Date: Wed, 6 Jan 93 05:19:13 From: Space Digest maintainer Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V16 #005 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Wed, 6 Jan 93 Volume 16 : Issue 005 Today's Topics: Diffs to sci.space/sci.astro Frequently Asked Questions Space FAQ 01/15 - Introduction Space FAQ 02/15 - Network Resources 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: 6 Jan 1993 01:49:35 GMT From: Jon Leech Subject: Diffs to sci.space/sci.astro Frequently Asked Questions Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,news.answers Archive-name: space/diff DIFFS SINCE LAST FAQ POSTING (IN POSTING ORDER) (These are hand-edited context diffs; do not attempt to use them to patch old copies of the FAQ). =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.intro *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15708 Tue Jan 5 20:26:38 1993 --- FAQ.intro Tue Jan 5 20:26:17 1993 *************** *** 100,105 **** --- 100,106 ---- National Space Science Data Center Space And Planetary Image Facility Space Telescope Science Institute Electronic Info. Service + Starcat Astronomical Databases Astronomy Programs Orbital Element Sets *************** *** 123,128 **** --- 124,130 ---- Careers in the space industry DC-X single-stage to orbit (SSTO) program LLNL "great exploration" + Lunar Prospector Lunar science and activities Spacecraft models Rocket propulsion *************** *** 217,222 **** --- 219,225 ---- track of are: 0004847546@mcimail.com (Francis Reddy) - map projections + ad038@yfn.ysu.edu (Steven Fisk) - publication refs. akerman@bill.phy.queensu.CA (Richard Akerman) - crater diameters alweigel@athena.mit.edu (Lisa Weigel) - SEDS info aoab314@emx.utexas.edu (Srinivas Bettadpur) - tides *************** *** 238,243 **** --- 241,247 ---- eder@hsvaic.boeing.com (Dani Eder) - Saturn V plans, SRBs eugene@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) - introduction, NASA contact info, started FAQ postings + french@isu.isunet.edu (Patrick M. French) - space group contact info g@telesoft.com (Gary Morris) - amateur radio info gaetz@uwovax.uwo.ca (Terry Gaetz) - N-body calculations, orbital dynamics *************** *** 258,268 **** --- 262,275 ---- leech@cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) - crater diameters lfa@vielle.cray.com (Lou Adornato) - orbital dynamics maury.markowitz@egsgate.fidonet.org (Maury Markowitz) - propulsion + max@west.darkside.com (Erik Max Francis) - equations mbellon@mcdurb.Urbana.Gould.COM - N-body calculations mcconley@phoenix.Princeton.edu (Marc Wayne Mcconley) - space careers msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) - Mariner 1 info. mwm@cmu.edu (Mark Maimone) - SPACE Digest nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Dr. Nick Watkins) - models, spysats + ohainaut@eso.org (Olivier R. Hainaut) - publishers, STARCAT + oneil@aio.jsc.nasa.gov (Graham O'Neil) - Lunar Prospector opus@pioneer.unm.edu (Colby Kraybill) - SPIF data archive panama@cup.portal.com (Kenneth W Durham) - cometary orbits, IAU paul.blase@nss.fidonet.org (Paul Blase) - propulsion =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.data *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15718 Tue Jan 5 20:26:41 1993 --- FAQ.data Tue Jan 5 20:26:16 1993 *************** *** 108,114 **** You can dial in at (205)-895-0028 (300/1200/2400/9600(V.32) baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit), or telnet to spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov (128.158.13.250, also known as xsl.msfc.nasa.gov) if you're on the ! Internet. Anonymous FTP capability will be offered in the future. Most of this information is also available from the Ames server in directory SPACELINK. --- 108,114 ---- You can dial in at (205)-895-0028 (300/1200/2400/9600(V.32) baud, 8 bits, no parity, 1 stop bit), or telnet to spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov (128.158.13.250, also known as xsl.msfc.nasa.gov) if you're on the ! Internet. Anonymous FTP capability (password guest) is now available. Most of this information is also available from the Ames server in directory SPACELINK. *************** *** 188,193 **** --- 188,212 ---- observers and proposers. Get the top level README file to begin with. Contact Pete Reppert (reppert@stsci.edu) or Chris O'Dea (odea@stsci.edu). + + + STARCAT + + The Space Telescope European Coordination Facility, at ESO/Garching + provides on-line access to a huge astronomical database, featuring + + - Observation log files of several satellites/telescopes + (IUE,IRAS,HST,NTT...). + - Spectra and images (IUE, HST). + - Most of the astronomical catalogues (SAO, HR, NGC, PPM, IRAS, + Veron, GSC and many others, more than 50) in a very convenient + way (give center+radius+kind of objects, and you get the + corresponding files!). + + Log on as ``starcat'' (no password) on node stesis.hq.eso.org + (134.171.8.100) or on STESIS (DECnet). The files created can be + retreived by FTP. Contact: Benoit Pirenne, bpirenne@eso.org (phone +49 + 89 320 06 433) at ST-ECF ASTRONOMICAL DATABASES =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.references *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15728 Tue Jan 5 20:26:44 1993 --- FAQ.references Tue Jan 5 20:26:20 1993 --- 26,40 ---- Aviation and Space, 1962-1990 Space and Related Titles ! European Southern Observatory ! Information and Photographic Service ! Dr R.M. West ! Karl Scharzschild Strasse 2 ! D-8046 Garching bei Munchen ! FRG ! Slide sets, posters, photographs, conference proceedings. Finley Holiday Film Corporation 12607 East Philadelphia Street Whittier, California 90601 *************** --- 169,210 ---- address for ILC. + LUNAR PROSPECTOR + + Lunar Exploration Inc. (LEI) is a non-profit corporation working on a + privately funded lunar polar orbiter. Lunar Prospector is designed to + perform a geochemical survey and search for frozen volatiles at the + poles. A set of reference files describing the project is available in + + ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/LEI/* + + =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.constants *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15733 Tue Jan 5 20:26:45 1993 --- FAQ.constants Tue Jan 5 20:26:15 1993 *************** *** 37,42 **** --- 37,46 ---- EQUATIONS Where d is distance, v is velocity, a is acceleration, t is time. + Additional more specialized equations are available from: + + ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/FAQ/MoreEquations + For constant acceleration d = d0 + vt + .5at^2 =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.probe *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15753 Tue Jan 5 20:26:50 1993 --- FAQ.probe Tue Jan 5 20:26:19 1993 *************** *** 365,372 **** During the approach, Sakigake observed the geotail. Some geotail passages will be scheduled in some years hence. The second Earth-swingby ! will be on June 14, 1993 (at 40 Re(Earth's radius)), and the third October 28, 1994 (at 86 Re). PLANETARY MISSION REFERENCES --- 365,400 ---- During the approach, Sakigake observed the geotail. Some geotail passages will be scheduled in some years hence. The second Earth-swingby ! will be on June 14, 1993 (at 40 Re (Earth's radius)), and the third October 28, 1994 (at 86 Re). + + + HITEN, a small lunar probe, was launched into Earth orbit on January 24, + 1990. The spacecraft was then known as MUSES-A, but was renamed to Hiten + once in orbit. The 430 lb probe looped out from Earth and made its first + lunary flyby on March 19, where it dropped off its 26 lb midget + satellite, HAGOROMO. Japan at this point became the third nation to + orbit a satellite around the Moon, joining the Unites States and USSR. + + The smaller spacecraft, Hagoromo, remained in orbit around the Moon. An + apparently broken transistor radio caused the Japanese space scientists + to lose track of it. Hagoromo's rocket motor fired on schedule on March + 19, but the spacecraft's tracking transmitter failed immediately. The + rocket firing of Hagoromo was optically confirmed using the Schmidt + camera (105-cm, F3.1) at the Kiso Observatory in Japan. + + Hiten made multiple lunar flybys at approximately monthly intervals and + performed aerobraking experiments using the Earth's atmosphere. Hiten + made a close approach to the moon at 22:33 JST (UTC+9h) on February 15, + 1992 at the height of 423 km from the moon's surface (35.3N, 9.7E) and + fired its propulsion system for about ten minutes to put the craft into + lunar orbit. The following is the orbital calculation results after the + approach: + + Apoapsis Altitude: about 49,400 km + Periapsis Altitude: about 9,600 km + Inclination : 34.7 deg (to ecliptic plane) + Period : 4.7 days PLANETARY MISSION REFERENCES =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.controversy *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15763 Tue Jan 5 20:26:53 1993 --- FAQ.controversy Tue Jan 5 20:26:16 1993 *************** *** 208,216 **** sci.astro. V. DiPeitro and G. Molenaar, *Unusual Martian Surface Features*, Mars ! Research, P.O. Box 284, Glen Dale, Maryland, USA, 1982. [Apparently the ! first lengthy consideration of the Face published. Does anybody know ! what it costs?] R.R. Pozos, *The Face of Mars*, Chicago Review Press, 1986. [Account of an interdisciplinary speculative conference Hoagland organized to --- 208,214 ---- sci.astro. V. DiPeitro and G. Molenaar, *Unusual Martian Surface Features*, Mars ! Research, P.O. Box 284, Glen Dale, Maryland, USA, 1982. $18 by mail. R.R. Pozos, *The Face of Mars*, Chicago Review Press, 1986. [Account of an interdisciplinary speculative conference Hoagland organized to =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.groups *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15768 Tue Jan 5 20:26:54 1993 --- FAQ.groups Tue Jan 5 20:26:16 1993 *************** *** 46,51 **** --- 46,65 ---- No dues information available at present. + ISU - International Space University. ISU is a non-profit international + graduate-level educational institution dedicated to promoting the + peaceful exploration and development of space through multi-cultural + and multi-disciplinary space education and research. For further + information on ISU's summer session program or Permanent Campus + activities please send messages to 'information@isu.isunet.edu' or + contact the ISU Executive Offices at: + + International Space University + 955 Massachusetts Avenue 7th Floor + Cambridge, MA 02139 + (617)-354-1987 (phone) + (617)-354-7666 (fax) + L-5 Society (defunct). Founded by Keith and Carolyn Henson in 1975 to advocate space colonization. Its major success was in preventing US participation in the UN "Moon Treaty" in the late 1970s. Merged with *************** *** 172,177 **** --- 186,196 ---- Boulder, CO 80332-3261 $18/year US, $24/year international + ESA - The European Space Agency publishes a variety of periodicals, + generally available free of charge. A document describing them in + more detail is in the Ames SPACE archive in + pub/SPACE/FAQ/ESAPublications. + Final Frontier (mass-market bimonthly magazine) - history, book reviews, general-interest articles (e.g. "The 7 Wonders of the Solar System", "Everything you always wanted to know about military space =================================================================== diff -t -c -r1.15 FAQ.astronaut *** /tmp/,RCSt1a15773 Tue Jan 5 20:26:55 1993 --- FAQ.astronaut Tue Jan 5 20:26:15 1993 *************** *** 8,20 **** Q. How do I become an astronaut? ! A. We will assume you mean a NASA astronaut, since it's probably impossible ! for a Westerner to get into the Soviet program, and the other nations ! have so few astronauts (and fly even fewer) that you're better off ! hoping to win a lottery. Becoming a shuttle pilot requires lots ! of fast-jet experience, which means a military flying career; forget ! that unless you want to do it anyway. So you want to become a ! shuttle "mission specialist". If you aren't a US citizen, become one; that is a must. After that, the crucial thing to remember is that the demand for such jobs vastly --- 8,21 ---- Q. How do I become an astronaut? ! A. We will assume you mean a NASA astronaut, since it's probably ! impossible for a non-Russian to get into the cosmonaut corps (paying ! passengers are not professional cosmonauts), and the other nations have ! so few astronauts (and fly even fewer) that you're better off hoping to ! win a lottery. Becoming a shuttle pilot requires lots of fast-jet ! experience, which means a military flying career; forget that unless you ! want to do it anyway. So you want to become a shuttle "mission ! specialist". If you aren't a US citizen, become one; that is a must. After that, the crucial thing to remember is that the demand for such jobs vastly ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jan 1993 01:51:33 GMT From: Jon Leech Subject: Space FAQ 01/15 - Introduction Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,news.answers Archive-name: space/intro Last-modified: $Date: 93/01/05 20:24:46 $ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON SCI.SPACE/SCI.ASTRO INTRODUCTION This series of linked messages is periodically posted to the Usenet groups sci.space and sci.astro in an attempt to provide good answers to frequently asked questions and other reference material which is worth preserving. If you have corrections or answers to other frequently asked questions that you would like included in this posting, send email to leech@cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech). If you don't want to see the FAQ, add 'Frequently Asked Questions' to your KILL file for this group (if you're not reading this with a newsreader that can kill articles by subject, you're out of luck). The FAQ volume is excessive right now and will hopefully be trimmed down by rewriting and condensing over time. The FAQ postings are available in the Ames SPACE archive in FAQ/faq<#>. 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 your local public library first. The net is not a good place to ask for general information. Ask INDIVIDUALS (by email) 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. These are addressed on a case-by-case basis in the following series of FAQ postings. SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER NETIQUETTE Read news.announce.newusers if you're on Usenet. Minimize cross references, [Do you REALLY NEED to?] Edit "Subject:" lines, especially if you're taking a tangent. Send mail instead, avoid posting follow ups. (1 mail message worth 100 posts). Internet mail readers: send requests to add/drop to SPACE-REQUEST not SPACE. Read all available articles before posting a follow-up. (Check all references.) Cut down attributed articles (leave only the points you're responding to; remove signatures and headers). Summarize! Put a return address in the body (signature) of your message (mail or article), state your institution, etc. Don't assume the 'reply' function of mailers will work. Use absolute dates. Post in a timely way. Don't post what everyone will get on TV anyway. Some editors and window systems do character count line wrapping: keep lines under 80 characters for those using ASCII terminals (use carriage returns). INDEX TO LINKED POSTINGS I've attempted to break the postings up into related areas. There isn't a keyword index yet; the following lists the major subject areas in each posting. Only those containing astronomy-related material are posted to sci.astro (indicated by '*' following the posting number). # Contents 1* Introduction Suggestions for better netiquette Index to linked postings Notes on addresses, phone numbers, etc. Contributors 2* Network resources Overview Mailing lists Periodically updated information Warning about non-public networks 3* Online (and some offline) sources of images, data, etc. Introduction Viewing Images Online Archives NASA Ames NASA Spacelink National Space Science Data Center Space And Planetary Image Facility Space Telescope Science Institute Electronic Info. Service Starcat Astronomical Databases Astronomy Programs Orbital Element Sets SPACE Digest Landsat & NASA Photos Planetary Maps Cometary Orbits 4* Performing calculations and interpreting data formats Computing spacecraft orbits and trajectories Computing planetary positions Computing crater diameters from Earth-impacting asteroids Map projections and spherical trignometry Performing N-body simulations efficiently Interpreting the FITS image format Sky (Unix ephemeris program) Three-dimensional star/galaxy coordinates 5* References on specific areas Publishers of space/astronomy material Careers in the space industry DC-X single-stage to orbit (SSTO) program LLNL "great exploration" Lunar Prospector Lunar science and activities Spacecraft models Rocket propulsion Spacecraft design Esoteric propulsion schemes (solar sails, lasers, fusion...) Spy satellites Space shuttle computer systems SETI computation (signal processing) Amateur satellies & weather satellites Tides 6* Constants and equations for calculations 7* Astronomical Mnemonics 8 Contacting NASA, ESA, and other space agencies/companies NASA Centers / Arianespace / ESA / NASDA / Soyuzkarta / Space Camp / Space Commerce Corporation / Spacehab / SPOT Image Other commercial space businesses 9 Space shuttle answers, launch schedules, TV coverage Shuttle launchings and landings; schedules and how to see them How to receive the NASA TV channel, NASA SELECT Dial-A-Shuttle and how to use it Amateur radio frequencies for shuttle missions Solid Rocket Booster fuel composition 10 Planetary probes - Historical Missions US planetary missions Mariner (Venus, Mars, & Mercury flybys and orbiters) Pioneer (Moon, Sun, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn flybys and orbiters) Ranger (Lunar lander and impact missions) Lunar Orbiter (Lunar surface photography) Surveyor (Lunar soft landers) Viking (Mars orbiters and landers) Voyager (Outer planet flybys) Soviet planetary missions Soviet Lunar probes Soviet Venus probes Soviet Mars probes Japanese planetary missions Planetary mission references 11 Upcoming planetary probes - missions and schedules Cassini Galileo Magellan Mars Observer TOPEX/Poseidon Ulysses Other space science missions Proposed missions 12 Controversial questions What happened to the Saturn V plans Why data from space missions isn't immediately available Risks of nuclear (RTG) power sources for space probes Impact of the space shuttle on the ozone layer How long can a human live unprotected in space Using the shuttle beyond Low Earth Orbit The "Face on Mars" 13 Space activist/interest/research groups and space publications Groups Publications Undocumented Groups 14 How to become an astronaut 15 Orbital and Planetary Launch Services NOTES ON ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS, ETC. Unless otherwise specified, telephone numbers, addresses, and so on are for the United States of America. Non-US readers should remember to add the country code for telephone calls, etc. CREDITS Eugene Miya started a series of linked FAQ postings some years ago which inspired (and was largely absorbed into) this set. Peter Yee and Ron Baalke have and continue to spend a lot of their own time setting up the SPACE archives at NASA Ames and forwarding official NASA announcements. Many other people have contributed material to this list in the form of old postings to sci.space and sci.astro which I've edited. Please let me know if corrections need to be made. Contributors I've managed to keep track of are: 0004847546@mcimail.com (Francis Reddy) - map projections ad038@yfn.ysu.edu (Steven Fisk) - publication refs. akerman@bill.phy.queensu.CA (Richard Akerman) - crater diameters alweigel@athena.mit.edu (Lisa Weigel) - SEDS info aoab314@emx.utexas.edu (Srinivas Bettadpur) - tides awpaeth@watcgl.waterloo.edu (Alan Wm Paeth) - map projections aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer) - Great Exploration baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) - planetary probe schedules bankst@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Timothy Banks) - map projections, variable star analysis archive bern@uni-trier.de (Jochen Bern) - German mnemonic translation brosen@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Bernie Rosen) - Space Camp bschlesinger@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (Barry Schlesinger) - FITS format cew@venera.isi.edu (Craig E. Ward) - space group contact info chapin@cbnewsc.att.com (Tom Chapin) - planetary positions cunnida@tenet.edu (D. Alan Cunningham) - NASA Spacelink cyamamot@kilroy.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Cliff Yamamoto) - orbital elements datri@convex.com (Anthony Datri) - PDS/VICAR viewing software daver@sjc.mentorg.com (Dave Rickel) - orbit formulae dlbres10@pc.usl.edu (Phil Fraering) - propulsion eder@hsvaic.boeing.com (Dani Eder) - Saturn V plans, SRBs eugene@eos.arc.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya) - introduction, NASA contact info, started FAQ postings french@isu.isunet.edu (Patrick M. French) - space group contact info g@telesoft.com (Gary Morris) - amateur radio info gaetz@uwovax.uwo.ca (Terry Gaetz) - N-body calculations, orbital dynamics grandi@noao.edu (Steve Grandi) - planetary positions greer%utd201.dnet%utadnx@utspan.span.nasa.gov (Dale M. Greer) - constants henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) - survival in vacuum, astronaut how-to, publication refs, DC-X higgins@fnal.bitnet (William Higgins) - RTGs, publishers, shuttle landings, spysats, propulsion, "Face on Mars" hmueller@cssun.tamu.edu (Hal Mueller) - map projections, orbital dynamics jbh55289@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (Josh Hopkins) - launch services jim@pnet01.cts.com (Jim Bowery) - propulsion, launch services jscotti@lpl.arizona.edu (Jim Scotti) - planetary positions kcarroll@zoo.toronto.edu (Kieran A. Carroll)- refs for spacecraft design ken@orion.bitnet (Kenneth Ng) - RTGs klaes@verga.enet.dec.com (Larry Klaes) - planetary probe history leech@cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) - crater diameters lfa@vielle.cray.com (Lou Adornato) - orbital dynamics maury.markowitz@egsgate.fidonet.org (Maury Markowitz) - propulsion max@west.darkside.com (Erik Max Francis) - equations mbellon@mcdurb.Urbana.Gould.COM - N-body calculations mcconley@phoenix.Princeton.edu (Marc Wayne Mcconley) - space careers msb@sq.com (Mark Brader) - Mariner 1 info. mwm@cmu.edu (Mark Maimone) - SPACE Digest nickw@syma.sussex.ac.uk (Dr. Nick Watkins) - models, spysats ohainaut@eso.org (Olivier R. Hainaut) - publishers, STARCAT oneil@aio.jsc.nasa.gov (Graham O'Neil) - Lunar Prospector opus@pioneer.unm.edu (Colby Kraybill) - SPIF data archive panama@cup.portal.com (Kenneth W Durham) - cometary orbits, IAU paul.blase@nss.fidonet.org (Paul Blase) - propulsion pjs@plato.jpl.nasa.gov (Peter Scott) - RTGs pschleck@unomaha.edu (Paul W. Schleck) - AMSAT, ARRL contact info rdb@mel.cocam.oz.au (Rodney Brown) - propulsion refs rja7m@phil.cs.virginia.edu (Ran Atkinson) - FTPable astro. programs rjungcla@ihlpb.att.com (R. Michael Jungclas)- models roelle@sigi.jhuapl.edu (Curt Roelle) - German mnemonic translation seal@leonardo.jpl.nasa.gov (David Seal) - Cassini mission schedule shafer@skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov (Mary Shafer) - photos, shuttle landings smith@sndpit.enet.dec.com (Willie Smith) - photos stephen@gpwd.gp.co.nz (Stephen Dixon) - shuttle audio frequencies sterner@warper.jhuapl.edu (Ray Sterner) - planetary positions stooke@vaxr.sscl.uwo.ca (Phil Stooke) - planetary maps ted_anderson@transarc.com (Ted Anderson) - propulsion terry@astro.as.utexas.edu (Terry Hancock) - NASA center info thorson@typhoon.atmos.coloState.edu (Bill Thorson) - FITS info tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu (Todd L. Masco) - SPACE Digest tom@ssd.csd.harris.com (Tom Horsley) - refs for algorithms veikko.makela@helsinki.fi (Veikko Makela) - orbital element sets wayne@csri.utoronto.ca (Wayne Hayes) - constants weemba@libra.wistar.upenn.edu (Matthew P Wiener) - Voyager history yamada@yscvax.ysc.go.jp (Yoshiro Yamada) - ISAS/NASDA missions yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter Yee) - AMES archive server, propulsion In Net memoriam: Ted Flinn NEXT: FAQ #2/15 - Network Resources ------------------------------ Date: 6 Jan 1993 01:51:40 GMT From: Jon Leech Subject: Space FAQ 02/15 - Network Resources Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,news.answers Archive-name: space/net Last-modified: $Date: 93/01/05 20:24:52 $ NETWORK RESOURCES OVERVIEW You may be reading this document on any one of an amazing variety of computers, so much of the material below may not apply to you. In general, however, systems connected to 'the net' fall in one of three categories: Internet, Usenet, or BITNET. Electronic mail may be sent between these networks, and other resources available on one of these networks are sometimes accessible from other networks by email sent to special 'servers'. The space and astronomy discussion groups actually are composed of several mechanisms with (mostly) transparent connections between them. One mechanism is the mailing list, in which mail is sent to a central distribution point which relays it to all recipients of the list. In addition to the general lists for space (called SPACE Digest for Internet users, and SPACE on BITNET), there are a number of more specialized mailing lists described below. A second mechanism is Usenet 'netnews'. This is somewhat like a bulletin board operating on each system which is a part of the net. Netnews separates contributions into hundreds of different categories based on a 'group name'. The groups dealing most closely with space topics are called 'sci.space.news', 'sci.space', 'sci.space.shuttle', 'sci.astro', and 'talk.politics.space'. Contributors 'post' submissions (called 'articles' in netnews terminology) on their local machine, which sends it to other nearby machines. Similarly, articles sent from nearby machines are stored locally and may be forwarded to other systems, so that an article is posted locally and eventually reaches all the Usenet sites interested in receiving the news group to which the article was posted. Gateway machines redirect the Usenet sci.space group into Internet and BITNET mailing lists and vice versa; the other Usenet groups are not accessible as mailing lists. If you can receive netnews, its more flexible interface and access to a wider range of material usually make it the preferred option. MAILING LISTS SPACE Digest is the main Internet list, and is now being run by the International Space University (in only its second change of management in over a decade). Email space-request@isu.isunet.edu (message body should be in the format 'subscribe space John Public') to join. Note that the moderated SPACE Magazine list is defunct at present for lack of a moderator. Old copies of SPACE Digest since its inception in 1981 are available by anonymous FTP. Retrieve julius.cs.qub.ac.uk:pub/SpaceDigestArchive/README for further details. Elements is a moderated list for fast distribution of Space Shuttle Keplerian Elements before and during Shuttle flights. NASA two line elements are sent out on the list from Dr. Kelso, JSC, and other sources as they are released. Email to elements-request@telesoft.com to join. Space-investors is a list for information relevant to investing in space-related companies. Email Vincent Cate (vac@cs.cmu.edu) to join. Space-tech is a list for more technical discussion of space topics; discussion has included esoteric propulsion technologies, asteroid capture, starflight, orbital debris removal, etc. Email to space-tech-request@cs.cmu.edu to join. Archives of old digests and selected excerpts are available by anonymous FTP from gs80.sp.cs.cmu.edu (128.2.205.90) in /usr/anon/public/space-tech, or by email to space-tech-request if you don't have FTP access. SEDS-L is a BITNET list for members of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space and other interested parties. Email LISTSERV@TAMVM1.BITNET with a message saying "SUBSCRIBE SEDS-L your name". Email saying "INDEX SEDS-L" to list the archive contents. SEDSNEWS is a BITNET list for news items, press releases, shuttle status reports, and the like. This duplicates material which is also found in Space Digest, sci.space, sci.space.shuttle, and sci.astro. Email LISTSERV@TAMVM1.BITNET saying "SUBSCRIBE SEDSNEWS your name" to join. Email saying "INDEX SEDSNEWS" to list the archive contents. Ron Baalke (baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov) runs a mailing list which carries the contents of the sci.space.news Usenet group. Email him to join the list. As a general note, please mail to the *request* address to get off a mailing list. SPACE Digest, for example, relays many inappropriate 'please remove me from this list' messages which are sent to the list address rather than the request address. PERIODICALLY UPDATED INFORMATION In addition to this FAQ list, a broad variety of topical information is posted to the net (unless otherwise noted, in the new group sci.space.news created for this purpose). Please remember that the individuals posting this information are performing a service for all net readers, and don't take up their time with frivolous requests. ACRONYMS Garrett Wollman (wollman@UVM.EDU) posts an acronym list around the first of each month. ASTRO-FTP LIST Veikko Makela (veikko.makela@helsinki.fi) posts a monthly list of anonymous FTP servers containing astronomy and space related material to sci.space and sci.astro. AVIATION WEEK Henry Spencer (henry@zoo.toronto.edu) posts summaries of space-related stories in the weekly _Aviation Week and Space Technology_. BUYING TELESCOPES Ronnie Kon (ronnie@cisco.com) posts a guide to buying telescopes to sci.astro. ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF THE ASA Don Barry (don@chara.gsu.edu) posts the monthly Electronic Journal of the Astronomical Society of the Atlantic to sci.astro. FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL Swaraj Jeyasingh (sjeyasin@axion.bt.co.uk) posts summaries of space-related news from _Flight International_. This focuses more on non-US space activities than Aviation Week. LARGE ASTRONOMICAL PROJECTS Robert Bunge (rbunge@access.digex.com) posts a list describing many "Large Telescope Projects Either Being Considered or in the Works" to sci.astro. NASA HEADLINE NEWS & SHUTTLE REPORTS Peter Yee (yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov) posts a variety of NASA material, including NASA Headline News (with the schedule for NASA SELECT), shuttle payload briefings and flight manifests, and KSC shuttle status reports. For Usenet users, much of this material appears in the group sci.space.shuttle. NASA UPDATES Ron Baalke (baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov) posts frequent updates from JPL, Ames, and other centers on the Ulysses, Gailileo, Pioneer, Magellan, Landsat, and other missions. ORBITAL ELEMENT SETS TS Kelso (tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil) posts orbital elements from NASA Prediction Bulletins. Mike Rose (mrose@stsci.edu) posts orbital elements for the Hubble Space Telescope to sci.astro. Jost Jahn (j.jahn@abbs.hanse.de) posts ephemerides for asteroids, comets, conjunctions, and encounters to sci.astro. SATELLITE LAUNCHES Richard Langley (lang@unb.ca) posts SPACEWARN Bulletin, which describes recent launch/orbital decay information and satellites which are useful for scientific activities. Recent bulletins are available by anonymous FTP from nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov in ANON_DIR:[000000.ACTIVE.SPX]. SHUTTLE MANIFEST Ken Hollis (gandalf@pro-electric.cts.com) posts a compressed version of the Space Shuttle launch manifest to sci.space.shuttle. This includes dates, times, payloads, and information on how to see launches and landings. SOLAR ACTIVITY Cary Oler (oler@hg.uleth.ca) posts Solar Terrestrial reports (describing solar activity and its effect on the Earth) to sci.space. The report is issued in part from data released by the Space Enviroment Services Center, Boulder Colorado. The intro document needed to understand these reports is available by anonymous FTP from solar.stanford.edu (36.10.0.4) in pub/understanding_solar_terrestrial_reports. nic.funet.fi (128.214.6.100) also has this document in /pub/misc/rec.radio.shortwave/solarreports and is an archive site for the reports (please note this site is in Europe, and the connection to the US is only 56KB). A new primary archive site, xi.uleth.ca (142.66.3.29), has recently been established and will be actively supported. SOVIET SPACE ACTIVITIES Glenn Chapman (glennc@cs.sfu.ca) posts summaries of Soviet space activities. SPACE ACTIVIST NEWSLETTER Allen Sherzer (aws@iti.org) posts a newsletter, "One Small Step for a Space Activist," to talk.politics.space. It describes current legislative activity affecting NASA and commercial space activities. SPACE EVENTS CALENDAR Ron Baalke (baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov) posts a calendar including anniversaries, conferences, launch dates, meteor showers and eclipses, and other space-related events. SPACE NEWS John Magliacane (kd2bd@ka2qhd.UUCP) posts "SpaceNews" (covering AMSATs, NOAA and other weather satellites, and other ham information) to rec.radio.amateur.misc and sci.space. SPACE REPORT Jonathan McDowell (mcdowell@cfa.harvard.edu) posts "Jonathan's Space Report" covering launches, landings, reentries, status reports, satellite activities, etc. TOWARD 2001 Bev Freed (freed@nss.fidonet.org) posts "Toward 2001", a weekly global news summary reprinted from _Space Calendar_ magazine. WARNING ABOUT NON-PUBLIC NETWORKS (Included at the suggestion of Eugene Miya, who wrote the item) NASA has an internal system of unclassified electronic mail and bulletin boards. This system is not open for public use. Specifically, NASA personnel and procurement operations are regarded with some sensitivity. Contractors must renegotiate their contracts. The Fair and Open Procurement Act does not look kindly to those having inside information. Contractors and outsiders caught using this type of information can expect severe penalities. Unauthorized access attempts may subject you to a fine and/or imprisonment in accordance with Title 18, USC, Section 1030. If in fact you should should learn of unauthorized access, contact NASA personnel. NEXT: FAQ #3/15 - Online (and some offline) sources of images, data, etc. ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 005 ------------------------------