Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/DAILY_1/930222.DFC

Text File | 1993-02-23 | 24KB | 542 lines

22-Feb-93 Daily File Collection
   These files were added or updated between 21-Feb-93 at 21:00:00 {Central}
                                         and 22-Feb-93 at 21:00:44.

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2/22/93:  NASA SAVES $1 MILLION ON AERONAUTICS RESEARCH PROJECT

Drucella Andersen
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.              February 22, 1993

Don Nolan
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.



RELEASE:  93-035


     NASA and industry engineers have designed and built a new measuring device
that will save American taxpayers more than $1 million on a NASA research
program.

     The device is a greatly-improved "inlet rake" that will measure the air
flowing into one of the engines on the F/A-18 High-Alpha Research Vehicle
(HARV), based at NASA's Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
Engineers could use the air flow data to help give fighter-type aircraft more
power and better handling qualities.

     "This rake is more compact and requires many fewer changes to the aircraft
than those we used in the past.  This equals a total savings of more than $1
million in the HARV program budget," said Ronald Ray, Propulsion Group Leader
at Dryden.

     "This new rake actually saved the program," Ray added. "Without it, we
would not have enough funding to continue."

     The new rakes may save NASA even more money.  The rake will work on all
General Electric F404 engines, so Dryden could use the devices on the
facility's other F/A-18s and on the X-31 research plane with minor
modifications.

     Dryden engineers came up with the idea for the new inlet rake and
presented it to General Electric Corp., Evendale, Ohio, who agreed to design
and build two of the devices.  They will arrive at Dryden 6 weeks ahead of
schedule and $60,000 below budget.

     The rake is part of a joint effort by Dryden and NASA's Lewis Research
Center, Cleveland, to develop and validate better ways to design engine inlets.
The rake data will be used to improve computer codes and wind tunnel test
techniques.  Lewis leads the study.

     Most of the million-dollar savings results from the simplicity of the new
rake, which is centrally mounted like a wagon wheel 8 inches in front of the
engine.  Installation time for the old design would have been up to 1 year and
NASA would have incurred more costs for the extensive modifications required to
the F/A-18 HARV aircraft.

     NASA's high angle-of-attack (or "high alpha") technology program studies
what happens when a modern fighter aircraft like the F/A-18 flies forward with
its nose tilted up at a sharp angle to its flight path.  The research includes
simulations on supercomputers, wind tunnel tests and flights with the F/A-18
HARV.

     "Early computer predictions have shown a greater thrust loss than we
originally thought existed," Ray said. "If we can improve engine inlet design,
it will increase the power and handling qualities of highly maneuverable
aircraft.  The new rake will be a vital tool in our search for a better inlet."

     The high-alpha technology program involves three other NASA field
installations: Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.; Langley Research
Center, Hampton, Va. and Lewis Research Center, Cleveland.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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KSC SHUTTLE STATUS 2/22/93



          SPACE SHUTTLE DAILY STATUS-STS 55
                  Monday, February 22, 1993


George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center


Vehicle: OV-102/Orbiter Columbia    Mission: STS-55
Current location: Pad 39-A          Orbital altitude: 184 sm
Payload: Spacelab D-2               Inclination: 28.45 degrees
Launch timeframe: March wk 2        Nominal Landing: KSC
Mission Duration: 8 days 22 hours   Crew size: 7


STS-55 IN WORK:

- liquid oxygen high pressure turbopump connections and securing
- main engine heat exchanger leak checks
- opening payload bay doors
- preparation to install new orbiter refrigerator/freezers
- preparation of main engine heat shields for installation
- resumption of crew compartment cleaning


STS-55 WORK SCHEDULED:

- install orbiter refrigerator/freezer units Tuesday
- remove GAUS experiment film magazine for servicing on Tuesday
- potable water sample on Wednesday
- install main engine heat shields starting Thursday
- remove GAS can experiments for battery servicing on Friday
- Flight Readiness Test of main engines/aerosurfaces next weekend


STS-55 WORK COMPLETED:

- mounting turbopumps to main engine power heads
- leak checks of high pressure turbopumps
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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DAILY NEWS/TV SKED 2/22/93

Daily News
Monday, February 22, 1993
Two Independence Square, Washington, D.C.
Audio Service 202/358-301

 % Work on Space Shuttle Columbia Continues;
 % Small Business Innovation Research Projects Selected.

Work to prepare Space Shuttle Columbia for its STS-55 mission continues as
scheduled.  Over the weekend the turbopumps were mounted to the power heads and
technicians completed the turbo pump leak checks .

Today technicians will continue connecting and securing the replacement liquid
oxygen high pressure turbo pumps, and work is continuing to prepare for
installation of the new orbiter refrigerator-freezer which is scheduled for
installation tomorrow.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

NASA announced the selection of 111 research proposals for immediate
negotiation of Phase II contracts in NASA's Small Business Innovation Research
Program (SBIR).

The SBIR Program was designed to increase technological innovation by using
small businesses, and minority and disadvantaged firms to help meet federal
research and development requirements.  The program is also intended to
encourage commercial application of federally-funded research innovations.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

         Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select
TV. Note that all events and times may change without notice, and that all
times listed are Eastern. Live indicates a program is transmitted live.

Monaday, February 22, 1993

Live    12:00pm         NASA TODAY

        12:15pm         Aeronautics & Space Report

        12:30pm         Flying Machines

    1:00pm          "Houston, We Have A Satellite"

    1:30pm          Nova: An Astronaut's View of Earth

    2:30pm          Life in Space

    3:00pm          TQM #41


NASA Select TV is carried on GE Satcom F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees
West Longitude, transponder frequency is 3960 MegaHertz, audio subcarrier is
6.8 MHz, polarization is vertical.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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SUBJECT: Mir element set 889 (19-Feb-93)

Mir
1 16609U 86 17  A 93 50.60008827  .00024226  00000-0  30479-3 0  8892
2 16609  51.6234  89.9414 0002648  26.8044 333.3757 15.58988628400795

Satellite: Mir
Catalog number: 16609
Epoch time:      93050.60008827
Element set:     889
Inclination:       51.6234 deg
RA of node:        89.9414 deg          Semi-major axis:  3654.7934 n.mi.
Eccentricity:    0.0002648              Apogee altitude:   211.8270 n.mi.
Arg of perigee:    26.8044 deg          Perigee altitude:  209.8914 n.mi.
Mean anomaly:     333.3757 deg          Altitude decay:      0.0379 n.mi./day
Mean motion:   15.58988628 rev/day      Apsidal rotation:    3.7463 deg/day
Decay rate:     2.4226E-04 rev/day~2    Nodal regression:   -5.0173 deg/day
Epoch rev:           40079              Nodal period:       92.3060 min

G.L.CARMAN
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MISSION WATCH STS-55
The Second German Spacelab Mission
MW-017/1-93

Another year of international cooperation, exploration, and scientific research
in space gets off to a busy start with the launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia
in late February 1993.  Columbia will carry the second reimbursable German
Spacelab on the STS-55 mission.  The Spacelab Module and an exterior experiment
support structure contained in Columbia's payload bay comprise the Spacelab D-2
payload. (The first German spacelab flight, D-1, flew on an earlier Shuttle
mission in October 1985.)

The D-2 mission, as it is commonly called, augments the German microgravity
research program started by the D-1 mission.  The German Aerospace Research
Establishment (DLR) has been tasked by the German Space Agency (DARA) to
prepare the second mission.  DARA has responsibility for program management;
DLR is responsible for mission management.  DLR, NASA, the European Space
Agency (ESA), and agencies in France and Japan are contributing to D-2's
scientific program.  Of the 90 experiments to be conducted on the D-2 mission,
four are sponsored by NASA.

With 90 experiments, the crew will be working in two shifts around-the-clock to
complete investigations into the areas of fluid physics, materials sciences,
life sciences, biological sciences, technology, Earth observations, atmospheric
physics, and astronomy.  Many of the experiments further the research of the
D-1 mission by conducting similar tests or using upgraded processing hardware
and/or methods to take full advantage of the technical advancements since 1985.
The D-2 mission also contains several new experiments which were not previously
flown on the D-1 mission.

The experiments themselves involve everything from the inward examination of
the human body in microgravity to the outward exploration of the Milky Way. The
operations of the D-2 Spacelab complement of experiments will be directed from
the German Space Operations Center in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany. The German
operations team will be working with flight controllers at the Johnson Space
Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Goddard Space Flight Center. Some of
the experiments of the D-2 mission are further described below.



Spacelab Module Experiments


Robotic Technology Experiment (ROTEX)

The ROTEX uses a robotic arm working in an enclosed workcell.  The crewmembers
and flight controllers in Germany will both take turns at manipulating objects
using the arm to simulate various tasks which may be required of robots working
in space, such as on Space Station Freedom. The experiment has several
objectives including: a comparison of the robot's behavior with a microgravity
system simulator to verify the simulator's accuracy, verification of the design
and operation of an autonomous robot employing advanced sensors, and
demonstration of teleoperations of the robot from on board the orbiter and from
the ground.  The robotic arm is 1.4 meters in length, has a mass of 35
kilograms, and features 6 joints, each involving roll and pitch control.  The
arm is capable of moving at 5 cm/second, with an accuracy of 0.5 mm per axis,
and has a gripping force of 200 Newtons.


Werkstofflabor - "Materials Sciences Laboratory"

Holding almost one-fourth of the D-2 experiments, this facility houses five
furnaces, a fluid physics module, and a crystal growth module.  Many of the
experiments are reconfirming research from the first German Spacelab mission.
The Isothermal Heating Facility, Turbine Blade Facility, High Temperature
Thermostats (2), and Gradient Heating Facility furnaces are used for
investigating materials and processes such as: metallic alloys, diffusion,
solidification of alloys and metal-ceramic composites, and crystal growth.  The
Turbine Blade Facility will try to produce a single crystal in the shape of a
turbine blade while incorporating tiny yttrium oxide clusters.  Such crystals
cannot be formed on earth because the much lighter clusters immediately
aggregate on the molten metal surface.  The turbine blade is comprised of
clusters that act as pinning centers for micro cracks.  This would improve the
performance and life-time of jet aircraft engines.

The Advanced Fluid Physics Module seeks to provide a precision apparatus for
establishing a floating zone between two parallel coaxial discs, allowing for
disturbances to be applied for the study of the fluid's behavior.  The Cryostat
experiment will attempt to grow high- quality crystals of biochemical
macromolecules by diffusion of proteins into corresponding saline solutions.
These crystals will be used to determine the geometric structures of the
molecules on the atomic scale using X-ray diffraction.


Holographical Optical Laboratory (HOLOP)

The investigation of heat transfer and of cooling processes in transparent
materials (such as fluids, salt solutions, and solvents) is of great interest
for research into metallurgy and casting.  The HOLOP facility operates with
laser light in order to make the processes easily visible.  This is done by two
different methods: holographic interferometry and holography (such as is widely
used to produce 3-D images, e.g. on credit cards).



Anthrorack

Anthrorack, from the Greek word "anthropos" meaning human being, is a
sophisticated medical research facility which will be used in some 20 different
experiments.  Different organs of the body and their controlling mechanisms
will be investigated.  The Anthrorack is fitted with a variety of instruments,
including a Respiratory Monitoring apparatus and an Echo Cardiograph which uses
ultrasound for measurement of the heart's dimensions and velocity of the blood
in different organs.  The interdependence of their results is meant to disclose
the human body response in its entirety to the exposure of space lights.

Two of the NASA sponsored experiments utilize the Anthrorack facility to study
the effects of microgravity on cardiovascular regulation and lung function.


Baroreflex

This NASA sponsored experiment test the human baroreceptor reflex in
microgravity.  The baroreceptor response regulates the flow of blood to the
head to maintain normal blood pressure.



Materials Sciences Double Rack for Experiment Modules and Apparatus (MEDEA)

The MEDEA is another facility containing two furnaces and one thermostat for
the investigation into critical point phenomena, directional solidification of
metallic crystals, and various long-term crystallization experiments.  One of
the experiments will attempt to grow large crystals of the semiconductor
compound gallium arsenide.  Gallium arsenide is of great importance in
electronic applications such as light emitting diodes, semiconductor lasers,
photo detectors, and high speed switching circuits.



Biolabor

The Biolabor facility will be home to a variety of studies into Gravitational
Biology and Biological Methods. The Statolithic Experiment (STATEX II) will
investigate the development of the vestibular organs of tadpoles and fish.
These organs, located in the inner ear, help humans and animals to determine
orientation within the Earth's gravity field.  The Electrocell Fusion
experiment which has a NASA co-investigator, will try to fuse cells by means of
electrical impulses to create hybrids.  Applications include the development of
plants with new properties.



Exterior Unique Support Structure Experiments

Modular Optoelectronic Multispectral/stereo Scanner (MOMS-2) The MOMS-2 is a
newly developed photographic system which will enable topographical maps to be
produced by automatic data evaluation processes for the first time.  The
experiment will view the Earth by looking vertically downwards and for the
first time it will become possible to produce, by sophisticated digital
processing, simultaneous stereo and multispectral images of the Earth's
surface.  Resolution of 5 to 10 meters will be achieved.



Galactic Ultra-wide-angle Schmidt System (GAUSS) Camera

The exact configuration of the Milky Way, the creation of stars within it and
the interstellar material distributed in the galaxy are subjects of great
interest to astronomers.  The GAUSS camera with its 145 degree field-of-view
camera, operating in six spectral bands, will be able to take pictures of all
parts of the Milky Way and significantly expand the knowledge of our galaxy.


Secondary Payloads

STS-55 crewmembers will also be participating in two amateur radio experiments,
SAREX II from the U.S. and the German SAFEX. The experiments allow students and
amateur radio operators from around the United States, Germany, and the world
to talk directly with the Space Shuttle in orbit.  Schools in Australia,
Africa, France, and the United States plan contact with SAREX II during this
mission.


Educational Activities

Mission Specialist Bernard Harris will videotape a medical examination in space
as part of a Space Medicine Conference being held at the Mayo Clinic during the
mission.  The video will be taped and downlinked to the conference.  In
addition, an audio link with the conference will be established during the
mission for a question and answer session.  Dr. Harris completed his residency
training in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic. Dr. Harris will also
participate in a post-flight video about Space Medicine.



Classroom Activities and Questions

1.  The entire progress of the mission from launch to landing can be observed
on television if your school has a satellite dish.  Direct the dish to the
SATCOM F2R satellite at 72 degrees west longitude.  Tune into NASA Select,
transponder 13, 3960 megahertz.  If your school does not have a satellite dish
but does have a cable television hookup, call your local cable company and
request that they receive NASA Select and either distribute it on one of their
channels or tape it for your use.  Check local news services for updates on
Columbia's liftoff or call the NASA Kennedy Space Center at 407-867-2525 for a
recorded message.

2.  Simulate the ROTEX (robotic) experiment by placing a blindfolded student
behind a table.  The student's arm will simulate a robotic arm.  Place objects
on the table such as blocks, plastic cups, and ping pong balls.  Select a
second student to be the controller.  Using verbal commands, the controller
will direct the arm to pick up and move the objects on the table.  Use commands
like raise arm, lower arm, rotate wrist, open hand, close hand, etc.  Attempt
to place the ping pong balls in the cup and stack the blocks.

3.  Try to grow large crystals in the classroom.  Mix up crystal solutions of
various chemicals such as salt, sugar, alum, etc.  Fill a beaker or glass jar
three quarters full of warm water.  Dissolve as much chemical into the water as
it will allow.  Allow the water to cool and evaporate over several days.  When
the first crystals begin appearing at the bottom or upper edges of the
solution, remove them.  Touch the end of a string or nylon fishing line to some
silicon glue or melted hot glue.  Then touch the string to the crystal so that
the crystal is glued to its end.  When the glue has hardened, suspend the
crystal in the solution.  Tie the upper end of the string to a pencil lying
across the mouth of the beaker.  Observe the growth of the crystal for the next
several days or weeks.  Does a single large crystal or many small crystals
form?

4.  Contact the American Radio Relay League for the name of a local amateur
radio operator who might be willing to provide a SAREX demonstration for your
classroom.  The League coordinates educational activities related to the
experiment, which is expected to fly again on several future Shuttle missions.

    American Radio Relay League
    225 Main Street
    Newington, CT 06111

References and Resources
* To request copies of the publications below, write:

        NASA Education Division
        Code FET
        NASA Headquarters
        Washington, DC 20546

* Publication text is also available from NASA SPACELINK. See references and
resources section below.

Vogt, G. & Wargo, M. (1992), Microgravity - A Teacher's Guide with Activities,
Secondary Level, EP-280, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,
Washington, D.C.

* To request copies of videotapes and slide sets,

write to:       NASA CORE
        Lorain County Joint Vocational School
        15181 Route 58 South
        Oberlin, OH 44074

All Systems Go!  (videotape), Liftoff To Learning series, National Aeronautics
and Space Administration.



NASA SPACELINK provides information about current and historic NASA programs,
lesson plans, the text from previous Mission Watch and Mission Highlights fact
sheets.  Anyone with a personal computer, modem, communications software, and a
long distance telephone line can communicate directly with NASA SPACELINK. Use
your computer to dial 205-895-0028 (8 data bits, no parity, and 1 stop bit).
NASA SPACELINK may also be accessed through Internet through the following
address: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov


STS-55 Quick Facts

Crew:    Steven R. Nagel (Col., USAF) - Commander
    Terence T. Henricks (Col., USAF) - Pilot
    Jerry L. Ross (Col., USAF) - Payload Commander
    Charles J. Precourt (Lt. Col., USAF) - Mission Specialist
    Bernard A. Harris, Jr. (M.D.) - Mission Specialist
    Ulrich Walter (Ph.D. ) - Payload Specialist
    Hans W. Schlegel (Physicist) - Payload Specialist

Vehicle:     OV-102 Columbia    Mission Duration:     9 days

Orbital Inclination:    28.5 degrees     Orbital Altitude:     296 km

Primary Payload and German Spacelab D-2

Experiments:    SAREX-II - Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MGN STATUS 2/19

Magellan Status


Status Report of Magellan for Friday, February 19, 1993:

1.  The Magellan spacecraft is operating normally under the G3043 command
sequence.  Starcals and desats continue to be very successful.  Spacecraft
temperatures are in the expected range.

2.  A Design Review of the Transition Experiment (TEX) was held in Denver on
Thursday. TEX will begin May 25, 1993, with an OTM to lower the periapsis from
170 to 146 km.  This will be followed by a series of small OTMs to "walk in" to
the nominal aerobraking corridor.

3.  The aerobraking corridor has been designed to minimize the time required to
achieve a near-circular orbit while keeping below the temperature and dynamic
pressure limits of the spacecraft.  The corridor design also has to take into
account the uncertainty and variability of VenusU atmosphere.

4.  Periapsis will be kept within this corridor by enabling OTMs during the
aerobraking period, which is expected to take 70-80 days.  The preloaded OTM
parameters provide eight variations to orbit corrections, four up and four
down.

5.  During TEX the orbit period is continually shrinking, so the spacecraft is
controlled by a looping sequence which contains a series of mini-blocks
separated by pause periods.  The length of the pause periods are controlled by
global variables which can be updated by ground command.

6.  The preparations for TEX are going well.  Engineers and mission planners
are confident that the analyses and design have a high probability of success.

7.  A Spacecraft Technical Interchange Meeting was held on Friday in Denver to
review the spacecraft performance since last fall.  All activities have gone
very smoothly.  There was some discussion of the upcoming high-rate gyro
calibration (March 1993) and the analyses of differences in solar panel output.

Magellan is 95 days from the end of Cycle 4.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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