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, 28 Jun 91 03:43:54 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <8cOiWpO00WBwA7eE4U@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 28 Jun 91 03:43:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #733 SPACE Digest Volume 13 : Issue 733 Today's Topics: Re: IGY and the beginning of the Space Age Re: Space Station Objectives MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT - 11 JUNE SUBSCRIBE Re: Platinum-group metal concentrations in earth-crossing objects Re: SPACE Digest V13 #625 Aurora Visible from N. Ohio 13 June Re: What's HUD? Re: Microsat-EOS (Was: Re: Fred's Operatic Death) 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: 11 Jun 91 22:10:32 GMT From: dftsrv!tzeng@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Nigel Tzeng) Subject: Re: IGY and the beginning of the Space Age In article <1991Jun8.063806.28077@sequent.com> szabo@sequent.com writes: Path: dftsrv!ukma!wuarchive!uunet!ogicse!sequent!muncher.sequent.com!szabo From: szabo@sequent.com Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.geo.geology,sci.geo.fluids,soc.history Date: 8 Jun 91 06:38:06 GMT References: <1991Jun7.210944.22123@sequent.com> <9106080146.AA02562@iti.org> Sender: news@sequent.com (News on Muncher) Organization: Sequent Computer Systems, Inc. Lines: 31 Xref: dftsrv sci.space:24282 sci.geo.geology:349 sci.geo.fluids:378 soc.history:4549 > Obviously, the main competition was "my ICBM is bigger than your > ICBM". However, the impetus to turn it into a _civilian_ space race > was provided by the IGY (International Geophysical Year). There > was no space race and very little space research funding until the > Soviets launched Sputnik for the IGY, shocking the U.S. into joining a > space race. That the astronauts and their groupies managed to gain > power is a relic of Kennedy's Apollo and Nixon's Shuttle which we > are only now beginning to recognize and fight off. The astronauts > did not contribute positively towards NASA's funding; indeed NASA Really? The primary reason that NASA recieved so much funding in recent years is that politicos realize that the manned space program serves as a morale booster to the general public. How sucessful this is when NASA keeps slipping launch dates is debatable but it is quite obvious that the manned program is the most visible part of NASA. The part that generates the most press and public interest...and therefore probably the most money. > funding started to drop after 1966 when the astronaut flights started > to swing into full gear. The wastefulness of Apollo was apparent > to the 60% of the American public that opposed the flights and wanted > NASA's funding cut from 1968 until the mid-1970's when manned spaceflight > was replaced by automated exploration. Real science generates almost zero pubic interest and almost zero budget. It is the flashy (but almost scientifically useless) stuff that wins budgetary wars. This includes flashy pictures of the planets generated by various exploration satellites...which is why we produce them ;-). BTW: The mid-70 increase was due to ramp up on the the space shuttle. Science programs are remarkably low budget items in terms of "bang for the buck"...unfortunately these are items that wouldn't get funded if interest in NASA was low. It is arguable that the manned program is mostly a leech on NASA budgeting until you realize that they sell the concept of space exploration...and without an effective sales organization most companies fold. Having a guy in space wave a US flag around is worth a thousand pictures of Neptune to Joe Blow American. > -- > Nick Szabo szabo@sequent.com > "If you understand something the first time you see it, you probably > knew it already. The more bewildered you are, the more successful > the mission was." -- Ed Stone, Voyager space explorer Sorry...back to history. NT --- no sig yet ------------------------------ Date: 12 Jun 91 06:29:49 GMT From: cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!ptimtc!nntp-server.caltech.edu!iago.caltech.edu!carl@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Lydick, Carl) Subject: Re: Space Station Objectives In article <312@hsvaic.boeing.com>, eder@hsvaic.boeing.com (Dani Eder) writes... >>So basically, was there ever a set mission or purpose to work towards in >>building Fred, or were there only the wishy washy possiblities? > >[The following are quoted from the "Space Station Program >Program Requirements Document, February 24, 1988] > >PREFACE > >"This Space Station Program Requirements Document (PRD) establishes >the highest level requirements associated with the Space Station >Program (SSP). . . ." > >SECTION 2 > >PROGRAM OBJECTIVES > >The SSP objectives are: > >(a) Establish a permanently manned multipurpose facility in >low Earth orbit in the 1990's; >(b) Enhance and evolve mankind's ability to live and work >safely in space; >(c) Stimulate technologies of national importance (especially >automation and robotics) by using them to provide SSP capabilities; >(d) Provide long-term, cost effective operation and >utilization of continually improving facilities for >scientific, technological, commercial, and operational >activities enabled or enhanced by the presence of man in >space; >(e) Promote substantial international cooperation in space; >(f) Create and expand opportunities for private-sector >activity in space; >(g) Provide for the evolution of the SS to meet future needs >and challenges; >(h) Provide unmanned platforms from which to perform >long-duration research and operational observations. > >[end quote] So the answer to the original question is "No". -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Carl J Lydick HEPnet/NSI: SOL1::CARL Internet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 12 Jun 91 00:31:23 MDT From: oler <@BITNET.CC.CMU.EDU:oler@HG.ULeth.CA> (CARY OLER) Subject: MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT - 11 JUNE X-St-Vmsmail-To: st%"space+@andrew.cmu.edu" -- MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT -- JUNE 11, 1991 Flare Event Summary Potential Impact Assessment -------- MAJOR ENERGETIC EVENT SUMMARY Another flare from Region 6659 just barely managed to become a major category flare today. The event was a very long duration event. It began at 20:03 UT, peaked at 21:32 UT and ended at 23:07 UT on 12 June. It was rated a class M5.3/1B event and was associated with a moderate intensity Type IV sweep which has now been classified as a continuum. Radio bursts were not particularly large with this event. The flare was located at N25W40. X-ray levels never fell back below the class M1 level until after 01:28 UT on 12 June. A moderate intensity SWF accompanied this flare. The SWF lasted for over two hours at moderate intensity levels and affected most HF frequencies. Conditions began to improve by 22:30 UT. POTENTIAL TERRESTRIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT There is a small possibility that this flare could produce a low to moderate terrestrial impact. An increase in geomagnetic activity is possible from this event, although significant storming will not be observed. If any impacts do materialize, they probably will not be observed until 14 June and may be masked by the activity expected from yesterdays large X12+/3B event. Region 6659 continues to pose a significant threat. Major flaring is expected to continue from this complex region. Another major proton flare may become possible over the next 48 hours. The shock from yesterdays major flare is expected to arrive between 06:00 UT and 15:00 UT, or possibly shortly thereafter. Major to severe geomagnetic and auroral storming is still anticipated. Warnings and alerts currently in progress include: - Satellite Proton Alert (~ 500pfu @ >10MeV, ~ 7pfu @ >100 Mev, decaying) - Polar Cap Absorption Alert (~ 4 dB and decaying) - Potential Major Flare Warning (proton) - Potential Major to Severe Geomagnetic Storm Warning (A-Index > 100) - Potential Low Latitude Auroral Activity Warning ** End of Alert ** ------------------------------ Date: 12 Jun 91 05:39:53 GMT From: math.fu-berlin.de!unido!fauern!forwiss.uni-passau.de!eva.fmi.uni-passau.de!iws9011@uunet.uu.net (Sven Kiesow) Subject: SUBSCRIBE SUBSCRIBE Sven Kiesow ------------------------------ Date: 12 Jun 91 19:08:25 GMT From: cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!spool.mu.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!shamash!timbuk!sequoia!gbt@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Greg Titus) Subject: Re: Platinum-group metal concentrations in earth-crossing objects In article <1991Jun12.073415.12543@sequent.com> szabo@sequent.com writes: >In article <5248@dirac.physics.purdue.edu> hal@gibbs.physics.purdue.edu (Hal Chambers) writes: > >> [ about an asteroid with a bunch of Pt group metals in it ] > > ... >GaAs is used for expensive, high-speed chips, for example in the >latest Cray supercomputer. ... In the interest of strict truth (but completely off the subject): The GaAs machine is Cray Computer Corporation's Cray-3, which is not quite available yet. CCC is Seymour Cray's latest startup. Most people, when they say "Cray", mean Cray Research, Inc., which is Seymour's previous company and is well-established. No CRI machine uses GaAs as yet. The latest Convex machine has some GaAs in it, also. greg -- -------------------------------------------------------------- Greg Titus (gbt@zia.cray.com) Compiler Group (Ada) Cray Research, Inc. Santa Fe, NM Opinions expressed herein (such as they are) are purely my own. ------------------------------ Date: 13 Jun 91 03:07:59 GMT From: cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!rex!rouge!dlbres10@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Fraering Philip) Subject: Re: SPACE Digest V13 #625 I'm sorry I have to do this, but the e-mail messages have been bouncing for several months now... Tommy, could you please send me a couple different possible e-mail addresses to your account? Phil F. dlbres10@pc.usl.edu ------------------------------ Date: 13 Jun 91 05:36:40 GMT From: cis.ohio-state.edu!magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!bgsuvax!klopfens@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Bruce Klopfenstein) Subject: Aurora Visible from N. Ohio 13 June I am not even an amateur astronomer, but I will try to post what I saw. I saw nothing at about 11:45 PM EDT (3:45 UT?). I was back out at about 12:25 AM (00:25 EDT 13 June, 4:25 UT?) and the lights were visible. I was not able to detect color. Unlike the "curtain- like" appearance of exactly one week earlier, these lights were more like search lights extending over much of the nothern sky and up about 80 degrees from the northern horizon. They were higher than the previous week. They faded within 10 minutes and I was not able to see any more clearly after that. This was from about 2 miles Northeast of Bowling Green, Ohio (about 15 miles south of Toledo). There were bright horozontal lights above the horizon, but this was presumably lights from Toledo (although they were brighter than previous nights last week and the sky was clear). I gave up looking at about 1:10 AM EDT. I hope others will also post what they saw. -- Bruce C. Klopfenstein | klopfens@andy.bgsu.edu Radio-TV-Film Department | klopfenstein@bgsuopie.bitnet 318 West Hall | klopfens@bgsuvax.UUCP Bowling Green State University | (419) 372-2138; 372-8690 Bowling Green, OH 43403 | fax (419) 372-2300 ------------------------------ Date: 13 Jun 91 12:35:12 GMT From: sun-barr!olivea!spool.mu.edu!think.com!rpi!crdgw1!gecrdvm1!gipp@apple.com Subject: Re: What's HUD? In article <1991Jun12.210836.16800@nntp-server.caltech.edu>, steinly@zeppo.tapir.Caltech.EDU (Steinn Sigurdsson) says: > >In article <1991Jun12.161157.29386@iti.org>, aws@iti (Allen W. Sherzer) >writes: >>In article <1991Jun8.071748.28566@sequent.com> szabo@sequent.com writes: >> >>>>Not being a US citizen, I have no idea what HUD stands for. Could someone >>>>please enlighten me? >> >>>Department of "Housing and Urban Development". These guys can build >>>2,000,000 houses on Earth for every one house NASA can build in space. >> > > Funny, I thought they concentrated on developing golf courses >in Palm Springs... > >(recent local scandal - some wealthy town used HUD grants to develop a >golf course or functional equivalent thereof - not my idea of how to >spend tax dollars) Did you not realize that "poor" people playing golf/relaxing is much more vital to the future than amazing school kids with space adventures, getting them interested in science, and actually learning some of the science we hope to teach them? ------------------------------ Date: 13 Jun 91 15:11:07 GMT From: cis.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!uwm.edu!caen!ox.com!fmsrl7!wreck@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Ron Carter) Subject: Re: Microsat-EOS (Was: Re: Fred's Operatic Death) In article <1991Jun10.215310.22700@sequent.com> szabo@sequent.com writes: >Note that Iridium includes a very powerful communications package >which allows for small automobile radio antennas to pick up the signal. >If we go to a much weaker signal we can use standard backyard satellite >dishes equipped with automatic fast sky tracking gear, and open up a >large amount (100 kg?) of payload for the environmental instruments. This assumes enough data-storage capacity on each bird to hold data for later dumping. This may be impractical. If the data must be sent in real time, then the communications package from Iridium would have to be largely or wholly preserved to handle transmission and relay requirements. This cuts into instrument payload and power budgets. All in all, I think this could use some closer examination. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V13 #733 *******************