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Internet Message Format | 1991-07-08 | 15KB

Return-path: <ota+space.mail-errors@andrew.cmu.edu> X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from beak.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID </afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/Mailbox/waTQ:Cq00VcJ8SeE5e>; Tue, 19 Jun 1990 02:13:35 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: <0aTQ9dG00VcJQScE4S@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 19 Jun 1990 02:12:58 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #541 SPACE Digest Volume 11 : Issue 541 Today's Topics: Re: Voyager Update - 06/13/90 Re: NASA 91 Appropriation (long) What makes a nebula glow?? Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 18 Jun 90 09:19:14 GMT From: bfmny0!tneff@uunet.uu.net (Tom Neff) Subject: Re: Voyager Update - 06/13/90 In article <4082@jato.Jpl.Nasa.Gov> baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke) writes: > Voyager 1 >One frame of high-rate Plasma Wave (PWS) data was recorded on June 5. > Voyager 2 >One frame of high-rate PWS data was recorded on June 5. Does anyone know whether the PWS is showing anything interesting these days? What's the betting line for the heliopause? -- "Don Mattingly is a superstar, so I can justify \)(/ Tom Neff that salary." -- George Steinbrenner, after >()< tneff@bfmny0.BFM.COM signing him for $19.6 million over 5 years. /)(\ uunet!bfmny0!tneff ------------------------------ Date: 16 Jun 90 23:03:40 GMT From: ogicse!unicorn!n8035388@uunet.uu.net (Worth Henry A) Subject: Re: NASA 91 Appropriation (long) Governments lack the political will, businesses lack the profit motive, and the general public lacks the courage and insight to undertake major space initiatives. WHINING on the net or to your congressional representatives about this sad state of affairs will accomplish NOTHING. It is instead time for space enthusiasts to create an incentive that leaves governments and businesses no choice but to get involved. Previous posters have suggested that the government should create a prize as an incentive, however, this is not going to happen for all the usual reasons (do you actually believe that Washington could keep its hands off a large sum of money while waiting for someone to make a claim). What I suggest is that some non-profit organization(s) (existing or yet to be formed) sponsor such prizes for major accomplishments in space exploration and development. But, how could such an organization ever hope to raise a large enough prize to interest those with the resources and ideas to succeed? INSURANCE, along with a "hook" that makes it fool-hardy for governments and industry not to get involved. How will insurance help? ------------------------ What are the odds that a Moon base would be constructed any time soon, if at all? The sponsoring society buys an insurance policy AGAINST the eventuality that given goals are reached, the benefit would be used to pay the prize. Given the low odds of near term success the price for a large policy should initially be very low, giving early contributions a great deal of "LEVERAGE". Would the insurance providers really be interested? --------------------------------------------------- Why not, they have written many other fanciful policies before (A local salmon derby grand prize is financed in such a way). And the public relations potentials are great: "Lloyds of London Insures Moon Against Human Infestation" Where will the initial funding come from? ----------------------------------------- The sponsoring organization raises funds from individuals and interested businesses, and eventually governments. It is conceivable that several million dollars could be raised initially and used to fund a prize tens, or even a hundred, times that amount. As more money is raised, additional insurance policies are bought, further increasing the prize and creating more interest and more funding... As the pot grows larger and the likelihood of success increases the cost of insurance increases thus reducing the "LEVERAGE" (this is an important incentive factor). However, even as a promising project gets under way there is still a risk and an investment income prior to any future claim that will allow late contributions some "LEVERAGE". What businesses would contribute? --------------------------------- Those that stand to benefit, of course. In particular the aerospace and electronics industries. Many already have significant public relation campaigns promoting space development; and this scheme has public relations potential for contributors. Additionally, the yet to be discussed "hook" will provide greater incentive once the prize becomes substantial and is taken seriously. As an example of what can be done, a certain major aerospace company is a major supporter of the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Besides corporate sponsorship, this company encouraged employees to join the museum and have a few dollars withdrawn every month from their paychecks for the museum construction fund (just like savings bonds and the employee charity fund). Such contributions from tens of thousands of employees added up quickly. So what is this mysterious "hook"? ---------------------------------- Any potential claimant to the prize would have to meet certain conditions, including providing "SIGNIFICANT" contributors an opportunity to participate in proportion to their contributions. The contribution level of a contributor would be determined by the benefit value of the insurance policy their contributions had bought. Remember, early, contributions will have greater "LEVERAGE" then later contributions. An example to clarify: "SIGNIFICANT" contributors might be defined as : Institutional (univ., non-profit R&D labs, ...) - 0.5% Regional (cities, counties, states, ...) - 2.0% Under-developed Nations (from all sources in nat.) - 1.0% Industrial - 3.0% Industrialized Nation (from all sources in nation) - 5.0% If the "SIGNIFICANT" contributor participation level is defined as 60% : contributor | % of prize contributed | participation ----------------------------------------------------------- Japan | 15% | at least 9% Toyota | 3% | at least 1.8% USA | 4% | no national level guarantee MIT | 0.5% | at least 0.3% USSR | 5% | at least 3% GM | 3% | at least 1.8% EC | 20% | at least 12% Columbia | 1% | at least 0.6% Tokyo | 2% | at least 1.2% NASA Employee Fund (payroll withholdings) | 0.5% | at least 0.3% | | (controlled by Employee Fund) . . . Setting the "SIGNIFICANT" contributor levels too low or the participation level too high could mire projects in a bureaucratic quagmire, result in excessive project fragmentation and prevent acquisition of critical technology, material or services from non-contributors; therefore, care must be taken in setting these levels. The participation level "guarantee" should also not be absolute, contributors would be given a "right of first refusal" to match or improve upon subcontract "best bid" until they had achieved their "guaranteed" participation level. "SIGNIFICANT" Contributors might also be allowed to barter their shares. Promotional sponsorships could also be sold on a similar basis. Even the sponsoring insurance provider could be given a "right of first refusal" for all project related insurance in return for some seed money to help set up the prize fund. "Pepsi - The CHOICE of a SPACE Generation" "Get your Official OPEC Astronaut Tee Shirt" How much would IBM pay for a "r-o-f-r" on all (or some %) of project computing acquisitions? This scheme provides economic and political incentive for governments and businesses: 1) If a nation or business fails to contribute they lose business, jobs, and --votes--. Imagine the reaction on capital hill when the WSJ headline reads: "OPEC Launches SPACE Program" "Japan and Germany Get 60% of Contracts - USA Zip" Story Page A1 ------------------------- "NASA Shuttle Collapses On Launch Pad - Rust Blamed" Story page B10 ------------------------- 2) "SIGNIFICANT" Contributors will be first in line after the project sponsors to benefit from any new technology and business opportunities. Contributors will in effect be buying insurance that they will not be left behind in the dust. 3) Contributors can prevent undesired technology transfer by contributing enough to allow their participation at a "black box" level (provided they are also "best bid"). If they don't contribute, or if they try to profit-gouge, the technology will be reverse-engineered or alternatives developed elsewhere, and their dominance will be lost. 4) By making modest contributions early, third world countries could use the "LEVERAGE" to boost themselves into the space age. Failure to contribute could give developed countries or major companies a much deserved kick down the road to poverty. 5) Wait until the last minute and it will cost more to get a share of the participation (perhaps more than you can afford), provided there are still subcontracts available. 6) There may be multiple unsuccessful project attempts, yet, contributors may benefit from each attempt. 7) Nations could provide tax incentives, low interest loans, exemptions from anti-trust,... to promote project attempt and help secure a share of the non-guaranteed portion of the project budget. 8) Even NASA could make a go at the prizes; provided someone else doesn't beat them to it. (:-)) How will the prize fund be administered? ---------------------------------------- The prize sponsoring organization sets the conditions for prize payment with the insurance provider, does a little initial promotion and raises some seed money. The insurance provider sets up a fund into which contributions are made. Periodically, the provider uses the fund to purchase additional insurance. Once the fund is established the sponsoring organization need not be further involved; accept to perhaps receive a very small cut of the contributions. The insurance provider will administer and promote the contribution fund and ensure that claims to the prizes have meet all conditions (the more contributions made, the more profit the provider makes). What organization could pull it off? ------------------------------------ Any one of the number of space-oriented organizations frequently mentioned on the net, as well as various professional and industry organizations with an interest in space exploration and development. The sponsoring organization(s) should be a highly respected one, have an international scope and possess a great deal of promotional, political and legal savvy (some care may be necessary in setting up the contributor participation provisions to avoid anti-trust and GATT complications). Besides the promotion of its own interest, incentive for the sponsoring organization is in its cut of the contributions. The organization would hopefully not use this income for its own general operating budget, but instead for related promotions, conferences, grants, scholarships, and other prize related activities. Conditions for "SIGNIFICANT" contributor status might possibly include on-going membership in the organization. The promotion of the prize fund should also draw in new members. When? ----- Why not now? The anniversary of Columbus' Voyage is coming up and promotional tie-ins are possible. One of the prizes could be for the first solar-sail racer to pass the orbit of Mars. MISSION TO EARTH, the MOON, MARS and the solar sail racers are waiting, and all we are doing is WHINING about what Washington is not doing and will never do on their own. The ball is in our court and it is high time we quit complaining and started to come up with some method to provide governments and industry with no choice but to sponsor international space initiatives. Lets take the money wasted on lobbying and mailing useless questionnaires and put it toward developing some real programs and incentives. Well, this is my though on the subject, what are yours? Lets quit wasting bandwidth on whining and start kicking around some real ideas. After all, the collective intellect of the net must surely be in excess of that of congress and the White House put together, it's time to put up or shut up! ------------------------------ Date: 18 Jun 90 17:29:28 GMT From: philmtl!philabs!contel0!maxz@uunet.uu.net (Mark A. Maxwell Senior Systems Support Analyst ) Subject: What makes a nebula glow?? ------------------------- I read an article in the sunday 6/17 New York Times about the upcomming solstice, they happened to mention in a description of nebula that stars deep within the nebula excite gases and debris which gives off the glow. They said it was similar to the way a florescent light works. Is it not that these gases are just reflecting light from these internal sources or is there more to it? + Mark -- itzzall4phun- uunet!philabs!contel0!maxz Contel IPC , Stamford CT * * * * * * "..IGNORE!!#>%. the man behind the curtain!!!!..." -The Wizard of OZ ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V11 #541 *******************