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 ; Fri, 12 May 89 00:20:50 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 12 May 89 00:20:37 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #427 SPACE Digest Volume 9 : Issue 427 Today's Topics: space news from April 3 AW&ST (#2 in series) NASA Prediction Bulletins ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 11 May 89 05:09:51 GMT From: mailrus!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@bbn.com (Henry Spencer) Subject: space news from April 3 AW&ST USAF team tours Kourou to study Ariane launch facilities, notably the site design that permits payload/vehicle stacking to be done away from the launch pad, permitting one booster to be stacking while another is readied for launch. The USAF team is overseeing design of a new Titan 4 launch site at Vandenberg. US scientists examining protein crystals recovered from a Chinese satellite observe that many were broken by reentry and landing forces. Complete crystals are important for protein-structure determination. Glavkosmos examines use of Proton to launch payloads to the US space station. Proton from Baikonur could take about 5.5 tons to the station, a fair load despite the dogleg trajectory needed to reach the station's orbit (which never gets as far north as Baikonur). Phobos 2 contact lost March 27 after the spacecraft is ordered to turn to photograph Phobos and then turn back, and doesn't turn back. Similar maneuvers earlier had no problems. The ESA people (who had an experiment on Phobos 2) say that the flight was not a total loss, since some of the experiments had already returned quite a bit of data. SDI's Delta Star plume-observation satellite launched (by Delta, obviously) March 24. A plan to have the satellite watch the second-stage de-orbit burn was partly spoiled when a sensor door failed to open quickly enough, but otherwise everything is working. Delta Star's fuel is expected to last about nine months, with primary objectives probably taken care of in the first three. It will watch a number of launches, including several shuttles, some Deltas, some Titans, some underwater Trident 2 firings, and several specially-instrumented Black Brant sounding rockets. Delta Star was dubbed "Wooden Stake Spacecraft" [really -- you can see that name painted on the side of the booster in the photos!] after a crazy SDI scheme to have a joint US/Soviet team recover a package from it and deliver it to Mir (!) was rejected last year with the comment (from a White House official) "the concept's got a wooden stake driven through its heart now, but you never know what's going to come out of the SDI during the next full Moon". [AW&ST notes that Delta Star was launched three days after a full Moon!] NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel recommends dropping the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor project, on the grounds that ASRM safety will be inferior to existing SRBs until considerable experience is built up, and that the money would be better spent on other safety improvements. The panel also observed that many of the manufacturing changes proposed for ASRM could be applied to the existing SRBs. NASA management agrees that the existing SRBs could be improved, but wants ASRM partly so that there is a second source for shuttle boosters. Truly also observes that money cut from ASRM probably wouldn't go into other safety work. The response from Congress is also a bit chilly: the implication that the shuttle still needs major safety improvements doesn't go over well after all the money that's already been spent on safety, and the fact that the panel didn't speak up earlier in ASRM's two-year history isn't well liked either. The betting is that NASA will basically ignore the panel, which is widely considered ineffective and alarmist: "The safety panel's basic position has been to point with alarm to anything that could happen... they have very little credibility as a result..." The panel also urged more work on liquid boosters, observing that the $4M NASA has spent on liquid-booster studies in the last two years has lead to a clear conclusion that they have many advantages. General Dynamics, one of the study contractors, says liquid boosters could be operational by 1996, only about two years behind ASRM. They would permit a boost-phase abort, could (if designed with engine clusters as GD has proposed) operate despite a single engine failure, and would give a much bigger performance improvement than the ASRM. NASA predictably says it would take longer and cost more. Fire at Hercules Inc. destroys solid-booster-production equipment being used to make Delta SRBs. Hercules is unhappy but says that it's not a disaster, since a second mixer facility was not damaged and a third is already under construction. Tokyo Broadcasting System signs with Glavkosmos to fly a Japanese journalist to Mir for a week in 1991. He would transmit daily TV and radio reports. Price tag, about $11M. Some Soviet commentators have protested that a Soviet journalist should fly first! More on Brilliant Pebbles. Supporters observe that some of the money now being spent on finding ways to attack mobile missiles might be more productively spent on attacking them after launch -- they are much easier to locate then! Lowell Wood argues that B.P. could also be useful to the reconnaissance community -- they would have a lot of sensing and computing on board. Wood is careful to say that if they were built, "they certainly will be produced in the traditional fashion by one or more aerospace companies". [That is, aerospace contractors should not lobby against them due to fears of lost business. On the other hand, it's hard to reconcile this business-as-usual view with Wood's expressed conviction that major reductions in cost are possible -- not with business as usual, they're not!] Japanese refine plans for their HOPE unmanned spaceplane, now aimed at launch on an H-2 in 1996. It looks rather like a shuttle orbiter with a somewhat fatter fuselage and with the tailfin deleted and replaced by wingtip fins. It's much smaller, 8.8 tons total with a 6m wingspan. The cargo bay is sized to hold three standard space station equipment racks. The Japanese are looking at high-temperature metal-skin concepts, believing that tiles have durability and repair problems. Japan investigates Liquid Air Cycle Engines (which liquify atmospheric oxygen on the way up rather than carrying it all with them) for both aerospace planes and conventional boosters. The engine proper would resemble the LE-7 oxyhydrogen rocket motor of the H-2. One concept is to replace each of the H-2's SRBs with a liquid booster using three LACE engines, which would have almost double the performance despite the weight penalty of air intakes and the liquifaction system. The engines would run as LACE up to about Mach 5 and 40 km, after which it would run as a pure rocket. Much existing cryogenic-rocket technology would be directly applicable. Mitsubishi has been working on LACE heat exchangers for some time, and is testing small ones. Final testing of the first Milstar comsat to start next year. This is the Pentagon's next-generation strategic-forces comsat. Of note is that Milstar will use satellite-to-satellite links to give global coverage without ground relay stations. The cross-links will run at 60 GHz, a frequency that is heavily absorbed by the atmosphere and hence is hard to eavesdrop on from the ground. -- 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: 9 May 89 14:02:01 GMT From: asuvax!stjhmc!TS.Kelso@noao.edu (TS Kelso) Subject: (#2 in series) NASA Prediction Bulletins (Continued from previous message) 2 19851 82.5291 198.3252 0016753 89.6634 270.6447 13.83788336 8290 Cosmos 2007 1 19900U 89111.68155825 0.00328568 53900-4 45747-3 0 599 2 19900 64.7376 294.5535 0046890 113.4393 247.1709 16.03352976 4699 Cosmos 2008 1 19902U 89116.00392757 -.00000006 0 119 2 19902 74.0150 350.9818 0049383 47.6256 312.8966 12.57624316 4085 Cosmos 2009 1 19903U 89115.97367855 -.00000006 0 194 2 19903 74.0136 351.1735 0040920 57.9208 302.5814 12.55708122 4073 Cosmos 2010 1 19904U 89116.02198481 -.00000007 0 123 2 19904 74.0169 351.2452 0029998 57.7151 302.6852 12.53835344 4072 Cosmos 2011 1 19905U 89115.99017871 -.00000007 0 100 2 19905 74.0133 351.4784 0020649 63.6620 296.6555 12.51975370 4035 Cosmos 2012 1 19906U 89116.04082705 -.00000007 0 173 2 19906 74.0154 351.5364 0009996 71.0983 289.1155 12.50018203 4069 Cosmos 2013 1 19907U 89116.01420355 -.00000006 0 122 2 19907 74.0155 351.7657 0010079 145.8879 214.2831 12.47957635 4029 Cosmos 2014 1 19908U 89115.74202185 -.00000006 0 121 2 19908 74.0137 352.2749 0013011 203.8083 156.2365 12.46073020 4011 Cosmos 2015 1 19909U 89116.04063931 -.00000007 0 121 2 19909 74.0160 352.0316 0026013 201.5921 158.4034 12.43852318 4006 Cos 2008-15 1 19910U 89113.23932265 -.00000006 0 147 2 19910 74.0126 357.2113 0134375 228.1294 130.8211 12.23001671 3636 Delta Star 1 19911U 89115.83185253 -.00008444 -34058-3 0 490 2 19911 47.6782 237.1065 0009644 138.5781 221.4369 15.23615754 4861 TDRS 3 R/B 1 19913U 89112.93435508 0.00000028 10000-3 0 119 2 19913 2.1633 57.0036 0026791 207.9139 151.7442 1.00619254 335 1989 027A 1 19919U 89115.39349429 0.00000064 10000-3 0 215 2 19919 0.0999 92.6385 0003757 294.6060 332.8282 1.00274867 104 1989 027B 1 19920U 89119.09018115 -.00044246 19062-4 -69849-5 0 349 2 19920 4.5235 17.2364 7326100 212.1714 83.2276 2.31530723 635 1989 028A 1 19921U 89122.43552170 0.00000152 15077-3 0 273 2 19921 82.9594 120.0189 0038515 217.6923 142.1535 13.73921585 3800 1989 028B 1 19922U 89117.08932977 0.00000059 54697-4 0 296 2 19922 82.9550 123.9075 0033528 215.3243 144.7293 13.75750065 3071 1989 030A 1 19928U 89122.22498242 -.00000150 10000-3 0 254 2 19928 1.4185 277.4404 0003404 53.6683 305.7365 1.00290090 190 1980 030D 1 19931U 89116.20366990 -.00000107 10000-3 0 97 2 19931 1.4446 276.8658 0017895 17.3869 342.2987 0.97928741 136 Cosmos 2018 1 19938U 89123.19428103 0.01682685 41813-4 30095-3 0 337 2 19938 62.8086 27.0561 0077868 90.4647 270.6656 16.23540855 2002 1989 032A 1 19941U 89122.72449744 0.00177456 96630-5 24965-3 0 165 2 19941 62.8194 36.4275 0116782 112.3689 248.9900 15.93523479 963 1989 032B 1 19942U 89122.39234276 0.01499538 39749-4 12695-2 0 130 2 19942 62.8072 37.5799 0092994 117.6501 243.3884 16.04265094 915 -- Dr TS Kelso Asst Professor of Space Operations tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil Air Force Institute of Technology 0 6350 2 13113 82.5365 104.6563 0013814 222.8933 137.1155 13.83977270357253 Salyut 7 1 13138U 89121.69579074 0.00035420 86645-3 0 5524 2 13138 51.6104 184.9249 0000756 311.0022 49.0387 15.40446949401023 LandSat 4 1 13367U 82 72 A 89113.62903427 .00002004 00000-0 45488-3 0 9194 2 13367 98.2165 177.9866 0002811 35.4502 324.7493 14.57112293360127 Meteor 2-09 1 13718U 89116.98419522 0.00000451 23221-3 0 7681 2 13718 81.2469 331.6462 0056312 143.3794 217.1272 14.13159299328329 IRAS 1 13777U 89115.94442776 -.00000043 -17922-4 0 6318 2 13777 99.0484 313.7735 0013671 95.9280 264.3430 13.98578929318893 GOES 6 1 14050U 89116.00961755 0.00000120 0 9371 2 14050 1.1696 83.4928 0000584 194.8330 163.9434 1.00257297 6081 OSCAR 10 1 14129U 89118.08889975 -.00000002 -51681+0 0 3964 2 14129 26.3399 268.1164 6055304 37.3937 352.2227 2.05880716 16180 GPS-0008 1 14189U 89120.51197520 0.00000010 0 6247 2 14189 63.1818 100.8446 0135011 215.4953 143.6040 2.00570446 42489 Meteor 2-10 1 14452U 89118.09553179 0.00000704 29902-3 0 7142 2 14452 81.1656 343.7555 0093775 241.1071 118.0674 14.22141862285423 LandSat 5 1 14780U 89120.59589979 0.00000868 20260-3 0 7364 2 14780 98.1716 183.7450 0003529 45.7467 314.3877 14.57117629274632 UOSAT 2 1 14781U 89114.23701940 0.00002712 53287-3 0 4365 2 14781 98.0075 174.5965 0013581 125.0138 235.2245 14.63403308274656 LDEF 1 14898U 89120.72869032 0.00033122 60796-3 0 8267 2 14898 28.5046 150.3186 0001749 98.4973 261.5607 15.47852003284086 GPS-0009 1 15039U 89117.57811348 0.00000010 0 6559 2 15039 62.9110 100.2412 0015391 275.9497 83.8607 2.00564906 35700 Meteor 2-11 1 15099U 89118.77440559 0.00000304 26557-3 0 9367 2 15099 82.5290 45.6712 0014652 21.1986 338.9780 13.83644510243284 GPS-0010 1 15271U 89120.96939771 -.00000028 0 6184 2 15271 63.3787 339.0459 0099499 320.1074 39.2165 2.00564748 32885 Cosmos 1602 1 15331U 89119.12416610 0.00003462 50484-3 0 160 2 15331 82.5422 23.7314 0022255 244.6445 115.2551 14.75423002246980 NOAA 9 1 15427U 89122.14677923 0.00000759 43529-3 0 3664 2 15427 99.1416 108.1958 0016467 82.7989 277.5052 14.11981070225953 Meteor 2-12 1 15516U 89120.09790295 0.00000354 30830-3 0 730 2 15516 82.5372 343.0195 0015178 253.1745 106.7711 13.84097874214406 Cosmos 1686 1 16095U 89121.69579828 0.00016432 40833-3 0 2366 2 16095 51.6073 184.9243 0001077 334.7551 25.3204 15.40439069401023 GPS-0011 1 16129U 89121.12422950 0.00000011 0 3124 2 16129 63.7081 100.7309 0115410 150.5877 210.0687 2.00564772 26095 Meteor 3-1 1 16191U 89115.85828279 0.00000043 10000-3 0 8215 2 16191 82.5420 272.7374 0021122 70.9834 289.3575 13.16868043168635 Meteor 2-13 1 16408U 89115.84739158 0.00000253 21731-3 0 4810 2 16408 82.5311 261.2476 0017540 85.7702 274.5464 13.84157896168318 Mir 1 16609U 89121.73239582 0.00020734 33283-3 0 8246 2 16609 51.6211 235.3272 0011312 250.7323 109.2326 15.52941335183940 SPOT 1 1 16613U 89122.99120016 0.00000345 17967-3 0 4514 2 16613 98.7007 198.1058 0000531 68.4555 291.6853 14.20039284 5714 Meteor 2-14 1 16735U 89115.88279849 0.00000178 15130-3 0 2936 2 16735 82.5350 288.0280 0014358 153.7143 206.4750 13.83899951147226 Cosmos 1766 1 16881U 89120.84530188 0.00001924 28195-3 0 5912 2 16881 82.5241 81.7377 0021421 252.2013 107.6841 14.74998915148317 EGP 1 16908U 89110.45964276 -.00000029 66726-4 0 1226 2 16908 50.0094 115.5450 0011499 200.0590 159.9794 12.44377637122222 FO-12 1 16909U 89112.36835661 -.00000025 10000-3 0 1414 2 16909 50.0159 109.9094 0011193 203.0127 157.0209 12.44399273122451 NOAA 10 1 16969U 89114.50409837 0.00000777 36204-3 0 2160 2 16969 98.6403 146.0116 0014573 49.4956 310.7489 14.22958934136301 Meteor 2-15 1 17290U 89115.22528347 0.00000343 30168-3 0 2438 2 17290 82.4706 196.2522 0014290 55.6694 304.5815 13.83708811116291 MOS-1 1 17527U 87 18 A 89113.58957768 .00000187 00000-0 16549-3 0 954 2 17527 99.1501 185.5030 0000837 119.8671 240.4688 13.94830615110769 GOES 7 1 17561U 89115.70765195 -.00000038 10000-3 0 2611 2 17561 0.1243 98.4452 0002548 173.3379 88.1959 1.00274602 1234 Kvant 1 17845U 89121.73238681 0.00029374 46759-3 0 7417 2 17845 51.6212 235.3227 0011576 251.6274 108.2944 15.52955103120215 RS-10/11 1 18129U 89121.86700973 -.00000111 -12941-3 0 7444 2 18129 82.9233 272.3646 0011914 173.7751 186.3514 13.71969700 93044 Cosmos 1870 1 18225U 89122.67045190 0.00140338 10231-4 21638-3 0 75 2 18225 71.8732 177.3247 0010634 249.7024 110.2642 16.04030085103996 Meteor 2-16 1 18312U 89115.39952766 0.00000219 18868-3 0 2635 2 18312 82.5529 261.3540 0012524 351.1259 8.9663 13.83456337 85210 Meteor 2-17 1 18820U 89115.91107135 0.00000244 20871-3 0 1059 2 18820 82.5448 322.1108 0018343 56.9733 303.3185 13.84148812 62451 AO-13 1 19216U 89 89.37166448 -.00000028 10000-3 0 346 2 19216 57.2895 213.9669 6688587 201.4192 106.6281 2.09699506 6084 OKEAN 1 1 19274U 88 56 A 89114.98768533 .00002979 00000-0 44205-3 0 3520 2 19274 82.5192 185.7830 0024113 48.5712 311.7482 14.74569133 43244 Meteor 3-2 1 19336U 89121.01046131 0.00000391 10000-2 0 1840 2 19336 82.5476 209.0222 0016064 263.3975 96.5314 13.16922605 36704 NOAA 11 1 19531U 89111.54455513 0.00000898 52061-3 0 702 2 19531 98.9351 55.8418 0013218 34.9329 325.2707 14.10953152 29482 GPS-0014 1 19802U 89 13 A 89112.65814275 .00000015 00000-0 99999-4 0 301 2 19802 55.1161 213.9967 0069734 154.7705 205.7027 2.00553753 1314 Meteor 2-18 1 19851U 89119.10025885 0.00000116 10000-3 0 296 (End of series) -- Uucp: ...{gatech,ames,rutgers}!ncar!noao!asuvax!stjhmc!TS.Kelso Internet: TS.Kelso@stjhmc.fidonet.org ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V9 #427 *******************