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Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #611

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 12 : Issue 611

Today's Topics:
               HRH Cape York SpacePort
               MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT
              Galileo Update - 11/26/90
               Re: Total Solar Eclipses
             Re: MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT
           Payload Status for 11/13/90 (Forwarded)
          Re: ELV Support to Space Station (1 of 2)
        Re: Translunar/interplanetary shuttle?
         Re: Jonathan's Space Report, Nov 26

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

Date: 26 Nov 90 02:32:30 GMT
From: swrinde!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!munnari.oz.au!sirius.ucs.adelaide.edu.au!chook![e-mail]  (Hugh Garsden)
Subject: HRH Cape York SpacePort

From the Adelaide "Advertiser" (great name for a newspaper) 24 Nov -

            Humble Duke sorry for his spaceport blunder

  The Duke of Edinburgh was forced into an embarrassing backdown yesterday
  over comments he made regarding the proposed Cape York spaceport.

  Prince Philip apologised to the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, for his comments
  in Brisbane on Wednesday which suggested the Federal Government was not
  committed to conservation in the area earmarked for the spaceport.

  He said he wanted to clear up any false impressions he may have conveyed
  and admitted he was not fully aware of the facts when he made the comments.

  ....Prince Philip told a press conference in Brisbane on Wednesday that
  time was "running out" and the problems of the area would become more
  difficult to resolve.

  He said then the urgent priority of the federal and State authorities
  should be a comprehensive plan for the future of the Cape York
  Peninsula.

  But Prince Philip admitted yesterday he now knew such a plan was already
  in progress.

-----
Hugh Garsden            "I'm walking backwards for Christmas"
University of Adelaide            - Spike Milligan
[e-mail]

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

Date:    Tue, 27 Nov 90 01:52:16 MST
From: [e-mail] (Cary Oler)
Subject: MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT
X-St-Vmsmail-To: ST%"[e-mail]"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Please Note:

     There has been quite an influx of requests for the document
"Understanding Solar Terrestrial Reports."  To all those who sent in
requests, please note that this document is still being prepared and is not
yet ready for circulation.  It will be sent to each of you as soon as it is
finished.  Please be patient.

     To all others who are unaware, this fairly extensive document will aid
in explaining the reports, alerts and warnings which are posted over the
networks.  It will also discuss techniques and procedures which can be used
to extract information potentially useful to your field of interest.  The
document concentrates most heavily on radio communications, although there
is relevance and reference to other fields of interest (ie. astronomical
observations, telecommunications, electrical power generation, atmospheric
circulation, etc.).  If interested, send requests for this document to
"[e-mail]".  It will be e-mailed to all who request it, when
completed.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\



                        --  MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT  --

                               NOVEMBER 27, 1990

                           Potential Impact Forecast
                              Flare Event Summary

                                    --------


MAJOR ENERGETIC EVENT SUMMARY

     The first major solar flare since 20 October erupted from departing
Region 6368 (N18W90) at 23:17 UT on 26 November.  The flare attained an X-ray
class M7.5 rating, but remained only a category 1N optical flare.  It began at
23:12 UT, peaked in intensity at 23:17 UT and ended at 23:29 UT.  This
impulsive flare lasted 17 minutes, which is rather short for a flare of this
x-ray intensity.  Some minor discrete radio emissions were detected, along
with a suspected minor intensity SWF/SID along the sunlit portions of the
hemisphere.

     Region 6368 will cross the west limb late on 27 November and will not
reappear (assuming it does not die) until near 11 December.  It continues to
sport a complex Beta-Gamma-Delta configuration with persisting magnetic
complexity in the trailing spot group, which has become quite difficult to
resolve optically.

     Region 6377 (S04W29 at 24:00 UT on 26 November) continues to grow in
size and has produced eight subflares over the past 24 hours.  It is expected
to be a frequent source for C-class flares and subflares with a risk for
occassional (albeit, less frequent) M-class flaring.

     The Space Environment Services Center has restored the potential PCA
alert status to a condition GREEN level, with the passage of Region 6368 beyond
the west limb.  Flare probabilities for the next 72 hours (ending 29 November)
follow:

             Flare        Probability
             Type       24hr  48hr  72hr
       --------------   ----  ----  ----
       Class M Flare     60%   40%   40%
       Class X Flare     10%   02%   02%
       Proton Flare      02%   02%   01%

     Overall flare activity will subside as Region 6368 crosses the west limb.
Region 6377 will continue to provide frequent C-class flares and subflares,
although M-class flare activity should drop noticably over the next three days,
provided no new hot spots rotate into view on the eastern limb.


POTENTIAL TERRESTRIAL IMPACT FORECAST

     Todays major solar flare is not expected to have a terrestrial impact.
It was too distant (on the west limb) and was not physically large enough to
affect the earth from our position.  Hence, the predictions and charts which
were posted in the Solar Terrestrial Forecast and Review still apply and are
not expected to be affected by this major flare.

     Geomagnetic and auroral activity has increased as expected over the past
24 hours.  Currently, unsettled conditions are in progress with occassional
brief bursts of active conditions.  Auroral activity has remained confined to
the auroral regions, but has degraded signal quality over many middle latitude
regions.  Conditions are expected to return to quiet to unsettled levels by
29 November, in close agreement with the prediction models previously posted.


**  End of Report **

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

Date: 27 Nov 90 15:55:02 GMT
From: sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Galileo Update - 11/26/90


                        GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                          November 26, 1990

     The Galileo spacecraft is now 12 days from its first Earth encounter
on December 8.  The spacecraft's Command Loss Timer was set to 96 hours,
the planned value for this mission phase.  The NIMS (Near Infrared
Mapping Spectrometer) instrument which was successfully powered on last
November 21 will continue its planned calibration activities.  The SSI
(Solid State Imaging) instrument will be turned on later today.
      ___    _____     ___
     /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|
     | | | |  __ \ /| | | |      Ron Baalke         | [e-mail]
  ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |___   Jet Propulsion Lab | [e-mail]
 /___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /|  M/S 301-355        |
 |_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/   Pasadena, CA 91109 |

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

Date: 28 Nov 90 21:56:36 GMT
From: hub.ucsb.edu!ucsbuxa![e-mail]  (Charles Frank Radley)
Subject: Re: Total Solar Eclipses

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Shane Youl) writes:


>Can anyone tell me if there will be any total solar eclipses visible during
>the next 12 months and suitable locations for viewing.

>ADVthanksANCE
>--
>                                         ____   _____     ____    ____
>  Shane Youl                            /    \ /       / /    \  /    \
>  CSIRO Division of Mineral Products   /      /_____  / /_____/ /     /
>  PO Box 124   Port Melbourne  3207   /            / / /   \   /     /
>  AUSTRALIA                           \____/ _____/ / /     \  \____/
>  Internet : [e-mail]
>  Phone    : [phone]            SCIENCE  ADVANCING  AUSTRALIA
-
Yes, 11 July 1991 total solar eclipse visible from Hawaii through
Baja Mexico (Cabo San Lucas) through central and south America.
Totality longest at Baja, (over 6 minutes) also best weather
prospects plus sun nearly overhead.   Totality at Hawaii is 2.5 hours
earlier, lasts only 4.5 minutes (approx) and sun is lower.
I will send you e-mail with more info.
 - btw, I am going to Baja, and my group is trying to contact any
radio amateurs in Hawaii who would be able to communicate with our
Baja group,to describe the location of prominences etc, so we can be
better prepared to view them when the track reaches us.
  Would appreciate any help anybody can provide there.

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

Date: 28 Nov 90 11:26:37 GMT
From: eru!hagbard!sunic!mcsun!ukc!icdoc!syma![e-mail]  (Andy Clews)
Subject: Re: MAJOR SOLAR FLARE ALERT

From article <[e-mail]>, by [e-mail] (Cary Oler):
> Please Note:
>
>      There has been quite an influx of requests for the document
> "Understanding Solar Terrestrial Reports."  To all those who sent in
> requests, please note that this document is still being prepared and is not
> yet ready for circulation.  It will be sent to each of you as soon as it is
> finished.  Please be patient.

I wonder if it would be easiest for all concerned, not least the author and
intended distributor of the above document, merely to post it to the net
when it is is finished, so that those who would like a copy can just save
it? This of course assumes the document is of a reasonable size - I'd hate
to be accused of encouraging network congestion with broadcasts of large
documents.

Regards,
Andy


--
Andy Clews, Computing Service, Univ. of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9QN, England
JANET: [e-mail]   BITNET: [e-mail]

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

Date: 29 Nov 90 19:53:29 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Payload Status for 11/13/90 (Forwarded)


    Daily Status/KSC Payload Management and Operations 11-13-90.


    - STS-35 ASTRO-1/BBXRT (at Pad-B)

    Experiment monitoring continues.


    - STS-39 AFP-675/IBSS/STP-01 (at CCAFS)

    CITE preps continue at the VPF.  STP-01 will arrive at CCAFS
    today.


    - STS-40 SLS-1 (at O&C)

    Power on IPR/PR troubleshooting will be performed today.
    CITE closeout operations continue.


    - STS-37 GRO (at PHSF)

    No work is scheduled for today.


    - STS-42 IML-1 (at O&C)

    Module staging will be active today.


    - STS-45 Atlas-1 (at O&C)

    Experiment and pallet staging continue.


    - STS-46 TSS-1 (at O&C)

    Power on systems testing continues.


    - STS-47 Spacelab-J (at O&C)

    Rack staging will work today.  Also the SREM will be
    unloaded.



    - STS-67 LITE (at O&C)

    Pallet staging will be active today.


    - HST M&R (at O&C)

    Preps for the transportation of the pallet to GSFC will be
    active today.

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

Date: 29 Nov 90 14:53:50 GMT
From: sumax!amc-gw!thebes!polari![e-mail]  (Charles Radley)
Subject: Re: ELV Support to Space Station (1 of 2)


>That is not the point.   Any material can carry any load, if it has big >enough cross section.   It
 >enough stress.     Structure carrying centrifugal loads is heavier than
 >structure which does not.
+ Charles, you could easily check this yourself.  If the rotating mass
+ is 80,000 lbs/half, and it averages 1/2 G, then the total tension is
+ 40,000 lbs.  If the diameter is 15 feet, then the internal 7.5 psi
+ pressure exerts a tension of 190,000 lbs, nearly 5 times the load
+ from centrifugal effects.
 + What really appalls me is that you had similar numbers available
 +to you from the net, and failed to find your incorrect assertion
 +before posting.  I hoped for better from you.
My original statement was correct as written, read it again.
Thank you for adding more numbers, I note that the big volume of a spinning station
means it must accomodate a very substantial pressure load compared with a non-
spinning station, another weight penalty.

 >__Why_exactly_do_LLNL_want_to_spin_the_thing_anyway_?__I_cannot_see_any
 >advantage where crews are rotated every 90 days.  And half the fun for the
 >astronauts is the zero-gee....

+ Blinders on again...  Charles, this could easily be another of
+ those cost-saving measures.  Crews do not *have* t+o be rotated
+ every 90 days, which reduces transport (and thus life-cycle) costs.
+ You keep assuming the weaknesses of NASA's design when talking
+ about LLNL's design.  This is fallacious thinking.
Wrong.   Crews must be rotated every 90 days to limit exposure to ionizing radiation.
Shieliding is to be provided to permit a maximum safe stay of one year based on
allowable accumulated dose.   90 days provides a margin of safety.
LLNL at a higher altitude will have a more severe radiation environment than Freedom.
Also, the shielding capability of LLNL's non-metallic structure is much less than
Freedoms aluminum modules.

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

Date: 29 Nov 90 22:29:46 GMT
From: prism![e-mail]  (Daniel McGurl)
Subject: Re: Translunar/interplanetary shuttle?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Millard Edgerton) writes:
>If the engines(mains) are not restartable, HOW DO THEY FIRE TO DE-ORBIT?
>
>THINK ABOUT IT!

You know, come to think about it, I guess they use the main engines for
everything.  Docking with sats, orbital corrections.  Gosh, you can
probably restart the engines 20 times a flight if you need to. :) :) :)

Please, don't "THINK ABOUT IT", but rather read about it.
--
Daniel Sean McGurl                         "How simple the game
Office of Information Technology and       when all it's rules are respected."
Information and Computer Science Major at:
Georgia Institute of Technology                     ARPA: [e-mail]

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

Date: 29 Nov 90 22:10:34 GMT
From: snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo![e-mail]  (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Jonathan's Space Report, Nov 26

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Jonathan McDowell) writes:
>... This will be the last spaceflight by an Apollo astronaut;
>Brand first flew on the last Apollo mission, the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz flight.

Last I heard, John Young was still on flight status (theoretically)...
--
"The average pointer, statistically,    |Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology
points somewhere in X." -Hugh Redelmeier| [e-mail]   utzoo!henry

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

End of SPACE Digest V12 #611
*******************