Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V11_5/V11_530.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #530

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 11 : Issue 530

Today's Topics:
  Making fresh vegetables on long-duration space travel (Forwarded)
                  Re: KH-12
    NASA statement regarding Intelsat decision (Forwarded)
           2nd CALL FOR VOTES: comp.lang.idl-pvwave
              Re:  HST amateur projects
             Re: Space Sail Race
             Re: Weather Satellite Photos
             Re: Space Sail Race
         NASA Headline News for 06/15/90 (Forwarded)

Administrivia:

    Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to
  [e-mail].  Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices,
  should be sent to [e-mail], or, if urgent, to
             [e-mail]

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 20:32:23 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Making fresh vegetables on long-duration space travel (Forwarded)

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                      June 14, 1990
(Phone:  [phone])

Jane Hutchison
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
(Phone:  [phone])


RELEASE:  90-82

MAKING FRESH VEGETABLES ON LONG-DURATION SPACE TRAVEL


     The first working model of a "salad machine" that eventually
will provide a variety of fresh vegetables for astronauts on long
voyages is now growing its first crop at NASA's Ames Research
Center, Moffett Field, Calif.

     Dr. Mark Kliss, project manager and principal investigator,
said one of the first things astronauts and submariners ask for,
following days or weeks of eating freeze-dried or preserved
foods, is fresh produce.  "Our goal is to produce such a variety
of fresh salad vegetables for consumption by the crews of Space
Station Freedom and other long-duration missions," Kliss said.

     The presence of plants and the ability to "cultivate" a
garden also can improve the crew members' morale by providing
something for them to nurture and by offering a creative outlet
during their free time, much like tending a garden on Earth, he
said.

     Garden-variety plants such as leaf lettuce, carrots,
radishes, onions, sprouts, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are
being considered for inclusion in the salad machine.  Most
candidate vegetables have very similar temperature, humidity,
lighting and nutrient requirements, thus simplifying the
environmental control system.  Because of limited space, some
plants will be smaller than the varieties commonly found on
Earth.

     Tomato plants, for example, will be less than 12 inches
high.  And because there is no gravity, some of the vegetables
will grow "upside down" or "sideways," although in the
weightlessness of space there is no true "up" or "down."

     Kliss' goal is for the salad machine to produce three salads
per person per week for a crew of four.  It also will recycle the
water transpired by plants back into the nutrient delivery
system.  Eventually, Kliss hopes the salad machine can use
recycled water to grow plants and produce potable water for crew
consumption.

     It also will furnish oxygen-enriched air to the cabin
environment after particulates and excess water vapor are
removed.  Food production, carbon dioxide scrubbing, oxygen
generation and water purification are key functions of the
"bioregenerative" life support systems being developed by the
Advanced Life Support Division at Ames.

     Project engineers also face formidable engineering
constraints.  The amount of space available is limited to a
single standard space station rack of 36 inches by 41.5 inches by
80 inches, or about 28.2 cubic feet of growing volume.  The
machine must operate on less than a kilowatt of power, produce a
minimal amount of waste heat and provide light for the plants.

     A nutrient delivery system must be designed which can
provide water and necessary nutrients to the growing plants,
while keeping fluids in place in microgravity, or weightlessness
of space.  Kliss said that proper humidity will be maintained by
recycling condensed water vapor, which also will decrease the
amount of resupply water needed.

     The process of growing plants in the salad machine should be
relatively simple.  Seeds, contained in a cassette for ease of
handling in microgravity, will be germinated for a few days.
Once the seeds sprout, they will be placed in the plant growth
chamber containing the nutrient delivery system.  Kliss expects
the activity of "planting" seed cassettes and harvesting mature
plants to require 15-20 minutes of an astronaut's time every few
days.  By applying commercial hydroponic (soil-less) growing
techniques, plant growth time from seed to harvest is much
quicker than for field-grown counterparts.

     Kliss hopes to have the salad machine fully operational by
Space Station Freedom's scheduled completion later this decade.

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 14:11:50 GMT
From: vtserf![e-mail]  (Ron Jarrell)
Subject: Re: KH-12

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (john.a.welsh) writes:
>
>A while ago NASA and the Pentagon said one of the spy
>satellites (it sounded like KH-12) had not deployed
>properly from a shuttle and parts were supposed to

Actually the press release specifically said that the thing
HAD deployed properly, and indicated that the Atlantis had
completely fulfilled it's job profile.  They then indicated
that "material related to the mission will reenter" etc.. etc..
(They never actually said a spy sattelite broke up, the soviets
are the ones who noted that one large lump became 4 smaller lumps,
the pentagon just claimed mission material was reentering.).

Personally, sounds to me like they tried to move a KH-11 to cover
something (think there was something going on in the mideast that
weekend, like an explosion or such) and one of the thrusters exploded.

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 18:08:27 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA statement regarding Intelsat decision (Forwarded)

Edward Campion                                             June 13, 1990
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                            3:30 p.m. EDT
(Phone:  [phone])


NASA STATEMENT REGARDING INTELSAT DECISION

     The following statement was released by Space Shuttle Director
Robert L. Crippen today following the Intelsat announcement  of an
agreement  between NASA and Intelsat  to rescue the Intelsat VI
satellite.

     "All of us at NASA are pleased with today's announcement from
the board of governors at Intelsat.   The rescue offers us the
opportunity for expanding our experience base in the planning,
training and performance of extravehicular activity.  Knowledge
gained in this effort will help with the preparations for Space Station
Freedom.

     The quickness with which a rescue plan was proposed and
accepted is a reflection of the excellent working relationship
developed in the past betwen the Space Shuttle Program and the
commercial satellite industry.

     We are very pleased to be able to assist Intelsat and to have an
opportunity to once again demonstrate the versatility of the Space
Shuttle ."

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 02:16:41 GMT
From: caldwr![e-mail]  (Ralph Finch)
Subject: 2nd CALL FOR VOTES: comp.lang.idl-pvwave


2nd CALL FOR VOTES: creation of comp.lang.idl-pvwave

This is to solict votes to create a group for a language called either
IDL or PV-Wave (depending on whom you buy it from).

Group Name:    comp.lang.idl-pvwave

Vote period:    Through June 25, 1990.
[this changed from June 22 in the 1st CFV to conform with the 21 day
voting period in the guidelines]

To vote: send mail to

[e-mail]    ---or---   ...ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!rfinch

Replying to this message should work.

Indicate clearly in the subject and/or message whether your vote is
YES or NO for creating comp.lang.idl-pvwave.  Qualified votes ("I vote
yes if...."), votes posted to a group, or unclear votes cannot be
counted.  I'll reply to each vote individually; a mass acknowledgment
will be made at the end.  [I haven't been able to respond to a few
addresses, those people should look for the mass acknowledgement]

Charter: An unmoderated newsgroup for discussing the programming
language known as both Interactive [Data/Display] Language (IDL) and
PV-Wave (Precision Visuals Workstation Analysis and Visualization
Environment).  Topics will be programming tips, techniques, and code
exchanges, either full programs or fragments.  The proposed group is
intended primarily to discuss numerical analysis, imaging, scientific
visualization, etc.  *as performed using the IDL/Wave language*; it is
not intended to support discussions concerning those topics directly,
as groups already exist for those purposes (e.g.
sci.math.num-analysis).

The existing group comp.lang.idl is for the Interface Description
Language, something else entirely.

This Call For Votes does not constitute an endorsement of any product
or company.






--
Ralph Finch            916-445-0088
[e-mail]        ...ucbvax!ucdavis!caldwr!rfinch
Any opinions expressed are my own; they do not represent the DWR

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 23:29:41 GMT
From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!qucdn![e-mail]  (Arnold G. Gill)
Subject: Re:  HST amateur projects

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(D.A.G. Gillies   Supvsr  Dr K.J. Bignell) says:
>
>In article <[e-mail]>
>[e-mail]
>(Ranjan S Muttiah) writes:
>>How far into the edges of the universe can HST point ?
> According to a NASA scientist writing in Scientific  American,about
>14 000 million light years,or roughly 90% of the way to the big bang.
     Isn't this a little bit misleading?  Given an object that is bright
enough, one should be able to see it all the way back to the Big Bang (even if
it has been red-shifted away).  I guess it is a little difficult to explain to
the public that it is not how far you can see with HST that is important, but
rather how faint and with what resolution.  In fact, in astronomy, asking how
far is almost meaningless - it depends on far too many theories/assumptions.
-------
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|  Arnold Gill                        |                                     |
|  Queen's University at Kingston     |     If I hadn't wanted it heard,    |
|  BITNET   : gilla@qucdn             |       I wouldn't have said it.      |
|  X-400    : [e-mail]  |                                     |
|  INTERNET : [e-mail]  |                                     |
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 15:08:50 GMT
From: mojo![e-mail]  (Doug Mohney)
Subject: Re: Space Sail Race

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Brian or James) writes:
>
>    Another one of my questions that prove I shouldn't dry my
>hair in a microwave oven: The Sailcraft *are* doing a flyby of Mars,
>not a rendezvous, right? What kind of velocity [solar, Earth *and*
>Mars-centric] will they be doing during the closest approach?

I don't suppose there's anyway to "furl" the sail, turn it, and drop it
into the Martian atmosphere as an "anchor" of sorts to slow down the probe?
Just a maniac thought to follow his (I haven't tried the microwave oven
hair dryer trick today, however...)

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 04:15:37 GMT
From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!uupsi!uhasun![e-mail]  (Jon Bloom)
Subject: Re: Weather Satellite Photos

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Iain Odlin) writes:
>
>   At last!!!  The opportunity to amend something Henry Spencer has said! :-)
>
>   With a ham radio and a personal computer, you can nab all the satellite
>   photos and NOAA charts your heart desires from the airwaves.  You don't
>   need any special equipment, because the satellite pictures are rebroadcast
>   by the NOAA on normal radio frequencies.

I know this is drifting from the sci.space subject, but I just have to
nip this sort of thing in the bud....  Receiving weather satellite data
has _nothing_ to do with ham radio.  The Amateur Radio Service (ham radio)
is a licensed radio service in which qualified individuals perform public-
service communications, experiment in the electronic communications art
and foster international contact.  (More info is available from the
address given in the .sig).

While there are many hams interested in reception of weather satellite
photos, the equipment used is _not_ typical ham radio equipment, but
rather special purpose receivers designed to receive the APT transmissions.

This is not meant as a flame, just a correction :-)

Jon
--
Jon Bloom, KE3Z                              | American Radio Relay League
Internet: [e-mail]         |
Snail:    225 Main St., Newington, CT 06111  | "I have no opinions."

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 13:58:24 GMT
From: attcan!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!watdragon!watyew![e-mail]  (Brian or James)
Subject: Re: Space Sail Race


    Another one of my questions that prove I shouldn't dry my
hair in a microwave oven: The Sailcraft *are* doing a flyby of Mars,
not a rendezvous, right? What kind of velocity [solar, Earth *and*
Mars-centric] will they be doing during the closest approach?
                        JDN

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 22:14:27 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/15/90 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, June 15, 1990                Audio Service:  202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is NASA Headline News for Friday, June 15.......

The Space Shuttle Atlantis is powered up in the Kennedy Space
Center Vehicle Assembly Building for the shuttle interface test
of the critical integrated connections between the mobile
launcher platform, the solid rocket boosters, the external tank
and the orbiter.  This test will conclude today.

The rollout to the launch pad is scheduled for just after
midnight on Sunday.  The astronauts will also arrive on Monday to
prepare for the countdown dress rehearsal which is scheduled for
Wednesday and Thursday.  The crew will be on the flight deck for
the last three hours of the countdown Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent high bay in the Vertical Assembly
Building, work is underway to demate Columbia from the external
tank today.  The Columbia will be towed to the Orbiter Processing
Facility tomorrow.  The external tank quick disconnect valve will
then be removed and shipped to the vendor.  A new valve will also
be installed.
                            ********

AEROSPACE DAILY reports a House Appropriations Subcommittee has
made substantial cuts in the Space Station and the Moon and Mars
initiative in approving $14.3 billion in FY '91, which is more
than $800 million below the Administration's requested $15.1
billion for NASA.  The U.S. House Appropriations Committee will
review the recommendation.

                            ********

Pakistan's Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission
recently announced that their experimental satellite has been
transported to China for launch atop a Long March 2E Rocket late
this June or July, according to SPACE FAX DAILY.  The upcoming
launch will be the first for China's 2E rocket which is designed
to boost 7,000 kg to a 400 X 800 km elliptical orbit.

                            ********

Jean Olivier, Deputy Huble Space Telescope Project Manager at the
Marshall Space Flight Center, Wednesday received from John
Bahcal, president of the American Astronomical Society, a plaque
expressing the admiration and appreciation of the Society for all
NASA's work in getting the Hubble Space Telescope ready for
operations.  The plaque was presented to Jean but was for all
NASA engineers involved in the project.  The AAS was holding
their biannual meeting at Albuquerque, New Mexico.








--------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.


Tuesday, June 19........

          12:00-2:00 P.M.     NASA Video Productions


-----------------------------------------------------------------
All events and times are subject to change without notice.  These
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EDT.  This is a service of the Internal Communications Branch,
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202/453-8425.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
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West Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

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

End of SPACE Digest V11 #530
*******************