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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS);faqs.508 NASA CENTERS NASA Headquarters (NASA HQ) Washington DC 20546 Ask them questions about policy, money, and things of political nature. Direct specific questions to the appropriate center. NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Moffett Field, CA 94035 Some aeronautical research, atmosphere reentry, Mars and Venus planetary atmospheres. "Lead center" for Helicopter research, V/STOL, etc. Runs Pioneer series of space probes. NASA Ames Research Center Dryden Flight Research Facility [DFRF] P. O. Box 273 Edwards, CA 93523 Aircraft, mostly. Tested the shuttle orbiter landing characteristics. Developed X-1, D-558, X-3, X-4, X-5, XB-70, and of course, the X-15. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) Greenbelt, MD 20771 [Outside of Washington DC] Earth orbiting unmanned satellites and sounding rockets. Developed LANDSAT. NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) 21000 Brookpark Rd. Cleveland, OH 44135 Aircraft/Rocket propulsion. Space power generation. Materials research. NASA Johnson Manned Space Center (JSC) Houston, TX 77058 JSC manages Space Shuttle, ground control of manned missions. Astronaut training. Manned mission simulators. NASA Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC) Titusville, FL 32899 Space launch center. You know this one. NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Huntsville, AL 35812 Development, production, delivery of Solid Rocket Boosters, External Tank, Orbiter main engines. Propulsion and launchers. NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) Hampton, VA 23665 [Near Newport News, VA] Original NASA site. Specializes in theoretical and experimental flight dynamics. Viking. Long Duration Exposure Facility. Wallops Flight Center Wallops Island, Virginia 23337 Aeronautical research, sounding rockets, Scout launcher. Jet Propulsion Laboratory [JPL/CIT] California Institute of Technology 4800 Oak Grove Dr. Pasadena, CA 91109 The "heavies" in planetary research probes and other unmanned projects (they also had a lot to do with IRAS). They run Voyager, Magellan, Galileo, and will run Cassini, CRAF, etc. etc.. For images, probe navigation, and other info about unmanned exploration, this is the place to go. JPL is run under contract for NASA by the nearby California Institute of Technology, unlike the NASA centers above. This distinction is subtle but critical. JPL has different requirements for unsolicited research proposals and summer hires. For instance in the latter, an SF 171 is useless. Employees are Caltech employees, contractors, and for the most part have similar responsibilities. They offer an alternative to funding after other NASA Centers. Manager, Technology Utilization Office NASA Scientific and Technical Information Facility Post Office Box 8757 Baltimore, Maryland 21240 Specific requests for software must go thru COSMIC at the Univ. of Georgia, NASA's contracted software redistribution service. You can reach them at cosmic@uga.bitnet. NOTE: Foreign nationals requesting information must go through their Embassies in Washington DC. These are facilities of the US Government and are regarded with some degree of economic sensitivity. Centers cannot directly return information without high Center approval. Allow at least 1 month for clearance. This includes COSMIC. The US Air Force Space Command can be contacted thru the Pentagon along with other Department of Defense offices. They have unacknowledged offices in Los Angeles, Sunnyvale, Colorado Springs, and other locations. They have a budget which rivals NASA in size. ARIANESPACE HEADQUARTERS Boulevard de l'Europe B.P. 177 91006 Evry Cedex France ARIANESPACE, INC. 1747 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 875 Washington, DC 20006 (202)-728-9075 EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY 955 L'Enfant Plaza S.W. Washington, D.C. 20024 (202)-488-4158 NATIONAL SPACE DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (NASDA) 4-1 Hamamatsu-Cho, 2 Chome Minato-Ku, Tokyo 105, JAPAN SOYUZKARTA 45 Vologradsij Pr. Moscow 109125 USSR SPACE CAMP Alabama Space and Rocket Center U.S. SPACE CAMP 1 Tranquility Base 6225 Vectorspace Blvd Huntsville, AL 35805 Titusville FL 32780 (205)-837-3400 (407)267-3184 Registration and mailing list are handled through Huntsville -- both camps are described in the same brochure. Programs offered at Space Camp are: Space Camp - one week, youngsters completing grades 4-6 Space Academy I - one week, grades 7-9 Aviation Challenge - one week high school program, grades 9-11 Space Academy II - 8 days, college accredited, grades 10-12 Adult Program - 3 days (editorial comment: it's great!) Teachers Program - 5 days SPACE COMMERCE CORPORATION (U.S. agent for Soviet launch services) 504 Pluto Drive 69th flr, Texas Commerce Tower Colorado Springs, CO 80906 Houston, TX 77002 (719)-578-5490 (713)-227-9000 SPACEHAB 600 Maryland Avenue, SW Suite 201 West Washington, DC 20004 (202)-488-3483 SPOT IMAGE CORPORATION 1857 Preston White Drive, Reston, VA 22091 (FAX) (703)-648-1813 (703)-620-2200 OTHER COMMERCIAL SPACE BUSINESSES Vincent Cate maintains a list with addresses and some info for a variety of companies in space-related businesses. This is mailed out on the space-investors list he runs (see the "Network Resources" FAQ) and is also available by anonymous ftp from furmint.nectar.cs.cmu.edu (128.2.209.111) in /usr/vac/ftp/space-companies. NEXT: FAQ #9/15 - Schedules for space missions, and how to see them Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu sci.space:51998 news.answers:4384 Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!eff!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!darwin.sura.net!gatech!concert!borg!mahler!leech From: leech@mahler.cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) Newsgroups: sci.space,news.answers Subject: Space FAQ 14/15 - How to Become an Astronaut Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions Message-ID: <astronaut_723318291@cs.unc.edu> Date: 2 Dec 92 17:44:55 GMT Expires: 6 Jan 93 17:44:51 GMT References: <diffs_723318039@cs.unc.edu> Sender: news@cs.unc.edu Followup-To: poster Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Lines: 312 Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Supersedes: <astronaut_720641945@cs.unc.edu> Archive-name: space/astronaut Last-modified: $Date: 92/12/02 12:34:30 $ HOW TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT First the short form, authored by Henry Spencer, then an official NASA announcement. Q. How do I become an astronaut? A. We will assume you mean a NASA astronaut, since it's probably impossible for a Westerner to get into the Soviet program, and the other nations have so few astronauts (and fly even fewer) that you're better off hoping to win a lottery. Becoming a shuttle pilot requires lots of fast-jet experience, which means a military flying career; forget that unless you want to do it anyway. So you want to become a shuttle "mission specialist". If you aren't a US citizen, become one; that is a must. After that, the crucial thing to remember is that the demand for such jobs vastly exceeds the supply. NASA's problem is not finding qualified people, but thinning the lineup down to manageable length. It is not enough to be qualified; you must avoid being *dis*qualified for any reason, many of them in principle quite irrelevant to the job. Get a Ph.D. Specialize in something that involves getting your hands dirty with equipment, not just paper and pencil. Forget computer programming entirely; it will be done from the ground for the fore- seeable future. Degree(s) in one field plus work experience in another seems to be a frequent winner. Be in good physical condition, with good eyesight. (DO NOT get a radial keratomy or similar hack to improve your vision; nobody knows what sudden pressure changes would do to RKed eyes, and long-term effects are poorly understood. For that matter, avoid any other significant medical unknowns.) If you can pass a jet-pilot physical, you should be okay; if you can't, your chances are poor. Practise public speaking, and be conservative and conformist in appearance and actions; you've got a tough selling job ahead, trying to convince a cautious, conservative selection committee that you are better than hundreds of other applicants. (And, also, that you will be a credit to NASA after you are hired: public relations is a significant part of the job, and NASA's image is very prim and proper.) The image you want is squeaky-clean workaholic yuppie. Remember also that you will need a security clearance at some point, and Security considers everybody guilty until proven innocent. Keep your nose clean. Get a pilot's license and make flying your number one hobby; experienced pilots are known to be favored even for non-pilot jobs. Work for NASA; of 45 astronauts selected between 1984 and 1988, 43 were military or NASA employees, and the remaining two were a NASA consultant and Mae Jemison (the first black female astronaut). If you apply from outside NASA and miss, but they offer you a job at NASA, ***TAKE IT***; sometimes in the past this has meant "you do look interesting but we want to know you a bit better first". Think space: they want highly motivated people, so lose no chance to demonstrate motivation. Keep trying. Many astronauts didn't make it the first time. NASA National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center Houston, Texas Announcement for Mission Specialist and Pilot Astronaut Candidates ================================================================== Astronaut Candidate Program --------------------------- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has a need for Pilot Astronaut Candidates and Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidates to support the Space Shuttle Program. NASA is now accepting on a continuous basis and plans to select astronaut candidates as needed. Persons from both the civilian sector and the military services will be considered. All positions are located at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, and will involved a 1-year training and evaluation program. Space Shuttle Program Description --------------------------------- The numerous successful flights of the Space Shuttle have demonstrated that operation and experimental investigations in space are becoming routine. The Space Shuttle Orbiter is launched into, and maneuvers in the Earth orbit performing missions lastling up to 30 days. It then returns to earth and is ready for another flight with payloads and flight crew. The Orbiter performs a variety of orbital missions including deployment and retrieval of satellites, service of existing satellites, operation of specialized laboratories (astronomy, earth sciences, materials processing, manufacturing), and other operations. These missions will eventually include the development and servicing of a permanent space station. The Orbiter also provides a staging capability for using higher orbits than can be achieved by the Orbiter itself. Users of the Space Shuttle's capabilities are both domestic and foreign and include government agencies and private industries. The crew normally consists of five people - the commander, the pilot, and three mission specialists. On occasion additional crew members are assigned. The commander, pilot, and mission specialists are NASA astronauts. Pilot Astronaut Pilot astronauts server as both Space Shuttle commanders and pilots. During flight the commander has onboard responsibility for the vehicle, crew, mission success and safety in flight. The pilot assists the commander in controlling and operating the vehicle. In addition, the pilot may assist in the deployment and retrieval of satellites utilizing the remote manipulator system, in extra-vehicular activities, and other payload operations. Mission Specialist Astronaut Mission specialist astronauts, working with the commander and pilot, have overall responsibility for the coordination of Shuttle operations in the areas of crew activity planning, consumables usage, and experiment and payload operations. Mission specialists are required to have a detailed knowledge of Shuttle systems, as well as detailed knowledge of the operational characteristics, mission requirements and objectives, and supporting systems and equipment for each of the experiments to be conducted on their assigned missions. Mission specialists will perform extra-vehicular activities, payload handling using the remote manipulator system, and perform or assist in specific experimental operations. Astronaut Candidate Program =========================== Basic Qualification Requirements -------------------------------- Applicants MUST meet the following minimum requirements prior to submitting an application. Mission Specialist Astronaut Candidate: 1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible, professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable and may be substituted for part or all of the experience requirement (master's degree = 1 year, doctoral degree = 3 years). Quality of academic preparation is important. 2. Ability to pass a NASA class II space physical, which is similar to a civilian or military class II flight physical and includes the following specific standards: Distant visual acuity: 20/100 or better uncorrected, correctable to 20/20, each eye. Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in sitting position. 3. Height between 60 and 76 inches. Pilot Astronaut Candidate: 1. Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in engineering, biological science, physical science or mathematics. Degree must be followed by at least three years of related progressively responsible, professional experience. An advanced degree is desirable. Quality of academic preparation is important. 2. At least 1000 hours pilot-in-command time in jet aircraft. Flight test experience highly desirable. 3. Ability to pass a NASA Class I space physical which is similar to a military or civilian Class I flight physical and includes the following specific standards: Distant visual acuity: 20/50 or better uncorrected correctable to 20/20, each eye. Blood pressure: 140/90 measured in sitting position. 4. Height between 64 and 76 inches. Citizenship Requirements Applications for the Astronaut Candidate Program must be citizens of the United States. Note on Academic Requirements Applicants for the Astronaut Candidate Program must meet the basic education requirements for NASA engineering and scientific positions -- specifically: successful completion of standard professional curriculum in an accredited college or university leading to at least a bachelor's degree with major study in an appropriate field of engineering, biological science, physical science, or mathematics. The following degree fields, while related to engineering and the sciences, are not considered qualifying: - Degrees in technology (Engineering Technology, Aviation Technology, Medical Technology, etc.) - Degrees in Psychology (except for Clinical Psychology, Physiological Psychology, or Experimental Psychology which are qualifying). - Degrees in Nursing. - Degrees in social sciences (Geography, Anthropology, Archaeology, etc.) - Degrees in Aviation, Aviation Management or similar fields. Application Procedures ---------------------- Civilian The application package may be obtained by writing to: NASA Johnson Space Center Astronaut Selection Office ATTN: AHX Houston, TX 77058 Civilian applications will be accepted on a continuous basis. When NASA decides to select additional astronaut candidates, consideration will be given only to those applications on hand on the date of decision is made. Applications received after that date will be retained and considered for the next selection. Applicants will be notified annually of the opportunity to update their applications and to indicate continued interest in being considered for the program. Those applicants who do not update their applications annually will be dropped from consideration, and their applications will not be retained. After the preliminary screening of applications, additional information may be requested for some applicants, and person listed on the application as supervisors and references may be contacted. Active Duty Military Active duty military personnel must submit applications to their respective military service and not directly to NASA. Application procedures will be disseminated by each service. Selection --------- Personal interviews and thorough medical evaluations will be required for both civilian and military applicants under final consideration. Once final selections have been made, all applicants who were considered will be notified of the outcome of the process. Selection rosters established through this process may be used for the selection of additional candidates during a one year period following their establishment. General Program Requirements Selected applicants will be designated Astronaut Candidates and will be assigned to the Astronaut Office at the Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. The astronaut candidates will undergo a 1 year training and evaluation period during which time they will be assigned technical or scientific responsibilities allowing them to contribute substantially to ongoing programs. They will also participate in the basic astronaut training program which is designed to develop the knowledge and skills required for formal mission training upon selection for a flight. Pilot astronaut candidates will maintain proficiency in NASA aircraft during their candidate period. Applicants should be aware that selection as an astronaut candidate does not insure selection as an astronaut. Final selection as an astronaut will depend on satisfactory completion of the 1 year training and evaluation period. Civilian candidates who successfully complete the training and evaluation and are selected as astronauts will become permanent Federal employees and will be expected to remain with NASA for a period of at least five years. Civilian candidates who are not selected as astronauts may be placed in other positions within NASA depending upon Agency requirements and manpower constraints at that time. Successful military candidates will be detailed to NASA for a specified tour of duty. NASA has an affirmative action program goal of having qualified minorities and women among those qualified as astronaut candidates. Therefore, qualified minorities and women are encouraged to apply. Pay and Benefits ---------------- Civilians Salaries for civilian astronaut candidates are based on the Federal Governments General Schedule pay scales for grades GS-11 through GS-14, and are set in accordance with each individuals academic achievements and experience. Other benefits include vacation and sick leave, a retirement plan, and participation in group health and life insurance plans. Military Selected military personnel will be detailed to the Johnson Space Center but will remain in an active duty status for pay, benefits, leave, and other similar military matters. NEXT: FAQ #15/15 - Orbital and Planetary Launch Services Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu sci.astro:28934 sci.space:51988 news.answers:4375 Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!eff!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!concert!borg!mahler!leech From: leech@mahler.cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) Newsgroups: sci.astro,sci.space,news.answers Subject: Space FAQ 06/15 - Constants and Equations Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions Message-ID: <constants_723318204@cs.unc.edu> Date: 2 Dec 92 17:43:30 GMT Expires: 6 Jan 93 17:43:24 GMT References: <diffs_723318039@cs.unc.edu> Sender: news@cs.unc.edu Followup-To: poster Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Lines: 173 Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Supersedes: <constants_720641735@cs.unc.edu> Archive-name: space/constants Last-modified: $Date: 92/12/02 12:34:33 $ CONSTANTS AND EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATIONS This list was originally compiled by Dale Greer. Additions would be appreciated. Numbers in parentheses are approximations that will serve for most blue-skying purposes. Unix systems provide the 'units' program, useful in converting between different systems (metric/English, etc.) NUMBERS 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 1.989e30 kg (2e30) -- Mass of Sun 3.986e14 m^3/s^2 (4e14) -- Gravitational constant times mass of Earth 4.903e12 m^3/s^2 (5e12) -- Gravitational constant times mass of Moon 1.327e20 m^3/s^2 (13e19) -- Gravitational constant times mass of Sun 384401 km ( 4e5) -- Mean Earth-Moon distance 1.496e11 m (15e10) -- Mean Earth-Sun distance (Astronomical Unit) 1 megaton (MT) TNT = about 4.2e15 J or the energy equivalent of about .05 kg (50 gm) of matter. Ref: J.R Williams, "The Energy Level of Things", Air Force Special Weapons Center (ARDC), Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, 1963. Also see "The Effects of Nuclear Weapons", compiled by S. Glasstone and P.J. Dolan, published by the US Department of Defense (obtain from the GPO). EQUATIONS Where d is distance, v is velocity, a is acceleration, t is time. For constant acceleration d = d0 + vt + .5at^2 v = v0 + at v^2 = 2ad Acceleration on a cylinder (space colony, etc.) of radius r and rotation period t: a = 4 pi**2 r / t^2 For circular Keplerian orbits where: Vc = velocity of a circular orbit Vesc = escape velocity M = Total mass of orbiting and orbited bodies G = Gravitational constant (defined below) u = G * M (can be measured much more accurately than G or M) K = -G * M / 2 / a r = radius of orbit (measured from center of mass of system) V = orbital velocity P = orbital period a = semimajor axis of orbit Vc = sqrt(M * G / r) Vesc = sqrt(2 * M * G / r) = sqrt(2) * Vc V^2 = u/a P = 2 pi/(Sqrt(u/a^3)) K = 1/2 V**2 - G * M / r (conservation of energy) The period of an eccentric orbit is the same as the period of a circular orbit with the same semi-major axis. Change in velocity required for a plane change of angle phi in a circular orbit: delta V = 2 sqrt(GM/r) sin (phi/2) Energy to put mass m into a circular orbit (ignores rotational velocity, which reduces the energy a bit). GMm (1/Re - 1/2Rcirc) Re = radius of the earth Rcirc = radius of the circular orbit. Classical rocket equation, where dv = change in velocity Isp = specific impulse of engine Ve = exhaust velocity x = reaction mass m1 = rocket mass excluding reaction mass g = 9.80665 m / s^2 Ve = Isp * g dv = Ve * ln((m1 + x) / m1) = Ve * ln((final mass) / (initial mass)) Relativistic rocket equation (constant acceleration) t (unaccelerated) = c/a * sinh(a*t/c) d = c**2/a * (cosh(a*t/c) - 1) v = c * tanh(a*t/c) Relativistic rocket with exhaust velocity Ve and mass ratio MR: at/c = Ve/c * ln(MR), or t (unaccelerated) = c/a * sinh(Ve/c * ln(MR)) d = c**2/a * (cosh(Ve/C * ln(MR)) - 1) v = c * tanh(Ve/C * ln(MR)) Converting from parallax to distance: d (in parsecs) = 1 / p (in arc seconds) d (in astronomical units) = 206265 / p Miscellaneous f=ma -- Force is mass times acceleration w=fd -- Work (energy) is force times distance Atmospheric density varies as exp(-mgz/kT) where z is altitude, m is molecular weight in kg of air, g is local acceleration of gravity, T is temperature, k is Bolztmann's constant. On Earth up to 100 km, d = d0*exp(-z*1.42e-4) where d is density, d0 is density at 0km, is approximately true, so d@12km (40000 ft) = d0*.18 d@9 km (30000 ft) = d0*.27 d@6 km (20000 ft) = d0*.43 d@3 km (10000 ft) = d0*.65 Titius-Bode Law for approximating planetary distances: R(n) = 0.4 + 0.3 * 2^N Astronomical Units (N = -infinity for Mercury, 0 for Venus, 1 for Earth, etc.) This fits fairly well except for Neptune. CONSTANTS 6.62618e-34 J-s (7e-34) -- Planck's Constant "h" 1.054589e-34 J-s (1e-34) -- Planck's Constant / (2 * PI), "h bar" 1.3807e-23 J/K (1.4e-23) - Boltzmann's Constant "k" 5.6697e-8 W/m^2/K (6e-8) -- Stephan-Boltzmann Constant "sigma" 6.673e-11 N m^2/kg^2 (7e-11) -- Newton's Gravitational Constant "G" 0.0029 m K (3e-3) -- Wien's Constant "sigma(W)" 3.827e26 W (4e26) -- Luminosity of Sun 1370 W / m^2 (1400) -- Solar Constant (intensity at 1 AU) 6.96e8 m (7e8) -- radius of Sun 1738 km (2e3) -- radius of Moon 299792458 m/s (3e8) -- speed of light in vacuum "c" 9.46053e15 m (1e16) -- light year 206264.806 AU (2e5) -- \ 3.2616 light years (3) -- --> parsec 3.0856e16 m (3e16) -- / Black Hole radius (also called Schwarzschild Radius): 2GM/c^2, where G is Newton's Grav Constant, M is mass of BH, c is speed of light Things to add (somebody look them up!) Basic rocketry numbers & equations Aerodynamical stuff 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 Xref: bloom-picayune.mit.edu sci.space:51995 news.answers:4381 Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!eff!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!emory!gatech!concert!borg!mahler!leech From: leech@mahler.cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) Newsgroups: sci.space,news.answers Subject: Space FAQ 12/15 - Controversial Questions Keywords: Frequently Asked Questions Message-ID: <controversy_723318270@cs.unc.edu> Date: 2 Dec 92 17:44:38 GMT Expires: 6 Jan 93 17:44:30 GMT References: <diffs_723318039@cs.unc.edu> Sender: news@cs.unc.edu Followup-To: poster Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Lines: 239 Approved: news-answers-request@MIT.Edu Supersedes: <controversy_720641879@cs.unc.edu> Archive-name: space/controversy Last-modified: $Date: 92/12/02 12:34:34 $ CONTROVERSIAL QUESTIONS These issues periodically come up with much argument and few facts being offered. The summaries below attempt to represent the position on which much of the net community has settled. Please DON'T bring them up again unless there's something truly new to be discussed. The net can't set public policy, that's what your representatives are for. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SATURN V PLANS Despite a widespread belief to the contrary, the Saturn V blueprints have not been lost. They are kept at Marshall Space Flight Center on microfilm. The problem in re-creating the Saturn V is not finding the drawings, it is finding vendors who can supply mid-1960's vintage hardware (like guidance system components), and the fact that the launch pads and VAB have been converted to Space Shuttle use, so you have no place to launch from.