, or am I under a misapprehension? -Larry Curcio ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 16:17:42 GMT From: cs!idunno!idacrd!mac@princeton.edu (Robert McGwier) Subject: Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 From article <4193@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov>, by baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke): > > The mirrors were not tested together before launch because that would have > cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Even after HST was assembled the system > I have had basically only one thought as I have heard this statement several times in the past couple of days and that it BUULLLLL SSHHHIIITTTT! I don't believe this for a second when I KNOW of testing facilities that EXISTED at the time and from yesterday's papers they were offered and the SNOTS at NASA said `Not invented here.' I haven't been this livid since I watched seven people die on television. Bob -- ____________________________________________________________________________ My opinions are my own no matter | Robert W. McGwier, N4HY who I work for! ;-) | CCR, AMSAT, etc. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 02:45:24 GMT From: bfmny0!tneff@uunet.uu.net (Tom Neff) Subject: Re: Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 In article <37355@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU> gwh@earthquake.Berkeley.EDU (George William Herbert) writes: > ... You have intrinsic problems >testing a flexible mirror in a gravity well when it's supposed to be >operational in space. I.E. it wouldn't have looked right even if we >DID test it down here. Everybody is saying this now. I have a little trouble believing it. Of course gravity is there. IT WAS ALSO THERE WHEN THEY POLISHED IT. Despite which, they were able to figure the primary and secondary to micron precision (albeit to the wrong shape). So SOMEBODY knew how to compensate or correct for the effects of gravity. Of course what nobody has pointed out so far is that if Danbury HAD run such tests with software containing some sort of systematic error, the assembled system might have passed anyway! Nevertheless they should have tried. Someone independent should have written separate software and tested it assembled. NASA is saying it would have been too expensive. Well, how much are they going to have to spend NOW? -- Annex Canada now! We need the room, \) Tom Neff and who's going to stop us. (\ tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 18:17:10 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/29/90 (Forwarded) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, June 29, 1990 Audio Service: 202/755-1788 ----------------------------------------------------------------- This is NASA Headline News for Friday, June 29........ While in the middle of the hydrogen fill tanking test for the Space Shuttle Atlantis, engineers in firing room number three at the Kennedy Space Center stopped the procedures this morning at approximately 9:45 A.M., EDT. The hydrogen tank of the external tank was filled to the five percent mark when a leak was detected in the area of the 4-inch disconnect area. This was confirmed shortly after the fast fill mode as technicians restarted the recirculator pumps. At that time, leakage was detected at the 17-inch disconnect plate area. Leak detectors observed no leakage in the orbiters' aft compartment. At 10:05 A.M., the 4-inch disconnect was closed off and a restart of the test began to recheck the 17-inch disconnect area. Leak detectors have not been able to isolate the specific leak in the area of the 17-inch disconnect plate. Meanwhile, the Flight Readiness Review is postponed. A news conference is scheduled for 12:00 P.M., EDT. At this time, NASA managers will discuss the outcome and further plans. ******** The Galileo spacecraft is now 92.8 million miles from the Earth, with the distance declining at about 300,000 miles per day. The round-trip light time is 16 minutes, 38 seconds. The spacecraft orbital speed is just over 54,000 mph, declining gradually as it moves away from the sun. The activity level is quiet, with continued scientific measurements of the interplanetary environment and periodic memory data readouts. The gravity- assist flyby of the Earth is scheduled for December of this year. ******** AEROSPACE DAILY reports that Arianespace will launch two communications satellites on an Ariane 44L booster July 24. A French direct broadcast television satellite TDF-2 and a West German telecommunications satellite DFS-1 will be launched following a five-month hiatus caused by the February 22 explosion of an Ariane 44L. This was caused by a small piece of cloth that lodged in a water line leading to one of the first stage engines. ******** Following some complications, the Intelsat VI (F4) communications satellite reached geostationary orbit yesterday morning, according to AEROSPACE DAILY. After the Saturday launch, it is reported that four apogee motor burns were required to kick-in as the first burn was inefficient because the satellite wasn't properly oriented. The satellite will provide video and data services and is expected to be fully operational in early September. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. Friday, June 29....... 12:00 P.M. STS-38 Flight Readiness Review news briefing at the Kennedy Space Center. ------------------------------------------------------------- All events and times are subject to change without notice. These reports be 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 R2R, Transponder 13, C-Band, 72 Degrees West Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 19:36:06 GMT From: news-server.csri.toronto.edu!ois.db.toronto.edu!jdd@rutgers.edu (John DiMarco) Subject: Nebulae/Galaxy GIFS/Rasters wanted I'm looking for GIFS/Raster images of nebulae, galaxies, etc. Does anyone know of an ftp site and/or mail server which can provide these? Please respond by mail. I'll post a summary. Thanks, John -- John DiMarco jdd@db.toronto.edu or jdd@db.utoronto.ca University of Toronto, CSRI BITNET: jdd%db.toronto.edu@relay.cs.net (416) 978-8609 UUCP: {uunet!utai,decvax!utcsri}!db!jdd ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 21:25:53 GMT From: mojo!SYSMGR%KING.ENG.UMD.EDU@mimsy.umd.edu (Doug Mohney) Subject: Re: RE Hubble Space Telescope Update - 06/28/90 In article <10932@hydra.gatech.EDU>, dsm@prism.gatech.EDU (Daniel McGurl) writes: > >Fine. But the least you can do is give NASA half a chance. You seem >very ready to condemn them for something that might not be there fault. >I don't know anyone interested in space who isn't exceeding ticked about >this affiar, but at least wait for the facts to get somewhat straigtened >out before running of crying to your congresscritter. > Not to engage in NASA-bashing, but I thought that this was the post-Challenger era. Errors of this nature should not (in theory) happen. When you combine this with the disturbing nature of the fuel leak in Columbia (?) earlier this month, just what has changed? If Hubble was run on a shoe-string budget, instead of big bucks...well... I can't help but think the thing would have A) Gotten off the ground about 4 years sooner and B) Given us more than we bargained for. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 20:43:59 GMT From: bu.edu!orc!inews!td2cad!yoyodyne!jreece@EDDIE.MIT.EDU (john reece) Subject: Re: NASA Headline News for 06/26/90 (Forwarded) In article <1990Jun29.033159.23488@zoo.toronto.edu>, henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: > I note that you're from somewhere called "Palo Alto". What's the > American translation of that (Spanish) placename? It stands for "tall trees", which is rather strange, since the place was mostly grassland before it was settled. It's about half an hour drive south of San Francisco, is the home of Stanford, and was the Hewlett & Packard's original stomping ground. John Reece Not an Intel spokesman jreece@yoyodyne.intel.com ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 22:38:50 GMT From: uoft02.utoledo.edu!fax0112@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu Subject: HST Focus problem A couple of brief comments on the problem. First of all I have plots of the PSF, it looks fairly well behaved, but indeed most of the light is concentrated outside of 0.6 ". I have them in graphical form so I really can't post them. Greg Hennesy commented that the spectral resolution will be lower. I presume he was referring to WFPC as the high res spectrograph should not suffer losses in resolution, just throughput. However, if one wants to look at faint objects lower res will need to be used. I keep hearing how this seriously reduces the amount of science that can be done because even with the fixes (3 years from now) much of the 15 year lifetime will be lost. Considering just about every NASA project has gone on well past the designed lifetime I doubt this will be significant. Robert Dempsey Ritter Observatory ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 17:58:18 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Payload Status for 06/29/90 (Forwarded) Daily Status/KSC Payload Management and Operations 06-29-90. - STS-35 ASTRO-1/BBXRT (at OPF) - Experiment monitoring continues. Preps for BBXRT liquid argon servicing will also be performed today. - STS-37 GRO (at PHSF) - Functional testing continues. - STS-40 SLS-1 (at O&C) - CITE testing will be active today. - STS-41 Ulysses (at Hanger AO) - Ulysses functional testing continues. At the VPF, landlines will be validated today. - STS-42 IML-1 (at O&C) - Rack, floor, and module staging is continuing. - Atlas-1 (at O&C) - Pallet brackets and cables will be installed today. - STS-46 TSS-1 (at O&C) - Closeout inspections continue. - STS-47 Spacelab-J (at O&C) - Rack 5 and 7 staging continues on second shift. - HST M&R - No activities are scheduled for today. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 90 21:10:49 GMT From: news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@rutgers.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Apollo reference Oops... the new NASA History book I referred to a while ago is *not* titled "For All Mankind". I knew it was some suitably melodramatic title: Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions By William David Compton, 1989. NASA SP-4214. -- "Either NFS must be scrapped or NFS | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology must be changed." -John K. Ousterhout | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #590 *******************