Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 05:01:21 From: Space Digest maintainer Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V15 #139 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Mon, 24 Aug 92 Volume 15 : Issue 139 Today's Topics: PAVE PAWS Space Economics With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit? Welcome to the Space Digest!! Please send your messages to "space@isu.isunet.edu", and (un)subscription requests of the form "Subscribe Space " to one of these addresses: listserv@uga (BITNET), rice::boyle (SPAN/NSInet), utadnx::utspan::rice::boyle (THENET), or space-REQUEST@isu.isunet.edu (Internet). ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: 24 Aug 92 03:54:47 GMT From: Gary Coffman Subject: PAVE PAWS Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1469100012@igc.apc.org> mwgoodman@igc.apc.org (Mark Goodman) writes: > >Several people have pointed out my error in dismissing OTH radars >as meteor detectors. I hang my head in shame. Plasma trails, >doppler shifts, yes, yes. I was thinking of their weakness as >early-warning radars against cruise missile attack, but that's >a different story. > >It is news to me that the PAVE PAWS radar in Georgia does not >operate. I knew the OTH/B radars were mothballed or operating >on limited schedules. I assume the BMEWS radars for warning >against (former) Soviet ICBMs are still working. But there >haven't been any (former) Soviet ballistic missile subs off our >coasts for years. According to a recent post in Sci.military, the early warning bases in Greenland have been permanently closed as of last month. I assume these were older DEW sites rather than BMEWS, but can't say for sure. As to the PAVE PAWS system at Warner Robbins AFB, I've been following that situation with great interest since I'm located in it's radio exclusion zone and since it uses frequencies necessary to access the Mode B amateur radio satellites. When it was under construction, those of us in the exclusion zone had to get special permits from the military to operate in this frequency band. After the initial tests, which we monitored, the system has not been active. The word is that the multi- megawatt beam did bad things to B52s on the flight line and in the landing pattern, Warner Robbins was a SAC, now Strike Command, base. Screwing around with the avionics of nuclear loaded strategic bombers isn't something to be taken lightly. Gary ------------------------------ Date: 24 Aug 92 05:34:47 GMT From: Gary Coffman Subject: Space Economics Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1469100013@igc.apc.org> mwgoodman@igc.apc.org (Mark Goodman) writes: > >What is the future of small satellites? They go by many names >(lightsats, microsats, Little LEOs, Brilliant Eyes and Pebbles). >Is there a potential market niche for these systems, say in >mobile communication or remote sensing? Will they create a >viable market niche for small launchers like Pegasus? Yes there is a market niche for microsats in store and forward communications and Earth resources sensing. Motorola's Iridum seems to have gained enough mass in development that Pegasus may no longer be a viable launcher for it. Iridum's market niche may be evaporating in any event thanks to increasing completion of terrestrial cellular networks. Most Earth resources sensing satellites also are too big for Pegasus, but specialized satellites for oil field exploration and other specialized uses are candidates for launch by Pegasus. Most microsats to date have been launched as secondary cluster payloads on larger rockets. Most microsat work should be viewed in the same way as Shuttle Get Away Specials, payloads not worth the cost of a separate launch. As part of a cluster piggybacking on a larger launch, they are cheap ways to get experimental payloads in orbit. Pegasus is currently the most expensive (per pound) way to get a payload to orbit. Gary ------------------------------ Date: 24 Aug 92 04:31:14 GMT From: Gary Coffman Subject: With telepresence, who needs people in Earth orbit? Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1992Aug23.093003.5591@techbook.com> szabo@techbook.com (Nick Szabo) writes: >In article <174ns5INNqom@agate.berkeley.edu> gwh@soda.berkeley.edu (George William Herbert) writes: >>cecil@physics.unc.edu (Gerald Cecil) writes: > >>We can't get away (now) with just using robots in space. > >Funny. All commercial space projects, the vast majority of military >space projects, and all exploration projects that have gone farther than >Moon, have gotten away with using fully automated spacecraft. Not the same thing at all. Except for the Viking landers, *none* of the spacecraft that ventured beyond the Moon have been able to manipulate their environment. They have been mere sensor platforms. The common usage of robot is more specialized than automation. It requires the ability to manipulate the environment. The term robot also ordinarily means autonomous to a large degree, capable of on the spot decisions. This is in contrast to teleoperated devices that require distant super- vision at the detail level in near real time. There have been no robots in space with the autonomy of a fruit fly or the manipulative ability of a mouse as yet. Nothing approaching the capability of a man has even been designed, let alone successfully tested, on Earth as yet. Earthlings have sent out glorified box brownies to snap pictures, but nothing designed to turn over a rock. Gary ------------------------------ Date: P From: P From: Ron Baalke Newsgroups: sci.space,sci.astro,sci.geo.meteorology Subject: Mars Observer Update - 08/23/92 Keywords: Mars Observer, Hurricane Andrew, JPL, KSC Message-Id: <1992Aug24.045420.25223@elroy.jpl.nasa.gov> Date: 24 Aug 92 12:53:26 GMT Article-I.D.: elroy.1992Aug24.045420.25223 Sender: Usenet Reply-To: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory Lines: 57 News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4 Nntp-Posting-Host: kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov Source-Info: Sender is really news@CRABAPPLE.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU Source-Info: Sender is really isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU Forwarded from Glenn Cunningham, Mars Observer Deputy Project Manager MARS OBSERVER DAILY ACTIVITIES STATUS REPORT FROM THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER/CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION Launch Minus 24 Days Date of report: 8-23-92 Time of report: 1:30 PM EDT With the impending arrival of Hurricane Andrew, a number of specific actions have been taken: o The spacecraft batteries have been fully charged. o The RLE (Remote Launch Equipment), and the TOS (Transfer Orbit Stage) support equipment have been moved out of the B-10 room in the AGE building to avoid water damage. o The Titan is being secured. o Payload fairing air conditioning has been removed and the nitrogen purge re-established. o The science instrument purge system is connected and extra gas bottles have been put into place as a backup to the pad facility supply. o The spacecraft checkout station computers memories have been backed up, and j-boxes and cables lifted above the floor. The racks have been covered with plastic. o The science instrument support equipment has been covered with plastic. o Spare flight hardware has been relocated to the second floor of building AO. o Storm shutters are up on building AO and the entrances are being sandbagged. o Evacuation plans have been established, but not executed at this time, for all JPL and GE personnel. The Cape is in "Hurricane Condition III" since 8 pm Saturday evening, which means winds of greater than 50 knots (58 mph) are expected within 48 hours. At this writing, we are awaiting word from the Air Force weather officer regarding the continuance of this condition. An evacuation of the Cape will not be ordered until "Hurricane Condition II" is called when winds greater than 50 knots are expected within 24 hours. The actions taken thus far will probably cause a slip of the Launch Day Dress Rehearsal, and a slip in the readiness for launch. The actual schedules cannot be accurately assessed until the hurricane conditions have terminated, and the recovery plans established. ___ _____ ___ /_ /| /____/ \ /_ /| Ron Baalke | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov | | | | __ \ /| | | | Jet Propulsion Lab | ___| | | | |__) |/ | | |__ M/S 525-3684 Telos | Optimists live longer /___| | | | ___/ | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | than pessimists. |_____|/ |_|/ |_____|/ | ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 15 : Issue 139 ------------------------------