X-Andrew-Authenticated-As: 32766 Return-path: 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 ; Thu, 6 Dec 1990 02:40:47 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Thu, 6 Dec 1990 02:40:04 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #626 SPACE Digest Volume 12 : Issue 626 Today's Topics: Re: Another Russian first Re: The Space Plane Astro-1 Status for 12/05/90 [1034 CST] (Forwarded) NASA Headline News for 12/03/90 (Forwarded) Re: Translunar/interplanetary shuttle? Re: Another Russian first 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: 5 Dec 90 03:19:44 GMT From: timbuk!cs.umn.edu!kksys!wd0gol!newave!john@uunet.uu.net (John A. Weeks III) Subject: Re: Another Russian first In article techno@lime.in-berlin.de (Frank G. Dahncke) writes: > Are there any other spaceflight "firsts" that the USA has achived exept > for the first man on the moon ? For the most part, everything that is done in space can be listed as a first or biggest or other type of record. Usually, these are taken to the extreme by the media. The current shuttle mission has the oldest astronaut (53), the first space-to-space ham contact (if it actually happens), the largest crew since flight resumed, and the most people in space at once when combined with Mir (12--7 USA, 4 USSR, and 1 Japan). Besides the moon landing, one of the most significant USA space firsts was the first country to blow up a shuttle in flight and the largest astronaut death toll in a spacecraft flight accident. Also, the first space station with an umbrella and the first manned use of soda pop in space (Coke and Pepsi). Just picking a few pages at random from the Encyclopedia Of US Spacecraft nets a few interesting firsts: Discoverer 14 (launch 10 Aug 1960), first successful recovery of a film return capsule. HEAO-B (launch 13 Nov 1978), largest X-ray telescope ever flown (23 inches). Lunar Roving Vehicle (31 July 1971), first land vehicle to carry people on the surface of a body other than the Earth. Mariner 2 (27 Aug 1962), first successful interplanetary probe. Mercury 3 (5 May 1962), first manned spacecraft to land in water. With enough time and reference material, one could develop a larger list. -john- -- =============================================================================== John A. Weeks III (612) 942-6969 john@newave.mn.org NeWave Communications ...uunet!rosevax!tcnet!wd0gol!newave!john =============================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 3 Dec 90 15:26:16 GMT From: csus.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!evax!utacfd!merch!cpe!hal6000!trsvax!jack@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu Subject: Re: The Space Plane The NASP has been designated the X-30 not just in honor of the X-vehicles, but because it is the latest experimental research aircraft. The idea is that the X-30 will acheive and cruise at hypersonic speeds through the use of air-breathing scramjet engines, and with the assist of a small (50,000 - 70,000 lbs thrust) internal rocket will enter LEO. It is intended to be capable of horizontal take-off and landing from conventional runways with powered descent and go-around capability. The X-30 will have no payload requirements (short of a 2 man crew and instruments) and no operational mission. The current purpose of the NASP program is to develop and demonstrate the technologies necessary to pursue future NASP-derived vehicles. An operational version of the X-30 could get anywhere on the globe within 3 hours, or if used as a space launch vehicle, deliver payloads to LEO for very "low" cost ($100's of dollars per pound) with airplane-like operability. The X-30 will be a fully reusable (not just refurbishable like the shuttle) craft with intended turn-around times of 1-2 days or less, depending on how fast refueling and check-outs go. Right now, the schedule has slipped 2 1/2 years to put the first test flight in 1997 or later. A single design configuration has been chosen by the contractor organization developing the craft, and a decision on the go-ahead to start building 3 X-30's for flight testing will be made in 1993. As for funding, Defense Secretary Cheney requested zero funding for the X-30 from the DOD. Aparently it is still getting enough to keep goign strong. The DOD spends about 70% of the government money spent on the NASP, and NASA spends the rest. The contractor industries (3 airframers and 2 propulsion) have contributed about 70% of what the government has spent so far. It all add up to (very) roughly 1 billion spent so far. The Space Council supports it, the two House committees involved with it support it, and the Administration supports it. Does the DOD? Well, Cheney sure isn't wanting to, but they're spending the money. NASA supposedly supports it as well (though it may compete for limited funds that are wanted for shuttle/Freedom, etc...). The contractors support it--they're investing an awful lot with no promises of procurement. Those are some basics about the space plane. Sounds a lot like a scrap from a bad research paper, doesn't it? Well, it is. And it's due on Tuesday, so I better start writing.. George Tahu "Duct tape is like the Force. It has a dark side, Tandy Electronics a light side, and it holds the universe together." letni!trsvax!jack@texbell.UUCP Graduate student in Political Economy at University of Texas at Dallas ------------------------------ Date: 5 Dec 90 22:52:50 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: Astro-1 Status for 12/05/90 [1034 CST] (Forwarded) Astro 1 Mission Report #20 10:34 a.m. CST, December 5, 1990 3/09:44 MET Spacelab Mission Operations Control Marshall Space Flight Center Astronomers aboard the STS-35 Astro mission are becoming increasingly successful in their observations, Alternate Payload Specialist John-David Bartoe informed them from Huntsville's Spacelab Mission Operations Control as he prepared to end his shift this morning. "The folks down here want to let you know we're really proud of the job you've been doing," Bartoe told the Astro crew. "The blue shift [working during the day yesterday] got 17% of the planned observations. Before that, it was 0%. The red shift [just ending] got 35%. We're hoping to see that number double again in the next shift." One of the celestial objects studied by the Astro observatory this morning was radio galaxy M87. Payload Specialist Ron Parise observed after he locked the galaxy within the telescopes' fields of view, "I had to get this one. The UIT PI would have fired me if I didn't!" referring to the principal investigator for the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, prime instrument in the study of M87. "UIT says you're right about that," affirmed Bartoe. M87 is a giant elliptical galaxy in the heart of the Virgo cluster of galaxies some 41 million light years from Earth. It is thought that M87 may contain a giant black hole at its center. Radio galaxies emit radio radiation a million times stronger than galaxies like our Milky Way and are some of the most enormous objects in the universe. The pictures taken by the imaging telescope will be the first ultraviolet photographs ever made of the galaxy. Parise also reported during the set up that the time allotted for the observation matched the time until the orbiter entered the South Atlantic Anomaly, an area of higher-than-usual radiation which interferes with the operation of sensitive instruments. "Maybe our SAA patch is working," said Parise, referring to the automatic program which puts the instruments into a safe mode during the period when the orbiter flies through the anomaly. "Hey, that's good news," responded Bartoe. "You're telling me," Parise agreed. Up until this point, the instruments had been safed manually. ------------------------------ Date: 3 Dec 90 22:38:07 GMT From: trident.arc.nasa.gov!yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) Subject: NASA Headline News for 12/03/90 (Forwarded) Headline News Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters Monday, December 3, 1990 Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788 This is NASA Headline News for Monday, December 3, 1990 Columbia lifted off at 1:49 am EST Sunday to begin its 9-day Astro-1 mission. Liftoff and ascent to orbit went flawlessly as the seven person crew went into their 188 by 190 nautical mile orbit. Columbia's orbit period is 91 minutes. Three hours into the STS- 35/Astro-1 mission, Mission Scientist Gene Urban said "We have an excellent orbit. We have planned for changes in the science observations that have put us right on the timeline...so, we are really ready to go here." The orbiter is performing perfectly. Payload operations flight controllers at Marshall Space Flight Center are working on one major Astro-1 problem concerning the Instrument Point System. The IPS problem is believed to be related to software, and several patches have already been uplinked. The pointing system uses star trackers to align itself, but so far will not recognize nor lock on to dim stars. A new software patch is being worked today and should be ready for uplinking by this evening. Similar problems accompanied the first use of the IPS on the Spacelab 2 in 1985. On that mission, it took several days to work out all the software peculiarities. Following activation and initial check out, all four telescopes appear to be fully operational and ready to begin observing. The two Axis Pointing System, which points the BBXRT, is functioning well. Both Marshall Mission Manager Jack Jones and Goddard Mission Scientist Ted Gull said at this morning's payload briefing, that they expect to have the Astro-1 payload capable of science operations by the end of the day. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This Wednesday, NASA employees are reminded of a special screening of the multimedia presentation which highlighted the 75th anniversary celebration of NACA/NASA last week at the National Air and Space Museum. The presentation is 13 minutes long and consists of slides and video tape which traces the history of the committee. The show concludes with IMAX photography. Employees may attend one of three showings for 8:30, 9:00 and 9:30 am in the NASM Langley IMAX theater. (Please enter through the Independence Ave. side and show your NASA badge.) Center Point FOCUS ON: Marshall Space Flight Center The Alabama Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp is hosting a special session for 20 students from the West Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind through Friday. The Marshall Space Flight Center will provide a special tour of the center for the group. Marshall has also arranged for a visually impared speaker from the center to meet with the student group sometime this week. Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. **indicates a live program. Monday, 12/3/90 Mission coverage of the STS-35 / Astro-1 flight will continue live throughout the week ... 1:34 pm Flight deck activities from Columbia. 2:09 pm Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 3:30 pm Today-in-Space with Dr. Frank Six from MSFC. 5:00 pm Change-of-shift Flight Director briefing from JSC. 6:00 pm Change-of-shift Mission Manager briefing from MSFC 10:19 pm Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 10:56 pm Science TV from Astro-1 payload. Tuesday, 12/4/90 12:53 am Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 1:00 am Change-of-shift Flight Director briefing from JSC. 1:30 am Replay of flight deck activities from 1:34 pm Monday. 2:42 am Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 3:52 am Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 9:00 am Change-of-shift Flight Director briefing from JSC. 10:18 am Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 10:30 am Mission Science briefing from MSFC. 11:43 am Science TV from Astro-1 payload. 2:00 pm Flight deck activities from Columbia. 3:30 pm Today-in-Space with Dr. Frank Six from MSFC. 4:51 pm Science TV from Astro-1 Payload. 5:00 pm Change-of-shift Flight Director briefing from JSC. 6:00 pm Change-of-shfit Mission Manager briefing from MSFC. 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: 4 Dec 90 18:23:55 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucsd.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Translunar/interplanetary shuttle? In article <1990Dec3.163610.24550@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> ems@aristotle.jpl.nasa.gov writes: > I'd say there would be ways around this pooling, as the J-2 in the >Saturn V was electrically started twice (BUT TWICE ONLY) and the OMS system >somehow gets around it. The OMS system uses an approach that is not viable for really large tanks: an elastic membrane separates pressurizing gas and fuel in the tanks, so there is no possibility of getting gas down the fuel lines. This is the usual method for things like attitude-control systems. The J-2 restart in the third stage of the Saturn V was done by using the stage's small attitude-control engines -- run off tanks with membranes -- to accelerate the stage for a moment to settle propellants in the big tanks. This is the standard approach for restarting large engine systems. (It is just possible that I've misremembered the shuttle plumbing, and they use the small RCS engines to settle propellants for the OMS.) -- "The average pointer, statistically, |Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology points somewhere in X." -Hugh Redelmeier| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 4 Dec 90 05:49:10 GMT From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!mvk@ucsd.edu (Michael V. Kent) Subject: Re: Another Russian first In article techno@lime.in-berlin.de (Frank G. Dahncke) writes: >Now the USSR even has had the first paying passenger in a spacecraft. >Actually, I would have expected this feat to be performed by the US. Maybe it was. Charlie Walker participated in (I think) three Shuttle missions as a Payload Specialist for McDonnell Douglas. I leave it up to those more knowledgeable than I to decide if this counts. >Are there any other spaceflight "firsts" that the USA has achived exept >for the first man on the moon ? In recent memory: - first reusable manned spacecraft - first tetherless EVA - first probe to the outer planets - first manmade object to leave the solar system (depending on you definition of solar system) Probably first in the near future: - first to orbit an outer planet - first to leave the ecliptic(?) plane (joint Euro/American mission) For those of you still involved in the space race, the Soviets still win in LEO hands down, but the rest of the solar system belongs to the USA. :) Michael Kent mvk@pawl.rpi.edu ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V12 #626 *******************