Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT_ZIP/spacedig/V11_5/V11_535.ZIP/V11_535

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Date: Sun, 17 Jun 1990 01:42:38 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: SPACE Digest V11 #535

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 11 : Issue 535

Today's Topics:
Re: NASA announces next steps in Space Exploration Outreach Program (Forwarded)
          Re: NASA Data access on Internet?
Re: Public Perception Of Space (was Re: US/Soviet Planetary Activity)
                 Re: Egomania
                  GIF files
      Re: NSS protests Chinese launch pricing/L4 Society
 Re: Color fotos/slides of galaxies NGC 4565, NGC 4594, and NGC 5128
               Re: cosmosphere
                  Re: Tides
             Re: Space Sail Race
          Satellite photos for BITNET users

Administrivia:

    Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to
  [e-mail].  Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices,
  should be sent to [e-mail], or, if urgent, to
             [e-mail]

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 15:04:33 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!icdoc!mvax.cc.ic.ac.uk!sunb![e-mail]  (M.S.Bennett Supvs= Prof Pendry)
Subject: Re: NASA announces next steps in Space Exploration Outreach Program (Forwarded)


How in the name of god can you ask people to come up with new ways of
of getting to the moon when the funding for these projects is vanishing up
its only congresional commitee! This is rather too awful - if we (the west)
do not do it, then corporations or other non accountable groups will
move into space- and we, the people, will never see the fruits of space
only an economic tyrany.

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 20:44:30 GMT
From: frooz![e-mail]  (Steve Willner, OIR)
Subject: Re: NASA Data access on Internet?

From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail]
(Thomas F. Smith):
> In the article it says "...anyone with access to the Internet,
> BITNET, or Telenet computer network can call NSSDC computers
>
> So HOW?

The NSSDCA machine is "NSSDCA" (6276) on SPAN and "nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov"
(128.183.10.4) on the Internet.  Telnet, SET HOST, or rlogin to get the
"Username:" prompt.  ('dlogin' is even better if you happen to have an
Ultrix machine on SPAN.)

You can also dial in via 301-286-9000 (300, 1200, or 2400 baud, full
duplex, 8 bits, no parity, one stop).  At the "Enter Number:" prompt,
enter MD and carriage return.  When the system responds "Call
Complete," enter a few more carriage returns to get the "Username:"
prompt.

I have no idea how to get there from Bitnet or Telenet.

Once at the "Username:" prompt, enter "nodis" and carriage return.  You
then get asked for identification and then are given a menu.  I believe
item 1 is the master index, but that should be obvious.

Note that most of what they have is an index to the data rather than
the actual data.  However, there are instructions for requesting data.
Also look at the CANOPUS newsletter system, which has NASA launch
manifests on file.  (Though not copyable the last time I tried :-( )

Europe has a separate system, located in Strasbourg.

Good luck.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Steve Willner            Phone [phone]         Bitnet:   willner@cfa
Cambridge, MA 02138 USA                 Internet: [e-mail]

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 06:51:41 GMT
From: ucselx!bionet!agate!darkstar!ucscb.UCSC.EDU![e-mail]  (Ray Rischpater)
Subject: Re: Public Perception Of Space (was Re: US/Soviet Planetary Activity)


In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Tom Neff) writes:
>People who want NASA to make cute TV commercials to "sell" space don't
>seem to understand that Congress has the purse strings, and they would
>pitch holy hell if they saw the agency buying advertisements.  It would
>be seen by *all* parties concerned -- including the White House and the
>Pentagon, who have dozens of things they'd love to be able to "sell" --
>as crude politicking.  If NASA were supposed to buy ads, the
>Administration would include a line item for it in its budget and the
>House would appropriate the money.  That's how the Armed Forces
>recruiting spots work; the Congressional armed services committees
>consent because it's understood that recruiting is basic to the
>all-volunteer service.
I realize that completely.  Personally, I'd like to see it done by
a private firm, or (gasp) a non-profit organization.  But then again,
I'm a hopeless romantic.  It could be done easily by a large firm operating
at a loss, though, I suppose.  I know very little about costs for production
of things like that.
>
>Big aerospace contractors DO sell ads touting space -- watch the Sunday
>morning political shows, where it's assumed the movers and shakers are
>watching.
The idea I was having of "selling space" was not so much to sell the public,
but inform them.  Rather than an emotional plea, something like a short
version of "The Powers of Ten" film, brief shots of a planet and explanation
of something we've learned, and so on.  >Teach< the people something, so that
they can make an >educated< decision, rather than spread more emotional
propaganda.
>
>As for "Hey Joe! Colonize Mars Now!" and other such Dickian stuff, that
>will have to wait for the market to open up sufficiently for Joe's wallet
>to matter.  (Hmm, a new Readers' Digest series -- I Am Joe's Wallet...)
I agree completely.  I'm not even sure if I'd support the space program to
that point.  I >do< want us to have manned space stations, and a (continuing)
manned program on the moon.  Colonization?  I'd like to see what's out there.

--
--     [e-mail]            Ray Rischpater
--     [e-mail]          [phone]
--As usual, all of the opinions contained herein are my own...

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 03:45:07 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!umich!ox.com!kitenet![e-mail]  (Russ Cage)
Subject: Re: Egomania

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] ("Thomas Fletcher ", Hellraiser) writes:
>You people scare the hell out of me!!!!!!!!
>
>You seem to think you know all the answers to the earth and universe.  If you
>know so much about how to "terraform", forget about doing it to other planets,
>you had better start right here on good ole earth.

We know a bit about terraforming, like the raw physical problems of
making (or eliminating) atmospheres.  But it's more complicated than that.

You are correct, in that anyone who believes that they have the knowledge
to do it, is almost certainly suffering delusions of grandeur.  That is
exactly why I think we should work on closed-system ecologies for space
habitats, and some limited terraforming of planets.  If the things work,
maybe we *do* have the knowledge required.

Will Rogers once said, "It ain't what we don't know that hurts us;
it's what we know that ain't so."  A reality check is a sure-fire
way to uncover those things.  Testing terraforming and closed
ecology systems is the only way to be sure.
--
  I am paid to write all of RSI's opinions.  Want me to write some for you?
[phone]        Forewarned is half an octopus.
Russ Cage, Robust Software Inc.            [e-mail]

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

Date:          16-JUN-90 09:35:00 EDT
From: Steven R. Heleski <[e-mail]>
Subject:       GIF files

  I have a real interesting questions.

  1.) What kind of machine will display files in GIF format?
  2.) Where can I find the programs to display GIF files.

  I am real curious in finding a program which will work on a
  VMS machine,  but I will settle for a program for a PC.


   Steven Heleski
    [e-mail]

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 17:18:04 GMT
From: fernwood!portal!cup.portal.com![e-mail]  (H Keith Henson)
Subject: Re: NSS protests Chinese launch pricing/L4 Society

Jon Leech ([e-mail]) posted:

>    But then, I remember the days when the L-5 staff and leadership
>were actually responsive to the members.  Before the move to
>Washington, for one thing.  I'm with Keith Lofstrom's posting of 19
>Jan 1989 on bureaucratic bozosity of NSS - let's start the L-4
>Society!
>
>    L-5 News 1980 - articles on lightsails and mass drivers.
>    As Astra 1990 - articles on shuttle launch tours and happenings
>                    on the Hill.
>
>    This is progress? Feh.

No, but forming an L4 Society is not the right direction either.  How
many of you really wanted to be hydroponics farmers at L5?  Sure, it
is better than staying on the mudball, but given a choice, wouldn't
you rather get a little further away?  Say a few hundred thousand
light years?  Given nanotechnology, going that far isn't much harder
than building things at L5.  I have already started "The Far Edge
Committee," dedicated to exploration of the galaxy and holding a
party/scientific meeting at the conclusion.  At this point it is
somewhat informal.  Active members will eventually be drawn from
those who have completed their cryonic suspension contracts, and
that is getting to be a *substantial* fraction of the spacers!

A long article on the topic will come out in New Destinies this
September, I can send copies by email of MegaScale Engineering
(or Party Animals Loose in Space!) to those who have not already
seen the article.

Keith Henson, a (big deal) founder of L5 :)

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 15:21:12 GMT
From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!ohstpy![e-mail]
Subject: Re: Color fotos/slides of galaxies NGC 4565, NGC 4594, and NGC 5128

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (David Smith) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:
>>Where, please, can I acquire or at least just *see* color photos (prints) or
>>color slides of NGC 4565, NGC 4594 and NGC 5128??
>
> Try the Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, in the Peterson series.

Better yet, the Color Atlas of Galaxies by James Wray (Cambridge University
Press)

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

Date: 15 Jun 90 12:54:49 GMT
From: ncrlnk!ncrwic!encad!enprt![e-mail]  (Harry Burford)
Subject: Re: cosmosphere

[e-mail] ("Bill Ball") writes:

>In a note of 30 may [e-mail] mentions some museums including
>"the Cosmosphere near Kansas City". Can anyone provide me with more
>info on this place?
>((( Bill Ball c476721@UMCVMB ) Dept. Pol. Sci. ) U. Mo.-Columbia )
>internet: [e-mail]

The Cosmosphere is located in Hutchinson Kansas just north west of
Wichita 316-622-2305.  There you will find a large collection of
space artifacts as well as an OmniMAX theater.  The folks at the
Cosmosphere are recognized for their talents at space craft
restoration and there are several one of a kind objects on display
in their museum.  For example, I think the Cosmosphere is the only
place in the western world where you can view an actual Russian
space suit.   They also have a German V2 and 'buzz bomb' example of
only a couple known to exist in the world.   The list goes on .....
The display FAR exceeds the display at the Smithsonian.

Back in March I had an opportunity to attend their ASTRA program.
This was a 'space camp' for adults and was held on a Saturday.
Got to fly in their full motion space shuttle simulator.
REAL IMPRESSIVE!

Its worth the trip .....
hb

--
Harry Burford - NCR Peripheral Products Division, Printer Products
PHONE: [phone]       TELEX: 417-465         FAX: [phone]
SLOWNET:  3718 N. Rock Road, Wichita KS         CALL: KA0TTY
C-$erve:  76367,151    SS: 9.5       [e-mail]

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

Date: 14 Jun 90 15:54:17 GMT
From: att!drutx!druwa![e-mail]  (BakerRC)
Subject: Re: Tides

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Floyd McWilliams) writes:
>
>     I've been thinking about the Earth's tides, and there's something
> I can't figure out.
>
>     The Sun has 27,000,000 times the Moon's mass (the Sun is 333,000
> times more massive than the Earth, which has 81 times the Moon's mass).
>
>     The Sun is 391 times more distant than the Moon (93,000,000 /
> 238,000).
>
>     Therefore, the Sun's gravitational pull on the Earth is 177 times
> that of the Moon (divide mass ration by square of distance ratio).
>
>     This is what we would expect -- we revolve around the Sun every
> year, not the Moon.  But it seems to me that tides caused by the Sun
> should be 177 times stronger than those caused by the Moon!  What's wrong
> with my reasoning?



Tides are caused not by gravity itself but by differential gravity.
That is, tides are caused by the fact that the ocean nearest the moon
feels more lunar gravity than the solid earth, it being closer than the center
of the earth. This also explains the apparent wierdness that there is also
a high tide AWAY from the moon. The center of the earth is closer than the
far side ocean and so the earth is being pulled away from that water.

Thus we need to calculate differential gravity to calculate sun/moon relative
tidal effect. This is the differential of the above equation, m/r**3.
Given your numbers, this comes to .451, about what I remember.
(Wow that actually worked out.)

Interesting side note: earths differential gravity is what causes
satelittes to tend to point with their long axis pointing up/down. This is
how they kept LDEF oreinted, and it sounds like MIR now has to fight it
with their new added module in its' current configuration.

The largest example of this effect of course is the moon. The moon is
like an unbalanced beach ball, the near side being heavier. Over the eons,
the moon has settled with the heavy side down :-). Moons of other planets
also do this, and for awhile they thought Mercury, too. Gee, maybe the
dark side ought to be called the light side :-).

Any questions?

Robin "Radar" Baker

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

Date: 16 Jun 90 13:29:35 GMT
From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watserv1!maytag!watdragon!watyew![e-mail]  (Brian or James)
Subject: Re: Space Sail Race


    A few people have mentioned 'Project Solar Sail' in this newsgroup, so
I went out and got a copy. It's a reasonably good introductory book on the
subject, although I'd seen most of the information before. I had hoped that
PSS would have more 'meat' to it [Numbers, equations, some idea how long the
damn things take to get around; at my level of physics [Grade 13, with
some subjects better] I don't have the math to calculate the paths these
things take]. This isn't a critisism of PSS, since I think the book does
exactly what the compilers wanted. If anyone has a friend or relative whose
looking for an introductory level book to read, this is it.
     I'd like to plug Frank Kreith's 'Radiation Heat Transfer for
Spacecraft and Solar Powerplant Design' as well. A very useful book, its
major flaw is that it was written in 1962, and is probably out of print.
    As an aside, can anyone out there supply me with a program that can
calculate roughly the time it takes solar sails to get from orbit a to orbit b?
I don't have a Cray, so it would be nice if it was a *short* program :) I
realise that this means sacrificing accuracy, but almost anything would be
an improvement over my current situation.
                    JDN

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

Date: Sat, 16 Jun 90 16:31 GMT
From: "Joe Desbonnet, UCG Ireland." <[e-mail]>
Subject: Satellite photos for BITNET users

For those BITNET users who what to access the satellite pictures at
VMD.CSO.UIUC.EDU you can use the Internet/BITNET FTP server at Princeton. Eg if
you want to get a directory listing of the files in phil.515 send the following
message to [e-mail]

FTP vmd.cso.uiuc.edu UUENCODE
USER anonymous
cd phil.515
dir
QUIT

Other important commands are 'get', 'binary' and 'ascii'. 'Binary' and 'ascii'
switch between binary and ascii modes. Eg if you want a file called
T0900419.GIF in that directory substitute 'dir' in the example above for the
following two lines:

binary
get T0900419.GIF

That file will be sent to you in parts (in UU format). Other formats are
available too but I can't remember what they are off hand. I think if you send
a one line msg saying 'HELP' you should get a list of all the commands.

Regards,
Joe Desbonnet
UCG Ireland.

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

End of SPACE Digest V11 #535
*******************