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Date: Fri,  5 Jan 90 01:29:57 -0500 (EST)
Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #371

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 371

Today's Topics:
            Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?
               another sad day
            Re: New years eve 1999
             Re: another sad day
Space grant college and fellowship program: designated space grant colleges/consortia (Forwarded)
               Re: Mars rovers
         Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive
         Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets
         NASA Headline News for 12/28/89 (Forwarded)
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 20 Dec 89 17:37:11 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Tim Maroney) writes:
>I've often wondered about this.  So many scientists seem to take the
>dark matter for granted, but I've yet to see any clear reason for
>postulating it other than a sort of religious dogma that the universe
>will eventually recollapse.  Is there really any stronger basis...

It is very difficult to explain either the motions of stars in our galaxy
or the motions of galaxies in clusters without assuming that there is
quite a bit of extra mass present somewhere.  Galactic velocities are
too high for clusters to survive unless there is extra mass present
to raise the clusters' escape velocities.  The distribution of star
velocities in our galaxy is grossly wrong if you assume no dark mass;
it doesn't fall off nearly quickly enough as you go out from the center,
and the only way to account for it is to assume considerable extra mass
which is much more spread out than the visible mass.

Now, whether this extra mass is enough to close the universe is a different
question.

As I understand it, one reason for suspecting an Omega of 1 (universe flat,
precisely balanced between closed and open) is that the current Omega is
within an order of magnitude or so of 1, and differences from 1 get
magnified with time.  That is, it must have been *very* close to 1 in
the beginning to be this close now.  This is considered a suspicious
coincidence; pre-inflationary theories offer no reason for it.
--
1755 EST, Dec 14, 1972:  human |     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
exploration of space terminates| uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 20 Dec 89 18:43:35 GMT
From: cs.utexas.edu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: another sad day

Twenty-one years ago tomorrow (Wed 21st), at 0751 EST, the first ship set
sail for the Moon.  Eight more sailed in the following four years.  The last
three were broken up, unused, a few years later.  There have been no more.
--
1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
1989: birds nesting in engines | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]

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

Date: 18 Dec 89 16:18:11 GMT
From: skipper![e-mail]  (Mary Shafer (OFV))
Subject: Re: New years eve 1999

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Floyd McWilliams) writes:

   In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Dave Dodson) writes:
   >this millenium ends at the end of December in the year 2000...

   >Hint: There was no year 0, so the first millenium was year 1 _through_ year
   >1000, the second from 1001 through 2000, and the third from 2001 through 3000.

           Nope.  The first millenium was year 1 through 999.  The second
   millenium is 1000 through 1999.  The trick is, the first millenium got
   shafted out of a year.
           It's not very fair, of course, and anybody who was around during
   the first millenium is invited to sue The Calendar People at the court
   of law most convenient for them.

Actually, since a millenium is a thousand years, one ended last night
at midnight, too.  How are you defining _this_ millenium?  I define
it as 1000 to 1999, personally.
--

Mary Shafer  [e-mail] or ames!skipper.dfrf.nasa.gov!shafer
         NASA Ames Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA
                   Of course I don't speak for NASA

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

Date: 21 Dec 89 13:38:55 GMT
From: xylogics![e-mail]  (Jim Barnes)
Subject: Re: another sad day

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:
>--
>1972: Saturn V #15 flight-ready|     Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
>1989: birds nesting in engines |uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry [e-mail]
       ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Well, at least the money wasn't a total waste! ;-}

----
  Jim Barnes ([e-mail])

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

Date: 21 Dec 89 19:00:59 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Space grant college and fellowship program: designated space grant colleges/consortia (Forwarded)


                        SPACE GRANT COLLEGE AND FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
                         DESIGNATED SPACE GRANT COLLEGES/CONSORTIA

1.  Alabama Space Grant Consortium
    o University of Alabama in Huntsville       o Alabama A&M University, Normal
    o University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa         o Auburn University
    o University of Alabama at Birmingham

2.  Arizona Space Grant College Consortium
    o University of Arizona, Tucson             o Arizona State University,
                             Tempe
    o Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff

3.  California Space Grant Consortium and Fellowship Program
    o University of California, Berkeley        o University of California
                             at San Diego
    o University of California at Los Angeles

4.  Colorado Space Grant Consortium
    o University of Colorado, Boulder           o Fort Lewis College, Durango
    o Colorado State University, Fort Collins   o Mesa State College,
                             Grand Junction
    o University of Colorado, Colorado Springs  o University of Southern
                             Colorado, Pueblo

5.  Cornell Space Grant College Consortium
    o Cornell University, Ithaca, NY            o Clarkson University,
                             Potsdam, NY

6.  Florida Space Grant Consortium
    o University of Florida, Gainesville        o Florida A&M University,
                             Tallahassee
    o Florida State University, Tallahassee     o University of Miami

7.  Georgia Institute of Technology Space Grant Consortium
    o Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta  o Clark Atlanta University,
                             Atlanta
    o Georgia State University, Atlanta         o Tuskegee University, Ala.

8.  University of Hawaii, Manoa

9.  Aerospace Illinois Space Grant Consortium
    o Illinois Space Institute                  o University of Chicago
    o University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign  o University of Illinois,
                             Chicago
    o Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago o Northwestern University,
                             Evanston

10. Iowa Space Grant College Consortia
    o Iowa State University, Ames               o University of Iowa, Iowa City
    o University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls

11. The Johns Hopkins Space Grant Consortium
    o The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore   o Morgan State University,
                              Baltimore
    o Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore

12. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

13. Michigan Space Grant College Program
    o University of Michigan, Ann Arbor         o Wayne State University,
                             Detroit
    o Michigan Technological University, Houghton
    o Saginaw Valley State University, University Center

14. New Mexico Space Grant Consortium
    o New Mexico State University, Las Cruces
    o University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

15. Ohio Aerospace Institute
    o University of Akron                       o University of Cincinnati
    o Cleveland State University                o University of Dayton
    o Ohio State University, Columbus           o Ohio University, Athens
    o University of Toledo                      o Wright State University,
                             Dayton
    o Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland

16. Pennsylvania State University, University Park

17. Rocky Mountain Space Grant Consortium
    o Utah State University, Logan              o University of Utah,
                             Salt Lake City
    o University of Denver, Colo.

18. Tennessee Valley Aerospace Consortium
    o Fisk University, Nashville                o Vanderbilt University,
                             Nashville
    o Tennessee State University, Nashville

19. Texas Space Grant Consortium
    o University of Texas, Austin               o University of Texas at
                             Arlington
    o Texas A&M University, College Station     o University of Texas at
                             El Paso
    o Baylor University, Waco                   o University of Texas at San
                             Antonio
    o UT Health Science Center, Houston         o Texas Southern University,
                             Houston
    o UT Health Science Center, San Antonio     o Texas Christian University,
                             Fort Worth
    o UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas    o Rice University, Houston
    o University of Houston                     o Prairie View A&M University
    o University of Houston at Clear Lake       o Southern Methodist
                              University, Dallas
    o Texas A&M University at Galveston         o Texas Technological
                             University, Lubbock
    o Texas A&I University, Kingsville

20. Virginia Space Grant Consortium
    o University of Virginia, Charlottesville   o Hampton University
    o College of William and Mary, Williamsburg o Old Dominion University,
      Norfolk
    o Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University, Blacksburg

21. University of Washington, Seattle

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

Date: 19 Dec 89 07:36:17 GMT
From: zephyr.ens.tek.com!tektronix!percy!parsely!bucket![e-mail]  (Leonard Erickson)
Subject: Re: Mars rovers


[long argument for getting around the time-lag and AI problems of
a Mars rover by slowing it down deleted]

Fine, the rover is creeping along at the feet feet per hour that you
suggest is safe. Now something unexpected happens. The surface shifts.
(loose rocks hidden by dust, a dust pocket, whatever]

The rover *must* make a real time response. If it isn't autonomous, it
can't. You can handle some things be designing in recovery gear (like
those levers for righting it that you mentioned) but the odds are
against you. What do you do it it manages to "high center" itself?

or if it is traversing a slope and starts to slip?

I'll agree that your rover will work on Mars the day after it has
operated for a year with only a time delayed radio link for support
in Antarica....  (if it wasn't for rain and floods, I'd have suggested
a desert)
--
Leonard Erickson        ...!tektronix!reed!percival!bucket!leonard
CIS: [70465,203]
"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools.
Let's start with typewriters." -- Solomon Short

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

Date: 22 Dec 89 15:14:27 GMT
From: clyde.concordia.ca!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Kieran A. Carroll)
Subject: Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive

[e-mail] (Jim Bowery) writes:

> Steve Emmerson writes:
> >The few discussions on this topic have been interesting, but haven't
> >addressed the original question, viz. a description (preferably financial)
> >of those currently existing demands for `space-mail' services which are
> >analogous to the early-aviation demand for more rapid mail delivery.
>
> Save your breath, Steve.  Henry and Kieran are just making noises.
> HR2674 is the correct solution.
>

Gosh. How can any of us disagree with such a well-supported
argument as this one?

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

New product Announcement:

Be the first (but probably not the last) on your block
to get a "I've Been Personally Insulted By Jim Bowery" button.
Something that you can wear with pride, as his coveted insults
are only dealt out to those whose reasoning he can't shake :-)

--

     Kieran A. Carroll @ U of Toronto Aerospace Institute
     uunet!attcan!utzoo!kcarroll [e-mail]

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

Date: 27 Dec 89 00:03:03 GMT
From: munnari.oz.au!basser!metro!bunyip!moondance!batserver.cs.uq.oz.au![e-mail]  (Anthony Lee)
Subject: Launching AUSSAT on Chinese rockets

Recently, President Bush approved the sale of three communication satellites
to China.  This has made way for the Chinese government to launch the
AUSSAT satellites for the Australian government.  Apparently the Chinese
military can launch the satellites for half the price of the shuttle.

After the massacre of the Chinese students in June by the Chinese government
all high level contact (including the sale of military hardware) is supposed
to be stopped between the US and China.  How could Bush possibly approve
the sale of the satellites ?  The money that the Chinese government received
for the launch of the AUSSAT satellites is used to further the research
in rockets in the Chinese Army, both launch rockets and ICBMs.  The same
Army that killed thousands of unarmed civilans.

Furthermore, the Chinese government have been actively involved in the sale
of Silkworm missiles to the Iranians.  They have showed contempt for the US
government and we cannot guarantee that there will be no future sales.
Bush should not be pressured and bow to the Chinese government.  Only through
high level sanctions can the Chinese government realised that she cannot
continued in her oppressive ways.

Beside political considerations, what is the record of launches for the
Long March rockets ?

By lauching AUSSAT at half the price of the shuttle, the Chinese government
is clearly trying to artifically force down the prices of the launch
industry and to beat the competition.  This is clearly an unfair trade
practice, US has always maintain that trade should be fair and again
Bush is bowing to the Chinese government.
--
Anthony Lee (Humble PhD student) (Alias Time Lord Doctor)
ACSnet:    [e-mail]    TEL:[phone]
Internet: [e-mail]        ([phone] (w)
SNAIL: Dept Comp. Science, University of Qld, St Lucia, Qld 4067, Australia

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

Date: 28 Dec 89 21:13:56 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 12/28/89 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday, December 28, 1989                   Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------


This is NASA Headline News for Thursday, December 28....


The Galileo spacecraft...presently 12 and one-half million miles
from Earth...continues on its course towards a close approach to
Venus on February 9.  The spacecraft will swing around Venus to
get a gravity assist boost in velocity.  Galileo will also
receive two gravity assist boosts from two flybys of Earth...in
December 1990 and '92...before heading off for the planet
Jupiter.  Sensors are being checked out now for the Venus close
approach.  Arrival at Jupiter won't occur until December 1995.



Aerospace Daily reports that a French cosmonaut will spend two
weeks aboard the Soviet Union's Mir space station in late 1992.
The French space agency, CNES, will pay Glavkosmos $12 million
for the flight.  The agreement, signed December 23, calls for 12
full days of research involving 13 experiments developed by CNES.
The flight will include experiments on physiology, space biology
and biotechnology.



A reduced manpower crew continues to work at space shuttle launch
pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.  Additional work is being done
on the launch processing system in the launch control center.
Hughes technicians have begun a trickle charge of the SYNCOM
communications satellite batteries.


Martin Marietta will try again this evening to launch its Titan 3
commercial booster at Cape Canaveral.  Liftoff is scheduled for
7:05 P.M., Eastern time.  The Titan carries a British Defense
Ministry Skynet 4A and a Japanese Communications Satellite
Company JCSAT-2.



The New York Times says Japanese scientists are conducting
experiments with small gyroscopes that apparently defy the law of
gravity...under certain conditions.    The experiments indicate
weight changes when mechanical gyroscopes are spun in certain
directions.  Dr. Robert Park, a physicist at the University of
Maryland, says, "it's an astounding claim...but it's almost
certainly wrong".

                *             *             *



-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Thursday, January 4.....

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


NASA Select television will provide extensive coverage of the
STS-32 space shuttle mission.  A schedule of events will be filed
on Tuesday, January 2.
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-----------------------------------------------------------------
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Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

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

End of SPACE Digest V10 #371
*******************