Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/DAILY_2/930407.DFC

Text File | 1993-04-08 | 26KB | 629 lines

\07-Apr-93 Daily File Collection
   These files were added or updated between 06-Apr-93 at 21:00:00 {Central}
                                         and 07-Apr-93 at 21:02:39.

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930330E.REL

3/30/93: SEDS Status

MSFC STATUS REPORT:
Small Expendable-tether Deployer System (SEDS)

       NASA engineers reported early this morning that the first
mission of the Small Expendable-tether Deployer System (SEDS)
appeared to be very successful.  The demonstration of the tether
deployment system began at 10:09p.m. with launch of a U.S. Air
Force Delta II rocket at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
Fla.  The tether system was a secondary payload on the Air Force
expendable rocket.

       "Based on the quick-look data we have so far, it appears we
had a very smooth operation," said Jim Harrison of NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.  Harrison is the SEDS
project manager.  "We had a very smooth operation."

       "We wanted to verify that a system like SEDS will deploy a
tethered object successfully, and what we've seen tonight
indicates that it will.  Of course, we'll be studying the data in
detail to get a complete understanding of how well the system
operated," Harrison said.

       The SEDS payload, a 57-pound instrumented box, was
spring-ejected from a deployer system mounted on the Delta II
second stage 63 minutes into the flight, from an altitude of
approximately 390 nautical miles (720 km).  The deployment
direction was downward, toward the Earth.

      The sequence of events for the SEDS mission was programmed
into on-board control electronics.  No ground commanding was
involved in the SEDS operation.

       Telemetry monitored by NASA engineers indicates the tether
and payload continued to unreel freely for about 75 minutes, to a
distance of approximately 11.9miles (19 km).  The programmed
sequence of operations then called for the SEDS braking mechanism
to be applied, gradually stopping movement of the tether and
payload at the full 12.4 mile (20 km) deployment length.
Following a 14-minute period in which the motion of the tethered
payload could be studied, the sequence called for a cutting device
to sever both tether and payload from the deployer.  The tether
and payload then drifted down into the Earth's atmosphere and
burned up.  None of the SEDS hardware was designed to be
recoverable.

       To confirm that all of the mission events occurred as
indicated by preliminary data, engineers will perform complete
analysis of data from the mission.  They hope to be able to
characterize and understand the behavior of the tether, the
payload, and the deployer mechanisms, and compare findings with
pre-mission predictions.  Instruments in the payload package will
enable a detailed study of its motions during the entire
deployment operation.

       SEDS is intended to demonstrate a low-cost method for using
a tether to deploy small payloads, such as satellites, to higher
orbits or downward toward Earth's atmosphere.  It is also being
flown to expand the limited amount of existing data on the
dynamics of tethered bodies in space.

A short video clip about the SEDS mission will be shown on NASA
Select television on Tuesday, March 30.  It has been scheduled to
air at 12 noon, 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. EST.

March 30, 1993, 1:30 a.m.
Prepared by: Jerry Berg, MSFC PAO
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930407.SHU

KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT 4/7/93


        KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
                         STS-56 L-1 DAY
                    Wednesday, April 7, 1993

KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham


Mission: STS-56/ATLAS-2/SSBUV      Orbital altitude: 184 sm
Vehicle: Discovery/OV-103          Inclination: 57 degrees
Location: Launch Pad 39-B          Crew Size: 5
Mission Duration: 8 days/6 hours   KSC Landing: April 16, 7:30am
Launch Date: April 8               Launch Window: 1:29 - 3:57am


     The countdown clock for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was recycled
yesterday to the T-27 hour mark and the count resumed at 6:29 p.m.  Tuesday for
launch at 1:29 a.m.  Thursday.

     Mission managers are confident Discovery is ready for flight and the
problem that caused the abort of the launch attempt Tuesday morning has been
understood and fixed.  The problem was associated with instrumentation on the
high point bleed valve in the main propulsion system.  Indications were the
valve was in an improper position for launch.  Tests conducted yesterday,
including five cryogenic cycles of the valve, confirmed the valve was working
properly.  It will be checked again this afternoon when fast fill of liquid
hydrogen begins.

     Currently, operations at launch pad 39-B are continuing without problem.
Late stowage of time critical items and mid-deck payloads is underway and
should be concluded by 11:00 a.m.

     All the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay have been closed out for
flight and require no specific monitoring prior to launch.

     Later today, the launch team will begin the final purge of the onboard
fuel cell lines, mission control in Houston will configure communications
networks, and Discovery's purge system will be switched from air to gaseous
nitrogen.

     The countdown clock will enter a planned hold at 9:39 a.m. at the T-11
hour mark and remain there for 90 minutes.  The clock will resume counting at
11:09 a.m. today.  The next hold will be the one hour built in hold at the T-6
hour mark at 4:09 p.m.  At that time, final checks of the main propulsion
system will be made prior to loading the external tank with over 500,000
gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

     Once the pad is cleared of all personnel, the clock will
again start counting at 5:09 p.m. as tanking begins. This
operation takes about three hours. Following tanking, the ice
team will be deployed to the pad for final assessments of the
vehicle.


     The five members of the flight crew are divided into two shifts for
around-the-clock operations once in orbit.  The blue team consists of commander
Kenneth Cameron, pilot Stephen Oswald and mission specialist Ellen Ochoa. The
red team is Payload Commander Michael Foale and mission specialist Kenneth
Cockrell.

     The weather forecast for launch tomorrow morning indicates a 10 percent
chance of violating launch constraints during the window opening at 1:29 a.m.
The concern is a possible cloud ceiling below 8,000 feet.  There is no chance
of violating tanking constraints.

     The 24 hour and 48 hour delay predictions show a 20 percent
and a 40 percent chance of violation, respectively.



      SUMMARY OF HOLDS AND HOLD TIMES REMAINING FOR STS-56

T-11 hours ---- 1 hour, 40 min. hold - Wed., 9:29 am - 11:09 am
T-6 hours ----- 1 hour hold ---------- Wed., 4:09 pm - 5:09 pm
T-3 hours ----- 2 hour hold ---------- Wed., 8:09 pm - 10:09 pm
T-20 minutes -- 10 minute hold-------- Thurs., 12:52 am - 1:02 am
T-9 minutes --- 10 minute hold ------- Thurs., 1:13 am - 1:23 am




          SUMMARY OF STS-56 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES

Wednesday/Thursday
8:34 pm             Wake up
9:04 pm             Breakfast/Dinner
9:34 pm             Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
9:34 pm             Don flight equipment (MS1, MS3)
9:44 pm             Don flight equipment (CDR, PLT, MS2)
10:14 pm            Depart for launch pad 39-B
10:44 pm            Arrive at white room and begin ingress
11:59 pm            Close crew hatch
1:29 am             Launch (April 8, 1993)
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930407.SKD

Daily News/TV Sked 4/7/93

Daily News
Wednesday, April 7, 1993
Two Independence Square,
Washington, D.C..
Audio Service: 202/358-3014


 % Space Shuttle Discovery targeted to launch tomorrow;
 % NASA's FY 94 Budget Briefing;
 % IUE satellite observes supernovae.


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

Confident Space Shuttle Discovery is ready for flight, mission managers have
recycled the countdown clock for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery. The
count resumed at 6:29 p.m.  Tuesday for launch at 1:29 a.m.  Thursday EDT.

The problem which caused the computers to abort the mission has been defined
and fixed.  The problem was associated with instrumentation on the high point
bleed valve in the main propulsion system.  Technicians conducted tests
yesterday which confirmed that the valve was working properly.  The valve will
be checked again this afternoon when fast fill of liquid hydrogen begins.

Space Shuttle Discovery's STS-56 mission is scheduled to last 8 days and carry
the ATLAS-2 as its primary payload.

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

Tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.  EDT, NASA will hold its FY 94 Budget Briefing.
Participants include NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin and Acting Comptroller
Gary B. Allison. A summary of the budget request will be available.  The
briefing will be carried live on NASA TV.

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

NASA scientists have solid evidence that the largest stars known, red
supergiants, end their existence in massive explosions which are known as
supernovae.  It has long been suspected that this is what occured, however
astronomers were not able to confirm this finding until recently.

The International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite observation of the
supernovea discovered that the exploding star is surrounded by a thick shell of
slowly expanding gas.  The IUE satellite detected the ultraviolet emissions
from the glowing gas.

The IUE satellite will let scientists obtain data about the explosion that they
probably would not otherwise had the opportunity to obtain.



Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA 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.


Wednesday, April 7, 1993

                12:00 pm        NASA Today News Show.
                12:15 pm        Aeronautics & Space Report.
                12:30 pm        Aero Oddities.
                  1:00 pm       Legacy of Gemini.
                  1:30 pm       Mercury: Exploration of a Planet.
Live              2:00 pm       Virginia Space Consortium: Reach for the Stars.
                  2:30 pm       NASA Biosatellite.
                  3:00 pm       Transition Years.
                  3:30 pm       Regaining the Edge.
                  8:00 pm       STS-56 Launch Coverage.


Thursday, April 8, 1993

                1:29 a.m.       Scheduled launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.

NASA TV is carried on GE Satcom F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees West
Longitude, transponder frequency is 3960 MHz, audio subcarrier is 6.8 MHz,
polarization is vertical.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_12_7.TXT

Mir element set 995 (7-Apr-93)

Mir
1 16609U 86 17  A 93 97.39920561  .00007427  00000-0  10403-3 0  9954
2 16609  51.6219 214.9000 0000925 171.9937 188.1605 15.57906963408098

Satellite: Mir
Catalog number: 16609
Epoch time:      93097.39920561
Element set:     995
Inclination:       51.6219 deg
RA of node:       214.9000 deg          Semi-major axis:  3656.4849 n.mi.
Eccentricity:    0.0000925              Apogee altitude:   212.8890 n.mi.
Arg of perigee:   171.9937 deg          Perigee altitude:  212.2125 n.mi.
Mean anomaly:     188.1605 deg          Altitude decay:      0.0116 n.mi./day
Mean motion:   15.57906963 rev/day      Apsidal rotation:    3.7408 deg/day
Decay rate:     7.4270E-05 rev/day~2    Nodal regression:   -5.0093 deg/day
Epoch rev:           40809              Nodal period:       92.3701 min

G.L.CARMAN
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_2_2_44_5.TXT

4/8/93: SPACELINK NOTE- Previously issued launch status annoucements for STS-56
follow.


STS-56 L-1 DAY
Wednesday, April 7, 1993

Mission: STS-56/ATLAS-2/SSBUV      Orbital altitude: 184 sm
Vehicle: Discovery/OV-103          Inclination: 57 degrees
Location: Launch Pad 39-B          Crew Size: 5
Mission Duration: 8 days/6 hours   KSC Landing: April 16, 7:30am
Launch Date: April 8               Launch Window: 1:29 - 3:57am


     The countdown clock for the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery was recycled
yesterday to the T-27 hour mark and the count resumed at 6:29 p.m.  Tuesday for
launch at 1:29 a.m.  Thursday.

     Mission managers are confident Discovery is ready for flight and the
problem that caused the abort of the launch attempt Tuesday morning has been
understood and fixed.  The problem was associated with instrumentation on the
high point bleed valve in the main propulsion system.  Indications were the
valve was in an improper position for launch.  Tests conducted yesterday,
including five cryogenic cycles of the valve, confirmed the valve was working
properly.  It will be checked again this afternoon when fast fill of liquid
hydrogen begins.

     Currently, operations at launch pad 39-B are continuing without problem.
Late stowage of time critical items and mid-deck payloads is underway and
should be concluded by 11:00 a.m.

     All the payloads in the orbiter's payload bay have been closed out for
flight and require no specific monitoring prior to launch.

     Later today, the launch team will begin the final purge of the onboard
fuel cell lines, mission control in Houston will configure communications
networks, and Discovery's purge system will be switched from air to gaseous
nitrogen.

     The countdown clock will enter a planned hold at 9:39 a.m. at the T-11
hour mark and remain there for 90 minutes.  The clock will resume counting at
11:09 a.m. today.  The next hold will be the one hour built in hold at the T-6
hour mark at 4:09 p.m.  At that time, final checks of the main propulsion
system will be made prior to loading the external tank with over 500,000
gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.

     Once the pad is cleared of all personnel, the clock will
again start counting at 5:09 p.m. as tanking begins. This
operation takes about three hours. Following tanking, the ice
team will be deployed to the pad for final assessments of the
vehicle.


     The five members of the flight crew are divided into two shifts for
around-the-clock operations once in orbit.  The blue team consists of commander
Kenneth Cameron, pilot Stephen Oswald and mission specialist Ellen Ochoa. The
red team is Payload Commander Michael Foale and mission specialist Kenneth
Cockrell.

     The weather forecast for launch tomorrow morning indicates a 10 percent
chance of violating launch constraints during the window opening at 1:29 a.m.
The concern is a possible cloud ceiling below 8,000 feet.  There is no chance
of violating tanking constraints.

     The 24 hour and 48 hour delay predictions show a 20 percent
and a 40 percent chance of violation, respectively.



      SUMMARY OF HOLDS AND HOLD TIMES REMAINING FOR STS-56

T-11 hours ---- 1 hour, 40 min. hold - Wed., 9:29 am - 11:09 am
T-6 hours ----- 1 hour hold ---------- Wed., 4:09 pm - 5:09 pm
T-3 hours ----- 2 hour hold ---------- Wed., 8:09 pm - 10:09 pm
T-20 minutes -- 10 minute hold-------- Thurs., 12:52 am - 1:02 am
T-9 minutes --- 10 minute hold ------- Thurs., 1:13 am - 1:23 am




          SUMMARY OF STS-56 LAUNCH DAY CREW ACTIVITIES

Wednesday/Thursday
8:34 pm             Wake up
9:04 pm             Breakfast/Dinner
9:34 pm             Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2)
9:34 pm             Don flight equipment (MS1, MS3)
9:44 pm             Don flight equipment (CDR, PLT, MS2)
10:14 pm            Depart for launch pad 39-B
10:44 pm            Arrive at white room and begin ingress
11:59 pm            Close crew hatch
1:29 am             Launch (April 8, 1993)





KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT 4/6/93

NOTE: Launch of the Shuttle Discovery was aborted this morning at T-11 seconds
by the onboard computers when instrumentation on the liquid hydrogen high point
bleed valve in the main propulsion system indicated off when it should have
indicated on.  Follow-up analysis showed the instrumentation was faulty and
that the valve was in the proper configuration for launch.

     Managers will be meeting later this afternoon to further evaluate the
situation.

     At this time, the launch team is working under the 48-hour scrub
turn-around schedule with the understanding a final decision will be made later
today by the mission management team.  If the 48-hour scrub turn-around
schedule is verified the countdown clock will be recycled to the T-11 hour mark
and paced for a T-0 at 1:29 a.m.  Thursday.

     At this time, there are no plans to rotate the service structure around
the vehicle or service the onboard cryogenic fuels.

     The crew has returned to their quarters in the Operations and Checkout
Building and are essentially following their L-2 day timeline.

IN WORK TODAY:
*  Vehicle safing and securing
*  Liquid hydrogen boiloff
*  Flight crew equipment destow
*  Re-configuring OMS/RCS crossfeed heaters
*  Main engine purging and re-positioning
*  Re-fill water deluge system

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Change liquid hydrogen system to an inert gaseous purge
*  Open pad for non-hazardous work
*  Begin change-out of time critical mid-deck payloads

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Initial safing and securing of the vehicle
*  Initiated 48-hour scrub turn-around schedule
*  Secured liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen system and began
   drain back of cryogenic fuels from the external tank




                 STS-56 LAUNCH WEATHER FORECAST

     The weather forecast for launch of Discovery on April 8
indicates a 30 percent chance of violating launch constraints
during the window opening at 1:32 a.m., due to cloud ceilings
below 8000 feet and concerns for crosswinds at the Shuttle
Landing Facility.
     There is a 30 percent chance of violating tanking
constraints due to lightning within 5 miles of the pad. Tanking
is scheduled to begin at 5:12 p.m. Monday.
     The 24 hour and 48 hour delay predictions show a 20 percent
and a 30 percent chance of violation, respectively.


CREW FOR MISSION STS-56


Commander (CDR) Kenneth Cameron
Pilot (PLT) Stephen Oswald
Payload Commander (MS1) Michael Foale
Mission Specialist (MS2) Kenneth Cockrell
Mission Specialist (MS3) Ellen Ochoa





3/30/93: ATLAS 2 LAUNCH DATE SET, SPACELAB D-2 MISSION RESCHEDULED



Ed Campion
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.         March 30, 1993


LAUNCH ADVISORY

     NASA today announced that Space Shuttle Discovery with the
STS-56/ATLAS 2 payload will be the next mission to fly with
launch scheduled for April 6, 1993 at 1:32 a.m.  EDT. Space
Shuttle Columbia and the STS-55/Spacelab D-2 payload, which
experienced a launch scrub on March 22, has been assigned a new
target launch date of no earlier than April 24.

     The decision for STS-56 to be the next mission flown came
after the main engine team finished analyzing the purge valve
which caused the STS-55 launch scrub.  The team's investigation
concluded that the valve from the number 3 main engine failed to
operate properly because of contamination that had been in the
valve since it was manufactured.  The team also determined that
this condition could exist in other engines.  A series of tests
designed to reveal such a condition have been performed on
Discovery and one suspect valve from one engine is being removed
and replaced.

     "Flying the missions in this order is the most effective
use of all our resources" said Shuttle Director Tom Utsman. "The
early April launch of the ATLAS 2 mission will give scientists
the opportunity to observe changes in the Earth's ozone during
the seasonal transition between spring and summer in the
northern hemisphere.  At the same time, the launch team at
Kennedy will be working to get Columbia back to launch
configuration for launch on April 24.  NASA is very pleased with
the cooperation given by our friends in the German space agency.
They have been involved as all possible options were considered.
Their willingness to let the STS-56 mission have an early April
launch will give the ATLAS folks the chance to collect some very
important data on the Earth's ozone."

     As part of the effort to have Columbia ready at the
earliest possible date, all three main engines are being removed
and will be replaced with ones originally scheduled for use
during the STS-57 mission with Space Shuttle Endeavour .

     The STS-57 mission, which will involve the first flight of
the SPACEHAB commercial payload and the retrieval of the
European Space Agency's EURECA satellite, is now scheduled to
fly in late May. The rest of the Space Shuttle missions planned
for 1993 will stay in their planned order and schedule.

-end-



3/25/93: LAUNCH ADVISORY:  STS-56 FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW COMPLETED

Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.             March 25, 1993

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.



        The Flight Readiness Review for the launch of STS- 56/Discovery was
held today with no major issues identified.

        Shuttle managers will set a target launch date next week after
resolution of the problem which caused last's Monday's engine shutdown on Space
Shuttle Columbia.

        The primary STS-56 payload, ATLAS 2, will investigate the sun's energy
output and the Earth's middle-atmosphere chemical makeup and how these factors
affect levels of Earth's ozone, which prevents much of the sun's harmful
ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth's surface.

        The 8-day STS-56 mission will be commanded by Kenneth Cameron and
piloted by Steven Oswald. Three mission specialists will round out the
five-person crew: Michael Foale, Kenneth Cockrell and Ellen Ochoa.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_2_2_44_9.TXT

 NOTE: This file is too large {15324 bytes} for inclusion in this collection.
    The first line of the file:

STS-56 TV SKED REV B

     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_9_14_3.TXT

3/30/93: SEDS Status

MSFC STATUS REPORT:
Small Expendable-tether Deployer System (SEDS)

       NASA engineers reported early this morning that the first
mission of the Small Expendable-tether Deployer System (SEDS)
appeared to be very successful.  The demonstration of the tether
deployment system began at 10:09p.m. with launch of a U.S. Air
Force Delta II rocket at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,
Fla.  The tether system was a secondary payload on the Air Force
expendable rocket.

       "Based on the quick-look data we have so far, it appears we
had a very smooth operation," said Jim Harrison of NASA's Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.  Harrison is the SEDS
project manager.  "We had a very smooth operation."

       "We wanted to verify that a system like SEDS will deploy a
tethered object successfully, and what we've seen tonight
indicates that it will.  Of course, we'll be studying the data in
detail to get a complete understanding of how well the system
operated," Harrison said.

       The SEDS payload, a 57-pound instrumented box, was
spring-ejected from a deployer system mounted on the Delta II
second stage 63 minutes into the flight, from an altitude of
approximately 390 nautical miles (720 km).  The deployment
direction was downward, toward the Earth.

      The sequence of events for the SEDS mission was programmed
into on-board control electronics.  No ground commanding was
involved in the SEDS operation.

       Telemetry monitored by NASA engineers indicates the tether
and payload continued to unreel freely for about 75 minutes, to a
distance of approximately 11.9miles (19 km).  The programmed
sequence of operations then called for the SEDS braking mechanism
to be applied, gradually stopping movement of the tether and
payload at the full 12.4 mile (20 km) deployment length.
Following a 14-minute period in which the motion of the tethered
payload could be studied, the sequence called for a cutting device
to sever both tether and payload from the deployer.  The tether
and payload then drifted down into the Earth's atmosphere and
burned up.  None of the SEDS hardware was designed to be
recoverable.

       To confirm that all of the mission events occurred as
indicated by preliminary data, engineers will perform complete
analysis of data from the mission.  They hope to be able to
characterize and understand the behavior of the tether, the
payload, and the deployer mechanisms, and compare findings with
pre-mission predictions.  Instruments in the payload package will
enable a detailed study of its motions during the entire
deployment operation.

       SEDS is intended to demonstrate a low-cost method for using
a tether to deploy small payloads, such as satellites, to higher
orbits or downward toward Earth's atmosphere.  It is also being
flown to expand the limited amount of existing data on the
dynamics of tethered bodies in space.

A short video clip about the SEDS mission will be shown on NASA
Select television on Tuesday, March 30.  It has been scheduled to
air at 12 noon, 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. EST.

March 30, 1993, 1:30 a.m.
Prepared by: Jerry Berg, MSFC PAO

     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=

=--=END OF COLLECTION---COLLECTED 7 FILES---COMPLETED 21:15:28=--=