Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V11_5/V11_532.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #532

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 11 : Issue 532

Today's Topics:
         NASA Headline News for 06/14/90 (Forwarded)
             Re: Space Sail Race
               Re: 10 psi overpressure
       Re: NASA Headline News for 06/13/90 (Forwarded)
       Need To Know [was NASA Data access on Internet?]
                  Re: KH-12
                  Re: KH-12
       Re: Does anyone know where to find these books?
         NSS protests Chinese launch pricing
    Commercial Experiment Transporter planned (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 20:30:28 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 06/14/90 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, June 14, 1990              Audio Service:  202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, June 14.......

Kennedy Space Center Engineers yesterday began destacking
operations to remove the Space Shuttle Columbia from the external
tank and solid rocket boosters.  A borescope inspection of the
suspected liquid hydrogen leak area started yesterday.  The
orbiter is scheduled to be rolled to the Orbiter Processing
Facility on Friday morning.

Closeout operations continue on the orbiter Atlantis in the
Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC.  The liquid hydrogen and liquid
oxygen carrier plates have been mated and electrical mates are
complete.  The orbiter was powered up, followed directly by
electrical interface and verification tests now underway.
Rollout to pad A is scheduled for early Saturday morning.

                            ********

The Galileo spacecraft is over 96 million miles from Earth and
over 106 million miles from the Sun.  It has gone more than 412
million miles in orbit since launch almost eight months ago, and
has 234.5 million still to go before the first Earth gravity-
assist, less than six months from now.  The spacecraft
performance continues to be excellent with routine science and
data-gathering activities.

                            ********

The Intelsat Board of Governors yesterday authorized Director
General Dean Burch to enter an agreement with NASA.  A shared
Space Shuttle mission in February 1992, will "reboost" the
Intelsat 6 spacecraft now parked in a safe low-Earth orbit.
Space Shuttle Director, Robert Crippen, said the rescue effort
offers NASA the opportunity for expanding our extravehicular
activity experience in preparation for Space Station Freedom.

                            ********

The Indian Space Research Organization has submitted a proposal
to INMARSAT for the construction of that organization's third
generation communication satellites, according to Space Fax
Daily.  The Daily said the latest issue of "Space India" reports
the contractor for the multi-million dollar INMARSAT-3 satellite
contract is expected to be selected by the end of this year.  The
58-member INMARSAT organization now provides satellite
communications for land, sea and air.









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




Thursday, June 14.......

          11:30 A.M.          NASA Update will be transmitted.
          12:00-2:00 P.M.     NASA Video Productions
                              C.A.S.I.S Workshop
                                 (Continued)

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

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


-----------------------------------------------------------------
All events and times are subject to change without notice.  These
reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 P.M.
EDT.  This is a service of the Internal Communications Branch,
NASA HQ.  Contact: JSTANHOPE or CREDMOND on NASAmail or at
202/453-8425.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
NASA Select TV:  Satcom F2R, Transponder 13, C-Band 72 Degrees
West Longitude, Audio 6.8, Frequency 3960 MHz.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 09:01:12 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Space Sail Race

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jim Kingdon) writes:
>The other problem is getting something launched by 1992, another
>reason to favor small and simple projects which don't require things
>like the development of new (thinner) plastic films (MIT uses existing
>films).

Everyone (as far as I know) is using existing films.  Nobody has the
money to develop new ones just for this project.

The schedule is also a reason to favor off-the-shelf solutions where
MIT's tight weight budget will probably mean new hardware development.
--
As a user I'll take speed over|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
features any day. -A.Tanenbaum| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 12 Jun 90 18:20:34 GMT
From: voder!pyramid!unify!csusac!csuchico.edu![e-mail]  (Ralph Reid)
Subject: Re: 10 psi overpressure

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Anderman) writes:
>I seem to recall that the Challenger was destroyed by air pressure,
>rather than an explosion of the external tank. Wouldn't that indicate
>the overpressure in the payload bay was somewhat higher than  10psi?
> . . .

You seem to have forgotten the emphasis placed on redesigning the SRB
seals.  I remember that pictures of the Challenger just prior to the
explosion were closely examined, and a blowtorch like flame was seen,
which extended from one of the SRB's to the external tank.  Some one
told me (whether it is correct or not) that the main engines may have
been throttled up to 104% of capacity (this is a normal condition for
the main engines during launch) before the max-q point was reached.
If the tank was overstressed beyond its limits while the flame from
the SRB was burning a hole in it, it seems to me that the tank may
have ruptured, but this is only guess work on my part.  Perhaps the
air pressure you believe may have contributed to the disaster was the
max-q point in the flight, which has little or nothing to do with the
internal pressure anywhere inside the shuttle.

If you have opinions, you can put them in your own article;
I refuse to put them in mine!
--
Ralph.
ARS N6BNO
[e-mail]

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 02:30:55 GMT
From: mephisto!prism![e-mail]  (Matthew DeLuca)
Subject: Re: NASA Headline News for 06/13/90 (Forwarded)

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Peter E. Yee) writes:
>
>The Canadian Space Agency will begin breaking new ground for the
>$1.2 billion Canadian Space Agency Facilities.  The 99-acre site
>in Montreal will be the location for its new headquarters to be
>completed sometime in 1993, according to Space Fax Daily.

Confident, aren't they?  I would think they'd wait until after the 23rd
of the month...else it might turn into the Quebec Space Agency, or however
you say that in French. :-)


--
Matthew DeLuca
Georgia Institute of Technology      Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards,
Office of Computing Services         for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
ARPA: [e-mail]

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 13:49:36 GMT
From: attcan!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!watdragon!watyew![e-mail]  (Brian or James)
Subject: Need To Know [was NASA Data access on Internet?]

>There you have it.  The capability exists.  Those who know how
>to do it must be the ones who have a "real" need for the data!
>
    A True Story about 'Need To Know':

    I'm a compulsive info-scrounger, and a while back I got this
twenty kilo box of documents from Emergency Planning Canada [the folks
who do much of the contingency planning in Canada]. EPC has large
responsibilities, and a not so large budget to carry them out, and I
got this feeling *noone* every talks to them [Very friendly folks].
One of the documents they sent me had a announcement that while the
book I was holding wasn't classified, it could only be sent to those persons
or corporations who had a demonstrated 'Need To Know'. I'm paranoid, so I
called them up and asked if they *meant* to send me this document. The
reply I got was that I needn't worry, as EPC considered possession of
the document as proof of 'Need To Know'. The fellow on the phone said
that this policy 'saved us lots of time' in verification of NTK. A
user-friendly bureaucracy!
                            JDN

PS: The longest document was titled 'The Preservation of Vital Documents'.
Our tax forms will out live us!

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 02:55:15 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!haven!wam![e-mail]  (Dragon Taunter)
Subject: Re: KH-12

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Ron Jarrell) writes:
>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.

I have read that the KH designations are no longer used and that the actual
codename for the satellite was LACROSS or something like that.  I am under
the impression that the USAF knew the satellite was lost so they intentionally
blew it incase any parts of it should fall into the USSR.  Thus explaining
they breakup into four peices.
--
                [e-mail]
                [e-mail]

Dan Quayle is so dense, he absorbs neutrinos.

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 17:51:06 GMT
From: att!cbnewsj![e-mail]  (john.a.welsh)
Subject: Re: KH-12


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
re-enter the atmosphere (with some hitting the ground).
Has anybody heard anything about this?


                  John Welsh

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 19:03:41 GMT
From: sppy00![e-mail]  (MORTLAND BRUCE)
Subject: Re: Does anyone know where to find these books?

Gliese's Catalogue of nearby stars
     OCLC #77244
     LCCN #72473315 //R852

Woolley's Catalogue of stars withing 25 parsecs of the Sun
     OCLC   #11439770


Your library should be able to get you more information on either
of these books.  I'm not a librarian, but I found them quite easily.
Good Luck.  I could display the location codes for the libraries that
have the books, but I am not knowledgeable enough to turn that into
addresses.

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 04:51:04 GMT
From: thorin!homer.cs.unc.edu![e-mail]
Subject: NSS protests Chinese launch pricing


    I read in a recent Clarinet article (by UPI science writer William
Harwood) that NSS has protested (to the US govt.)  unfair pricing of
Chinese Long March launch services, via a letter from executive
director Lori Garver.  The primary complaint appears to be unfair
pricing and competition with US launch providers.

    I'm not throughly familiar with the issue, but I find it rather
disturbing (albeit not surprising) that NSS has taken an egregiously
anti-free-trade position such as this without any notice to, let alone
consultation with, the members.  As far as I'm concerned, Douglas and
the rest can damned well figure out how to price launchers cheaply if
they want a market.  Note that I despise the Chinese govt.; that's not
the point.

    But then, I remember the days when the L-5 staff and leadership
were actually responsive to the members.  Before the move to
Washington, for one thing.  I'm with Keith Lofstrom's posting of 19
Jan 1989 on bureaucratic bozosity of NSS - let's start the L-4
Society!

    L-5 News 1980 - articles on lightsails and mass drivers.
    As Astra 1990 - articles on shuttle launch tours and happenings
            on the Hill.

    This is progress? Feh.
--
    Jon Leech ([e-mail])    __@/
    ``Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.''
    - Ronald Reagan

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 20:34:19 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Commercial Experiment Transporter planned (Forwarded)

Barbara Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                      June 14, 1990
(Phone:  [phone])

Andes Hoyt
Center for Advanced Space Propulsion, Tullahoma, Tenn.
(Phone:  [phone])


RELEASE:  90-83

COMMERCIAL EXPERIMENT TRANSPORTER PLANNED


     The National Aeronautics and Space Administration today
announced support for plans to develop a system for launching and
recovering commercial spaceborne experiments.

     Sponsored by NASA's Office of Commercial Programs, the
objective of the Commercial Experiment Transporter (COMET)
program is to develop both hardware and infrastructure to
facilitate the commercial development of space by the
United States.  NASA's Centers for the Commercial Development of
Space (CCDS) initiated the program and will be totally
responsible for system design, fabrication, test and operations
in which industry will be encouraged to be innovative.

     "Proceeding with this innovative concept represents another
significant step in the commercial development of space," said
James T. Rose, NASA Assistant Administrator for Commercial
Programs.  "The COMET program will help provide the access to
space that is critical in meeting industry's needs."

     Carried aloft by an expendable launch vehicle, the COMET
free-flyer will contain both a service module and a recovery
system.  The two components will separate prior to reentering the
atmosphere so that most experiments will be returned to Earth in
the recovery system, while others not requiring retrieval, could
continue their mission aboard the service module.

     There are six major elements to the COMET program: launch
vehicle and services, payload integration, the service module,
orbital operations, recovery system and services, and systems
engineering.  Contractors will be expected to provide key
hardware and services for each segment of COMET development and
operations.

     The COMET program plans call for a mid-1992 launch of a
free-flyer, weighing up to 1,800 pounds, into an equatorial orbit
with an inclination of about 40 degrees.  Commercial experiments
and processes to be returned to Earth will be carried out during
a nominal 30-day mission, while non-recoverable payloads can
remain on orbit in the service module for a year or longer.
Completion of the second phase of flight will result in reentry
of the recovery system and its payload at a site within the
continental United States.  Specific launch and recovery
locations have not been defined since industry will be allowed to
propose the most cost-efficient method to meet mission
requirements.

     Launching the COMET on expendable rockets offers
experimenters flexibility in selecting orbital parameters which
are different from those of the Space Shuttle.  Additionally, the
free-flyer will stay in orbit longer and can carry industrial
research materials that could be hazardous to the Shuttle
and its crew.

     The lead CCDS, the Center for Advanced Space Propulsion
(CASP) located at the University of Tennessee Space Institute,
Tullahoma, will be responsible for program management and systems
engineering.  Other participating CCDSs include:

     - Center for Macromolecular Crystallography, University of
Alabama-Birmingham (payload integration);

     - BioServe Space Technologies, University of Colorado,
Boulder (recovery system);

     - Center for Space Power, Texas A&M University, College
Station (service module);

     - Consortium for Materials Development in Space, University
of Alabama-Huntsville (expendable launch vehicle); and

     - Space Vacuum Epitaxy Center, University of Houston
(orbital operations).

      The CCDS team, through CASP, will prepare statements of
work, evaluate proposals and, upon contractor selection, provide
technical observation and contract monitoring.  The University of
Tennessee-Calspan Center for Aerospace Research, the legal entity
for CASP, will issue a request for proposals this summer. Joseph
F. Pawlick Jr., CASP, is the COMET program manager.

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

End of SPACE Digest V11 #532
*******************