Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from beak.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Wed, 6 Jun 1990 01:32:24 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <4aP9J8-00VcJQJ2U4j@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Wed, 6 Jun 1990 01:31:53 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #493 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 493 Today's Topics: space news from May 7 AW&ST Re: Saturn V: Center S-I Engine shutdown? Lichens on Mars? Launch sites vs. local ecology (was: Re: HAWAII AND STAR WARS) NASA Lunar/Mars program funding to be terminated Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question Glaser on powersats Re: US/Soviet Planetary Activity (was Re: Manned mission to Venus) Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question 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 Jun 90 04:11:31 GMT From: mnetor!utzoo!henry@uunet.uu.net (Henry Spencer) Subject: space news from May 7 AW&ST [This will be a real quickie, as I'm preparing to be away for two weeks and time is short.] Mamoru Mohri is Japan's first government astronaut, selected as payload specialist for the Japanese Spacelab mission next year. [AW&ST had it as "Japan's first astronaut", apparently forgetting the two journalists in training for the commercial Mir flight late this year.] NASA's aging spare TDRS, TDRS-1, is being moved west to supplement TDRS-3, which is operating at reduced capacity due to a partial antenna failure. TDRS-5, set for launch next year, will probably replace one of those two. [TDRS-2 was aboard Challenger; TDRS-4 is in the eastern position.] Hughes reports that poor facilities were a serious problem when preparing Asiasat 1 for launch at Xichang. For example, Hughes ended up putting in a satellite link to California to bypass China's hopeless international phone system. Sen. Al Gore, who supports the Moon/Mars initiative but wants to see more international participation and more concrete funding plans, says that at $500G, "Before a mission on Mars, I think the Administration needs a mission to reality.". Bush meets with Congressional leaders to try to rally support for expanded spaceflight activities, notably in the financial area. Various novel ideas for financing were broached, as was the notion of revising appropriations- committee structures so NASA would not constantly be competing head-on with the Veterans and Housing&Urban Development at appropriations time. No big results to report, but such meetings haven't been common in the past. Administration proposes 23% boost in NASA's budget next fiscal year, and is resisting any cuts at all. Major article with pictures of HST deployment and a detailed account of the various post-deployment headaches. [Sorry, I just don't have time to summarize two pages of dense information.] HST deployment mission set some other new records due to its record high altitude: most intensive OMS use, longest retrofire, hottest reentry, and (incidentally) first use of the new carbon brakes. Another long article talking about Sandia's ideas for using coilguns to launch small payloads into orbit. [Again, apologies for lack of time.] Technical problems remain, but the basic notion looks viable, partly because of recent improvements in high-power capacitor technology. A full-scale launcher, firing 61kg to low orbit per shot, would cost circa $1G but launch costs thereafter would be quite low. [It has the standard problem, of course: apart from the politically-handicapped SDIO, there are no firm customers.] -- As a user I'll take speed over| Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology features any day. -A.Tanenbaum| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 16:04:42 GMT From: hplabsb!dsmith@hplabs.hp.com (David Smith) Subject: Re: Saturn V: Center S-I Engine shutdown? In article <102764@convex.convex.com> dodson@convex.com (Dave Dodson) writes: >The real reason the center engine in the Saturn V was shut down early was >the "pogo effect." During the first (unmanned) launch it was discovered >that a longitudinal vibration of the structure occurred near the end of >the first stage burn. The remedy, to keep the vibration safely within >human endurance, was to shut the center engine down early. The remedy was to inject helium into the F-1 LOX line to dampen oscillations, accompanied by the replacement of a metal line by a bellows line. J-2 fuel lines for the upper stages were strengthened to better withstand pogo. This is the first time I have seen the claim that early engine shutdown was a response to pogo, and I am inclined to disbelieve it. -- David R. Smith, HP Labs dsmith@hplabs.hp.com (415) 857-7898 ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 15:09:50 GMT From: rochester!dietz@rutgers.edu (Paul Dietz) Subject: Lichens on Mars? In article <3520@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca> msdos@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca (Mark SOKOLOWSKI) writes: >Of course! Mars is far easier to terraform because some lichens can >live under simulated martian conditions here on Earth, which means we >can send this stuff over there and watch the show. Ah, no. Lichens might grow under the conditions that astronomers used to (wishfully) think existed on Mars, but that was back before various space probes showed how hostile the planet actually is. For one thing, the partial pressure of water vapor in the martian atmosphere is some 10,000 times less than in the terrestrial atmosphere at sea level. This means that liquid water -- an essential part of all terrestrial life -- cannot exist at the martian surface. Paul F. Dietz dietz@cs.rochester.edu ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 19:03:55 GMT From: skipper!bowers@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Al Bowers) Subject: Launch sites vs. local ecology (was: Re: HAWAII AND STAR WARS) One interesting anecdote that I got to witness at Tonopah Test Range once. There are _many_ (to the point of being a nusiance) mustangs (that's wild horses, not the North American Aviation variety) on the range. It is a requirement to chase them off of the range area in use prior to a test. So out go the SP's in jeeps to chase off the herds of wild ponies. It was amusing to see, and there is an environmental observer (don't know if this person is a guest or a DoD employee) to confirm that the range is clear (of both SP's and mustangs). -- Albion H. Bowers bowers@elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov ames!elxsi.dfrf.nasa.gov!bowers ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 20:26:50 GMT From: cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!math.lsa.umich.edu!rphroy!cfctech!ttardis!rlw@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Ron Wilson) Subject: NASA Lunar/Mars program funding to be terminated The following is from a letter from Charlie Walker, former shuttle astronaut, and President of the National Space Society: Congress is ready to terminate the Lunar/Mars (aka Space Exploration) initiative. *** ZERO FUNDING *** [emphasis added by poster] The decision to cut this program has already been made behind the scenes. Congress is only waiting to return from the Mermorial Day recess to vote this important program out of existence. Termination would be catastrophic. No program is of more importance to [the US (both government AND comercial) space program]. Without this program there will be ... *NO* manned activity in space beyond low earth orbit for the foreseeable future. This is what YOU need to do, if the Lunar/Mars [aka: Space Exploration] initiative is to survive. Telephone or write (preferably telephone): Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Congressman Bob Traxler (D-MI) 320 Hart Senate Office Building 2364 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 (202) 224-4654 (202) 225-2806 Your call or letter MUST arrive during the week of June 4 to be fully effective. The earlier, the better. Updated information reguarding timing can be obtained by call the Space Hotline (202) 543-1995. [An important side effect of this issue is presidential embarrassment]. If President Bush fails in this effort - an effort he began - an effort for which he has expressed strong personal support, then other space initiatives will [fail to get] the attention that they [need]. In fact, it is unlikely that there will be any new space initiatives [by Bush or any other presidents] for a long time. The space program is in jeopardy. Let your opinion count in this vital vote on America's future. Call or write. America's space program needs your support today! Thanks you, Charlie Walker, former shuttle astronaut and pres. NSS PS: Your support makes a difference! According to former NASA administrator, James Fletcher, "Without your letters and phone calls, there is a [very high probablity] that the space station program would have been canceled last year." ====== Also, the following senators and congresspersons should be contacted: Senators: Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) Robert Kerrey (D-MA) J Bennett Johnson (D-LA) Wyche Fowler (D-GA) Patrick Leahy (D-VT) Don Nickels (R-OK) Charles Grassley (R-IA) Phill Gramm (R-TX) Congresspersons: Louis Stokes (D-OH) Alan Mollohan (D-WV) Jim Chapman (D-TX) Chester Atkins (D-MA) Lawrence Coughlin (R-PA) Bill Green (R-NY) Jerry Lewis (R-CA) All members of Congress ca be contacted by calling 202-224-3121 and asking for the member in question Mail to: Senator (name) Congressperson (name) Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 Get those calls going in. Thanks from Space Cause. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- "We were wondering when somebody would discover that one." - The response of a customer support rep to a customer's phoned in bug report (name of company with held to protect the guilty). rlw@ttardis rel.mi.org!ttardis!rlw iwblsys!ttardis!rlw ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 21:38:55 GMT From: usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question In article <00937BE8.0A0B2C80@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU> sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney) writes: > >Speaking of reliablility, what would happen if something Bad happened >to Goddard Space Flight Center? (Fire, chemical spill, plane crash, other >act of god). Hubble is controlled from there, and probably other gizmos as >well. Does NASA keep "hot sites" available at JPL? Or just pray a lot? > JPL Deep Space Network's 26 meter antennas are used as backup tracking stations for the Space Shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope. _ _____ _ | | | __ \ | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov | | | |__) | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | ___/ | |___ M/S 301-355 | |_____/ |_| |_____| Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 15:17:37 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question In article khai@amara.uucp (S. Khai Mong) writes: >A bunch of simple questions: >What are the resources of DSN in terms of dishes and sites? There are three sites located in Goldstone, California, Canberra, Australia and Madrid, Spain. Each site has 4 large antennas: one 70 meter, two 34 meter and one 26 meter antenna. >What is the expected reliability and redundancy during really critical >periods? We push for 100% reliability, but 98% is acceptable. >Could radio astronomy telescopes be pressed into service? Yes, for limited applications. The radio telescope in Japan was linked into the DSN network during Voyager 2's Neptune encounter to do radio science measurements of Neptune's and Triton's atmosphere. >Could the Soviet resources be used? Not at the present time. _ _____ _ | | | __ \ | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov | | | |__) | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | ___/ | |___ M/S 301-355 | |_____/ |_| |_____| Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 17:31:39 GMT From: thorin!homer.cs.unc.edu!leech@mcnc.org Subject: Glaser on powersats Re the recent discussion on who originated the SPS concept: Peter Glaser wrote the lead article in the June _Ad Astra_. There doesn't seem to be any clear point being made in the article, aside from the assertion that SPS is 'the key to meeting these challenges' (of overpopulation and pollution), and some commentary about developments in SPS technologies over the last decade. -- Jon Leech (leech@cs.unc.edu) __@/ "The satellite was one of seven launched yesterday by the Soviets." - BBC News ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 18:51:29 GMT From: sparkyfs!ads.com!IDA.ORG!pbs!pstinson@ames.arc.nasa.gov Subject: Re: US/Soviet Planetary Activity (was Re: Manned mission to Venus) In article <3514@calvin.cs.mcgill.ca>, msdos@quiche.cs.mcgill.ca (Mark SOKOLOWSKI) writes: > In article <1990May30.021509.8566@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes: >>Why don't *you* do something about it? You're the one who's excited about >>Venus. I can think of plenty of things that should have higher priority, >>like resuming the exploration of the Moon. > > Sorry, I find the Moon terribly boring and unexciting since men have been > there. > > Mark S. > ------- Boring or not, it is still important that we return to the moon to stay. Otherwise all we will have is a succession of "glamorous and exciting extravaganzas" separated by many years or decades of inactivity, as unfortunately happened after Apollo. A lot of scientific work IS boring to those either not directly involved or wrapped up in other pet projects. A secure, self-sufficient base on the "boring" moon will ensure our next space missions are not one shot affairs that fade into oblivion when the novelty wears off. ------------------------------ Date: 5 Jun 90 16:30:10 GMT From: mojo!SYSMGR%KING.ENG.UMD.EDU@mimsy.umd.edu (Doug Mohney) Subject: Re: DSN Reliability and Resources Question In article <1990Jun5.051044.29879@nmt.edu>, nraoaoc@nmt.edu (Daniel Briggs) writes: > >one, but two new backup power generators. Neither NASA's way of >operating not ours is *wrong*, but both are quite *different* from >each other. The operating philosophies evolved under an entirely >different set of constraints. In our case, maximizing the science per >buck meant more equipment, but less reliability. NASA goes the other >way. Certainly by the time they had finished the upgrade, we felt a >little Au plated. (And even though I expect a few snide remarks about >that last sentence, I found the encounter to be a quite educational >experience. Gold plated toilets are one thing, but reliable receivers >are another. Reliability is expensive, but there are very good reasons >for making single point failure equipment as reliable as possible. In >short, I could see where NASA was coming from during all of this.) Speaking of reliablility, what would happen if something Bad happened to Goddard Space Flight Center? (Fire, chemical spill, plane crash, other act of god). Hubble is controlled from there, and probably other gizmos as well. Does NASA keep "hot sites" available at JPL? Or just pray a lot? Doug ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #493 *******************