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930108.DFC" (10233 bytes) was created on 01-08-93
08-Jan-93 Daily File Collection
These files were added or updated between 07-Jan-93 at 21:00:00 {Central}
and 08-Jan-93 at 21:00:20.
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930108.REL
1/8/92: UNIVERSITIES FLY OZONE RESEARCH BALLOON FROM TEXAS TO FLORIDA
Terri Sindelar
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. January 8, 1993
RELEASE: 93-8
A NASA-sponsored university group will launch a high-altitude research
balloon on Jan. 11, inaugurating a cooperative program to measure ozone
distribution and wind parameters in the Earth's stratosphere.
Following launch from the South Shore Harbor Resort and Convention
Center, League City, Texas, at 8 a.m. EST, the 76-foot diameter, helium-filled
balloon will ascend to an altitude of 110,000 feet and fly across the Gulf of
Mexico to Florida.
When the balloon reaches central Florida, a radio command will be sent
to parachute the gondola and its instrument package back to Earth for recovery
and reuse.
Throughout the day-long flight, cooperating teams of amateur radio
operators in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida will receive
position reports, ozone data and video images from the balloon's 50-pound
gondola and will relay this information via high-frequency radio to a Utah
State University balloon chase van.
The radio operators also will "home" on the payload's radio beacons to
assist in recovering the gondola and balloon. In addition, the Federal
Aviation Administration will track a radar transponder in the gondola during
ascent and descent through controlled airspace.
The instrument package was designed and built by a volunteer team of
space grant students and faculty from Utah State University's Space Dynamics
Laboratory and from the Bridgeland Amateur Radio Club in the Cacha Valley of
northern Utah. This flight is the eleventh for this team and the first of 24-
hours' duration.
Extended-duration flights will be launched from Canada, the United
States, Mexico and Central America to measure ndistribution and stratospheric
circulation on a long-term basis.
The balloon is a revolutionary "superpressure" design manufactured by
Winzen International of San Antonio and Sulphur Springs, Texas. It is
fabricated of Nylon film thinner than a human hair and is designed to stay
aloft continuously for a year or more.
The balloon launch is sponsored by NASA's National Space Grant College
and Fellowship Program Office, Washington, D.C., and will take place during the
third annual meeting of all 50 state consortia. The District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico also are participating in the program.
- end -
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930108.SHU
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS 1/8/93
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center
Vehicle: OV-105/ Space Shuttle Endeavour
Current Location: Launch Pad 39-B
Mission: STS-54/TDRS Inclination: 28.45 degrees
Launch: Jan. 13, 8:52 a.m. EST / Landing: KSC Jan. 19, 8:24 a.m. EST
IN WORK TODAY:
- check out of the solid rocket booster forward and aft skirts
- launch countdown preparations
- removing protective covers from the reaction control system thrusters
- preparing the crew compartment for flight
- preparing the hazardous gas detection system for launch
- removing service platforms from the pad area
- moving the booster flame deflectors to the launch position
- standard pre-launch inspection of the launch pad
- close outs of the TDRS and IUS payload
WORK SCHEDULED:
- STS-54 launch team on station in the firing room 3 on Sunday for the start of
the launch countdown at 1 p.m. EST at the T-43
- STS-54 flight crew arrives at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility at 3:30 p.m.
EST Sunday
- close payload bay doors for flight Sunday evening
- launch on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 8:52 a.m. EST
WORK COMPLETED:
- pressurized the hypergolic propellant tanks for flight
- completed final ordnance operations
* The extended weather outlook for next week indicates that there is a 70
percent chance of having acceptable conditions at launch time.
STS-55/SL-D2 - COLUMBIA
(OV 102) - OPF BAY 2
IN WORK TODAY:
- preparations to install the Spacelab D-2 payload
- tests of the payload bay doors
- functional test of the orbiter's potty
- electrical redundancy test of the orbital maneuvering and reaction control
systems
WORK COMPLETED:
- installed main engine heat shields
- stacked the left forward assembly on the left booster yesterday
WORK SCHEDULED:
- installation of the Spacelab D-2 payload into the orbiter's payload bay
on Monday
- roll over to the Vehicle Assembly Building targeted for early next month
STS-56/ ATLAS-2 - DISCOVERY (0V 103) - OPF BAY 3
IN WORK TODAY:
- pulse purges of the main propulsion system
- preparations for removing auxiliary power unit ferry flight plugs
- voltage test of the fuel cells
- troubleshooting the Ku-band antenna
- inspections of the 17-inch umbilicals
WORK SCHEDULED:
- inspections of the orbital maneuvering system thrusters
- removal of the main engine heat shields
WORK COMPLETED:
- installed all flight tires on the main and nose landing gears
# # # #
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930108A.REL
1/8/92: GOLDIN CALLS FOR IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TO INDUSTRY
Bill Livingstone
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. January 8, 1993
RELEASE: 93-009
While NASA enjoys a good reputation for transferring
technology to industry, major improvements must be made in
the way technology is transferred, according to a report
released today by NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin.
"NASA has the reputation of being the leader in
technology transfer, but this position has eroded," Goldin
said. "Our successes are modest compared to the amount of
technology we generate."
"Our attitude that the transfer of our valuable
technology will 'just happen' is no longer acceptable. It
must be proactively sought and given the highest priority,"
Goldin said.
The report -- Special Initiatives Team on Technology
Transfer -- was chartered last May, with Dr. Jeremiah
Creedon, Director of Flight Systems at NASA Langley Research
Center, Hampton, Va., as Chairman. Other participants from
NASA include Dr. Kathy Abbot, Leonard Ault, Carol Ginty,
George Mosakowski, Dr. Syed Shariq and Dr. William Spuck.
Major Findings and Recommendations
The report contains a series of findings and
recommendations for changing NASA's culture to facilitate
technology transfer, including:
* No comprehensive written document exists that
explains the formal processes for technology transfer;
* Processes for technology transfer within NASA are too
slow to meet industry's needs;
* Technology is not sufficiently developed to reduce
technical risk to industry due to the costs and mission
objectives;
* Employees, managers and contractors all too often do
not believe technology transfer is part of their job;
* There is little or no infrastructure support to help
researchers transfer technology;
* Technology can and should be transferred at every
stage, instead of waiting until a project is completed.
The report's 10 recommendations include a category of
implementation and measurement of performance of technology
transfer and eight recommendations for changing NASA's
culture to facilitate technology transfer.
Technology Transfer Benefits Aeronautics
The report finds that where technology transfer was the
primary mission activity -- such as aeronautics, the Small
Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program and the Centers
for Commercial Development of Space -- NASA's overall efforts
are relatively good.
For instance, a strong relationship exists between NASA
and the aeronautics industry. Many vital technologies
developed by NASA have been transferred to the aeronautics
industry, including such items as supercritical wings,
winglets, glass cockpits and many others. Still, a recent
Gallup poll concluded that the aeronautics industry felt
there was room for improvement.
In addition, researchers often viewed technology
transfer as writing a report on the research results after it
was completed. This is representative of a common view that
technology transfer occurs at the end of the development
process.
Researchers often encounter roadblocks when attempting
to transfer technology, including the time-consuming
processes of filing patents and software distribution through
official channels.
Finally, no systematic measurements or statistics are
kept on the activities or effectiveness of primary targeted
technology transfer. The team identifies six metrics which
could be used to measure the effectiveness of the technology
transfer process. These include the number of citations,
acknowledged users and spin-off companies, the revenue from
patent licenses, and the length of time from development to
its transfer for use by a targeted customer.
The report found that the technology utilization offices
are minimally staffed and cannot provide greater support for
secondary and non-targeted technology transfer functions.
Advanced Concepts and Technology Office Established
NASA's Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology was
created last November to better meet the needs of industry,
academia and NASA communities. One of the new office's major
functions is to transfer technology into the commercial
sector at a faster pace than in the past.
"We will seek the input of the technology user community
to figure out the best mechanisms to transfer technology,
whether it's technical papers, NASA-generated software,
regional tech transfer centers, cooperative research
agreements or working in our labs and other facilities,"
Goldin said.
- end -
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=END OF COLLECTION---COLLECTED 3 FILES---COMPLETED 21:06:55=--=