Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V15_3/V15NO308.TXT

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Date: Mon, 12 Oct 92 05:00:02
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #308
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Mon, 12 Oct 92       Volume 15 : Issue 308

Today's Topics:
                   A Brief History of Time (movie)
                       GMT of Sputnik 1 Launch?
                          HRMS/SETI Answers
Lecture Summary: What if SETI Succeeds, myth that we're prepared (long)
                         Mars Observer info?
                               MO TCM-1
      Pioneer Venus Update - 10/09/92 (End of Mission) (4 msgs)
                              Space.gifs
          THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OPTICAL SETI

    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: 11 Oct 92 06:22:39 GMT
From: "James T. Green" <[e-mail]>
Subject: A Brief History of Time (movie)
Newsgroups: sci.space

[e-mail] (Mark Bixby) speakith unto us:
>
>"A Brief History of Time" is a quite fascinating movie.  No extensive knowledge
>of cosmology is required to enjoy it.  Stephen Hawking does a lot of "talking",
>but doesn't actually narrate the film.
>--

Does anyone know when this will be out on Videotape?  At any rate
whenever it does come out, please post it here (San Luis Obispo
is at the edge of the Universe when it comes to such things).

/~~~(-: James T. Green :-)~~~~(-: [e-mail] :-)~~~\
| If the official Republican platform is carried out,           |
| a 13 year old girl who becomes pregnant as a result of being  |
| raped by her father, and who has an abortion, could end up    |
| in the gas chamber.                                           |

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

Date: 10 Oct 92 16:55:22 GMT
From: Bruce Watson <[e-mail]>
Subject: GMT of Sputnik 1 Launch?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <roelle.718655445@uars_mag| roelle@uars_mag.jhuapl.edu (Curtis Roelle) writes:
|Can someone look up the GMT of Sputnik 1's launch.  I was born on
|October 3, 1957 at 19:35 CST.
|
|Although the official launch date is October 4, the local time in the
|United States was likely October 3.  How many hours & minutes
|older/younger am I than Sputnik 1?
|
|Curt [e-mail]

I have 1957 October 4 at 19:10 UT for the launch time.

--
Bruce Watson (wats@scicom)  Tumbra, Zorkovick; Sparkula zoom krackadomando.

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 20:22:30 GMT
From: Kok Chen <[e-mail]>
Subject: HRMS/SETI Answers
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro

[e-mail] (Rohit Sharma) writes:

>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Edward T. Olsen) writes:
>
>>solar type stars within 25 pc (there are nearly 800) over the
>>microwave spectrum between 1 GHz and 3 GHz at 1 Hz resolution.
>                            ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> why this particular portion of the mw spectrum ?


This part of the microwave spectrum is the least noisy.  Moreover,
SETI folks being the poetic people they are, this band includes
the microwave "Water-hole." :-) :-)  (An H emission line exists at
1420 MHz and a set of four OH lines clustered about 1670 MHz, if
memory serves.)  Some searches in the past have been conducted inside
the water hole, and at other magic frequencies such as 2x 1420 MHz.

(Good luck, Ed.)


Kok Chen, AA6TY                [e-mail]
Apple Computer, Inc.

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 16:42:30 GMT
From: Tom A Baker <[e-mail]>
Subject: Lecture Summary: What if SETI Succeeds, myth that we're prepared (long)
Newsgroups: sci.space

September Lecture Summary - Boston Chapter, National Space Society

by Roxanne R. Warniers

September's presentation was given by Frank White, author of the
two current books Overview Effect and The SETI Factor, and his
upcoming book International Space. Mr. White presented two ideas
for open discussion: 1) Myths in our way of being prepared for
SETI contact, and 2) "Personal Space" and the importance of low
cost access to orbit.



Contact Myths

NASA's SETI project is set to begin in October, to coincide with
the 500th anniversary of Columbus's discovery of America. Should
this project succeed in finding evidence of extra-terrestrial
intelligence, most people would have to agree with Mr. White
that the impact on human culture would be enormous. At our
meeting, he proposed that many myths stand in our way of being
effectively prepared for this contact. A lively discussion
ensued involving a wide-ranging review of world history as
everyone attempted to find precedents for 'first contact.'

We tend to assume now that contact will be positive, Mr. White
commented, a over-reaction to the early days of TV and Radio
representations of evil aliens. But the contact might not be
positive... Another common assumption is that the populace of
Earth would bind together in the face of alien contact - Mr.
White doesn't think that would necessarily be the case.

If the aliens were clearly malevolent, we might bind together,
although Mr. White and our group recounted stories of American
Indian tribes who did not come together in the face of the
expansionist colonies. Instead, they sought alliances with the
various groups (American, English, French, and British) to
better defeat their tribal enemies.

A benign contact could be very problematic too. If the aliens
appear peaceful, and even helpful, we may polarize into groups
in order to procure an alliance to defeat our earthly enemies.
"Benign" is also subject to various interpretation, as our group
remembered well-intentioned missionaries who forced religion on
the people and inadvertently decimated populations with their
common diseases.

An alien contact could also be mischievous or deceptive. It
would be very hard to determine intent from any message.


Personal Space

In the second part of Frank White's open discussion, he talked
about his new passion - the idea of 'Personal Space' and the
importance of low cost access to orbit. In his previous
writings, Mr. White's thought have evolved from national space
to international space; for him, the next step is Personal Space.

Mr. White sees a major problem in our space programs today
because there is no public excitement and no personal interest.
The current space program has no specific, easily-identified
goal, unlike the space race in the 1950's and 1960's that
mobilized an entire country, allocating resources, gearing
education more towards math and science, and funding research.

We should change the priority of the purpose of space program to
get the maximum number of people into space, according to Mr.
White. More people would be interested in Space program if they
could have a better chance to go themselves. He identifies
people's desire/need to be 'out there' themselves as "Personal
Space."

White used the analogy of personal computers to better explain
Personal Space. Large computers lumbered along for many years
but were inaccessible except to the 'elite'. With the advent of
personal computers, a much larger segment of the population has
access to computers. These small computers have become a
necessity to our culture, and life without them would be
significantly less productive, if not less rewarding. White
believes that if people were given access to space in the same
ways as PCs provided access to computing power, they would come
to cherish and demand the extra freedom.


Low Cost Access

The major obstacle to giving people access to space is its high
cost. A substantial percent of this high cost is dedicated to
achieving Earth orbit. Frank White believes the cost of
achieving orbit must come down if Personal Space if ever to take
off. His ideal cost for individual transportation to Earth orbit
would be similar to the price of a plane ticket between Boston
and New York.

What model would move the space movement toward giving high
priority to the goal of low cast access to orbit and Personal
Space? Mr. White suggested one model similar to the beginning of
first commercially successful personal computers, where Steven
Jobs and Steven Wozniak built the Apple computer in their
garage. Although everyone agreed that space flight required more
technology and capital than a few entrepreneurs could easily
assemble.

Mr. White prefers a second model. He suggested that a mass
grass-roots movement, similar to the civil rights movement,
would produce the best results. He says that when people begin
to see space as a freedom not to be denied, and low cost access
as a natural individual right, public sentiment would readily
support the same kind of vision that got us to the moon in 1969.
We take for granted our right to leave our country, but the
planet may be our prison and we don't have the technology to
leave it yet. "If we cannot leave" he says, "we cannot go to our
next step" in evolution.

Mr. White notes that some have responded with apprehension to
popular access to space. Many of these people prefer a space
expansion similar to current management of Antarctic
exploration, where it is shared by all, but accessible to only
the academic elite. The underlying philosophy here is that
humans cannot be trusted. Frank White acknowledges that a policy
of PersonalSpace will send forth the good and the bad free
spirits, but we must trust our ability to handle it. After all,
those emissaries are only natural; we are the human race.

Frank White is a Rhodes Scholar and a Senior Associate at the
Space Studies Institute in Princeton, New Jersey, as well as a
senior consultant on space and high technology issues for Hill &
Knowlton. In addition, Mr. White gave the banquet speech at 1992
national NSS Conference.


This article is copyrighted (C) by its author, 1992.

Excerpts cannot be used, except for reviews and criticisms, without
written permission of NSS, Boston Chapter.  (We will try to respond
by e-mail within two business days.)

"Space Views", the newsletter, is sent monthly over the Internet, BIX
and America Online, by request.  There is a subscription charge.
If interested, contact this poster.
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                   // \___//                | of a spacefaring civilization.
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 BIX - tombaker              /  O  /  | promoting the eventual establishment
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______________________________________|______________________________________

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 20:08:15 GMT
From: Steve Collins <[e-mail]>
Subject: Mars Observer info?
Newsgroups: sci.space,alt.sci.planetary

From the standpoint of attitude control, pointing the MOC at a moon is
possible but rather tricky. MO can hold an inertial attitude and
slew about a fixed body axis, to provide some motion compensation, the
hard part is doing this whileiBJJ'>s meeting several constraints we have on
attitude. The camera can't bee
pointed too close to the sun, and we can't have the array away from the
sun for too long.  Since this sort of thing interrups our normal mapping
and Mars atmospheric data collection, several science teams would prefer
we didn't.  If we are still up and running at the end of the nominal mission,
there is a good chance we will attempt to do some stuff like that. From
an AACS point of view it probably possible, I don't really know how
close we get, so I'm not sure what kind of picture might be possible.
I have heard talk about trying to get hi res pictures of the viking landing
sites, though...
                     steve Collins MO Spacecraft Team (AACS)

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 20:19:53 GMT
From: Steve Collins <[e-mail]>
Subject: MO TCM-1
Newsgroups: sci.space,alt.sci.planetary

We performed Mars Observer TCM-1 last night. Everything went remarkably well.
The on board accelerometers indicated that the 490 N engines shut down
at the intended 50.0 m/sec delta-V. The first look from the NAV team indicates
that our actual delta-V may be slightly smaller. We had a few tense moments
when we failed to receive telemetry at the expected time following the
burn, but DSN achieved lock after a few minutes and the spacecraft was
in the correct configuration. We returned to Array Normal Spin without
incident and when I left (about 2:30 am PDT) we were processing stars
normally. This was a big milestone for us and everyone from JPL and
GE are very happy.
            Steve Collins MO Spacecraft Team (AACS)

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 15:00:25 GMT
From: Joe Cain <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pioneer Venus Update - 10/09/92 (End of Mission)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,alt.sci.planetary

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>
>     October 6 - Pioneer Venus survived periapsis on orbit 5054, at an
>                 altitude of 130.8 km and a drag of 0.91 m/s.
>
>     October 7 - Pioneer Venus survived periapsis on orbit 5055,
>                 at an altitude of 128.9 km and a drag of 1.9 m/s.

 The estimated periapsis altitude of the final
>                 orbit was 128.0 km, and the final estimated drag was at
>                 2.5 m/s.


    Without starting a long thread for naive questions, could
someone explain how the spacecraft could have lasted so long
considering that generally those in LEO disappear around 180 km
where the number density (if I read the tables in Chamberlain
and Hunten's "Planetary Atmospheres" correctly) is about 10E10/cm^3,
whereas Venus appears to have nearly 10E12/cm^3 (of CO2) at 130 km?
Similar levels of those at Earth's 180 km would seem to be reached on
Venus near 150 km. Was it not near circular by this time?

    I would have thought that there would have been significant
and perhaps destructive heating sooner.

Joseph Cain        [e-mail]
[e-mail]        scri::cain

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 16:45:37 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Pioneer Venus Update - 10/09/92 (End of Mission)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,alt.sci.planetary

An earlier post suggested that data on Venus's atmosphere would be gathered
upon reentry.  I take it that since the probe re-entered on the far side and
was lost, no data was gathered?

-Mike

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 20:00:14 GMT
From: Chris Jones <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pioneer Venus Update - 10/09/92 (End of Mission)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro

In article <[e-mail]>, moroney@ramblr writes:
>An earlier post suggested that data on Venus's atmosphere would be gathered
>upon reentry.  I take it that since the probe re-entered on the far side and
>was lost, no data was gathered?

I believe the very act of entering the atmosphere enabled data to be gathered.
As was posted here in <[e-mail]>, presumably
the article which you are following up, measurements were taken of PVO's
periapsis and the drag encountered as it dipped into the Venusian atmosphere on
each orbit.
--
Chris Jones    [e-mail]

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

Date: 11 Oct 92 21:48:40 GMT
From: David Knapp <[e-mail]>
Subject: Pioneer Venus Update - 10/09/92 (End of Mission)
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,alt.sci.planetary

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>An earlier post suggested that data on Venus's atmosphere would be gathered
>upon reentry.  I take it that since the probe re-entered on the far side and
>was lost, no data was gathered?
>
>-Mike


Data were gathered but at a low s/n. This was the fluorescnec of collisionally
excited gases. We did see some lyman alpha and hints of perhaps CO 4+ but
this is up for further analysis.  There were only two or three orbits
which dipped deep enough to see this fluorescence. More later as the data
are deconvolved.






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

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

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 92 12:17:11 MST
From: Micky Brus <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space.gifs

Just needing some help in reading gifs.  I have downloaded some space gifs
from Ames, but can`t get them to work on my gif reader.  I am using Cshow and
have not had trouble reading gifs until I tried the ones that are downloaded of
f Internet.  I use binary mode instead of ascii.  Is there anything that I
am missing?  Thanks for your help.

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

Date: Sun, 11 Oct 1992 13:43:10 GMT
From: Stuart A Kingsley <[e-mail]>
Subject: THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OPTICAL SETI
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space

        From the author of the January 1992 six-part EJASA (THE ELECTRONIC
    JOURNAL OF THE ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF THE ATLANTIC) article (Vol. 3,
    No. 6A-6F) on Optical SETI (OSETI).  The following material, which has
    been slightly modified, was featured in the October 1992 issue of EJASA
    (Vol. 4, No. 3):


                 FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OPTICAL SETI

                            Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley

        As a result of the January EJASA article and floppy disk versions
    that I mailed to key members of the laser communications community, I
    was asked during the summer by Dr. David L. Begley of Ball Aerospace
    Systems Group, to organize a conference on Optical SETI for SPIE (The
    International Society of Optical Engineering).  Dr. David Begley is the
    previous chairman of the Free-Space Laser Communications conferences.

        The SETI conference was originally planned to be a single session in
    SPIE's Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies V conference, chaired
    by Dr. Stephen Mecherle of TRW, Inc.  Twelve months ago, I would not
    have believed that one year after publication of the EJASA article, we
    would be in the position to organize what is effectively, though
    unofficially, the First International Conference on Optical SETI.

        Let it be noted here that the word "optical" is used in a manner
    familiar to optoelectronics (photonics) engineers and scientists, as an
    umbrella term.  It denotes that part of the spectrum where optical]
    devices, e.g., lenses, are used for focussing electromagnetic energy.
    It is a superset of both "visible" and "infrared".  Astrophysicists are
    advised to adopt the more modern definition to avoid confusion in the
    scientific endeavor called Optical SETI.  Thus, the statement "optical
    and infrared SETI" is incorrect - rather it should be stated as "visible
    and infrared SETI".  The word "optical" is not to be taken as being
    synonymous with the word "visible", since the former covers all
    electromagnetic frequencies from the far-infrared to the ultra-violet.

        Even though the summer vacation period was a difficult time to
    organize a conference, I was able to get so many papers at short notice,
    that the single session was extended into a dedicated conference with
    three sessions and a separate published proceedings (approximately 200
    pages).  The latter will be available (hopefully) shortly after the
    conference and will constitute the first publication on this subject.
    The OSETI conference follows on immediately after the Free-Space Laser
    Communication Technologies V conference.

        This SETI event will be of particular interest to laser
    communications scientists and engineers.  It presents the opportunity to
    help resolve the dichotomy within NASA that while lasers are fine for
    GEO to GEO, GEO to LEO, deep-space and interstellar communications, ETIs
    would not use such technology to signal emerging technical civilizations
    (us).  The first session has been devised to bring the laser
    communications community up to speed on Microwave (Conventional) SETI
    (MSETI) and general SETI related matters.  The second and third sessions
    are specifically devoted to Optical SETI topics.  Since I thought it
    important to get a variety of opinions as to the veracity of SETI and
    the efficacy of the optical approach, I have included many shades of
    opinion.

        We are fortunate in being able to have Arthur C. Clarke kick off
    this conference from his home in Sri Lanka.  We are working to set up a
    live international satellite link with Arthur C. Clarke but at a minimum
    we will have a video-taped address.  These days, Clarke's health
    precludes extensive travelling.  We are also investigating the
    possibility that NASA Select TV could cover the entire conference on a
    live or taped-delayed basis.  If you cannot attend this conference but
    would like to see it transmitted by NASA Select, write to SPIE and NASA
    Headquarters requesting this coverage.  The more people lobby for this
    the more likely we will get the cooperation of the concerned parties.
    For those with a TVRO (TeleVision Receive Only) satellite dish, NASA
    Select TV is available on Satcom F2R (72 W), Transponder 13.  Look out
    for coverage of the HRMS switch-on on NASA Select TV tomorrow
    (October 12).

        The "Grand Old Man" of SETI, Dr. Bernard M. Oliver, who is extremely
    critical of the optical approach, will demonstrate for the first time to
    the laser communications community why ETIs would not use lasers for
    (SETI) interstellar communications.  We also have Professor Frank
    Tipler, a strong critic of SETI, explaining why both Microwave and
    Optical SETI is a waste of time since he thinks that we are the first
    civilization in this galaxy.  Noted philosopher, Professor Neil Tennant,
    will present his ideas as to why there could be major problems in
    actually decoding the message on an ETI signal.  There will be a
    discussion roundtable at the end of the conference, moderated by Nobel
    laureate Charles Townes (1964 - masers/lasers), who earlier will be
    talking about his Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Optical SETI laser work, and the
    CO2 OSETI observations presently being conducted by Dr. Albert Betz on
    Mt. Wilson.

        Note, that as with previous SETI publications, the latest SETI book
    by Frank Drake and Dava Sobel "Is Anyone Out There?" hardly mentions the
    optical approach.  This conference intends to redress that omission.
    This "controversial" OSETI conference should be a "fun" event but you
    don't need to be a laser communications engineer or SETI scientist to
    attend - just a curiosity about "our" place in the grand scheme of
    things.

        You are encouraged to remail this material to anyone you know with
    interests in SETI.  You might like to print out the program below and
    pin it up on your astronomical society, company, faculty, or school
    notice board.




        Here now is the Advance Technical Program:


                                   OE/LASE '93

               THE SEARCH FOR EXTRATERRESTRIAL INTELLIGENCE (SETI)
                             IN THE OPTICAL SPECTRUM

                            SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1867

    Location: Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel, Los Angeles, California,
    USA.

    Conference Chairman: Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley, Fiberdyne Optoelectronics.
    Co-chair: Dr. Monte Ross, Laser Data Technology, Inc.


             SESSION 1 - INTRODUCTION AND CONVENTIONAL MICROWAVE SETI

    Session Chairman - Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley, Fiberdyne Optoelectronics.

    Thursday, January 21, 1993

    Afternoon
    1:30 to 6:00 pm

        "Let there be light"
        (Keynote Address)
        Arthur C. Clarke
        Chancellor - International Space University, Sri Lanka.
        (30 minutes)
        Recorded or live video address from his home in Sri Lanka.
        (1867-01)


        "The NASA search for evidence of extraterrestrial technologies"
        (Keynote Paper)
        David Brocker
        (30 minutes)
        Project Manager, HRMS
        SETI Office
        NASA Ames Research Center
        (1867-02)


        "Strategies for SETI target selection"
        Dr. David W. Latham and Dr. David R. Soderblom
        (20 minutes)
        Dr. David W. Latham
        Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

        Dr. David R. Soderblom
        Associate Astronomer
        Space Telescope Science Institute
        (1867-03)


        "High-resolution microwave all-sky survey"
        Dr. Michael J. Klein and Dr. Samuel Gulkis
        (20 minutes)
        Dr. Michael J. Klein
        HRMS Program Manager
        Jet Propulsion Laboratory

        Dr. Samuel Gulkis
        Jet Propulsion Laboratory
        (1867-04)


        "SETI - a waste of time!"
        (Invited Paper)
        Professor Frank Tipler
        (30 minutes)
        Physics Department
        Tulane University
        (1867-05)


        "Using modern analytical philosophy (MAP) to sweep the MOP clean:
        Non-optical reflections upon untapped data, bad arguments and the
        nonexistence of Von Neumann interstellar probes."
        Clive Goodall
        (30 minutes)
        Department of Philosophy
        The Ohio State University
        (1867-06)


        "The decoding problem: do we need to search for extra terrestrial
        intelligence to Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence?"
        Professor Neil W. Tennant
        (30 minutes)
        Department of Philosophy
        The Ohio State University
        (1867-07)


    Evening

    Reception for the authors from this conference and the Free-Space Laser
    Communications V conference.



                            SESSION 2 - OPTICAL SETI I

    Session Chairman - Dr. Monte Ross, Laser Data Technology, Inc.

    Friday, January 22, 1993

    Morning
    8:30 to 11:30 am

        "Fundamental factors affecting the optimum frequency range for SETI"
        (Invited Paper)
        Dr. Bernard M. Oliver
        (30 minutes)
        Deputy Chief, NASA SETI Office
        NASA Ames Research Center
        (1867-08)


        "The search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) in the optical
        spectrum and professional optical SETI: a review"
        Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley
        (30 minutes)
        President
        Fiberdyne Optoelectronics
        (1867-09)


        "An economic rationale for extraterrestrials using lasers for SETI"
        Dr. Monte Ross
        (20 minutes)
        President
        Laser Data Technology, Inc.
        (1867-10)


        "Infrared SETI"
        Professor Charles H. Townes
        (30 minutes)
        Department of Physics
        Space Sciences Laboratory
        University of California, Berkeley
        (1867-11)


        "Use of lasers for interstellar beacons, communications and travel"
        Dr. John Rather
        (20 minutes)
        NASA Headquarters
        (1867-12)


        "Optical SETI from the southern hemisphere"
        Dr. Guillermo A. Lemarchand, Dr. Gregory M. Beskin,
        Dr. Fernando R. Colomb, and Dr. Mariano Mendez
        (20 minutes)
        Dr. Guillermo A. Lemarchand
        Visiting Fellow
        Center for Radiophysics and
        Space Research
        Cornell University

        Dr. Gregory M. Beskin
        Special Astrophysical Observatory
        Soviet Academy of Science

        Dr. Fernando Raul Colomb
        Director
        Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomia

        Dr. Mariano Mendez
        Researcher
        Observatorio Astronomico de La Plata
        (1867-13)



                            SESSION 3 - OPTICAL SETI II

    Session Chairman - Dr. James R. Lesh, Jet Propulsion Laboratory

    Friday, January 22, 1993

    Afternoon
    1:00 to 2:00 pm

       "Application of one measure of search merit to optical SETI"
        Dr. D. Kent Cullers
        (20 minutes)
        Signal Detection Sub-System Manager
        SETI Project
        NASA Ames Research Center
        (1867-14)


        "Large M-ary pulse position modulation and photon buckets for
        effective interstellar communications"
        Dr. Monte Ross
        (20 minutes)
        President
        Laser Data Technology, Inc.
        (1867-15)


        "Amateur optical SETI"
        Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley
        (20 minutes)
        President
        Fiberdyne Optoelectronics
        (1867-16)


        Workshop/Panel Discussion
        4.00 - 6.00 pm

    Moderator - Professor Charles H. Townes, University of California,
    Berkeley.

        General Discussion Roundtable
        Possible inclusion of Arthur C. Clarke in discussion via telephone.


        To receive a copy of the Advance Technical Program from SPIE which
    also provides information about registration, accommodation and costs to
    attend this conference (see details below), contact Rosa Cays
    ([e-mail]) or Terry Montonye ([e-mail]) at:

        SPIE
        P.O. Box 10
        Bellingham
        WA 98227-0010
        Tel: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]


        The manuscript due date is December 21.  It will be possible to
    accept a couple of late papers on Microwave and Optical SETI if bios and
    abstracts are submitted to the conference chairman for approval before
    November 15.  For more information and to submit abstracts, Stuart
    Kingsley can be contacted at:

        Fiberdyne Optoelectronics
        545 Northview Drive
        Columbus
        Ohio 43209
        Tel: [phone]
        Fax: [phone]
        OSETI Bulletin Board System (BBS): [phone]
        Internet: [e-mail]
        CompuServe: 72376,3545


    OE/LASE '93 includes symposia over the period 16-23 January 1993 on the
    following subjects:

    Free-Space Laser Communications V (January 20-21, 1993).
    The Search For Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) in the Optical
    Spectrum (January 21-22, 1993).
    Laser Engineering (January 17-22, 1993).
    Optoelectronic Processing and Interconnects (January 17-23, 1993).
    Biomedical Optics '93 (January 16-22, 1993).

        There are also educational short courses (January 17-22, 1993) and
    two technical exhibitions, the Medical Exhibition (January 16-17, 1993),
    and the Laser and Sensor Exhibition (January 19-21, 1993).


    Registration
                              Member         Working         Non-
                                              Group         Member
    Full Conference*          $355            $380           $415
    Author (full conf.)       $290            $310           $340
    One day                   $165            $175           $190
    Author (one day)          $140            $150           $165
    Students (no lunch)       $ 60            $N/A           $ 70

    *Rate for a three-day conference.

    **There is no separate registration rate for the SETI conference.

        Attendees for the SETI conference will have to pay for two days.  If
    you can spare the time, attendees are recommended to take in the
    Wednesday morning and afternoon, and Thursday morning sessions of the
    Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies V conference, as this
    technology is very relevant to Optical SETI.  The cost for the full
    conference period (three days) is little more than for the two day OSETI
    conference alone.


    SPIE Proceedings Volume 1867              $ 35

        These proceedings will also include a copy of Dr. Lesh's large
    review paper on NASA's optical communications activities, which is to be
    presented at the Free-Space Laser Communication Technologies V
    conference.


    Accommodation

    Los Angeles Airport Hilton Hotel (OE/LASE '93 Conference Center)
    5711 West Century Boulevard
    Los Angeles, California 90045, USA
    Tel: [phone]
    Fax: [phone]

    Rates:
    Single or double (government)              $81
    Single or double                           $89 - $109


    Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel
    5855 West Century Boulevard
    Los Angeles, California 90045, USA
    Tel: [phone]
    Fax: [phone]

    Rates:
    Single or double (government)              $80
    Single or double                           $85 - $105


        NOTE:

        Articles on SETI have appeared in recent magazine publications,
    which include the September issue of LIFE magazine, the October issue
    of ASTRONOMY, and the November/December issue of SMITHSONIAN AIR &
    SPACE.  See also recent issues of TIME and NEWSWEEK.  The November
    issue of SKY & TELESCOPE has a long article by Robert Naeye about
    Microwave SETI, and mentions the optical approach.  This is the first
    published popular account of OSETI in the printed media.

        This month, in celebration of the Quincentennial of Columbus'
    discovery of the Americas and the official start of NASA's Microwave
    Observing Project (MOP), now renamed the High Resolution Microwave
    Survey (HRMS), I have begun the construction of what is believed to be
    the world's first Amateur Optical SETI (AMOSETI) Observatory.  This will
    be based around a Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope of about 10-inch
    aperture.  The telescope will probably be the new Meade LX200, as it is
    one of the most advanced on the market today for use under computer and
    CCD control.  Thus, Columbus Day (October 12) not only sees the official
    start for the most detailed Microwave SETI activity to date, but also
    the start of Amateur Optical SETI.

        In the last paper of the conference, I will be reporting on the
    amateur approach to Optical SETI and any work done to date on my
    observatory system.  EJASA will from time to time carry progress reports
    on this activity and the outcome of the conference.  As I indicated in
    last January's EJASA Optical SETI article, it is my intention that
    AMOSETI will become a world-wide activity for amateur astronomy groups
    and societies.  In the January 1993 issue of EJASA, there will an
    addendum to last January's EJASA article, including updated conference
    program information.

        This week, SPIE is mailing the full OE/LASE '93 program.  Please
    note the new dedicated fax number for Fiberdyne Optoelectronics.  I look
    forward to meeting with you in Los Angeles in January.

        Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley


October 11, 1992 (T - 1 day to the big switch-on)
File: SPIESETI.1


 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
 * Dr. Stuart A. Kingsley, CEng, MIEE, SMIEEE,                             *
 * Consultant.                                                             *
 * Member: The Planetary Society,                                          *
 * Space Studies Institute,                                                *
 * Columbus Astronomical Society.                                          *
 * Volunteer: SETI Group, Ohio State.                                      *
 *                                                                         *
 *                                    "Where No Photon Has Gone Before &   *
 *                                   The Impossible Takes A Little Longer" *
 *                                                 __________              *
 * FIBERDYNE OPTOELECTRONICS                      /          \             *
 * 545 Northview Drive                        ---   hf >> kT   ---         *
 * Columbus, Ohio 43209                           \__________/             *
 * United States                                                           *
 * Tel: [phone]                     ..    ..    ..    ..    ..      *
 * Fax: [phone]                    .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .     *
 * OSETI Bulletin Board System (BBS):         ..    ..    ..    ..         *
 * Modem: [phone],                                                  *
 * 300-9600 Baud, MNP, 8N1.                                                *
 * Internet: [e-mail]                            *
 * CompuServe: 72376,3545                                                  *
 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

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End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 308
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