Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/pc/text/spacedig/v13_2/v13_249.txt

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Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #249

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 13 : Issue 249

Today's Topics:
            Re: Japanese Space Effort, II
        Explosive decompression (Was Re: HAL)
           Institutions involved in Space Research
         NASA Headline News for 03/08/91 (Forwarded)
 Names of notable women to be proposed for Venus features (Forwarded)
              Galileo Update - 03/06/91
             Re: Terraforming, sun shield

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

Date: 6 Mar 91 20:39:48 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!unix.cis.pitt.edu!pitt!nss![e-mail]  (Paul Blase)
Subject: Re: Japanese Space Effort, II


 NS> The Japanese program sounds awfully darn close to the program
 NS> Paul Dietz and I have been promoting -- the development of
 NS> space automation (factories, tugs, etc.) and non-chemical
 NS> propulsion (MPD, EML, etc.). It does look like Japan has its
 NS> head on straight regarding technology, strategy, and the most
 NS> economical scale for pursuing space activitites. They have
 NS> shrugged off the obsessions with "manned" projects and
 NS> mis-scaled technology, and come up with a lean, aggressive
 NS> program for developing the technology needed for space industry
 NS> and eventually colonization.

Autonomous, in this case, means "All Japanese", not unmanned.  Actually,
their manned space program is quite active.

I do agree with your comments (edited out) about NASA's fixation on
tried-and-true chemical propulsion systems and ignoring of such things
as MPD drives and electro-magnetic launchers.

 NS> Thanks, Paul, for a very informative posting!

Your're welcome.

--- via Silver Xpress V2.26 [NR]
--
Paul Blase - via FidoNet node 1:129/104
UUCP: ...!pitt!nss!Paul.Blase
INTERNET: [e-mail]

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

Date: 8 Mar 91 11:24:46 GMT
From: eru!hagbard!sunic!news.funet.fi!tukki.jyu.fi!jyu.fi![e-mail]  (Otto J. Makela)
Subject: Explosive decompression (Was Re: HAL)

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mike Tighe) writes:
[re David Bowman jumping vacuum in 2001]
   OK. So explode was a bad word choice. I didn't mean for it to sound like
   he had a hand grenade in his mouth. And since he had no other options to
   choose from, it wasn't all that unreasonable a choice. But I think he
   certainly would have died, and that was my point.

I spoke about this last summer with an old NASA engineer.  He told me that
basically the film scene was right, except that he should have blacked out
for a few seconds about seven seconds after his lungs had no oxygen intake
(of course, you can imagine this happening as the scene does not show him
leaving the airlock).

Seems it takes this long for the non-oxygen-bearing blood to reach the
brain from the lungs.  Other decompression effects include the swelling
of all loose bits of skin (joints, specially the ankles and thumb/index
finger connection) making it hard to stand up or grasp things.  However,
it takes several minutes for irreversible damage to take place.

As this has little to do with computer folklore anymore,
I'm followuping this to sci.space !
--
   /* * * Otto J. Makela <[e-mail]> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */
  /* Phone: [phone], BBS: [phone] (USR HST/V.32, 24h/d)   */
 /* Mail: Kauppakatu 1 B 18, SF-40100 Jyvaskyla, Finland, EUROPE         */
/* * * Computers Rule 01001111 01001011 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * */

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

Date: 6 Mar 91 19:53:11 GMT
From: munnari.oz.au!metro!cs.uow.edu.au!bhpcpd![e-mail]  (Steve Lechowicz)
Subject: Institutions involved in Space Research



I am a physicist currently working in industrial research. I am
interested in doing a PhD in a space related area. What I would
like to know is what Universities are currently involved in
such research. Location is not really a problem although my
preference would be for Australia or Canada. My interests, as
far as research goes, are in the design of space-hardware such
as landers, stations, and the like.

Sorry about the broadness of this request but I figure its better
to save any nitti-gritti detail for e-mail correspondence. Thanks
in advance for any help on this.
--
Steve Lechowicz, Research Officer                     ([e-mail])
BHP Coated Products Division, Research and Technology Centre
Port Kembla, New South Wales, Australia.

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

Date: 8 Mar 91 20:26:49 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 03/08/91 (Forwarded)


             Headline News
Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters

  Friday, March 8, 1991    Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788

This is NASA Headline News for Friday, March 8, 1991

Discovery rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at
Kennedy Space Center at 11:00 am yesterday.  Technicians are
currently preparing the stack for demating of the orbiter.  This should
begin early next week.  Following the demate procedure, Discovery will
be rolled to Orbiter Processing Facility Bay 2.

Atlantis will be rolled to the VAB later this afternoon.  Hoisting
and mating operations will then proceed immediately.  The rollout of
Atlantis' stack and mobile launch platform to launch pad 39-B is
expected by late next week.

The Gamma Ray Observatory will be featured at a press
briefing and tour today at KSC's Vertical Processing Facility at 1:30
pm EST.  GRO project scientists and managers will describe the
observatory's mission and spacecraft features.  The GRO payload will
be transported to the launch pad early next week, to await the arrival
of Atlantis and subsequent installation into the orbiter's payload bay.
Atlantis, with the Gamma Ray Observatory payload, is set for launch
on the STS-37 mission early in April.

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

McDonnell Douglas Space Systems will launch the Inmarsat 2
satellite tonight from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.  The
launch window for the commercial Delta 2 vehicle opens at 5:59 pm
EST and closes at 6:54 pm EST.

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

Galileo is currently moving at 72,800 miles-per-hour, relative to the
Sun, as it arcs outward slightly beyond the orbit of Earth.  The
spacecraft is 102 million miles from the Sun, and 35 million miles
from Earth.  Round-trip communication time between Galileo and the
Deep Space Network stations is now running 6 minutes, 11 seconds.

Recent activity on the spacecraft has been comprised of routine
housekeeping activities.  All science experiments currently are
powered off except for the heavy ion counter, dust instrument,
magnetometer, extreme ultraviolet instrument, and ultraviolet
spectrometer.  These instruments are now or will shortly be acquiring
cruise phase data.

Routine maintenance of the thruster system is planned for
today.  During this procedure, thrusters that have not been used
recently are fired briefly to keep them and their oxidizer lines cleared.

The next major event on the Jupiter-bound spacecraft's schedule is the
October 29 flyby of the asteroid Gaspra.



Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA Select
TV.  All times are Eastern.  NASA Select TV is carried on GE Satcom
F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees W Long., Audio 6.8,
Frequency 3960 MHz.

Monday, 3/11/91
     1:00 pm    NASA Radio show will be transmitted.

     3:00 pm    Total Quality Management Colloquium will be
            transmitted.

Tuesday, 3/12/91
    12:00 pm    NASA Productions will be transmitted.

     6:00 pm    NASA Productions will be replayed.


All events and times may change without notice.  This report is filed
daily, Monday through Friday, by 12:00 pm, Eastern.  It is a service of
NASA Headquarters Office of Public Affairs.  Contact:  CREDMOND
on NASAmail or at 202/453-8425.

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

Date: 8 Mar 91 20:34:16 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Names of notable women to be proposed for Venus features (Forwarded)

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                              March 8, 1991
(Phone:  [phone])

Jim Doyle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
(Phone:  [phone])


RELEASE:  91-38

NAMES OF NOTABLE WOMEN TO BE PROPOSED FOR VENUS FEATURES


    Scientists of NASA's Magellan Project, in association with the
U.S. Geological Survey, are inviting the public to propose names of
notable women for the many impact craters and large volcanic vents
being discovered on Venus by the Magellan spacecraft's imaging radar.

    "We want everyone, especially students, to share in the
adventure of discovery," said Magellan Project Scientist Dr. Steve
Saunders.  He said that the impact craters on Venus are some of the
most beautiful features in the solar system.  They form somewhat
randomly in time and space when an asteroid or very large comet
collides with Venus' surface.

    "The flower-like symmetry of impact craters evidences the
enormous energy of these infrequent events," he said.  "A modest
20-mile-diameter crater represents more energy than is contained in all
the arsenals on Earth."

    Names sent to the Magellan Project offices at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory will be compiled for the Working Group for
Planetary System Nomenclature, a committee of the International
Astronomical Union (IAU). The IAU gives final approval to names for
bodies in the solar system.

    Because the IAU meets only every 3 years and its next meeting
is in July 1991, names newly proposed for Venusian features will not be
considered until the following meeting in 1994.  But names proposed
this year, if accepted as provisional by the nomenclature committee,
may be used on published maps and in articles, pending final approval
by the IAU.

    Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's Flagstaff, Ariz.,
field office said they expect names for 4000 or more features on Venus
are likely to be required in the coming decade.  Of those features, at
least 900 are expected to be impact craters.  Cratersand volcanic
calderas, called "paterae," on Venus are named for notable, actual
women.

    Indeed, all features on Venus are named for women, with only
three exceptions.  They are Maxwell Montes, named years ago for early
radar pioneer James Maxwell, and Alpha Regio and Beta Regio.

    "The mapping of Venus is unique in the history of cartography,"
said USGS cartographers Ray Batson and Joel Russell.  "Never has so
much territory been discovered and mapped in so short a period of
time."

    The process of naming features on Venus began in the 1960s
with early radar images taken from Earth.  It continued through radar
mapping spacecraft expeditions of the United States and Soviet Union.

    But, they said, the Magellan mission is resolving features 25
times smaller than those mapped previously and its radar data will
cover an area nearly equivalent to that of the continents and the ocean
floors on Earth.

    Many features on Venus, by international agreement, are named
for goddesses of ancient religions and cultures.  But craters and
volcanic calderas or vents, the paterae, are named for actual women.

    There are certain stipulations, however.  For example, women
must have been deceased for at least 3 years and must have been in some
way notable or worthy of the honor.

    Names of military or political figures of the 19th and 20th
Centuries are specifically forbidden under rules of the IAU, as are the
names of persons prominent in any of the six main living religions.
Names of a specific national significance also are not allowed.

    When the name is submitted, her birth and death years and a
one or two sentence written rationale for the honor should be given,
along with a reference book citation, if available.

    The Magellan project members ask that submissions be sent to:

        Venus Names
        Magellan Project Office
        Mail Stop 230-201
        Jet Propulsion Laboratory
        4800 Oak Grove Dr.
        Pasadena, Calif. 91109.

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

Date: 8 Mar 91 22:41:20 GMT
From: elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Galileo Update - 03/06/91


                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                               March 6, 1991

     Today, the Galileo spacecraft is traveling at 72,800 miles per hour
relative to the Sun as it arcs outward slightly beyond the orbit of Earth.
The spacecraft is 102 million miles from the Sun and 35 million miles from
Earth.  Round-trip communication time is 6 minutes, 11 seconds.

     During the past week the spacecraft has conducted routine housekeeping
activities.  All science experiments are powered off except for the Heavy Ion
Counter (HIC), Dust Detector (DDS) instrument, Magnetometer (MAG), Extreme
Ultraviolet Spectrometer (EUV) instrument and Ultraviolet Spectrometer (UVS),
which are or will be taking data during the cruise phase.

     On Friday, March 8, routine maintenance of the thruster system is planned.
During this procedure, thrusters that have not been used recently are fired
briefly to keep the thrusters and oxidizer lines cleared.

     Today, the following is planned for the Galileo spacecraft:

        o Cruise Science memory readouts of the MAG, DDS and EUV
          instruments; the first of these is in process.

        o Radio frequency receiver and command detector
          performance characterization tests.

     There are no spacecraft activities planned for tomorrow.

      ___    _____     ___
     /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|      Ron Baalke         | [e-mail]
     | | | |  __ \ /| | | |      Jet Propulsion Lab | Is it mind over matter,
  ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |___   M/S 301-355        | or matter over mind?
 /___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /|  Pasadena, CA 91109 | Never mind.
 |_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                      | It doesn't matter.

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

Date: 8 Mar 91 22:33:12 GMT
From: dog.ee.lbl.gov!hellgate.utah.edu!csn!magnus.ircc.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!linus!linus!cyclone![e-mail]  (S. J. Okay)
Subject: Re: Terraforming, sun shield

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Heidi Hammel) writes:
>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:

>>On the contrary, I think making our mistakes somewhere *else* would be a
>>fine idea.  We're not going to be able to learn without mistakes.  And
>>it's not as if we're going to be destroying existing ecosystems on, say,
>>Venus.  We could hardly leave it in worse shape than it is now.
>                                     ^^^^^
>Spoken from a truly geocentric (humanocentric?) point of view ;-).

So what would you propose we do?e-how would you solve things like the fresh
water problem and overpopulation?
Go ahead and see if anybody would actually entertain ideas like forced
abortions, life-span limitations, birth taxes, etc. for population control!
In my view, we either get that radical, or we start moving off-planet. Other
efforts are not likely to have the needed cumulative effect in time.


>Just because humanity *can* alter a system doesn't mean it *should* alter a
>system.  *Especially* before the other world is fully explored robotically.
>What I'm trying to get across is that there is free choice is human
>intervention of natural evolution - whereas plants and insects (in the
>Hawaiian Island example given by Henry originally) are not making active,
>informed decisions to modify the ecosystem. Does *that* answer the question?
>If not, maybe you could rephrase the question?

You're right..they're not making active, informed decisions, they are merely
acting out of instinct and their own self-interest. They don't have the
capacity to realize cause and effect and that draining a ecosystem for its
resources without replenishing them or giving them time to replenish
themselves will result in their own destruction. WE DO. We have the ability
to say 'hey, we're really screwing up here, maybe we should move off and
lessen then burden some.' or 'Well, we could really screw things up here
by experimenting on the ecosystem, lets try it somewhere else where theres'
nothing to mess up'.

>>Incidentally, it's quite possible to find cases where plants and animals
>>have destroyed stable ecosystems, starting with the greatest ecological
>>disaster in Earth's history:  the evolution of photosynthesis.
>
>And look where it eventually lead us ... purported global warming due in
Thats right...blame it on the plants. They're the cause of all this!!!
Let get 'em!!! Fetch me my flamethrower Maw! (Multiple :)s implied for
the humor-impaired)

---Steve

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

End of SPACE Digest V13 #249
*******************