Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from corsica.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 ; Tue, 4 Jul 89 03:20:14 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Tue, 4 Jul 89 03:20:05 -0400 (EDT) Subject: SPACE Digest V9 #533 SPACE Digest Volume 9 : Issue 533 Today's Topics: Newspaper article on Insat accident results Re: Don't mess with NASA? NASA Prediction Bulletin Format Re: ADA and space station JOB VACANCY: for British Cosmanaut. Re: Satellite Images - at home! Re: NASA GIVES ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE LAUNCH COMPANY!! Re: Phobos pictures Re: Satellite Images - at home! Re: Dumping excess heat to space (was Re: IS FUSION GOOD ???) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 29 Jun 89 15:02:19 CDT From: Will Martin Subject: Newspaper article on Insat accident results This was in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Wednesday, June 24 1989, page 3C: SATELLITE LAUNCH WEEKS AWAY Washington -- A "very unfortunate" launch pad accident last week in Florida will delay what was to have been the first major private-sector US launch of a satellite by at least several weeks and possibly many months, officials say. McDonnell Douglas Corp. was scheduled to loft a communications satellite for the government of India aboard its Delta 2 rocket on Thursday, making it the first American company to dispatch a paying customer's cargo to orbit. The company is one of three major American rocket makers trying to compete for commercial satellite business with the European consortium Arianespace, which has cornered more than half the free world market. The competition is an outgrowth of the Reagan administration's efforts to encourage development of a private-sector launch industry. Previous US launches have been conducted by NASA or the Air Force. The accident happened June 19, when a hoist cable snapped, allowing a heavy steel hook to fall on the $70 million Insat 1D satellite and damage a critical antenna. The cable was part of a 5-ton bridge crane that had been used to lift the satellite 116 feet to the top of a Delta 2 rocket, built by McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Co. of Huntington Beach, CA, at a launch pad leased from the Air Force at Cape Canaveral. The satellite has been removed from the rocket and sent to the company's Florida facility, where potentially lethal propellants must be unloaded before the satellite's manufacturer, Ford Aerospace Communications Co. of Palo Alto, CA, and a representative of the customer, India's Department of Space, will be able to assess the damage, according to McDonnell Douglas spokesman [sic] Sheila Carter. The company plans to proceed with other launches scheduled on its Delta rockets, she said, including a Navstar navigation satellite in late July and a British media satellite in mid-August. "There's a good chance the satellite will have to be sent back" to the plant in California, said Susan Pearce of Ford Aerospace. There is no spare antenna, and a new one may have to be built. Some sources said that finding a new launch slot might take longer than repairing the satellite -- up to a year if the launch schedule isn't juggled to make a new opening. In addition to the Delta boosters, Martin Marietta Astronautics Group of Denver is marketing a commercial version of the big Titan 34D rocket, and General Dynamics Corp. of St. Louis is selling Atlas-Centaur rockets. ***End of Article*** Hope this is of interest and doesn't duplicate something already posted! (I see the Space stuff on the Digest and it runs about a week or so later than the USENET.) Regards, Will Martin ------------------------------ Date: 26 Jun 89 16:39:43 GMT From: hpfcdc!hpfcdj!myers@hplabs.hp.com (Bob Myers) Subject: Re: Don't mess with NASA? >He definitely isn't. I consider the DC-3 a charming historical relic, >period. If you want class when climbing into an aircraft, it has to have >afterburners. BIG "afterburners". Say, something along the lines of five F-1 engines...:-) Bob Myers | "One man's "magic" is another man's engineering. myers%hpfcla@hplabs. | "Supernatural" is a null word." hp.com | - Lazarus Long/Robert A. Heinlein ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 89 05:03:13 GMT From: agate!helios.ee.lbl.gov!ncis.tis.llnl.gov!blackbird!tkelso@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (TS Kelso) Subject: NASA Prediction Bulletin Format As a service to the satellite user community, the following description of the NASA Prediction Bulletin's two-line orbital element set format is uploaded to sci.space on a monthly basis. The most current orbital elements from the NASA Prediction Bulletins are carried on the Celestial RCP/M, (513) 427-0674, and are updated several times weekly. Documentation and tracking software are also available on this system. The Celestial RCP/M may be accessed 24 hours/day at 300, 1200, or 2400 baud using 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. ============================================================================== Data for each satellite consists of three lines in the following format: AAAAAAAAAAA 1 NNNNNU NNNNNAAA NNNNN.NNNNNNNN +.NNNNNNNN +NNNNN-N +NNNNN-N N NNNNN 2 NNNNN NNN.NNNN NNN.NNNN NNNNNNN NNN.NNNN NNN.NNNN NN.NNNNNNNNNNNNNN Line 1 is a eleven-character name. Lines 2 and 3 are the standard Two-Line Orbital Element Set Format identical to that used by NASA and NORAD. The format description is: Line 2 Column Description 01-01 Line Number of Element Data 03-07 Satellite Number 10-11 International Designator (Last two digits of launch year) 12-14 International Designator (Launch number of the year) 15-17 International Designator (Piece of launch) 19-20 Epoch Year (Last two digits of year) 21-32 Epoch (Julian Day and fractional portion of the day) 34-43 First Time Derivative of the Mean Motion or Ballistic Coefficient (Depending on ephemeris type) 45-52 Second Time Derivative of Mean Motion (decimal point assumed; blank if N/A) 54-61 BSTAR drag term if GP4 general perturbation theory was used. Otherwise, radiation pressure coefficient. (Decimal point assumed) 63-63 Ephemeris type 65-68 Element number 69-69 Check Sum (Modulo 10) (Letters, blanks, periods = 0; minus sign = 1; plus sign = 2) Line 3 Column Description 01-01 Line Number of Element Data 03-07 Satellite Number 09-16 Inclination [Degrees] 18-25 Right Ascension of the Ascending Node [Degrees] 27-33 Eccentricity (decimal point assumed) 35-42 Argument of Perigee [Degrees] 44-51 Mean Anomaly [Degrees] 53-63 Mean Motion [Revs per day] 64-68 Revolution number at epoch [Revs] 69-69 Check Sum (Modulo 10) All other columns are blank or fixed. Example: NOAA 6 1 11416U 86 50.28438588 0.00000140 67960-4 0 5293 2 11416 98.5105 69.3305 0012788 63.2828 296.9658 14.24899292346978 Note that the International Designator fields are usually blank, as issued in the NASA Prediction Bulletins. -- Dr TS Kelso Asst Professor of Space Operations tkelso@blackbird.afit.af.mil Air Force Institute of Technology ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 89 14:13:01 GMT From: att!tsdiag!scr1!jeffs@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Jeff Schnell) Subject: Re: ADA and space station In article <4847@mtuxo.att.com>, tee@mtuxo.att.com (54317-T.EBERSOLE) writes: > "Course Description: > Ada is not "just another programming language," but rather was specifically > designed to impact software development across the entire software life > cycle as no language has ever done before. Participants are shown how SW > written in Ada is more understandable and reliable than that written in > other languages, and how SW systems are more modifiable and maintainable > when developed using Ada. > < Interesting stuff deleted How could I get to see this conference??? Please email me back. -- Jeffrey J. Schnell System Support Eng. | Concurrent Computer Corp. FAX: 201-870-4249 Ph: (201) 870-4120 | 2 Crescent Place, M/S 117 UUCP: ucbvax!rutgers!petsa!tsdiag!scr1!jeffs | Oceanport NJ, 07757 ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 30 Jun 89 14:58:18 -0500 From: PEZELY@vax1.acs.udel.edu, DANIEL J unsubscribe space "Daniel Pezely" ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 89 11:28:37 GMT From: mcvax!ukc!etive!bob@uunet.uu.net (Bob Gray) Subject: JOB VACANCY: for British Cosmanaut. JOB VACANCY: British cosmonaut required. The agreement between a British consortium and the Soviets for a British Cosmonaut to visit the Mir space station was finally signed yesterday. The trip, codenamed Juno, will take place sometime in 1991 and will last eight days. The #16 million ticket price is to be raised via sponsorship, advertising and the sale of the TV rights. The special telephone hotline has already taken hundreds of calls from applicants. Candidates should be between 21 and 40 years of age and possess a formal scientific training in either biology, applied physics, engineering or medicine. A shortlist of 300 will be drawn up, and two will eventualy be chosen to train with the Soviets. Both will have to learn Russian [although I suspect you will stand a better chance if you already speak it]. If anyone wants to apply, the phone number given was 01-224-2211 Mon-Fri 9am-7pm and 10am-5pm at weekends. If you are planning to phone from outside Britain, remember those times are in BST. Bob. ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 89 15:00:45 GMT From: mcvax!ukc!icdoc!syma!desw@uunet.uu.net (Des Watson) Subject: Re: Satellite Images - at home! In article <1507@vms.eurokom.ie>, gnugent@vms.eurokom.ie writes: > > The only organisation I know of who are dedicated to weather satellite picture > reception are the Remote Imaging Group in the UK. They also supply a range of > equipment at reasonable prices. They can probably put you in touch with someone > closer to home. I have the doubtful honour of being the membership secretary of this organization. At present, there are just over 1000 members, mainly in the UK, and the majority seem to be actively receiving weather satellite signals. E-mail to me will get you a membership application form, or indeed, a list of "local" members (but only those who have not objected to their names being used for this purpose). Interest in this subject seems to be growing - there have been many articles published recently in the (amateur) radio/electronics press. Des Watson Phone: +44 273 678045 | Computer Science UUCP: ...mcvax!ukc!cogs!desw | Maths & Physics Building ARPA: desw%uk.ac.sussex.cogs@nsfnet-relay.ac.uk| Univ. of Sussex, Falmer JANET:desw@uk.ac.sussex.cogs | Brighton, BN1 9QH, UK ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 89 12:26:49 GMT From: mcvax!ukc!etive!bob@uunet.uu.net (Bob Gray) Subject: Re: NASA GIVES ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE LAUNCH COMPANY!! In article <8906180439.AA12168@crash.cts.com> mordor!rutgers!pnet01.cts.com!jim@angband.s1.gov writes: >NASA, AMROC AGREE TO CRITICAL CHEMICAL EXCHANGE >> .....NASA provided two drums >>(about 600 lbs.) of the chemical to AMROC. >Approximate wholesale value of 300kg H2O2 is a few hundred dollars. Anyone like to estimate what the cost of preparing all the publicity handouts about providing the drums of H2O2 was? Bob. ------------------------------ Date: 30 Jun 89 16:25:03 GMT From: mcvax!ukc!etive!bob@uunet.uu.net (Bob Gray) Subject: Re: Phobos pictures In article <1115@syma.sussex.ac.uk> nickw@syma.susx.ac.uk (Nick Watkins) writes: >The albedo variations are very different to Viking images, with the channel >floor and low land between the remnant blocks of the collapsed terrain >showing up significantly darker than the rest of the cratered uplands. The >photos, if Infra-red, could be indicative of sub-surface volatiles in these >regions. Yes, this sounds like the image which featured on the original C4 news report I posted about originaly. They specificaly mentioned it was an infra-red image but didn't mention what part of the spectrum. The channel floors between the blocks were said to be between two and three kilometers wide. Obviously that Giant statue of Elvis was life size, if this is the city the inhabitants came from. :-> Bob. ------------------------------ Date: 28 Jun 89 18:17:59 GMT From: hpfcdc!hpldola!paul@hplabs.hp.com (Paul Bame) Subject: Re: Satellite Images - at home! Save yourself some trouble and confusion and find a copy of "The Weather Satellite Experimenter's Handbook". I don't have one but it's supposed to be pretty good. In general, the several types of weather sats aren't too hard to receive but the "imaging" satellites (Landsat, SPOT) likely use digital encoding and/or encrypting. Weather sats are made for lots of folks to be able to use, satellites which are either classified or make money are often designed to be useful only to a particular ground station (or a few). The polar orbiting weather satellites use a ~137 MHz signal and transmit continuous images of what's under them. The geosync ones use 1.6GHz (e.g., you might need a dish). Since this stuff involves radio, you might try asking further questions in rec.ham-radio too. Hams have been active in image communication for a very long time. -Paul Bame N0KCL ------------------------------ Date: 29 Jun 89 15:39:45 GMT From: cs.utexas.edu!wasatch!uplherc!esunix!bpendlet@hc.dspo.gov (Bob Pendleton) Subject: Re: Dumping excess heat to space (was Re: IS FUSION GOOD ???) From article <370@wang.UUCP>, by dana@wang.UUCP (890 x76196): > If it is difficult to eliminate waste heat from industrial processes > into space, why not reduce the heat recieved from the sun? > > With a (relatively) unlimited energy budget it should be possible to > launch a number of large, reflective, satellites to reflect away > excess incoming solar energy. > > Dana Khoyi @ Wang Labs (...uunet!wang!dana) Yes, that will reduce the amount of heat recieved from the sun. It will also reduce the amount of light from the sun. Plants live by photosynthesis, they work off of light, not heat. So reducing the heat coming from the sun might have some nasty side effects. Just possibly the destruction of the entire ecology of the earth. "With a (relatively) unlimited energy budget it should be possible to" move all the heat producing industries into space. Once in space getting rid of the heat isn't that difficult a problem. Once in space it should be cheaper to mine the asteroids for many raw materials and ship only finished products to earth. "With a (relatively) unlimited energy budget it should be possible to" collect much of the accumulated industrial wastes and either ship them off planet, convert it to something useful, or make it harmless. "With a (relatively) unlimited energy budget it should be possible to" provide clean water, clean air, food, and the opportunity for an education, to every person on earth. In other words, freedom from want. Is fusion good? Is penicillin good? I doubt that I would be alive today if penicilin had not been discovered. I'm convinced that both of my children would not have survived past age 2 without antibiotics. But I know that antibiotics have caused major social changes. Some of those changes are ones I don't much like. But all in all I think antibiotics are a good thing. Is fusion good? Yes I think it will be good. Why? Because cheap energy will give everyone more choices. And reduce the personal risks of those choices. I'm sure there will be social changes that I don't like. But social changes that result from personal choices are better than social changes driven by grinding poverty. The original poster made a number of nasty statements about the ability of the average person to "handle" the reponsibility that comes with unlimited energy. The answer to this is that some people will make mistakes. Some people will die from those mistakes. The rest will make good choices and learn from their own and others mistakes. But they will do it freely. Bob P. P.S. Those that want to dictate what is good for the people should learn the lesson of Tiananmen square. -- - Bob Pendleton, speaking only for myself. - UUCP Address: decwrl!esunix!bpendlet or utah-cs!esunix!bpendlet - - Reality is stranger than most can imagine. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V9 #533 *******************