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Date: Sat, 3 Oct 92 17:11:44 From: Space Digest maintainer <digests@isu.isunet.edu> Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V15 #277 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Sat, 3 Oct 92 Volume 15 : Issue 277 Today's Topics: Alleged Benefits of Military $ anybody got an analysis of the perot space position? Editorial Cartoon HRMS Press Kit HST Explores Io perot's stand on space funding Revised FAQ on launchers Space and Presidential Politics Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to "space@isu.isunet.edu", 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 space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 2 Oct 92 00:34:00 GMT From: Mark Goodman <mwgoodman@igc.apc.org> Subject: Alleged Benefits of Military $ Newsgroups: sci.space Reply-To: mwgoodman@igc.org Gary writes: > Military and aerospace dollars have a particularly >high multiplier, 7x, because the jobs pay well and allow the workers >more discresionary income that can be spent in the civilian economy. >Direct public assistance funds have a much smaller multiplier, around >2x, because the recipients don't have large discressionary funds for >major capital purchases, they mostly pay rent and buy food. I wonder where these numbers come from. They seem implausible to me, and would in any case be very hard to measure. Everything I have read suggests precisely the opposite, that money spent on the military and other unproductive high-technology efforts (read NASA) is particularly unbeneficial to the economy. Mark W. Goodman ------------------------------ Date: 2 Oct 92 18:09:29 GMT From: games@max.u.washington.edu Subject: anybody got an analysis of the perot space position? Newsgroups: sci.space Now that Perot is back in the race, and looks like he might be a contender, does anybody out there have any scoop on what might happen to the space program under him? (anybody actually KNOW what he is planning to do? or even what he has SAID that he is planning to do?) John. ------------------------------ Date: 2 Oct 92 13:35:56 GMT From: FRANK NEY <tnc!m0102> Subject: Editorial Cartoon Newsgroups: sci.space Who else saw the Endeavor cartoon in the 22 Sep issue of Newsweek? It was good for a laugh if nought else. -- The Next Challenge - Public Access Unix in Northern Va. - Washington D.C. 703-803-0391 To log in for trial and account info. ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 3 Oct 1992 00:57:16 GMT From: Ron Baalke <baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov> Subject: HRMS Press Kit Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION HIGH RESOLUTION MICROWAVE SURVEY (HRMS) PRESS KIT OCTOBER 1992 PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, D.C. Office of Space Science and Applications Michael Braukus (Phone: 202/358-1547) Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. Michael Mewhinney (Phone: 415/604-9000) Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. Mary Hardin (Phone: 818/354-5011) CONTENTS General Release 1 Media Services Information 3 Quick-Look Facts. 4 Project History 5 Project Objectives 6 Targeted Search 7 Sky Survey 9 Signal Detection Plans 10 Project Management. 11 RELEASE: 92-161 NASA TO BEGIN SEARCH FOR INHABITED PLANETS On Oct. 12, NASA will begin the most comprehensive search ever conducted for evidence of intelligent life elsewhere in the universe. The search will use telescopes and antennas to detect radio transmissions from other planetary systems. The search will commence 500 years after Columbus landed in North America. "In the first few minutes, more searching will be accomplished than in all previous searches combined," according to Dr. John Billingham of NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. "Over the past few decades, " Billingham added, "scientific opinion has increasingly supported the theory that complex life may have evolved on planets orbiting other stars in the galaxy and the universe. In some cases, further evolution may have led to the emergence of intelligence, culture and technology." Billingham, the program chief at Ames, said the High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS) consists of two parts -- a Targeted Search and a Sky Survey. The Targeted Search will use the largest available radio telescopes around the world to search the frequency range from 1,000 to 3,000 megahertz, seeking a variety of patterns that may indicate the presence of an artificially generated signal. A megahertz is a unit of frequency equal to one million cycles per second. The Targeted Search will perform the most sensitive search ever conducted of solar-type stars less than 100 light-years distant. The Targeted Search begins from the world's largest radio telescope at the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center's Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. It is operated for the National Science Foundation by Cornell University. The Sky Survey will use the 34-meter antennas at NASA's Deep Space Network sites in the northern and southern hemispheres to scan the entire sky over the frequency range from 1,000 to 10,000 megahertz. The Sky Survey begins at the Goldstone, Calif., site. "Because of the large increase in the area of sky and frequencies covered, a signal will have to be stronger to be detected by the Sky Survey," Billingham said. "But it could detect signals emitted in distant regions from directions that would be overlooked if the search were limited to nearby solar- type stars," he added. Both elements of the HRMS are using specially developed digital signal processing systems capable of simultaneously analyzing tens of millions of radio frequency channels. The HRMS is managed by NASA's Ames Research Center, which also is responsible for the Targeted Search project. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is responsible for the Sky Survey. The HRMS is part of NASA's Toward Other Planetary Systems program in the Solar System Exploration Division, Office of Space Science and Applications at NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. - end - MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION NASA Select Television Transmissint on Oct. 12, 1992. Video footage of the HRMS deployment will be taken for documentary and archival purposes. Media Coverage Those interested in attending the initial deployment at Arecibo on Oct. 12, contact Michael Mewhinney at NASA Ames Research Center by calling 415/604-9000. Those wishing to attend the initial deployment at Goldstone, Calif., contact Mary Hardin at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory by calling 818/354-5011. Because of limited parking, use of private vehicles at both sites will be restricted. Buses will be available at both locations to transport reporters. Reportt the press desks at either the Holiday Inn, Barstow, Calif., or the Hyatt Dorado Beach Hotel, Dorado, Puerto Rico, for transportation and admissionhis telescope is operated for the National Science Foundation by Cornell University. The new 34-meter (112- foot diameter) antenna at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, Calif., will be used for the Sky Survey. Time of Deployment: Targeted Search at 3 p.m. EDT, Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Sky Survey at noon PDT, Goldstone, Calif. Project Duration: Expected to last until about 2001. PROJECT HISTORY The Earth is the only location known to harbor life. But as knowledge of the nature of lhere may, in the long run, be one of science's most important and most profound contributions to mankind and to our civilization." Also in 1972, NASA published its first report describing how NASA-developed technology could make such a search possible. In the years between 1972 and 1988, NASA maintained a low- level research and development activity that resulted in the initiation of the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Microwave Observing Project (MOP) in FY 1989. In 1992, NASA established the High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS) as part of the Toward Other Planetary Systems (TOPS) program within NASA's Solar System Exploration Division. The Sky Survey (scanning the entire sky for strong signals coming from any direction) will begin observations at noon PDT using a 34-meter antenna at NASA's Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex near Barstow, Calif. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The detection and characterization of planetary systems around other stars is the goal of NASA's Toward Other Planetary Systems (TOPS) program. Earth's solar system is still the only known example of a planetary system, and Earth is the only known planet that sustains life. Recent astrophysical observations suggest the existence of other planetary systems around distant stars. The existence of these systems could support the hypothesis that lifts TOPS program to include a new project called the High Resolution Microwave Survey (HRMS). The project will observe the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum in a manner that can detect signals produced by a distant technology. Potentially, there are billions of solar systems in the Milky Way galaxy at tremendous distances from Ear provide for an expanded comparative study of the universe. TARGETED SEARCH Scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center will conduct the Targeted Search portion of the HRMS. The Targeted Search will examine 1,000 nearby solar-type stars within 100 light years distance from Earth (one light year is approximately 5.9 trillion miles). The objective is to test the hypothesis that extraterrestrial technologies are transmitting radio signals whose characteristics are greatly different from natural sources of radio emissile sensitivity, the largest available radio telescopes will be used to conduct the Targeted Search. The number of targets covered will be much larger than previous searches, and the range of frequencies covered will be thousands of times greater than all previous searches combined. To accomplish this, specialized digital signal processing equipment has been constructed to listen for microwave radio transmissions reaching the Earth from distant planetary systems. The specialized digital signal processing equipment will simultaneously study the radio spectrum over tens of millions of individual frequency channels, at spectral resolutions ranging from 1, 2, 4, 7, 14 and 28 helses, a likely form of interstellar transmission. An automatic data analysis subsystem will be used to detect the presence of fixed frequency or drifting continuous wave (CW) signals or sequences of regularly spaced pulses. The Targeted Search will use the National Science Foundation's National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center's 305-meter (1,000-ft) diameter radio telescope located at the Arecibo Observatory near Arecibo, Puerto Rico, for the initial deployment of the HRMS on Oct. 12, 1992. Theng very large observations of each target at each frequency. It will serve as the logistical hub of the HRMS Targeted Search. Over the next 3 years, three more such systems will be built and packaged into two mobile research facility trailers for air transport to the observation sites. SKY SURVEY The NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., will conduct the Sky Survey portion of NASA's HRMS to search for radio signals from other planetary systems. The Sky Survey will scan all directions of the sky to cover a wide range of frequencies from 1,000 to 10,000 megahertz. NASA's HRMS will conduct a comprehensive, systematic search of a portion of the microwave radio spectrum to detect evidence of radio transmissions from other planetary systems. An intentionally transmitted signal is easiest to detect in a frequency band where the background radio noise or static is minimal. One of the quietest frequency bands is the "microwave window," which lies between 1,000 and 10,000 megahertz. Since thstic of microwave ally mapping small areas of the sky, called sky frames. As the observations are completed, over the entire sky. For each of 31 frequency bands, the sky is divided into sevplex of NASA's Deep Space Network in California's Mojave Desert. Toward the latter part of the survey, the search will move to a The prototype receiver, spectrum analyzer and signal processor will break up incomiwith 40 megahertz total bandwidth or a dual polarization mode with 20 megahertz total bandwidth. Specially designed digital hardware, operating at supercomputer speeds, will simultaneously process the 2 million channels to identify and separate intersterch organizations. After the discovery has been verified, national and international authorities are to be informed. News of the confirmed discovery then will be disseminated promptly, openly and widely through scientific channels and the news media. All data necessary for the confirmation of the detection will be made available to the international scientific community through publications, meetings, conferences and other appropriate means. No response to any confirmed signal will be sent from Earth until appropriate international consultations have occurred. PROJECT MANAGEMENT NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. Dr. Wesley Huntress Director, Solar System Exploration Division Dr. Nicholas Renzetti Manager, Telecommunications and Data Acquisition Science Complex Goldstone Deep Space Communications Complex Dr. Michael J. Klein JPL SETI Project Manager and HRMS Sky Survey Manager Dr. Samuel Gulkis HRMS Deputy Project Scientist J. Richard Kolden HRMS Sky Survey Implementation Manager Arecibo Observatory, Puerto Rico Dr. Daniel Altschuler Director ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Einstein's brain is stored /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | in a mason jar in a lab |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | in Wichita, Kansas. ------------------------------ Date: 3 Oct 92 02:31:07 GMT From: Ron Baalke <baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov> Subject: HST Explores Io Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,alt.sci.planetary Paula Cleggett-Haleim Headquarters, Washington, D.C. October 2, 1992 (Phone: 202/350-1547) Jim Elliot Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (Phone: 301/286-6256) Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. (Phone: 410/338-4514) RELEASE: 92-163 NASA'S HUBBLE TELESCOPE EXPLORES JUPITER'S VOLCANIC MOON IO Extended observations by the Hubble Space Telescope indicate that Jupiter's moon Io has a smaller atmosphere than previously thought with very dense regions possibly over volcanoes and surface frost, NASA announced today. The observations also show that despite continual volcanic activity, Io's surface has remained largely unchanged since first photographed by the Voyager spacecraft when it flew past the moon in 1979. The Hubble observations mark the first time astronomers have been able to directly gauge the size of Io's tenuous atmosphere. Sulfur and oxygen emissions from the atmosphere indicate that it is at least three times smaller than previously thought -- 1.5 Io diameters across instead of the previous upper limit value of 5 Io diameters. These observations show that the atmosphere may be patchy, with very dense regions having 1000 times higher pressure than adjoining, low-density regions. Likely sources for the atmospheric gas are sulfur dioxide from the volcanoes, evaporation of surface frost in sunlit areas or material knocked out of the surface ("sputtered") into the atmosphere. The observations also confirm that the surface contains sulfur dioxide frost. Hubble's observations reveal a new oxygen emission never before detected from the torus, a giant ring of high-temperature gas encircling Jupiter. From these measurements, the density and the amount of oxygen relative to sulfur in the torus have been determined. Oxygen is the most abundant component of the torus with about twice as much concentration as sulfur. Moon's Effects On Jupiter Though no larger than Earth's Moon, Io affects the immense planet Jupiter on a grand scale. Io's atmosphere feeds material to the torus encircling Jupiter at Io's distance. Understanding Io's atmosphere is essential to understanding the plasma torus, which in turn affects Jupiter's immense magnetosphere and aurorae. Sulfur from the volcanic plumes cannot escape directly into space to fuel the plasma torus. Instead, sulfur and oxygen might be stripped from Io's atmosphere in a complicated interaction between the atmosphere and the plasma torus. Observations of Io's atmosphere were made with Hubble's Faint Object Spectrograph (FOS) by Melissa McGrath of the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), Baltimore; John Clarke, University of Michigan and Darrell Strobel, Gilda Ballester, Warren Moos and Paul Feldman of The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore. Io images were taken by Francesco Paresce, European Space Agency/STScI; Paola Sartoretti, University of Padova and co-investigators with the Faint Object Camera (FOC). Additional images were taken by amateur astronomer Jim Secosky with Hubble's Wide Field/Planetary Camera (WFPC). Earlier space probes revealed that Io has surface sulfur dioxide frost appearing as bright white patches in visible images and that Io has a very tenuous atmosphere, composed primarily of sulfur dioxide, with a surface pressure 1 billionth that of Earth's atmosphere. Scientific progress on understanding Io has been slow since the 1979 Voyager observations. Io is so small and one-half billion miles from Earth, preventing ground-based telescopes from distinguishing Io's surface features. Because Io's atmosphere is primarily sulfur dioxide, atmospheric studies can be undertaken best at ultraviolet wavelengths. These wavelengths cannot penetrate Earth's atmosphere for studies by ground-based telescopes. Io's Surface Unchanged Despite Volcanism To look for possible surface changes, researchers compared FOC visible- light images to a "synthetic" Voyager image modified to match Hubble's resolution. The astronomers concluded that Io's trailing hemisphere, known to be more geologically active, has not changed noticeably in the 13 years between Voyager and Hubble observations. Detailed analysis of the images is still being carried out to search for less obvious changes. Two small areas roughly 200 miles across seem to have undergone slight change. This lack of large-scale change is mysterious because Io's volcanism should resurface the moon at a rate of a few inches per year. One possibility is that there is a constant equilibrium between volcanic eruptions and unknown processes which might remove or cover volcanic debris. This would preserve the general appearance of Io's surface over long periods. Io's surface looks remarkably different in ultraviolet (UV) light. Regions which look bright in visible light are dark in UV. The most likely explanation is that large areas of Io are covered with a sulfur dioxide frost. Because sulfur dioxide is a strong absorber of UV radiation, sulfur dioxide-rich areas are dark in the UV and bright in visible light. Dr. Paresce points out that there also are regions that are bright or dark in images taken at both wavelengths. This suggests that the size of sulfur dioxide grains also may play a role in brightness. The reflectivity of sulfur dioxide is very sensitive to the grain size at ultraviolet wavelengths. Amateur astronomer Jim Secosky made near-infrared images (7100 Angstroms) of Io which complement the FOC images by providing new constraints on Io's surface composition. Some models predict the presence of basalts and polysulfur oxide on the surface. But these dark compounds do not show up in Hubble's longer wavelength images. This further supports the model for Io's surface being predominantly sulfur and sulfur dioxide. Secosky took HST snapshots of Io emerging from Jupiter's shadow to look for evidence of frost evaporation which might have formed on Io while it was chilled behind Jupiter. This would have been evident if Io was 10 percent brighter than while emerging from eclipse. Secosky did not see any evidence of the "post-eclipse brightening" phenomena which have been reported occasionally by ground-based observers since 1964. Secosky thinks his negative results mean that the post-eclipse brightening effect, if real, may be driven by sporadic volcanic activity. The researchers continue developing models of Io's complex surface structure and composition to account for Hubble's imaging and simultaneous spectroscopic observations. Because Io is the solar system's most dynamic and evolving moon, Hubble will continue to be used for detecting changes in Io's atmosphere and on its surface. - end - Editors Note: Photographs and a video, "HST Studies Jovian Moon Io," are available to media representatives by calling 202/453-8373. HST Single Image HST Comparison Images Color: 92-HC-671 92-HC-672 B&W: 92-H-726 92-H-727 ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Einstein's brain is stored /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | in a mason jar in a lab |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | in Wichita, Kansas. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 2 Oct 92 15:42:11 CST From: "Alex Falkenberg" <ST7759@SIUCVMB.SIU.EDU> Subject: perot's stand on space funding Does Perot have a position on space funding? Not that I'm going to vote for him or anything, but it would be interesting to know given the other questionable stances he has taken... -agf (just a lowly student, perhaps forever...) ------------------------------ Date: 2 Oct 92 17:19:41 GMT From: Josh 'K' Hopkins <jbh55289@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu> Subject: Revised FAQ on launchers Newsgroups: sci.space I've been working on a revisions of the FAQ on launch services. I'm including it here to get some feedback on the format - you're welcome to point out anything that looks like a typo too. I've already noticed that I left out one rocket (brownie points to anyone who can tell which :-). Rest assured that that will be corrected. ------------------------------- The following data comes from _International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems_ by Steven J. Isakowitz, 1991 edition. Notes: * Unless otherwise specified, LEO and polar paylaods are for a 100 nm orbit. * Reliablity data includes launches through Dec, 1990. Reliabity for a familiy of vehicles includes launches by types no longer built when applicable * Prices are in millions of 1990 $US and are subject to change. * Only operational vehicle families are included. Individual vehicles which have not yet flown are marked by an asterisk (*) If a vehicle had first launch after publication of my data, it may still be marked with an asterisk. Vehicle | Payload kg (lbs) | Reliability | Price | Launch Site (nation) | LEO Polar GTO | | | (Lat. & Long.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ariane 35/40 87.5% Kourou (ESA) (5.2 N 52.8 W) AR40 4,900 3,900 1,900 1/1 $65m (10,800) (8,580) (4,190) AR42P 6,100 4,800 2,600 1/1 $67m (13,400) (10,600) (5,730) AR44P 6,900 5,500 3,000 0/0 ? $70m (15,200) (12,100) (6,610) AR42L 7,400 5,900 3,200 0/0 ? $90m (16,300) (13,000) (7,050) AR44LP 8,300 6,600 3,700 6/6 $95m (18,300) (14,500) (8,160) AR44L 9,600 7,700 4,200 3/4 $115m (21,100) (16,900) (9,260) * AR5 18,000 ??? 6,800 0/0 $105m (39,600) (15,000) [300nm] Atlas 213/245 86.9% Cape Canaveral (USA) (28.5 N 81.0W) Atlas E ??? 820 ??? 15/17 $45m Vandeberg AFB (1,800) (34.7 N 120.6W) Atlas I 5,580 4,670 2,250 1/1 $70m (12,300) (10,300) (4,950) Atlas II 6,395 5,400 2,680 0/0 $75m (14,100) (11,900) (5,900) Atlas IIA 6,760 5,715 2,810 0/0 $85m (14,900) (12,600) (6,200) * Atlas IIAS 8,390 6,805 3,490 0/0 $115m (18,500) (15,000) (7,700) Delta 189/201 94.0% Cape Canaveral (USA) Vandenberg AFB Delta 6925 3,900 2,950 1,450 14/14 $45m (8,780) (6,490) (3,190) Delta 7925 5,045 3,830 1,820 1/1 $50m (11,100) (8,420) (2,000) Energia 2/2 100% Baikonur (Russia) (45.6 N 63.4 E) Energia 88,000 80,000 ??? 2/2 $110m (194,000) (176,000) H series 22/22 100% Tangeshima (Japan) (30.2 N 130.6 E) * H-2 10,500 6,600 4,000 0/0 $110m (23,000) (14,500) (8,800) Kosmos 371/377 98.4% Plestek (Russia) (62.8 N 40.1 E) Kosmos 1100 - 1350 (2300 - 3000) $??? Kapustin Yar [400 km orbit ??? inclination] (48.4 N 45.8 E) Long March 23/25 92.0% Jiquan SLC (China) (41 N 100 E) * CZ-1D 720 ??? 200 0/0 $10m Xichang SLC (1,590) (440) (28 N 102 E) Taiyuan SLC CZ-2C 3,200 1,750 1,000 12/12 $20m (41 N 100 E) (7,040) (3,860) (2,200) CZ-2E 9,200 ??? 3,370 1/1 $40m (20,300) (7,430) * CZ-2E/HO 13,600 ??? 4,500 0/0 $??? (29,900) (9,900) CZ-3 ??? ??? 1,400 6/7 $33m (3,100) * CZ-3A ??? ??? 2,500 0/0 $???m (5,500) CZ-4 4,000 ??? 1,100 2/2 $???m (8,800) (2,430) Pegasus/Taurus 2/2 100% Peg: B-52/L1011 (USA) Taur: Canaveral Pegasus 455 365 125 2/2 $10m or Vandenberg (1,000) (800) (275) * Taurus 1,450 1,180 375 0/0 $15m (3,200) (2,600) (830) Proton 164/187 87.7% Baikonour (Russia) Proton 20,000 ??? 5,500 164/187 $35-70m (44,100) (12,200) SCOUT 99/113 87.6% Vandenberg AFB (USA) Wallops FF SCOUT G-1 270 210 54 13/13 $12m (37.9 N 75.4 W) (600) (460) (120) San Marco (2.9 S 40.3 E) * Enhanced SCOUT 525 372 110 0/0 $15m (1,160) (820) (240) Shavit 2/2 100% Palmachim AFB (Israel) ( ~31 N) Shavit ??? 160 ??? 2/2 $22m (350) Space Shuttle 37/38 97.4% Kennedy Space (USA) Center Shuttle/SRB 23,500 ??? 5,900 37/38 $248m (28.5 N 81.0 W) (51,800) (13,000) [FY88] * Shuttle/ASRM 27,100 ??? ??? 0/0 (59,800) SLV 2/6 33.3% SHAR Center (India) (400km) (900km polar) (13.9 N 80.4 E) ASLV 150 ??? ??? 0/2 $???m (330) * PSLV 3,000 1,000 450 0/0 $???m (6,600) (2,200) (990) * GSLV 8,000 ??? 2,500 0/0 $???m (17,600) (5,500) Titan 160/172 93.0% Cape Canaveral (USA) Vandenberg Titan II ??? 1,905 ??? 2/2 $43m (4,200) Titan III 14,515 ??? 5,000 2/3 $140m (32,000) (11,000) Titan IV/SRM 17,700 14,100 6,350 3/3 $154m-$227m (39,000) (31,100) (14,000) Titan IV/SRMU 21,640 18,600 8,620 0/0 $???m (47,700) (41,000) (19,000) Vostok 1358/1401 96.9% Baikonur (Russia) [650km] Plesetsk Vostok 4,730 1,840 ??? ?/149 $14m (10,400) (4,060) Soyuz 7,000 ??? ??? ?/944 $15m (15,400) Molniya 1500kg (3300 lbs) in ?/258 $???M Highly eliptical orbit Zenit 12/13 92.3% Baikonur (Russia) Zenit 13,740 11,380 4,300 12/13 $65m (30,300) (25,090) (9,480) -- Josh Hopkins jbh55289@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu The views expresed above do not necessarily reflect those of ISDS, UIUC, NSS, IBM FSC, NCSA, NMSU, AIAA or the American Association for the Advancement of Acronymphomaniacs ------------------------------ Date: 2 Oct 92 00:38:00 GMT From: Mark Goodman <mwgoodman@igc.apc.org> Subject: Space and Presidential Politics Newsgroups: sci.space Reply-To: mwgoodman@igc.org Allen Sherzer writes: >(quoting Mark Goodman): >>I would like to comment on some of the more egregious >>extrapolations that have been made. For example, Allen Sherzer >>accuses Al Gore of being insufficiently enthusiastic about the >>space program because his subcommittee (Science, Space, and >>Technology) has not produced an authorization bill for NASA in >>years. All the action in the Senate takes place in the full >>committees, not the subcommittees, so this complaint is more >>properly aimed at the full committee (Commerce, Science, and >>Transportation) Chairman, Fritz Hollings. > >This is simply wrong. According to the rules, the full committee cannot >act on a bill until the subcommittee reports it out. Gore routinely fails >to do so therefore the full committee can do nothing. Who told you this >anyway? Excuse me, but you are quite wrong. Bills get referred to committees. Once they get there, the committee is free to do with it as it pleases. It may refer it to a subcommittee, or not (the Appropriations Committees -- House and Senate -- are the exception, I believe). The chairman has great discretion in that. Like many important committee chairmen (John Dingell, Bennett Johnston, etc.), Fritz Hollings does not like to dilute his power by giving it away to subcommitte chairmen. In fact, it is quite rare for Senate subcommittees to do markups on (write) bills. So the fact is that Hollings bears the bulk of the responsibility for the Senate's failure to produce authorization bills for NASA. I know this because I am working in Congress now. [stuff deleted] >>improve their lot while reducing the deficit > >Clinton going to reduce the deficit? Come on now, nobody actually >believes that. Surely you don't? I didn't say Clinton would reduce the deficit, but that it was a more important issue than the space program. I continue to believe that. I find the pipedreams that human space exploration offers an economic bonanza incredible, at least for the foreseeable future. I don't think such remote prospects deserve great weight in public policy, though I continue to support modest efforts at space exploration for its own sake. However, I do believe that Clinton would do a better job of reducing the deficit than either of his predecessors, whose performance has been abysmal. He has a strong record as a fiscal conservative. Dennis Wingo writes: > The Slick Willie plan to "Help the >Poor" is no more than a regurgitation of the government policies that have >brought our republic to the edge of bankruptcy. There are currently 26 million >people on public assistance. Dennis Wingo obviously has not listened to what Clinton has actually said. Clinton proposes to take people off the welfare rolls by 1) giving them access to job training and 2) requiring them to get jobs after two years on public assistance, assuming they are not disabled. In the short run, this will cost a modest amount of money. In the long run, it would save money and offer great benefits to the economy. I single this out only because I have no time to respond to all the silly things Dennis Wingo says. Mark W. Goodman ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 277 ------------------------------