Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT_ZIP/spacedig/V15_5/V15NO564.ZIP/V15NO564

Internet Message Format | 1993-07-13 | 33KB

Date: Fri, 18 Dec 92 05:04:09
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V15 #564
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Fri, 18 Dec 92       Volume 15 : Issue 564

Today's Topics:
                          Apollo Astronauts
                          Apollo laser disk
           Galileo's Atmospheric Probe Passes Health Checks
 HGA Again (was Re: Galileo's Atmospheric Probe Passes Health Checks)
                                Lageos
                        Launch vehicle photos
                              Lunar bill
       New space logos in ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/LOGOS/\*
                    Re : Relay to Follow Galileo?
                  Relay to Follow Galileo? (2 msgs)
                     Revised lunar bill, Ver. 1.5
                             Sea Dragon?
                Seattle NASA town meeting reflections.
                        Shuttle thermal tiles
       Terminal Velocity of DCX? (was Re: Shuttle ...) (2 msgs)

    Welcome to the Space Digest!!  Please send your messages to
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:20:36 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Apollo Astronauts
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space

>In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (I F Gow) wrote:
>> Anyone have addresses of the whereabouts of the surviving Apollo
>> Astronauts?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey) replied:
>[...] the
>Astronaut Office at Johnson Space Center keeps track of them and will
>forward mail to them.  That's probably the simplest answer to your
>question.
>
>The address:
>
>NASA Johnson Space Center
>Astronaut Office
>Houston, TX 77058
>
>Sorry, don't know the mail code.

Mail Code CB

Mark your envelope "Attn: Buzz Aldrin" (or whomever) for faster forwarding.

-- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
      [e-mail]  [phone]

     "The earth is the cradle of humanity, but mankind will not stay in
     the cradle forever." -- Konstantin Tsiolkvosky

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

Date: 15 Dec 92 19:11:24 GMT
From: Ralph Buttigieg <[e-mail]>
Subject: Apollo laser disk
Newsgroups: sci.space

Can anyone  help on the location of a NTSC CAV format
laser disk called "Apollo". Its supposed to cantain just about every moment
of the Apollo lunar space walks and other stuff. If you have a suppliers
address I  greatly appreciate it.

ta
Ralph Buttigieg

--- Maximus 2.01wb
 * Origin: Vulcan's World-Sydney Australia 02 635-1204 (3:713/635)

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:03:14 GMT
From: Ed McCreary <[e-mail]>
Subject: Galileo's Atmospheric Probe Passes Health Checks
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Michel Dignard) writes:
...stuff deleted...
>Does this means that the HGA has finally deployed, or the efforts have been
>abandonned?

It's hasn't deployed.  JPL plans to begin hammering the antenna soon.
Hopefully  this combined with the higher spacecraft temperature will
make the difference.

--
Ed McCreary                                               ,__o
[e-mail]                       _-\_<,
"If it were not for laughter, there would be no Tao."  (*)/'(*)

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

Date: 17 Dec 92 05:05:51 GMT
From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey <[e-mail]>
Subject: HGA Again (was Re: Galileo's Atmospheric Probe Passes Health Checks)
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Michel Dignard) writes:
> I missed SCI.SPACE.NEWS for a few weeks in November.
>
> I notice that no mention is made anymore of the Galileo High Gain Antenna
> problem in the recent posts nor in the health report.
>
> Does this means that the HGA has finally deployed, or the efforts have been
> abandonned?

As newscaster Chevy Chase used to say:

"This just in from Madrid.  According to doctors attending
Generalissimo Francisco Franco,  the former head of state
is valiantly hanging on in his fight to remain dead."

No, it hasn't opened yet.

Starting next week and continuing through 19 January, the thermal
cycling which expands and shrinks the antenna mast will be combined
with "hammering" of the drive motor that opens the antenna.  The motor
will turn on, turn the mechanism a little bit, then sense a stall and

shut itself off.  This will be repeated perhaps a couple of thousand
times and can double the stress on the jammed ribs.  It is the best
hope to get the HGA open, especially since Galileo is now nearer the
Sun than it will ever be again (or has been in a couple of years),
hence the temperature extremes it can experience are at a maximum this
month.

If they don't get it open by January, I'm sure JPL will continue work
on the problem, but they have not announced definite plans for this.

[Thanks, and a tip o'the hat to Phil Fraering for a more accurate
*SNL* quote.  Yes, I intend to keep using this joke as long as people
keep asking the HGA question.  Fight tedium with tedium.]

Bill Higgins, Beam Jockey              | "Enough marshmallows
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory  | will kill you
Bitnet:           [e-mail]  | if properly placed."
Internet:       [e-mail]  | --John Alexander, leader of
SPAN/Hepnet:           43011::HIGGINS  | "disabling technologies"
 [*Aviation Week*, 7 Dec 1992, p. 50]  | research, Los Alamos

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

Date: 16 Dec 92 15:55:06 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Lageos
Newsgroups: sci.space

Hmmm...it looks like Lageos would have been a good mission for either the new
Taurus launcher, or the new extended Pegasus.

--- Maximus 2.00

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

Date: 15 Dec 92 09:15:52 GMT
From: Peter Hunter <[e-mail]>
Subject: Launch vehicle photos
Newsgroups: sci.space

As a supplement to a public domain database of spave launches, I would like
to add a collection of .GIF images of launch vehicles.
Is anyone aware of a similar collection of .GIF's already available?


--- Maximus 2.01wb
 * Origin: Vulcan's World -Sydney Australia 02 635-1204 (3:713/635)

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

Date: 16 Dec 92 04:55:50 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Lunar bill
Newsgroups: sci.space

As part of the process of developing the Lunar Resources Data
Purchase Act (the "back to the Moon" bill), it will be necessary to
explain, in the introduction of the Act, the rationale for
establishing an immediate national requirement for lunar science data.
Congresspersons generally don't like to throw away money outside
their own districts without a good reason, so we need to explain,
in a compelling manner, why we need to go back to the Moon in
the 1990's to obtain a complete chemical map.

Why can't we wait for this information until the year 2000, or 2010,
or beyond? Why is it in the national interest to send probes *now*
back to the Moon?

If you can develop a convincing rationale for an immediate exploration
of the Moon by a lunar polar orbiter, please forward me the Reader's
Digest version - the winner of this informal  contest gets their
verbage in the Back to the Moon bill, which is to be introduced in
the 103rd Congress.

The Lunar Resources Data Purchase Act would authorize the U.S.
government to purchase lunar science data from private vendors,
selected on the basis of competitive bidding. For more information
on the Act, please send E-Mail, or call 714/524-1674.

--- Maximus 2.00

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:36:23 GMT
From: "Kenneth C. Jenks [GM2] (713" <gothamcity!kjenks>
Subject: New space logos in ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/LOGOS/\*
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.space.shuttle

I have put several new logos (ACRV, NASP, EDO, and Shuttle/C) out for
anonymous FTP into the usual space logos directory:
  ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/LOGOS/\*

I have also replaced all of the old logos with exact duplicates since
several had become corrupted (like a 7-byte-long GIF file).  So those
of you who have retrieved logos in the past might take a look at the
fresh ones.

I wouldn't mind some feedback.  Does anybody actually use these
things?  How?

-- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
      [e-mail]  [phone]

     Aldrin: "Contact light.  Okay, engine stop.  ACA out of detent."
     Armstrong: "Got it."
     Aldrin: "Mode controls, both auto.  Descent engine command override,
       off.  Engine arm off...."
     CAPCOM: "We copy you down, Eagle."
     Armstrong: "Houston, Tranquility Base here.  The Eagle has landed."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the file...
  ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/LOGOS/README


NASA Logos                                                Updated 12/14/92

These logos are provided as a service from NASA to

  - Provide access to various logos, seals, patches and emblems
      associated with the space program

  - Allow use of a consistent, almost-official set of logos across
      the Agency

  - Eliminate duplication of effort across the Agency by producing
      electronic images of these logos just ONCE

Files:

acrv.*       -- The logo for the Assured Crew Return Vehicle project

ballmono.*   -- NASA's "meatball" logo; black, white & grey

edo.*        -- The logo of the Space Shuttle Extended Duration Orbiter
                project

energia.*    -- The logo for NPO Energia, Russia

esa.*        -- The logo for the European Space Agency

jpl.*        -- The official logo for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory

jsc.*        -- An unofficial logo for Johnson Space Center

logo001.tif  -- A 256-color, 300 dpi image of the NASA meatball

msfc.*       -- A logo for Marshall Space Flight Center from 1969

nasaball.*   -- NASA's official "meatball" logo; deep blue, dark red,
                white background

nasaseal.*   -- NASA's official seal

nasaworm.*   -- NASA's "worm" logo, now replaced by meatball logo

nls.*        -- The logo of the National Launch System

orbiter1.*   -- A head-on bitmap image of the Space Shuttle Orbiter

shuttlec.*   -- The logo of the (now defunct) Shuttle/C project

ssfp.*       -- The official logo of the Space Station Freedom Program

ssp.*        -- Official logo of the Space Shuttle Program (color)

sspmono.*    -- Monochrome version of the Space Shuttle Program logo

sts-??.*     -- Crew Patch (mission emblem) of STS-??

sts-??.txt   -- The text from the back of the Crew Patch

Formats:

*.bmp -- MS Windows Bitmap format, suitable for use as wallpaper
*.cdr -- CorelDRAW format, a popular color vector format
*.cgm -- Computer Graphics Metafile, a popular color vector format
*.drw -- Micrografx Designer format, a popular color vector format
*.gif -- Graphics Interchange Format, a popular color raster format
*.pct -- CorelDRAW's attempt at exporting to Macintosh's PICT format
*.pcx -- PCX, a popular color raster format
*.tif -- Tagged Image File Format, a popular color raster format
*.wmf -- MS Windows Metafile format
*.gif.uu -- a GIF file run through "uuencode" to change it to a text file


Not all images are available in all formats.  If you cannot read ANY of
the file formats listed, feel free to contact me.  I can translate
these to most any graphics format.

If you have any images which should be part of this collection, please
contact me.

-- Ken Jenks, NASA/JSC/GM2, Space Shuttle Program Office
      [e-mail]  [phone]

     "...back to the moon, back to the future,
      and, this time, back to stay." -- George Bush

P.S.  Ron Baalke posted the following reference to some Mac files,
      including ames.arc.nasa.gov:pub/SPACE/MAGELLAN/nasalogo.mac  -- KJ

>Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,comp.sys.mac.misc
>From: [e-mail] (Ron Baalke)
>Subject: Macintosh Images
>Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
>Date: Thu, 25 Jun 1992 12:20:47 GMT
>
>
>                         =============================
>                                MACINTOSH IMAGES
>                                 June 24, 1992
>                         =============================
>
>     Two images are now available that can be displayed on the older
>black-and-white Machintoshes.  One image is of the "new" NASA logo, and the
>other image is the Venus globe put together from the data from the Magellan
>spacecraft.  If the images are placed in the System folder of the computer and
>named "StartupScreen", the images will automatically be displayed when the
>computer is turned on.  The images have been dithered to replace the grey
>values with varying densities of black and white and are stored in the
>MacBinary format.  The images can be retrieved from the Ames site using
>anonymous ftp.
>
>        ftp:      ames.arc.nasa.gov (128.102.18.3)
>        user:     anonymous
>        cd:       pub/SPACE/MAGELLAN
>        files:    nasalogo.mac (MacBinary format)
>                  venus.mac (MacBinary format)
>     ___    _____     ___
>    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | [e-mail]
>    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
> ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Pound for pound,
>/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | grasshoppers are 3 times as
>|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | nutritious as beef.

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

Date: 16 Dec 92 15:53:22 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re : Relay to Follow Galileo?
Newsgroups: sci.space

Because of the proximity to the sun during the Venus swingby, the Galileo
project managers realized that the antenna, and some other delicate equipment,
required shielding from the solar flux. Therefore, the opening of the antenna
was delayed until Galileo was relatively far from the Sun.

--- Maximus 2.00

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

Date: 16 Dec 92 15:50:58 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Relay to Follow Galileo?
Newsgroups: sci.space

No matter which way you cut it, a TDRS is too heavy to be launched to Jupiter
orbit from the shuttle (remember it needs to carry fuel for Jupiter orbit
insertion, as well).

One of the problems with the space activist commnity is that we tend to make
half-a**ed designs here on the net, instead of what we should be doing:
creating an environment where things simply don't go wrong in the first place.
That's what TQM is all about.

--- Maximus 2.00

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 18:25:13 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Relay to Follow Galileo?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>
[e-mail] writes:

>
>No matter which way you cut it, a TDRS is too heavy to be launched to Jupiter
>orbit from the shuttle (remember it needs to carry fuel for Jupiter orbit
>insertion, as well).
>
>One of the problems with the space activist commnity is that we tend to make
>half-a**ed designs here on the net, instead of what we should be doing:
>creating an environment where things simply don't go wrong in the first place.
>That's what TQM is all about.
>
>--- Maximus 2.00

     I would like to see the math that shows that TDRS could not be sent to
Jupiter, remember that a TDRS has relatively large fuel tanks, in addition to
fuel in the IUS.
     I believe the redesign of TDRS-F looked very complicated and was thought
very risky.  I was not consulted and did not look into it.  The link budget
 would need to be quite a bit different than the situations for which TDRS
was designed.

      These opinion are my own.   [e-mail]

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

Date: 16 Dec 92 19:15:28 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Revised lunar bill, Ver. 1.5
Newsgroups: sci.space

                 "Back to the Moon" Bill Proposed
                         December 15, 1992

        With most funding for the Space Exploration Initiative
eliminated in recent  budgets, and over twenty years having
passed since the last NASA mission to the Moon,  it is clear
that simply waiting for the government to get around to lunar
exploration is futile.
        The Lunar Resources Data Purchase Act (the "Back to the
Moon" bill) would authorize the U.S. government to purchase lunar
science data from private vendors, selected on the basis of
competitive bidding, with a cap on the bids of significantly
less than $100 million. There would be few restrictions on how
this data would be obtained by the bidder, or whether a winning
bidder is a for-profit or non-profit corporation.
        This mission would accomplish the widely acknowledged first
step in returning to the Moon, a lunar polar probe that would
generate a complete geochemical map of the lunar surface and
possibly determine whether ice exists in deep craters at the
poles of the Moon.
        During the last several years, there have been several false
starts in mounting a new lunar mission: the Bush Administration
has proposed a series of relatively inexpensive lunar probes
(approximate cost of $125 million per probe), and private
non-profit organizations have attempted to raise funds for their
probes via donations. There has been no success on the part of
these public and private efforts, and little prospect for the
future. Only the Back to the Moon bill has a reasonable
probability of jump starting our lunar program.
        How you can help: In order to make a return to the Moon in
this decade a reality, we need assistance from the space activist
community with the following:

Why return to the Moon now? What is the rationale for the U.S.
Congress to establish a requirement for lunar data now, instead
of the year 2000, 2010 or beyond?

Writing the Act. This is pretty well taken care of , but the
more help, the better. Your ideas on how to make the bill more
passable are welcome.

Getting congresspersons to co-sponsor the bill.  We believe that
congresspersons will be happy to co-sponsor the Act, but they
won't know about the bill unless their constituents bring it to
their attention.

        Although it is expected that private companies will bid, it
is also possible that non-profit corporations such as Lunar
Exploration, Inc.,  AMSAT,  Space Studies Institute,  or
universities may participate.  The final bill may allow for many
winning bids, on an ongoing basis.
        One key point is that  winning bidders will be  required to
supply NASA with only the specified data; any other data
generated by the spacecraft instrumentation will be the property
of the bidders, and may be sold to third parties.
        The most exciting aspect of this effort is that it does
not require the majority of American citizens to get behind the
space program; it does not require a mass movement of space
activists to galvanize NASA; the people reading this are all
that are needed to get America back to the Moon.
        Once this effort succeeds, future efforts are contemplated:
the Lunar Soil Purchase Act, the Mercury Resources Data Purchase
Act, etc. All will entail a relatively tiny Federal expenditure
to provide key knowledge about the Solar System that could
provoke the politicians to actually create a space program that
gets beyond low earth orbit.
        Can space activists actually get a bill passed through
Congress? The best evidence is the Launch Services Purchase Act,
written by space activists, introduced in Congress through the
efforts of space activists, and passed by Congress and signed by
the President, largely through the efforts of space activists.
This far-reaching bill has had a dramatic impact on the nation's
space program (it prohibits NASA from launching satellites into
space, with few exceptions; Mars Observer was launched to Mars
under the auspices of the LSPA).We have done it before, and we
can do it again.
       For more information on this project, please call David
Anderman at 714/524-1674, or contact: San Diego L5, P.O. Box
4636, San Diego, CA 92164, 619/295-3690.


--- Maximus 2.00

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 19:06:49 GMT
From: Ed McCreary <[e-mail]>
Subject: Sea Dragon?
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Thomas Clarke) writes:
>Did you ever see the Japanese cartoon where the beleagured earthlings
>convert the battleship Yamato (sunk during WWII, but now dry since the
>seas had dried up as a result of the bombardment of earth by the aliens)
>into a starship?  The intrepid band takes off, and after many adventures
>reach the home planet of the aliens and save earth!  It was actually
>pretty clever how the blended the lines of a battleship into a
>plausible looking starship.

"Starblazers".  A friend a few offices down have all of the first
season on tape sitting on his shelf.  It used to come one right
after "Speed Racer" during my misspent youth.

--
Ed McCreary                                               ,__o
[e-mail]                       _-\_<,
"If it were not for laughter, there would be no Tao."  (*)/'(*)

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

Date: 17 Dec 92 19:14:29 GMT
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Seattle NASA town meeting reflections.
Newsgroups: sci.space

Well, I went to the Seattle NASA Town meeting.  Aftter much deliberation, I
had 2 questions, one was short and pointed, and given to me (well, the
bulk of it) by Henry Spencer, and the other I wrote myself.  It was a
more majestic, and threatening question, covering more topics, and I was
sure it would not be received as well.  So, I was going to ask MY question
(Something like...  Mr. Goldin, you have done an excellent job of refocusing
NASA on the projects that it has at hand, but I still see a lack of focus
for the organization as a whole.  You state in the flyer that the goal of NASA
is to expand the frontiers of ARI and SPACE for the benifits of all.  To this
end, I feel that there are many things that NASA is doing now that they should
NOT be doing, and many things that  they SHOULD be doing.  I think that the
best way to elucidate this is Ross Perot style, and hit the most important
highlights.  1: Mission to planet earth should not be done by NASA, it is not
space science, it is earth science that just happens to be done in space.  I
believe that this work is outside the scope of nasa.  This is not to say that
it is not important work, it is, but it should ne done by NOAA whose charter
covers this area much better.  2:  The shuttle is a vehicle that will never
be commercialized, and as such can never be used by the vast majority of us.
In this respect it is a failure.  I believe that NASA needs to keep doing
launch systems work, until one that is commercially viable is developed.
To this end, I believe that NASA OUGHT to be doing work like the single stage
to orbit DC-X craft that is being built by McD for the SDIO people.  3:  There
need to be many more small science missions.  These are one of the areas where
NASA has been tremendously sucessfull in the past, but we need more of this
kind of work, and finally 4, the space station is the prime example of a
NASA project with NO focus.  The vast majority of the population sees SSF as
a tube in the sky with air in it, and they have NO CLUE what it is for.  I think
that it is a wonderfull concept, but until it has a clear 1 or 2 paragraph
MISSION statement, the american people can never support it.  Can you
address how you plan to refocus NASA on some of these LARGER more FAR reaching
issues?  )

So, they called for questions, and being the agressive type, I had gotten there
an hour early, and got a seat 2 feet from the mike, I stood up, and naturally
was first in line. They called Prof. Hertzberger (Of the U.W.) from the other
line first, and he asked how NASA would get off the Tiger of the Shuttle.

Then they pointed to me, and I felt myself turn the page over and ask the
second question.  (Amazing how that works, If I had been one on one with the
man, I vertainly would have asked the first question), in any case what came
out of my mouth was...  Given that we badly need a more efficient, better faster
cheaper reusable space launch vehicle that can be commercialized, and given the
success of the earlier X-Planes program, Shouldn't NASA be persuing an
X-Launcher program similar to the Single Stage to Orbit DC-X vehicle being
built by McD for the SDIO people?

So, he answered it as 2 parts, first, he said that the x-plane program was
wonderful, and that they were ready to fly a scramjet in the 60's.  Then he
said that NASA plate was full, and that they should not take on any new
development until they deliver on the promises that they have already made.
He made mention of the fact that there are a lot of launch vehicle proposals,
but it was tiome to stop spending money on infrastructure, and get back to
space science.

I was mind numb at the time, so I sat down.

I wish I had been op the ball, I would have called him on it.  Thankfully
2 or 3 other people made mention of alternative launch systems, and Richard
Kendrick (who I talked to during the break) made a more pointed attack to
the panel.  He said basically...  I disagree with Mr. Goldin that we do not
need more launch systems.  I think that we need to explore options for ...
I forget the exact text.  The panel then dished out far more clearly than
goldin the same story.  NASA is WAY to busy with the projects that they have
promised, to take on new launch systems development.  He followed up, and they
said it again, then he said that "Well, we could debate this all day, but I
still disagree."  It is interesting that he hates SSTO, and thinks that
ultimately a TSTO will prove to be the "REAL" answer, but I am glad that
he stood up for the concept that NASA should be doing the R & D.

After the meeting, I walked up onto the stage (with some others) and
talked to Mr. Reck for about 20 minutes.  (The guy in charge of the Advanced
Concepts and Technology Office), I started by telling him, that I thought the
point had been missed about SSTO, the point was that the Shuttle would never
be commercialized, and that what we wanted was the development work, the proof
of concept work to be done by NASA for a system that COULD be commercialized,
so that we all would have a shot at buying a ride into space.  He replied with
(and I paraphrase)  Well, I think that here, interestingly more so than at any
of the other town meetings, the launch system point came home. it was mentioned
more, and I think the message was that you are looking for the development
for all.

On another note, A lady did say that Mission to Planet Earth should be
moved to Noaa, and the reply text was that noaa couldn't find their own
satellites without the help of nasa, let alone launch them, much less analyze
the data.  I talked to that guy after the meeting for a moment, and told
him that that was not the point.  The point was the charter.  It is really
inside the NOAA jurisdiction, and not the NASA jurisdiction, and yes, I
realize that it is taking one of the crown jewels from nasa, and it is a
threatening concept, but mission to planet earth is not space science, it
is earth science done from space.  He grudgingly gave me that point, and
said that if it turns out to be so important to the future of the world,
maybe a new agency would evolve out of it.  He never considered noaa up to
the challenge.


On a side note, there were several thoughtfull questions from both the
women and the men in line.  There were also mindless ramblings from
people in line  (bordering on the embarassing).  There were also important
questions raised, but the presentation was sooooo bad.  There was one
guy who wwent on for a long time about power, never once using the term
solar power satellites.  Someone next to me asked what the hell he was
rambeling on about, and I explained the entire subject in the time his
question was going on.  He should have just asked why nasa was not
building a demonstration solar power satellite, in order to learn if the system
would really work, and to reduce the risk for venture capitol people who would
love to invest in it.


The one thing that suprised me (although in reflection it should not) was the
number of questions on education.  How do we find out what nasa is doing, and
how do we teach our kids?  There were several times when the same question
on this topic was asked 2 or 3 times in a row by the people in line.

In reflection, there were a great number of issues that should have been raised
but weren't.  I kept wishing for some more specific questions, on certain
issues, but we kept getting rehashes of the same education stuff over and over
and over again.

Final thoughts based on the meeting:
I think that Nasa'c culture is not yet changed from the NIH syndrome, and
it will take a great effort for that to change.

I think that the Nasa people who were there did come away with a sense that
they have a long way to go in a great number of areas.

I think that it was a worthwhile effort both for the Nasa people, and the people
who attended the meeting.

I think that if they do it again, they need to advertize for a more general
crowd.

And finally I must thank Henry Spencer for the substance of my question, and
Bill Higgins for telling me to get there early to get a seat by the mike.

            John Stevens-Schlick

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 17:07:49 GMT
From: Ed McCreary <[e-mail]>
Subject: Shuttle thermal tiles
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mary Shafer) writes:
...re the shuttle tiles...
>Did you get to hold it in your bare hand while they played the butane
>torch over it?  It took a lot of faith for me to keep my hand out there
>when the top of the tile started glowing orange.
>

I actually got to do this many years ago in elementary school, say
'76 or so.  One of the benefits of growing up in Houston is that
the Houston Independent School District uses JSC for field trips
every year and occasionally someone will come and give a presentation.


--
Ed McCreary                                               ,__o
[e-mail]                       _-\_<,
"If it were not for laughter, there would be no Tao."  (*)/'(*)

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

Date: 17 Dec 92 16:32:12 GMT
From: Doug Mohney <[e-mail]>
Subject: Terminal Velocity of DCX? (was Re: Shuttle ...)
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:

>For what we have spent on Shuttle we could have built two Freedom
>space stations

without shuttle, you might not have ONE Freedom space station.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

                    I have talked to Ehud, and lived.
  -- >                  [e-mail]                        < --

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

Date: 17 Dec 92 18:39:59 GMT
From: Doug Mohney <[e-mail]>
Subject: Terminal Velocity of DCX? (was Re: Shuttle ...)
Newsgroups: sci.space

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (Gary Coffman) writes:

>Oh. Oh. My source is a post by Nick Szabo Sept 19th of last year where
>he quotes a Mir Press article on suited time for sale. Since they offered
>John Denver a ride for $10 million, this must be out to lunch.

Right, quote Dr. Asteroid Roboto for a price of man-in-space.


                    I have talked to Ehud, and lived.
  -- >                  [e-mail]                        < --

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

Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1992 15:26:54 MST
From: [e-mail]

SIGNOFF
QUIT

 Ken Cuddeback, NL7WD                     Tel: [phone]
 Computer Operations Manager              Fax: [phone]
 New Mexico Highlands University
 Las Vegas, NM 87701

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End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 564
------------------------------