Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from beak.andrew.cmu.edu via trymail for +dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl@andrew.cmu.edu (->+dist+/afs/andrew.cmu.edu/usr11/tm2b/space/space.dl) (->ota+space.digests) ID ; Fri, 23 Nov 1990 01:50:49 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Fri, 23 Nov 1990 01:50:12 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V12 #585 SPACE Digest Volume 12 : Issue 585 Today's Topics: Re: Big bang discovered 1400 years ago ? space news from Sept 24 AW&ST SEDS Galileo Update - 11/20/90 Calculating Tidal Force Voyager Update - 11/21/90 Re: STS 38 Observation Reports -- red? Re: Save our Shuttle data? Re: New Shuttle Engines Re: The Space Plane Pioneer 11 Update - 11/16/90 Re: Magellan Update - 11/12/90 Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription notices, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 19 Nov 90 04:27:10 GMT From: convex!convex.convex.com!schumach@uunet.uu.net (Richard A. Schumacher) Subject: Re: Big bang discovered 1400 years ago ? Why, he asked rhetorically, does someone try to justify or reconcile their faith with science? As an attempt at proselytizing, it looks silly, and is usually taken up by those who are troubled by their own doubts. In <90320.202818SX43@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK> SX43@LIVERPOOL.AC.UK writes: > 'The heaven, We have built it with power, Verily We are expanding it.' > (Verse 47 of Surah 51). The writer of the verse conceived of god continually adding on to the universe as one would add on to a house, and had no inkling of the Hubble expansion. (Similarly, if I write "my business is expanding", no one should think I mean that the bathroom ceilings are gradually getting farther from the floors! Except, perhaps, misguided apologists for the Book of Richard, a thousand years hence...) > "O assembly of Jinns and Men, if you can penetrate regions of the > heavens and the earth, then penetrate them! You shall not penetrate > them, except with a Power." (Surah 55, The Beneficent, verse 33.) In other words, "these things can't be done, except with My help". In what possible way is a god's petty (and inaccurate) taunt a prediction of space travel? ------------------------------ Date: 21 Nov 90 04:53:35 GMT From: van-bc!ubc-cs!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!utzoo!henry@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Henry Spencer) Subject: space news from Sept 24 AW&ST NASA study underway on possible countermeasures for the fluid loss that affects all astronauts in early exposure to free fall. Most astronauts lose 3kg or so of water in the first few days, and get it all back within a similar time after return to Earth. It is not clear whether this is a normal and healthy response to free fall, or cause for concern. Agenzia Spaciale Italiana contracts with General Dynamics for the launch of the Italy/Netherlands X-ray astronomy satellite, project currently underway. Astro mission goes on hold once again due to hydrogen leaks. Morale is hurting at KSC. The problem is definitely not considered a matter of aging of equipment; the most likely cause is an elaborate inspection done early this year after traces of corundum/calcite abrasive were found in Columbia's filters after the LDEF retrieval mission. The abrasive was almost certainly left from cleaning and polishing operations done as part of the reactivation of Mobile Launch Platform 3, first used for the LDEF mission. A lot of Columbia's plumbing was opened up to inspect for abrasive contamination and clean suspect areas, and 50-100 connections in the hydrogen system in particular had to be opened and then reclosed. One botched one has already been found. There is some feeling among the contractors that NASA is being far too conservative about hydrogen levels: the old limit was 300ppm, Crippen raised it to 1000ppm, and the Sept 17 launch scrubbed at 4000ppm... but 10,000ppm is considered safe and hydrogen is not flammable until about 40,000ppm. NASA studies, in a small way, the idea of building a small winged spacecraft as a crew ferry and lifeboat for the space station. It generally resembles the small Soviet spaceplane flown in four unmanned tests in the 1980s, which in turn resembles earlier NASA experimental lifting-body designs. The new design is called the HL-20; a university-built mockup was unveiled. It would weigh about 24klbs and its wings could fold to fit in the shuttle payload bay. It could also go up on an expendable, although it is not clear whether a new one would have to be developed: only Titan IV is big enough, and NASA is now unenthusiastic about manned launches using solid boosters. The HL-20 is primarily a crew carrier, although it could carry perhaps 500kg of urgent cargo if it flew with a crew of two. Design mission length is three days or less. Total spending on the concept so far has been $3M over 6-7 years. Magellan starts radar mapping after recovery from its troubles. Intospace (a German private venture) launches another materials experiment on a Soviet Resurs-F spacecraft; the Casimir payload is looking at growth of zeolite crystals in microgravity. Intospace also thinks it now knows what went wrong with its Cosima protein-crystal experiment last May: some changes were made to the experiment after two earlier flights, and revised seals leaked before or during launch. Intospace plans to re-fly Cosima next year. [Note the message here: if you fly on Soviet spacecraft, you can get several debugging flights done before your US counterparts can fly their experiments even once.] Aerospatiale-led consortium wins the contract for Turkey's Turksat project. Picture of Ulysses being installed in Discovery. [Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the picture shows part of the IUS, with Ulysses not visible.] -- "I don't *want* to be normal!" | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology "Not to worry." | henry@zoo.toronto.edu utzoo!henry ------------------------------ Date: 20 Nov 90 01:24:40 GMT From: wuarchive!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!ccut!wnoc-tyo-news!astemgw!choshi!frf!rtang@decwrl.dec.com (Raymond Tang) Subject: SEDS Can anyone out there give me the SEDS email address. The address they gave me "LISTSERV@TAMVM1" does't work from where I am, I remember there is a longer address name which I sent my original request but I can't remember what it was exactly. Please email me the info, Thanks in advance, Ray -- >>>>>> Ray Tang rtang@nff.ncl.omron.co.jp <-email ------------------------------ Date: 20 Nov 90 21:45:11 GMT From: csus.edu!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@ucdavis.ucdavis.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Galileo Update - 11/20/90 GALILEO STATUS REPORT November 20, 1990 Yesterday, Venus data on tracks 1 and 2 of the Galileo spacecraft's tape recorder was successfully returned via stored sequence controlled playback. Today, Venus data on tracks 1 and 3 will be playedback; data playback is presently in process. Tomorrow, the final playback of Venus data on tracks 2 and 3 is scheduled. The NIMS (Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer) instrument will be powered on tomorrow via stored sequence control. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 20 Nov 90 23:09:09 GMT From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!isis!ebergman@uunet.uu.net (Eric Bergman-Terrell) Subject: Calculating Tidal Force I would like to be able to calculate the combined gravitational forces of the Sun and Moon on the Earth... I already have a program that calculates the following: Earth-Sun Distance Earth-Moon Distance Moon Illuminated Fraction Position of Sun in a variety of coordinates Position of Moon in a variety of coordinates etc. I have found a method that's almost good enough in Agnes Acker and Carlos Jaschek's "Astronomical Methods and Calculations", published by John Wiley & Sons. However this method only works for (if memory serves) full moon and/or new moon. I want to calculate the combined force for any date & time. Pointers to the relevant books would be greatly appreciated! Eric Bergman-Terrell ebergman@nyx.UUCP ------------------------------ Date: 21 Nov 90 22:27:56 GMT From: swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@ucsd.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Voyager Update - 11/21/90 VOYAGER STATUS REPORT November 21, 1990 Voyager 1 The Voyager 1 spacecraft collected routine UVS (Ultraviolet Spectrometer) data on sources HD 164284 and HD 193322. On November 13, a frame of PWS (Plasma Wave) data was recorded on the DTR (Digital Tape Recorder) for future playback. On November 14, a TLC (Tracking Loop Capacitor) test was performed on the spacecraft by the 70 meter antenna in Spain. A science calibration for the PLS (Plasma), MAG (Magnetometer), and LECP (Low Energy Charged Particles) instruments was also executed on the spacecraft; however, no DSN (Deep Space Network) station was available to receive the downlink of the calibration sequence. Voyager 2 The Voyager 2 spacecraft collected routine UVS data on source Feige 7. On November 13, a frame of PWS data was recorded on the DTR for future playback. On November 14, an entire 34 meter Australia tracking pass was cancelled due to a complex wide timing failure; the Voyager Project was not notified of the cancellation so that arrangements could be made to modify the remaining coverage. This resulted in a twenty-eight hour and twenty-five minute gap in Voyager 2 downlink coverage. Violation of the twenty-four maximum period of no coverage requirement could have been avoided by DSS (Deep Space Station) rescheduling. The PLS, MAG, CRS (Cosmic Ray), and LECP instruments are measuring and recording the heliospheric medium and looking for signs of the terminal barrier of the heliopause. The PLS instrument is seeing a solar wind speed average of 450 kilometers/second with a particle density of about 0.013/cm3. The MAG instrument is reading a magnetic field strength of about 3/4 gamma on Voyager 2 and 1 1/3 gamma on Voyager 1. The CRS and LECP instruments continue to experience low background counts. CONSUMABLE STATUS AS OF 11/21/90 P R O P E L L A N T S T A T U S P O W E R Consumption One Week Propellant Remaining Output Margin Spacecraft (Gm) (Kg) Watts Watts Voyager 1 5 36.3 + 2.0 367 55 Voyager 2 6 39.3 + 2.0 370 61 ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 18 Nov 90 20:57:22 GMT From: van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a752@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Bruce Dunn) Subject: Re: STS 38 Observation Reports -- red? Another possibility for the apparent red color of satellites in some cases might be that the predominant color of deployed flexible solar arrays seems to be a golden yellow color. I presume that this is a result of the base support material (kapton?). For any satellite requiring a lot of power, the area of deployed wings or panels of cells is likely to be a lot higher than the area of the body of the satellite. By the nature of their use, panels will be oriented with their flat surface directly facing the sun, leading to the reflections from the panel dominating the satellite reflections at certain sun-observer-satellite angles. The shuttle might appear reddish if for any reason it was flying in close proximity to a satellite with deployed panels, and the shuttle was oriented with the black bottom towards the observer. -- Bruce Dunn Vancouver, Canada a752@mindlink.UUCP ------------------------------ Date: 18 Nov 90 21:12:14 GMT From: van-bc!rsoft!mindlink!a752@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Bruce Dunn) Subject: Re: Save our Shuttle data? > sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney) writes: > > [regarding the difficulties in reviving the F1 LOX/Hydrocarbon engine] > > Pretty bizarre to think we've come 20 years, with CAD/CAE and materials > engineering and we can't build something which was put together in the '60s. > Kinda scary. However, there are other examples of the difficulties in replicating old technology. Old does not mean non-sophisticated. We are still struggling to reproduce the playing qualities of centuries-old violins. On an even more basic level, all the CAD/CAE and materials engineering in the world will not help you in reproducing a flint axehead. To duplicate something fashioned 100,000 years ago, the most direct route is to be taught by someone who knows the tricks of flint knapping. There is often a lot more art in engineering than the textbooks would indicate. -- Bruce Dunn Vancouver, Canada a752@mindlink.UUCP ------------------------------ Date: 19 Nov 90 13:38:08 GMT From: att!cbnews!nak@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Neil A. Kirby) Subject: Re: New Shuttle Engines In article <1990Nov16.175907.18177@eagle.lerc.nasa.gov>, tohall@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Dave Hall (Sverdrup)) writes: > > 2) F-1 production test facilities were located in the San Fernando valley > (turbopumps at Rocketdyne/Santa Susana) and Edwards AFB (full-up > engine tests). These > facilities are way past the inactive stage - they have been either torn > down or become completely derelict. You are talking 100's of millions of > dollars (IMHO) to refurbish them. Out of curiousity, would the test area at Stennis Space Center (in Mississippi) be able to do some of the testing? Stennis tests every SSME, and the test stands for the Saturn V stack elements are still there. Neil Kirby ...att!archie!nak ------------------------------ Date: 19 Nov 90 16:17:52 GMT From: usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu!v071pzp4@ucsd.edu (Craig L Cole) Subject: Re: The Space Plane In article <1990Nov18.225941.17915@ariel.unm.edu>, john@ghostwheel.unm.edu (John Prentice) writes... >In article <1990Nov15.232259.17158@isc.rit.edu> swd0170@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes: >> >> I was curious if anyone out there knew anything about a possible space >>plane. Some magazines mentioned a experimental high altitude "space plane" that >>could be used to ferry cargo into low earth orbit and could be used commercialy >>to fly passengers from say...New York to Sydney in five hours. I believe it was >>called the "X-87" or something like that. Does anyone know what I'm talking >>about?? > >Are you talking about the National Aerospace Plane? It would fit this >description, although it is a military project and (to my knowledge) there I'm fairly certain NASP is a commercial venture. What I'm not sure of is, is NASP the same as the X-29? Maybe the X-29 is the military vehicle you're talking about. Anyway, from what I've heard, NASP is coming along pretty well. I think it was just posted recently that the contractors of NASP all got together to decide on a final fuselage shape. They also said materials development (extremely heat resistant, etc.) was also going well. I'd love to hear more about the the progress of NASP myself. Craig Cole V071PZP4@UBVMS.BITNET V071PZP4@UBVMS.CC.BUFFALO ------------------------------ Date: 21 Nov 90 00:56:16 GMT From: snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!jato!mars.jpl.nasa.gov!baalke@bloom-beacon.mit.edu (Ron Baalke) Subject: Pioneer 11 Update - 11/16/90 PIONEER 11 STATUS REPORT November 16, 1990 Attempts to pulse the receiver switch assembly on November 9 were unsuccessful. It appears that the stored command sequence, with 0 second time delays between commands, did not execute. On November 16, the sequence will be tried again with 1 second delays. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| | | | | __ \ /| | | | Ron Baalke | baalke@mars.jpl.nasa.gov ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |___ Jet Propulsion Lab | baalke@jems.jpl.nasa.gov /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| M/S 301-355 | |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ Pasadena, CA 91109 | ------------------------------ Date: 18 Nov 90 09:37:00 GMT From: usc!cs.utexas.edu!evax!utacfd!merch!ijcr!Darin.Arrick@apple.com (Darin Arrick) Subject: Re: Magellan Update - 11/12/90 You mentioned that Congress must approve Magellan's extended mission. Why is this? Darin Arrick, KB5KHR --- QuickBBS 2.66 (Reg) * Origin: I.J.C.R. BBS & B'nai No'ach [Ft.Worth, Texas] (1:130/49) -- Darin Arrick - via Fidonet node 1:130/49 UUCP: ...!merch!ijcr!Darin.Arrick INTERNET: Darin.Arrick@ijcr.fidonet.org ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V12 #585 *******************