Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from hogtown.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, 15 Mar 91 02:04:03 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <8bs77SC00WBw84QE4K@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 15 Mar 91 02:03:58 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #270 SPACE Digest Volume 13 : Issue 270 Today's Topics: NASA Headline News for 03/11/91 [l/m 7/11] Frequently asked SPACE questions SOLAR TERRESTRIAL BULLETIN - SOLAR AND STORM WARNING UPDATES Re: Magellan Update - 03/11/91 Re: New World Profits (was Re: Space Profits Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription requests, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 12 Mar 91 15:46:41 GMT From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@decwrl.dec.com (Ron Baalke) Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/11/91 [Note: I'm filling in for Peter Yee in posting the NASA updates while he is on travel. Ron Baalke] Headline News Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters Monday, March 11, 1991 Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788 This is NASA Headline News for Monday, March 11, 1991 Atlantis was rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building on Friday and now is mated to its external tank and solid rocket booster stack. Technicians are expecting to power up the vehicle by this evening. The shuttle interface test will begin later tonight, with the orbiter frequency response test scheduled for tomorrow. Rollout of Atlantis to launch pad 39-B is expected to occur no earlier than 8:00 pm Thursday, March 14. Atlantis' payload, the Gamma Ray Observatory, goes into the payload canister today and should be transported to the launch pad by Wednesday at noon. GRO should be installed into Atlantis' payload bay on Sunday, March 17. The terminal countdown demonstration test for STS-37 is scheduled for March 19 and 20. The STS-37 flight readiness review is currently set for March 26 and 27. Also in the VAB, technicians have rescheduled the demating of Discovery because of a portable purge unit which needs about a day's repair activity. Demating should begin by mid-week nonetheless. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Magellan project scientists and the U.S. Geological Survey have invited the public to propose names of notable women for the many impact craters and large volcanic vents being discovered on Venus by Magellan. Project scientist Dr. Steve Saunders said "we want everyone, especially students, to share in the adventure of discovery." Scientists at the USGS said they expect to need nearly 4,000 names in the coming decade. All of Venus' features are named for women except for Maxwell Montes, Alpha Regio and Beta Regio. The names submitted must meet certain stipulations: the women must have been deceased for at least 3 years and must have been in some way notable or worthy of the honor; names of military or political figures of the 19th and 20th centuries are specifically forbidden, as are the names of persons prominent in any of the six main living religions, under rules of the International Astronomical Union. Nominations should be sent to Venus Names, Magellan Project Office, Mail Stop 230-201, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Dr., Pasadena, Calif. 91109. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * On Friday, Administrator Richard Truly named Ray J. Arnold as Deputy Assistant Administrator for Commercial Programs. Mr. Arnold had been Director of the Communications and Information Systems Division in the Office of Space Science and Applications. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Tomorrow, the House Subcommittee on Technology and Competitiveness (Committee on Science, Space and Technology), and the House Subcommittee on Research and Development (Committee on Armed Services) will hold a joint hearing on NASA's FY 1992 budget request for the National Aero-Space Plane. Participants will include NASA deputy J.R. Thompson, and Dr. Allan Bromley, White House Science Advisor. The hearing is at 1:30 p.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building. The event will be videotaped for replay on NASA Select TV. Also tomorrow, the NASA honor award ceremony will take place at 2:00 pm in the Health and Human Services auditorium at 4th and Independence Avenue. Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select TV. All times are Eastern. NASA Select TV is carried on GE Satcom F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees W Long., Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz. Monday, 3/11/91 1:00 pm NASA Radio Program will be transmitted. 3:00 pm Total Quality Management Colloquium featuring David Kearns, president of Xerox Corp., live from NASA Headquarters auditorium. 6:00 pm Total Quality Management Colloquium will be replayed. Tuesday, 3/12/91 12:00 pm Starfinder program "Fusion Energy." 12:15 pm Stennis Space Center 1991. 12:30 pm History of Space Travel "Astronauts: U.S. Project Mercury." 1:00 pm The Infinite Voyage series, "Miracles by Design." ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ M/S 301-355 | Change is constant. /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | ------------------------------ Date: 10 Mar 91 12:01:08 GMT From: eagle!data.nas.nasa.gov!amelia!eugene@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Eugene N. Miya) Subject: [l/m 7/11] Frequently asked SPACE questions This list does change. Slowly. It only changes when the members of s.s. have something to add, correct, etc. I no longer have time to read s.s., and the SNR is too low. So if this does not change it is more a reflection of the other people you are reading, and not me. Think about that for a moment. You make the difference. "It's not a message. I think it's a warning." -- Ripley This is a list of frequently asked questions on SPACE (which goes back before 1980). It is developing. Good summaries will be accepted in place of the answers given here. The point of this is to circulate existing information, and avoid rehashing old answers. Better to build on top than start again. Nothing more depressing than rehashing old topics for the 100th time. References are provided because they give more complete information than any short generalization. Questions fall into three basic types: 1) Where do I find some information about space? Try you local public library first. You do know how to use a library, don't you? Can't tell these days. The net is not a good place to ask for general information. Ask INDIVIDUALS if you must. There are other sources, use them, too. The net is a place for open ended discussion. 2) I have an idea which would improve space flight? Hope you aren't surprised but 9,999 out of 10,000 have usually been thought of before. Again, contact a direct individual source for evaluation. NASA fields thousands of these each day. 3) Miscellanous queries. Sorry, have to take them case by case. Initially, this message will be automatically posted once per month and hopefully, we can cut it back to quarterly. In time questions and good answers will be added (and maybe removed, nah). 1) What happen to Saturn V plans? What about reviving the Saturn V as a heavy-lift launcher? Possible but very expensive -- tools, subcontractors, plans, facilities are gone or converted for the shuttle, and would need rebuilding, re-testing, or even total redesign. 2) Where can I learn about space computers: shuttle, programming, core memories? %J Communications of the ACM %V 27 %N 9 %D September 1984 %K Special issue on space [shuttle] computers %A Myron Kayton %T Avionics for Manned Spacecraft %J IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems %V 25 %N 6 %D November 1989 %P 786-827 Other various AIAA and IEEE publications. Computers in Spaceflight: The NASA Experience James E. Tomayko 1988? 3) SETI computation articles? %A D. K. Cullers %A Ivan R. Linscott %A Bernard M. Oliver %T Signal Processing in SETI %J Communications of the ACM %V 28 %N 11 %D November 1984 %P 1151-1163 %K CR Categories and Subject Descriptors: D.4.1 [Operating Systems]: Process Management - concurrency; I.5.4 [Pattern Recognition]: Applications - signal processing; J.2 [Phsyical Sciences and Engineering]: astronomy General Terms: Design Additional Key Words and Phrases: digital Fourier transforms, finite impulse-response filters, interstellar communications, Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence, signal detection, spectrum analysis You can make it change. Just discuss the changes on the net, then mail the resolution to me. ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 14 Mar 91 01:33:52 MST From: oler%HG.ULeth.CA@vma.cc.cmu.edu (CARY OLER) Subject: SOLAR TERRESTRIAL BULLETIN - SOLAR AND STORM WARNING UPDATES X-St-Vmsmail-To: st%"space+@andrew.cmu.edu" /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ SOLAR TERRESTRIAL BULLETIN 14 March, 1991 Solar Information and Warning Updates /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ UPDATED WARNING INFORMATION A MAJOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT for 15 March, 16 March and 17 March. A MAJOR geomagnetic storm is likely to occur beginning on 15 March over the high latitudes, spreading southward to encompass the middle and low latitudes by 16 March. Middle and low latitudes could reach minor storm levels on 15 March, increasing to major storm levels on 16 March. A possibility exists for some isolated periods of severe magnetic storming, particularly over the high latitude regions. K-indices should be sustained near 6 and 7 over high latitudes. Middle latitude magnetic K values could peak at 7, but will likely remain confined to values of 5 and 6. Magnetic A-indices over middle latitudes are expected to reach (or possibly exceed) 50 on 16 March. Values near 30 are possible late on 15 March. High latitudes could see A-indices between 60 and 100 on 15 and 16 March. Storming should be most intense on 15 and 16 March (particularly 16 March for the middle latitudes). A substantial southward migration of the auroral zone is possible during this period. A LOW LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT for 16 March. Significant auroral storming is expected late on 15 March and/or on 16 March. Activity may be viewable from the lower latitudes. A POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR GEOMAGNETICALLY INDUCED CURRENTS on 16 March. Organizations which might be affected are warned to be on the alert for possible magnetic storm induction effects. No significant induction is currently anticipated, but conditions could materialize sufficiently to produce magnetic induction. POTENTIAL SATELLITE PROTON WARNINGS AND POTENTIAL PCA ACTIVITY WARNINGS are being issued. A satellite proton event could materialize when the interplanetary shock arrives. A proton enhancement is already in progress. Density enhancements trailing the shockwave could easily push proton levels above event thresholds. Also, additional major solar flaring could spawn PCA (Polar Cap Absorption) activity over polar regions. A condition YELLOW alert status for potential PCA activity has been issued by the Space Environment Services Center. A magnetic SSC is expected on 15 March, marking the arrival of the interplanetary shock. Coincident with the arrival of the shock, radio conditions on HF bands will become abruptly disturbed with increased fading and noise, increased flutter and LUF's and decreased MUF's. With the arrival of the main phase of the geomagnetic storm, significant distortion, absorption and noise can be expected on 16 March. Periods of signal blackouts on the HF bands will be possible. Some improvement can be expected on 17 March, with significant improvements occurring on 18 March (barring any further major flaring - which seems likely at the moment). VHF propagation conditions are expected to become abnormally ENHANCED with the arrival of the interplanetary shock. A period of potentially good DX could exist for a brief period following the impact of the interplanetary shock. Thereafter, degradation is expected in the quality of DX signals on VHF frequencies. Decreased MUF's will likely prevent 6 meter contacts when the main storm phase hits. However, a significant opportunity exists for VHF bistatic auroral backscatter communications on frequencies between 50 MHz and above 144 MHz. All middle latitude stations could experience unusually good DX using auroral backscatter communications. For best results, directional antennas should be aimed to the low northern or northeastern horizon (or southern horizon for the southern hemisphere). Communications will improve with INCREASING magnetic activity. Look for high K-indices between 5 and 7 for the best auroral backscatter possibilities. Best times will be in the late afternoon and near midnight local time. Operators using CW on VHF will likely have the best chances for making potentially long-distance multiple-scatter contacts. VHF signals propagating via auroral backscattering will exhibit significant auroral-induced flutter and possible signal "motoring". Contacts could be brief and unstable. PLEASE SEND ANY REPORTS OF AURORAL ACTIVITY, HF OR VHF DX CONTACTS, AND/OR DESCRIPTIONS OF DEGRADED RADIO CONDITIONS TO: "oler@hg.uleth.ca". PLEASE INCLUDE THE DATE, UT TIME, LOCAL TIME, LOCATION, AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE OBSERVED PHENOMENA OR RADIO CONDITIONS. SOLAR ACTIVITY INFORMATION UPDATE Region 6545 has not produced any further major events since the last major flare of 15:48 UT on 13 March. However, it remains magnetically complex with high magnetic field strengths and high gradients. Further X-class flaring is expected over the next 24 to 72 hours. Proton flaring is possible. This region could produce further moderate to high terrestrial impacts if major flaring continues. This region is now located at S08E38 (at 00:00 UT on 14 March). This region is maintaining a strong Beta-Gamma-Delta magnetic configuration. Region 6538 (S23W18) continues to be a threat. It still exhibits a magnetic Beta-Gamma-Delta configuration, but is beginning to show signs of decay as of 13 March. This region has declined in spot count and area over the past 24 hours, but is still capable of producing a major flare. Further major flare alerts are likely to be posted. Also, a Geomagnetic Storm Alert is likely to be posted sometime on 15 or 16 March, depending on when the interplanetary shock hits. Activity updates will be posted thereafter. ** End of Bulletin ** ------------------------------ Date: 12 Mar 91 18:21:15 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!think.com!paperboy!osf.org!dbrooks@ucsd.edu (David Brooks) Subject: Re: Magellan Update - 03/11/91 In many articles, baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) writes: |> The Magellan spacecraft is performing nominally... |> The Galileo spacecraft health continues to be excellent.... Is nominal != excellent, or are we simply seeing the different approaches to PR by different writers? (not a flame; just curious). -- David Brooks dbrooks@osf.org Systems Engineering, OSF uunet!osf.org!dbrooks "It's not easy, but it is simple." ------------------------------ Date: 13 Mar 91 01:10:21 GMT From: zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!sequent!crg5!szabo@beaver.cs.washington.edu (Nick Szabo) Subject: Re: New World Profits (was Re: Space Profits In article <17411@sdcc6.ucsd.edu> bdietz@sdcc13.ucsd.edu (Jack Dietz) writes: >This implies that Columbus was exploring what he thought was unprofitable >land. In other words, he was using the money of the Spanish crown in >order to satisfy his desire to explore, not in the interests of the >royal pair. > >Interesting. If only our explorers could pull something like that >off, leading Congress on while they encourage exploitation... It seems NASA already did pull something like this off, with their 1970's promises of Shuttle launch cost reduction. Did space exploration profit from the experience? Many space explorers would strongly disagreee... >Could be the start of something useful. In the short term, to one narrow project. In the long term, for space exploration and settlement in general, it could be very harmful. -- Nick Szabo szabo@sequent.com "If you want oil, drill lots of wells" -- J. Paul Getty The above opinions are my own and not related to those of any organization I may be affiliated with. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V13 #270 *******************