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 ; Sun, 2 Dec 1990 02:08:04 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Sun, 2 Dec 1990 02:07:28 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #607 SPACE Digest Volume 12 : Issue 607 Today's Topics: Re: Naive HST question Re: Hubble Investigation Report (Forwarded) Re: Booster news from 19 November AW&ST Another HST article Translunar/interplanetary shuttle? Re: Earth as a Cradle - quote source. Press availability of aerospace pioneers (Forwarded) NASA Headline News for 11/26/90 (Forwarded) Astro-2 $$/pound of Freedom vs LLNL (was: ELV Support...) Re: FITS images (sent out on Usenet) 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 Nov 90 22:18:37 GMT From: wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@eddie.mit.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Naive HST question In article <11223@pt.cs.cmu.edu> ref@isl1.ri.cmu.edu (Robert Frederking) writes: >... It seems to me that it should be possible to use the HST in a >fashion similar to VLA radiotelescopes, to create an artificial >aperture the diameter of the Hubble's orbit... Well, yes and no. You need simultaneous observations, so it would have to be the distance from Hubble's orbit to the opposite side of the Earth. That aside, the possibility is theoretically real, but when you look at the practical aspects it doesn't work. Hubble's position is not known with anything resembling the necessary precision to do VLBI at optical wavelengths. Imaging optical interferometry is just starting to be practical for telescopes quite close to each other on very solid mountings. -- "The average pointer, statistically, |Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology points somewhere in X." -Hugh Redelmeier| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 26 Nov 90 13:25:57 GMT From: eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!unido!mpirbn!p515dfi@bloom-beacon.mit.edu (Daniel Fischer) Subject: Re: Hubble Investigation Report (Forwarded) In article <1990Nov21.195104.9186@jato.jpl.nasa.gov> baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) writes: > HUBBLE INVESTIGATION REPORT TO BE RELEASED >[...] Copies of the board's final report to NASA >will be available at the briefing. But will it also be available on the net? Don't those NASA investigations usually carry an 'executive summary' with them (the Rogers report did) that might be of a size well 'postable'? To have all the hard facts here would be a great service. The 'How's' we have learned here pretty well, but the question of 'WHY' needs more addressing - was it a momentary lapse of reason or was it an accident rooted in history? And: will it repeat, e.g. with Fred...? ------------------------------ Date: 28 Nov 90 16:00:20 GMT From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!crdgw1!gecrdvm1!gipp@ucsd.edu Subject: Re: Booster news from 19 November AW&ST In article <1103@ksr.com>, clj@ksr.com (Chris Jones) says: > >The first says that the Soviets have conducted extensive design work on an >unmanned flyback booster with a payload capacity 50% greater than that of the >Energia. The drawings show what resembles a shuttle with a payload fairing on >its nose and four strap-ons mounted above its wings (the strap-ons are >equipped >with wings and jets and are recoverable). The main booster would use LH2 and >LO2 engines, and would be 60 meters long. The payload fairing would open to >deploy the cargo, then close and slide back down the booster body to shorten >its length to 44 meters for reentry. They're trying out various wing >configurations in wind tunnel tests. Also mentioned is the possibility of >using actively cooled structures to protect the booster during reentry (no >further details; perhaps they mean circulating liquids?). > You left out the best part: claims of reduction of launch costs by megaamounts (sorry can't remember exact figures-suffice it sounded an awful lot like early seventies promises about the US shuttle). I can understand overselling something to get funds, but isn't the big claim that USSR launch costs are dirt cheap? Obviously, there's always room for improvement, but orders of magnitude improvement? methinks their launch costs are like the shuttle's: it can be high or low depending on what argument you're trying to win. On a technical note: are the energia engines currently reuseable, or reasonably convertable to reuseability? Or is a whole new set of engines in store for this paper dream? I'm assuming the boosters are a whole new ball of wax altogether for them. Also, what need is there of a booster that big? I see a lack of need as the main reason the present energia is not being actively developed/used. with current world economies, I don't see any manned planetary/moon missions for a long time, MIR is launched in pieces on their proton booster, and satellites just don't weigh that much, especially commercial ones. Pete ------------------------------ Date: 28 Nov 90 20:08:07 GMT From: swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Another HST article New York Times -- 11/28/90 "Panel on Space Telescope Cites Flaws in Management" By Warren Leary "The serious defect in the main mirror of the $1.5 billion Hubble Space Telescope went undetected because of flawed management procedures at the space agency and the contractor, a Federal study panel said today." The paper reports that Dr. Lew Allen, chairman of the investigation committee, said -- in the final investigation report -- that the Optical Operations Division at Perkin-Elmer, makers of the flawed Hubble main mirror, operated as a "closed shop" that kept its procedures and problems to itself. The paper further reports that the investigation panel found that the mirror technicians reon a single, new, procedure intended to assure that the mirror was ground properly and that early evidence that suggested the mirror was ground imperfectly was discounted because it was in conflict with the results obtained by using the new procedure. The Times quotes Allen, who presented the investigation committee's findings at a news conference yesterday, as saying "by far, the most likely source of the error was in the test equipment. But the answer to the question of 'why wasn't the error detected?' is not a happy one." The paper reports that Allen said blame for the mirror imperfection should be shared equally by NASA and Perkin-Elmer and is quoted as saying "NASA had every right to expect a better job with this. They (Perkin-Elmer) had competency and experience in optics, and NASA should have expected more professional performance than they actually got." "But," the Times reports Allen rejoining, "NASA should have been aware of what was happening at Perkin-Elmer." ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 28 Nov 90 23:29:44 GMT From: aegqc@cunyvm.cuny.edu (Audra G.) Subject: Translunar/interplanetary shuttle? The latest issue of _Analog_ has an article describing how the shuttle could be adapted as a moon ship. Apparently if the ship either carried two extra boosters or was refueled in orbit, it would be able to reach and return from lunar orbit, using a LEM-like craft carried in the cargo bay to get people to the surface of the Moon and back. If this is indeed doable (and the article had a lot of mathematics), I would like to ask if, if still more tanks were added in orbit, the shuttle could be used to reach further celestial bodies as well. Any thoughts? --Shangti ------------------------------ Date: 29 Nov 90 18:18:36 GMT From: rex!rouge!dlbres10@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Fraering Philip) Subject: Re: Earth as a Cradle - quote source. I've also heard it attributed to von Braun. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Nov 90 21:56:28 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Press availability of aerospace pioneers (Forwarded) Sarah Keegan Headquarters, Washington, D.C. November 21, 1990 (Phone: 202/453-2754) N90-92 NOTE TO EDITORS: PRESS AVAILABILITY OF AEROSPACE PIONEERS On Wednesday, Nov. 28, 1990, some significant figures in the history of U.S. aerospace endeavors will be available for press interviews at approximately 2:30 p.m. EST in Room 6004 of the NASA building at 400 Maryland Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. The individuals will gather in Washington to mark the 75th anniversary of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at a celebration jointly sponsored by NASA and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Participants in the interview opportunity may include Dean Chapman, Scott Crossfield, Bernard Schriever and John Swihart, although final availability has not yet been determined. Media representatives wishing to participate should contact Sarah Keegan on 202/453-2754 or Gayle Armstrong (AIAA) on 202/646-7432. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Nov 90 22:52:30 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 11/26/90 (Forwarded) Headline News Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters Monday, November 26, 1990 Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788 This is NASA Headline News for Monday, November 26, 1990 At the Kennedy Space Center, work to prepare Columbia for its STS-35 Astro-1 mission resumed Saturday, following a break for the Thanksgiving holiday. Technicians have replaced a quick-disconnect nitrogen line. Yesterday, ordnance devices were installed on the orbiter stack, and subsequently tested. Activities today include pressurizing the hypergolic tanks in the Orbiter Maneuvering System pods. This will keep launch pad 39-B closed to non-essential personnel for most of the day. Following OMS hypergolic pressurization, aft closeout activities will begin. The aft compartment is expected to be closed out by Wednesday. Tomorrow, flight management team members will hold the Flight Readiness Review for Columbia's STS-35 mission. A launch target date is expected to be announced at the conclusion of the FRR. Discovery is in Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 1, where leak checks on its ammonia boiler/freon loop system continues. Several leaks were found in the vicinity of the cold plate manifold. Seals in the manifold will be replaced and the system retested for leaks this week. Atlantis is in OPF Bay 2 where normal post flight safing and cryogenic drain operations were completed Friday. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Dr. Lew Allen, chairman of Hubble Space Telescope Optical Investigation Board will brief the press on the board's findings at 2:30 p.m. EST, Tuesday, Nov. 27, in the NASA Headquarters sixth floor auditorium, 400 Maryland Ave. Copies of the board's final report to NASA will be available at the briefing. Dr. Lennard Fisk, Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, will also participate. The briefing will be televised on NASA Select TV. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Black Business Association of Los Angeles has presented NASA with its "Government Agency of the Year Award". NASA Administrator Dick Truly accepted the award at a ceremony this morning at NASA Headquarters. Association Chairman Gene Hale presented Truly with a framed plaque noting NASA's "outstanding participation in minority economic development." To quote Mr. Hines, "NASA has earned this award based on its aggressive and innovative approach to the small, disadvantaged business program. Our members currently hold contracts with NASA locations in excess of $50 million across the country, compared to $16 million three years ago." The Black Business Association of Los Angeles is composed of 450 member organizations nationwide and is the second largest black business organization in the country. Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. **indicates a live program. Monday 11/26/90 1:00 pm NASA Radio program will be transmitted. 3:00 pm **Delta/Global Positioning System launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Tuesday, 11/27/90 10:30 am Technology 2000 conference, two-hour tape delay. 2:30 pm **HST Investigation report press briefing from NASA Headquarters. All events and times may change without notice. This report is filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 pm, EST. It is a service of Internal Communications Branch at NASA Headquarters. Contact: 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: 29 Nov 90 23:12:12 GMT From: olivea!orc!inews!hopi!sstrazdu@apple.com (Stephen Strazdus) Subject: Astro-2 Is there an Astro-2 flight in the works for the Space Shuttle? I would imagine the instruments used in Astro-1 are not going to be thrown away after a 10 day mission. Are they? Are the second mission's plans very dependent on the first mission? -- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Steve Strazdus | sstrazdu@hopi.intel.com | Insert your favorite .sig here. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 29 Nov 90 21:44:00 -0500 From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: $$/pound of Freedom vs LLNL (was: ELV Support...) Newsgroups: sci.space Cc: In article <2810@polari.UUCP>: >Once it [LLNL] is "fleshed out" its dollar per pound cost to >weight ratio will be about the same as Freedom. Would you mind justifying this a bit better? You have demonstrated (by your own admission) very limited knowledge of the LLNL approach. This is especially strange when you consider that Freedom uses ligher material throughout and that its transport costs are five times cheaper then the Shuttle. Allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ |Allen W. Sherzer| I had a guaranteed military sale with ED-209. Renovation | | aws@iti.org | programs, spare parts for 25 years. Who cares if it | | | works or not? - Dick Jones, VP OCP Security Concepts | ------------------------------ Date: 27 Nov 90 18:10:20 GMT From: att!emory!ogicse!intelhf!agora!rickc@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Rick Coates) Subject: Re: FITS images (sent out on Usenet) In article <1990Nov19.172259.13206@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <1990Nov17.154937.12584@agora.uucp> rickc@agora.uucp (Rick Coates) writes: >>how about some images? Look, from news statistics I gather that >>alt.sex.pictures has megabytes of traffic - how about some star pictures >>as well as crotch shots? ... > >Do you really want to get sci.astro or sci.space banned the way a.s.p has >been in many places? Those megabytes of added traffic are *most* unwelcome >to news administrators already struggling with busy systems and crowded disks. >-- >"I don't *want* to be normal!" | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology >"Not to worry." | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry Have comp.binaries.* also been banned? I'm not suggesting the entire output of the HST ( ;-) ), or even what's been released. How about _one_ picture of the white spot, say? I know I'm not the only person reading this group who doesn't have FTP access - would somebody who does be willing to mail me one (picture)? Thanks, Rick Coates Consulting H/W - S/W engineer (Graphics - Sun - Unix - ASIC design - imbedded systems) ...!tektronix!tessi!agora!rickc -- Rick Coates Consulting H/W - S/W engineer ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V12 #607 *******************