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Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #051

SPACE Digest                                      Volume 13 : Issue 51

Today's Topics:
    Re: CHEMICAL RELEASE SUMMARY - NEXT SCHEDULED RELEASE
         NASA Headline News for 01/14/91 (Forwarded)
              Barium/Lithium altazimuths
      Re: Metrics (was Re: Rotating Joints for Habitat)
   COBE maps interstellar material in Milky Way galaxy (Forwarded)

Administrivia:

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

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

Date: 14 Jan 91 14:58:51 GMT
From: uvaarpa!murdoch![e-mail]
Subject: Re: CHEMICAL RELEASE SUMMARY - NEXT SCHEDULED RELEASE

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Cary Oler) writes:
>Successful chemical releases were accomplished on 13 January.  The first
>release was a Barium payload that was released at 02:17 UT.  The second
>release occurred later that evening at 07:05 UT.  This second release was a
>large Lithium payload.
>
>The second release was not as easily seen as the first apparition.  Lithium
>produces a red colored aurora that does not remain visible as long as the
>Barium.  Although this event was visible at the same locations as the Barium
>release, the intrinsic color, different location and shorter duration of the
>Lithium release prevented many people from viewing this latter event.

I was looking right at the expected release point under fairly dark
skies and saw absolutely nothing.  Red is a very difficult color for the
dark adapted eye to see, as the rod cells are almost insensitive to any
color but blue-green.  The cones can see red, but have a higher threshold
so the light must be brighter.  The lithium releases are indeed
subtle.  The barium release was clouded out from Virginia, but there
is a better chance for the one tonight.

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

Date: 14 Jan 91 20:11:26 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 01/14/91 (Forwarded)


             Headline News
Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA
Headquarters

  Monday, January 14, 1991    Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788

This is NASA Headline News for Monday, January 14, 1991

The space science and plasma physics community had a
successful weekend.  The Combined Release and Radiation
Effects Satellite deployed two chemical tracer cannisters - the
first, a barium release, at 9:17 pm EST Saturday and the second,
a lithium release, at 2:05 am Sunday.  Project management
reports there were good visual sightings for both releases from
North American and Caribbean ground observers.

There are five scheduled releases remaining this month,
including one tonight.  Today's chemical release opportunities
begin at 11:11 pm EST for a small barium release.  Another
opportunity occurs for the small barium release at 12:32 am
tomorrow morning.  There is a window for a large barium or
lithium release which opens at 2:35 am EST tomorrow and
closes at 4:48 am.

All three opportunities offer very good sighting possibilities
for Washington-area residents.  They will appear about 40
degrees up from the horizon nearly due west.  Clear weather at
the ground observing stations and a quiescent magnetosphere
are required in order for the chemical tracers to be released by
the CRESS satellite.

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Members of the STS-39 crew were at Kennedy Space Center
this past weekend for a scheduled crew equipment interface
test.  The test went fine and the crew is now back in Houston.
Ammonia boiler servicing has been completed.  The orbiter main
propulsion system's low pressure side is being tested today.
Discovery's hydraulic system will be tested throughout the week.
A brake anti-skid test is set for Wednesday.  The new IBM
General Purpose Computers have been installed.

On Atlantis, workers installed a new Ku-band antenna over
the weekend.  They will be installing the antenna electrical
connections today.  Primary reactant storage and distribution
system testing has been completed.  Atlantis' auxiliary power
units will be tested today and tonight, with the evening portion
involving hazardous work.  Four of the five new general purpose
computers have been installed.  GPC software is being
installed today.  Window 1 has been replaced and window 6 is
being prepared for replacement today.  In the Vehicle Assembly
Building, Atlantis' left-hand solid rocket booster stack is nearly
complete.  Work on the right-hand SRB will begin tomorrow.

Columbia is in VAB high bay 2, where work on its tiles
continues.

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



The Gamma Ray Observatory is scheduled to have its test
batteries removed and flight batteries installed today and
tomorrow.  Fueling of the spacecraft's monomethyl hydrazine
tanks has been completed and tank pressure has been adjusted.

The Tethered Satellite will be fit checked with its deployer
later this week.

  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Admiral Truly announced Friday several additional actions
reflecting NASA's commitment to implement the
recommendations of the Advisory Committee on the Future
of the U.S. Space Program.  Adm. Truly said that space
science will remain an essential priority element of a balanced
civil space program.  He said that NASA and the Air Force will
form a task force to assess heavy lift launch technologies and
options for development of such launchers.  He also reported
that NASA will work with the Office of Personnel Management
to structure a personnel management system which recognizes
the agency's special requirements for attracting and retaining
top-flight scientists, engineers and other specialists.



Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.  **indicates a live program.

Monday, 1/14/91
    12:30 pm    New Findings from the Cosmic Background
            Explorer - three photographic releases will be
            transmitted.  This is photo only, no audio.

     1:00 pm    NASA Radio show will be transmitted.



All events and times may change without notice.  This report is
filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12:00 pm, EST.  It is a
service of Internal Communications Branch at NASA
Headquarters.  Contact:  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: 14 Jan 91 18:42:17 GMT
From: snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!sdd.hp.com!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!aplcen!warper.jhuapl.edu![e-mail]  (Ray Sterner)
Subject: Barium/Lithium altazimuths


      CRRES 15 Jan 1991 (UT) first of two releases.
      This is to be a large barium cloud or lithium.  Tables for two alternate
      times are given below.  From hotline information as of 1:08 pm EST.
      Note: the alternate release times below are actually the start and end
      times of a time window.  That may mean that the release could occur
      anytime within the window.  Call the hotline to get the latest release
      time.

   -------------------------  Primary release time  ----------------------

       Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES)
       Marshall Space Flight Center hotline: [phone].

       Values are for a spherical earth with no atmospheric refraction.
       Distances in km, angles in degrees.  Universal time is given.

           Large barium or lithium release at 07:35:00 15 Jan 1991 UT.
           Satellite altitude = 33433.
           Sub-satellite lat, long (deg) =   9.30   101.70

          *****************************************************
          * An alternate time is 09:47:59 15 Jan 1991 UT.     *
          * Table below does NOT apply to the alternate time! *
          *****************************************************

                         City                Satellite
           City      Lat     Long      Azi      Alt     Dist

      Anchorage     61.2    149.8    124.2     18.6    37315
        Atlanta     33.8     84.4    217.1     55.6    34383
        Bermuda     32.3     65.8    243.4     42.8    35197
        Chicago     41.8     87.6    204.9     49.2    34765
       Columbus     40.0     83.0    213.6     49.1    34773
         Dallas     32.8     96.8    192.0     61.8    34077
         Denver     39.7    105.0    173.6     54.0    34472
       Edmonton     53.5    113.5    163.5     37.4    35610
        El Paso     31.8    106.4    167.9     62.9    34026
       Honolulu     21.3    157.8     93.4     26.6    36545
         London     51.5      0.0    284.9     -9.0    40306
    Los Angeles     34.0    118.3    144.6     55.8    34372
          Miami     25.8     80.2    235.0     59.1    34205
       Montreal     45.5     73.6    222.5     39.4    35457
       New York     40.7     74.0    225.8     43.5    35151
          Paris     48.8      2.3    283.1     -8.2    40218
        Phoenix     33.5    112.0    156.3     59.3    34192
    Puerto Rico     18.5     66.2    260.0     48.3    34825
 Salt Lake City     40.8    111.9    161.2     51.6    34616
  San Francisco     37.8    122.3    141.5     50.1    34706
        Seattle     47.6    122.3    148.8     41.0    35337
      St. Louis     38.7     90.3    202.3     53.4    34507
 Washington, DC     38.8     77.0    223.4     46.8    34920
       Winnipeg     50.6     96.3    188.0     41.5    35293


---------------------  Alternate release time  --------------------

       Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES)
       Marshall Space Flight Center hotline: [phone].

       Values are for a spherical earth with no atmospheric refraction.
       Distances in km, angles in degrees.  Universal time is given.

           Large barium or lithium release at 09:48:00 15 Jan 1991 UT.
           Satellite altitude = 29437.
           Sub-satellite lat, long (deg) =   3.30   115.20

          *****************************************************
          * An alternate time is 07:35:00 15 Jan 1991 UT.     *
          * Table below does NOT apply to the alternate time! *
          *****************************************************

                         City                Satellite
           City      Lat     Long      Azi      Alt     Dist

      Anchorage     61.2    149.8    140.7     16.7    33458
        Atlanta     33.8     84.4    230.0     40.3    31354
        Bermuda     32.3     65.8    248.5     26.2    32538
        Chicago     41.8     87.6    220.2     36.0    31695
       Columbus     40.0     83.0    226.8     34.8    31793
         Dallas     32.8     96.8    214.2     49.2    30743
         Denver     39.7    105.0    196.9     45.2    31006
       Edmonton     53.5    113.5    182.2     30.9    32115
        El Paso     31.8    106.4    197.9     54.4    30435
       Honolulu     21.3    157.8    107.5     36.6    31641
         London     51.5      0.0    292.2    -22.2    37731
    Los Angeles     34.0    118.3    174.1     53.0    30513
          Miami     25.8     80.2    242.1     42.0    31233
       Montreal     45.5     73.6    233.4     25.1    32644
       New York     40.7     74.0    235.9     28.4    32343
          Paris     48.8      2.3    289.7    -21.8    37685
        Phoenix     33.5    112.0    186.3     53.6    30481
    Puerto Rico     18.5     66.2    258.5     30.9    32116
 Salt Lake City     40.8    111.9    185.5     45.2    31004
  San Francisco     37.8    122.3    167.5     48.1    30813
        Seattle     47.6    122.3    169.9     37.1    31603
      St. Louis     38.7     90.3    219.0     40.2    31368
 Washington, DC     38.8     77.0    234.1     31.6    32057
       Winnipeg     50.6     96.3    205.0     31.3    32082


  Ray Sterner                     [e-mail]
  Johns Hopkins University        North latitude 39.16 degrees.
  Applied Physics Laboratory      West longitude 76.90 degrees.
  Laurel, MD 20723-6099

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

Date: 14 Jan 91 19:53:18 GMT
From: snorkelwacker.mit.edu!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Metrics (was Re: Rotating Joints for Habitat)

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Joe Cain) writes:
>    Metre may still be the "official" spelling, but in many
>government agencies that worried about such things (e.g. USGS) they
>have long since grown tired of arguing with authors and will allow meters.

Actually, the relevant metric-practice standards -- ANSI in the US and
CSA in Canada -- specifically authorize "meter" as an alternate spelling.
--
If the Space Shuttle was the answer,   | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
what was the question?                 |  [e-mail]   utzoo!henry

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

Date: 14 Jan 91 20:31:01 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: COBE maps interstellar material in Milky Way galaxy (Forwarded)

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                   January 14, 1991
(Phone:  [phone])                           Noon

Randee Exler
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
(Phone:  [phone])


RELEASE:  91-6

COBE MAPS INTERSTELLAR MATERIAL IN MILKY WAY GALAXY


     For the first time, astronomers have mapped the distribution
of nitrogen throughout our galaxy.  The new observations were
taken by an instrument on NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer, the
Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer.

     This all-sky survey, along with additional maps of carbon
and dust, provides quantitative information that may enable
scientists to understand better the heating and cooling processes
that take place throughout the Milky Way.  These accomplishments
were reported today at the American Astronomical Society meeting
in Philadelphia by members of the COBE science team.

     COBE scientists presented images that show the locations in
the galaxy of ionized nitrogen.  The nitrogen map of the Milky
Way is at the wavelength of 205 micrometers and is the first
detection of this important spectral line.  The carbon map was
produced at 158 micrometers and the dust map at 205 micrometer
wavelengths.

     "Before COBE, it was not possible to map the whole galaxy in
this way, although these atomic emissions are the dominant way in
which the interstellar gas cools," said COBE Project Scientist
Dr. John C. Mather, who added that COBE's unique capabilities
permit these all-sky measurements unencumbered by atmospheric and
instrument emission.  Five months of data were used to produce
the maps.

     The emission from ionized nitrogen atoms was found to occur
at a precise wavelength of 205.3 micrometers.  The exact
determination of this wavelength, which had never been measured
before, is important because it will enable astronomers to build
future instruments to map this radiation with greater spatial
resolution.

     The COBE data also were used to measure the total energy
emitted by the dust, neutral carbon atoms and carbon monoxide
molecules in the interstellar gas, showing that our galaxy is a
typical spiral galaxy.

     These new data show that carbon and nitrogen atoms -- some
of the key building blocks of life -- are extremely widespread in
the thin gas that fills the space between the stars.  These atoms
are created inside stars by nuclear reactions and then released
back into space by stellar winds or explosions at the ends of
stellar lives.

     The data also confirm theories that the mixture of gas and
dust in our galaxy is heated by starlight striking dust grains
and cooled by the carbon and nitrogen emissions.  The greatest
concentrations of the atoms and dust grains are in the plane of
the galaxy.

     The data were taken using the Far Infrared Absolute
Spectrophotometer (FIRAS), one of the three instruments aboard
COBE, NASA's first satellite primarily designed for cosmological
studies.  COBE, launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.,
Nov. 18, 1989, primarily studies the diffuse microwave and
infrared light coming from the "big bang" at the beginning of the
currently observable universe and from the first objects that
formed after this primordial explosion.

     FIRAS is the same instrument that 1 year ago enabled COBE
scientists to report the most precise measurements ever obtained
of the spectrum of the cosmic microwave background radiation.
The new results show that this instrument also is remarkably
sensitive to emissions of dust grains, atoms and molecules in the
galaxy.

     The report was made by Drs. John C. Mather, Richard A.
Shafer and Charles L. Bennett of NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center, Greenbelt, Md., and Dr. Edward L. Wright, of the
University of California.

     The data were analyzed at the Goddard Space Flight Center.
The scientific team includes members at Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.; General Research Corp., Danvers,
Mass.; Princeton University, N.J.; University of California at
Los Angeles, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.,
as well as the Goddard Space Flight Center.  Scientists at
General Sciences Corp., Laurel, Md., Applied Research Corp.,
Landover, Md.; Universities Space Research Association,
Greenbelt, Md., and Systems Technologies Corp., Lanham, Md.,
support the reduction and analysis of the data.

     This research is supported by NASA's Astrophysics Division
of the Office of Space Science and Applications.

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

End of SPACE Digest V13 #051
*******************