Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V15_2/V15NO287.TXT

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Date: Tue,  6 Oct 92 05:01:39
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #287
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Tue,  6 Oct 92       Volume 15 : Issue 287

Today's Topics:
                   another sad anniversary (2 msgs)
                             BLACK HOLES
                   Bootstrap hardware for LunaBase
                 Goddard's influence or lack thereof
   Good Bio of WvB (was Re: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both? )
                          Laser Space Mirror
                    LIST OF SPACE LAUNCHES WANTED
                         Mars Observer info?
                 My final word on Ion to Pluto (long)
                            MYSTERY OBJECT
            Pioneer Venus Out of Fuel, Orbit Deteroriating
               Population here and elsewhere? (2 msgs)
             Russia's OPERATIONAL Starwars Defense System
                        Southern Cosmospheres
            Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both? (5 msgs)
                          what use is Fred?

    Welcome to the Space Digest!!  Please send your messages to
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 5 Oct 92 16:43:54 GMT
From: Henry Spencer <[e-mail]>
Subject: another sad anniversary
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
>...figure is for isotropic antennas...

The ALSEP stations did have mildly directional antennas (helical, maybe
0.5m long from the pix).  I would assume that the beams weren't too tight,
since they were meant to be aligned by spacesuited astronauts, but alignment
mattered enough that an alignment aid was built into the equipment.

>Anyone willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars could receive
>a 1 watt signal from the Moon with sufficient margin to decode digital
>data, or copy analog voice...

I don't know the ALSEP data rate, but it can't have been terribly high.
Some non-technical references speak of several million "measurements"
per day, which means a few dozen per second, for a bit rate of at most
a few thousand bps.

I also don't know the transmitter power, but something like 70W was
available for the whole station, so a few watts would be a fair guess.
--
There is nothing wrong with making      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim|  [e-mail]  utzoo!henry

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 21:17:00 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: another sad anniversary
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes...
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>>
>>The dowlink path loss is -278 db from the moon.
>

>Anyone willing to spend a couple of thousand dollars could receive
>a 1 watt signal from the Moon with sufficient margin to decode digital
>data, or copy analog voice. An EME grade station is probably still
>required to pick up video, or high bandwidth data.
>
>Gary KE4ZV

Gary my figure if from the Lunar Observer mission baseline published at JPL
in 1991.  This is the baselne for all future missions and the link margin
is discussed extensively in there.  What is your source? I will look it up
in the ARRL hanbook just to see what they have.

Dennis

KD4ETA former WB4KSF

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 17:05:58 GMT
From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey <[e-mail]>
Subject: BLACK HOLES
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Charles Bo Wu) writes:
> In <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Sasha Degner) writes:
>>
>>1) What exactly are black holes?
>>2) Is there any truth in the theory that they may be created by alien
>>life forms?
>>3) Is there a black hole close to our galaxy?
>
>     I suggest you to read the book "A Brief History of Time" by
> Stephen Hawking. An excellent book that tells you just about anything a
> normal person would want to know about black holes and the Universe.

I haven't read this book, but I doubt it provides a direct answer to
question number 2.

Higgins steps in where Hawking fears to tread:

Sasha, the answer is "No."

     O~~*           /_) ' / /   /_/ '  ,   ,  ' ,_  _           \|/
   - ~ -~~~~~~~~~~~/_) / / /   / / / (_) (_) / / / _\~~~~~~~~~~~zap!
 /       \                          (_) (_)                    / | \
 |       |     Bill Higgins   Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
 \       /     Bitnet:     [e-mail]
   -   -       Internet:  [e-mail]
     ~         SPAN/Hepnet:      43011::HIGGINS

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

Date: Mon, 05 Oct 92 17:17:53 GMT
From: Doug Mohney <[e-mail]>
Subject: Bootstrap hardware for LunaBase
Newsgroups: sci.space

Are there any studies floating around as to how much and what kind of hardware
you'd need to deliver to the moon to establish a rudementary lunar base? It
seems like there are a lot of parts and pieces of studies, but nothing which
is packaged together, unless it's a think-tank study for "Beyond FLO."

Off the top of my head, any initial builds for a lunar base would require
the following:

    o    "construction shack" & living quarters space
    o    Caterpiller 2000+ Lunar Bulldozer (:-)
    o    Processing plant to extract O2 from lunar soil
    o    Solar furnace to melt soil for glass & construction material
    o    Power. Preferably two different means of juice for
        redudancy; solar & fuel cells if you want to be GreenPeace
        happy, nuclear otherwise.
    o    Some food production facility.

After you've established and run this infrastructure for a while (year to 18
months), you could consider plans for:

    o    A smelting (?) facility to process iron and/or titanium
    o    A factory to produce solar cells on-site + antennas
        for exportable power to Earth (possibly) and for LEO/GEO
        projects (more likely?)
    o    Mass driver (which gets its power from the solar cells built
        on-site :) to "export" processed materials.

Main problem is the initial price-tag on building and delivering hardware
on site.


                 Play in the intelluctual sandbox of Usenet

  -- >                  [e-mail]                        < --

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 18:55:17 GMT
From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey <[e-mail]>
Subject: Goddard's influence or lack thereof
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:
>>>>... like someone belittling Goddard because it was
>>>>Von Braun who capitalized on his work...
>>>
>>>early practical development of rockets in both Germany and the US did not
>>>owe much to Goddard except a few bits of basic concept and inspiration,
>>>because Goddard published hardly anything about his later work.
>>I had the impression from reading several histories of rocketry that
>>Goddard and Oberth carried on a lively correspondence through the
>>BIS. Thus I assumed that Von Braun benefited from Goddard's work...
>
> I'd be interested to see references on this.  I checked the obvious source:
> Willy Ley's "Rockets, Missiles, and Men in Space"... obvious because Ley
> was *there*, involved with the VfR from the start.

The other Really Good Source for this is Frank Winter's *Prelude to
the Space Age*, from Smithsonian Press. Winter basically agrees with
the situation Henry describes:

> essentially nothing was known of Goddard's experimental work until his
> Guggenheim report in 1936.  By then, the VfR was defunct and von Braun's
> military team was already flying technology demonstrators and working on
> preliminary design of the A4 (aka V-2).
>
> In 1929, Ley says that Goddard "curtly declined" to correspond with the
> VfR on the subject.  He may have corresponded with Oberth about theoretical
> issues, but he appears to have been entirely uncommunicative about the
> practical side.

Goddard was apparently scarred pretty badly by the ridicule he
received as the "Moon Professor" in 1920, after a well-meaning
Smithsonian Institution issued a press release publicizing his
monograph *A Method of Reaching Extreme Altitudes*.  He clammed up,
and became very secretive about his rocket research.  His work was
very advanced, but nobody benefited from it; the Russians and Germans
had to re-invent most techniques independently.

Lots of people knew about Goddard, in many countries, but Ley and
Winter report that various attempts to correspond with him met with
frustration.  I believe the Caltech gang, the BIS, and the American
Rocket Society in New Jersey all had similar experiences with Goddard.

Since Goddard was so reclusive, and Tsiolkovsky was mostly ignored by
his countrymen (and completely ignored by everybody else!) until after
the Revolution, Hermann Oberth should get the credit for getting the
Space Age started.  Publicity surrounding his book finally lit the flame of
rocket fever in Europe, and had some influence in getting Russians
interested in space and re-discovering Tsiolkovsky.

I would speculate that, if spaceflight had not caught on in the
German-speaking countries in the 1920s, there was enough momentum
going in Russia with people like Nikolai Rynin that the space bug
might have gotten started there.

"Do you know the asteroids, Mr.Kemp?...    Bill Higgins
Hundreds of thousands of them.  All
wandering around the Sun in strange        Fermilab
orbits.  Some never named, never
charted.  The orphans of the Solar         [e-mail]
System, Mr. Kemp."
                                           [e-mail]
"And you want to become a father."
  --*Moon Zero Two*                        SPAN/Hepnet: 43011::HIGGINS

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 09:29:18 GMT
From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey <[e-mail]>
Subject: Good Bio of WvB (was Re: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both? )
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] () writes:
>
>     Von Braun is clearly an interesting and key historical
> figure in space flight. Has a decent biography ever been
> written? (in English?)

No.  Not published, anyway.  Good project for some space historian.

> ***************************************************************
> **  Bill Hiscock    [e-mail]         **
> **  Director                         (406)-994-4223          **
> **  Montana Space Grant Consortium   (406)-994-4452 (FAX)    **

Jeepers, now Montana's at it, too.  I wonder if they're cooperating with the
Confederate Space Agency?

     O~~*           /_) ' / /   /_/ '  ,   ,  ' ,_  _           \|/
   - ~ -~~~~~~~~~~~/_) / / /   / / / (_) (_) / / / _\~~~~~~~~~~~zap!
 /       \                          (_) (_)                    / | \
 |       |     Bill Higgins   Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory
 \       /     Bitnet:     [e-mail]
   -   -       Internet:  [e-mail]
     ~         SPAN/Hepnet:      43011::HIGGINS

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

Date: Mon, 05 Oct 92 16:53:17 GMT
From: Doug Mohney <[e-mail]>
Subject: Laser Space Mirror
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Ian Taylor) writes:

>New Scientist this week (No 1841, 3 October 1992) reports that next month a
>crewless Progress spacecraft will open a space mirror after resupplying Mir
>at an altitude of 350 km.
>
>The solar reflector is 20 metres across and will be unfurled by centrifugal
>force. The mirror weighs 4 kg and is made from aluminium coated plastic film
>5 micrometres thick, it is attached to a 36 Kg frame and costs $60,000.
>
>The plan is to test the effectiveness of using space based mirrors to provide
>illumination for ground based artic locations!

This different from the solar sail experiment they were going to do on another
Progress?

Gotta admire the Russians doing research on a Budweiser budget...
                 Play in the intelluctual sandbox of Usenet

  -- >                  [e-mail]                        < --

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 18:22:37 GMT
From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey <[e-mail]>
Subject: LIST OF SPACE LAUNCHES WANTED
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] writes:
> I may be visiting the United States in 1993.   Since childhood I have had a
> lifelong interest in space exploration, and for this reason I would like to
> time my visit to Florida so that I can watch a shuttle launch.

[I wrote a private reply to Andrew, then decided that portions of it
might be of more general interest, so I'm posting.]

Ken Hollis ([e-mail]), who works at Kennedy Space
Center, regularly posts a manifest of upcoming Shuttle launches, along
with  advice about watching them, to sci.space.shuttle.  Watch that
newsgroup for the latest schedule.

>Also, I may be visiting Europe and several states of the CIS.   Does anyone
>have a list of Russian launches during this period and information on how I
>might get to see them?   Alternatively, are there any other historic or
>significant launches anywhere else in the world?

This is harder.  You can watch American launches from any parking lot
in Titusville, but it's more difficult to get to Tyuratam and get
permission to watch.  George Hastings, [e-mail],
has been through the Russian equivalent of "Space Camp;" perhaps he
can give some advice.  There is also a company called

Aerospace Ambassadors
PO Box 12603
Huntsville AL 35815
[phone]

which runs launch tours in the CIS.  Write them and ask about it.  Hope you've
got plenty of money...

[Then I appended a copy of <[e-mail]>,
which is Ken Hollis's manifest posting.]

Bill Higgins, Beam Jockey              | Here Lies Bill Higgins:
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory  | He Never Ever Learned
Bitnet:           [e-mail]  | To Play Guitar So Well
Internet:       [e-mail]  | But He Could Read and Write
SPAN/Hepnet:           43011::HIGGINS  | Just Like Ringing A Bell

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 19:32:14 GMT
From: David Knapp <[e-mail]>
Subject: Mars Observer info?
Newsgroups: sci.space,alt.sci.planetary

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Kristian Niininen) writes: (in *only* sci.space...shrug)

>How big is the Mars Observer? (weight, length etc.)
>What kinds of instruments it has?
>I haven't been reading this group for long, so that info might have been
>here before, but slipped away from me :)


Mars Observer:
"Shaped like a box"
1.1m (3.25') high x 2.2m (7.0') wide 1.6 m (5.0')deep.

Built under contract from NASA and JPL by GE aerospace.

2,573 kg (5,672 lbs)

Three year design life time. (if this winds up being like Pioneer Venus,it'll
be going until 2010!)

6'x7.2'x.3' solar panel array

Instruments:

Gamma Ray Spectrometer; studies surface chemicals/composition
Mars Observer Camera; photographs surface
Thermal Emission Spectrometer; measures IR (I'm guessing primarily surface)
Pressure Modulator Infrared Radiometer; measures the atmospheric emission
Mars Observer Laser Altimeter; gives higher resolution topographical info
Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer; investigates Martian magnetic fields.

(note:Mars' magnetic field is *very* small;a fraction of a percent of Earth's)

Also carries French radio system to support robotic missions by the Russians.
Two Russian craft to lauch, one in '94, one in '96. MO supports these missions.
MO will also serve as data relay from the Russian surface instruments.

The MOC (camera) has <*2* meter resolution! (loud gasp of amazement.) This will
allow for detailed study of mass transport over the surface with seasonal
variations. (and some very impressive photos indeed.)

All info above from "Mapping the red planet; The Mars Observer Global Mapping
Mission" document put out by the fine folks at NASA.



--
David Knapp                                      University of Colorado, Boulder
Perpetual Student                                   [e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 21:01:11 BST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: My final word on Ion to Pluto (long)

> from sensitive instrumentation, the Pluto spacecraft is quite
small, with
> RTGs body mounted.  Depending on the type of instrumentation, more
shielding
>


I presume this means that an isotope source is once again available?
Which plant is on line? Will production be threatened by the nuclear
weapons cut backs? (I believe the RTG material was made in the same
breeder reactors that were used by the DOE for weapon fissionables.

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 14:13:45 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: MYSTERY OBJECT
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Nunnelee) writes:
>    We would very much be interested in any other observations of this
>objects from amateur astronomers across the southeastern U.S.  If we
>could get good timings and/or positions, it should be possible to
>determine its altitude precisely and perhaps its orbit as well.  Also,
>is anyone aware of a satellite, upper stage, etc., that might have
>reentered the atmosphere at that time?

WSB-TV reported on their 11pm newscast that night that they had received
several calls from the Smyrna Ga area reporting this fireball passing
overhead. They didn't give specific times, but likely have them on
file in their caller log. They also reported that some callers reported
a bright flash on the horizon after the object passed from view.
Impact??? No further news reports about the object have been seen here.

Gary

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

Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:47:05 GMT
From: Henry Spencer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pioneer Venus Out of Fuel, Orbit Deteroriating
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Aaron Wigley [Wigs]) writes:
>What is the current operation status of Pioneer Venus?

Operational, apart from the tanks being dry.

>Would we be able to get any useful data as it enters Venus's atmosphere...

Yes, although it might be a bit more limited than originally planned, given
the unexpectedly short notice.
--
There is nothing wrong with making      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim|  [e-mail]  utzoo!henry

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 16:53:48 GMT
From: Paul Dokas <[e-mail]>
Subject: Population here and elsewhere?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <gdavis.718295859@griffin>, [e-mail] (Gary Davis) writes:
|>
|>      With the relatively low priority and lack of basic understanding
|> of our environment shown by most on this board;it is indeed merciful
|> that none are actively in this area.
|> What does bringing back dinosaurs have to do with such a critical
|> human dilemma as uncontrolled population growth. Persons who ecourage such
|> must either be quite ignorant of the future consequences or so insensitive
|> to the situation that reason eludes them.
|>
|> Rush Limbaugh was quoted recently as stating that population growth
|> was a "phoney" issue since if we move the entire world pouplation
|> as it exists presently, to the state of Texas the human density would
|> equal that of New York City. Pooh.. Pooh.. population growth and the
|> environment are a ploy of the liberals!
|>
|> Aside from the fact that Limbaugh is a pompus donkey;the truly frightening
|> part is he has so many mindless idolators in his ranks.
           ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

It sure is scary seeing how many people actually listen to RL.  It only
proves how much some people want to not think for themselves, and have
someone else do it for them.

|>
|> Yes, if he had his way I'm sure Earth would become the planet Gideon.

--
#include <std.disclaimer>
#define FULL_NAME                          "Paul Dokas"
#define EMAIL                              "[e-mail]"
/* we are realizing infinite possibilities in exchange for our soul */

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

Date: 5 Oct 1992 18:52:23 GMT
From: "E.J. Draper" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Population here and elsewhere?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <gdavis.718295859@griffin> Gary Davis, [e-mail]
writes:

>     With the relatively low priority and lack of basic understanding
>of our environment shown by most on this board;it is indeed merciful
>that none are actively in this area.

Perhaps you could educate us (the poor misguided fools of this board)
concerning this _dire_ emergency.  Some supportive science data could be
quite useful along the way.  I`ve already heard some of the great
disaster stories of the 20th century like: Global Warming (80s-90s), The
Coming Ice Age (70s), Cow Farts and other horrors.

What`s next?  Is the sky is falling again?


>What does bringing back dinosaurs have to do with such a critical
>human dilemma as uncontrolled population growth. Persons who ecourage
such
>must either be quite ignorant of the future consequences or so
insensitive
>to the situation that reason eludes them.

Ya, ya, another tiresome


      |E|J-  ED DRAPER
 rEpar|D|<-  Radiologic/Pathologic Institute
             The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
             [e-mail]

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 17:03:55 GMT
From: "E.J. Draper" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Russia's OPERATIONAL Starwars Defense System
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.skeptic

>>                                    Robert E. McElwaine
>>                                    B.S., Physics and Astronomy, UW-EC

What does the acronym

I think this McElwaine character is a more of a jokester than a crank.

Let`s do some research, eh?


      |E|J-  ED DRAPER
 rEpar|D|<-  Radiologic/Pathologic Institute
             The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
             [e-mail]

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

Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 21:08:16 BST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Southern Cosmospheres

> As an adjunct to the Confederate Air Force (CSAAF), we have the
headquarters
> of the Confederate Space Command (CSC) located in Paint Rock
Alabama.

> Our office gained unnecessary publicity when our SPACE SPHERES were
seen
>


And it is a well known fact that the CAF (based in Harlingen, Texas)
has the third largest air force in the world... Hmmm.  ;-)

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

Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 15:53:46 GMT
From: Henry Spencer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Thomas Clarke) writes:
>I recall reading that there was a plot to spirit von Braun out of
>Germany into England.  The plot was busted and von Braun was set
>for execution when someone whispered in the fuhrer's ear...

This sounds like a melodramatic exaggeration of something that actually
did happen...  Von Braun was arrested by the Gestapo, the charge being
basically that he was more interested in spaceflight than in helping the
war effort.  Dornberger (Von Braun's boss) got him turned loose by pointing
out that the V-2 project was blessed by Hitler himself and claiming that

von Braun was vital to it.  It appears that he didn't bother denying the
Gestapo's accusations... which were undoubtedly true.  Hitler was not
himself involved in either the arrest or the release.  I've heard of no
evidence that von Braun was interested in defecting or attempted to do so.
--
There is nothing wrong with making      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim|  [e-mail]  utzoo!henry

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

Date: Monday, 5 Oct 1992 16:52:33 SET
From: "Mike M. Skala" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Thomas
Clarke) says:
>
>I recall reading that there was a plot to spirit von Braun out of
>Germany into England.  The plot was busted and von Braun was set
>for execution when someone whispered in the fuhrer's ear that if

                    Goering, I think


>he wanted his Vengance-2 weapon, he had better commute the sentence
>of Herr von Braun.
>
>Somewhat less reverently, I also recall the words to Tom Lehrer's
>60's ditty:
>"'The rockets go up. I don't know where they come down.
>That's not my department,' says Werner von Braun."
>

Good first to second hand accounts about Wernher von Braun
can be found in Arthur C. Clarkes "Astounding Years"
his new Pulpobiography. (Actually it's about 'Astounding'
magazine, but he like to talk about himself. Strongly recommended)

citing from my memory ACCs memory of a WvB comment:
"No, I didn't know what went on in the concentration camps.
 But I suspected and I could have used my position to find out.
 I didn't do this, and I'm deeply ashamed."

mike

PS: Count me as one of the 'younger generation', who strongly
    suspects there is no black & white and there never was.

--
Mike M. Skala
[e-mail]

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 17:58:13 GMT
From: Duane P Mantick <[e-mail]>
Subject: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both?
Newsgroups: sci.space

[e-mail] (Mike M. Skala) writes:


>citing from my memory ACCs memory of a WvB comment:
>"No, I didn't know what went on in the concentration camps.
> But I suspected and I could have used my position to find out.
> I didn't do this, and I'm deeply ashamed."

    Of course, there are also those who would say that the firestorms
created by the incendiary bombings of Cologne and Dresden were totally
unnecessary and were in themselves, criminal acts...and that they weren't
justified simply because we won the war, either.

    Had Von Braun attempted to use any influence to noodle with the
concentration camps in any way, he'd have quite possibly ended up there
himself.  Herr Schicklegruber was notorious for having only a limited
amount of patience with folks who disagreed with what he was doing.  :-)

    Or as the Commander of the German troops at the Remagen Bridge
might have said just before he was shot for failing his assignment -
"well, scheisse - we tried....".   :-)

Duane

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 19:28:44 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both?
Newsgroups: sci.space

    Von Braun is clearly an interesting and key historical
figure in space flight. Has a decent biography ever been
written? (in English?)

***************************************************************
**  Bill Hiscock    [e-mail]         **
**  Director                         (406)-994-4223          **                     **
**  Montana Space Grant Consortium   (406)-994-4452 (FAX)    **                        **
**  AJM Johnson Hall                                         **
**  Montana State University                                 **
**  Bozeman, MT 59717 U.S.A.                         **
***************************************************************

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

Date: 5 Oct 92 20:29:07 GMT
From: Don Roberts <[e-mail]>
Subject: Von Braun -- Hero, Villain, or Both?
Newsgroups: sci.space

[e-mail] writes:

>    Von Braun is clearly an interesting and key historical
>figure in space flight. Has a decent biography ever been
>written? (in English?)

Per Charles Murray's excellent book on the Apollo Program:

Von Braun wrote an autobiography some while back entitled "I Aim for the
Stars." Word around NASA at the time was that the full-length title was "I
Aim for the Stars...But Sometimes I Hit London" (a little sick vengeance
weapon humor there).
--
 Dr. Donald W. Roberts
   University of California                                     Physicist
   Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory        Recreational Bodybuilder
   [e-mail]                                          Renaissance Dude

 The ideas and opinions expressed here do not represent official policies
 of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory,  the University of California,
                or the United States Department of Energy.

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

Date: Mon, 5 Oct 92 19:31:55 BST
From: [e-mail]
Subject: what use is Fred?

> the area in skylab where the crew exercise equipment was.....  With
all the
> hatches open, within the US areas alone, the crew will be able to
have
> great frisbee games or races....if they had the time.....
>


If any of them went to CMU when I did, they are great hall frisbee
"football" players. You'd be amazed at the ricochet's you can get. I
hope the switches and screens are cut out for it :-)

> More importantly, as I alluded to in my prior post, a complete SSF
provides
> a HUGE structure.  This structure is almost 300 feet long.....Thats
a
> football field..... It also has power panels and radiators which
stick
>


You mean it's SO big that it would have fit into the stadium of the
Coraopolis High School!! ;-)

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

End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 287
------------------------------