Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from holmes.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr1/ota/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Thu, 4 May 89 03:16:34 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Thu, 4 May 89 03:16:23 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #407 SPACE Digest Volume 9 : Issue 407 Today's Topics: space news from March 13 AW&ST Re: Private Space Companies Governmental restrictions Re: Smart Pebbles Destruction of organic material on Mars Re: Smart Pebbles Magellan Launch Window flames about my signature Voyager update ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 3 May 89 04:55:45 GMT From: mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: space news from March 13 AW&ST [This issue has a big spread on "Mission to Planet Earth", the new name for various Earth-sensing activities considered as one great aggregate. I'll only skim the surface.] Editorial observing that MtPE is being discussed as Commerce is working on shutting down Landsat, and suggesting that Commerce has bungled Landsat commercialization and the program should be taken away from them. [Seems to me the mess is at least half Congress's fault.] NASA forms Lunar Exploration Science Working Group to "develop new strategies" for future exploration of the Moon. OSC and its Space Data subsidiary start building a $14M assembly/test facility in Phoenix, including thermal-vacuum test chamber and a vibration-test facility for Pegasus etc. USAF mothballing of the Vandenberg shuttle pad to be completed by the end of Sept. First Boost Surveillance and Tracking System satellites will not be able to hand off targeting data to interceptor systems, although they will be designed to permit later upgrades. This change is intended to help defuse treaty-compliance criticism of the SDI satellites, but it may intensify the debate over whether BSTS is enough of an improvement over existing warning satellites to be worth $8G. Senate panel generally backs MtPE project, but raises concerns about coordination: "Management by a loose confederation of agencies is a prescription for disaster". Ariane launches JCSAT 1 and Meteosat MOP1 (Japanese comsat and European weather satellite resp.) March 6, after a four-day delay due to a strike by tracking crews and another two-day delay due to problems with umbilical connectors. Arianespace says contingency margins are adequate to cover this delay and the rest of the 1989 schedule should not slip as a result. Quayle intercedes to prevent Landsat shutdown. New interim plans calls for agencies using Landsat data to chip in to keep the satellites going; details being worked out. Commerce insists that Eosat Inc., the nominal operator of the satellites, should contribute. The underlying problem is that the satellites are well past their their design lifetime (although in another way this is a blessing, since no replacements are yet ready), and the beancounters hadn't planned for continued funding. Studies done for Congress and Commerce find that remote sensing is not yet a commercially viable field, although this will improve considerably in the next decade. The studies were finished last summer, but were withheld until Rep. George Brown threatened legislation to break them loose. Landsat, in particular, with its 30m resolution, is not even competitive, much less viable. The Geosat Committee, a group of remote-sensing users, calls Commerce and NOAA leadership in remote sensing "nonexistent", says US government basically doesn't care about having a secure source of such data. "Apparently this is because US government needs can be met by classified means and US civil needs be damned..." Rep. Dave McCurdy says Congress is fed up with the Landsat mess, and in particular the way it's being run into the ground by the beancounters: "The OMB has lost sight of the forest. They're among the trees and weeds right now. There are guys in green eyeshades in a basement somewhere deciding our space policy." Canada exercises its associate membership in ESA, formally notifying ESA of its intent to participate in Hermes and contribute funding for it. Canadian companies will get a commensurate amount of work; this will probably mean building the flight simulators [CAE of Montreal is one of the world's biggest simulator suppliers] and perhaps some work in "aerodynamics and robotics". Europe may move Meteosat 3 to provide better Atlantic weather coverage in the wake of the GOES failure in January, although this will depend on Meteosat MOP1 entering service successfully. Two-page spread, the "first picture of the global biosphere", using Nimbus 7 phytoplanton data for the oceans and NOAA 7 polar-metsat vegetation data for land. More images of various kinds, some fairly striking, illustrating the MtPE coverage. MtPE costs for the US will run $15G-$30G, depending on how ambitious the project is; the major difference between low and high is a system of five Clarke-orbit satellites to supplement low-polar-orbit instruments. Bush has said he supports MtPE; next year he gets to prove it, when NASA asks for $100M+ for instrument development. Both the White House and Congress are thought to like the idea. Red letter day: James Van Allen actually says something I agree with! :-) He supports MtPE but would be happier if the polar platform were split into a larger number of smaller satellites, to reduce integration problems and minimize the consequences of a launch failure. He also says that making the polar platform officially part of the space station is "political fraud" and the two should be separated. Space-station managers agree, saying that commonality is minimal, the joint organization is clumsy, and the separation will happen eventually anyway. -- Mars in 1980s: USSR, 2 tries, | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology 2 failures; USA, 0 tries. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: 1 May 89 23:33:34 GMT From: tektronix!tekgen!tekred!larryb@uunet.uu.net (Larry Brader) Subject: Re: Private Space Companies In article <1989Apr28.171901.21135@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes: >>A couple of weeks ago I remeber someone posted a brief note that >>Rockwell tried to buy the shuttle from NASA.. >Henery S>.. Why didn't NASA sell them a couple of shuttles? > >Because NASA does not want to turn the shuttle, or any other NASA activity, >over to anybody else. NASA wants to stay in control. >-- >Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology I don't think it's just NASA. Working as a ex-consultant for some of the aerospace companies, there's definately an old boy network and they are definately making money with there current scheme. Our phrase for it was welfare for engineers. ;-) ... Before flammage read :: I'm not even talking about quality of engineers, BUT of the assine projects I have seen money wasted on and not thought out. Anyway I digress from private space companies. How much of Arianne is private? Does Europe have any totally private space outfits? Biosphere II is being supported by 1 indivual. I cann't see him spending all this money on Biohabs and not be planning on something space related. Given that the Biosphere II project will be over in 3 years, and I have heard rumours about Biosphere III . And lets give them about 5 years for that project ... add 3 years for fudge factor. So in about 11 years the group will have extensive knowledge of building a Biohabs . Also given our current rate of space growth. He'll launch BioSphere IV into space with Russia, or Arianne. -- Larry Brader :: larryb%speed.cna.tek.com@relay.cs.net Of course these are my views, any resemblance to reality is merely a concidance. "He's dead Jim, You grap his tricorder and I'll get his wallet" ------------------------------ Date: 1 May 89 15:46:52 GMT From: cadnetix.COM!cadnetix!beres@uunet.uu.net (Tim Beres) Subject: Governmental restrictions In article <609694218.amon@H.GP.CS.CMU.EDU> Dale.Amon@H.GP.CS.CMU.EDU writes: >[Eloquent arguments against statism, etc.] >I'm confident it will get better in the long run, but I, for one, am >leaving the country in the interim. I have no intention in being around >when a new McCarthyism starts. I usually respect, if not always agree with your postings. However... You argue that "people" will, via the underground economies and organizations, move towards libertarianism if and when the Supreme Court/ administration/moral guardians/et al *really* flog away at liberties. No problem with that argument (e.g., Roe v. Wade gets tossed back to the states - you better believe that *my* legislature will protect a woman's freedom of choice) But then you state that you are outta here. All talk I'm afraid. Why don't you stay and lead or work towards these goals? On space: There are a few efforts happening using the net as a crucible, namely ISECCO's biosphere, the "model" orbital plane (sorry if misnamed) and various organizational efforts. Some thoughts: - In lieu of governemental impedances on private sector space efforts, what type of organization (public or private corp., representative or total democracy, 100% enfranchisment, secede from the US and start your own country (-: ...) - What long term hazards do you foresee with the (assume US) gov't "handling" of your space efforts. - Quasi-rhetorical question: Assuming a private space colony, what type of gov't or management structures would appeal to you and what would actually work. Tim ------>MY SOAPBOX (I speak for myself) "You are going to hang from the neck until you're dead, dead, dead", Judge to Alferd Packer, alleged Colorado cannibal, who died, died, died in his 60's Tim Beres beres@cadnetix.com {uunet,boulder,nbires}!cadnetix!beres ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 89 06:25:43 GMT From: dogie.macc.wisc.edu!indri!aplcen!jhunix!ins_apw@csd4.milw.wisc.edu (Philip Wong) Subject: Re: Smart Pebbles ----- News saved at 2 May 89 06:22:34 GMT Where did you see this film (or magazine)? I missed a few posts about the 'pebbles', but want to see it in action... ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 89 11:28:12 EDT From: Henry_Edward_Hardy@ub.cc.umich.edu Subject: Destruction of organic material on Mars In "Re: Some comments on comments...," Henry Spenser writes: > >In article <506@cbnewsl.ATT.COM> sw@cbnewsl.ATT.COM (Stuart Warmink) writes: >>> The Zoology department *here* isn't going to launch any Mars probes until >>> somebody (i.e. the Soviets) finds life there. >> >>Assuming that the statement was not entirely tongue-in-cheek, it seems that >>the US wasted its time with Viking; it wouldn't have found life anyway >>because the landers had the wrong flag painted on them... > >Not quite what I meant. The reason I said that is that the Soviets are >the only ones still looking for life on Mars, so they are the only ones >likely to find it. Official NASA policy is that there is no life on Mars, >so it is not worth flying hardware to look for it. > I have just returned from a trip to D. C. While there, I had time to visit the Smithsonian and observe the graveyard of American space technology. The Viking exhibit was especially interesting. While its true that the exhibit said that Viking had found no evidence of life on Mars, the display also contained this interesting statement: > >Martian surface chemistry may in fact result in the destruction of organic >material. > The question is, why, and more importantly, how? - * "If viruses are outlawed, only outlaws will have viruses" * * * * Henry Edward Hardy * * University of Michigan Computer Consultant * * sysop, Arbor Intelligent Systems * * President, Althing Communications * * * * Henry Edward Hardy@um.cc.umich.edu * * Henry Edward Hardy@ub.cc.umich.edu * * "Arbor" on MacNet * * * * disclaimer: "You might as well say that 'you breathe when you sleep' * * is the same as 'you sleep when you breathe.' said the Hatter." * ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 89 15:31:31 GMT From: mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@purdue.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: Re: Smart Pebbles In article <1829@blake.acs.washington.edu> sealion@blake.acs.washington.edu (sealion) writes: >Eventually, the size of the weapon is supposed to be reduced to that of >a basketball with a weight of about 15 lbs. Thus the name "Brilliant >Pebbles". Uh, you're thinking of either an early stage or one of the more conventional kinetic-energy weapons. "Brilliant Pebbles" is aiming at things one or two orders of magnitude smaller than that. (The earlier KE weapons are called "smart rocks".) -- Mars in 1980s: USSR, 2 tries, | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology 2 failures; USA, 0 tries. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 May 89 15:49:14 PDT From: greer%utdssa%utadnx%utspan.span@vlsi.jpl.nasa.gov Subject: Magellan Launch Window X-St-Vmsmail-To: JPLLSI::"SPACE@angband.s1.gov" Anybody out there know why the Magellan launch window is so narrow? I'm talking about the time-of-day dependent window rather than the one that depends on the day-of-year of the two planets. A co-worker suggested orbital inclination is the key element in interplanetary launches. I checked out the geometry of the launch on our globe and found that at the initial launch time, the Cape was not quite at its closest approach to the Earth's orbital plane, and its velocity vector was pointing slightly toward solar south. I assume this positioning minimizes the fuel required to get Magellan into Venus' orbital plane. Is this right, or is there something else to it? -- Dale M. Greer -- Center for Space Sciences / University of Texas at Dallas -- UTSPAN::UTADNX::UTDSSI::GREER ------------------------------ Date: 2 May 89 18:23:24 GMT From: mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@purdue.edu (Henry Spencer) Subject: flames about my signature I've heard that there has been some more flaming about my dreadful anti- American signature, although I haven't seen much of it myself. I would observe that the effort spent flaming about it is better spent writing to, or going to see, your Congressthing. The biggest problem spaceflight has is that so many of the people who "support" it are completely unwilling to get off their behinds and *do* something to support it. (That doesn't necessarily mean supporting *government* spaceflight; the government has important effects on private spaceflight too.) As for "Canada: 0 tries" and the like, note that Canada is an associate member of the European Space Agency (didn't realize we were a European country, did you? :-)) and small Canadian participation in future ESA planetary projects isn't unlikely. We're already a minor partner in the Hermes spaceplane project. (You'll see that in my AW&ST summaries shortly.) -- Mars in 1980s: USSR, 2 tries, | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology 2 failures; USA, 0 tries. | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 2 May 89 15:47:17 PST From: Peter Scott Subject: Voyager update X-Vms-Mail-To: EXOS%"space@andrew.cmu.edu" Excerpted from NASA's _Voyager Bulletin_, Mission Status Report No. 86, April 19: Does Neptune have a Great Spot? ------------------------------- A large dark spot and a dark band encircling the south polar region of Neptune are visible in images acquired 90 minutes apart by Voyager 2 on April 3, from a distance of 208 million km (129 million miles). The spot rotates around the planet in 17 to 18 hours. [...] The spot extends from 20 degrees south to 30 degrees south latitude, and spans 35 degrees in longitude [3 pictures are printed]. Relative to the size of Neptune, the dimensions of the spot are comparable to Jupiter's Great Red Spot. The images were taken through the narrow-angle camera's clear filter, which is most sensitive to blue light. The spot is 10% darker than its surroundings. The smallest object that can be seen in these images is about 3850 km (2400 miles) across. Scientists have not yet determined whether this is the same spot seen in images taken 70 days earlier in late January. The spot seen in the January images appears dark through the clear filter but bright through the orange filter. Features seen through the orange filter may be at higher altitudes than those visible in these most recent images. [...] [Then there is an article about how the VLA in New Mexico is being arrayed with the Goldstone antennae to augment the DSN: "... Use of the VLA will add the equivalent of about one and a half 70-meter antennas to the Network." The VLA is being upgraded with X-band receivers. "Data from the VLA will be routed to Goldstone via a microwave link using a geosynchronous satellite. At Goldstone the signals received at VLA and Goldstone will be combined. The data will be recorded at both sites to prevent loss of data should the satellite link fail."] Peter Scott (pjs@grouch.jpl.nasa.gov) ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V9 #407 *******************