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Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #134

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 134

Today's Topics:
NASA seeks Space Station Assured Crew Return Vehicle proposals (Forwarded)
  Geyser-like plume discovered on Neptune's moon Triton (Forwarded)
         NASA Headline News for 10/05/89 (Forwarded)
         NASA Headline News for 10/04/89 (Forwarded)
         Re: Titius Series / Quantum orbits?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 9 Oct 89 05:31:20 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA seeks Space Station Assured Crew Return Vehicle proposals (Forwarded)

Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                    October 3, 1989

Kari Fluegel
Johnson Space Center, Houston


RELEASE:  89-157

NASA SEEKS SPACE STATION ASSURED CREW RETURN VEHICLE PROPOSALS

     NASA today released a request for proposals (RFP) for
definition studies of a new vehicle that would serve as a
lifeboat for Space Station Freedom, providing the capability for
assured crew return from space.  Deadline for proposal submission
is Nov. 16, 1989.

    The Assured Crew Return Capability (ACRC) System is
conceptualized as a vehicle, continuously berthed at Space
Station Freedom, for crew return to Earth in event of a medical
emergency or other contingencies which cannot be supported by the
Space Shuttle, for any reason, including grounding of the Shuttle
fleet.

     The RFP encourages the use of existing technologies for a
simple and reliable ACRC vehicle.  ACRC necessitates that a
vehicle be berthed at the station for immediate use and be
reliable enough to be maintained at Freedom for long periods of
time before use.

     Since the beginning of the manned space program, NASA has
been dedicated to assured crew return capability for its space
vehicles.  In the Mercury and Gemini program flights, the first
orbit's trajectory assured the return of the spacecraft.  Apollo
missions were flown on lunar "free return" trajectories where the
spacecraft could circle the Moon and return to Earth
automatically.  During Skylab missions, an Apollo spacecraft was
docked at the facility whenever crewmembers were aboard.

     NASA will award two parallel contracts providing for a $1.5
million, 6-month effort to prepare final ACRC system
requirements, to assess feasible configurations and to examine
cost, risks and schedules.

     The contracts also will include an option, valued at $4.5
million, which, if exercised, will provide for systems definition
and preliminary design of the ACRC system.  The contracts (basic
contracts plus options), with a potential value of $6 million
each, will support efforts leading to initiation of full-scale
development of a vehicle in 1992.

     The definition studies will be managed by NASA's Johnson
Space Center, Houston.

    - end -


EDITORS NOTE:  The Assured Crew Return RFP is available for press
review in the Johnson Space Center newsroom and will be available
in the Headquarters newsroom within 3 days.

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

Date: 9 Oct 89 05:27:57 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Geyser-like plume discovered on Neptune's moon Triton (Forwarded)

Charles Redmond
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                    October 2, 1989

Mary Beth Murrill
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.


RELEASE:  89-156

GEYSER-LIKE PLUME DISCOVERED ON NEPTUNE'S MOON TRITON


     A 5-mile-tall, geyser-like plume of dark material has been
discovered erupting from the surface of Neptune's moon Triton in
images returned last month to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif., by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft.

     The discovery comes just as the Neptune encounter -- Voyager
2's fourth and final planetary flyby in 12 years -- officially
ends today, Oct. 2.

     This is the first time geyser-like phenomena have been seen
on any solar system object, other than Earth, since Voyager
discovered eight active geysers shooting sulfur above the surface
of Jupiter's moon, Io.  The new finding -- Voyager's last hurrah
in its journey past the planets -- augments Triton's emerging
reputation as the most perplexing of all the dozens of moons
Voyagers 1 and 2 have explored.

     Voyager 2's camera captured the eruption shooting dark
particles high into Triton's thin atmosphere.  Resembling a
smokestack, the narrow stem of the dark plume, measured using
stereo images, rises vertically nearly 5 miles and forms a cloud
that drifts 90 miles westward in Triton's winds.

     While Voyager scientists are trying to determine the
mechanism responsible for the eruption, one possibility being
considered is that pressurized gas, probably nitrogen, rises from
beneath the surface and carries aloft dark particles and possibly
ice crystals.  Whatever the cause, the plume takes the particles
to an altitude where they are left suspended to form a cloud that
drifts westward.

     Voyager 2's working life among the planets may be at an end,
but the spacecraft and its twin, Voyager 1, are expected to
continue returning information about the various fields and
particles they encounter while approaching and eventually
crossing the boundary of our solar system.  The plutonium-based
generators that provide electricity to the spacecraft are
expected to keep alive the computers, science instruments and
radio transmitter for up to 25 or 30 more years.

     As of today, the long-lived project will be known as the
Voyager Interstellar Mission.  The Voyager Project is managed for
NASA's Office of Space Science And Applications by the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

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

Date: 9 Oct 89 05:39:21 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 10/05/89 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, October 5, 1989                     Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, October 5....


The countdown for the launch of STS-34 begins at 8:00 A.M.,
Eastern time, Monday.  Yesterday, mission managers gave the okay
for an October 12 launch after a computer in the Inertial Upper
Stage booster was replaced.  Crew Commander Don Williams, Pilot
Mike McCulley and Mission Specialists Franklin Chang-Diaz, Ellen
Baker and Shannon Lucid will arrive at Kennedy Space Center
Monday.

Lift off is scheduled for the opening of a 10-minute launch
window next Thursday at 1:29 P.M., Eastern time.  Deployment of
the primary payload...the Galileo spacecraft...will occur about 6
hours after launch.  The 2-ton spacecraft will take 6 years to
reach its target...Jupiter.  In order to get there, the
spacecraft will fly past Venus and twice by Earth, using gravity
assists from the planets to gain enough velocity to reach
Jupiter.  During its trip Galileo will collect scientific data
about Venus...the Earth-Moon system...fly formation with one or
two asteroids for short periods and observe various interstellar
phenomenon.



A Space Station rephasing plan has been sent to the Office of
Management and Budget by NASA Administrator Richard Truly that
cuts back on station crew size and electrical power, but holds
first element launch to March 1995.  According to station program
director Dick Kohrs, the revised configuration includes options
to expand the station to near full capability when construction
is completed in 1999.  The plan delays launch of the European
Space Agency and Japanese modules.  Permanent manned activities
would begin in 1996.  The plan is based on a FY 1990 space
station appropriation of $1.85 billion.



Aerospace Daily says the Air Force and NASA have started
stockpiling carbonized rayon yarn in the event the Avtex Fiber
plant in Front Royal, Virginia, is shut down.  The yarn is used
in solid rocket motors.  The state's attorney general is still
trying to close the plant, charging that it's polluting the
Shenandoah River.



              *             *             *




-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.


Monday, October 9...


     9:00 A.M.     STS-34 launch countdown status from KSC.


Tuesday, October 10...

     9:00 A.M.     Countdown status

     9:30 A.M.     Galileo/IUS

     1:00 P.M.     Shuttle Solar Backscatter U-V instrument

     1:45 P.M.     Growth hormone concentration and distribution
                   in plants.

     2:15 P.M.     Polymer morphology

     3:00 P.M.     Student experiment

     3:30 P.M.     Mesoscale lightning experiment


Wednesday, October 11....


      9:00 A.M.    Launch countdown status

     11:00 A.M.    The Jovian system

      1:00 P.M.    Pre-launch news conference


All events and times are subject to chnge without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

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

Date: 9 Oct 89 05:17:18 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 10/04/89 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
                          NASA Headline News
Wednesday, October 4, 1989                    Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is NASA Headline News for Wednesday, October 4.....


Space shuttle managers are expected to make a decision later
today on when to launch the STS-34 mission.  Yesterday, they had
deferred a decision until a computer problem on the Inertial
Upper Stage rocket was resolved.   The IUS will boost the Galileo
payload on its way to Jupiter.  The suspect computer...one of two
aboard the IUS...was removed last night and a replacement
installed.  Testing of the computer system is expected to be
completed this evening.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Federal District Judge Oliver Gasch
requested documents today from three anti-nuclear activist groups
who want to stop the flight.  A government response will be filed
Friday.  A hearing on the issue before Judge Gasch is scheduled
for next Tuesday.

The activist groups say if their legal appeal fails they will
attempt to disrupt the countdown and stop the launch by
trespassing on the Kennedy Space Center.


Aerospace Daily reports that two teams of aerospace firms will
bid for definition studies for a space station crew emergency
return vehicle.  The groups, one led by Rockwell
International...the other by Lockheed Missiles and Space Co.
answered the Request For Proposals issued yesterday.  NASA is
seeking a vehicle capable or being maintained for long periods of
time before use.


Two female monkeys have checked out fine after completion of
their 14-day flight aboard the Soviet biosatellite that returned
to Earth last Friday.  Other occupants of the so-called "living
corner" of Cosmos 2044 included rats, fish, insects and plants.
Over 80 experiments were aboard the satellite.  The United
States, France, Canada and the European Space Agency participated
in the mission.


A news briefing will be held tomorrow on the pending launch of
the Cosmic Background Explorer satellite.   The briefing will be
held at 1:30 P.M., Eastern time, at NASA Headquarters in
Washington and may be seen on NASA Select television.  Launch of
the spacecraft is scheduled for November 9.


              *           *           *              *


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV.  All times are Eastern.


Thursday, October 5...

   11:30 A.M.         NASA Update will be transmitted.

    1:30 P.M.         Cosmic Background Explorer satellite
                      briefing from NASA Headquarters.

Monday, October 9....

    STS-34 briefings begin at 9:00 A.M. if October 12 is
designated launch day.  A full rundown on the briefing schedule
will be filed Thursday.


All events and times are subject to change without notice.
--------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

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

Date: 9 Oct 89 19:30:59 GMT
From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!ut-emx![e-mail]  (Feulner ... Matt Feulner)
Subject: Re: Titius Series / Quantum orbits?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Torkil Hammer) writes:
>
>Los Angeles Times 'Science' column a few weeks ago was by Asimov who
>pointed out that 500 million years ago the year had 35 days more than
>today, as evident through diurnal and annual patterns in sediments.
>Asimov pointed out that tides slow down the earth diurnal rotation at a
>predictable average rate (but with unpredictable pertubations due to
>snow caps and moving land masses), and the average rate explained the
>extra days to a nicety.

Of course, along with the loss of angular momentum of the Earth (slowing down
of the earth's diurnal rotation) comes the gain in angular momentum of Earth's
only moon, the Moon.  Some have guessed that the month (period of rotation of
the Moon) used to be on the order of 10 hours.  This means the Moon has changed
into increasingly higher orbits over the past n-million years.  I don't know
that people have looked at the effects of tides on multi-mooned planets, but
this leads me to believe that if there is indeed a pattern to the locations of
the moons, that it is due to dynamical effects of other moons or planets, as
opposed to "that's where they were formed".

Matthew Feulner
a dynamic effect of other moons or planets, as opposed to

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

End of SPACE Digest V10 #134
*******************