Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V10_4/V10_441.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #441

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 441

Today's Topics:
               Re: NASA Funding
          Re: SSX: Space Ship Experimental (summary)
                 Edwards AFB
          how to get NASA data from shuttle?
                 Geosat News
         Space Shuttle broadcast frequencies
            Shuttle fuel reserves
           Re: Not-Frequently Asked Space Questions
              Re: Shuttle fuel reserves
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 18 Jan 90 16:25:52 GMT
From: psuvm![e-mail]  (Amy Antonucci)
Subject: Re: NASA Funding

As I understand it, NASA is under the gov't so that anything that NASA may
get goes to Congress and then Congress decides how much to give back.
(Sucks, doesn't it?)
-------
:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^:
:"You know, MacGyver,: "Mom- how?"- Kevin : "I don't know- fly casual"- :
:that's why you're so: "Girl Scouts"-Sam B:  your friend & mine-Han Solo:
:hard to beat, no one:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^:
:knows what you're   :"If you think we're gonna make it,:"Oh, joy"-Bones:
:doing next-including: you'd better hang on to yourself":^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^:
:you." -Murdoc       : David Bowie aka Ziggy Stardust   : Go PSU Icers!!:
:^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^:
:Raistlin - MacGyver, Quantum Leap, SF, ice hockey fan-  astronomy major:
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

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

Date: 17 Jan 90 05:47:55 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: SSX: Space Ship Experimental (summary)

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jim Barnes) writes:
>In article <[e-mail].> [e-mail] writes:
>>For about a billion dollars over four years we can build and fly SSX
>>prototypes...
>
>If these cost/time to develop estimates are true, then why isn't someone
>(like Boeing) doing this now?  My recollection (I don't have any references
>at hand, so my memory may be wrong) is that Boeing takes longer and spends
>more money just to develop a new commercial plane (e.g. the 767).

Boeing does not even start serious development of something like the 767
until major customers sign on the dotted line.  The problem with SSX and
similar concepts is technical uncertainties and unknown market, i.e. no
customers willing to promise to buy a bunch.
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1990: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 17 Jan 90 18:04:05 GMT
From: att!cbnewsm!mhuxo![e-mail]  (atkins, robert m)
Subject: Edwards AFB

I will be out in the area of Edwards AFB later this month. Are there any
visitor facilities or public exhibits there that would make a detour
worthwhile? Thanks in advance for any replies.

                                   Bob Atkins
                                   att!mhuxo!rma

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

Date: 18 Jan 90 10:35:58 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!tiger!lynx![e-mail]
Subject: how to get NASA data from shuttle?



Hello sci.space readers,

    I am a graduate student studying nonlinear dynamics at the Center
for Complex Systems research at the U. of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.  I have
developed a method for learning dynamics from spatial experimental data, and
have been playing with some different test cases.  Recently, I saw on the
news where NASA was filming lightening storms over various parts of the  world
from the shuttle.  (I believe they did this in previous missions, too.)

    My question is, "How does one attempt to get data like this from NASA?"
Who  would I have to contact?  I would like to simply get a videotape of the
observations and could do the digitization myself.  Any ideas?

    Thanks to anyone who knows the answers, especially if you are in the
know at NASA.

                    --Joe Breeden--

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

Date:        Thu, 18 Jan 90 16:08:25 AST
To: [e-mail],
        "Space Digest" <[e-mail]>
From: [e-mail]
Subject:     Geosat News

From the Climate Diagnostics Bulletin of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, issue of November 1989:

"Geosat data collection has been dramatically curtailed since October 3,
1989.  Although the altimeter itself is still operating, both tape
recorders have failed.  Because the sole operational ground station for
Geosat is at Johns Hopkins APL in Maryland, data are being collected
(by direct broadcast) only for the western North Atlantic and Gulf of
Mexico."

========================================================================
Richard B. Langley                BITnet:  [e-mail] or [e-mail]
Geodetic Research Laboratory      Phone:   [phone]
Dept. of Surveying Engineering    Telex:   014-46202
University of New Brunswick       FAX:     [phone]
Fredericton, N.B., Canada
E3B 5A3
========================================================================

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

Date: Wed, 17 Jan 90 10:20:03 EST
From: John Roberts <[e-mail]>
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are those of the sender
    and do not reflect NIST policy or agreement.
Subject: Space Shuttle broadcast frequencies


[There have been several requests in recent months for the frequencies at
which one can receive shuttle communications. Somebody sent me this message
from an amateur radio list.]

Date: 15 Jan 90 21:24:08 GMT
>From: masscomp!ocpt!tsdiag!ka2qhd![e-mail]  (John Magliacane)
Subject: *COMPLETE* List of Space Shuttle Frequencies!
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>

>From NASA SPACELINK
Provided by the NASA Educational Affairs Division
Operated by the Marshall Space Flight Center
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-=-=-

Amateur Radio Retransmission of Shuttle Audio/Video

NOTE:  This information is unofficial, and its accuracy is not guaranteed.

[Long list of retransmission frequencies in various cities, both audio and
video. (I can post if desired.) One example...]

People in the greater San Francisco Bay area and Sacremento can view the
mission via the W6NKF Amateur Television repeater on MT.Diablo which operates
on 427.250 MHZ with vertical polarization. Those with cable ready TVs and VCRs
or cable TV converters can tune this equipment to channel 58 in the CATV
format and by hooking up an outside TV antenna should be able to receive the
telecast. This makes the service available to the general public, including
schools, colleges, etc.

=====

>From Ron Parise, ASTRO-1 Shuttle Astronaut:

Hi Folks!
     This is in response to the question about shuttle frequencies. I tried
to reply the other day but apparently it didn't work. The space shuttle
transmits on three frequency bands, UHF, S-Band, and Ku-Band.
The UHF frequencies are simple AM voice and very easy to copy. These
frequencies are used for launch and landing operations, EVA comunications,
(i.e. from the spacesuits back and forth to the shuttle), and as an additional
voice downlink when other channels are in use or the current ground station
has no S-Band capability. The frequncies in use are:

                 296.8 MHz - air to ground, or orbiter to suit
                 259.7 MHz - air to ground, or suit to orbiter
                 279.0 MHz - suit to orbiter or suit to suit
                 243.0 MHz - standard Mil aircraft emergency freq.

     The S-Band system is one of the primary orbiter downlink bands. The voice
channels are digital slope delta modulation and are mux'ed in with the
rest of the orbiter telemetry, very difficult to copy. Much of the
downlink TV is on S-Band also but it is wideband FM and should be
easily copyable. The frequencies are:

                 2287.5 MHz - primary digital downlink
                 2250.0 MHz - wideband FM with either main engine analog
                              telemetry during launch, or TV during orbit
                              operations.

     The Ku-Band system is used in conjunction with the tracking and data
relay satellites and is used much more heavily in Spacelab flights than in
others. The data is *very* high rate digital (50 Mbits/sec range) and
therefore essentially impossible for you to demodulate and decommutate
in your basement. Nevertheless the shuttle transmits on 15.003GHz. You
should also note however that these transmissions are directed toward
the TDRS satellite with a high gain antenna and would therefore not be
copyable on the ground.

     The UHF frequencies are fun to listen to but are not heavily used
except during EVA's. You will almost always hear some activity on them
however sometime during a mission but you just have to be patient.

Happy Listening!
Ron WA4SIR

====

Other Frequencies of interest:

USAF/NASA Frequencies
=====================
4.510 MHz   9.974 MHz
4.760 MHz  10.780 MHz
4.855 MHz  11.104 MHz
4.992 MHz  11.414 MHz
5.350 MHz  11.548 MHz
5.810 MHz  14.615 MHz
6.727 MHz  19.303 MHz
6.740 MHz  19.984 MHz
8.993 MHz  20.191 MHz
9.315 MHz  20.475 MHz

HF USED AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER : 2.182 MHz  3.023 MHz

Search/Rescue (Aircraft) : 164.800 MHz
              (Ships)    : 148.500 MHz, 149.100 MHz, 162.000 MHz

S-Band Microwave
================
Air-to-Ground : 2205.0, 2217.5, 2250.0, 2287.5 MHz
Ground-to-Air : 2041.9, 2201.4 MHz

NASA Aeronautical Frequencies VHF/UHF in MHz
============================================
KENNEDY SC    PATRICK AFB     EDWARDS AFB

117.8         118.4           116.4
121.7         121.7           120.7
126.2         125.1           121.8
126.3         126.2           126.1
284.0         128.7           127.8
138.3         236.6
138.45        269.9
149.925       290.3
162.6120      318.1
273.5         390.1
335.8
340.9
348.4
358.3

KSC Ground Support VHF in MHz
=============================
148.480    163.510    170.350
149.170    163.560    171.150
162.610    165.190    171.260
163.460    170.150    173.560
163.480    170.170    173.680

NASA Malabar (Palm Bay)         HF Networks (in KHz)
=============================================================================
 2405  Data Buoys                       2622  SRB Recovery (Primary)
 2664  Backup Mission Audio-Cape/Hou    2678  ETR Range Control
 2716  Navy Harbor Cntl-Port Canav.     2764  SRB Recovery Channel
 3024  Coast Guard SAR (Primary)        3187  SRB Recovery Ships Channel
 4376  Primary Recovery Zone SAR        4510  SRB Recovery Ships Channel
 4856  Cape Radio/Leader                4992  Cape Radio/Coast Guard Ships
 5180  NASA Tracking Ships              5187  NASA Tracking Ships
 5190  ETR Primary Night Channel        5350  Launch Support Aircraft
 5680  Launch Support Ships             5810  ETR Secondary Night Channel
 6720  SAR Primary Atlantic             6896  Cape Radio
 6837  Cape Radio                       7412  SAR Communications with Bahamas
 7461  Cape Radio/Launch Support A/C    7525  NASA Ground Tracking Net
 7676  Launch Support Aircraft          7765  SRB Recovery Ships
 7919  Data Channel                     7985  Data Channel
 9022  Launch Support Aircraft          9043  Launch Support Aircraft
 9132  Launch Support Aircraft         10305  Space Missile Tactical Net
10310  Malabar-to-Ascension Is-MUX     10780  ETR Primary Day Channel
11104  Launch Support Ships            11252  Launch Support Ships
11407  SRB Recovery Ships              11414  Cape Radio
11548  Cape Radio                      11621  SRB Recovery Ships
13227  Launch Support Aircraft         13237  Data Channel
13495  Data Channel                    13600  Malabar-to-Ascension Is-MUX
13878  Launch Support Aircraft         14937  Ascension Is-to-Malabar-MUX
18009  Launch Support Ships            19303  Launch Support Ships
19640  Cape Radio                      19966  Ascension Is-to-Malabar-MUX
20186  Launch Tracking Net             20192  Malabar-to-Ascension Is-MUX
20198  OCC Shuttle Mission Audio       20390  ETR-Secondary Day Channel
22755  Ascension Is-to-Malabar-MUX     23413  Cape Radio
27065  NASA CB Radios

73, de John, KD2BD

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

Date: 18 Jan 90 04:30:50 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!physics.utoronto.ca![e-mail]  (Christopher Neufeld)
Subject: Shuttle fuel reserves


   I was quite surprised to read on clari.tw.space that one of the
shuttle's forward thrusters fired accidentally last night. You'd think this
sort of thing would require pushing a few buttons, not just a passing whim
in an on-board computer (if that's what it was).
   So, was the thruster which fired one of the ones used to break orbit?
What is the fuel reserve on the shuttle? Are there similar thrusters on the
stern, which would not deorbit the shuttle, but could burn so much fuel
that the shuttle would no longer be able to break orbit? Does the shuttle
always fly with the nose pointing along the orbit (ie. forward)?
   While we're on the subject of fuel, does the shuttle exhaust all its
fuel before landing, or does it land with some fuel left in the tanks?
Also, are the shuttle's thrusters powered by hydrogen-oxygen, hydrazine, or
something else?

--
 Christopher Neufeld....Just a graduate student  |
 [e-mail]              | The meek can have the
 [e-mail]                    | earth, I want the stars.
 "Don't edit reality for the sake of simplicity" |

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

Date: 18 Jan 90 22:09:49 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Not-Frequently Asked Space Questions

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Andrew J Hasara) writes:
>WHO is working on this SSX "thingy"?

Max Hunter and some associates of his, and now, apparently, some SDI money.
It's not exactly a group of giant corporations yet.  Nobody is giving away
glossy brochures.

>What is an "aerospike" engine?  Who works on it?  Where can I get info on it?

Conventional rocket engines have bell-shaped nozzles.  Turn one of those
inside out, so the combustion chamber is a ring around the top of a tapering
spike.  Turns out it still works:  the gases coming out expand against the
spike and give much the same effect as a nozzle.  The spike is a structural
and thermal nuisance, however.  Chop it off short and blow some low-velocity
gas (e.g. turbopump exhaust) into the center, and the effect is much as if
the spike were still there.  That's an "aerospike".  The concept has had
little bits of attention from a lot of people since the mid-60s; check the
rocket-propulsion literature under "aerospike" and "plug nozzle".  Again,
nobody is giving away glossy brochures -- you'll have to go digging in a
good library.
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1990: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 18 Jan 90 06:05:56 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Shuttle fuel reserves

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Christopher Neufeld) writes:
>...one of the shuttle's forward thrusters fired accidentally last night...
>   So, was the thruster which fired one of the ones used to break orbit?

A 'forward thruster' will be an RCS thruster, used for attitude control
and minor maneuvering.  I *think* they normally use the OMS for retrofire.

>What is the fuel reserve on the shuttle? Are there similar thrusters on the
>stern, which would not deorbit the shuttle, but could burn so much fuel
>that the shuttle would no longer be able to break orbit?

Fuel reserves are substantial, and although I don't have a shuttle plumbing
diagram handy, it is normal to split such multi-thruster systems into two
entirely separate subsystems, with separate tanks, each capable of doing
any crucial jobs.  This guards against massive malfuction in one subsystem.
(For example, a thruster which cannot be turned off except by shutting
down an entire subsystem -- it happened to Gemini 8.)

> Does the shuttle
>always fly with the nose pointing along the orbit (ie. forward)?

No.  Shuttle attitude is determined by what it's doing (i.e. whether the
cargo bay wants to point in some specific direction) and a variety of
other minor issues.

>   While we're on the subject of fuel, does the shuttle exhaust all its
>fuel before landing, or does it land with some fuel left in the tanks?

The latter.  That's why the first ground crews around a landed shuttle
are wearing protective gear -- the fuel and oxidizer are very toxic.

>Also, are the shuttle's thrusters powered by hydrogen-oxygen, hydrazine, or
>something else?

Oxidizer is nitrogen tetroxide, fuel is one of the hydrazine family (I
think it's monomethyl hydrazine but I could be wrong).  They're toxic
and corrosive and vile in other ways, but they don't need refrigeration
and they're hypergolic (ignite on contact --> no ignition system).
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1990: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

End of SPACE Digest V10 #441
*******************