Return-path: X-Andrew-Authenticated-as: 7997;andrew.cmu.edu;Ted Anderson Received: from hogtown.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 ; Sat, 2 Mar 91 02:15:15 -0500 (EST) Message-ID: <0bnp3ym00WBwI2xE5w@andrew.cmu.edu> Precedence: junk Reply-To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU From: space-request+@Andrew.CMU.EDU To: space+@Andrew.CMU.EDU Date: Sat, 2 Mar 91 02:15:11 -0500 (EST) Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #223 SPACE Digest Volume 13 : Issue 223 Today's Topics: Re: Government vs. Commercial R&D (Really about MSFC) Re: Whither Lunar Observer in FY92? Commercial Space News (8 of 8) Commercial Space news (7 of 8) Commercial Space news (5 of 8) Re: Terraforming, sun shield NASA elements via FTP Re: space news from Jan 7 AW&ST Administrivia: Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to space+@andrew.cmu.edu. Other mail, esp. [un]subscription requests, should be sent to space-request+@andrew.cmu.edu, or, if urgent, to tm2b+@andrew.cmu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 Mar 91 18:10:38 GMT From: wuarchive!rex!rouge!dlbres10@eddie.mit.edu (Fraering Philip) Subject: Re: Government vs. Commercial R&D (Really about MSFC) In article owensa@gbgvm2.vnet.ibm.com ("Alan B. Owens") writes: >Actually, Goddard has a Space and Earth Sciences Directorate that has a >Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics. The Solar Max mission was run from >Goddard. You're too late. Someone else already corrected me: the mission was run from the University of Colorado :-) (Seriously). I have no idea whatsoever now who is right. Phil Fraering dlbres10@pc.usl.edu ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 18:19:01 GMT From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!rex!rouge!dlbres10@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Fraering Philip) Subject: Re: Whither Lunar Observer in FY92? In article <9102281514.AA10104@iti.org> aws@ITI.ORG ("Allen W. Sherzer") writes: >If LLNL gets the go ahead within the next two years they just might have >a base on the moon before Lunar Observer is even launched. Which is really putting the cart before the horse: LO is supposed to tell you where it is a good idea to put the base, isn't it? Confused in Lafayette, La., Philip Fraering dlbres10@pc.usl.edu ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 03:03:11 GMT From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!zardoz.cpd.com!dhw68k!ofa123!Wales.Larrison@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Wales Larrison) Subject: Commercial Space News (8 of 8) (OCST Commercial Manifest Continued) Nov 92 GE SATCOM C-3 U.S. Domestic GEO MDC - Delta Telecomm Sat 93 INTELSAT VII-2 International GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat #2 93 INTELSAT VII-3 International GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat #3 93 ORION 2 U.S. International GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat 93 TELSTAR 401 U.S. International GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat (AT&T) 94 SAX Italian orbiting GD - Atlas Astrophysics Sat 94 TELSTAR 402 U.S. International GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat (AT&T) 95 SOHO European Solar GD - Atlas Observatory Sat 95 GOES K U.S. GEO Weather GD - Atlas Sat . [Commentary: Latest count of who has applied for approval for a commercial launch permit. A total of 35 launches. GD= General Dynamics Corp (17 orbital Launches), OSC= Orbital Sciences Corp (10 suborbital, 1 orbital launches), MDC= McDonnell Douglas Corp (5 orbital launches). MMC= Martin Marietta Corp. (1 orbital launch), SSI= Space Systems Inc (1 suborbital launch). No real surprises, but it is important to note the large percentage of "commercial" payloads that are built by government or international agencies, and the large number of suborbital launches counted in this listing. Anyway you cut it, the primary market for "commercial launch services" are governmental payloads paid for by some group of taxpayers. Note also that MMC has only 1 booked "commercial" payload. MDC has only 5 more booked, and their corporate purse is stretched to the limit with aircraft program problems. While GD has the most commercial payloads booked, it just wrote off a $300 M loss in their commercial launch business, and reshuffled management. A good guess would be these firms are going to go through a belt tightening to cut costs, and they will try to capture any available new business. If current market conditions continue (and I don't see any significant changes on the horizon), it's going to get real fierce to see who will stay in business. My guess is at least 1 will leave the business within the next 2 years. From the listing we can roughly estimate the U.S. market share of the global market for booked launch services - Assumptions: Delta= $45 M, Atlas = $60 M, Titan = $75M, Suborbital and Pegasus = $10 M. Remember this is only the booked U.S. market as seen by the DoT - other launches will be included in the future, but have not yet signed contracts or gotten launch approval. However, for 1991- 1992, this is probably pretty close for the U.S. market. Total GD MDC MMC OSC SSI 1991 $490M $240M(4) $180M(4) -0- $60M(6) $10M(1) 1992 $470M $300M(5) $45M(1) $75M(1) $50M(5) -0- 1994 $240M $240M(4) -0- -0- -0- -0- 1994 $120M $120M(2) 1995 $120M $120M(2) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Wales Larrison Space Technology Investor Au royanume des aveugles les borgnes sont rois - -- Wales Larrison Internet: Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org Compuserve: >internet:Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 03:02:08 GMT From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!zardoz.cpd.com!dhw68k!ofa123!Wales.Larrison@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Wales Larrison) Subject: Commercial Space news (7 of 8) UPDATED COMMERCIAL LAUNCH MANIFEST RELEASED BY OCST The U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Commercial Space Transportation has released a new update to the Commercial Launch Manifest. It is summarized as follows:, including what data I could locate on type of vehicle, and purpose of launch. . Feb 91 INMARSAT-2 #2 GEO International MDC - Delta Maritime Comm Sat Mar 91 Joust 1 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Apr 91 BS-3H Japanese GEO GD - Atlas Broadcast Sat Apr 91 ASC U.S. Domestic GEO MDC - Delta Telecomm Sat May 91 ZEST - 1 Suborbital launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket May 91 Aurora II Alaska GEO Telecomm MDC - Delta Jun 91 LEAP - 1 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Jun 91 ZEST - 2 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Jul 91 Consort 4 Suborbital Launch SSI - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Aug 91 EUTELSAT European GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat Oct 91 Galaxy - V U.S. Domestic GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat Oct 91 LEAP - 2 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Dec 91 INTELSAT-K International GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat Dec 91 NATO - IVB NATO GEO MDC - Delta Telecomm Sat Dec 91 Joust 2 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket 92 GOES I U.S. GEO Weather GD - Atlas Sat 92 GOES J U.S. GEO Weather GD - Atlas Sat 92 GALAXY - IR U.S. Domestic GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat 92 UHF 1 U.S. Military GEO GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat 92 ORION 1 U.S. International GD - Atlas Telecomm Sat 92 FREJA Swedish Science OSC - Pegasus Satellite Jan 92 LEAP - 3 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Mar 92 SPFE - 6 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Apr 92 LEAP - 4 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Jun 92 SPFE - 7 Suborbital Launch OSC - Sounding U.S. Experiments Rocket Sep 92 Mars Observer U.S. Mars Orbiter MMC - Titan NASA Interplanetary (Continued) -- Wales Larrison Internet: Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org Compuserve: >internet:Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 03:00:02 GMT From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!zardoz.cpd.com!dhw68k!ofa123!Wales.Larrison@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (Wales Larrison) Subject: Commercial Space news (5 of 8) EER ENTERS LAUNCH SERVICES MARKET WITH CONESTOGA, COMET TEAM The Conestoga rocket to be used for the COMET program will be offered for other small satellite launch services, according to EER Systems Corp, the corporate parent of Space Services Inc which was recently awarded the contract to launch the COMET recoverable satellite. EER will market the Conestoga launch vehicle as part of a joint package for the COMET satellites along with the other two COMET prime contractors (Westinghouse and Space Industries Inc.), and will market the Conestoga alone to other users. Donald "Deke" Slayton, director of EER's Space Services Division, said the Conestoga is capable of launching payloads into orbit from 400 to 4000 pounds in weight - depending upon the number of solid motors which are used- and will be capable of supporting up to a launch per month. Much of the Conestoga work will be done at Seabrook Marylnad, home of EER System's aerospace group, rather than done at the Houston-area offices of SSI. Assembly of the Conestoga boosters will take place at the COMET launch site, currently planned to be either Wallops Island, Virgina or Cape Canaveral, Florida. [Commentary: EER bought SSI when their financial backers pulled out, and SSI started to close down. While it looks like most of the work on the Conestoga is moving to Maryland from Houston, the key skills and people should be retained. It is good to see that EER is trying also to develop a business outside of the COMET program, but the competition for small-satellite launches is very competitive with Taurus, Pegasus, Scout, Small ELV, and several other launchers competing for the same market.] GENERAL DYNAMICS GETS FIRST 'LAUNCH OPERATORS LICENSE' General Dynamics has received the first 2 year "launch operators license" for commercial launch operations. The license covers launches of the Atlas I, Atlas II, and Atlas IIa launch vehicle along specific launch azmiths from the existing Atlas launch pads. The U.S. Department of Transportation issued this license to give General Dyanmics Commercial Launch Services Inc. blanket authority for Atlas launches from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. While GD still has to go through a pre-launch review for each launch with the DoT's Office of Space Transportation, and must pay user fees to the federal government for use of the site and range operations, they do not have to go into extensive launch by launch reviews. OCST is expecting to review several other launch operations license applications this year. [Commentary: I expect that McDonnell Douglas, Martin Marietta, and Orbital Sciences are also looking to get this "launch operators license" for their systems. The best analogy I can find to this is an "operators license" for commercial aircraft to certify that specific types of planes can be operated over specific routes. It's a good first step in reducing the regulation and flight-to-flight reviews for each launch - and may provide a little competitive benefit for GD against other U.S. launch firms.] -- Wales Larrison Internet: Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org Compuserve: >internet:Wales.Larrison@ofa123.fidonet.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 15:34:38 GMT From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!cs.utexas.edu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!utgpu!watserv1!watdragon!watyew!jdnicoll@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU (James Davis Nicoll) Subject: Re: Terraforming, sun shield I used the phrase 'space slums' because the type of habitat I was discussing was intended to squeeze as much living space as possible out of a given amount of mass. 'Slum' is probably the wrong word; all the slums I've seen were poorly managed wrt efficient use of resources. However, I thought it conveyed the right air of crowdedness. I'm always amused at the generally rosy picture people paint of habitats. I have a suspicion that the management system used to run Newfoundland outports would be a viable method in space as well. If you control both inflow and outflow of goods, you can really jerk people around. Just make sure they can't emigrate (or throw rocks). A question for the anti-terraformers: imagine we had explored Venus for several centuries and found no sign of life. Imagine that we *could* introduce lifeforms to Venus, but that the resulting ecosystem had no niche for humans (like the oasis around deep sea vents). Would it be ok to introduce those lifeforms, in your opinion? James Nicoll ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 20:57:56 GMT From: swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!sdd.hp.com!caen!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!src.honeywell.com!msi.umn.edu!cs.umn.edu!uc!nachos.SSESCO.com!SSESCO.com!elmquist@ucsd.edu (Chris Elmquist) Subject: NASA elements via FTP Satellite Keplerian Elements Available for Anonymous FTP -------------------------------------------------------- For those that are having difficulty receiving the NASA satellite tracking element sets via News postings, I have set up and maintain an archive of these element sets accessable by anonymous FTP. The server is: nachos.ssesco.com [192.55.187.18] T.S. Kelso's element sets (the most current and several previous versions) are maintained in the directory: sat_elements/nasa New element sets are posted weekly. You can also find the Molczan element sets on the same server in the directory: sat_elements/molczan These are also updated weekly. When logging-in to nachos, please use your e-mail address as the anonymous password so that we can trace network problems if they should occur. Thanks go to T.S. Kelso and Mike McCants for providing these element sets on a regular basis. Address problems with the server to: elmquist@ssesco.com ------------------------------ Date: 1 Mar 91 16:51:04 GMT From: sdd.hp.com!caen!uwm.edu!ogicse!zephyr.ens.tek.com!orca.wv.tek.com!pogo!bobt@ucsd.edu (Bob Tidrick) Subject: Re: space news from Jan 7 AW&ST In article masticol@athos.rutgers.edu (Steve Masticola) writes: >Henry Spencer writes: > >> Postmortem on the Dedicated Display Units that failed aboard Astro-1 >> shows identical failures, tentatively the result of debris clogging >> heat sinks. The debris is still being analyzed but "...it looked >> like it consisted of blue lint, human hair of several different colors, >> several colors of paint chips, a piece of food that looked like a >> piece of a peanut, and some clear bits, probably of glass and plastic". > Hasn't NASA or who ever built the DDU's ever heard of replaceable or cleanable air filters ? Our company doesn't build a product that I know of that doesn't have some kind of a filter over fan inlets. (OEM products excepted) When it gets cloged it can be removed, shaken out and replaced. If they haven't figured this out yet I have lost a lot of confidence in our space program. -- Bob Tidrick GPID Engineering Tektronix Inc. Wilsonville OR. ------------------------------ End of SPACE Digest V13 #223 *******************