Date: Fri, 28 Aug 92 05:00:00 From: Space Digest maintainer Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V15 #147 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Fri, 28 Aug 92 Volume 15 : Issue 147 Today's Topics: Apollo Video Clips (2 msgs) Astro-FTP list, August issue Australian space industries.... Galileo Update - 08/27/92 Magellan Update - 08/27/92 Mars Observer Update - 08/27/92 (Launch has been postponed) Saturn class (Was: SPS feasibility and other space Solar Sailers (2 msgs) What happened to Viking? With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit? World Space COngress Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to "space@isu.isunet.edu", and (un)subscription requests of the form "Subscribe Space " to one of these addresses: listserv@uga (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle (THENET), or space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 27 Aug 92 16:29:00 GMT From: WENDY WARTNICK Subject: Apollo Video Clips Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1992Aug26.235151.7776@news.acns.nwu.edu>, fred@iapetus.earth.nwu.edu (Fred Marton) writes... >In article <17h3qoINNloo@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> wag@georwell.EBay.Sun.COM writes: >>The famous feather and hammer trick is on the PBS special "For All Mankind". > >Incidentally, if anyone knows where the video of this can be found, I'd >love to know. I saw it two(?) years ago when it was in theatrical >release and I thought it was way boffo cool. pardon my ignorance...what ARE we talking about? wendy ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 18:17:10 GMT From: Fred Marton Subject: Apollo Video Clips Newsgroups: sci.space In article <27AUG199211290242@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov> afwendy@lims02.lerc.nasa.gov (WENDY WARTNICK) writes: >>In article <17h3qoINNloo@grapevine.EBay.Sun.COM> wag@georwell.EBay.Sun.COM writes: >>>The famous feather and hammer trick is on the PBS special "For All Mankind". >> > >pardon my ignorance...what ARE we talking about? > > wendy "For All Mankind" is a documentary on the Apollo program. It's unique in that all the images and words are from NASA, i.e., astronaut-shot footage and their reactions, explanations, etc.. It also has a score by Brian Eno (if memory serves). fred ***************************************************************************** ** F. Cung Marton ** "You're looking at me as if this ** ** fred@earth.nwu.edu ** weren't a scientific explanation." ** ** Dept. of Geological Sci. ** -- Linus Van Pelt ** ** Northwestern University ** ** ***************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 10:20:05 GMT From: M{kel{ Veikko Subject: Astro-FTP list, August issue Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space # # A S T R O - F T P L I S T # Updated 23.7.1992 # # This is a short description of anonymous-ftp file servers containing # astronomy and space research related material. I have included only those # servers where there are special subdirectories for astro stuff or much # material included into a general directories. This list is not a complete # data set of possible places, so I would be very happy of all kind of notices # and information depending on this listing. # # The newest version of this file is available via anonymous-ftp as: # # nic.funet.fi:/pub/astro/general/astroftp.txt # # There are also many mirror (copy) archives for simtel-20.army.mil (PC) and # sumex-aim.stanford.edu (Mac) which are not included into this list. Only some # of mirroring sites are listed. # # # Veikko Makela # Veikko.Makela@Helsinki.FI # *Comp. Centre of Univ. Helsinki* # *Ursa Astronomical Association* # Server, IP # Contents # Directories akiu.gw.tohoku.ac.jp images 130.34.8.9 /pub/gif/astro /pub/gif/nasa ames.arc.nasa.gov spacecraf data and news,images,NASA data, 128.102.18.3 Spacelink texts,VICAR software,FAQ, /pub/SPACE mandarin.mit.edu c. atari.archive.umich.edu Atari 141.211.164.8 /atari/applications/astronomy archive.afit.af.mil Satellite software,documents,elements 129.92.1.66 /pub/space baboon.cv.nrao.edu AIPS document and patches,radioastronomy 192.33.115.103 image processing,FITS test images /pub/aips capella.eetech.mcgill.ca garbo.uwasa.fi c.,archive.umich.edu c., 132.206.1.17 other mirrors /wuarchive/mirrors3/ c.scs.uiuc.edu ROSAT,Starchart(PC) 128.174.90.3 /pub ccu1.aukuni.ac.nz PC 130.216.1.5 /msdos/astronomy (*) overseas connections refused fits.cx.nrao.edu FITS propotionals,radio-cdrom,radio images 192.33.115.8 /FITS/doc ftp.cco.caltech.edu Astronomy magazine index 131.215.48.200 /pub/misc ftp.cs.tu-berlin.de PC,Amiga,general 130.149.17.7 /pub/astro ftp.funet.fi PC,Mac,CP/M,Atari,Amiga,databases,Unix, 128.214.6.100 HP48,OS/2,texts,News,solar reports,images, /pub/astro Satellite elements ftp.uni-kl.de iauc,Vista image reduction,asteroids 131.246.9.95 /pub/astro garbo.uwasa.fi PC 128.214.87.1 /pc/astronomy gipsy.vmars.tuwien.ac.at images 128.130.39.16 /pub/spacegifs hanauma.stanford.edu Unix,misc 36.51.0.16 /pub/astro ics.uci.edu images 128.195.1.1 /astro idlastro.gsfc.nasa.gov IDL routines 128.183.57.82 / iear.arts.rpi.edu images 128.113.6.10 /pub/graphics/astro iraf.noao.edu IRAF Software 140.252.1.1 /iraf iris1.ucis.dal.ca images 129.173.18.107 /pub/gif kauri.vuw.ac.nz Astrophysical software 130.195.11.3 /pub/astrophys kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov Satellite elements,spacecraft info 128.149.1.165 /pub/space lowell.edu Vista image reduction 192.103.11.2 /pub/vista mandarin.mit.edu Comets,asteroids,SAC,databases,Ephem,PC 18.82.0.21 /astro minnehaha.rhrk.uni-kl.de Starchart,iauc index 131.246.9.116 /pub/astro mcshh.hanse.de PC 192.76.134.1 /pub/msdos/astronom nachos.ssesco.com Satellite elements 192.55.187.18 /sat_elements ns3.hq.eso.org Test images 134.171.11.4 /pub/testimages nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov HST,IUE,Astro-1,NSSDCA info,Spacewarn, 128.183.36.23 FITS standard / osgate0.mei.co.jp images 132.182.49.2 /free/others/SPACE pioneer.unm.edu spacecraf data,catalogs,image processing 129.24.9.217 / plaza.aarnet.edu.au images,docs,garbo.uwasa.fi c. 139.130.4.6 /graphics/graphics/astro /micros/pc/garbo/astronomy pomona.claremont.edu Yale Bright Star Catalog 134.173.4.160 /YALE_BSC puffin.doc.ic.ac.uk archive.umich.edu c.,other mirrors 146.169.3.7 /mac/umich/graphics/astronomy ra.nrl.navy.mil Mac 128.60.0.21 /MacSciTech/astro rascal.ics.utexas.edu Mac 128.83.138.20 /mac rigel.acs.oakland.edu PC 141.210.10.117 /pub/msdos/astronomy rusmv1.rus.uni-stuttgart.de Atari 129.69.1.12 /soft/atari/applications/astronomy scavengerhunt.rs.itd.umich.edu Mac 141.211.164.153 /mac/graphics/astronomy simtel20.army.mil PC,CP/M 192.88.110.20 /msdos/educ /cpm sol.deakin.oz.au garbo.uwasa.fi c. 128.184.1.1 /pub/PC/chyde/astronomy sola.fcit.monash.edu.au HP48 130.194.224.224 /HP48/seq/astronomy /HP48/seq/misc solar.stanford.edu Solar reports 36.10.0.4 /pub solbourne.solbourne.com some PC programs 141.138.2.2 /pub/rp/as-is/astro stardent.arc.nasa.gov Martian map 128.102.21.44 /pub stsci.edu HSTMap(Mac),HST info 130.167.1.2 /Software sumex.stanford.edu Mac 36.44.0.6 /info-mac/app sun0.urz.uni-heidelberg.de PC,misc 129.206.100.126 /pub/msdos/astronomy tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov FITSIO subroutines 128.183.8.77 /pub/fitsio unbmvs1.csd.unb.ca Space geodesy,solar activity info 131.202.1.2 pub.canspace vab02.larc.nasa.gov images 128.155.23.47 /gifs/space xi.uleth.ca Solar reports,auroral activity forecast 142.66.3.29 maps,solar images,x-ray plot,coronal /pub/solar emission plots # Some abbreviations: # # c = copy (mirror) of other archive # ----- # My other e-communication projects: # * E-mail contact addresses of interest groups in amateur astronomy # * European astronomy and space-related bulletin boards # * E-mail catalogue of Finnish amateur astronomers ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 17:03:19 GMT From: Andrew Finegan Subject: Australian space industries.... Newsgroups: sci.space 10706747@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (ANDREW BENNETT) writes: >Hi everyone, >I was wondering if anyone knew of any Australian space societies, companies, >organisations etc that I could write to ( e-mail(?) ) and/or join. >I am particularly interested in any that are around the Melbourne area. Try: Space Association of Australia PO Box 351 Mulgrave North Victoria 3170 Australia also there is: Melbourne Space Foundation (or something similar) I don't have the address, but it may be contactable through: Department of Aero-space Engineering, RMIT. and finally a related group is (for remote sensing): Victorian Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing GPO Box 1020H Melbourne Victoria 3001 cheers ANDREW FINEGAN (Standard Disclaimers) | RMIT Centre for Remote Sensing Email : rfeadf@minyos.xx.rmit.oz.au | PO Box 12182, A'Beckett Street Phone : (03) 6603274 Fax : (03) 6632517 | Melbourne Australia 3000 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "... I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency and demoralization." Petronius, AD 60 ------------------------------ Date: 28 Aug 92 05:49:54 GMT From: Ron Baalke Subject: Galileo Update - 08/27/92 Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro Forwarded from Neal Ausman, Galileo Mission Director GALILEO MISSION DIRECTOR STATUS REPORT POST-LAUNCH August 21 - 27, 1992 SPACECRAFT 1. On August 24, a NO-OP command was sent to reset the command loss timer to 264 hours, its planned value for this mission phase. 2. On August 26, a periodic RPM (Retro-Propulsion Module) 10-Newton thruster maintenance activity was performed; 10 of the 12 thrusters were "flushed" during the activity. The P-thrusters were not flushed because they were used to perform science turn (SITURN) activities on the same day. Spacecraft performance throughout the activity was normal. 3. On August 26, the spacecraft performed a 16.5-degree SITURN. The purpose of this SITURN is to maintain the spacecraft within a plus or minus 10 degrees of the sun while within a solar distance of 1.6 AU. 4. On August 26, the Earth vector and Earth stars were updated to the spacecraft's present attitude. This strategy is being employed such that if spacecraft safing is invoked, the spacecraft will remain at the current attitude instead of going to sun point. This will expedite spacecraft recovery in the event of spacecraft safing. 5. On August 26, cruise science Memory Readouts (MROs) were performed for the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EUV), Dust Detector (DDS), and Magnetometer (MAG) instruments. Preliminary analysis indicates the data was received properly. 6. On August 27, an Ultra-Stable Oscillator (USO) test was performed to verify the health status of the USO and collect gravitational red shift experiment data; long term trend analysis is continuing. 7. During the period of August 26 through August 27, a navigation cycle was performed. This navigation cycle provided near-continuous acquisition of two-way doppler and ranging data during three consecutive passes of the spacecraft over DSS-14, DSS-43, and DSS-63. This data will improve orbit determination in preparation for the TCM-15 (Trajectory Correction Maneuver #15) scheduled for October 9. 8. The AC/DC bus imbalance measurements exhibited some change. The AC measurement increased 1 DN and reads 3.3 volts. The DC measurement has ranged from 121 DN (14.1 volts) to 130 DN (15.2 volts) and now reads 130 DN (15.2 volts). These measurement variations are consistent with the model developed by the AC/DC special anomaly team. 9. The Spacecraft status as of August 27, 1992, is as follows: a) System Power Margin - 69 watts b) Spin Configuration - Dual-Spin c) Spin Rate/Sensor - 3.15rpm/Star Scanner d) Spacecraft Attitude is approximately 10 degrees off-sun (leading) and 24 degrees off-earth (lagging) e) Downlink telemetry rate/antenna-40 bps (coded)/LGA-1 f) General Thermal Control - all temperatures within acceptable range g) RPM Tank Pressures - all within acceptable range h) Orbiter Science- UVS, EUV, DDS, MAG, EPD, and HIC are powered on i) Probe/RRH - powered off, temperatures within acceptable range j) CMD Loss Timer Setting - 264 hours Time To Initiation - 184 hours TRAJECTORY As of noon Thursday, August 27, 1992, the Galileo Spacecraft trajectory status was as follows: Distance from Earth 80,355,100 miles (.87 AU) Distance from Sun 149,427,100 miles (1.61 AU) Heliocentric Speed 52,300 miles per hour Distance from Jupiter 652,523,900 miles Round Trip Light Time 14 minutes, 32 seconds SPECIAL TOPIC 1. As of August 27, 1992, a total of 8111 real-time commands have been transmitted to Galileo since Launch. Of these, 3233 were pre-planned in the sequence design and 4878 were not. In the past week, 1 real time command was transmitted and pre-planned in the sequence design. In addition, 5427 mini-sequence commands have been transmitted since March 1991; 3269 were pre-planned and 2158 were not. In the past week, no mini-sequence commands were transmitted. Major command activities this week included commands to reset the command loss timer. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Optimists live longer /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | than pessimists. |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | ------------------------------ Date: 28 Aug 92 04:22:19 GMT From: Ron Baalke Subject: Magellan Update - 08/27/92 Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro Forwarded from the Magellan Project MAGELLAN STATUS REPORT August 27, 1992 1. Magellan continues to operate normally, performing radar mapping maneuvers and collecting data on its tape recorder, as well as the routine starcals (star calibrations) and desats (desaturation of the reaction wheels). 2. The spacecraft experienced another spurious shutoff of the TWTA (Traveling Wave Tube Amplifier) this morning, but the on-board fault protection quickly restarted the high power amplifier. 3. A swap from Transmitter A to B was commanded at 8:26 AM PDT, and controllers are closely monitoring the signal spur as the transmitter temperature rises. 4. The telecommunications engineers are trying to establish a stable operating mode for the transmitter which will allow the recovery of radar image data. So the next few days will be critical for determining our capability for radar mapping. 5. Among the major features in the area to be mapped are Ushas Mons, Innini Mons, and Hathor Mons, three mountains west of Alpha Regio. This area was missed on Cycle 1 because the radar swaths were shortened by the "two-hide" strategy for thermal control. It was missed during Cycle 2 because Transmitter A lost its subcarrier modulation capability and we had to swap to Transmitter B and find a solution to its signal spur. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Optimists live longer /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | than pessimists. |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | ------------------------------ Date: 28 Aug 92 07:47:21 GMT From: Ron Baalke Subject: Mars Observer Update - 08/27/92 (Launch has been postponed) Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro Forwarded from Glenn Cunningham, Mars Observer Deputy Project Manager MARS OBSERVER DAILY ACTIVITIES STATUS REPORT FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER/CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION Launch Minus 20 Days Date of report: 8-27-92 Time of report: 6:00 pm EDT [There was no report on 8-26-92] Two evenings ago, on Tuesday, August 25th, a significant amount of debris was observed on the nadir panel surfaces of the spacecraft through the access port in the side of the payload fairing near the MOLA (Mars Observer Laser Altimeter). Subsequent investigation also found debris on the TOS (Transfer Orbit Stage). A series of investigative teams have been established to: 1) identify the constituents, size and distribution of the debris, 2) identify and correct the source of the debris, 3) assess the mission impacts, and 4) define the cleaning plans. These activities involve all members of the project community from the science instrument people, spacecraft, TOS and to Titan, and including our KSC support partners. Investigation of these items is far from complete. The exact source of the contaminating debris has not been firmly established. The contamination may have been introduced into the fairing when a dry nitrogen purge was placed on the spacecraft as part of the securing the payload fairing air conditioning for Hurricane Andrew last Sunday morning. In addition to this anomaly, TOS had difficulty turning themselves off during a readiness test last night. Trouble shooting is underway on that issue at this time. The spacecraft is implicated in this problem. As a result of these two problems, the Launch Day Dress Rehearsal, scheduled for Friday, was canceled. Based on the evidence of the severity of the debris contamination problem, a decision was made to removed the encapsulated spacecraft from the Titan and return it to the PHSF (Payload Hazardous Support Facility) immediately. The current plan, somewhat contingent on the conclusion of TOS's trouble shooting, is the transport back to the PHSF on Friday night. Access to the spacecraft would them be available Sunday morning. The amount of time required to clean the spacecraft and the TOS is unknown. The launch has been postponed, and no new launch readiness date has been established. A decision relative to holding or postponing the Spacecraft Launch Readiness Review will be announced tomorrow, Friday. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Optimists live longer /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | than pessimists. |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 17:57:30 GMT From: Henry Spencer Subject: Saturn class (Was: SPS feasibility and other space Newsgroups: sci.space In article <26AUG199221234806@judy.uh.edu> wingo%cspara.decnet@Fedex.Msfc.Nasa.Gov writes: >>>>> is a demonstrated need for larger lift capability. >>>>... what is the demonstrated need? How is it demonstrated? >>>... Look at the growth in size of geosync communications satellites. >>Apart from [SSF], there is *no* actually-rolling project, anywhere, that >>has a firm need for more than incremental improvements... > >...one F1A engine, one or two STME's you get better payload to orbit... >at the same or lower cost because the cost of the labor to put all of those >strap ons on and the software developemnt and verification that it takes begins >to become a negative factor in the cost cycle of the existing boosters... I'm not contesting that you can build cheaper boosters than the current ones, or even that using F-1 derivatives would be a good way to do it. The trouble is the capital investment needed to get to the point of having an operational launcher. That includes development plus test flights. The operating costs of an incrementally-improved Atlas may be higher, but the cost and (perceived) risk of getting there are smaller. Which is why General Dynamics is enhancing the Atlas rather than starting from scratch. So long as demand can be met this way, that's the way it will be met. It's going to be very difficult to justify any development of a new launcher until you can come up with a requirement that *can't* be met by incremental improvement of existing ones. There is none; lower cost is not a requirement for the current customers, nor is the ability to expand to a heavylift design. -- There is nothing wrong with making | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 14:59:41 GMT From: "William John M. Christie" Subject: Solar Sailers Newsgroups: sci.space I hope this is the right place to ask this, does anyone know anything about solar sailer development by the technologically advanced nations and a possible race to Mars or the Moon between those nations? I heard something about it on the CBC radio show Quirks & Quarks a while back (>year) but nothing since. Thanks! -- ========================================================================== Any opinions expressed above are usually made with some thought which is my own and is not intended to represent the University in any way. ========================================================================== ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 21:07:32 GMT From: Henry Spencer Subject: Solar Sailers Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1992Aug27.145941.29154@ccu.umanitoba.ca> chrstie@ccu.umanitoba.ca (William John M. Christie) writes: >I hope this is the right place to ask this, does anyone know anything about >solar sailer development by the technologically advanced nations and a >possible race to Mars or the Moon between those nations? ... The original idea was a solar-sail race to Mars, launched in 1992 as part of the commemoration of Columbus's anniversary. There would be three entries, one from Europe (where he started from), one from Asia (where he thought he was going), and one from the Americas (where he ended up). These would *not* be government projects; funding would be by private sponsorship plus limited support from the race organizers. In practice, the race has somewhat fallen flat, mostly because of the organizers' inability to come up with the support funding. The recession didn't help: a lot of potential sources of private support dried up. Some of the competitors are still trying to get a sail into space, but it's not going to happen in 1992. -- There is nothing wrong with making | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim| henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 08:49:47 EDT From: Chris Jones Subject: What happened to Viking? Newsgroups: sci.space In article , henry@zoo (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <1992Aug21.222739.19157@nas.nasa.gov> eugene@wilbur.nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) writes: >>[someone else asked] >>>What happened the Viking spacecraft? >>>[...] >>>I heard through the grapevine that someone sent a bogus signal to it which >>>turned the antenna away from Earth, resulting in LOS. [concerning the Viking 1 lander...] > What finally happened was that a routine contact >to pick up recent weather data couldn't get an answer from the lander, >all attempts to reach it failed, and it was eventually declared dead. >I believe it *was* eventually established that this was due to a command >error that fouled up antenna pointing, although this was not obvious at >the time. This is all from my [sometimes faulty] memory, but I recall reading that the error was in reprogramming the lander's computer. A patch was loaded into an area of memory which was thought to have been used only during the landing portion of the flight. As it turned out, a previously loaded patch had come up with some clever way of using this memory, and obliterating it led to the loss of signal. -- Chris Jones clj@ksr.com ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 09:29:17 GMT From: Phew Subject: With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit? Newsgroups: sci.space gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman) writes: >Nick, the astronaut basher, seems to think so. He's the one to which I >was replying. The sensor platforms sent to the outer solar system have >been impressive achievements. I don't denigrate their importance even >while calling them box brownies. Getting them there, getting them to >snap pictures in the right direction, and getting the pictures back is >a monumental achievement mainly because *competent AI doesn't exist* and >everything had to be done open loop over long delay command links. >Jupiter probes didn't notice the Red Spot and say, "hmmmm that's interesting" >and zoom in for a closeup. Ground calculations had to be done to open >loop aim the probe's camera to capture a known feature of Jupiter. I'd >even accept a system that could be told, "find a big red spot and get >me a picture of it", to be somewhat robotic, but Jupiter probes haven't >been able to do this. Io's active volcano was an after the fact discovery >from a picture taken that included it by chance. A competent AI system might >have zoomed in and gotten pictures of that interesting feature in real time, >assuming a zoom lens of course. But no such image recognition capability has >been included on any sensor platform in deep space to date. >Gary "This is a very interesting phenomenon. I think we should stay to study it ... unless there is jeopardy." - HAL 2010 to Dr Chandra ( :-) ) I fully accept that there is no competent AI now, but then again, graphic user interfaces were unheard of a decade ago... :-) Taking a longer view, is it the fate of humanity to be able to explore all of space within a virtual reality dream brought to us by artificial intelligence? If not, when *do* we start putting humans in space? This question is important to me, since I've always wanted to be in a part of the space program since a I was a kid. But I didn't intend to be part of a video game. (No references to "The Last Starfigher" please, and I don't wish to start a political debate) Patrick Hew 1st Year Science/ Engineering University of Western Australia I'm an undergraduate Science/ Engineer now, and have always wanted to be a part of the space program. I d ------------------------------ Date: 27 Aug 92 05:58:43 GMT From: Pat Subject: World Space COngress Newsgroups: sci.space Is anyone holding a net party at the WSC???? ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 147 ------------------------------