Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/pc/text/daily_1/930329.dfc

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29-Mar-93 Daily File Collection
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KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT 3/29/93

                DAILY SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
                         March 29, 1993


George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center


Vehicle:  OV-103/Discovery               Mission number: STS-56
Location:  Pad 39-B                      Orbital altitude: 184 sm
Primary payload: ATLAS-2                 Inclination: 57 degrees
Launch timeframe: NET April 6-7          Landing site: KSC
Mission duration: 8 days                 Crew size: 5

STS-56 IN WORK:

- ATLAS-2 payload closeouts
- installation of crew escape pole
- crew hatch functional check
- top off of pad liquid oxygen storage sphere
- orbiter aft compartment closeouts
- main engine #1 check valve testing
- stowage of flight crew mission items into crew compartment
- countdown preparations in Firing Room 3


STS-56 WORK SCHEDULED:

- closure of payload bay doors for flight tonight
- mate and leak check obiter mid-body umbilical unit Tuesday
- ordnance installation and connections Wednesday
- external tank purges Thursday
- orbiter aft confidence test Friday


STS-56 WORK COMPLETED:

- Flight Readiness Test (FRT) of main engines and flight control surfaces
- installation and checkout of contingency EVA spacesuits

ISSUES AND CONCERNS

STS-56:

     Over the weekend tests were performed on Discovery's main engine check
valves.  These tests are the same as those conducted last week during
troubleshooting of Columbia's check valves.  The test results are not
conclusive on main engine #1.  Each of five valves passed its individaul test.
However, the "combined test," exercising the complete set of five valves, shows
some unexplained leakage.  These tests are being re-run today.  A firm launch
date will not be set for Discovery until after these test results are available
on Tuesday.


STS-55:

     Analysis of Columbia's failed check valve has revealed a small black
non-metallic particle which may have come from a seal that is associated with
ground support test equipment used during the valve's manufacturing.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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Daily News/TV Sked 3/29/93

Daily News
Monday, March 29, 1993
Two Independence Square,
Washington, D.C.
Audio Service: 202/358-3014


 % Space Shuttle Columbia Status;
 % Discovery Update:
 % Stennis Space Center Reports.



* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Engineers were successful in recreating the anomaly which caused Columbia's
main engine ignition abort last week.  The check valve was removed and flown to
Rockwell's Canoga Park, Calif. facility for disassembly and analysis.  A
decision was made not to remove the other check valves unless the pending
failure analysis proves it necessary.  This decision was based on the data
generated during troubleshooting.  A decision has also been made to remove
Columbia's three main engines and replace them with those which had been
planned for installation on Endeavour.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Workers at the Kennedy Space Center will continue to prepare Space Shuttle
Discovery for its upcoming STS-56 launch.  A full set of leak checks and
confidence tests are scheduled for Discovery's main engine check valves.  These
checks will be done in conjunction with other scheduled main engine prelaunch
preparations.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Stennis Space Center reports that the Mississippi Gulf Coast Pilgrimage, an
annual tour which visits local places of interest, began last week with the
first stop on the tour at Stennis. Approximately 1,000 visitors came to the
Stennis Space Center in association with that event.  Also Stennis will hold
its NASA Honor Awards ceremony tomorrow.



Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA TV. Note that
all events and times may change without notice and that all times listed are
Eastern. Live indicates a program is transmitted live.




Monday, March 29, 1993

                12:00 pm        Eagles at KSC
                12:15 pm        Aeronautics & Space Report
                12:30 pm        SpaceCad
                  1:00 pm       Apollo 11: For All Mankind
                  1:30 pm       Examination of Life
                  2:00 pm       Starfinder #26/ A dive Into Space
                  2:30 pm       Making Medicine In Space
                  3:00 pm       TQM 66


Tuesday, March 30, 1993

                12:00 pm        Planetarium
                12:15 pm        Aeronautics & Space Report
                12:30 pm        Our Violent Universe/UARS
                  1:00 pm       NOVA:  The Fastest Planes in the Sky
                  2:00 pm       Starfinder #28:  Live via satellite
                  2:30 pm       Images of the Universe from the HST
                  3:00 pm       TQM 67


NASA TV is carried on GE Satcom F2R, transponder 13, C- Band, 72 degrees West
Longitude, transponder frequency is 3960 MHz, audio subcarrier is 6.8 MHz,
polarization is vertical.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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Galileo Status 3/12-15/93
                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                               March 12, 1993

     The Galileo Spacecraft is operating normally in the all-spin mode at
10.5 rpm, and is transmitting coded telemetry at 1200 bps (bits/second).

     Yesterday, no spacecraft activity was scheduled.  Tracking was scheduled
over DSS-14 (Goldstone 70 meter antenna), DSS-42 (Canberra 34 meter antenna)
and DSS-63 (Madrid 70 meter antenna).

     Today, March 12, 1993, the spacecraft under stored sequence control is
scheduled to spin down to 2.9 rpm.  Tracking is scheduled over DSS-14 and
DSS-63.

     Over the weekend, spacecraft activity to map the High Gain Antenna
receive gain pattern is scheduled on Saturday.  Tracking is scheduled
over DSS-61 (Madrid 34 meter antenna), DSS-14 and DSS-15 (Goldstone 34 meter
antenna) on Saturday.


                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                               March 15, 1993

     The Galileo Spacecraft is operating normally in the dual-spin mode
and is transmitting uncoded telemetry at 40 bps (bits/second).

     Over the weekend, spacecraft activity to map the High Gain Antenna
receive gain pattern was performed on Saturday, as planned.  Tracking was
scheduled ver DSS-42 (Canberra 34 meter antenna), DSS-61 (Madrid 34 meter
antenna), DSS-14 (Goldstone 70 meter antenna) and DSS-15 (Goldstone 34 meter
antenna) on Saturday.

     Throughout the week ending March 19, 1993, no spacecraft activity is
scheduled.  Tracking each day is scheduled over DSS-63 (Madrid 70 meter
antenna).

     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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Mars Observer Status, 3-29-93

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109.

MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS
March 29, 1993

     All spacecraft subsystems and instrument payload are performing well as
the Mars Observer spacecraft begins to close in on the red planet.  Today the
spacecraft is about 27 million kilometers (17 million miles) from Mars,
traveling at a velocity of about 9,700 kilometers per hour (6,000 miles per
hour) with respect to Mars.

     Surplus fuel reserves from good launch conditions will allow ground
controllers to use more propellent after Mars orbit insertion (on Aug. 24,
1993) and drop the spacecraft more rapidly into its low-altitude mapping orbit.
Consequently, science operations will start 21 days ahead of schedule,
beginning on Nov. 22, 1993, rather than Dec. 12, 1993.

     The mission operations team will use a "power in" approach to speed the
spacecraft's descent and ensure that data collection is well under way before
two natural events occur: a December 1993 solar conjunction that will block
spacecraft communications, and the beginning of the Martian dust storm season
in February 1994.  Spacecraft descent using the "power in" strategy will take
75 days rather than 96 days, and require seven braking maneuvers to bring the
spacecraft into its 2 p.m. solar orientation.  The spacecraft will reach its
mapping orbit 378 kilometers (249 miles) above the surface of Mars on Nov. 8,
1993.

     The spacecraft will be able to complete one mapping cycle of the Martian
surface -- which takes 26 days -- before the solar conjunction begins on Dec.
20, 1993.  The conjunction will last through Jan. 3, 1994 and will create a
"command moratorium," during which time all commands to the spacecraft will be
suspended.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:9_15_8.TXT

PHYSICS OF TOYS VIDEO RESOURCE GUIDE

An Educational Publication of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration


Topic:  Physics of Toys Experiment
Recommended Level:  Elementary and up
Video Length:  50:39

Description: The program shows the entire live Physics of Toys event conducted
during the STS-54 mission.

Shuttle Mission Facts

Orbiter:  Endeavour
Mission Dates:  January 13-19, 1993
Commander: John H. Casper (COL, USAF)
Pilot: Donald R. McMonagle (LTCOL, USAF)
Mission Specialist: Mario Runco, Jr. (LCDR, USN)
Mission Specialist: Gregory J. Harbaugh
Mission Specialist: Susan Helms (MAJ, USAF)
Mission Duration: 5 days, 23 hours, 38 minutes
Kilometers Traveled: 4,027,056
Orbit Inclination: 28.45 degrees
Orbits of Earth: 96
Orbital Altitude: 296 km
Payload Weight Up: 18,611 kg
Orbiter Landing Weight: 93,181 kg
Landed:  Kennedy Space Center, Runway 33


Payloads and Experiments:

TDRS-F - Tracking Data and Relay Satellite
EVA for Space Station Freedom Applications
Fuel Cell Shutdown/Restart
DXS - Diffuse X-Ray Spectrometer
CHROMEX - Chromosome Plant Cell Division in Space
PARE-02 - Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment
Human Lympocyte Locomotion in Microgravity
SSCE - Solid Surface Combustion Experiment
CGBA - Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus

Educational Activities
Physics of Toys Interactive Event
Educational Videotaping


Background

        Teachers have been using toys for a long time to help children
understand basic principles and concepts of force, motion, and energy.
Because gravity plays an important factor in governing toy action, many
students have wondered how those same toys would function in an environment in
which the effects of gravity are not felt.  The Space Shuttle provides a
setting so students can discover the answer to this question.

        In freefall, the local effects of gravity are nearly eliminated making
objects inside of an Earth-orbiting Space Shuttle appear to float.  The
vehicle and its contents are falling around the Earth at the same rate.
Videotapes of toys in this environment enable student students to see subtle
actions that gravity masks on Earth.

        Dr.  Carolyn Sumners of the Houston Museum of Natural Science, Houston,
 Texas, recognized the appeal of using toys in space.  She assembled a small
 group of toys and placed them onboard Space Shuttle mission 51-D that flew in
 April of 1985.  During the flight, crewmembers unstowed the toys and
 experimented with them.  Their experiments were videotaped and have been used
 as an effective teaching tool in thousands of schools.  Because of this
 success, Dr. Sumners approached NASA again to request that additional toys be
 flown on the Space Shuttle in order to extend the benefits of this innovative
 activity.  Dr. Sumners' request was accepted, and in January of 1993, Space
 Shuttle mission STS-54 took off with more than 30 toys onboard.

         While preparing for the flight, STS-54 crewmembers suggested
 conducting a live lesson to schools on the actions of the toys in space.
 Called the Physics of Toys Experiment, the live lesson was broadcast to
 thousands of schools across the country.  Four schools directly interacted
 with the crew.  These schools were the alma maters that four of the STS- 54
 crewmembers attended when they were children themselves.

        Study groups of 24 students at each school experimented with the toys
and asked questions on how these toys might function in orbit.  The eight toys
selected were: magnetic marbles, klacker balls, car and track, Gravitrons,
basketball and hoop, balloon helicopter, swimming toys, and ratstuff.  Because
of time constraints, the klacker balls were not used in the lesson, and a paper
boomerang was added at the end of the program.

        The lesson took place on January 15, 1993.  Students at each of the
schools talked with the orbiting crewmembers directly.  The crewmembers
answered their questions by performing specific demonstrations.  In this
manner, the students and the astronauts became co-investigators of the
experiment.


Classroom Activities

        Obtain copies of some or all of the toys featured in the lesson.  Let
the students experiment with each toy to learn how the y function in the normal
gravity environment on Earth's surface.  After the students become completely
familiar with the toys, observe the introduction to the videotape.  STS-54
commander John Casper explains and demonstrates how freefall alters the local
effects of gravity.  Discuss this concept with your students to be sure they
understand what happens in freefall.

        Demonstrate freefall with the activity in the next column.  Ask the
students to write down questions they would like answered about the toys in
space, "What would happen if . . . ." Watch the rest of the tape with the
students and see if their questions are answered.

        To demonstrate microgravity in freefall, poke a small hole near the
bottom of a styro- foam coffee cup.  Cover the hole with your thumb and fill
the cup with water.  While holding the cup over a catch basin on the floor,
remove your thumb and observe the water stream.  Reseal the hole and refill the
cup.  This time drop the cup into the basin and watch to see if the water
streams out of the hole.  What happens?  Why?  Toys used in the video can be
obtained at many toy stores.  It is not necessary to obtain all the toys used
in the lesson.

Car and Track: This toy was manufactured by DARDA Industries. Other versions
are available.

Basketball and hoop: This toy features a foam rubber ball and suction cup hoop.
Several companies make similar models.

Magnetic Marbles: Sold under this name. (The plastic spheres were split open at
the seams and the colors were rearranged so that one color is the magnet's
north pole and the other color is the south pole.)

Swimming toys: These are windup plastic bathtub toys.

Flipping Mouse: This windup toy has been nicknamed "Ratstuff." Other flipping
toys can be used.

Gravitrons: Sold under this name.  Three Gravitrons are connected together
around a whiffle ball.  Holes were drilled into the ball to fit small knobs on
the underside of each Gravitron. String-wound gyroscopes can also be used.

Balloon Helicopter: Sold under the name of Whistle Balloon Helicopter.

Paper Boomerang:

1.  Cut this shape out of a piece of cardstock 20 by 20 centimeters in size.

2.  Hold your boomerang vertically by one blade and throw forward with a
spinning motion.  The slight curl in the cardstock should be to the left if you
are right handed and to the right if you are left handed.

3.  With a little practice, your boomerang will return every time.


References and Resources

% To obtain copies of the videotapes below, write or call:

NASA CORE
Loraine County Joint Vocational School
15181 Route 58 South
Oberlin, OH 44074
[phone], x293/294

NASA (1985), Toys In Space.

NASA (1991), Space Basics.

NASA (1991), Newton In Space.

% To request copies of the publications below, write:

        NASA Education Division
        Code FET
        NASA Headquarters
        Washington, DC 20546

% Publication text is also available from NASA SPACELINK.   See references
and resources section below.

NASA, Mission Watch STS-54 Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-F, MW-016/12-92.

NASA, Mission Highlights, STS-54, MHL-018/2-93.

NASA SPACELINK provides information about current and historic NASA programs,
lesson plans, and the text from previous Mission Watches and Mission Highlights
fact sheets.  Anyone with a personal computer, modem, communications software,
and a long distance telephone line can communicate directly with NASA
SPACELINK. Use your computer to dial 205-895-0028 (8 data bits, no parity, and
1 stop bit).  NASA SPACELINK may also be accessed through Internet through the
following address: spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov


Crew Biographies

Commander: John H. Casper (COL, USAF) John Casper was born in Greenville, South
Carolina, but calls Gainesville, Georgia, home.  He earned a bachelor of
science degree in engineering science from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a
master of science degree in astronautics from Purdue University. He is also a
graduate of the Air Force Air War College. He flew 229 combat missions during
the Vietnam War. He has been a test pilot and served at USAF Headquarters at
the Pentagon as an action officer for the Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and
Operations, and later as deputy chief of the Special Projects Office. Casper
has logged over 6,000 flying hours in 50 different aircraft.  He was named an
astronaut in 1984 and flew as pilot aboard STS-36.

Pilot: Donald R. McMonagle (LTCOL, USAF) Donald McMonagle was born in Flint,
Michigan. He earned a bachelor of science degree in astronautical engineering
from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a master of science degree in mechanical
engineering from California State University-Fresno. He served as an F-4 pilot
at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, before assignment to Holloman Air Force Base,
New Mexico, where he flew F-15s. He was the operations officer and a project
test pilot for a technology demonstration aircraft, the F-16, while stationed
at Edwards Air Force Base, California. McMonagle has over 4,200 hours of flying
time in several aircraft.  He became an astronaut in 1987, and flew as a
mission specialist aboard STS-39.

Mission Specialist: Gregory J. Harbaugh. Gregory Harbaugh was born in
Cleveland, Ohio, but Willoughby, Ohio, is his hometown.  He received a bachelor
of science degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Purdue
University and a master of science degree in physical science from the
University of Houston, Clear Lake. He has held engineering and technical
management positions in various areas of Space Shuttle flight operations at
NASA's Johnson Space Center. He also holds a commercial pilot's license and has
logged over 1,000 hours flying time.  Harbaugh was named an astronaut in 1987
and flew as a mission specialist aboard STS-39.

Mission Specialist: Mario Runco, Jr. (LCDR, USN) Mario Runco, Jr., was born in
the Bronx, New York, but considers Yonkers, New York, to be his hometown.  He
earned a bachelor of science degree in meteorology and physical oceanography
from the City College of New York and a master of science degree in meteorology
from Rutgers University. He has worked as a research hydrologist for the U.S.
Geological Survey and a New Jersey State Trooper before entering the U.S. Navy.
In the Navy he served as research meteorologist and later became the commanding
officer of Oceanographic Unit Four embarked in USNS Chauvenet (T-AGS-29).
Runco was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1987 and was a mission specialist on
STS-44.

Mission Specialist: Susan J. Helms (MAJ, USAF) Susan Helms was born in
Charlotte, North Carolina, but calls Portland, Oregon, her hometown.  She
earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S.
Air Force Academy and a master of science degree in aeronautics/astronautics
from Stanford University. While at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, she was an
F-16 weapons separation engineer and later lead engineer for F-15 weapons
separation.  She subsequently was assigned to the faculty of the USAF Academy
where she held the position of assistant professor.  She has flown in 30
different types of U.S. and Canadian aircraft.  Helms was named an astronaut in
1990.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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