Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V09_5/V9_514.TXT

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Date: Tue, 27 Jun 89 03:16:10 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #514

SPACE Digest                                      Volume 9 : Issue 514

Today's Topics:
Re: Excerpts From Acting Administrator Truly's remarks at the National Space Outlook Conference (Forwarded)
         Re: NSS/SpaceCause Legislative Alert
       Naming children after space missions/astronauts.
              Re: Don't mess with NASA?
           after several network bounces...
             Satellite Images - at home!
               Re: Fuel for lunar trip
           Payload Status for 06/23/89 (Forwarded)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 23 Jun 89 11:29:22 GMT
From: pasteur!agate![e-mail]  (William Baxter)
Subject: Re: Excerpts From Acting Administrator Truly's remarks at the National Space Outlook Conference (Forwarded)

In article <[e-mail]>, yee@trident (Peter E. Yee) forwards:
>
>          EXCERPTS FROM REMARKS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY:
>
>                NATIONAL SPACE OUTLOOK CONFERENCE
>
>               TYSON'S CORNER, VA.; JUNE 20, 1989
>
>                        RICHARD H. TRULY
>
>                    NASA ACTING ADMINISTRATOR

His remarks contradict other information coming out if NASA.  Here are a
few examples:

>
>     First and foremost,  we've got to keep the Shuttle fleet
>flying ... flying safely at a sustainable and reasonable flight
>rate.
> ...
>     This clearly introduces another major challenge ... to
>ensure adequate funding to maintain the schedule for Space
>Station Freedom, which, as you know, we plan to start operating
>in the mid-1990s.
> ...
>                             I am committed to
>continuing the fight for such a budget, and to completing Space
>Station Freedom within it and on time!

and

>           I am personally committed to maintaining a balanced
>NASA program across the board.  The manned space programs will be
>funded, but not at the undue expense of our important space
>science programs and other critical NASA priorities.

A glance at the Payload Flight Assignment which Peter Yee recently
forwarded to the net (pp 5.18 - 5.19) reveals the projected need for 20
shuttle flights whose primary payload is the Space Station between March
1995 and November 1997.  This is not going to leave copious space for
"our important space science programs."  Nor will it allow operation in
the "mid-1990s."

>     And in that latter connection, I understand that you'll be
>hearing later from Jim Rose about what NASA is doing to encourage
>private sector investment and involvement in space.  So I'll use
>this opportunity to make only one point and one I feel strongly
>about:  Since its inception, NASA has been bending over backward
>to move the private sector into space and to further the goal of
>space commerce.  Clearly, then, I can't agree with those who say
>we've been dragging our feet in this area. That simply is not the
>case.

Jim Bowery has already pointed out how NASA bent over for Amroc to the
tune of a few hundred dollars.  This was such an important event that a
NASA devoted press release (89-92) to it.  The press release probably
cost more.

Another look at the Payload Assignments (p 1.3) shows a plan to use 31
expendible launch vehicles between now and the end of FY 1995 -- an
average of over 4 per year!  Of these, 22 are on existing launch
vehicles from the NASA stables (pp 3.1 - 3.3) while the remaining 9 are
marked "to be determined."  With the charitable assumption that all of
these remaining 9 result in purchase of launch services, NASA will be
purchasing these services for fewer than 10% of their launches.  (There
are 73 shuttle flights projected during the same time period.)  The
figure is even lower if one considers the size of the payload.

This is in sharp contrast to the statement from NASA release 89-92 that
"NASA also is purchasing its ELV launch services needs directly from
commercial operator, whenever possible, to support its scientific and
applications missions that are not assigned to fly on the Space Shuttle.
Missions that do not require the unique capabilities of the Space
Shuttle are being placed on ELVs in support of NASA's policy to use a
mixed fleet of Shuttles and ELVs to assure access to space for its
programs."

>     Space Station Freedom will transform us from visitors to
>permanent residents of space.  Freedom will be the centerpiece of
>our space infrastructure for decades.
                  ^^^^^^^
>                            This
>project is the most complex international technological endeavor
>in history.

In other words, we are not going to move beyond this showpiece for
technology until well into the 21st century, if at all.  Once again, we
are putting all of our eggs in the same basket.  Has he already
forgotten the lessons of Challenger?


Truly proposes one solution to these problems: increase the NASA budget.
He hints that if only Congress threw money at NASA whenever they
requested it, then everything would be fine.

----

William Baxter

ARPA: web@{garnet,brahms,math}.Berkeley.EDU
UUCP: {sun,dual,decwrl,decvax,hplabs,...}!ucbvax!garnet!web

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

Date: 24 Jun 89 00:29:37 GMT
From: pasteur!agate![e-mail]  (William Baxter)
Subject: Re: NSS/SpaceCause Legislative Alert

In article <[e-mail]>, AABRAMS@UKCC (Steve Abrams) writes:
>
> Pt. 1 - CRAF-Cassini
>
>FROM SPACECAUSE (RPromoting Space Development Through Legislative
>ActionS):
>
>    Because of the critical importance of this legislative year to the space
>program, a united effort is being made, to support the NASA budget as a
>whole and the new start on CRAF-Cassini

SpaceCause leaders are apparently of the opinion that CRAF-Cassini can
be useful in promoting their agenda, namely the support of Space Station
at all cost.  This letter is an attempt to hook people by talking about
a real space project, and then asking them to support Space Station.
But don't take my word for it --

>    Support for the NASA budget is particularly important this year
>because of the intimate relationship between the budget and the Space
>Station program.

>                        The letter from Charles Walker which
>follows in this package explains in terms of our goals why the Space Station
>is the top priority short-term legislative goal of SpaceCause and the National
>Space Society.

At the NSS Space Development Conference in Chicago, the "discussion" of
the Space Station consisted of Ben Bova interrupting every statement
against the Space Station to remind everyone that if we didn't get Space
Station, none of us would ever go.  This followed Charles Walker's very
careful explanation of why we must not confuse or compare CDSF with a
space station.

>    It is very difficult for new starts, like CRAF-Cassini to survive when
>the NASA budget is severely cut.  We need your help to save the Space
>Station and CRAF-Cassini.

>    Ask for full funding for NASA and in particular for the Space Station.
>Also mention CRAF-Cassini as a secondary issue.
 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>[Various comments suggesting that unless NASA gets lots of money right
>now, none of us will ever go.]

>    It is for these reasons that Freedom Station is the top priority short-
>term legislative goal of Spacecause and the National Space Society.  we need
>new starts like CRAF-Cassini to help identify resources and chart our future
>course.  But exploration is only the beginning.  For the permanent occupancy
>of space, we need Freedom Station.

Once again, if we don't get Space Station *right now* none of us will
ever go.  They must mean the "top priority" for the signatories -- there
has been no discussion of the merits of the project with members.
Members who question the inestimable merit of Space Station are treated
as National SS heretics.


William Baxter

ARPA: web@{garnet,brahms,math}.Berkeley.EDU
UUCP: {sun,dual,decwrl,decvax,hplabs,...}!ucbvax!garnet!web

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

Date: 23 Jun 89 18:41:00 GMT
From: wrksys.dec.com![e-mail]  (CUP/ASG, MLO5-2/G1 6A, 223-3283)
Subject: Naming children after space missions/astronauts.


    In regards to children born around the time APOLLO 11 landed on
the Moon in July of 1969 being named after the astronauts involved,
I also remember reading how twins born in the Soviet Union during the
APOLLO 18-SOYUZ 19 mission of July, 1975 were named Apollo and Soyuz.

    Does anyone have any more such names?  I know that many kids
born in 1962 - the year John Glenn became the first American to orbit
Earth - were named John and Glen.

    Larry Klaes

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

Date: 23 Jun 89 17:00:37 GMT
From: att!ihlpa![e-mail]  (Williams)
Subject: Re: Don't mess with NASA?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>
>We enjoyed the Gooney-Bird, since it was much nicer than the R4D that
>it replaced, having soundproofing and cloth upholstery, but it was
>a little embarassing to climb into our `new' 1941 airplane.
>--

EMBARASSING!! EMBARASSING!!!  There is such class to crawling into
a DC-3 at an airport that there is not even any word for such mega-
class.  The only thing better than a DC-3 is TWO DC-3s.  Embarassed
indeed.  Any slob can crawl into a Lear or a Citation or something
with blowtorches.  It takes gobs of macho (mega-macho!) to actually
fly a -3!

Embarassed indeed.  The nose gear is in the right place, the controls
are covered with the right kind of metal, the engines drip the right
kind of juice, and the blades are big and turn slowly on nice round
engines.

Oh the horrors of it all, embarassed to fly in a DC-3.

                    jeff williams
                    ihlpa!preacher
                    ATP Multi / DC-3
                    (and proud of it!)

P.S.:  Put a big :-) on this one, ok???

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

Date: Fri, 23 Jun 1989 14:59-EDT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: after several network bounces...

Ah, the vagaries of network mail...

    Date: Thu, 22 Jun 1989 14:44-EDT
    From: [e-mail]
    To: [e-mail]
    Subject: Re: Space Station Computers

> though we might be able to get away with a less candy coated computer
> system, I don't think we could fly it.  Also there is the public
> affairs problems of saying that we will trust a human life to anything
> that is not 100% safe.

All of which is why I prefer the 100% private route. It may take a bit
longer, but it will get us the real thing: affordable space transport
and lodgings.

There is much that is acceptable to the individual that is not
acceptable to an organization whose existance depends on running a
continuous dog and pony show.

The start will be slower, but just watch. Around 2005 or so, the
entrepreneurs are going to blow past NASA like it was standing still.

And sadly, it may indeed be standing still.

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

Date: 23 Jun 89 20:18 -0500
From: Kerry Stevenson <[e-mail]>
To: <[e-mail]>
Subject: Satellite Images - at home!

Recently, I read a book about amateur radio which told me all about radio, and
mentioned briefly the concept of listening in on signals transmitted from
various type of earth orbiting satellites.  Although this in itself is not too
difficult, the book mentioned that some individuals have managed to capture
video signals, from weather satellites for example, and using their home
computer systems have actually printed out images.  Also, a recent article in
Spaceflight detailed the impressive setup owned by a Briton, who had managed
to print out oceanic images from the Soviet Okean satellite.  This topic is
of some interest to me and I have the following questions:

- Is this a common activity, or is it done by just a few deranged people?
- What types of satellites are popular for capturing images?
- What equipment (other than computing hardware) is required?
- Are there legalities involved? e.g. are SPOT images encoded?
- Most importantly, are there any referenes, official or otherwise which
  can be used to find out more detail?

Thanx in advance,
Kerry S.

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

Date: 23 Jun 89 19:53:04 GMT
From: mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Fuel for lunar trip

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John Roberts) writes:
>That sounds like a good idea for hydrogen-fueled flights out of earth orbit
>in general. Water would take up less volume than the corresponding quantity
>of hydrogen and oxygen. Once in orbit, the H2 and O2 would be separated using
>the abundant solar power present, and refrigerated...

At one point there was a proposal to take up water ballast on shuttle missions
that were volume-limited rather than weight-limited, and offload the ballast
at an orbiting facility that would electrolyze it and liquefy the resulting
hydrogen and oxygen.  There were some unknowns; for example, nobody has much
experience at handling cryogenic fuels in orbit, or even in keeping them
liquid for long periods of time in space.  The idea pretty much died out
due to a serious lack of volume-limited missions.  (The Hubble Telescope
mission, for example, looks volume-limited until you consider that they
want the highest possible orbit.)
--
NASA is to spaceflight as the  |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
US government is to freedom.   | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 23 Jun 89 15:50:13 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Payload Status for 06/23/89 (Forwarded)


                                   Payload Status Report
                                   Kennedy Space Center
                                   June 23, 1989

          George H. Diller


          Galileo/IUS-19

               In the SAEF-2 planetary spacecraft checkout facility, the
          Galileo spacecraft has been loaded with propellants.  On June 14-
          15, the spacecraft's oxidizer tanks were loaded with
          approximately 1300 pounds of nitrogen tetroxide, and on June 19-
          20, its fuel tanks were loaded with approximately 800 pounds of
          hydrazine.  The tanks are now being pressurized with helium.
          These propellants will be used for spacecraft control during the
          cruise phase and for mission operations at Jupiter.

               The spacecraft is being powered up for further testing.
          Operations are scheduled to resume for the installation of
          pyrotechnic devices next week.  Among the tasks these devices
          perform are deployment of the spacecraft's antennas and
          instrument booms, removing protective covers, and the probe
          release.

               Other work scheduled next week is a deployment test of the
          umbrella-like high gain antenna, to be followed by its
          installation on the spacecraft.

               On IUS-19, the second stage nozzle cone extension tests have
          been sucessfully completed.  Electrical testing of the second
          stage continues.    The IUS is planned to be transported to the
          Vertical Processing Facility on July 23.

               Final spacecraft operations and checkout are on schedule
          which will lead to moving the probe to the VPF on July 24.



          Atlas Centaur AC-68/FltSatCom F-8

               Electrical hook-ups and umbilical connections have been
          completed.  The vehicle was powered up on Tuesday, June 20, to
          begin testing.  Upcoming work includes initial pressurization of
          vehicle systems and series of valve functional tests for the
          Atlas and the Centaur main engines.

               The FltSatCom spacecraft is at the TRW plant in Redondo
          Beach, California, being prepared to shipment to the Cape late
          next month.

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

End of SPACE Digest V9 #514
*******************