Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V15_2/V15NO269.TXT

Internet Message Format | 1993-07-13 | 43KB

Date: Thu,  1 Oct 92 05:21:13
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #269
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Thu,  1 Oct 92       Volume 15 : Issue 269

Today's Topics:
                    Space FAQ 03/15 - Data Sources
                     Space FAQ 05/15 - References

    Welcome to the Space Digest!!  Please send your messages to
    "[e-mail]", and (un)subscription requests of the form
    "Subscribe Space <your name>" to one of these addresses: listserv@uga
    (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle
    (THENET), or [e-mail] (Internet).
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 30 Sep 92 23:06:46 GMT
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 03/15 - Data Sources
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,news.answers

Archive-name: space/data
Last-modified: $Date: 92/09/30 18:59:07 $

ONLINE AND OTHER SOURCES OF IMAGES, DATA, ETC.


INTRODUCTION

    A wide variety of images, data, catalogs, information releases, and
    other material dealing with space and astronomy may be found on the net.
    A few sites offer direct dialup access or remote login access, while the
    remainder support some form of file transfer. Many sites are listed as
    providing 'anonymous FTP'. This refers to the File Transfer Protocol on
    the Internet. Sites not connected to the Internet cannot use FTP
    directly, but there are a few automated FTP servers which operates via
    email. Send mail containing only the word HELP to [e-mail]
    or [e-mail], and the servers will send you instructions
    on how to make requests.

    The sources with the broadest selection of material are the NASA Ames
    SPACE archive and the National Space Science Data Center.

    Don't even ask for images to be posted to the net. The data volume is
    huge and nobody wants to spend the time on it.


VIEWING IMAGES

    The possible combinations of image formats and machines is forebodingly
    large, and I won't attempt to cover common formats (GIF, etc.) here. To
    read PDS and VICAR (and many other) formats on Unix systems running X,
    use XV 2.11, available by anonymous FTP from export.lcs.mit.edu
    (18.24.0.12) in contrib/xv-2.11.tar.Z and the other standard X11 FTP
    sites.

    The FAQ for the Usenet group alt.binaries.pictures discusses image
    formats and how to get image viewing software. A copy of this document
    is available by anonymous FTP from the Usenet FAQ archives at
    pit-manager.mit.edu (18.72.1.58), in directory
    pub/usenet/alt.binaries.pictures.


ONLINE ARCHIVES

    NASA AMES

    Extensive archives are maintained at NASA Ames and are available via
    anonymous FTP or an email server. These archives include many images and
    a wide variety of documents including this FAQ list, NASA press
    releases, shuttle launch advisories, and mission status reports. Please
    note that these are NOT maintained on an official basis.

    FTP users should connect to ames.arc.nasa.gov (128.102.18.3) and look in
    pub/SPACE. pub/SPACE/Index contains a listing of files available in the
    archive (the index is about 200K by itself).

    To access the archives by email, send a letter to
    [e-mail] (or ames!archive-server). In the
    subject of your letter (or in the body), use commands like:

    send SPACE Index
    send SPACE SHUTTLE/ss01.23.91.

    The capitalization of the subdirectory names is important. All are in
    caps. Only text files are handled by the email server at present; use
    one of the FTP email servers described in the introduction to this
    section for images or programs.

    The Magellan Venus and Voyager Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus CD-ROM image
    disks have been put online in the CDROM and CDROM2 directories. The
    disks will be rotated on a weekly basis. Thousands of images are
    available in these collections.

    The GIF directory contains images in GIF format. The VICAR directory
    contains Magellan images in VICAR format (these are also available in
    the GIF directory). A PC program capable of displaying these files is
    found in the IMDISP directory (see the item "VIEWING IMAGES" below).

    The NASA media guide describes the various NASA centers and how to
    contact their public affairs officers; this may be useful when pursuing
    specific information. It's in MISC/media.guide.

    Any problems with the archive server should be reported to Peter Yee
    ([e-mail]).


    NASA SPACELINK

    SpaceLink is an online service located at Marshall Space Flight Center
    in Huntsville, Alabama. The system is specifically designed for
    teachers. The data base is arranged to provide easy access to current
    and historical information on NASA aeronautics, space research, and
    technology transfer information. Also included are suggested classroom
    activities that incorporate information on NASA projects to teach a
    number of scientific principles. Unlike bulletin board systems, NASA
    Spacelink does not provide for interaction between callers. However it
    does allow teachers and other callers to leave questions and comments
    for NASA which may be answered by regular mail. Messages are answered
    electronically, even to acknowledge requests which will be fulfilled by
    mail. Messages are generally handled the next working day except during
    missions when turnaround times increase. The mail system is closed- loop
    between the user and NASA.

    SpaceLink also offers downloadable shareware and public domain programs
    useful for science educators as well as space graphics and GIF images
    from NASA's planetary probes and the Hubble Telescope.

    You can dial in at (205)-895-0028 (300/1200/2400/9600(V.32) baud, 8
    bits, no parity, 1 stop bit), or telnet to spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
    (128.158.13.250, also known as xsl.msfc.nasa.gov) if you're on the
    Internet. Anonymous FTP capability will be offered in the future.

    Most of this information is also available from the Ames server in
    directory SPACELINK.


    NATIONAL SPACE SCIENCE DATA CENTER (NSSDC)

    The National Space Science Data Center is the official clearinghouse for
    NASA data. The data catalog (*not* the data itself) is available online.
    Internet users can telnet to nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.36.23) and
    log in as 'NODIS' (no password). You can also get the catalog by sending
    email to '[e-mail]'.

    You can also dial in at (301)-286-9000 (300, 1200, or 2400 baud, 8 bits,
    no parity, one stop). At the "Enter Number:" prompt, enter MD and
    carriage return. When the system responds "Call Complete," enter a few
    more carriage returns to get the "Username:" and log in as 'NODIS' (no
    password).

    The system is menu-driven; topics available as of 4/10/92 are:

    1   -    Master Directory - NASA & Global Change
    2   -    Personnel Information Management System
    3   -    Nimbus-7 GRID TOMS Data
    4   -    Interplanetary Medium Data (OMNI)
    5   -    Request data and/or information from NSSDC
    6   -    Geophysical Models
    7   -    CANOPUS Newsletter
    8   -    International Ultraviolet Explorer Data Request
    9   -    CZCS Browse and Order Utility
    10  -    Astronomical Data Center (ADC)
    11  -    STEP Bulletin Board Service
    12  -    Standards and Technology Information System

    Data can be ordered from the NSSDC on CD-ROM and other formats. Among
    the many types of data available are Voyager, Magellan, and other
    planetary images, Earth observation data, and star catalogs. Viewers for
    Macintosh and IBM systems are also available. As an example of the cost,
    an 8 CD set of Voyager images is $75. Data may ordered online, by email,
    or by physical mail. The postal address is:

    National Space Science Data Center
    Request Coordination Office
    Goddard Space Flight Center
    Code 633
    Greenbelt, MD  20771

    Telephone: [phone]

    Email address:     [e-mail]

    NSSDCA is also an anonymous FTP site, but no comprehensive list of
    what's there is available at present.


    SPACE AND PLANETARY IMAGE FACILITY

    Available 24 hours a day via anonymous FTP from pioneer.unm.edu. Has
    approximately 150 CD-ROM's full of imagery, raw, and tabular data. To
    start, get the file:

    pioneer.unm.edu:pub/info/beginner-info

    This will hopefully give you all of the information you need to get data
    from their machine. beginner-info has been translated to other
    languages, you should look inside pub/info for the particular language
    that meets your needs.

    Contact [e-mail].


    SPACE TELESCOPE SCIENCE INSTITUTE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION SERVICE

    stsci.edu (130.167.1.2) has a large amount of information about the
    Hubble Space Telescope available by anonymous FTP, such as status
    reports and newsletters, in addition to material oriented towards HST
    observers and proposers. Get the top level README file to begin with.
    Contact Pete Reppert ([e-mail]) or Chris O'Dea
    ([e-mail]).


    ASTRONOMICAL DATABASES

    The full SAO stellar database is *NOT* available online, probably due to
    the 40 MB size. It may be ordered on magnetic tape from the NSSDC. A
    subset containing position and magnitude only is available by FTP (see
    "Astronomy Programs" below).

    nic.funet.fi (128.214.6.100) has a large collection of astronomical
    programs for many types of computers, databases of stars and deep sky
    objects, and general astronomy information in directory /pub/astro. This
    site is mainly for European users, but overseas connections are
    possible.

    mandarin.mit.edu (18.82.0.21) has the following data available via
    anonymous FTP in directory /astro: StarChart v3.2, orbital elements for
    bright comets and asteroids, the Yale Bright Star catalog, Saguaro
    Astronomy Club Deepsky and Double Star databases, some PC astronomy
    programs, and possibly more. Get astro/README. Contact
    [e-mail] with questions.

    The Ames archives contain a database of 8,436 galaxies including name,
    RA, declination, magnitude, and radial velocity in MISC/galaxy.dat.
    Supplied by Wayne Hayes ([e-mail]).

    iris1.ucis.dal.ca (129.173.18.107) has a number of GIFs from Voyager,
    Hubble, and other sources available by anonymous FTP in pub/gif (most of
    this data is also in SPACE/GIF on the Ames server). Please restrict
    access to 5pm - 8am Atlantic time.

    pomona.claremont.edu has the Yale Bright Star catalog for anonymous FTP
    in directory [.YALE_BSC]. Contact James Dishaw
    ([e-mail]).

    The Hubble Guide Star catalog is available on CD-ROM for the Mac and PC
    for $49.95 US (catalog # ST101).

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific
    390 Ashton Ave.
    San Francisco, CA 94112
    Phone: [phone] AM - 3 PM Pacific Time
    FAX: [phone]

    For German (and possibly other European) readers, Jost Jahn has a
    service to distribute astronomical data to interested amateurs at cost.
    About 30-40 catalogs are available for DM 6..8/disk. Several floppy disk
    formats are available. Because of the expense of receiving email on his
    system, he asks that you contact him by physical mail:

    Jost Jahn
    Neustaedter Strasse 11
    W-3123 Bodenteich
    GERMANY
    Phone: FRG-5824-3197


    ASTRONOMY PROGRAMS

    Various astronomy-related programs and databases posted to the net in
    the past are archived for anonymous FTP at multiple sites, including
    ftp.uu.net (137.39.1.9). Also see the ASTRO-FTP list posted to sci.astro
    monthly, which is more complete than this list.

    Astonomical/Space-related sources of interest in comp.sources.unix:

    Volume 8:        phoon    moon phase and date routines
    Volume 12,13:   starchart    starchart program & Yale Star data
    Volume 15:        moontool    shows moon phase picture on Suns
    Volume 16:        sao        reduced SAO catalog

    Astonomical/Space-related sources of interest in comp.sources.misc:

    Volume  8:        moon    another moon phase program
    Volume 11:        starchart    starchart program, version 3.2
    Volume 11:        n3emo-orbit orbit: track earth satellites
    Volume 12:        starchart2    starchart program, update to version 3.2.1
    Volume 13:        jupmoons    plotter for Jupiter's major moons [in perl]
    Volume 13:        lunisolar    lunisolar (not sure what this does)
    Volume 14:        ephem-4.21    astronomical ephemeris, v4.21
    Volume 14:        n3emo-orbit patch to orbit 3.7
    Volume 18:        planet    planet generation simulator

    Elwood Downey ([e-mail]), the author of
    "ephem", has offered to mail copies to people who can't find it on one
    of the archives.

    XSAT, an X Window System based satellite tracking program, is
    available by anonymous FTP from export.lcs.mit.edu (18.24.0.12) in
    contrib/xsat1.0.tar.Z. Contact Dave Curry ([e-mail])
    for more information.

    The "Variable Stars Analysis Software Archive" is available via
    anonymous FTP from kauri.vuw.ac.nz (130.195.11.3) in directory
    pub/astrophys. This is intended for specialists in this field, and they
    would appreciate people from outside New Zealand confining their FTP
    access to the astrophys directory, as they pay a significant amount for
    Internet access. Contents are relatively sparse at present due to the
    youth of the archive - contributions are encouraged. Contact the archive
    administrator, Timothy Banks ([e-mail]) for more
    information.

    The "IDL Astronomy Users Library" is available by anonymous FTP from
    idlastro.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.57.82). This is a central repository for
    general purpose astronomy procedures written in IDL, a commercial image
    processing, plotting, and programming language. Contact Wayne Landsman
    ([e-mail]) for more information.


    ORBITAL ELEMENT SETS

    The most recent orbital elements from the NASA Prediction Bulletins are
    carried on the Celestial BBS, (513)-427-0674. Documentation and tracking
    software are also available on this system. The Celestial BBS may be
    accessed 24 hours/day at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud using 8 data bits, 1
    stop bit, no parity.

    Orbital element sets are available via anonymous FTP from the
    following sites:

    archive.afit.af.mil (129.92.1.66)        NASA,TVRO,Shuttle
    directory: /pub/space

    ftp.funet.fi (128.214.6.100)        NASA,TVRO,Molczan,CelBBS,
    directory: /pub/astro/pc/satel        Shuttle (*)

    kilroy.jpl.nasa.gov (128.149.1.165)     NASA,Molczan
    directory: /pub/space/

    nachos.ssesco.com (192.55.187.18)        NASA,Molczan
    directory: /sat_elements


    SPACE DIGEST ARCHIVES

    Copies of back issues of Space Digest are archived on
    [e-mail]. Send mail containing the message "INDEX SPACE" to
    get an index of files; send it the message "GET filename filetype" to
    get a particular file.


LANDSAT AND NASA PHOTOS

    You can get black-and-white 1:1M prints, negatives, or positives for
    $10, $18, $12 respectively for any Landsat data more than 2 years old
    from EDC, (Eros (Earth Resources Orbiting Satellite) Data Center). Call
    them at (605)-594-6511. You get 80 meter resolution from the MSS
    scanner, 135x180 kilometers on a picture 135x180 mm in size. I think you
    have to select one band from (green, red, near IR, second near IR), but
    I'm not sure. Digitial data is also available at higher prices.

    Transparencies of all NASA photos available to the public can be
    borrowed from the NASA photo archive; you can have copies or prints
    made.

     NASA Audio-Visual Facility
     918 North Rengstorff Ave
     Mountain View, CA  94043
     (415)-604-6270


PLANETARY MAPS

    The USGS address for maps of the planets is:

    U.S. Geological Survey,
    Distribution Branch,
    Box 25286, Federal Center, Bldg. 41
    Denver, CO 80225

    Maps cost $2.40 to $3.10 per sheet (a few come in sets of 2 or 3 sheets).

    The best global maps of Mars based on Viking images are 1:15,000,000
    scale in 3 sheets. These maps are:

    I-1535 (2 sheets only) - relief, albedo, names
    I-1535
    I-1618 (3 sheets) - relief, names
    I-2030 (3 sheets) - relief, topographic contours
    I-1802-A,B,C (3 sheets) - geology

    There are many other maps as well: 30 sheets at 1:5,000,000 scale in
    relief, albedo, geology, photomosaic forms (not all 30 sheets available
    in all formats); 140 sheets at 1:2,000,000 scale as photomosaics of the
    whole planet, about 100 sheets of interesting sites at 1:500,000 scale
    in photomosaic format, and lots of special sheets.

    Then there are maps of Mercury, Venus, the Moon, the four Galilean
    Satellites, six moons of Saturn and five of Uranus. [Phil Stooke
    ([e-mail]), the author of this item, has offered to
    respond to email requests for information on any topic relating to lunar
    and planetary maps.]


COMETARY ORBIT DATA

    The Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams and the Minor Planet
    Center announce the sixth edition of the Catalogue of Cometary Orbits in
    IAU Circular 4935. The catalogue contains 1292 entries which represent
    all known comets through November 1989 and is 96 pages long.
    Non-subscribers to the Circulars may purchase the catalogue for $15.00
    while the cost to subscribers is $7.50. The basic catalogue in ASCII
    along with a program to extract specific orbits and calculate
    ephemerides is available on MS-DOS 5.25-inch 2S2D diskette at a cost of
    $75.00 (the program requires an 8087 math coprocessor). The catalogue
    alone is also available by e-mail for $37.50 or on magnetic tape for
    $300.00.

    Except for the printed version of the catalogue, the various magnetic
    media or e-mail forms of the catalogue do not specifically meantion
    non-subscribers. It is possible that these forms of the catalogue may
    not be available to non-subscribers or that their prices may be more
    expensive than those given. Mail requests for specific information and
    orders to:

    Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
    Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
    Cambridge, MA 02138, USA


NEXT: FAQ #4/15 - Performing calculations and interpreting data formats

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

Date: 30 Sep 92 23:06:56 GMT
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 05/15 - References
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,news.answers

Archive-name: space/references
Last-modified: $Date: 92/09/30 18:59:26 $

REFERENCES ON SPECIFIC AREAS

    PUBLISHERS OF SPACE/ASTRONOMY MATERIAL

    Crawford-Peters Aeronautica
    P.O. Box 152528
    San Diego, CA 92115
    [phone]

    An excellent source of all kinds of space publications. They publish
    a number of catalogs, including:
        Aviation and Space, 1945-1962
        Aviation and Space, 1962-1990
        Space and Related Titles

    Willmann-Bell
    P.O. Box 35025
    Richmond, Virginia 23235 USA
    (804)-320-7016 9-5 EST M-F

    Sky Publishing Corporation
    PO Box 9111
    Belmont, MA  02178-9111

    Offers "Sky Catalogue 2000.0" on PC floppy with information
    (including parallax) for 45000 stars.

    Cambridge University Press
    32 East 57th Street
    New York, NY 10022

    John Wiley & Sons
    605 Third Avenue
    New York, NY 10158-0012

    Superintendent of Documents
    US Government Printing Office
    Washington, DC 20402

    US Naval Observatory
    202-653-1079 (USNO Bulletin Board via modem)
    202-653-1507 General
    202-653-1545 Nautical Almanac Office (info on the Interactive
        Computer Ephemeris)

    Univelt, Inc.
    P. O. Box 28130
    San Diego, Ca. 92128

    Publishers for the American Astronomical Society.

    Finley Holiday Film Corporation

    12607 East Philadelphia Street
    Whittier, California 90601
    [phone]
    (800)FILMS-07

    Wide selection of Apollo, Shuttle, Viking, and Voyager slides at ~50
    cents/slide. Call for a catalog.

    Astronomical Society of the Pacific
    1290 24th Avenue
    San Francisco, CA 94122

    More expensive but better organized slide sets.

    Hansen Planetarium (Utah)

    Said to hold sales on old slide sets. Look in Sky & Telescope
    for contact info.

    Lunar and Planetary Institute
    3303 NASA Road One
    Houston, TX 77058-4399

    Technical, geology-oriented slide sets, with supporting
    booklets.

    Roger Wheate
    Geography Dept.
    University of Calgary, Alberta
    Canada T2N 1N4
    (403)-220-4892
    (403)-282-7298 (FAX)
    [e-mail]

    Offers a 40-slide set called "Mapping the Planets" illustrating
    recent work in planetary cartography, comes with a booklet and
    information on getting your own copies of the maps. $50 Canadian,
    shipping included.


    CAREERS IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY

    In 1990 the Princeton Planetary Society published the first edition of
    "Space Jobs: The Guide to Careers in Space-Related Fields." The
    publication was enormously successful: we distributed 2000 copies to
    space enthusiasts across the country and even sent a few to people in
    Great Britain, Australia, and Ecuador. Due to the tremendous response to
    the first edition, PPS has published an expanded, up-to-date second
    edition of the guide.

    The 40-page publication boasts 69 listings for summer and full-time job
    opportunities as well as graduate school programs. The second edition of
    "Space Jobs" features strategies for entering the space field and
    describes positions at consulting and engineering firms, NASA, and
    non-profit organizations. The expanded special section on graduate
    schools highlights a myriad of programs ranging from space manufacturing
    to space policy. Additional sections include tips on becoming an
    astronaut and listings of NASA Space Grant Fellowships and Consortia, as
    well as NASA Centers for the Commercial Development of Space.

    To order send check or money order made payable to Princeton Planetary
    Society for $4 per copy, plus $1 per copy for shipping and handling
    (non-US customers send an International Money Order payable in US
    dollars) to:

    Princeton Planetary Society
    315 West College
    Princeton University
    Princeton, NJ  08544


    DC-X SINGLE-STAGE TO ORBIT (SSTO) PROGRAM

    SDI's SSRT (Single Stage Rocket Technology) project has funded a
    suborbital technology demonstrator called DC-X that should fly in
    mid-1993. Further development towards an operational single-stage to
    orbit vehicle is uncertain at present; for considerably more detail on
    the SSRT program, get the document

    ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/FAQ/DeltaClipper

    by anonymous FTP or through the email server.


    LLNL "GREAT EXPLORATION"

    The LLNL "Great Exploration", a plan for an on-the-cheap space station,
    Lunar base, and Mars mission using inflatable space structures, excited
    a lot of interest on the net and still comes up from time to time. Some
    references cited during net discussion were:

    Avation Week Jan 22, 1990 for an article on the overall Great
    Exploration

    NASA Assessment of the LLNL Space Exploration Proposal and LLNL
    Responses by Dr. Lowell Wood LLNL Doc. No. SS 90-9. Their address
    is: PO Box 808 Livermore, CA 94550 (the NASA authors are unknown).

    Briefing slides of a presentation to the NRC last December may be
    available. Write LLNL and ask.

    Conceptual Design Study for Modular Inflatable Space Structures, a
    final report for purchase order B098747 by ILC Dover INC. I don't
    know how to get this except from LLNL or ILC Dover. I don't have an
    address for ILC.


    LUNAR SCIENCE AND ACTIVITIES

    Grant H Heiken, David T Vaniman, and Bevan M French (editors),
    "Lunar Sourcebook, A User's Guide to the Moon", Cambridge University
    Press 1991, ISBN 0-521-33444-6; hardcover; expensive. A one-volume
    encyclopedia of essentially everything known about the Moon,
    reviewing current knowledge in considerable depth, with copious
    references. Heavy emphasis on geology, but a lot more besides,
    including considerable discussion of past lunar missions and
    practical issues relevant to future mission design. *The* reference
    book for the Moon; all others are obsolete.

    Wendell Mendell (ed), "Lunar Bases and Space Activities of the 21st
    Century", $15. "Every serious student of lunar bases *must* have
    this book" - Bill Higgins. Available from:

        Lunar and Planetary Institute
        3303 NASA Road One
        Houston, TX 77058-4399
        If you want to order books, call [phone].

    Thomas A. Mutch, "Geology of the Moon: A Stratigraphic View",
    Princeton University Press, 1970. Information about the Lunar
    Orbiter missions, including maps of the coverage of the lunar
    nearside and farside by various Orbiters.

    SPACECRAFT MODELS

    "Space in Miniature #2: Gemini" by
    Michael J. Mackowski
    1621 Waterwood Lane, St. Louis, MO 63146
    $7.50

    Only 34pp but enough pictures & diagrams to interest more than just the
    modelling community, I feel.

    Marco's Miniatures of Dracut, Mass. have produced a 1/144 Skylab in an
    edition of 500 & a 1/48 Lunar Rover (same scale as Monogram and Revell
    Lunar Modules) in a similar edition. Prices are $45 for Skylab, $24 for
    LRV. Check with them for postage etc. I have no connection with them,
    but have found their service to be good and their stock of rare/old kits
    *is* impressive. Prices range from reasonable ($35 for Monogram 1/32
    scale Apollo CSM with cutaway details) to spectacular ($145 for Airfix
    Vostok).

     Four Star Collectibles
     P.O. Box 658
     Dracut Mass 01826, USA.
     (508)-957-0695.

    Voyager, HST, Viking, Lunar Rover etc. kits from:

    Lunar Models
    5120 Grisham
    Rowlett, Texas 75088
    (214)-475-4230

    As reviewed by Bob Kaplow:

    Peter Alway's book "Scale Model Rocketry" is now available. Mine
    arrived in the mail earlier this week. To get your own copy, send
    $19.95 + $2.50 s/h ($22.45 total) to:

            Peter Alway
            2830 Pittsfield
            Ann Arbor, MI 48104

    The book includes information on collecting scale data, construction
    of scale models, and several handy tables. Appendicies include plans
    for 3 sport scale models, a 1:9.22 D Region Tomahawk (BT50), a 1/40
    V-2 (BT60), and a 1/9.16 Aerobee 150A (BT55/60).

    I've only begun to study the book, but it certainly will be a
    valuable data source for many modellers. Most vehicles include
    several paragraphs of text describing the missions flown by the
    rocket, various specs including "NAR" engine classification, along
    with a dimensioned drawing, color layouts & paint pattern, and a
    black & white photograph.

    The vehicles included are the Aerobee 150A, Aerobee 300, Aerobee Hi,
    Arcas, Asp, Astrobee 1500, Astrobee D, Atlas Centaur, Atlas-Agena,
    Atlas-Score, Baby WAC, D-Region Tomahawk, Deacon Rockoon, Delta B,
    Delta E, Gemini-Titan II, Iris, Javelin, Juno 1, Juno 2, Little Joe
    1, Little Joe 2, Mercury-Atlas, Mercury-Redstone, Nike-Apache,
    Nike-Asp, Nike-Cajun, Nike-Deacon, Nike-Tomahawk, RAM B, Saturn 1
    Block 1, Saturn 1 Block 2, Saturn 1B, Saturn 5, Scout, Standard
    Aerobee, Terrapin, Thor-Able, Titan III C, Titan III E, Trailblazer
    1, V-2, Vanguard, Viking Model 1, Viking Model 2, and Wac Corporal.


    ROCKET PROPULSION

    George P. Sutton, "Rocket Propulsion Elements", 5th edn,
    Wiley-Interscience 1986, ISBN 0-471-80027-9. Pricey textbook. The
    best (nearly the only) modern introduction to the technical side of
    rocketry. A good place to start if you want to know the details. Not
    for the math-shy. Straight chemical rockets, essentially nothing on
    more advanced propulsion (although earlier editions reportedly had
    some coverage).

    Dieter K. Huzel and David H. Huang, "Design of Liquid Propellant
    Rocket Engines", NASA SP-125.
    NTIS N71-29405        PC A20/MF A01    1971  461p
    Out of print; reproductions may be obtained through the NTIS
    (expensive). The complete and authoritative guide to designing
    liquid-fuel engines. Reference #1 in most chapters of Sutton. Heavy
    emphasis on practical issues, what works and what doesn't, what the
    typical values of the fudge factors are. Stiff reading, massive
    detail; written for rocket engineers by rocket engineers.


    SPACECRAFT DESIGN

    Brij N. Agrawal, "Design of Geosynchronous Spacecraft",
    Prentice-Hall, ISBN 0-13-200114-4.

    James R. Wertz ed, "Spacecraft Attitude Determination and
    Control", Kluwer, ISBN 90-277-1204-2.

    P.R.K. Chetty, "Satellite Technology and its Applications",
    McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-8306-9688-1.

    James R. Wertz and Wiley J. Larson (editors), "Space Mission
    Analysis and Design", Kluwer Academic Publishers
    (Dordrecht/Boston/London) 1991, ISBN 0-7923-0971-5 (paperback), or
    0-7923-0970-7 (hardback).

        This looks at system-level design of a spacecraft, rather than
        detailed design. 23 chapters, 4 appendices, about 430 pages. It
        leads the reader through the mission design and system-level
        design of a fictitious earth-observation satellite, to
        illustrate the principles that it tries to convey. Warning:
        although the book is chock-full of many useful reference tables,
        some of the numbers in at least one of those tables (launch
        costs for various launchers) appear to be quite wrong. Can be
        ordered by telephone, using a credit card; Kluwer's phone number
        is (617)-871-6600. Cost $34.50.


    ESOTERIC PROPULSION SCHEMES (SOLAR SAILS, LASERS, FUSION...)

    This needs more and more up-to-date references, but it's a start.

    ANTIMATTER:

    "Antiproton Annihilation Propulsion", Robert Forward
        AFRPL TR-85-034 from the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory
        (AFRPL/XRX, Stop 24, Edwards Air Force Base, CA 93523-5000).
        NTIS AD-A160 734/0       PC A10/MF A01
        PC => Paper copy, A10 => $US57.90 -- or maybe Price Code?
        MF => MicroFiche, A01 => $US13.90

        Technical study on making, holding, and using antimatter for
        near-term (30-50 years) propulsion systems. Excellent
        bibliography. Forward is the best-known proponent
        of antimatter.

        This also may be available as UDR-TR-85-55 from the contractor,
        the University of Dayton Research Institute, and DTIC AD-A160
        from the Defense Technical Information Center, Defense Logistics
        Agency, Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA 22304-6145. And it's
        also available from the NTIS, with yet another number.

    "Advanced Space Propulsion Study, Antiproton and Beamed Power
        Propulsion", Robert Forward

        AFAL TR-87-070 from the Air Force Astronautics Laboratory, DTIC
        #AD-A189 218.
        NTIS AD-A189 218/1      PC A10/MF A01

        Summarizes the previous paper, goes into detail on beamed power
        systems including " 1) pellet, microwave, and laser beamed power
        systems for intersteller transport; 2) a design for a
        near-relativistic laser-pushed lightsail using near-term laser
        technology; 3) a survey of laser thermal propulsion, tether
        transportation systems, antiproton annihilation propulsion,
        exotic applications of solar sails, and laser-pushed
        interstellar lightsails; 4) the status of antiproton
        annihilation propulsion as of 1986; and 5) the prospects for
        obtaining antimatter ions heavier than antiprotons." Again,
        there is an extensive bibliography.

        "Application of Antimatter - Electric Power to Interstellar
        Propulsion", G. D. Nordley, JBIS Interstellar Studies issue of
        6/90.

    BUSSARD RAMJETS AND RELATED METHODS:

    G. L. Matloff and A. J. Fennelly, "Interstellar Applications and
    Limitations of Several Electrostatic/Electromagnetic Ion Collection
    Techniques", JBIS 30 (1977):213-222

    N. H. Langston, "The Erosion of Interstellar Drag Screens", JBIS 26
    (1973): 481-484

    C. Powell, "Flight Dynamics of the Ram-Augmented Interstellar
    Rocket", JBIS 28 (1975):553-562

    A. R. Martin, "The Effects of Drag on Relativistic Spacefight", JBIS
    25 (1972):643-652

    FUSION:

    "A Laser Fusion Rocket for Interplanetary Propulsion", Roderick Hyde,
    LLNL report UCRL-88857. (Contact the Technical Information Dept. at
    Livermore)

        Fusion Pellet design: Fuel selection. Energy loss mechanisms.
        Pellet compression metrics. Thrust Chamber: Magnetic nozzle.
        Shielding. Tritium breeding. Thermal modeling. Fusion Driver
        (lasers, particle beams, etc): Heat rejection. Vehicle Summary:
        Mass estimates. Vehicle Performance: Interstellar travel
        required exhaust velocities at the limit of fusion's capability.
        Interplanetary missions are limited by power/weight ratio.
        Trajectory modeling. Typical mission profiles. References,
        including the 1978 report in JBIS, "Project Daedalus", and
        several on ICF and driver technology.

    "Fusion as Electric Propulsion", Robert W. Bussard, Journal of
    Propulsion and Power, Vol. 6, No. 5, Sept.-Oct. 1990

        Fusion rocket engines are analyzed as electric propulsion
        systems, with propulsion thrust-power-input-power ratio (the
        thrust-power "gain" G(t)) much greater than unity. Gain values
        of conventional (solar, fission) electric propulsion systems are
        always quite small (e.g., G(t)<0.8). With these, "high-thrust"
        interplanetary flight is not possible, because system
        acceleration (a(t)) capabilities are always less than the local
        gravitational acceleration. In contrast, gain values 50-100
        times higher are found for some fusion concepts, which offer
        "high-thrust" flight capability. One performance example shows a
        53.3 day (34.4 powered; 18.9 coast), one-way transit time with
        19% payload for a single-stage Earth/Mars vehicle. Another shows
        the potential for high acceleration (a(t)=0.55g(o)) flight in
        Earth/moon space.

    "The QED Engine System: Direct Electric Fusion-Powered Systems for
    Aerospace Flight Propulsion" by Robert W. Bussard, EMC2-1190-03,
    available from Energy/Matter Conversion Corp., 9100 A. Center
    Street, Manassas, VA 22110.

        [This is an introduction to the application of Bussard's version
        of the Farnsworth/Hirsch electrostatic confinement fusion
        technology to propulsion. 1500<Isp<5000 sec. Farnsworth/Hirsch
        demonstrated a 10**10 neutron flux with their device back in
        1969 but it was dropped when panic ensued over the surprising
        stability of the Soviet Tokamak. Hirsch, responsible for the
        panic, has recently recanted and is back working on QED. -- Jim
        Bowery]

    "PLASMAKtm Star Power for Energy Intensive Space Applications", by
    Paul M. Koloc, Eight ANS Topical Meeting on Technology of Fusion
    Energy, special issue FUSION TECHNOLOGY, March 1989.

        Aneutronic energy (fusion with little or negligible neutron
        flux) requires plasma pressures and stable confinement times
        larger than can be delivered by current approaches. If plasma
        pressures appropriate to burn times on the order of milliseconds
        could be achieved in aneutronic fuels, then high power densities
        and very compact, realtively clean burning engines for space and
        other special applications would be at hand. The PLASMAKtm
        innovation will make this possible; its unique pressure
        efficient structure, exceptional stability, fluid-mechanically
        compressible Mantle and direct inductive MHD electric power
        conversion advantages are described. Peak burn densities of tens
        of megawats per cc give it compactness even in the
        multi-gigawatt electric output size. Engineering advantages
        indicate a rapid development schedule at very modest cost. [I
        strongly recommend that people take this guy seriously. Bob
        Hirsch, the primary proponent of the Tokamak, has recently
        declared Koloc's PLASMAKtm precursor, the spheromak, to be one
        of 3 promising fusion technologies that should be pursued rather
        than Tokamak. Aside from the preceeding appeal to authority, the
        PLASMAKtm looks like it finally models ball-lightning with solid
        MHD physics. -- Jim Bowery]

    ION DRIVES:

    Retrieve files pub/SPACE/SPACELINK/6.5.2.* from the Ames SPACE
    archive; these deal with many aspects of ion drives and describe the
    SERT I and II missions, which flight-tested cesium ion thrusters in
    the 1960s and 70s. There are numerous references.

    MASS DRIVERS (COILGUNS, RAILGUNS):

    IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (for example, v. 27 no. 1, January
    1991 issue). Every so often they publish the proceedings of the
    Symposium on Electromagnetic Launcher Technology, including hundreds
    of papers on the subject. It's a good look at the state of the art,
    though perhaps not a good tutorial for beginners. Anybody know some
    good review papers?

    NUCLEAR ROCKETS (FISSION):

    "Technical Notes on Nuclear Rockets", by Bruce W. Knight and Donald
    Kingsbury, unpublished. May be available from: Donald Kingsbury,
    Math Dept., McGill University, PO Box 6070, Station A, Montreal,
    Quebec M3C 3G1 Canada.

    SOLAR SAILS:

    Starsailing. Solar Sails and Interstellar Travel. Louis Friedman,
    Wiley, New York, 1988, 146 pp., paper $9.95. (Not very technical,
    but an adequate overview.)

    "Roundtrip Interstellar Travel Using Laser-Pushed Lightsails
    (Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, vol. 21, pp. 187-95, Jan.-Feb.
    1984)

    TETHERS:

    _Tethers and Asteroids for Artificial Gravity Assist in the Solar
    System,_ by P.A. Penzo and H.L. Mayer., _Journal of Spacecraft
    and Rockets_ for Jan-Feb 1986.

        Details how a spacecraft with a kevlar tether of the same mass
        can change its velocity by up to slightly less than 1 km/sec. if
        it is travelling under that velocity wrt a suitable asteroid.

    GENERAL:

    "Alternate Propulsion Energy Sources", Robert Forward
        AFPRL TR-83-067.
        NTIS AD-B088 771/1      PC A07/MF A01   Dec 83 138p

        Keywords: Propulsion energy, metastable helium, free-radical
        hydrogen, solar pumped (sic) plasmas, antiproton annihiliation,
        ionospheric lasers, solar sails, perforated sails, microwave
        sails, quantum fluctuations, antimatter rockets... It's a wide,
        if not deep, look at exotic energy sources which might be useful
        for space propulsion. It also considers various kinds of laser
        propulsion, metallic hydrogen, tethers, and unconventional
        nuclear propulsion. The bibliographic information, pointing to
        the research on all this stuff, belongs on every daydreamer's
        shelf.

    Future Magic. Dr. Robert L. Forward, Avon, 1988. ISBN 0-380-89814-4.

        Nontechnical discussion of tethers, antimatter, gravity control,
        and even futher-out topics.


    SPY SATELLITES

    *Deep Black*, by William Burrows;
    "best modern general book for spysats."

    1) A Base For Debate: The US Satellite Station at Nurrungar, Des Ball,
    Allen and Unwin Australia, 1987 ISBN 0 04 355027 4 [ covers DSP early
    warning satellites]

    2) Pine Gap: Australia and the US Geostationary Signals intelligence
    satellite program, Des Ball, Allen and Unwin Australia, 1988 ISBN 0 04
    363002 5. [covers RHYOLITE/AQUACADE, CHALET/VORTEX, and MAGNUM signals
    intelligence satellites]

    3) Guardians: Strategic Reconnaissance Satellites, Curtis Peebles, 1987,
    Ian Allan, ISBN 0 7110 17654 [ good on MOL, military Salyut and Soviet
    satellites, less so on others. Tends to believe what he's told so flaws
    in discussion of DSP, RHYOLITE et al..]

    4) America's Secret Eyes In Space: The Keyhole Spy Satellite Program,
    Jeffrey Richelson, 1990, Harper and Row, ISBN 0 88730 285 8 [ in a class
    of its own, *the* historical reference on the KEYHOLE satellites]

    5) Secret Sentries in Space, Philip J Klass, 1971.
    "long out of print but well worth a look"


    SPACE SHUTTLE COMPUTER SYSTEMS

    %J Communications of the ACM
    %V 27
    %N 9
    %D September 1984
    %K Special issue on space [shuttle] computers

    %A Myron Kayton
    %T Avionics for Manned Spacecraft
    %J IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems
    %V 25
    %N 6
    %D November 1989
    %P 786-827

    Other various AIAA and IEEE publications.

    Computers in Spaceflight: The NASA Experience
    James E.  Tomayko
    1988?


    SETI COMPUTATION (SIGNAL PROCESSING)

    %A D. K. Cullers
    %A Ivan R. Linscott
    %A Bernard M. Oliver
    %T Signal Processing in SETI
    %J Communications of the ACM
    %V 28
    %N 11
    %D November 1984
    %P 1151-1163
    %K CR Categories and Subject Descriptors: D.4.1 [Operating Systems]:
    Process Management - concurrency; I.5.4 [Pattern Recognition]:
    Applications - signal processing; J.2 [Phsyical Sciences and Engineering]:
    astronomy
    General Terms: Design
    Additional Key Words and Phrases: digital Fourier transforms,
    finite impulse-response filters, interstellar communications,
    Search for Extra-terrestrial Intelligence, signal detection,
    spectrum analysis


    AMATEUR SATELLIES & WEATHER SATELLITES

    A fairly long writeup on receiving and interpreting weather satellite
    photos is available from the Ames SPACE archive in
    pub/SPACE/FAQ/WeatherPhotos.

    The American Radio Relay League publication service offers the following
    references (also see the section on AMSAT in the space groups segment of
    the FAQ):

    ARRL Satellite Experimenters Handbook,        #3185, $20
    ARRL Weather Satellite Handbook,        #3193, $20
    IBM-PC software for Weather Satellite Handbook, #3290, $10

    AMSAT NA 5th Space Symposium,            #0739, $12
    AMSAT NA 6th Space Symposium,            #2219, $12

    Shipping is extra.

    The American Radio Relay League
    Publications Department
    225 Main Street
    Newington, CT 06111
    (203)-666-1541


    TIDES

    Srinivas Bettadpur contributed a writeup on tides, available from the
    Ames SPACE archive in pub/SPACE/FAQ/Tides. It covers the following
    areas:

    - 2-D Example of Tidal Deformation
    - Treatment of Tidal Fields in Practice
    - Long term evolution of the Earth-Moon system under tides

    The writeup refers to the following texts:

    "Geophysical Geodesy" by K. Lambeck
    "Tides of the planet Earth" by P. Melchior

NEXT: FAQ #6/15 - Constants and equations for calculations

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

End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 269
------------------------------