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 ; Tue, 13 Nov 1990 02:54:26 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 13 Nov 1990 02:53:53 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #542 SPACE Digest Volume 12 : Issue 542 Today's Topics: Magellan article Visits to NASA/Ames at Moffet field - info please! Re: Nameplates on space probes Payload Summary for 11/08/90 (Forwarded) Payload Status for 11/08/90 (Forwarded) Re: Nameplates on space probes UK SEDS Conference 24&25th Novenber Ariane launches ON TIME!(again) 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 8 Nov 90 18:24:35 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. Subject: Magellan article Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu Associated Press -- 11/8/90 "Magellan" By Lee Siegel "The Magellan spacecraft has found evidence that ocean-sized floods of molten rock once inundated more than half the surface of Venus." AP reports that NASA scientists do not yet know if there was one great outpouring of lava from cracks in Venus or a series of smaller flows, each hundreds of thousands of square miles, that engulfed parts of the planet at different times. The wire service says that geologist and Magellan project scientist Steve Saunders believes that lava gushed out of cracks called vents in a global set of eruptions that happened all at once, perhaps 400 million years ago. Saunders is quoted by the AP as saying "there's no question that the vast majority of the surface of Venus has been formed by lava flows and volcanic activity. But the question is, did it all happen catastrophically?" According to the story, the lava covers more than sixty percent of the surface of Venus and accounts for the lack of craters resulting from meteoritic impacts, as the lava flows would eradicate any evidence of impact cratering. The story says that Venus's widespread lava flooding was similar to, but much larger than, the vast deposits of basalt in India's Deccan Traps and the Pacific Northwest's Columbia River basin. According to the report, the Indian Deccan Traps occurred when the crust split open as the Indian continental plate drifted away from Africa about 66 million years ago. The Columbia River basin deposits occurred, again according to the AP, when massive eruptions rent much of the Pacific Northwest east of the Cascade Range about 20 million years. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 8 Nov 90 19:29:39 GMT From: eru!hagbard!bj@bloom-beacon.mit.edu (B|rje Josefsson) Organization: University of Lulea, Sweden Subject: Visits to NASA/Ames at Moffet field - info please! Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu Hi all! I am going to visit California later this month. I have bought a tourist guide here in Sweden and have read that there are guided tours "available on request" at the NASA/Ames research center on Moffet Field. Does any of You: a) Know if those tours are worth spending time on (I really hope they are). b) Know who I should contact to book a place on one of those tours. Fax, email, tel, ... All info is welcome. c) Have suggestions on other air/space places I could visit during my visit in Ca. I will be there between Nov 23 and Dec 5, so if there is anything "special" going on, please let me know. d) Have any other useful suggestions on what to see/do. Since this hardly is to any general interest, please email Your answers. Thanks in advance, --Borje ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Borje Josefsson, Computer centre, University of Lulea, S-951 87 Lulea, Sweden Tel: +46 920 91 262 (direct), +46 920 91 000 (operator). Fax: +46 920 912 45 Domain: bj@dc.luth.se Path: {uunet,mcsun,sunic}!dc.luth.se!bj ------------------------------ Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 8 Nov 90 23:27:33 GMT From: att!bu.edu!bu-ast!sultan@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Peter Sultan) Organization: Boston University Astronomy Department Subject: Re: Nameplates on space probes References: <112263@philabs.Philips.Com> Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu There have been several `nameplates' on US space probes. I suspect that `Posterity' is the usual reason. How many people are going to read the "We came in peace..." plaque on the Apollo 11 LEM? The recently launched CRRES satellite has a plate affixed to it in memory of Stan Shawhan, the Director of NASA's Space Science division who died last June. - Peter Sultan BU Astronomy ------------------------------ Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 8 Nov 90 22:37:24 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Subject: Payload Summary for 11/08/90 (Forwarded) Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu STS-35/ASTRO-1 STATUS REPORT PREPARED AT NOON THURSDAY, NOV. 8 Patricia E. Phillips 407/867-2468 Kennedy Space Center, FL During routine operations yesterday in the payload changeout room at Launch Pad 39B, an aluminum pan beneath an access plat- form nicked a thermal blanket covering part of the Astro-1 Star Tracker. The area of impact on the blanket measured about l/4 inch long by l/8 inch wide, with the depth termed "barely perceptible." At present, no impact is seen on Columbia's upcom- ing flight. The Broad Band X-Ray Telescope is being serviced today with liquid argon. Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope film removal has been accomplished. New film will be loaded prior to launch. Routine payload monitoring will continue. Other preflight work scheduled includes loading the mass memory unit (MMU) with new mission data, plus experiment closeouts, pallet cleaning, and BBXRT servicing. ------------------------------ Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 8 Nov 90 22:26:06 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Subject: Payload Status for 11/08/90 (Forwarded) Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu Daily Status/KSC Payload Management and Operations 11-08-90 - STS-35 ASTRO-1/BBXRT (at Pad-B) Engineering evaluation of the AST experiment which was contacted by a finger platform yesterday continues. BBXRT liquid argon servicing will be performed today. Experiment monitoring continues. - STS-39 AFP-675/IBSS/STP-01 (at CCAFS) CITE preps continue at the VPF along with ground software development. - STS-40 SLS-1 (at O&C) The flight crew equipment interface test will begin today. - STS-37 GRO (at PHSF) Software validation continues. - STS-42 IML-1 (at O&C) Module and experiment staging continue. - STS-45 Atlas-1 (at O&C) Experiment and pallet staging continue. - STS-46 TSS-1 (at O&C) Power on systems testing continue. - STS-47 Spacelab-J (at O&C) Rack staging continues. - STS-67 LITE-1 (at O&C) No work is scheduled for today. - HST M&R (at O&C) PR troubleshooting continues. ------------------------------ Date: 9 Nov 90 01:41:07 GMT From: unmvax!nmt.edu!nraoaoc@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Daniel Briggs) Subject: Re: Nameplates on space probes In article <68212@bu.edu.bu.edu> sultan@bu-ast.bu.edu (Peter Sultan) writes: >There have been several `nameplates' on US space probes. >I suspect that `Posterity' is the usual reason. How many ^^^^^^^^ >people are going to read the "We came in peace..." plaque ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >on the Apollo 11 LEM? The recently launched CRRES satellite ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >has a plate affixed to it in memory of Stan Shawhan, the >Director of NASA's Space Science division who died last June. C'mon, Peter, the moon is right next door! We may well never see the Voyagers again, (Star Trek I notwithstanding), but the moon isn't *going* anyplace, relative to us. If the world gets its collective act together, that site may well be a *shrine*, a century from now. It's not even completely outlandish that someone reading this message might one day read that plaque. -- This is a shared guest account, please send replies to dbriggs@nrao.edu (Internet) ["Life's a Beech, and then you Dive."] Dan Briggs / NRAO / P.O. Box O / Socorro, NM / 87801 (U.S. Snail) ------------------------------ Date: 8 Nov 90 15:21:53 GMT From: mcsun!ukc!icdoc!ccserver!zmapj36@uunet.uu.net (M.S.Bennett Supvs= Prof Pendry) Subject: UK SEDS Conference 24&25th Novenber We are currently running a conference in Bristol on the 24th and 25th of November - I should point out that any mail to our address will be handled as quickly as posible. We will have a number of speakers about the current state of space physics and the like. Mail SEDS@cc.ic.ac.uk for more information. -- /------ ------- -----\ /------ | ====================== | | | | \ | | M. Sean Bennett | \-----\ |---- | | \-----\ | UKSEDS TECH.OFF. | | | | / | | Janet:SEDS@CC.IC.AC.UK | ------------------------------ Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 0;andrew.cmu.edu;Network-Mail Date: 9 Nov 90 14:55:16 GMT From: mcsun!ukc!icdoc!ccserver!zmapj36@uunet.uu.net (M.S.Bennett Supvs= Prof Pendry) Organization: UKSEDS Subject: Ariane launches ON TIME!(again) References: <1990Nov6.192118.6012@cc.ic.ac.uk> Sender: space-request@andrew.cmu.edu To: space@andrew.cmu.edu Intresting is it not unless I insult someone nothing happens! ============================================================== Ariane Returns to Business. By Neville Kidger. Arianespace, the company which markets and flies the Ariane launcher, has resumed operations following the loss of the V36 launcher in February 1990. The loss of the rocket - with two Japanese commercial satellites aboard - was found to have been due to the presence of a piece of cloth in the water supply line to one of the four Viking first stage engines. Fredric d'Allest, the recently-retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Arianespace called the incident "not only shocking but hard to accept." He also noted that the incident in no way questioned the basic design of the Ariane series of launchers and called for more rigorous efforts in quality control at the assembly factory. The V36 loss came after seventeen straight launch successes for the Ariane rocket in its various guises. Ariane V37. The V37 flight was launched at 06:25 GMT on July 24th from the ELA-2 launch facility at Kourou, French Guiana. The Ariane 44L (with four liquid propellant boosters around the first stage) placed two satellites into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) of 299.7 km x 35,933 km, inclined at 4.04 degrees to the equator, well within the pre-fight intended parameters. From that orbit the two satellites were manoeuvred by their own engines to their respective positions. The two satellites were: - TDF-2, the second French direct broadcast satellite. The satellite, built by the Eurosatellite consortium, had a lift-off mass of 2,054 kg. It is 6.5 metres in height with a span of 19 m when its solar panels are deployed. It has 5 high power TV channels. - DFS-2 KOPERNIKUS, a German telecommunications satellite built by R-DFS consortium for the German Bundespost Telekom. Like TDF-2, it is 3-axis stabilised and had a lift-off mass of 1,419 kg. It has a height of 4.15 m and a span of 15.4 m with solar panels deployed. It carries 11 transponders. TDF-2 was placed at 19 degrees West in a shared location above the equator and KOPERNIKUS was placed at 28.5 degrees West. Speaking about the launch, Charles Bigot, the new Chairman and CEO of Airianespace (but at that time the Director General) said: "Thanks to the contribution of the European space industry community, tonight's launch followed a short three and a half month recess which allowed for the enhancement of the launcher's reliability by improving the control and assembly procedures. This successful resumption of launches demonstrates once again Arianespace's ability to respond to the many signs of confidence expressed by the whole international space community." Ariane V38. At 10:46 GMT on August 10th the company launched the V38 mission which again delivered two satellites to GTO. The Ariane 44LP (two liquid strap-on boosters and two solids) was launched from the ELA-2 facility marking a record short time between launches from the facility and from Arianespace. The launch was significant for the UK because it carried a military communications satellite for the Ministry of Defence - Skynet 4C. The full payload for V38 was: - Skynet 4C. Built by British Aerospace and Marconi Space Systems, the satellite had a lift-off mass of 1,430 kg and an orbital mass of 751 kg. The height is 2.1 m with a span of 16 m with two solar panels deployed. Stabilisation is 3-axis and it operates in 4 SHF bands and 2 UHF bands serving military communications for British land, air and sea forces. The orbital location is 1 degree West. - Eutelsat IIA. Built by Aerospatiale and weighing 1,878 kg at launch, this satellite is to provide telephone, telex, data transmission and TV services to Europe. It has a capacity of 25,000 telephone half-circuits and 9 TV channels (or equivalent traffic) and is stationed at 13 degrees East, over the Equator, with a coverage zone ranging from Ireland to Turkey and from the Arctic to North Africa. At 2.5 m in height it has a span of 22.4 m with its solar panels extended. Following the launch, Charles Bigot said: "This success, five weeks after Flight 37, marks the continuity of European space activity, in particular the confidence shown in us by the British Ministry of Defence after the successful launch of Skynet 4B by Ariane in 1988; also the confidence of the Eutelsat organisation which has chosen Arianespace to put into orbit three satellites of its new generation. With this launch, Arianespace also confirms the ability to increase, if necessary, the launch capacity to respect our commitments, thanks to the dual launch system which allowed us to put four satellites into orbit for Europe in the last five weeks." As of August 31st Arianespace's order book stood at 35 satellites to be launched, worth approximately 15 billion French Francs, or about #1.4 billion, and represented a four year work load. On September 3rd Arianespace announced that it had secured the contracts to launch two new-generation Brazilian satellites for the EMBRATEL organisation. The two Brasilsat B1 and B2 satellites will weigh about 1.750 kg at launch and will provide conventional telecommunications services for Brazil and South America in general. The launches are planned for 1994. Ariane V39. On October 12th Flight 39 was launced carrynig the American communications satellites SBS-6 and GALAXY VI. Both satellites were launched for Hughes Communications Galaxy, Inc. A 44L varient was used. Acknowledgements: Arianespace. Ariane V39 news added by the editor. -- /------ ------- -----\ /------ | ====================== | | | | \ | | M. Sean Bennett | \-----\ |---- | | \-----\ | UKSEDS TECH.OFF. | | | | / | | Janet:SEDS@CC.IC.AC.UK | ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V12 #542 *******************