Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT_ZIP/spacedig/V16_2/V16NO253.ZIP/V16NO253

Internet Message Format | 1993-07-13 | 45KB

Date: Tue,  2 Mar 93 10:56:39
From: Space Digest maintainer <[e-mail]>
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Subject: Space Digest V16 #253
To: Space Digest Readers
Precedence: bulk


Space Digest                Tue,  2 Mar 93       Volume 16 : Issue 253

Today's Topics:
       Diffs to sci.space/sci.astro Frequently Asked Questions
                    Space FAQ 01/15 - Introduction

    Welcome to the Space Digest!!  Please send your messages to
    "[e-mail]", and (un)subscription requests of the form
    "Subscribe Space <your name>" to one of these addresses: listserv@uga
    (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle
    (THENET), or [e-mail] (Internet).
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 28 Feb 93 17:23:18 GMT
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Diffs to sci.space/sci.astro Frequently Asked Questions
Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,sci.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: space/diff

DIFFS SINCE LAST FAQ POSTING (IN POSTING ORDER)

(These are hand-edited context diffs; do not attempt to use them to patch
old copies of the FAQ).

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.intro
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24770    Sun Feb 28 22:10:22 1993
--- FAQ.intro    Sun Feb 28 22:09:54 1993
***************
*** 126,131 ****
--- 126,132 ----
          Publishers of space/astronomy material
          Careers in the space industry
          DC-X single-stage to orbit (SSTO) program
+          How to name a star after a person
          LLNL "great exploration"
          Lunar Prospector
          Lunar science and activities
***************
*** 150,155 ****
--- 151,157 ----

      9   Space shuttle answers, launch schedules, TV coverage
          Shuttle launchings and landings; schedules and how to see them
+          Why does the shuttle roll just after liftoff?
          How to receive the NASA TV channel, NASA SELECT
          Amateur radio frequencies for shuttle missions
          Solid Rocket Booster fuel composition
***************
*** 186,191 ****
--- 188,194 ----
          Risks of nuclear (RTG) power sources for space probes
          Impact of the space shuttle on the ozone layer
          How long can a human live unprotected in space
+          How the Challenger astronauts died
          Using the shuttle beyond Low Earth Orbit
          The "Face on Mars"

***************
*** 245,256 ****
      NASA contact info, started FAQ postings
      [e-mail] (Patrick M. French)   - space group contact info
      [e-mail] (Gary Morris)          - amateur radio info
!     [e-mail] (Terry Gaetz)          - N-body calculations,
      orbital dynamics
      [e-mail] (Steve Grandi)          - planetary positions
      [e-mail] (Dale M. Greer)   - constants
      [e-mail] (Henry Spencer)      - survival in vacuum,
!      astronaut how-to, publication refs, DC-X
      [e-mail] (William Higgins)      - RTGs, publishers,
      shuttle landings, spysats, propulsion, "Face on Mars"
      [e-mail] (Hal Mueller)      - map projections,
--- 248,259 ----
      NASA contact info, started FAQ postings
      [e-mail] (Patrick M. French)   - space group contact info
      [e-mail] (Gary Morris)          - amateur radio info
!     [e-mail] (Terry Gaetz)      - N-body calculations,
      orbital dynamics
      [e-mail] (Steve Grandi)          - planetary positions
      [e-mail] (Dale M. Greer)   - constants
      [e-mail] (Henry Spencer)      - survival in vacuum,
!      astronaut how-to, Challenger disaster, publication refs, DC-X
      [e-mail] (William Higgins)      - RTGs, publishers,
      shuttle landings, spysats, propulsion, "Face on Mars"
      [e-mail] (Hal Mueller)      - map projections,
***************
*** 257,265 ****
--- 260,270 ----
      orbital dynamics
      [e-mail] (Josh Hopkins)      - launch services
      [e-mail] (Jim Bowery)          - propulsion, launch services
+     [e-mail] (James N. Head) - atmospheric scale heights
      [e-mail] (Jim Scotti)      - planetary positions
      [e-mail] (Kieran A. Carroll)- refs for spacecraft design
      [e-mail] (Kenneth Ng)          - RTGs
+     [e-mail] (Ken Jenks)  - shuttle roll manuever
      [e-mail] (Larry Klaes)      - planetary probe history
      [e-mail] (Jon Leech)          - crater diameters
      [e-mail] (Lou Adornato)          - orbital dynamics

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.data
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24780    Sun Feb 28 22:10:25 1993
--- FAQ.data    Sun Feb 28 22:09:54 1993
***************
*** 114,126 ****

      Contact [e-mail] or phone [phone].

      NASA LANGLEY (TECHNICAL REPORTS)

      techreports.larc.nasa.gov is an anonymous FTP site offering technical
      reports. To get started, cd to directory pub/techreports/larc/92 and
      retrieve files README and abstracts.92. Most files are compressed
!     PostScript.

      Contact [e-mail].


--- 114,138 ----

      Contact [e-mail] or phone [phone].

+
      NASA LANGLEY (TECHNICAL REPORTS)

      techreports.larc.nasa.gov is an anonymous FTP site offering technical
      reports. To get started, cd to directory pub/techreports/larc/92 and
      retrieve files README and abstracts.92. Most files are compressed
!     PostScript. The reports are also in a WAIS database with the following
!     description:

+      (:source
+       :version 3
+       :ip-name "techreports.larc.nasa.gov"
+       :tcp-port 210
+       :database-name "nasa-larc-abs"
+       :cost 0.00
+       :cost-unit :free
+       :maintainer "[e-mail]"
+       :description "NASA Langley Research Center Technical Reports
+
      Contact [e-mail].


***************
*** 168,174 ****
      more carriage returns to get the "Username:" and log in as 'NODIS' (no
      password).

!     The system is menu-driven; topics available as of 4/10/92 are:

      1   -   Master Directory - NASA & Global Change
      2   -   Personnel Information Management System
--- 180,186 ----
      more carriage returns to get the "Username:" and log in as 'NODIS' (no
      password).

!     The system is menu-driven; topics available as of 3/93 are:

      1   -   Master Directory - NASA & Global Change
      2   -   Personnel Information Management System
***************
*** 182,194 ****
      10  -   Astronomical Data Center (ADC)
      11  -   STEP Bulletin Board Service
      12  -   Standards and Technology Information System

!     Data can be ordered from the NSSDC on CD-ROM and other formats. Among
!     the many types of data available are Voyager, Magellan, and other
!     planetary images, Earth observation data, and star catalogs. Viewers for
!     Macintosh and IBM systems are also available. As an example of the cost,
!     an 8 CD set of Voyager images is $75. Data may ordered online, by email,
!     or by physical mail. The postal address is:

      National Space Science Data Center
      Request Coordination Office
--- 194,211 ----
      10  -   Astronomical Data Center (ADC)
      11  -   STEP Bulletin Board Service
      12  -   Standards and Technology Information System
+      13  -   Planetary Science & Magellan Project Information
+      14  -   Other Online Data Services at NSSDC
+      15  -   CD-ROMS Available at NSSDC

!     For users with Internet access, datasets are made available via
!     anonymous FTP once you select the desired datasets from the online
!     catalog. For other users, data may be ordered on CD-ROM and in other
!     formats. Among the many types of data available are Voyager, Magellan,
!     and other planetary images, Earth observation data, and star catalogs.
!     Viewers for Macintosh and IBM systems are also available. As an example
!     of the cost, an 8 CD set of Voyager images is $75. Data may ordered
!     online, by email, or by physical mail. The postal address is:

      National Space Science Data Center
      Request Coordination Office
***************
*** 199,207 ****
      Telephone: [phone]

      Email address:   [e-mail]
-
-     NSSDCA is also an anonymous FTP site, but no comprehensive list of
-     what's there is available at present.


      SPACE AND PLANETARY IMAGE FACILITY
--- 216,221 ----

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.math
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24785    Sun Feb 28 22:10:26 1993
--- FAQ.math    Sun Feb 28 21:04:49 1993
***************
*** 288,321 ****
      INTERPRETING THE FITS IMAGE FORMAT

      If you just need to examine FITS images, use the ppm package (see the
!     comp.graphics FAQ) to convert them to your preferred format. Failing
!     that, the basic reference for FITS may be found in the following 3
!     papers:
!
!      Wells, D. C., Greisen, E. W., and Harten, R. H., "FITS: a
!      flexible image transport system," Astronomy and Astrophysics
!      Supplement Series, 44, 363-370, 1981.
!
!      Grosbol, P., Harten, R. H., Greisen, E. W., and Wells, D. C.,
!      "Generalized extensions and blocking factors for FITS,"
!      Astronomy and Astrophysics Supplement Series, 73, 359-364, 1988
!
!      Harten, R. H., Grosbol. P., Greisen, E. W., and Wells, D. C.,
!      "The FITS tables extension, Astronomy and Astrophysics
!      Supplement Series, 73, 365-372, 1988.
!
!     A DRAFT document describing FITS and the Floating Point Agreement
!     defining FP storage formats is available by anonymous FTP from
!     nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.36.23). Get ANON_DIR:[FITS]README.;1 to
!     begin with. There are known to be errors and ambiguities in this
!     document, so it should not be used as a fundamental reference. Questions
!     should be sent by email to the FITS support office
!     ([e-mail]) or telephone at (301)-513-1634
!
!     A FORTRAN library for reading and writing FITS files is available by
!     anonymous FTP from tetra.gsfc.nasa.gov (128.183.8.77) in directory
!     pub/fitsio3. Contact the author, William Pence
!     ([e-mail]) for more details.


      SKY (UNIX EPHEMERIS PROGRAM)
--- 288,296 ----
      INTERPRETING THE FITS IMAGE FORMAT

      If you just need to examine FITS images, use the ppm package (see the
!     comp.graphics FAQ) to convert them to your preferred format. For more
!     information on the format and other software to read and write it, see
!     the sci.astro.fits FAQ.


      SKY (UNIX EPHEMERIS PROGRAM)

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.references
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24790    Sun Feb 28 22:10:28 1993
--- FAQ.references    Sun Feb 28 21:20:37 1993
***************
*** 146,151 ****
--- 146,170 ----
      by anonymous FTP or through the email server.


+     HOW TO NAME A STAR AFTER A PERSON
+
+     Official names are decided by committees of the International
+     Astronomical Union, and are not for sale. There are purely commercial
+     organizations which will, for a fee, send you pretty certificates and
+     star maps describing where to find "your" star. These organizations have
+     absolutely no standing in the astronomical community and the names they
+     assign are not used by anyone else. It's also likely that you won't be
+     able to see "your" star without binoculars or a telescope. See the back
+     pages of Astronomy or other amateur astronomy publications for contact
+     info; one such organization may be found at:
+
+      International Star Registry
+      34523 Wilson Road
+      Ingleside, IL 60041
+
+     This is not an endorsement of ISR.
+
+
      LLNL "GREAT EXPLORATION"

      The LLNL "Great Exploration", a plan for an on-the-cheap space station,

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.constants
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24795    Sun Feb 28 22:10:29 1993
--- FAQ.constants    Sun Feb 28 22:09:53 1993
***************
*** 16,22 ****

      7726 m/s       (8000)  -- Earth orbital velocity at 300 km altitude
      3075 m/s       (3000)  -- Earth orbital velocity at 35786 km (geosync)
!      6378 km       (6400)  -- Mean radius of Earth
      1738 km       (1700)  -- Mean radius of Moon
      5.974e24 kg       (6e24)  -- Mass of Earth
      7.348e22 kg       (7e22)  -- Mass of Moon
--- 16,23 ----

      7726 m/s       (8000)  -- Earth orbital velocity at 300 km altitude
      3075 m/s       (3000)  -- Earth orbital velocity at 35786 km (geosync)
!      6371 km       (6400)  -- Mean radius of Earth
!      6378 km       (6400)  -- Equatorial radius of Earth
      1738 km       (1700)  -- Mean radius of Moon
      5.974e24 kg       (6e24)  -- Mass of Earth
      7.348e22 kg       (7e22)  -- Mass of Moon
***************
*** 133,138 ****
--- 134,151 ----
          d@6 km (20000 ft) = d0*.43
          d@3 km (10000 ft) = d0*.65

+              Atmospheric scale height      Dry lapse rate
+              (in km at emission level)    (K/km)
+              -------------------------   --------------
+          Earth          7.5              9.8
+          Mars          11              4.4
+          Venus          4.9              10.5
+          Titan          18              1.3
+          Jupiter          19              2.0
+          Saturn          37              0.7
+          Uranus          24              0.7
+          Neptune          21              0.8
+          Triton          8                  1

      Titius-Bode Law for approximating planetary distances:

***************
*** 171,177 ****
      Energy to put a pound into orbit or accelerate to interstellar
          velocities.
      Non-circular cases?
-      Atmosphere scale height for various planets.


  NEXT: FAQ #7/15 - Astronomical Mnemonics
--- 184,189 ----

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.mnemonics
No differences encountered

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.addresses
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24805    Sun Feb 28 22:10:32 1993
--- FAQ.addresses    Sun Feb 28 22:09:53 1993
***************
*** 25,31 ****

      NASA Headquarters (NASA HQ)
      Washington DC 20546
!     (202)-453-8400

      Ask them questions about policy, money, and things of political
      nature. Direct specific questions to the appropriate center.
--- 25,31 ----

      NASA Headquarters (NASA HQ)
      Washington DC 20546
!     (202)-358-1600

      Ask them questions about policy, money, and things of political
      nature. Direct specific questions to the appropriate center.

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.schedule
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24810    Sun Feb 28 22:10:33 1993
--- FAQ.schedule    Sun Feb 28 22:09:54 1993
***************
*** 17,22 ****
--- 17,107 ----
      Official NASA shuttle status reports are posted to sci.space.news
      frequently.

+
+     WHY DOES THE SHUTTLE ROLL JUST AFTER LIFTOFF?
+
+     The following answer and translation are provided by Ken Jenks
+     ([e-mail]).
+
+     The "Ascent Guidance and Flight Control Training Manual," ASC G&C 2102,
+     says:
+
+      "During the vertical rise phase, the launch pad attitude is
+      commanded until an I-loaded V(rel) sufficient to assure launch tower
+      clearance is achieved. Then, the tilt maneuver (roll program)
+      orients the vehicle to a heads down attitude required to generate a
+      negative q-alpha, which in turn alleviates structural loading. Other
+      advantages with this attitude are performance gain, decreased abort
+      maneuver complexity, improved S-band look angles, and crew view of
+      the horizon. The tilt maneuver is also required to start gaining
+      downrange velocity to achieve the main engine cutoff (MECO) target
+      in second stage."
+
+     This really is a good answer, but it's couched in NASA jargon. I'll try
+     to interpret.
+
+     1)  We wait until the Shuttle clears the tower before rolling.
+
+     2)  Then, we roll the Shuttle around so that the angle of attack
+      between the wind caused by passage through the atmosphere (the
+      "relative wind") and the chord of the wings (the imaginary line
+      between the leading edge and the trailing edge) is a slightly
+      negative angle ("a negative q-alpha").  This causes a little bit of
+      "downward" force (toward the belly of the Orbiter, or the +Z
+      direction) and this force "alleviates structural loading."
+      We have to be careful about those wings -- they're about the
+      most "delicate" part of the vehicle.
+
+     3)  The new attitude (after the roll) also allows us to carry more
+      mass to orbit, or to achieve a higher orbit with the same mass, or
+      to change the orbit to a higher or lower inclination than would be
+      the case if we didn't roll ("performance gain").
+
+     4)  The new attitude allows the crew to fly a less complicated
+      flight path if they had to execute one of the more dangerous abort
+      maneuvers, the Return To Launch Site ("decreased abort maneuver
+      complexity").
+
+     5)  The new attitude improves the ability for ground-based radio
+      antennae to have a good line-of-sight signal with the S-band radio
+      antennae on the Orbiter ("improved S-band look angles").

+
+     6)  The new attitude allows the crew to see the horizon, which is a
+      helpful (but not mandatory) part of piloting any flying machine.
+
+     7)  The new attitude orients the Shuttle so that the body is
+      more nearly parallel with the ground, and the nose to the east
+      (usually).  This allows the thrust from the engines to add velocity
+      in the correct direction to eventually achieve orbit.  Remember:
+      velocity is a vector quantity made of both speed and direction.
+      The Shuttle has to have a large horizontal component to its
+      velocity and a very small vertical component to attain orbit.
+
+     This all begs the question, "Why isn't the launch pad oriented to give
+     this nice attitude to begin with?  Why does the Shuttle need to roll to
+     achieve that attitude?"  The answer is that the pads were leftovers
+     from the Apollo days.  The Shuttle straddles two flame trenches -- one
+     for the Solid Rocket Motor exhaust, one for the Space Shuttle Main
+     Engine exhaust.  (You can see the effects of this on any daytime
+     launch.  The SRM exhaust is dirty gray garbage, and the SSME exhaust is
+     fluffy white steam.  Watch for the difference between the "top"
+     [Orbiter side] and the "bottom" [External Tank side] of the stack.) The
+     access tower and other support and service structure are all oriented
+     basically the same way they were for the Saturn V's.  (A side note: the
+     Saturn V's also had a roll program.  Don't ask me why -- I'm a Shuttle
+     guy.)
+
+     I checked with a buddy in Ascent Dynamics.  He added that the "roll
+     maneuver" is really a maneuver in all three axes: roll, pitch and yaw.
+     The roll component of that maneuver is performed for the reasons
+     stated.  The pitch component controls loading on the wings by keeping
+     the angle of attack (q-alpha) within a tight tolerance.  The yaw
+     component is used to determine the orbital inclination.  The total
+     maneuver is really expressed as a "quaternion," a grad-level-math
+     concept for combining all three rotation matrices in one four-element
+     array.
+
+
      HOW TO RECEIVE THE NASA TV CHANNEL, NASA SELECT

      NASA SELECT is broadcast by satellite. If you have access to a satellite

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.new_probes
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24820    Sun Feb 28 22:10:36 1993
--- FAQ.new_probes    Sun Feb 28 22:09:54 1993
***************
*** 59,70 ****

      GALILEO - Jupiter orbiter and atmosphere probe, in transit. Has returned
      the first resolved images of an asteroid, Gaspra, while in transit to
!     Jupiter. Efforts to unfurl the stuck High-Gain Antenna (HGA) are
!     continuing, though eventual success appears less likely. If the HGA
!     cannot be unfurled, JPL has developed a backup plan using data
      compression (JPEG-like for images, lossless compression for data from
      the other instruments) which should allow the mission to achieve
!     approximately 70% of its objectives.

         Galileo Schedule
         ----------------
--- 59,69 ----

      GALILEO - Jupiter orbiter and atmosphere probe, in transit. Has returned
      the first resolved images of an asteroid, Gaspra, while in transit to
!     Jupiter. Efforts to unfurl the stuck High-Gain Antenna (HGA) have
!     essentially been abandoned. JPL has developed a backup plan using data
      compression (JPEG-like for images, lossless compression for data from
      the other instruments) which should allow the mission to achieve
!     approximately 70% of its original objectives.

         Galileo Schedule
         ----------------
***************
*** 104,111 ****


      MARS OBSERVER - Mars orbiter including 1.5 m/pixel resolution camera.
!     Currently (11/92) in transit to Mars arrival in 8/93. Operations start
!     11/93 for one martian year (687 days).


      TOPEX/Poseidon - Joint US/French Earth observing satellite, launched in
--- 103,111 ----


      MARS OBSERVER - Mars orbiter including 1.5 m/pixel resolution camera.
!     Launched 9/24/92 on a Titan III/TOS booster. MO is currently (3/93) in
!     transit to Mars, arriving on 8/24/93. Operations will start 11/93 for
!     one martian year (687 days).


      TOPEX/Poseidon - Joint US/French Earth observing satellite, launched in
***************
*** 142,147 ****
--- 142,160 ----
      on updated shuttle manifests; corrections and updates are welcome.

      1993 Missions
+      o ALEXIS [spring, Pegasus]
+          ALEXIS (Array of Low-Energy X-ray Imaging Sensors) is to perform
+          a wide-field sky survey in the "soft" (low-energy) X-ray
+          spectrum. It will scan the entire sky every six months to search
+          for variations in soft-X-ray emission from sources such as white
+          dwarfs, cataclysmic variable stars and flare stars. It will also
+          search nearby space for such exotic objects as isolated neutron
+          stars and gamma-ray bursters. ALEXIS is a project of Los Alamos
+          National Laboratory and is primarily a technology development
+          mission that uses astrophysical sources to demonstrate the
+          technology. Contact project investigator Jeffrey J Bloch
+          ([e-mail]) for more information.
+
      o Wind [Aug, Delta II rocket]
          Satellite to measure solar wind input to magnetosphere.


===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.controversy
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24825    Sun Feb 28 22:10:37 1993
--- FAQ.controversy    Sun Feb 28 22:09:53 1993
***************
*** 168,173 ****
--- 168,188 ----
      of Aerospace Medicine, Brooks AFB, Texas.


+     HOW THE CHALLENGER ASTRONAUTS DIED
+
+     The Challenger shuttle launch was not destroyed in an explosion. This is
+     a well-documented fact; see the Rogers Commission report, for example.
+     What looked like an explosion was fuel burning after the external tank
+     came apart. The forces on the crew cabin were not sufficient to kill the
+     astronauts, never mind destroy their bodies, according to the Kerwin
+     team's medical/forensic report.
+
+     The astronauts were killed when the more-or-less intact cabin hit the
+     water at circa 200MPH, and their bodies then spent several weeks
+     underwater. Their remains were recovered, and after the Kerwin team
+     examined them, they were sent off to be buried.
+
+
      USING THE SHUTTLE BEYOND LOW EARTH ORBIT

      You can't use the shuttle orbiter for missions beyond low Earth orbit

===================================================================
diff -t -c -r1.17 FAQ.groups
*** /tmp/,RCSt1a24830    Sun Feb 28 22:10:39 1993
--- FAQ.groups    Sun Feb 28 22:09:54 1993
***************
*** 5,10 ****
--- 5,51 ----

      GROUPS

+     AIA -- Aerospace Industry Association. Professional group, with primary
+      membership of major aerospace firms. Headquartered in the DC area.
+      Acts as the "voice of the aerospace industry" -- and it's opinions
+      are usually backed up by reams of analyses and the reputations of
+      the firms in AIA.
+
+          [address needed]
+
+     AIAA -- American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
+      Professional association, with somewhere about 30,000-40,000
+      members. 65 local chapters around the country -- largest chapters
+      are DC area (3000 members), LA (2100 members), San Francisco (2000
+      members), Seattle/NW (1500), Houston (1200) and Orange County
+      (1200), plus student chapters. Not a union, but acts to represent
+      aviation and space professionals (engineers, managers, financial
+      types) nationwide. Holds over 30 conferences a year on space and
+      aviation topics publishes technical Journals (Aerospace Journal,
+      Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, etc.), technical reference books
+      and is _THE_ source on current aerospace state of the art through
+      their published papers and proceedings. Also offers continuing
+      education classes on aerospace design. Has over 60 technical
+      committees, and over 30 committees for industry standards. AIAA acts
+      as a professional society -- offers a centralized resume/jobs
+      function, provides classes on job search, offers low-cost health and
+      life insurance, and lobbies for appropriate legislation (AIAA was
+      one of the major organizations pushing for IRAs - Individual
+      Retirement Accounts). Very active public policy arm -- works
+      directly with the media, congress and government agencies as a
+      legislative liaison and clearinghouse for inquiries about aerospace
+      technology technical issues. Reasonably non-partisan, in that they
+      represent the industry as a whole, and not a single company,
+      organization, or viewpoint.
+
+      Membership $70/yr (student memberships are less).
+
+      American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
+      The Aerospace Center
+      370 L'Enfant Promenade, SW
+      Washington, DC 20077-0820
+      (202)-646-7400
+
      AMSAT - develops small satellites (since the 1960s) for a variety of
      uses by amateur radio enthusiasts. Has various publications,
      supplies QuickTrak satellite tracking software for PC/Mac/Amiga etc.
***************
*** 66,71 ****
--- 107,123 ----
      the National Space Institute in 1987, forming the National Space
      Society.

+     NSC - National Space Club. Open for general membership, but not well
+      known at all. Primarily comprised of professionals in aerospace
+      industry. Acts as information conduit and social gathering group.
+      Active in DC, with a chapter in LA. Monthly meetings with invited
+      speakers who are "heavy hitters" in the field. Annual "Outlook on
+      Space" conference is _the_ definitive source of data on government
+      annual planning for space programs. Cheap membership (approx
+      $20/yr).
+
+          [address needed]
+
      NSS - the National Space Society. NSS is a pro-space group distinguished
      by its network of local chapters. Supports a general agenda of space
      development and man-in-space, including the NASA space station.
***************
*** 95,105 ****
      Membership $35/year.

      SSI - the Space Studies Institute, founded by Dr. Gerard O'Neill.
!      Publishes _SSI Update_, a bimonthly newsletter describing
!      work-in-progress. Conducts a research program including
!      mass-drivers, lunar mining processes and simulants, composites from
!      lunar materials, solar power satellites. Runs the biennial Princeton
!      Conference on Space Manufacturing.

      Membership $25/year. Senior Associates ($100/year and up) fund most
          SSI research.
--- 147,158 ----
      Membership $35/year.

      SSI - the Space Studies Institute, founded by Dr. Gerard O'Neill.
!      Physicist Freeman Dyson took over the Presidency of SSI after
!      O'Neill's death in 1992. Publishes _SSI Update_, a bimonthly
!      newsletter describing work-in-progress. Conducts a research program
!      including mass-drivers, lunar mining processes and simulants,
!      composites from lunar materials, solar power satellites. Runs the
!      biennial Princeton Conference on Space Manufacturing.

      Membership $25/year. Senior Associates ($100/year and up) fund most
          SSI research.
***************
*** 176,184 ****
--- 229,252 ----
      Colorado Springs, CO 80901
      (719)-550-1000

+     WORLD SPACE FOUNDATION - has been designing and building a solar-sail
+     spacecraft for longer than any similar group; many JPL employees lend
+     their talents to this project. WSF also provides partial funding for the
+     Palomar Sky Survey, an extremely successful search for near-Earth
+     asteroids. Publishes *Foundation News* and *Foundation Astronautics
+     Notebook*, each a quarterly 4-8 page newsletter. Contributing Associate,
+     minimum of $15/year (but more money always welcome to support projects).

+      World Space Foundation
+      Post Office Box Y
+      South Pasadena, California 91301
+
+
      PUBLICATIONS

+     Aerospace Daily (McGraw-Hill)
+      Very good coverage of aerospace and space issues. Approx. $1400/yr.
+
      Air & Space / Smithsonian (bimonthly magazine)
      Box 53261
      Boulder, CO 80332-3261
***************
*** 208,227 ****
      (703)-642-7330
      $75/year, may have discounts for NSS/SSI members

-     Space Flight News (monthly magazine) - covers current space activities
-      (all nations) in depth and has good historical series on topics like
-      early space capsules, cosmonauts, etc. Available by newsstand in the
-      US (with several months shipping delay), only by mail elsewhere.
-
-      Subscription Dept.
-      Space Flight News Ltd.
-      PO Box 100
-      Stamford, Lincs, PE9IXQ
-      ENGLAND
-      #16.20 pounds/year UK and international (surface)
-      airmail: #25/year (Europe) #26 (Middle East) #29 (North America) #31
-          (Australia, NZ, Japan)
-
      Journal of the Astronautical Sciences and Space Times - publications of
      the American Astronautical Society. No details.

--- 276,281 ----
***************
*** 242,247 ****
--- 296,305 ----

      Free to qualified individuals; write for free sample copy.

+     Innovation (Space Technology) -- Free. Published by the NASA Office of
+      Advanced Concepts and Technology. A revised version of the NASA
+      Office of Commercial Programs newsletter.
+
      Planetary Encounter - in-depth technical coverage of planetary missions,
      with diagrams, lists of experiments, interviews with people directly
      involved.
***************
*** 254,259 ****
--- 312,347 ----
      $30/year US/Canada
      $45/year elsewhere

+     Space (bi-monthly magazine)
+      British aerospace trade journal. Very good. $75/year.
+
+     Space Calendar (weekly newsletter)
+
+     Space Daily/Space Fax Daily  (newsletter)
+      Short (1 paragraph) news notes. Available online for a fee
+      (unknown).
+
+     Space Technology Investor/Commercial Space News -- irregular Internet
+      column on aspects of commercial space business. Free. Also limited
+      fax and paper edition.
+
+          P.O. Box 2452
+          Seal Beach, CA 90740-1452.
+
+     All the following are published by:
+
+      Phillips Business Information, Inc.
+      7811 Montrose Road
+      Potomac, MC 20854
+
+      Aerospace Financial News - $595/year.
+      Defense Daily - Very good coverage of space and defense issues.
+          $1395/year.
+      Space Business News (bi-weekly) - Very good overview of space
+          business activities. $497/year.
+      Space Exploration Technology (bi-weekly) - $495/year.
+      Space Station News (bi-weekly) - $497/year.
+
      UNDOCUMENTED GROUPS

      Anyone who would care to write up descriptions of the following
***************
*** 261,268 ****
      encouraged to do so.

      AAS - American Astronautical Society
-      AIAA - American Institute of Astronautics & Aeronautics
-      World Space Foundation
      Other groups not mentioned above

  NEXT: FAQ #14/15 - How to become an astronaut
--- 349,354 ----

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

Date: 28 Feb 93 17:25:50 GMT
From: Jon Leech <[e-mail]>
Subject: Space FAQ 01/15 - Introduction
Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,sci.answers,news.answers

Archive-name: space/intro
Last-modified: $Date: 93/02/28 22:17:43 $

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON SCI.SPACE/SCI.ASTRO

    INTRODUCTION

    This series of linked messages is periodically posted to the Usenet
groups sci.space and sci.astro in an attempt to provide good answers to
frequently asked questions and other reference material which is worth
preserving. If you have corrections or answers to other frequently asked
questions that you would like included in this posting, send email to
[e-mail] (Jon Leech).

    If you don't want to see the FAQ, add 'Frequently Asked Questions' to
your KILL file for this group (if you're not reading this with a newsreader
that can kill articles by subject, you're out of luck).

    The FAQ volume is excessive right now and will hopefully be trimmed down
by rewriting and condensing over time. The FAQ postings are available in
the Ames SPACE archive in FAQ/faq<#>.

    Good summaries will be accepted in place of the answers given here. The
point of this is to circulate existing information, and avoid rehashing old
answers. Better to build on top than start again. Nothing more depressing
than rehashing old topics for the 100th time. References are provided
because they give more complete information than any short generalization.

    Questions fall into three basic types:

    1) Where do I find some information about space?

    Try your local public library first. The net is not a good place to ask
    for general information. Ask INDIVIDUALS (by email) if you must. There
    are other sources, use them, too. The net is a place for open ended
    discussion.

    2) I have an idea which would improve space flight?

    Hope you aren't surprised, but 9,999 out of 10,000 have usually been
    thought of before. Again, contact a direct individual source for
    evaluation. NASA fields thousands of these each day.

    3) Miscellanous queries.

    These are addressed on a case-by-case basis in the following series of
    FAQ postings.


    SUGGESTIONS FOR BETTER NETIQUETTE

    Read news.announce.newusers if you're on Usenet.
    Minimize cross references, [Do you REALLY NEED to?]
    Edit "Subject:" lines, especially if you're taking a tangent.
    Send mail instead, avoid posting follow ups. (1 mail message worth
    100 posts).
    Internet mail readers: send requests to add/drop to SPACE-REQUEST
    not SPACE.
    Read all available articles before posting a follow-up. (Check all
    references.)
    Cut down attributed articles (leave only the points you're
    responding to; remove signatures and headers). Summarize!
    Put a return address in the body (signature) of your message (mail
    or article), state your institution, etc. Don't assume the
    'reply' function of mailers will work.
    Use absolute dates. Post in a timely way. Don't post what everyone
    will get on TV anyway.
    Some editors and window systems do character count line wrapping:
    keep lines under 80 characters for those using ASCII terminals
    (use carriage returns).


    INDEX TO LINKED POSTINGS

    I've attempted to break the postings up into related areas. There isn't
    a keyword index yet; the following lists the major subject areas in each
    posting. Only those containing astronomy-related material are posted to
    sci.astro (indicated by '*' following the posting number).

    #    Contents

    1*    Introduction
        Suggestions for better netiquette
        Index to linked postings
        Notes on addresses, phone numbers, etc.
        Contributors

    2*    Network resources
        Overview
        Mailing lists
        Periodically updated information
        Warning about non-public networks

    3*    Online (and some offline) sources of images, data, etc.
        Introduction
        Viewing Images
        Online Archives
        NASA Ames
        NASA Astrophysics Data System
        NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (Mission Information and Images)
        NASA Langley (Technical Reports)
        NASA Spacelink
        National Space Science Data Center
        Space And Planetary Image Facility
        Space Telescope Science Institute Electronic Info. Service
        Starcat
        Astronomical Databases
        Astronomy Programs
        Orbital Element Sets
        SPACE Digest
        Landsat & NASA Photos
        Planetary Maps
        Cometary Orbits

    4*    Performing calculations and interpreting data formats
        Computing spacecraft orbits and trajectories
        Computing planetary positions
        Computing crater diameters from Earth-impacting asteroids
        Map projections and spherical trignometry
        Performing N-body simulations efficiently
        Interpreting the FITS image format
        Sky (Unix ephemeris program)
        Three-dimensional star/galaxy coordinates

    5*    References on specific areas
        Publishers of space/astronomy material
        Careers in the space industry
        DC-X single-stage to orbit (SSTO) program
        How to name a star after a person
        LLNL "great exploration"
        Lunar Prospector
        Lunar science and activities
        Spacecraft models
        Rocket propulsion
        Spacecraft design
        Esoteric propulsion schemes (solar sails, lasers, fusion...)
        Spy satellites
        Space shuttle computer systems
        SETI computation (signal processing)
        Amateur satellies & weather satellites
        Tides

    6*    Constants and equations for calculations

    7*    Astronomical Mnemonics

    8    Contacting NASA, ESA, and other space agencies/companies
        NASA Centers / Arianespace / ESA / NASDA / Soyuzkarta / Space
        Camp / Space Commerce Corporation / Spacehab / SPOT Image
        Other commercial space businesses

    9    Space shuttle answers, launch schedules, TV coverage
        Shuttle launchings and landings; schedules and how to see them
        Why does the shuttle roll just after liftoff?
        How to receive the NASA TV channel, NASA SELECT
        Amateur radio frequencies for shuttle missions
        Solid Rocket Booster fuel composition

    10    Planetary probes - Historical Missions
        US planetary missions
        Mariner (Venus, Mars, & Mercury flybys and orbiters)
        Pioneer (Moon, Sun, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn flybys and orbiters)
        Ranger (Lunar lander and impact missions)
        Lunar Orbiter (Lunar surface photography)
        Surveyor (Lunar soft landers)
        Viking (Mars orbiters and landers)
        Voyager (Outer planet flybys)
        Soviet planetary missions
        Soviet Lunar probes
        Soviet Venus probes
        Soviet Mars probes
        Japanese planetary missions
        Planetary mission references

    11    Upcoming planetary probes - missions and schedules
        Cassini
        Galileo
        Magellan
        Mars Observer
        TOPEX/Poseidon
        Ulysses
        Other space science missions
        Proposed missions

    12    Controversial questions
        What happened to the Saturn V plans
        Why data from space missions isn't immediately available
        Risks of nuclear (RTG) power sources for space probes
        Impact of the space shuttle on the ozone layer
        How long can a human live unprotected in space
        How the Challenger astronauts died
        Using the shuttle beyond Low Earth Orbit
        The "Face on Mars"

    13    Space activist/interest/research groups and space publications
        Groups
        Publications
        Undocumented Groups

    14    How to become an astronaut

    15    Orbital and Planetary Launch Services


    NOTES ON ADDRESSES, PHONE NUMBERS, ETC.

    Unless otherwise specified, telephone numbers, addresses, and so on are
    for the United States of America. Non-US readers should remember to add
    the country code for telephone calls, etc.


    CREDITS

    Eugene Miya started a series of linked FAQ postings some years ago which
    inspired (and was largely absorbed into) this set.

    Peter Yee and Ron Baalke have and continue to spend a lot of their own
    time setting up the SPACE archives at NASA Ames and forwarding official
    NASA announcements.

    Many other people have contributed material to this list in the form of
    old postings to sci.space and sci.astro which I've edited. Please let me
    know if corrections need to be made. Contributors I've managed to keep
    track of are:

    [e-mail] (Francis Reddy)    - map projections
    [e-mail] (Steven Fisk)        - publication refs.
    [e-mail] (Richard Akerman)   - crater diameters
    [e-mail] (Lisa Weigel)    - SEDS info
    [e-mail] (Srinivas Bettadpur) - tides
    [e-mail] (Alan Wm Paeth) - map projections
    [e-mail] (Allen W. Sherzer)        - Great Exploration
    [e-mail] (Ron Baalke)    - planetary probe schedules
    [e-mail] (Timothy Banks)    - map projections,
    variable star analysis archive
    [e-mail] (Jochen Bern)        - German mnemonic translation
    [e-mail] (Bernie Rosen)    - Space Camp
    [e-mail] (Barry Schlesinger)   - FITS format
    [e-mail] (Craig E. Ward)        - space group contact info
    [e-mail] (Tom Chapin)        - planetary positions
    [e-mail] (D. Alan Cunningham)    - NASA Spacelink
    [e-mail] (Cliff Yamamoto) - orbital elements
    [e-mail] (Anthony Datri)        - PDS/VICAR viewing software
    [e-mail] (Dave Rickel)        - orbit formulae
    [e-mail] (Phil Fraering)        - propulsion
    [e-mail] (Dani Eder)        - Saturn V plans, SRBs
    [e-mail] (Eugene N. Miya)    - introduction,
    NASA contact info, started FAQ postings
    [e-mail] (Patrick M. French)    - space group contact info
    [e-mail] (Gary Morris)        - amateur radio info
    [e-mail] (Terry Gaetz)        - N-body calculations,
    orbital dynamics
    [e-mail] (Steve Grandi)        - planetary positions
    [e-mail] (Dale M. Greer)   - constants
    [e-mail] (Henry Spencer)    - survival in vacuum,
    astronaut how-to, Challenger disaster, publication refs, DC-X
    [e-mail] (William Higgins)    - RTGs, publishers,
    shuttle landings, spysats, propulsion, "Face on Mars"
    [e-mail] (Hal Mueller)    - map projections,
    orbital dynamics
    [e-mail] (Josh Hopkins)    - launch services
    [e-mail] (Jim Bowery)        - propulsion, launch services
    [e-mail] (James N. Head) - atmospheric scale heights
    [e-mail] (Jim Scotti)    - planetary positions
    [e-mail] (Kieran A. Carroll)- refs for spacecraft design
    [e-mail] (Kenneth Ng)        - RTGs
    [e-mail] (Ken Jenks)    - shuttle roll manuever
    [e-mail] (Larry Klaes)    - planetary probe history
    [e-mail] (Jon Leech)        - crater diameters
    [e-mail] (Lou Adornato)            - orbital dynamics
    [e-mail] (Maury Markowitz)   - propulsion
    [e-mail] (Erik Max Francis)    - equations
    [e-mail]        - N-body calculations
    [e-mail] (Marc Wayne Mcconley)    - space careers
    [e-mail] (Mark Brader)            - Mariner 1 info.
    [e-mail] (Mark Maimone)            - SPACE Digest
    [e-mail] (Dr. Nick Watkins)    - models, spysats
    [e-mail] (Olivier R. Hainaut)    - publishers, STARCAT
    [e-mail] (Graham O'Neil)    - Lunar Prospector
    [e-mail] (Colby Kraybill)    - SPIF data archive
    [e-mail] (Kenneth W Durham)    - cometary orbits, IAU
    [e-mail] (Paul Blase)    - propulsion
    [e-mail] (Peter Scott)    - RTGs
    [e-mail] (Paul W. Schleck)    - AMSAT, ARRL contact info
    [e-mail] (Rodney Brown)        - propulsion refs
    [e-mail] (Ran Atkinson)    - FTPable astro. programs
    [e-mail] (R. Michael Jungclas)- models
    [e-mail] (Curt Roelle)    - German mnemonic translation
    [e-mail] (David Seal)    - Cassini mission schedule
    [e-mail] (Mary Shafer)    - photos, shuttle landings
    [e-mail] (Willie Smith)    - photos
    [e-mail] (Stephen Dixon)    - shuttle audio frequencies
    [e-mail] (Ray Sterner)    - planetary positions
    [e-mail] (Phil Stooke)    - planetary maps
    [e-mail] (Ted Anderson)    - propulsion
    [e-mail] (Terry Hancock)    - NASA center info
    [e-mail] (Bill Thorson) - FITS info
    [e-mail] (Todd L. Masco)    - SPACE Digest
    [e-mail] (Tom Horsley)    - refs for algorithms
    [e-mail] (Veikko Makela)    - orbital element sets
    [e-mail] (Wales Larrison) - groups & publications
    [e-mail] (Wayne Hayes)    - constants
    [e-mail] (Matthew P Wiener) - Voyager history
    [e-mail] (Yoshiro Yamada)    - ISAS/NASDA missions
    [e-mail] (Peter Yee)        - AMES archive server,
    propulsion

    In Net memoriam:
    Ted Flinn

NEXT: FAQ #2/15 - Network Resources

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

End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 253
------------------------------