Date: Sat, 15 May 93 05:00:07 From: Space Digest maintainer Reply-To: Space-request@isu.isunet.edu Subject: Space Digest V16 #572 To: Space Digest Readers Precedence: bulk Space Digest Sat, 15 May 93 Volume 16 : Issue 572 Today's Topics: Buzz Aldrin's Race for Space vs. Buzz Aldrin's Space Adventure DC-X and publicity... is there any ? Details of DC-X followon vehicle firming up. Excess Shuttle criticism was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC Excess Shuttle criticism was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X? Gps launch Pegasus, X-ray telescopes Soyuz and Shuttle Comparisons Why we like DC-X (was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X?) (3 msgs) 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: Fri, 14 May 1993 10:28:53 GMT From: Dave Michelson Subject: Buzz Aldrin's Race for Space vs. Buzz Aldrin's Space Adventure Newsgroups: sci.space I've recently seen both of these "multimedia" packages on the shelf at the local computer shop... If nothing else, they certainly look similar! Can someone comment on the respective merits of the two packages? (To be quite honest, though, Dinosaur Adventure looks more interesting!) -- Dave Michelson -- davem@ee.ubc.ca -- University of British Columbia ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 12:38:06 GMT From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: DC-X and publicity... is there any ? Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1993May11.200419.13494@bmerh85.bnr.ca> rivan@bnr.ca writes: > Its seems a bit scarry to me that such a project which for the first >time in years promisses some hope in changing the current trend in >massively overpriced boosting capability, lacks much publicity. That may change next month; at least I hope it will. A couple of hundred journalists have requested press passes for the test flights. Sustaining that publicity however, will be a problem. Allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lady Astor: "Sir, if you were my husband I would poison your coffee!" | | W. Churchill: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." | +----------------------33 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX-----------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 13:17:51 GMT From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: Details of DC-X followon vehicle firming up. Newsgroups: sci.space,talk.politics.space In article <1sucigINNof7@borg.cs.unc.edu> leech@cs.unc.edu (Jon Leech) writes: >|> this vehicle can be built within the Clinton Administration which will help >|> it gain administration support. > Wow. I didn't think there were any rooms in the White House tall enough >to hold DC-X, let alone the followon. Jon, we are talking about the feds here! You think the White House is the only administration building? > I take it you meant to say that the followon is something the >Administration may be willing to support? It means that the vehicle can fly during the Clinton Administration so he can claim credit for it. Allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lady Astor: "Sir, if you were my husband I would poison your coffee!" | | W. Churchill: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." | +----------------------33 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX-----------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 12:58:13 GMT From: Dave Stephenson Subject: Excess Shuttle criticism was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC Newsgroups: sci.space dante@shakala.com (Charlie Prael) writes: >stephens@geod.emr.ca (Dave Stephenson) writes: >> On the other hand the Space Shuttle was to be the orbital monkey >> wrench. It was to do the work of all the other specialized launchers, >> small and large. There is such a thing as too much generalization. >> When does a multi-use device become a 'camel'? Build for a specific >> purpose, then see if the device will adapt, don't build in over >> generalization. Remember that the DC program is a research program, >> lots to be learned before thinking of Moon flights, but it is nice >> to dream. >Dave--- You're actually more right than you might like to think. There >are some excellent lessons in this in, say aviation history (and within >the last 30 years, too). >The implications is that the DC/SSTO program, if it is to succeed, must >have a clear task right from the start. Something like, say, "an orbital >C-130, designed to carry cargo quickly, easily, simply, into orbit and >back down again." >Nah. That'd be too easy. Thanks, I published an invited editorial on this subject in the Interdisciplinary Sciences Review in 1988. It started " Only someone from Hi-Tech R&D would walk into the Sistine Chapel look up at the roof and say 'What magnificent paints and brushes they had.' and went on to mention that in aviation if you are found with an adjustable spanner in your tool box you can be fired. An adjustable spanner by trying to fit all nuts, fits none of them properly, and so damages all of them. In the demanding environment of the air the adjustable wrench is rightly considered a lethal instrument. (A little overdone, but that what editorials are about) -- Dave Stephenson Geological Survey of Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada *Om Mani Padme Hum 1-2-3* Internet: stephens@geod.emr.ca ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 13:14:52 GMT From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: Excess Shuttle criticism was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X? Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1993May13.201048.28900@sol.ctr.columbia.edu> kjenks@gothamcity.jsc.nasa.gov writes: >This argument doesn't hold water. Criticism of the Space Station has >bought us little but delays. I disagree. Delays have been brought on largely because the ciriticism has been ignored. >If we had just shut up and bent metal, >we'd have a Space Station right now instead of the ninth redesign. Avation Week, November 12, 1990, page 26: Johnson space center engineers said the current station concept, a design that has evolved since 1984 is flawed in many respects and would have required a significant reworking no matter what the program budgets. "the original station deisign proved to be essentially broken from the start", one engineer in Houston said. The new design proposals where briefed last week to the NASA astronaut corps. Many astronaust have the view that "proper integration of the current design has been totally lacking." From 1984 to 1990 NASA was spending billions designing a station which couldn't be built. All during this time many on the outside where saying the same thing. Yet NASA fought the 1990 redesign tooth and nail saying it wasn't. We still have Dennis Wingo insisting everything was just fine in 1990 except for the nasty Congress. The problem isn't criticism, the problem is a close-minded attitude toward it. >If you don't like the manned space program or the way it's being run, >don't just sit there and complain. Get down here to Houston and put >your career where your mouth is. With all due respect, I believe I am doing far more to fix it up here in Michigan than I could in Houston. Allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lady Astor: "Sir, if you were my husband I would poison your coffee!" | | W. Churchill: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." | +----------------------33 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX-----------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 13 May 1993 23:37:46 -0500 From: Keith Stein Subject: Gps launch Newsgroups: sci.space Next GPS launch is scheduled for June 24th. * Origin: No. VA Astronomy Club 703-256-4777 (1:109/118) ------------------------------ Date: 14 May 1993 10:05:22 -0500 From: COLAVITA@ITSICTP.BITNET Subject: Pegasus, X-ray telescopes Newsgroups: sci.space Hi: Can somebody indicate to me where I could find some literature about PEGASUS and about X-ray telescopes using the coded mask technique ?? Thanks colavita@ictp.trieste.it Alberto Colavita Microprocessor Laboratory ICTP ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 12:56:34 GMT From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: Soyuz and Shuttle Comparisons Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1993May13.101820.21298@ke4zv.uucp> gary@ke4zv.UUCP (Gary Coffman) writes: >>As a rough guess I would say that in 10 years Shuttle has delivered >>to LEO about as much as Saturn V did in 4 years. >We have to be careful to define what is payload and what is propulsion >and spacecraft structure. Often Shuttle lifts satellites with upper stages. Yet we still consider it payload. Ten Saturn flights over about 4 years delivered to LEO roughly the same as 50 shuttle flights over 10 years. >of course Saturn lifted more than Shuttle, >but it's cost to orbit in same year dollars was higher. They where pretty much the same in terms of cost/pound. A resurected Saturn would cost only $2,000 per pound (if development costs are ignored) which is five times cheaper than Shuttle. Allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lady Astor: "Sir, if you were my husband I would poison your coffee!" | | W. Churchill: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." | +----------------------33 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX-----------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 13:10:44 GMT From: Dave Stephenson Subject: Why we like DC-X (was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X?) Newsgroups: sci.space mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539) writes: >In schumach@convex.com (Richard A. Schumacher) writes: >>Indeed, "man-rating" is a holdover from a time when people >>were converting ICBMs into spacecraft launchers. These >>were multimillion dollar assets that were supposed to destroy >>themselves in use! Do people "man-rate" commercial aircraft? >Well, actually, they sort of do man-rate commercial aircraft. I >believe it's called an Airworthiness Certification. I'm not sure how >much goes into actually 'man-rating' a booster, but I would suspect >that the testing required for an Airworthiness Cert on a totally new >design would be at least comparable. >>No. Ships? No. >Hmmm. Not sure what's required for ships. Probably not much, since >if a ship goes down it doesn't hurt too many people other than those >on the ship and those who invested in it. If a plane or spacecraft >goes down, it can make quite a nasty mess on the ground, should it >land in an inappropriate place. >-- Hmmm... Lloyds has been doing it for centuries. You want insurance, you better have a well found, Bristol fashioned ship. Supertankers make nice messes too! If you do not have insurance, you may sail the high seas, but a lot of ports will be closed to you. If your ship does not meet port inspection, it can be impounded. Of course we may see rust bucket 'flag of convenience' DC's launched from Panama one day. -- Dave Stephenson Geological Survey of Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada *Om Mani Padme Hum 1-2-3* Internet: stephens@geod.emr.ca ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 13:20:55 GMT From: "Allen W. Sherzer" Subject: Why we like DC-X (was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X?) Newsgroups: sci.space In article <1993May13.184233.6060@mksol.dseg.ti.com>, mccall@mksol.dseg.ti.com (fred j mccall 575-3539) writes: >Well, actually, they sort of do man-rate commercial aircraft. I >believe it's called an Airworthiness Certification. DC will get an airworthiness certification. Expendables can't get one since it involves testing by actually flying the bird. allen -- +---------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Lady Astor: "Sir, if you were my husband I would poison your coffee!" | | W. Churchill: "Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it." | +----------------------33 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX-----------------------+ ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 1993 13:16:13 GMT From: Dave Stephenson Subject: Why we like DC-X (was Re: Shuttle 0-Defects & Bizarre? DC-X?) Newsgroups: sci.space henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article schumach@convex.com (Richard A. Schumacher) writes: >>>If DC-Y carries people into orbit, then it's gonna need that toilet... >> >>Are you sure? Not too many trucks, busses or cars have toilets... >I'm not sure what things are like in the less orderly parts of what was >once British North America :-), but up here the inter-city buses always >have toilets. As do the trains and the airliners. >(However, I do agree with Richard that if you're planning short missions, >it may not be worth the trouble of providing anything more than a urine- >disposal rig and a few baggies.) Its the thought of staggering down the aisle at 3g's to the small room past the Cabin staff when you HAVE to go worries me. Rough Air is bad enough. -- Dave Stephenson Geological Survey of Canada Ottawa, Ontario, Canada *Om Mani Padme Hum 1-2-3* Internet: stephens@geod.emr.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 4 May 93 17:53:33 EST From: MAILRP%ESA.BITNET@vm.gmd.de PRESS INFORMATION NOTE Nr.09-93 Paris, 3 May 1993 XXVIIth ESLAB Symposium : frontiers of Space and ground based astronomy Some 180 astrophysicists from more than 20 countries will gather in the week from 10-14 May at ESA's Research and Technology Centre, ESTEC, in Noordwijk (the Netherlands) to review, at the 27th ESLAB conference, the state of observational astrophysics and cosmology. The 15th anniversary of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) as well as the formal completion of the original mission of ESA's Hipparcos spacecraft have been reason to review the enormous advances made in the last decade. The conference is structured in three main sections dealing with the most important discoveries and advances accomplished with the current generation of ground-based and space telescopes; the impact of this new information on our understanding of the physical Universe; and the outlook on future projects both on the ground and in Space. This gathering of prominent and active scientists is especially timely now that ESA's Horizon 2000 programme, the Agency's long-term programme in the basic space sciences, is reaching its half way mark. The unavoidable long lead time for future spaceborne and ground-based astronomical facilities, makes it extremely important to review the current status at this stage to assure that the dynamic structure of the Universe, which has only became obvious in the last decade, is firmly taken into consideration for future plans. This symposium may identify unforeseen directions for future astrophysics, both theoretical as well as observational. The press is invited to follow the introductory sessions of this symposium on Monday 10 May at ESTEC in the Conference Centre. The following representatives of the international scientific community, as well as ESA scientists, will be available for informal discussions between 15h30 and 16h30 D. Kniffen Compton Observatory USA J. Truemper ROSAT Germany S. Bowyer EUVE USA B. Peterson Multiwavelength USA F. Paresce Optical/HST Italy E. Becklin IR, Large telescopes USA M. Tarenghi Large Telescopes Italy (ESO) M. Longair Cosmology U.K. A. Boyarchuk President IAU F.S.U.  ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 27 Apr 93 17:41:13 EST From: MAILRP%ESA.BITNET@vm.gmd.de Press Release Nr.21-93 Paris, 27 April 1993 Spacelab D-2 in orbit After a successful lift-off on 26 April 1993 at 14:50 hrs, (UT) the second German Spacelab mission D-2 on board Space shuttle Columbia has reached orbit and operations have started as scheduled. On this occasion, ESA has sent up to space facilities hosting a number of European experiments to further expand the knowledge of basic phenomena in fluid physics and material sciences, and particularly to perform for the first time an integrated medical screening of the human body in the absence of gravity. From the DLR (the German Research Establishment for Aerospace) control centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, near Munich, almost 200 specialists are directing and controlling the activities taking place on board the Shuttle. At the same time, scientists from all over Europe, the United States and Japan are interacting on a permanent basis with the crew of 7 astronauts, which includes two German Payload Specialists from DLR, as they conduct experiments in the fields of material sciences, life sciences, human physiology, Earth observation and robotics technology. While already seated in the orbiter waiting for launch, during lift-off and the first hours of their presence in orbit (before activation of Spacelab), the astronauts performed medical experiments in connection with ESA's Anthrorack facility. The change in the gravity pull on the human body from 1g (normal weight conditions on Earth under the influence of gravity) to almost 0g (weightlessness), causes an accumulation of fluids (blood and liquids) in the upper body which leads to an increase in blood filling of the heart and the lungs, gradually leading to a new equilibrium. The experiments in Anthrorack which are being run in the first part of the mission are suited to monitoring all these modifications and analysing how the human body reacts and adapts to the new 'gravity- free' environment. In the first couple of days in space, during the phase in which the astronauts could still suffer from space-motion sickness, an experiment is being performed to monitor the adaptation process taking place in the blood circulation and in the lungs. On the 4th day of the mission the full set of tests on Anthrorack will start on a daily basis and the astronauts will have to undergo, at regular intervals, a number of tests during exercise and at rest. Blood, urine and saliva samples will also be taken to monitor and collect data on the endocrinological system and the metabolism. The results of the tests are being transmitted in real time to ground at the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, and from there to the DLR Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen where the teams of scientists who developed the experiments are immediately able to record and analyse them. Belgian, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Swedish, Swiss and American scientists are involved in the Anthrorack experiments. ESA's Advanced Fluid Physics Module (AFPM) will be switched on in the course of the second day of the mission. The 5 experiments contained in the facility will determine how absence of gravity influences the properties and behaviour of fluids (liquid column dynamics, convection, capillary forces and interfaces between immiscible liquids). The experiments, which are being performed for scientists from the University of Madrid (Spain), the Battelle Institute (Germany), the University of Essen (Germany), the University of Naples (Italy) and the University of Brussels (Belgium), will continue until a few hours before landing. The Crew Telesupport Experiment (CTE) is to be performed between two portable computers and optical disc player systems linked to a standard modem to allow communications and exchange of graphic information (schematic diagrams, digitised photos, etc) between astronauts on board and scientists on the ground. It will be set up on the 4th day of the mission. After a 10-minute set-up session, two half-hour operational sessions are scheduled for this experiment. The CTE, which was designed mainly to make Spacelab easier to use and thereby make missions more cost-effective, will be and essential aid for future European astronauts on Columbus missions. The Microgravity Measurement Assembly (MMA) was switched on about five hours after lift-off. During the whole mission the equipment will measure the level of residual accelerations on board Spacelab and the data collected will be used to support the other experiments on board and assess the level of microgravity to which they are submitted. The current MMA concept will help in defining the microgravity measurement systems for the future Space Station laboratories. Nearly a third of the programme of scientific work for the Spacelab D-2 mission concerns the study of physical phenomena occurring in the fluid phases when materials are produced under microgravity conditions and the influence of such phenomena on the quality of materials. Six ESA funded experiments in the field of material sciences will be performed during the mission, mainly for German researchers. On the 5th and 6th days of the mission the HOLOP (Holographic Optics) laboratory on Spacelab D-2 will give European scientists an excellent opportunity to remotely operate from Earth a fluid physics experiment investigating liquid motion (convection). The MARCO (for MARangoni COnvection) experiment, continues the telescience operations initiated by ESA and already tested several times during previous Shuttle missions. The HOLOP/MARCO telescience experiment will be directly controlled by the investigators from a remote centre in Cologne, the DLR Microgravity User Support Centre (MUSC).   ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 May 93 18:02:14 EST From: MAILRP%ESA.BITNET@vm.gmd.de Press Release Nr. 22-93 Paris, 4 May 1993 Advanced Video-conferencing via satellite : Affordable - Operational - Efficient The European Space Agency (ESA), in cooperation with the European Telecommunications Satellite Organisation (EUTELSAT), Matra Marconi Space (France/UK) and Joanneum Research of Graz (Austria), will be conducting daily video-conferences by satellite from Kiev (Ukraine) to various sites in Austria, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom during the NeoCom'93 exhibition and congress taking place in Kiev from 11 to 13 May 1993. The wide coverage and point-to-multipoint capabilities of the EUTELSAT satellites provide unique possibilities for multi- location video-conferencing. These features are valuable world-wide but they are particularly important when the existing ground infrastructure is not fully developed, for example, between Western Europe, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. EUTELSAT has made particular efforts to respond to the needs for an instant telecommunications infrastructure. In particular, EUTELSAT II-F4 and F5 have been modified to bring Eastern Europe as far as Moscow into the nominal service area. Developed on behalf of the European Space Agency by Joanneum Research and Matra Marconi Space, the DICE system can simultaneously link up to four sites having DICE Earth stations employing antennas of only 1.5 to 2.4 metres in diametre and located at users' premises. It allows each of up to four participating groups at great distances from one another to be simultaneously present with the others as though they were in the same room. This is achieved by use of high- quality multipoint video, sound and data exchange techniques. With digital compression techniques, up to 6O DICE carriers can be accommodated on a single satellite transponder, thus keeping operating costs within reasonable bounds. Many DICE units are now in operation via EUTELSAT satellites. Thanks to this flexible and mobile system, satellite video-conferencing is offered by Matra Marconi Space and Joanneum Research to business and other users throughout Europe. During the NeoCom congress, trade and other visitors will be able to talk with engineers and managers in Western Europe, eye to eye, via satellite, over distances of nearly 2000 kilometres. ************************ Note to editors : The DICE system is marketed by MATRA MARCONI SPACE and JOANNEUM RESEARCH, which can supply further product information. For television stations : a 10 minute video on DICE is available from ESA in BETACAM-SP and VHS formats. This press release is issued jointly by ESA, EUTELSAT, MATRA MARCONI SPACE AND JOANNEUM RESEARCH. For further information, please contact : ESA Public Relations - Tel: +33.1.42.73.71.55 - Fax: +33.1.42.73.76.90 EUTELSAT Press Service - Tel: +33.1.45.38.47.57 - Fax: +33.1.45.38.37.00 MATRA MARCONI SPACE - Tel: +33.1. 34.88.38.99 - Fax: +33.1 34.88.43.43 JOANNEUM RESEARCH - Dr. O. Koudelka Tel :+43.316.465.746 - Fax: +43.316.463.697   ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 5 May 93 18:07:31 EST From: MAILRP%ESA.BITNET@vm.gmd.de Joint ESA/CNES Press Release n+ 23-93 Paris, 5 May 1993 International Colloquium - Paris, 10-13 May 1993 From optical to radar: SPOT and ERS applications  Following seven years of using the SPOT system (the third satellite in the series, SPOT-3, will be launched in September this year), and two years after the launch of ERS-1, the French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES) and the European Space Agency (ESA) are holding an important colloquium with the title From optical to radar: SPOT and ERS applications This is designed to show the relevance and complementary nature of optical and radar data for operational applications, using examples of the joint processing and use of data from the SPOT and ERS Earth observation satellites. Some sixty specialists from a wide range of countries will meet in Paris to present their work on perfecting operational methods and on incorporating these in actual projects. Almost 350 persons are registered for the event, which will provide an opportunity to discuss the following broad areas of application: - Renewable resources: crops, water, forests, oceans, etc. - Non-renewable resources: geology, mine prospecting, etc. - Land management: town planning, transport, mapping, civil engineering works. - Major international programmes: environmental monitoring and management. This programme will also make it possible to look at recent technical developments in satellite image processing. For further details, please contact: ESA Press Office CNES Press Office 8-10 rue Mario Nikis 2, place Maurice Quentin F-75015 PARIS F-75001-PARIS Tl: +(33)(1) 42 73 71 55 Tl: (+33)(1) 45.08.76.88 fax: (+33)(1) 42 73 76 90 Fax: (+33)(1) 45.08.78.16  ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 14 May 93 14:22:30 CET From: PREGAN%ESOC.BITNET@vm.gmd.de ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Phil Regan Tecnodata Italia Email : PREGAN@ESOC.BITNET Mission Support Systems European Space Operations Centre Darmstadt 6100 Bundesrepublik Deutschland tel 06151-90-3060 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- Press Release Nr.24-93 Paris, 7 May 1993 Selection of ESA astronauts for Mir Precursor flights in 1994 and 1995 Mr Jean-Marie Luton, Director General of ESA, has today, Friday 7 May, selected the four ESA astronauts from among whom two will be chosen to take part in the precursor flights to Mir-1 scheduled in 1994 and 1995. They are Pedro Duque and Ulf Merbold for the ESA/Mir flight in September 1994 (mission 17), which will last 30 days, and Christer Fuglesang and Thomas Reiter for the ESA/Mir flight in August 1995 (mission 19), which will last 135 days. This selection was made on the recommendation of the ESA European Astronaut Centre, following a series of physical and medical tests. In August the four astronauts start on a special course of training for Mir missions at Star City, near Moscow in Russia. About eight months before each mission, the ESA Director General will nominate the astronaut chosen to fly and the back-up. The prime and back-up crews will then train in parallel. About a week before the mission, following the last in the series of medical assessments, the final crew selection will be made. It is already planned that the ESA astronaut on the 1995 Mir mission will carry out extravehicular activities. The main objectives of these precursor flights are twofold: operational and scientific. The ESA astronauts will be able to gain and develop experience of crewed flight in preparation for the future programmes that it is currently planned to carry out in cooperation both with the Americans and with the Russians. At the same time, a number of scientific experiments, notably connected with microgravity (life sciences, human physiology and materials science), will be performed. 30-day ESA/Mir flight (mission 17) - launch in September 1994 Name: Pedro DUQUE Date and place of birth: 14 March 1963 in Madrid, Spain Education: Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid Marital status: Married with one child Experience: Prior to his selection as an ESA candidate astronaut, Mr Duque worked as a software engineer in the Flight Mechanics Group at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC, an ESA establishment) in Darmstadt, Germany, where he was in charge of orbit determination of Earth-orbiting satellites. Name: Ulf MERBOLD Date and place of birth: 20 June 1941 in Greiz, Germany Education: Degree in Physics from Stuttgart University (1968), Doctorate of Science (1976) Marital status: Married with two children Experience: On leaving university, Mr Merbold worked at the Max Planck Institute of Metallurgical Research in Stuttgart, Germany. In 1977 he was selected by ESA as a payload specialist for the Spacelab-1 mission (STS-9), which took place from 28 November to 8 December 1983. This made him the first non- American astronaut to take part in a Shuttle mission. His second flight was on the Spacelab IML-1 mission (STS- 42),from 22 to 30 January 1992. 135-day ESA/Mir flight (mission 19) - launch in August 1995 Name: Christer FUGLESANG Date and place of birth: 18 March 1957 in Nacka, Sweden Education: Master of Science in Physics, Mathematics and Engineering from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm; Doctorate in Experimental Particle Physics from Stockholm University. Marital status: Married with two children Experience: Mr Fuglesang worked as a graduate student in experimental particle physics at Stockholm University. In 1988 he joined the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva, Switzerland, where he worked until 1990 as project leader on the particle sub- detector of the CPLEAR experiment. Prior to his selection, he was a research assistant at the Manne Siegbahn Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. Name: Thomas REITER Date and place of birth: 23 May 1958 in Frankfurt-am- Main, Germany Education: Dipl. Ingenieur in Aerospace and Technology from the University of the Armed Forces, Munich. Trained as a test pilot at the Military Flight Test Centre in Manching, Germany. Marital status: Married with one child Experience: Mr Reiter trained as a jet pilot with the United States and German Air Forces and passed out successfully from the Empire Test Pilots' School in the United Kingdom before being selected as an ESA candidate astronaut.  ------------------------------ End of Space Digest Volume 16 : Issue 572 ------------------------------