Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V15_3/V15NO324.TXT

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Date: Sun, 18 Oct 92 05:01:36
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #324
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Sun, 18 Oct 92       Volume 15 : Issue 324

Today's Topics:
                    Comet Swift-Tuttle observation
                  Commercial Space News #17 (2 msgs)
                        motions of astronouts
                          Perot and Freedom
                   Pres Debate & military spending

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Date: 18 Oct 92 00:16:52 GMT
From: Earl W Phillips <[e-mail]>
Subject: Comet Swift-Tuttle observation
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro

At {roughly 21:01:45 10/16/92 UT. It was very diffuse,{{
{unsymmetrical coma, mottled, grey-bluish, slightly
brighter nucleus{, no tail discernible.{{ Slight brighteb\ning
al~rong it's {east {sid{e. Used the {32" F/16.;M Casse{grain
@ Perkins Observatory, near Delaware, Oh{: Lat:40.25111,
Long:83.055418. The circ{les on the scope said the {comet
was roughly at RA:{{14h28.5; DEC:+56.4d.

*****************************************************************
*                                    | ====@====      ///////// *
* [e-mail]|     ``________//         *
*                                    |       `------'           *
*                 -JR-               | Space;........the final  *
*                                    | frontier...............  *
*****************************************************************

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

Date: 17 Oct 92  11:04:25
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Commercial Space News #17
Newsgroups: sci.space

COMMERCIAL SPACE NEWS 17

   This is number seventeen in an irregular series on developments
in commercial space activities. The commentaries included are my
thoughts on these developments.
   As you folks can probably guess, this column gets put together on
lunch hours at work and at home after the kids go to bed. I try to
cover here some of the lesser known and interesting commercial space
developments I run across, so I don't always report on the same
topics that Aviation Week and Space News cover.  There's always more
than enough information out there.
   While the past month's commercial space news has been pretty
calm, I've been busy following the Congressional doings on the US
government space budgets.  In particular, the last article in this
column was generated from those Congressional budgetary actions.
   I cut this issue off at 8 articles instead of the usual 10 or
more, since I had a reasonable natural break point on this.

Contents -
1- CHINA GRANTED EXPORT WAIVERS TO LAUNCH 6 SATS WITH US PARTS
2- CHINA COMMENCES APT SAT CO VENTURE
3- UKRAINE GOVERNMENT LOOKS FOR US SPACE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS
4- VANDENBERG OPENING DOORS TO COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES
5- ANOTHER BAN ON SATELLITE RECEIVERS PUT IN PLACE
6- AUSTRALIAN SPACE INDUSTRY MOVES FORWARD
7- SOUTH AFRICA TESTS ROCKET MOTOR DESIGNED FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
8- TIME TO START TOWARDS A COMMERCIAL GPS -- Commentary

ARTICLES
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
1-  CHINA GRANTED EXPORT WAIVERS TO LAUNCH 6 SATS WITH US PARTS
   In a little-noticed action on 11 Sep, the US State Department
announced export restriction waivers were granted for 6 satellites
planned for launch on the Chinese Long March launch vehicle.  These
waivers, signed off by President Bush, covered Asia-Pacific
Satellite (APSTAR), Asiasat 2, Intelsat VIIA, STARSAT, AfriStar and
Dong Fang Hong 3.  As reported by the State Department, the export
waivers followed a determination the People's Republic of China has
begun adhering to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR).
     In June 1991, trade sanctions were imposed on China as a
protest of China's sale of missiles to Syria and Pakistan.  In
return, China offered to abide by the Missile Technology Control
Regime (MTCR) if such sanctions were lifted.  After a period of
negotiations and public recriminations, the sanctions were lifted in
March 1992.  An interagency export review team was set up to study
satellite projected headed for China, and these waivers are a result
of that team's review.  As reported by the State department, the

team determined that all six projects included adequate safeguards
to prevent unauthorized diversion of U.S. satellite technology.
     The satellite projects included the launch of US-built
satellites, like the APSAT being built by Hughes for a Hong Kong
consortium (including Thai and Chinese partners), and those which
were dependent upon US-manufactured components, such as the Dong
Fang Hong 3, which incorporated US-made amplifiers.
   [Commentary:  I listed this new item as it indicates how
international trade and politics influence the US space business and
in particular, how missile technology proliferation restrictions can
restrict the international sale of space hardware.  These waivers
affect about $500 M in US export sales of space technology (which is
about 10% of the total US 1992 commercial space sales), ranging from
about $140M for the APSTARs to about $5M in components for the Dong
Fang Hong 3.
   While the primary issue involved with these exports was China's
compliance with the MTCR, this sale has also been read as a sop to
China after the sale of F-16 military aircraft to Taiwan in early
September (which in turn, was influenced by the sale of Russian
fighters and bomber to China).  I don't think this release of
waivers was driven to be an offset to the fighter deal, but the
timing was suspiciously fortuitous.
    As a last note, the determination that China is now following
the MTCR and the issuance of these waivers, opens the door for China
to bid and win launch contracts in the upcoming Intelsat VIIA launch
contracts.]

2- CHINA COMMENCES APT SAT CO VENTURE
   [A follow-on note to the above message.]
   Just 5 days after receiving assurance the APT Satellite venture
could proceed without restriction on technology transfer (see
above), the People's Republic of China announced the formal start-up
of the APT Satellite Company, Ltd.  The venture plans to use two GEO
satellites, APSTAR-1 and APSTAR-2, now being built by Hughes Space
and Communications in the US, to provide communications over a
footprint from Mongolia to Indonesia.  The first satellite is
planned to be launched by Long March in June 1994, with the second
following about a year later.
   APT Sat Co Ltd will be headquartered in Hong Kong, and includes
Thailand's  Chia Tai group, China Telecommunications Broadcast
Satellite Corp, China Yuan Wang Group Co, and Ever-Victory System Co
Ltd (all three Chinese firms are owned by the Chinese government).
   Almost immediately, APT bought the existing Spacenet-1 satellite
from GTE Spacenet Corp., located in McLean, Virginia.   Spacenet 1
is already on orbit, located at 120 deg W., and was available as it
was not currently in use by GTE Spacenet.

   [Commentary:  Just a quick follow up on the previous article.
This venture, while in the planning stage for some time, had been
frozen until the issue of technology transfer had been resolved, and
it looked like an export license would be granted for the U.S.
satellite export for Long March launch.  Now that appears settled,
the venture is fully underway -- and APT has very quickly moved out
to buy an existing satellite to start services.  That quick purchase
was a very shrewd move by APT, since they can immediately start
signing up customers and providing services in the region.
   It is interesting to note the announcement was made by the
Chinese Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications -- which
underscores the involvement of the Chinese government.
   Regardless of satellite ownership, the potential demand for
transponders over Asia is huge.  China's PT&T estimates if the per-
capita use of satellite communications climbs to the current US
level, over 4,000 new satellite transponders would be needed.  Some
experts rate this estimate as low, since satellite transponders are
a lower-cost option in regions (such as East Asia) which do not have
large installed surface telecommunications base (as the US does), a
factor which may boost the per-capita need for transponders.
   But this market will take some time to develop.  Some Asian
countries (such as Japan, South Korea, and Singapore) are pushing
telecommunications infrastructure as a key part of national
development, but other countries rate it as a much lower national
priority.   Arianespace in its most recent annual market forecast
projected demand for only an additional 700-800 Asian satellite
transponders by 2000.]

3- UKRAINE GOVERNMENT LOOKS FOR US SPACE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS
  [This article is included as an example of some of the changes and
potential impacts on commercial space activities from the breakup of
the Soviet Union.]
   Over the week of 14 September Victor I. Antonov, the Ukrainian
minister of defense conversion, met with several US firms to
encourage their participation in Ukrainian business activities.
Speaking at a press conference Antonov stated the Ukraine's economy
has radically converted from a defense production oriented economy
to a commercial production oriented economy.  But he added, the
conversion has caused a "deep economic crisis" and the Ukraine needs
Western expertise to stabilize and turn around the economy. An an
example of the change, Antonov said 160 B rubles had been spent
annually on defense programs in the Ukraine (including the SS-18 and
SS-24 ballistic missiles, aircraft carriers, ships, tanks, and other
items).  This amount is now 10 B rubles annually.
   Antonov spoke to several US firms, including Martin Marietta and
McDonnell Douglas, looking for investment in commercial space
businesses.  While little information has been revealed from these
discussions, commercial use of the Tsiklon/Zenit launch vehicle was
discussed [Note: the Tsiklon/Zenit is produced in the Ukraine], and
the potential offering joint booster services with a US firm to
provide launch services was discussed to provide services
"considerably cheaper" than going world launch rates.
    To encourage business investments in the Ukraine, their
government is reportedly offering financial incentives including
land leases for 99 years, tax-free status on joint manufacturing
ventures for five years, on trade operations for 2 years, and on
consulting operations for 3 years; and a long-term 30-50% reduction
in taxes for ventures.
   [Commentary:  I've reported in the last several issues of
Commercial Space News on some of the opportunities for commercial
space activities within and with ex-Soviet equipment.  This is
another feeler for use of such equipment and expertise.
   The Ukrainians are particularly concerned about the future of
their manufacturing base and economic basis for competition with the
Russians.  They have found that most space, military, and high tech
hardware is identified as "Russian" and little recognition is made
of the ex-Soviet production base in the Ukraine -- which is not now
receiving any funding from any source.
   As part of maintaining the ex-Soviet industrial base (the Ukraine
provided 18% of the Soviet industrial output) the Ukrainian
government would like to find a means to keep open some of their
space production groups.  This may be a hard sell but from the terms
they have been willing to grant, they appear willing to make
substantial deals.
   Of interest, the Ukrainians have apparently singled out McDonnell
Douglas and Martin Marrieta as potential partners.  Combining cheap
Ukrainian labor, established space manufacturing facilities, and
government tax breaks could provide a market advantage in the highly
competitive launch business.  While such a joint venture would be a
hard sell to investors and has many questions yet unanswered, it
certainly deserves a good, hard, rational look.]

4- VANDENBERG OPENING DOORS TO COMMERCIAL LAUNCHES
   Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, home to some of the US's
most secret space launches, is opening its doors for commercial use.
Last week, California state and county officials, as well as US Air
Force officials, told members of the Aerospace States Association
VAFB is now open for private users.  State and county officials told
the ASA how local and state government were eliminating burdensome
regulations to improve the business conditions for commercial space
firms in California, and how commercial launches from VAFB were
being encouraged.  USAF Brigader General Sebasitan Coglitore
described the USAF as "bending over backwards" to accommodate
private users at VAFB.
   [Commentary: I've run across several mentions of the commercial
launch potential of VAFB.  Up to now, there has been very little
commercial operations at VAFB since most U.S. commercial satellites
have been destined for GEO and launch from Kennedy Space Center in
Florida.  But declining budgets for government launches and a
reduced military launch rate has driven down the level of launch
activity at VAFB, and over the past several years commercial users
have started to trickle into VAFB.  OSC's initial test launches of
its B-52/Pegasus combination were based in the Western Test Range
around VAFB and Amroc has attempted a suborbital test launch of
their hybrid rocket motor from VAFB.
   The potential for commercial use of VAFB has been increased by
the great interest in LEO communications satellite constellations.
These typically consist of small satellites launched into high
inclination orbits, which are much better suited for VAFB launch.
   Vandenberg can currently accommodate Delta, Delta II, Titan II,
Titan IV, Atlas, and Taurus launchers.  Depending on which vehicles
are selected to launch and maintain the LEO constellations, there
could be a substantial amount of launch traffic through VAFB.
   It should be noted the Aerospace States Association is a little-
known but fairly influential coordinating body for promoting
industrial space activities.  The ASA consists of representatives
from about 30 US state governments and provides a conduit for
establishing multi-state support of aerospace policies, regulations,
and legislation.  Typically industry and federal government
representatives will also attend these coordination meetings.  The
ASA last met on 10-11 Sep at VAFB.]

5- ANOTHER BAN ON SATELLITE RECEIVERS PUT IN PLACE
   According to published reports, the Malaysian government has
banned the installation of satellite receiving dishes in Malaysia.
The new edict would require dishes which have been already installed
to be dismantled.  The rationale for this decision is provided by a
Malaysian government report which notes that "Direct broadcasts
would ... affect the morals and values practiced by Malaysians."
   [Commentary:  The issue of cross-cultural influences and
differing moral codes seems to getting involved with satellite
television broadcasts, particularly now that private services are
offering alternative broadcast programs to regions that used to be
solely served by government-controlled broadcasting services.  I've
seen this issue come up from several national governments over the
past couple of months.  For example, India has approached UNESCO to
formulate rules to control "proliferation of satellite television"
so "the indigenous cultures of the less developed countries are not
eroded by the proliferation of foreign satellite television
programs" (Ajit Panja, Indian Minister of State for Information and
Broadcasting, quoted by the Press Trust of India).  Other countries
have banned un-approved satellite receivers.
   These actions seem to be driven by the recent introduction of
several new channels of broadcasting now available in Southern Asia
-- initially begun by STAR-TV, a Hong Kong-based broadcaster.  STAR-
TV offers the US-based CNN, the BBC's World Service Television, a
24-hour western music and sports channel, and US serials and films
over a broadcasting range from the Arabian Peninsula to South-East
Asia.  In countries which offer few "official" broadcasting
services, a flourishing black market of private entrepreneurs
offering small satellite dishes to those that can afford them has
arisen.
   This black market is expected to get a boost now that an English
company, Space & Scientific Ltd of Reading, England has begun
selling a specially designed compact "Yagi" C-band antenna which can
receive these STAR-TV signals.  The "Yagi" antenna has been eagerly
received in South-West Asia since the "Yagi" antenna is quite small,
resembles a conventional TV antenna and is easier to install and
less expensive than a conventional satellite dish.
   Several actions are being taken by regional governments in
response to this "invasion" of new broadcasting services --
including stepped up enforcement activities against "pirate"
receivers and proposed international regulations against satellite
broadcast services.  Probably the most constructive action is the
Indian government is considering acquiring its own broadcasting
transponders on Asiasat to compete with STAR-TV.  Similarly,
ASIANET, a New Delhi-based firm, may use a Russian EKRAN satellite
transponder to beam competing signals in Indian languages.
   From a near-term historical perspective, similar objections to
satellite broadcasts have been made by the Cubans, Soviets, French,
and some South American countries over the past decade or so.  In
almost every case, the objections faded away as the country
objecting gained the power to send their own satellite broadcasts in
their own language and culture.  For South Asia, I believe most of
the objections will die down as similar capabilities come on line in
the next several years.  Based upon current launch and transponder
lease contracts Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia,
Iran, and India will all be operating satellite transponders within
3 years.]

6- AUSTRALIAN SPACE INDUSTRY MOVES FORWARD
   A couple of recent developments in the Australian space industry
have been announced. The Australian government is now forming a
single Australian Space Council to manage all public and private
space activities in that country under a single umbrella.  According
to published reports, the main purpose of this Space Council will be
to promote and guide space industries and services including mobile
satellite communications, Earth observation from space, and the
development of satellite-borne devices.
   [Commentary:  The ASC seems to be the formation of an Australian
equivalent to the US National Space Council -- which provides a
single national channel to funnel all concerns about space
activities into a single government forum.  Up to now, Australian
space investors and firms have had to deal with several different
government organizations, most of which were not aware what the
other government organizations were doing.  Consolidation of
government space activities and oversight into a single coordinated
body should be helpful to the space industry in Australia.]
   The National Space Society of Australia is expected to announce
the formation of the Australian Space Industry Chamber of Commerce.
Beginning next summer, the executive director of the NSSA will be
under a full time contract which includes spending 50% of his/her
time managing the new Chamber of Commerce.  This activity is being
sponsored by NSSA in the hopes it will spawn an on-going broad-based
foundation to speak for the space industry and space interest groups
in Australia.
   [Commentary: In my opinion, this is an excellent move, and one
which I would encourage the US National Space Society to duplicate.
There is no US Space Industry Chamber of Commerce --there is the
Aerospace Industries Association, the COMSTAC (Commercial Space
Transportation Advisory Council) to the US Department of
Transportation, the GPS Industry Association, local Space Business
Roundtables, the US Space Foundation, and several special interest
groups -- but no single group who speaks for the US space industry.
   Kirby Ikin, who has been intimately involved in thiscertainly
deserves a large round of applause if this gets underway.  (Conflict
of interest warning - I know Kirby Ikin personally.  But it's still
a d*** good thing!)]

7- SOUTH AFRICA TESTS ROCKET MOTOR DESIGNED FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLE
   On 12 October, a static test firing was completed of solid-fuel
rocket engine near Hangklip, South Africa.   This firing was
proclaimed by the South African government as a step towards the
development of a commercial launch vehicle.  The test was the fourth
for the rocket engine, but this was the first public announcement of
its existence.
   The engine itself, derived from a South African military
development program, was described as generating 50 kilo-tonnes of
thrust over a burn duration of 50 seconds.   The launch vehicle
built around the engine was described as a notional two stage
vehicle capable of delivering up to 500 kg to low Earth orbit.
Somchem, part of the firm Denel Pty. Ltd., was described the as
manufacturer.  Denel Pty. Ltd. was one of the firms created when the
South African Armscor weapons consortium was broken up last April.
   South African Public Enterprises Minister Dawie de Villiers was
quoted in press reports as saying  "There is already interest from
international companies [with South Africa] to place low orbital
satellites in space for commercial purposes"  He would not reveal
which companies are involved in the venture except to say, "Studies
and investigations to this effect are still being done and
negotiations are taking place."
   [Commentary:  This is the first public announcement that South
Africa may be interested in getting into the commercial launch
business.  As an aside, doesn't it seem like everyone is, these
days?  Brazil, Argentina, Israel, India, Japan, Ukraine, Russia, US,
Australia, China, several groups in Europe, etc. etc.
    The potentially sticky political issue of missile proliferation
and launcher technology should also be noted here.  South Africa has
been reported to be also developing some intermediate range
ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons -- with some recent trade
press reports substantially increasing the South African stockpile
of weapons-grade material.  This engine has a potential dual use in
a military IRBM, and any launch vehicle technology may also be seen
as applicable to military missiles as well. Shipment of missile
technology to South Africa is banned under the MTCR, and so
participation or help to their missile program is prohibited under
the terms of the MTCR.
    But participating in a commercial launch is more problematic.
Export of a small commercial satellite to South Africa for launch on
an indigenously developed launch system might be allowed -- if other
tech transfer regulations were followed.  This question will have to
be resolved before South Africa can expect to address any of the
profitable and growing northern hemisphere satellite markets.]

8- TIME TO START TOWARDS A COMMERCIAL GPS -- Commentary
   [Commentary -- I'm making this whole section a commentary, since
after writing it, I found it read more like an editorial than a news
piece.]
   [GPS is now rapidly moving to provide a 24-hour GPS capability.
With recent launches to beef up the existing GPS constellation,
users can now expect rapid and accurate positioning data within the
restrictions of the Selected Availability (SA) signal encoding,
which degrades signal accuracy to about 100 meters.  Within local
regions of a few hundred kilometers, however, differential GPS
techniques have been developed to provide commercial satellite
positioning systems to about 15 cm precision.
   Now the US has offered to provide GPS as a component of a Global
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) available to any worldwide user
to a minimum of 10 years, on a continuous, worldwide basis with no
direct user charges, beginning in 1993.  This formal US government
offer was made to the 10th Air Navigation Conference in Montreal,
Canada in September, and has been confirmed in later official
documents offering this service from the US government.
   Meanwhile, commercial and private users continue to develop new
systems to use GPS and GPS signals, and the number of installed
satellite navigation systems continues to grow exponentially.  By
the end of this year, the FAA hopes to open thousands of airports to
small general aviation aircraft equipped with GPS receivers for non-
precision approaches.  An estimated 5000 US private aircraft already
have GPS receivers, although FAA approval of GPS as a supplemental
navaid is still pending. The US Coast Guard is also installing
differential GPS stations along all US coastlines for increased
precision in ship navigation, with commercial GPS receivers now
being sold in marine hardware stores. Overseas, Japanese firms are
now installing over 5,000 GPS receivers per month in automobiles as
position-locating devices.  Pocket sized GPS receivers are now
widely available for about $1000.
   However, in the FY93 US Department of Defense budget, the US
Congress removed the funding for 2 new GPS satellites, planned to be
used towards completing and maintaining the orbital constellation -
citing slower than expected US DoD installation of GPS user
equipment.  The Congress stated "the military services have budgeted
only enough funds to buy receivers for a fraction of their forces
over the next 5 years.  In fact, the Army, Navy, and Air Force will
not complete planned GPS receiver procurement until about 2006."
   This Congressional restriction on the buy of GPS satellites, by
itself, does not delay the plans to provide GPS capability, nor does
it threaten the commercial market.   But it does fuel doubts in the
user community about the future availability of this system upon
which depends a very rapidly growing sector of commercial space
activities.  As U.S. defense funds shrink, concepts for a transition
of GPS or GPS-like services to purely a commercial or quasi-
commercial basis must be explored.
   Several concepts have been floated for discussion within the US
and through several international agencies.  In particular, the US
Air Force, the GPS program manager, has been very willing to discuss
new concepts for the GPS, including civil-funded modifications to
the next generation of the GPS satellites (Block IIR) and expanded
commercial participation in the program planning.  European and
Russian navigation system planners have also been very supportive of
the goal of eventually joining into a global time and position
utility service.
   But the key mechanism to support a future commercial satellite
navigation constellation is still lacking -- a practical method of
generating, collecting, and transferring revenues through an
organization charged with providing global or regional satellite-
based navigation signals.  While methods have been suggested, there
have been very little actions to start the process of establishing
such a mechanism -- which by definition, must involve international,
commercial participation.
   I believe it is now time to add this to the pro-commercial space
agenda.  The free usage of GPS services provided by the US will end
in 10 years.  The installed market of satellite navigation systems
and related application systems has grown to the point it is now a
multi-hundred million dollar annual business, growing at a double
digit annual rate.
   Activities must start now on the political and regulatory front
to ensure a commercially-viable satellite navigation system is
available after the turn of the century.]

FINAL NOTES
   Whew -- got this issue out without getting too far behind in my
files.  I'm trying to weed out a lot more data early on in the
process of putting these columns together, so I don't get
overwhelmed with data.
   Hopefully, you folks find this stuff useful and interesting --
Any and all comments are welcome.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------
 Wales Larrison                         Space Technology Investor
 "Tacent, satis laudant"                    P.O. Box 2452
                                        Seal Beach, CA 90740-1452

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

Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1992 01:06:43 GMT
From: Henry Spencer <[e-mail]>
Subject: Commercial Space News #17
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>   But the key mechanism to support a future commercial satellite
>navigation constellation is still lacking -- a practical method of
>generating, collecting, and transferring revenues...

Alas for Geostar, which had this built into its basic concept...  Now and
then I wonder if it would have succeeded had Gerry O'Neill not come down
with leukemia and the US government not offered GPS as free (that is,
government-subsidized) competition.

(The key feature of Geostar was that the actual position determination
was done in a central computer using satellite-made measurements.  The
Geostar client box was basically just a digital radio that was also
capable of putting out a high-power pulse for the measurements.  So the
central computer could check your account status before sending you your
position.  No payment, no position.)
--
MS-DOS is the OS/360 of the 1980s.      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
              -Hal W. Hardenbergh (1985)|  [e-mail]  utzoo!henry

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

Date: 18 Oct 92 02:24:59 GMT
From: John Flanagan <[e-mail]>
Subject: motions of astronouts
Newsgroups: sci.physics,sci.space,sci.space.shuttle

In article <[e-mail]>
[e-mail] (david r. proctor) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]>, enis tuncer
><[e-mail]> wrote:
>> 2. Astronouts don't use their balance systems, what kinds of
>>problems do they have when they came to earth?
>
>2. One of the reasons that balance is affected is because there is a change
>in the vestibular system of the crewman. [...]

Sounds similar to, but more severe than, what happens to people when
they spend time on a ship -- and when they get back onto land.

--John
--
John Flanagan                          ||"Pretty boys
[e-mail]           || with the sunshine faces
U. of Hawaii, Dept. of Physics & Astro.|| <mumble mumble>..."
2505 Correa Rd., Honolulu, HI 96822    ||   -- My Bloody Valentine

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

Date: Sun, 18 Oct 92 00:16 GMT
From: Karl Dishaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: Perot and Freedom

{>One of his proposed cuts included "specific expenses." In the fine
>print beside this slice of pie, it said...."Space Station"...

mercy killing.

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

Date: 17 Oct 92 23:12:54 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Pres Debate & military spending
Newsgroups: sci.space

Saw something in the vice-presidential debate a few days ago that warmed my
heart.  Quayle, while discussing what to do with the defence industry in this
era of post-cold-war cutbacks, specifically mentioned building up the space
program as a partial solution.  Which could be just the ticket for boosting our
exploration effort.

Too bad he's so far behind in the polls...

    Chris Koresko
    [e-mail]

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End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 324
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