Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V09_2/V9_276.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #276

SPACE Digest                                      Volume 9 : Issue 276

Today's Topics:
            E'Prime Aerospace Corporation
              Re: Photo identification?
          Re: mailing list for space digest
            For the People of Planet Earth
          Re: Forbes article on manned space program
     Re: manned vs unmanned, and space commercialization
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Reply-To: mordor!rutgers!pnet01.cts.com![e-mail]
Date: Mon, 27 Feb 89 20:18:39 PST
From: mordor!rutgers!pnet01.cts.com![e-mail] (Jim Bowery)
To: ucsd!nosc!crash![e-mail]
Subject: E'Prime Aerospace Corporation

I've received several inquiries about E'Prime Aerospace Corporation so
here is some information that I've gathered.

(For more complete information contact Mike Sprigg 800/525-4348 and ask for
 E'Prime's business plan document.)

E'Prime Aerospace Corporation (EPAC) was formed in February of 1987 to
enter the commercialization of space as a satellite launch service
organization and as consultants to both government and industries in
space commercialization.

The founders, headed by Bobby G. Davis, are mainly the old-line Apollo
era Kennedy Space Center types who decided it was rather ridiculous for
the US to be falling behind in space transportation given the maturity
of booster technology.  They are doing something about it.

What they are doing is setting up a fairly diversified launch services
business with projected revenues through 2000 of $508M in
sounding rockets (short duration microgravity environments), $3.38B
U. S. Government orbital flights, $5.74B commercial orbital flights
and minor income from a variety of other activities.

The foundation of their business is the solid rocket motor technology
developed for the MX (Peacekeeper) missile for the Air Force.  They
have EXCLUSIVE rights to this booster technology which consists of
composite case SRBs with over $50B invested development costs.  The
Peacekeeper vehicle has flown 17 times.  It has not failed yet.

Their boosters require only about 20 people to run a launch as opposed
to a couple hundred for a TITAN or DELTA type vehicle and over 6,000
for a Shuttle launch.  These are the people who have watched poor
systems engineering in the STS drive operational costs for launch
through the ionosphere so they are painfully aware of the importance
of choosing the right system for operational economy.  They expect
to be able to set up and launch one of their "S-series" rockets within
3 days -- a figure not unreasonable given that this sort of "stand-by"
capability is exactly why the Air Force invested so much in the Peacekeeper
technology.

They have already gone through the main red-tape barriers with the
launch of a sounding rocket from Cape Canaveral AFB last year (the
first totally private commercial launch).  The Air Force has granted
them the right to use their facilities and services for launch.

The S-series vehicles are made up of one or more MX booster segments
standing alone, stacked and/or strapped together.

Here are the payload capabilities:

VEHICLE  LEO     GTO     PLANETARY    SCHEDULED  CONFIGURATION  REMARKS
S1       2,500   975     675          4Q 1990    1 stage        1,200 Polar
S2       6,500   2,400   1,625        3Q 1991    2 stage        4,200 Polar
S3       11,000  4,200   2,900        3Q 1992    2 stage w/2 strap-ons
S4       17,500  6,500   4,500        3Q 1993    2 stage w/3 strap-ons

S1 has no current or proposed competitors except government surplus
vehicles such as Scout and Minuteman.

S2 competes with McDonnel Douglas Delta family, Japan's proposed H-1
and China's Long March 3.

S3 competes with the high end Delta's, the H-2 and low end Ariane III.

S4 competes with GD Atlas-Centaur, Ariane III/IV and Martin Marietta
Titan III.  (nondefense application of Titan III is limited due to
defense contract ties)

They expect pricing to be from $25M to $60M for the above vehicles.

EPAC is a publically traded stock.  To the best of my knowlege, the
only brokerage selling it is First Eagle, Inc.  For more information
on the stock contact Mike Sprigg (the guy with E'Prime's business plan)
at 800/525-4348.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Bowery    Phone: [phone]
PO Box 1981                  Join the Mark Hopkins Society!
La Jolla, CA 92038   (A member of the Mark Hopkins family of organizations.)

UUCP: {cbosgd, hplabs!hp-sdd, sdcsvax, nosc}!crash!pnet01!jim
ARPA: crash!pnet01![e-mail]
INET: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 89 15:18:37 GMT
From: cfa!cfa250![e-mail]  (Jonathan McDowell)
Subject: Re: Photo identification?

From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail] (Paul L Schauble):
> Someone handed me copies of two satellite photos. These have identification
> lines reading
>   1615 26FE79 35A-2   00952 23132 SB39N121W-2
>   1645 26FE79 35A-2   00954 23132 SB39N121W-2
>
> Can anyone tell me how do decode this? Can you tell me where these came from?

I have no idea, but I'll guess...

Well, the first two fields are not too difficult - clearly the images
were taken at 1645 and 1645 on 26 Feb 1979.  Hmm, problem, thats only a
third of an orbit - bad news if the pictures are really of the same
area.  Part of the last field is fairly obvious too, the subsatellite
point was at latitude 39N, longitude 121W.  So what is 00952 and 00954?
Seems to increase with time, so is probably some kind of image sequence
number.  It cant be an orbit number because 30 min separation means the
pictures would be taken on the same orbit. Maybe the 1615 and 1645 arent
times after all. 23132 is the right sort of number to be an orbit number,
if so and assuming a 105 minute orbit the satellite was launched around
Aug 1974. So if your picture is in color I would guess that it came
from Landsat 2, launched in Jan 1975; (if in B&W it might be from
a military weather satellite, but I doubt it). I dont know about 35A-2
or "SB". Check with Eosat Corp and see if they can help you.

Jonathan McDowell

------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 89 11:37:49 GMT
From: shelby!Portia!hanauma![e-mail]  (Joe Dellinger)
Subject: Re: mailing list for space digest


    Please, please, please, if you want to unsubscribe to sci.space
or be removed from a mailing list, DON'T blast a message to the entire
world! It's very annoying to many people!! Find out the correct way to do it!!

    Of course this message itself is in that category, for which I
apologize... I just have seen one too many "please remove me from the space
digest mailing list" messages here. It wouldn't be so bad if there were
some global way of KILLing them... now THERE'S a good use for AI!
\    /\    /\    /\/\/\/\/\/\/\.-.-.-.-.......___________
 \  /  \  /  \  /Dept of Geophysics, Stanford University \/\/\.-.-....___
  \/    \/    \/Joe Dellinger [e-mail] decvax!hanauma!joe\/\.-._

------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 89 04:45:54 GMT
From: att!whuts!lcuxlm![e-mail]  (Friends of Earth)
Subject: For the People of Planet Earth


gP@ky



Dear folks,

Although hesitant, I have been asked by some "friends" to please post
this message to a number of newgroups.  It is for informational
purposes only, for those who wish to hear.  Any gripes or questions or
sharings should be by email and NOT posted to the net.  A summary of
positive replies will be made on talk.religion.newage, where future
postings of this nature will be made.  Even if you have little
interest in our Space Brothers, please simply listen to the message
without judging, as much as possible, and record that you have read
such information.  This will be important in understanding the future
of our Planet Earth.
=====================================================================

                     .\:|/,
                     -- o --
PEOPLE OF PLANET EARTH '|\`

Your planet is nearing the period in its evolution when it shall pass
from the third dimension (that which you experience as your
surroundings now) into the fourth dimension of existence.  This shall
be a great change in the physical, mental and emotional nature of
human beings as well as a dramatic change in the nature of your
planet.

Had you, the people of earth, evolved peacefully without producing
collective negative frequencies of thought forms which now surround
your planet, this transition from the third dimension into the fourth
reality would be a simple rephasing of the electrical poles of your
planet and no greater disturbance than going to sleep and awakening to
a beautiful new day.

However, your planet is in imminent danger or cataclysmic upheavals
because of the disruption in the magnetic field surrounding your earth
and caused by the tremendous negative vibrations you have been
transmitting to one another for these past eons of time.  The wars,
cruelty, atomic havoc and nonsensical destruction of yourselves and
your environment through greed and hatred have added extra collective
negative energy to the poles of your planet.  It may very soon tilt
further on its axis than necessary to make this transition, creating a
period of instability and destruction to the surface of your planet
through resulting earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions and
windstorms of unprecedented velocities.  This unnecessary violence
will be a period of cleansing for your earth as foretold by your
prophets and the reason we are here to observe and offer help.

Yes, we are here in the millions from worlds already into our fourth
dimension and beyond, hence you of the third dimension see us not.
Our presence is to fulfill our mission of brotherly love, deep
concern, and to urge you to help yourselves before it is too late!

You see, people of earth, we represent a great Confederation of
Planets, all of whom have long given up war and violence as a solution
to our problems.  We are here on a mission of love from the Alliance
for Peace representing th Intergalactic Council whose authority comes
from the Spiritual Hierarchy of this Solar System.  As beings who have
achieved both fourth and fifth dimensional consciousness, our desire
after earth's purification will be to help teach humanity how to use
the mind to create consciously all that it needs.  This information
will not be given until after the earth stabilizes in its fourth
dimension so that it will not be used to control or manipulate others
or to destroy.

We cannot interfere with your free will... it is the law. So we wait
and watch and reveal ourselves in your skies briefly to provoke mental
stimulation, yet not panic.  Wake up! The time for past ridicule,
suspicion and fear must come to an end.  For now, due to your
ignorance of cosmic facts, your very lives are at stake!

The method of travel beyond your third dimension is by star ship,
airavanga, etc., for there are multitudinal designs including what you
call saucers.  We move with magnetic flow on lines of force through
the roadways of the universe.  It is no mystery.  Should your axis
move beyond its norm, threatening life upon your planet, we will use
these conveyances as a means to evacuate YOU WHO HAVE RAISED YOUR
PERSONAL VIBRATION TO A HIGHER DEGREE by practicing brotherly love and
human kindness.  Only these people can stand the higher frequencies of
the fourth dimension you are soon to enter.

How do you raise your personal vibration while there is yet time? Any
immature emotion such as hatred, revenge, jealousy, competitiveness,
suspicion, greed, cruelty, selfishness and fear the produces "up-tight
tensions" must be overcome.  We implore you to remove these blocking
thoughts, accepting your God-given responsibility for yourself and
your world by achieving a level of self discipline and awareness of
cosmic law, which disallows death and destruction of any life form.
Your mind and hearts will open wide to allow the Creator's love to
flow through you.  It is very simple, as are all truths.

If negation remains as it is around your planet when this great change
occurs, REMAIN CALM, realizing while all around you may be chaotic,
that your deliverance is present.  Step into the levitation beams that
will be projected to earth from our ships.  You will be reunited with
your families and loved ones in a safer atmosphere, experiencing a
tremendous feeling of love which is our very presence and motivation.

Much effort on your part to do these things, to help yourselves, has a
twofold benefit.  The negative  burden of your planet will begin to
dissipate, lessening much of the violence from nature that we now
foresee while you as a person will be raising your personal vibrations
becoming at one with the new fourth dimension and all its glories.
For your see, people of earth, your courageous planet is destined to
become one of the most beautiful stars in the universe.  A planet of
shining light and love!  Here, you will rejoin the remainder of the
universe in brotherly love and fellowship with God the Father Creator.

Do try to understand these concepts, although we know it is difficult
for the three dimensional mind which has not yet detached from the
fears locked into the subconscious.  However, it is better to know of
these things to come than not to know.  Heed these words, for surely
as the sun moves from east to west so shall these events come to pass.
Your planet is going to evolve with or without you.  Meditate/pray to
find your truth.  Peace and Love of the Radiant One be with you...
Adonai.

                        ASHTAR COMMAND
============
For more information contact:
Guardian Action International
PO Box 27725
Salt Lake City, UT  84127

------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 89 17:09:52 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Robert Firth)
Subject: Re: Forbes article on manned space program

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Martin Sodos) writes:

>It is noted that merely rotating a space station is not a reasonable
>solution, the example given being that to generate 1 g at 1 rotation per
>minute requires a station either 10 miles wide, or a tether with a counter-
>balance of the same length, Not a trivial engineering problem.

Isn't this wrong, or has Unix totally rotted my brain?

Angular velocity of 0.105 rad/s and required centripetal acceleration
of 9.81 m/s^2 works out at a radius of 890m, for a total diameter of
just under 1.8km.

That's about 1.1 miles for you mediaevalists.  I thought only Weekly
World News made order-of-magnitude mistakes?

------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 89 04:11:07 GMT
From: ndcheg!uceng![e-mail]  (daniel mocsny)
Subject: Re: manned vs unmanned, and space commercialization

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (daniel mocsny) writes:
> >The time has never been better to develop an orbiting, tele-operated
> >materials-processing and biological experimentation laboratory. With
> >skillful miniaturization, an unmanned laboratory could be lofted
> >by a fairly small, and thus inexpensive, expendable launcher...
>
> In, say, 1999, when development of the laboratory is complete.  If then.

Isn't that about when NASA's Space Station is set to start becoming
productive? Assuming we haven't blown the rest of the shuttle fleet in
the meantime? I'd bet we could build a mass-producible teleoperated
laboratory by then for less money than we're about to throw at the
Station. And the payoff would be massive. We'd be _much_ closer to
establishing _real_ space industry with such equipment.

> This is *well beyond* current teleoperator technology ...

Of course. That's why we need to put our best people on it. Never
underestimate what determined people with a burning vision can do :-).

Perhaps my optimism is fueled by ignorance, but I can't really see
what the major obstacle to teleoperation is, other than neglect.  In
principle there's nothing to it---just track the operator's limb and
head movements, and make the robot do the same thing, and (here's the
catch, I know) feed back information quickly and completely enough to
the operator to yield "transparency."

The propagation delays to LEO will probably be a big problem, with all
the relay stations getting in the way (we do not soon forget the
lessons of USENET). However, what's wrong with putting the labs in
geosynchronous orbit? Sure, the lift costs are a bit higher, but
you'll get line-of-sight transmission with no relay station delays.
And without life support to weigh things down, getting to GEO should
be a bargain compared to a manned mission to LEO. Let's see, light
travels at about 3x10^8m/s, and GEO is ca. 35x10^7m away, giving a
theoretical minimum round-trip time of ca. 0.2 sec. That should be
well within reason. We could put the satellite a bit lower if
necessary, say to keep it in view for an eight-hour shift, to shorten
the propagation delay and save on launch costs.

I've not (yet) had the opportunity to play with a teleoperated robot,
but I understand it can be great fun. With enough bandwidth, clever
data compression, and high-fidelity displays, the average earth-bound
Joe could have most of the sensory experience of going to space. For
one heck of a lot less money. Think of the impact on the minds of the
public if we set up viewing rooms where people could put on 20
megapixel-by- 24 color bit-plane binocular head-tracking display
goggles and check out the planet they live on. You could recruit an
army of space-oids in a matter of weeks.

The entertainment aspects of teleoperation technology will probably
drive more than a little of its development. In particular, I have
heard from an associate that a small entertainment firm in New York
City has developed an inexpensive dataglove. They have an order for
800,000 units from a major toy manufacturer who is going to
incorporate them into a user-interface for a video game. We'll see
this hitting the market by year's end, my source says. That's only the
easier 1/2 of teleoperation, I know. But we'll soon see hobbyists
hacking together their own teleoperated toy robots, and then they'll
start getting together with the model rocketeers...This is enormously
more accessible to private citizens than any manned project is going
to be for a long, long time.

> I agree that the teleoperator development in question is worth pursuing.

I'm relieved. For a brief instant there, I was worrying that I had
read Henry "Take the Long View" Spencer all wrong.

Dan Mocsny
[e-mail]

------------------------------

End of SPACE Digest V9 #276
*******************