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Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 05:01:21
From: Space Digest maintainer <digests@isu.isunet.edu>
Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu
Subject: Space Digest V15 #139
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk
Space Digest Mon, 24 Aug 92 Volume 15 : Issue 139
Today's Topics:
PAVE PAWS
Space Economics
With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit?
Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to
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(THENET), or space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 24 Aug 92 03:54:47 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: PAVE PAWS
Newsgroups: sci.space
In article <1469100012@igc.apc.org> mwgoodman@igc.apc.org (Mark Goodman) writes:
>
>Several people have pointed out my error in dismissing OTH radars
>as meteor detectors. I hang my head in shame. Plasma trails,
>doppler shifts, yes, yes. I was thinking of their weakness as
>early-warning radars against cruise missile attack, but that's
>a different story.
>
>It is news to me that the PAVE PAWS radar in Georgia does not
>operate. I knew the OTH/B radars were mothballed or operating
>on limited schedules. I assume the BMEWS radars for warning
>against (former) Soviet ICBMs are still working. But there
>haven't been any (former) Soviet ballistic missile subs off our
>coasts for years.
According to a recent post in Sci.military, the early warning bases
in Greenland have been permanently closed as of last month. I assume
these were older DEW sites rather than BMEWS, but can't say for sure.
As to the PAVE PAWS system at Warner Robbins AFB, I've been following
that situation with great interest since I'm located in it's radio
exclusion zone and since it uses frequencies necessary to access the
Mode B amateur radio satellites. When it was under construction, those
of us in the exclusion zone had to get special permits from the military
to operate in this frequency band. After the initial tests, which we
monitored, the system has not been active. The word is that the multi-
megawatt beam did bad things to B52s on the flight line and in the landing
pattern, Warner Robbins was a SAC, now Strike Command, base. Screwing
around with the avionics of nuclear loaded strategic bombers isn't
something to be taken lightly.
Gary
------------------------------
Date: 24 Aug 92 05:34:47 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: Space Economics
Newsgroups: sci.space
In article <1469100013@igc.apc.org> mwgoodman@igc.apc.org (Mark Goodman) writes:
>
>What is the future of small satellites? They go by many names
>(lightsats, microsats, Little LEOs, Brilliant Eyes and Pebbles).
>Is there a potential market niche for these systems, say in
>mobile communication or remote sensing? Will they create a
>viable market niche for small launchers like Pegasus?
Yes there is a market niche for microsats in store and forward
communications and Earth resources sensing. Motorola's Iridum
seems to have gained enough mass in development that Pegasus
may no longer be a viable launcher for it. Iridum's market niche
may be evaporating in any event thanks to increasing completion
of terrestrial cellular networks. Most Earth resources sensing
satellites also are too big for Pegasus, but specialized
satellites for oil field exploration and other specialized uses
are candidates for launch by Pegasus. Most microsats to date have
been launched as secondary cluster payloads on larger rockets.
Most microsat work should be viewed in the same way as Shuttle
Get Away Specials, payloads not worth the cost of a separate
launch. As part of a cluster piggybacking on a larger launch,
they are cheap ways to get experimental payloads in orbit.
Pegasus is currently the most expensive (per pound) way to
get a payload to orbit.
Gary
------------------------------
Date: 24 Aug 92 04:31:14 GMT
From: Gary Coffman <ke4zv!gary>
Subject: With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit?
Newsgroups: sci.space
In article <1992Aug23.093003.5591@techbook.com> szabo@techbook.com (Nick Szabo) writes:
>In article <174ns5INNqom@agate.berkeley.edu> gwh@soda.berkeley.edu (George William Herbert) writes:
>>cecil@physics.unc.edu (Gerald Cecil) writes:
>
>>We can't get away (now) with just using robots in space.
>
>Funny. All commercial space projects, the vast majority of military
>space projects, and all exploration projects that have gone farther than
>Moon, have gotten away with using fully automated spacecraft.
Not the same thing at all. Except for the Viking landers, *none* of the
spacecraft that ventured beyond the Moon have been able to manipulate
their environment. They have been mere sensor platforms. The common
usage of robot is more specialized than automation. It requires the
ability to manipulate the environment. The term robot also ordinarily
means autonomous to a large degree, capable of on the spot decisions.
This is in contrast to teleoperated devices that require distant super-
vision at the detail level in near real time.
There have been no robots in space with the autonomy of a fruit fly or
the manipulative ability of a mouse as yet. Nothing approaching the
capability of a man has even been designed, let alone successfully
tested, on Earth as yet. Earthlings have sent out glorified box brownies
to snap pictures, but nothing designed to turn over a rock.
Gary
------------------------------
Date: P
From: P
From: Ron Baalke <baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,sci.geo.meteorology
Subject: Mars Observer Update - 08/23/92
Keywords: Mars Observer, Hurricane Andrew, JPL, KSC
Message-Id: <1992Aug24.045420.25223@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
Date: 24 Aug 92 12:53:26 GMT
Article-I.D.: elroy.1992Aug24.045420.25223
Sender: Usenet <news@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov>
Reply-To: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Lines: 57
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4
Nntp-Posting-Host: kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
Source-Info: Sender is really news@CRABAPPLE.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU
Source-Info: Sender is really isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU
Forwarded from Glenn Cunningham, Mars Observer Deputy Project Manager
MARS OBSERVER
DAILY ACTIVITIES STATUS REPORT
FROM THE
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER/CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION
Launch Minus 24 Days
Date of report: 8-23-92 Time of report: 1:30 PM EDT
With the impending arrival of Hurricane Andrew, a number of
specific actions have been taken:
o The spacecraft batteries have been fully charged.
o The RLE (Remote Launch Equipment), and the TOS (Transfer
Orbit Stage) support equipment have been moved out of
the B-10 room in the AGE building to avoid water damage.
o The Titan is being secured.
o Payload fairing air conditioning has been removed and the
nitrogen purge re-established.
o The science instrument purge system is connected and
extra gas bottles have been put into place as a backup to
the pad facility supply.
o The spacecraft checkout station computers memories have
been backed up, and j-boxes and cables lifted above the
floor. The racks have been covered with plastic.
o The science instrument support equipment has been covered
with plastic.
o Spare flight hardware has been relocated to the second
floor of building AO.
o Storm shutters are up on building AO and the entrances
are being sandbagged.
o Evacuation plans have been established, but not executed
at this time, for all JPL and GE personnel.
The Cape is in "Hurricane Condition III" since 8 pm Saturday
evening, which means winds of greater than 50 knots (58 mph) are
expected within 48 hours. At this writing, we are awaiting word
from the Air Force weather officer regarding the continuance of
this condition.
An evacuation of the Cape will not be ordered until "Hurricane
Condition II" is called when winds greater than 50 knots are
expected within 24 hours.
The actions taken thus far will probably cause a slip of the Launch
Day Dress Rehearsal, and a slip in the readiness for launch. The
actual schedules cannot be accurately assessed until the hurricane
conditions have terminated, and the recovery plans established.
___ _____ ___
/_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
| | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab |
___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Optimists live longer
/___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | than pessimists.
|_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ |
------------------------------
End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 139
------------------------------