Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V16_2/V16NO256.TXT

Internet Message Format | 1993-07-13 | 33KB

Date: Tue,  2 Mar 93 11:05:31
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V16 #256
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Tue,  2 Mar 93       Volume 16 : Issue 256

Today's Topics:
                 Space FAQ 02/15 - Network Resources
                     Space FAQ 08/15 - Addresses
           Space FAQ 13/15 - Interest Groups & Publications

    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: 28 Feb 1993 22:26:38 -0500
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 02/15 - Network Resources
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: space/net
Last-modified: $Date: 93/02/28 22:17:49 $

NETWORK RESOURCES

OVERVIEW

    You may be reading this document on any one of an amazing variety of
    computers, so much of the material below may not apply to you. In
    general, however, systems connected to 'the net' fall in one of three
    categories: Internet, Usenet, or BITNET. Electronic mail may be sent
    between these networks, and other resources available on one of these
    networks are sometimes accessible from other networks by email sent to
    special 'servers'.

    The space and astronomy discussion groups actually are composed of
    several mechanisms with (mostly) transparent connections between them.

    One mechanism is the mailing list, in which mail is sent to a central
    distribution point which relays it to all recipients of the list. In
    addition to the general lists for space (called SPACE Digest for
    Internet users, and SPACE on BITNET), there are a number of more
    specialized mailing lists described below.

    A second mechanism is Usenet 'netnews'. This is somewhat like a bulletin
    board operating on each system which is a part of the net. Netnews
    separates contributions into hundreds of different categories based on a
    'group name'. The groups dealing most closely with space topics are
    called 'sci.space.news', 'sci.space', 'sci.space.shuttle', 'sci.astro',
    and 'talk.politics.space'. Contributors 'post' submissions (called
    'articles' in netnews terminology) on their local machine, which sends
    it to other nearby machines. Similarly, articles sent from nearby
    machines are stored locally and may be forwarded to other systems, so
    that an article is posted locally and eventually reaches all the Usenet
    sites interested in receiving the news group to which the article was
    posted.

    Gateway machines redirect the Usenet sci.space group into Internet and
    BITNET mailing lists and vice versa; the other Usenet groups are not
    accessible as mailing lists. If you can receive netnews, its more
    flexible interface and access to a wider range of material usually make
    it the preferred option.

MAILING LISTS

    SPACE Digest is the main Internet list, and is now being run by the
    International Space University (in only its second change of management
    in over a decade). Email [e-mail] (message body
    should be in the format 'subscribe space John Public') to join. Note
    that the moderated SPACE Magazine list is defunct at present for lack of
    a moderator. Old copies of SPACE Digest since its inception in 1981 are
    available by anonymous FTP. Retrieve
    julius.cs.qub.ac.uk:pub/SpaceDigestArchive/README
    for further details.

    Elements is a moderated list for fast distribution of Space Shuttle
    Keplerian Elements before and during Shuttle flights. NASA two line
    elements are sent out on the list from Dr. Kelso, JSC, and other sources
    as they are released. Email to [e-mail] to join.

    Space-investors is a list for information relevant to investing in
    space-related companies. Email Vincent Cate ([e-mail]) to join.

    Space-tech is a list for more technical discussion of space topics;
    discussion has included esoteric propulsion technologies, asteroid
    capture, starflight, orbital debris removal, etc. Email to
    [e-mail] to join. Archives of old digests and
    selected excerpts are available by anonymous FTP from
    gs80.sp.cs.cmu.edu (128.2.205.90) in /usr/anon/public/space-tech,
    or by email to space-tech-request if you don't have FTP access.

    SEDS-L is a BITNET list for members of Students for the Exploration and
    Development of Space and other interested parties. Email
    [e-mail] with a message saying "SUBSCRIBE SEDS-L your
    name". Email saying "INDEX SEDS-L" to list the archive contents.

    SEDSNEWS is a BITNET list for news items, press releases, shuttle status
    reports, and the like. This duplicates material which is also found in
    Space Digest, sci.space, sci.space.shuttle, and sci.astro. Email
    [e-mail] saying "SUBSCRIBE SEDSNEWS your name" to join.
    Email saying "INDEX SEDSNEWS" to list the archive contents.

    Ron Baalke ([e-mail]) runs a mailing list which
    carries the contents of the sci.space.news Usenet group. Email him
    to join the list.

    As a general note, please mail to the *request* address to get off a
    mailing list. SPACE Digest, for example, relays many inappropriate
    'please remove me from this list' messages which are sent to the list
    address rather than the request address.

PERIODICALLY UPDATED INFORMATION

    In addition to this FAQ list, a broad variety of topical information is
    posted to the net (unless otherwise noted, in the new group
    sci.space.news created for this purpose). Please remember that the
    individuals posting this information are performing a service for all
    net readers, and don't take up their time with frivolous requests.

    ACRONYMS
    Garrett Wollman ([e-mail]) posts an acronym list around the
    first of each month.

    ASTRO-FTP LIST
    Veikko Makela ([e-mail]) posts a monthly list of
    anonymous FTP servers containing astronomy and space related
    material to sci.space and sci.astro.

    AVIATION WEEK
    Henry Spencer ([e-mail]) posts summaries of
    space-related stories in the weekly _Aviation Week and Space
    Technology_.

    BUYING TELESCOPES
    Ronnie Kon ([e-mail]) posts a guide to buying telescopes to
    sci.astro.

    ELECTRONIC JOURNAL OF THE ASA
    Don Barry ([e-mail]) posts the monthly Electronic Journal
    of the Astronomical Society of the Atlantic to sci.astro.

    FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL
    Swaraj Jeyasingh ([e-mail]) posts summaries of
    space-related news from _Flight International_. This focuses more on
    non-US space activities than Aviation Week.

    LARGE ASTRONOMICAL PROJECTS
    Robert Bunge ([e-mail]) posts a list describing many
    "Large Telescope Projects Either Being Considered or in the Works"
    to sci.astro.

    NASA HEADLINE NEWS & SHUTTLE REPORTS
    Peter Yee ([e-mail]) posts a variety of NASA material,
    including NASA Headline News (with the schedule for NASA SELECT),
    shuttle payload briefings and flight manifests, and KSC shuttle
    status reports. For Usenet users, much of this material appears in
    the group sci.space.shuttle.

    NASA UPDATES
    Ron Baalke ([e-mail]) posts frequent updates from
    JPL, Ames, and other centers on the Ulysses, Gailileo, Pioneer,
    Magellan, Landsat, and other missions.

    ORBITAL ELEMENT SETS
    TS Kelso ([e-mail]) posts orbital elements from
    NASA Prediction Bulletins.

    Mike Rose ([e-mail]) posts orbital elements for the Hubble
    Space Telescope to sci.astro.

    Jost Jahn ([e-mail]) posts ephemerides for asteroids,
    comets, conjunctions, and encounters to sci.astro.

    SATELLITE LAUNCHES
    Richard Langley ([e-mail]) posts SPACEWARN Bulletin, which
    describes recent launch/orbital decay information and satellites
    which are useful for scientific activities. Recent bulletins are
    available by anonymous FTP from nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov in
    ANON_DIR:[000000.ACTIVE.SPX].

    SHUTTLE MANIFEST
    Ken Hollis ([e-mail]) posts a compressed version
    of the Space Shuttle launch manifest to sci.space.shuttle. This
    includes dates, times, payloads, and information on how to see
    launches and landings.

    SOLAR ACTIVITY
    Cary Oler ([e-mail]) posts Solar Terrestrial reports
    (describing solar activity and its effect on the Earth) to
    sci.space. The report is issued in part from data released by the
    Space Enviroment Services Center, Boulder Colorado. The intro
    document needed to understand these reports is available by
    anonymous FTP from solar.stanford.edu (36.10.0.4) in
    pub/understanding_solar_terrestrial_reports. nic.funet.fi
    (128.214.6.100) also has this document in
    /pub/misc/rec.radio.shortwave/solarreports and is an archive site
    for the reports (please note this site is in Europe, and the
    connection to the US is only 56KB). A new primary archive site,
    xi.uleth.ca (142.66.3.29), has recently been established and will be
    actively supported.

    SOVIET SPACE ACTIVITIES
    Glenn Chapman ([e-mail]) posts summaries of Soviet space
    activities.

    SPACE ACTIVIST NEWSLETTER
    Allen Sherzer ([e-mail]) posts a newsletter, "One Small Step for
    a Space Activist," to talk.politics.space. It describes current
    legislative activity affecting NASA and commercial space activities.

    SPACE EVENTS CALENDAR
    Ron Baalke ([e-mail]) posts a calendar including
    anniversaries, conferences, launch dates, meteor showers and
    eclipses, and other space-related events.

    SPACE NEWS
    John Magliacane ([e-mail]) posts "SpaceNews" (covering
    AMSATs, NOAA and other weather satellites, and other ham
    information) to rec.radio.amateur.misc and sci.space.

    SPACE REPORT
    Jonathan McDowell ([e-mail]) posts "Jonathan's Space
    Report" covering launches, landings, reentries, status reports,
    satellite activities, etc.

    TOWARD 2001
    Bev Freed ([e-mail]) posts "Toward 2001", a weekly
    global news summary reprinted from _Space Calendar_ magazine.


WARNING ABOUT NON-PUBLIC NETWORKS

    (Included at the suggestion of Eugene Miya, who wrote the item)

    NASA has an internal system of unclassified electronic mail and bulletin
    boards. This system is not open for public use. Specifically, NASA
    personnel and procurement operations are regarded with some sensitivity.
    Contractors must renegotiate their contracts. The Fair and Open
    Procurement Act does not look kindly to those having inside information.
    Contractors and outsiders caught using this type of information can
    expect severe penalities. Unauthorized access attempts may subject you
    to a fine and/or imprisonment in accordance with Title 18, USC, Section
    1030. If in fact you should should learn of unauthorized access, contact
    NASA personnel.


NEXT: FAQ #3/15 - Online (and some offline) sources of images, data, etc.

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

Date: 28 Feb 1993 22:28:36 -0500
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 08/15 - Addresses
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: space/addresses
Last-modified: $Date: 93/02/28 22:17:27 $

CONTACTING NASA, ESA, AND OTHER SPACE AGENCIES/COMPANIES

Many space activities center around large Government or International
Bureaucracies.    In the US that means NASA.  If you have basic information
requests: (e.g., general PR info, research grants, data, limited tours, and
ESPECIALLY SUMMER EMPLOYMENT (typically resumes should be ready by Jan.  1),
etc.), consider contacting the nearest NASA Center to answer your questions.

EMail typically will not get you any where, computers are used by
investigators, not PR people. The typical volume of mail per Center is a
multiple of 10,000 letters a day. Seek the Public Information Office at one
of the below, this is their job:

NASA (The National Aeronautics and Space Administration) is the
civilian space agency of of the United States Federal Government.
It reports directly to the White House and is not a Cabinet
post such as the military Department of Defense.  Its 20K+ employees
are civil servants and hence US citizens.  Another 100K+ contractors
also work for NASA.

NASA CENTERS

    NASA Headquarters (NASA HQ)
    Washington DC 20546
    (202)-358-1600

    Ask them questions about policy, money, and things of political
    nature. Direct specific questions to the appropriate center.

    NASA Ames Research Center (ARC)
    Moffett Field, CA 94035
    (415)-694-5091

    Some aeronautical research, atmosphere reentry, Mars and Venus
    planetary atmospheres. "Lead center" for Helicopter research,
    V/STOL, etc. Runs Pioneer series of space probes.

    NASA Ames Research Center
    Dryden Flight Research Facility [DFRF]
    P. O. Box 273
    Edwards, CA  93523
    (805)-258-8381

    Aircraft, mostly. Tested the shuttle orbiter landing
    characteristics. Developed X-1, D-558, X-3, X-4, X-5, XB-70, and of
    course, the X-15.

    NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
    Greenbelt, MD 20771
    [Outside of Washington DC]
    (301)-344-6255

    Earth orbiting unmanned satellites and sounding rockets. Developed
    LANDSAT.

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
    California Institute of Technology
    4800 Oak Grove Dr.
    Pasadena, CA 91109
    (818)-354-5011

    The "heavies" in planetary research probes and other unmanned
    projects (they also had a lot to do with IRAS). They run Voyager,
    Magellan, Galileo, and will run Cassini, CRAF, etc. etc.. For
    images, probe navigation, and other info about unmanned exploration,
    this is the place to go.

    JPL is run under contract for NASA by the nearby California
    Institute of Technology, unlike the NASA centers above. This
    distinction is subtle but critical. JPL has different requirements
    for unsolicited research proposals and summer hires. For instance in
    the latter, an SF 171 is useless. Employees are Caltech employees,
    contractors, and for the most part have similar responsibilities.
    They offer an alternative to funding after other NASA Centers.

    NASA Johnson Manned Space Center (JSC)
    Houston, TX 77058
    (713)-483-5111

    JSC manages Space Shuttle, ground control of manned missions.
    Astronaut training. Manned mission simulators.

    NASA Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC)
    Titusville, FL 32899
    (407)-867-2468

    Space launch center. You know this one.

    NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC)
    Hampton, VA 23665
    [Near Newport News, VA]
    (804)-865-2935

    Original NASA site. Specializes in theoretical and experimental
    flight dynamics. Viking. Long Duration Exposure Facility.

    NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC)
    21000 Brookpark Rd.
    Cleveland, OH 44135
    (216)-433-4000

    Aircraft/Rocket propulsion. Space power generation. Materials
    research.

    NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC)
    Huntsville, AL 35812
    (205)-453-0034

    Development, production, delivery of Solid Rocket Boosters, External
    Tank, Orbiter main engines. Propulsion and launchers.

    Michoud Assembly Facility
    Orleans Parish
    New Orleans, LA 70129
    (504)-255-2601

    Shuttle external tanks are produced here; formerly Michoud produced
    first stages for the Saturn V.

    Stennis Space Center
    Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 39529
    (601)-688-3341

    Space Shuttle main engines are tested here, as were Saturn V first
    and second stages. The center also does remote-sensing and
    technology-transfer research.

    Wallops Flight Center
    Wallops Island, VA 23337
    [phone]
        Aeronautical research, sounding rockets, Scout launcher.

    Manager, Technology Utilization Office
    NASA Scientific and Technical Information Facility
    Post Office Box 8757
    Baltimore, Maryland 21240

    Specific requests for software must go thru COSMIC at the Univ. of
    Georgia, NASA's contracted software redistribution service. You can
    reach them at [e-mail].

    NOTE: Foreign nationals requesting information must go through their
    Embassies in Washington DC. These are facilities of the US Government
    and are regarded with some degree of economic sensitivity. Centers
    cannot directly return information without high Center approval. Allow
    at least 1 month for clearance. This includes COSMIC.

The US Air Force Space Command can be contacted thru the Pentagon along with
    other Department of Defense offices. They have unacknowledged offices in
    Los Angeles, Sunnyvale, Colorado Springs, and other locations. They have
    a budget which rivals NASA in size.

ARIANESPACE HEADQUARTERS
    Boulevard de l'Europe
    B.P. 177
    91006 Evry Cedex
    France

ARIANESPACE, INC.
    1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 875
    Washington, DC 20006
    (202)-728-9075

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA)
    955 L'Enfant Plaza S.W.
    Washington, D.C. 20024
    (202)-488-4158

NATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NASDA)
    4-1 Hamamatsu-Cho, 2 Chome
    Minato-Ku, Tokyo 105, JAPAN

SOYUZKARTA
    45 Vologradsij Pr.
    Moscow 109125
    USSR

SPACE CAMP
    Alabama Space and Rocket Center    U.S. SPACE CAMP
    1 Tranquility Base            6225 Vectorspace Blvd
    Huntsville, AL 35805        Titusville FL  32780
    (205)-837-3400            [phone]

    Registration and mailing list are handled through Huntsville -- both
    camps are described in the same brochure.

    Programs offered at Space Camp are:

    Space Camp - one week, youngsters completing grades 4-6
    Space Academy I - one week, grades 7-9
    Aviation Challenge - one week high school program, grades 9-11
    Space Academy II - 8 days, college accredited, grades 10-12
    Adult Program - 3 days (editorial comment: it's great!)
    Teachers Program - 5 days

SPACE COMMERCE CORPORATION (U.S. agent for Soviet launch services)
    504 Pluto Drive            69th flr, Texas Commerce Tower
    Colorado Springs, CO 80906        Houston, TX 77002
    (719)-578-5490            (713)-227-9000

SPACEHAB
    600 Maryland Avenue, SW
    Suite 201 West
    Washington, DC 20004
    (202)-488-3483

SPOT IMAGE CORPORATION
    1857 Preston White Drive,
    Reston, VA 22091
    (FAX) (703)-648-1813    (703)-620-2200


OTHER COMMERCIAL SPACE BUSINESSES

    Vincent Cate maintains a list with addresses and some info for a variety
of companies in space-related businesses. This is mailed out on the
space-investors list he runs (see the "Network Resources" FAQ) and is also
available by anonymous ftp from furmint.nectar.cs.cmu.edu (128.2.209.111) in
/usr/vac/ftp/space-companies.


NEXT: FAQ #9/15 - Schedules for space missions, and how to see them

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

Date: 28 Feb 93 17:30:07 GMT
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 13/15 - Interest Groups & Publications
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: space/groups
Last-modified: $Date: 93/02/28 22:17:42 $

SPACE ACTIVIST/INTEREST/RESEARCH GROUPS AND SPACE PUBLICATIONS

    GROUPS

    AIA -- Aerospace Industry Association. Professional group, with primary
    membership of major aerospace firms. Headquartered in the DC area.
    Acts as the "voice of the aerospace industry" -- and it's opinions
    are usually backed up by reams of analyses and the reputations of
    the firms in AIA.

        [address needed]

    AIAA -- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
    Professional association, with somewhere about 30,000-40,000
    members. 65 local chapters around the country -- largest chapters
    are DC area (3000 members), LA (2100 members), San Francisco (2000
    members), Seattle/NW (1500), Houston (1200) and Orange County
    (1200), plus student chapters. Not a union, but acts to represent
    aviation and space professionals (engineers, managers, financial
    types) nationwide. Holds over 30 conferences a year on space and
    aviation topics publishes technical Journals (Aerospace Journal,
    Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, etc.), technical reference books
    and is _THE_ source on current aerospace state of the art through
    their published papers and proceedings. Also offers continuing
    education classes on aerospace design. Has over 60 technical
    committees, and over 30 committees for industry standards. AIAA acts
    as a professional society -- offers a centralized resume/jobs
    function, provides classes on job search, offers low-cost health and
    life insurance, and lobbies for appropriate legislation (AIAA was
    one of the major organizations pushing for IRAs - Individual
    Retirement Accounts). Very active public policy arm -- works
    directly with the media, congress and government agencies as a
    legislative liaison and clearinghouse for inquiries about aerospace
    technology technical issues. Reasonably non-partisan, in that they
    represent the industry as a whole, and not a single company,
    organization, or viewpoint.

    Membership $70/yr (student memberships are less).

    American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
    The Aerospace Center
    370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW
    Washington, DC 20077-0820
    (202)-646-7400

    AMSAT - develops small satellites (since the 1960s) for a variety of
    uses by amateur radio enthusiasts. Has various publications,
    supplies QuickTrak satellite tracking software for PC/Mac/Amiga etc.

    Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT)
    P.O. Box 27
    Washington, DC 20044
    (301)-589-6062

    ASERA - Australian Space Engineering and Research Association. An
    Australian non-profit organisation to coordinate, promote, and
    conduct space R&D projects in Australia, involving both Australian
    and international (primarily university) collaborators. Activities
    include the development of sounding rockets, small satellites
    (especially microsatellites), high-altitude research balloons, and
    appropriate payloads. Provides student projects at all levels, and
    is open to any person or organisation interested in participating.
    Publishes a monthly newsletter and a quarterly technical journal.

    Membership $A100 (dual subscription)
    Subscriptions $A25 (newsletter only) $A50 (journal only)

    ASERA Ltd
    PO Box 184
    Ryde, NSW, Australia, 2112
    email: [e-mail]

    BIS - British Interplanetary Society. Probably the oldest pro-space
    group, BIS publishes two excellent journals: _Spaceflight_, covering
    current space activities, and the _Journal of the BIS_, containing
    technical papers on space activities from near-term space probes to
    interstellar missions. BIS has published a design study for an
    interstellar probe called _Daedalus_.

    British Interplanetary Society
    27/29 South Lambeth Road
    London SW8 1SZ
    ENGLAND

    No dues information available at present.

    ISU - International Space University. ISU is a non-profit international

    graduate-level educational institution dedicated to promoting the
    peaceful exploration and development of space through multi-cultural
    and multi-disciplinary space education and research. For further
    information on ISU's summer session program or Permanent Campus
    activities please send messages to '[e-mail]' or
    contact the ISU Executive Offices at:

    International Space University
    955 Massachusetts Avenue 7th Floor
    Cambridge, MA 02139
    (617)-354-1987 (phone)
    (617)-354-7666 (fax)

    L-5 Society (defunct). Founded by Keith and Carolyn Henson in 1975 to
    advocate space colonization. Its major success was in preventing US
    participation in the UN "Moon Treaty" in the late 1970s. Merged with
    the National Space Institute in 1987, forming the National Space
    Society.

    NSC - National Space Club. Open for general membership, but not well
    known at all. Primarily comprised of professionals in aerospace
    industry. Acts as information conduit and social gathering group.
    Active in DC, with a chapter in LA. Monthly meetings with invited
    speakers who are "heavy hitters" in the field. Annual "Outlook on
    Space" conference is _the_ definitive source of data on government
    annual planning for space programs. Cheap membership (approx
    $20/yr).

        [address needed]

    NSS - the National Space Society. NSS is a pro-space group distinguished
    by its network of local chapters. Supports a general agenda of space
    development and man-in-space, including the NASA space station.
    Publishes _Ad Astra_, a monthly glossy magazine, and runs Shuttle
    launch tours and Space Hotline telephone services. A major sponsor
    of the annual space development conference. Associated with
    Spacecause and Spacepac, political lobbying organizations.

    Membership $18 (youth/senior) $35 (regular).

    National Space Society
    Membership Department
    922 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.
    Washington, DC 20003-2140
    (202)-543-1900

    Planetary Society - founded by Carl Sagan. The largest space advocacy
    group. Publishes _Planetary Report_, a monthly glossy, and has
    supported SETI hardware development financially. Agenda is primarily
    support of space science, recently amended to include an
    international manned mission to Mars.

    The Planetary Society
    65 North Catalina Avenue
    Pasadena, CA 91106

    Membership $35/year.

    SSI - the Space Studies Institute, founded by Dr. Gerard O'Neill.
    Physicist Freeman Dyson took over the Presidency of SSI after
    O'Neill's death in 1992. Publishes _SSI Update_, a bimonthly
    newsletter describing work-in-progress. Conducts a research program
    including mass-drivers, lunar mining processes and simulants,
    composites from lunar materials, solar power satellites. Runs the
    biennial Princeton Conference on Space Manufacturing.

    Membership $25/year. Senior Associates ($100/year and up) fund most
        SSI research.

    Space Studies Institute
    258 Rosedale Road
    PO Box 82
    Princeton, NJ 08540

    SEDS - Students for the Exploration and Development of Space. Founded in
    1980 at MIT and Princeton. SEDS is a chapter-based pro-space
    organization at high schools and universities around the world.
    Entirely student run. Each chapter is independent and coordinates
    its own local activities. Nationally, SEDS runs a scholarship
    competition, design contests, and holds an annual international
    conference and meeting in late summer.

    Students for the Exploration and Development of Space
    MIT Room W20-445
    77 Massachusetts Avenue
    Cambridge, MA  02139
    (617)-253-8897
    email: [e-mail]

    Dues determined by local chapter.

    SPACECAUSE -  A political lobbying organization and part of the NSS
    Family of Organizations. Publishes a bi-monthly newsletter,
    Spacecause News. Annual dues is $25. Members also receive a discount
    on _The Space Activist's Handbook_. Activities to support pro-space
    legislation include meeting with political leaders and interacting
    with legislative staff. Spacecause primarily operates in the
    legislative process.

    National Office            West Coast Office
    Spacecause            Spacecause
    922 Pennsylvania Ave. SE    3435 Ocean Park Blvd.
    Washington, D.C. 20003        Suite 201-S
    (202)-543-1900            Santa Monica, CA 90405

    SPACEPAC - A political action committee and part of the NSS Family of
    Organizations. Spacepac researches issues, policies, and candidates.
    Each year, updates _The Space Activist's Handbook_. Current Handbook
    price is $25. While Spacepac does not have a membership, it does
    have regional contacts to coordinate local activity. Spacepac
    primarily operates in the election process, contributing money and
    volunteers to pro-space candidates.

    Spacepac
    922 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
    Washington, DC 20003
    (202)-543-1900

    UNITED STATES SPACE FOUNDATION - a public, non-profit organization
    supported by member donations and dedicated to promoting
    international education, understanding and support of space. The
    group hosts an annual conference for teachers and others interested
    in education. Other projects include developing lesson plans that
    use space to teach other basic skills such as reading. Publishes
    "Spacewatch," a monthly B&W glossy magazine of USSF events and
    general space news. Annual dues:

        Charter        $50 ($100 first year)
        Individual    $35
        Teacher        $29
        College student $20
        HS/Jr. High    $10
        Elementary     $5
        Founder &     $1000+
            Life Member

    United States Space Foundation
    PO Box 1838
    Colorado Springs, CO 80901
    (719)-550-1000

    WORLD SPACE FOUNDATION - has been designing and building a solar-sail
    spacecraft for longer than any similar group; many JPL employees lend
    their talents to this project. WSF also provides partial funding for the
    Palomar Sky Survey, an extremely successful search for near-Earth
    asteroids. Publishes *Foundation News* and *Foundation Astronautics
    Notebook*, each a quarterly 4-8 page newsletter. Contributing Associate,
    minimum of $15/year (but more money always welcome to support projects).

    World Space Foundation
    Post Office Box Y
    South Pasadena, California 91301


    PUBLICATIONS

    Aerospace Daily (McGraw-Hill)
    Very good coverage of aerospace and space issues. Approx. $1400/yr.

    Air & Space / Smithsonian (bimonthly magazine)
    Box 53261
    Boulder, CO 80332-3261
    $18/year US, $24/year international

    ESA - The European Space Agency publishes a variety of periodicals,
    generally available free of charge. A document describing them in
    more detail is in the Ames SPACE archive in
    pub/SPACE/FAQ/ESAPublications.

    Final Frontier (mass-market bimonthly magazine) - history, book reviews,
    general-interest articles (e.g. "The 7 Wonders of the Solar System",
    "Everything you always wanted to know about military space
    programs", etc.)

    Final Frontier Publishing Co.
    PO Box 534
    Mt. Morris, IL 61054-7852
    $14.95/year US, $19.95 Canada, $23.95 elsewhere

    Space News (weekly magazine) - covers US civil and military space
    programs. Said to have good political and business but spotty
    technical coverage.

    Space News
    Springfield VA 22159-0500
    (703)-642-7330
    $75/year, may have discounts for NSS/SSI members

    Journal of the Astronautical Sciences and Space Times - publications of
    the American Astronautical Society. No details.

    AAS Business Office
    6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite #102
    Springfield, VA 22152
    (703)-866-0020

    GPS World (semi-monthly) - reports on current and new uses of GPS, news
    and analysis of the system and policies affecting it, and technical
    and product issues shaping GPS applications.

    GPS World
    859 Willamette St.
    P.O. Box 10460
    Eugene, OR 97440-2460
    (503)-343-1200

    Free to qualified individuals; write for free sample copy.

    Innovation (Space Technology) -- Free. Published by the NASA Office of
    Advanced Concepts and Technology. A revised version of the NASA
    Office of Commercial Programs newsletter.

    Planetary Encounter - in-depth technical coverage of planetary missions,
    with diagrams, lists of experiments, interviews with people directly
    involved.
    World Spaceflight News - in-depth technical coverage of near-Earth
    spaceflight. Mostly covers the shuttle: payload manifests, activity
    schedules, and post-mission assessment reports for every mission.

    Box 98
    Sewell, NJ 08080
    $30/year US/Canada
    $45/year elsewhere

    Space (bi-monthly magazine)
    British aerospace trade journal. Very good. $75/year.

    Space Calendar (weekly newsletter)

    Space Daily/Space Fax Daily  (newsletter)
    Short (1 paragraph) news notes. Available online for a fee
    (unknown).

    Space Technology Investor/Commercial Space News -- irregular Internet
    column on aspects of commercial space business. Free. Also limited
    fax and paper edition.

        P.O. Box 2452
        Seal Beach, CA 90740-1452.

    All the following are published by:

    Phillips Business Information, Inc.
    7811 Montrose Road
    Potomac, MC 20854

    Aerospace Financial News - $595/year.
    Defense Daily - Very good coverage of space and defense issues.
        $1395/year.
    Space Business News (bi-weekly) - Very good overview of space
        business activities. $497/year.
    Space Exploration Technology (bi-weekly) - $495/year.
    Space Station News (bi-weekly) - $497/year.

    UNDOCUMENTED GROUPS

    Anyone who would care to write up descriptions of the following
    groups (or others not mentioned) for inclusion in the answer is
    encouraged to do so.

    AAS - American Astronautical Society
    Other groups not mentioned above

NEXT: FAQ #14/15 - How to become an astronaut

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End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 256
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