Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V10_3/V10_375.TXT

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Date: Fri,  5 Jan 90 01:50:00 -0500 (EST)
Subject: SPACE Digest V10 #375

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 10 : Issue 375

Today's Topics:
         Re: The time thread that won't die.
           Re: space news from Nov 13 AW&ST
            Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?
                I.S.U.
            Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?
         Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive
            Re: Visits to KSC and launches
               Re: space program goals
         NASA Headline News for 12/29/89 (Forwarded)
            Re: Photographer of the decade
            Re: Photographer of the decade
            Telling it like it is.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: 23 Dec 89 20:21:29 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!caesar.cs.montana.edu!ogicse!plains![e-mail]  (Glen Overby)
Subject: Re: The time thread that won't die.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Games Wizard) writes:
>There will be >>NO<< PARTY for software engineers on Jan 1 2000, because at
>that point all of the old bad programmers will have to figure out how to fix
>all the programs with 89 instead of 1989 as dates in data.  For them
>at least the old milennia will end, and a new one ( a kinder gentler
>more user-friendly one ) will begin.

Ah, but you are forgetting that not everybody uses the last two digits of
the year!  Some systems, like Unix, the Mac, and DOS keep time relative to
an epoch (Midnight Jan 1, 1970 for Unix).  Not that the OS' internal
representation can prevent an application program from making the mistake
you describe...

Those systems will blow up at a later time, when the time quantum exceeds
what can be represented by an unsigned integer.  So far, sizeof(int) has
increased faster than time.

Some programmers who practice other unclean methods will also have problems
when the time exceeds a positive integer, and their time will become
negative.  For the most part, these problems are left for a future
generation of softwear engineers to work out.

>"and the master programmer spake :  Now my son, you are truly enlightened."

"There is always a better way."
        -- Thomas Edison

--
        Glen Overby    <[e-mail]>
    uunet!plains!overby (UUCP)  ncoverby@ndsuvax, overby@plains (Bitnet)

------------------------------

Date: 1 Jan 90 20:12:12 GMT
From: rochester![e-mail]  (Paul Dietz)
Subject: Re: space news from Nov 13 AW&ST

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Henry Spencer) writes:

>First results are in from the protein-crystal-growth experiment on
>STS-26.  Three of the eleven materials produced crystals "far superior"
>to any seen before.

There was also a short piece about this in Scientific American.  This
is looking to me like one application of microgravity that is both
feasible and could be served by small launchers.

On the subject of microgravity: I read that a new (ground based)
technique for growing GaAs crystals, developed at LBL, has achieved a
defect density of 1000 defects/cm^2, some 50-100 times better than the
Czochralski technique, and 5-10 times better than other conventional
processes (Photonics Spectra, Dev. 1989, page 58).  What was the
defect density they were projecting for space-grown GaAs?

    Paul F. Dietz
    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 20 Dec 89 09:26:55 GMT
From: hoptoad![e-mail]  (Tim Maroney)
Subject: Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Bill Wyatt) writes:
>The inflation theory predicts Omega is exactly 1.0000... , but
>every piece of observational evidence says Omega is between 0.1 and
>0.3, so the Universe is open. There are lots of truly creative  ways of
>reconciling the discrepancies; shadow matter, tailored particles,
>etc., etc. None of them has any observational basis; their sole
>reason for being is to close the Universe.

I've often wondered about this.  So many scientists seem to take the
dark matter for granted, but I've yet to see any clear reason for
postulating it other than a sort of religious dogma that the universe
will eventually recollapse.  Is there really any stronger basis for
believing that we only see ten percent of the universe, or are people
letting their aesthetics guide their modeling?
--
Tim Maroney, Mac Software Consultant, sun!hoptoad!tim, [e-mail]

"I've been called an evil genius by cities of assholes...  but I know who
 these people are!  And they're on my list!" -- Robert Crumb

------------------------------

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Date: Mon, 18 Dec 89 18:45 GMT
From: [e-mail]


Date:    18/Dec/89
From:    [e-mail]   (Jordi Iparraguirre)
         [e-mail]
Subject: I.S.U.

Is anybody on the net who can explain me (us) what is I.S.U.
(International Space University). ?
I have heard things like "... future astronauts study there..."
Is it true ?
Why ISU was founded for ?
Who can go there?
etc...

Thanks in advance and merry Christmas !

(answers to space.sci or by e-mail)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jordi Iparraguirre, just a CS student at Uni. Autonoma de Barcelona
  [e-mail]
  [e-mail]
  [e-mail]                         ** Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi **
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date: 20 Dec 89 15:31:49 GMT
From: mcsun!ukc!cam-cl![e-mail]  (C.E. Thompson)
Subject: Re: Big Bang:  Did it happen?

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Dennis J. Kosterman) writes:
>......  I don't see how it's possible to say absolutely that the Big
>Bang did or did not occur.  We can only talk about probabilities.
                                                    !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Likelihoods, not probabilities, *please*. Or are you all unreformed Bayesians
out there?


Chris Thompson
JANET:    [e-mail]
Internet: [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: Tue, 19 Dec 89 09:01:11 PST
From: mordor!lll-tis!ames!scubed!pnet01.cts.com![e-mail] (Jim Bowery)
To: crash![e-mail]
Subject: Re: proposed "space-mail" incentive

Steve Emmerson writes:
>The few discussions on this topic have been interesting, but haven't
>addressed the original question, viz. a description (preferably financial)
>of those currently existing demands for `space-mail' services which are
>analogous to the early-aviation demand for more rapid mail delivery.

Save your breath, Steve.  Henry and Kieran are just making noises.
HR2674 is the correct solution.

By the way, I've noticed a marked decline in Henry's critical
thinking skills since Kieran showed up on the net with his nauseating
sophistry.  Too bad for Henry.

---
Typical RESEARCH grant:
$
Typical DEVELOPMENT contract:
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

------------------------------

Date: 21 Dec 89 15:37:21 GMT
From: amdahl!pacbell!rtech!squid![e-mail]  ("REB - Tennessee Lamb")
Subject: Re: Visits to KSC and launches

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Francis Vaughan) writes:
>There are two tours, the red and the blue. One takes you down the cape
>and shows you such unforgettable things as the launch control bunker for
>the Explorer shots. Outside this is a lawned area covered is old missiles
>and small rockets and interesting junk. They let you have ten minutes to
>see it. TEN MINUTES!! you can't even do justice to one exhibit in that
>time. As the bus left I saw a V-1 and V-2 for the first time out of the
>window. I had not enough time to walk completly around the lawn to even
>glance at the exhibits.

I remember that one time I was there a couple of years ago they had  a special
do-it-yourself tour one day a week.  I happened to be there the right  day ;-)
I don't remember the details, but you basically got a map and  were allowed to
go around and look at some of the old launch pads at your own leisure.
                                        reb
                                [e-mail] [e-mail]
                                h:861 Washington Westwood NJ 07675 201-666-9207
I've been warped by the rain,
driven by the snow drunk and dirty don't you know and I'm still willin'...

------------------------------

Date: 22 Dec 89 20:36:45 GMT
From: groucho![e-mail]  (Steve Emmerson)
Subject: Re: space program goals

In the referenced article, Forrest Gehrke indicates his disagreement
with my submitted hypothesis that, in retrospect, the national prestige
goal of the Apollo program was irrelevant.  He cites as evidence the
ferver of the times vis a vis the space race with the Soviet Union.

I, too, remember those times.  I cannot believe without very strong
evidence, however, that the outcome of the Moon race would have
affected, for example, the Vietnam War, the oil-embargo of '73, the
development of the PC, Watergate, the fall of the Shah, Glasnost,
democratic reforms in Eastern Europe, or our Invasion of Panama.

I also note that, although the United States "won" the Moon race, it
also developed the massive and somewhat self-serving bureaucracy that
resulted in 1) the Space Shuttle (which I view as something of a white
elephant) and 2) the Challenger tragedy/fiasco.  In retrospect, and in
my opinion, these "downs" cancel, to a large extent, the "up" of
reaching the Moon first.

These are my reasons for citing the "national prestige" goal (as
implemented) as irrelevant.

--Steve Emmerson    [e-mail]

------------------------------

Date: 29 Dec 89 20:30:12 GMT
From: trident.arc.nasa.gov![e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: NASA Headline News for 12/29/89 (Forwarded)

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, December 29, 1989                     Audio: 202/755-1788
-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is NASA Headline News for Friday, December 29....


Work at Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39-A is winding down
for the long holiday weekend.  The pad will be shut down, except
for necessary maintenance, from 7:00 P.M., Eastern time, tonight
until 7:00 A.M., Tuesday.   Launch personnel will report in full
force early Tuesday to prepare for the STS-32 launch now targeted
for January 8.


For the seventh time this month the launch of a Titan 3
commercial launch vehicle has been delayed at Cape Canaveral.
Last evening's postponement was again attributed to bad weather
conditions.  Martin Marietta will try again tonight.


A Commerce Department report says commercial space services and
sales in 1990 should see an increase to $3.3 billion from a 1989
total of $2.6 billion.  The report says fourteen commercial
launches are scheduled for 1990.


Space shuttle main engines have been test fired for over 400,000
seconds, according to Rockwell International's Rocketdyne
Division.  Rocketdyne told Aerospace Daily the milestone was
reached recently with a 754-second test firing of a developmental
engine at NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.  Of that
total time....over 72,500 seconds have been at the 109 percent
level.  Engine test firing is conducted at Stennis and at
Rocketdyne's Santa Susana facility in California.


NASA's Johnson Space Center has awarded a five-year extension to
an existing contract with Rockwell Space Operations Co. for space
transportation systems operations.  Estimated value of the
initial extension period from January 1990 to December 1994, is
$1.55 billion.


A NASA scientist has produced what's called "celestial constants"
that are expected to be extremely useful to astronomers and
physicists.  The constants are the first pure measurements of the
various kinds of background light in our solar system, galaxy and
universe.    Using extensive light measurements made by the
Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft...Dr. Gary Toller of NASA's Goddard
Space Flight Center, and General Sciences Corporation, of Laurel,
Maryland, carried out the research.

                      *         *         *


----------------------------------------------------------------
Here's the broadcast schedule for public affairs events on NASA
Select TV. All times are Eastern.


Thursday, January 4....

     11:30 A.M.         NASA Update will be transmitted.


There will be extensive coverage of the STS-32 space shuttle
mission on NASA Select TV.  A full schedule of coverage will be
filed on January 2.

All events and times are subject to change without notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
These reports are filed daily, Monday through Friday, at 12 noon,
Eastern time.  There will be no headline report on January 1, New
Year's day.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A service of the Internal Communications Branch (LPC), NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

------------------------------

Date: 30 Dec 89 02:35:48 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!cs.utexas.edu!natinst!rpp386!puzzle!khijol![e-mail]  (Edwin R. Carp)
Subject: Re: Photographer of the decade

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (David Anthony Kramer) writes:
>The editors of the magazine 'American Photo' nominated Voyager 2 as
>the photographer of the decade, although they leave the final award

Voyager, my eye!  Ansel Adams gets MY vote.

--------------------------- discard all after this line -----------------------
Ed Carp    N7EKG/5 (28.3-28.5) ...!attctc!puzzle!khijol!erc  (home) [phone]
Snail Mail:  2000 Cedar Bend Dr., #335, Austin, TX  78758

[Disclaimer:  The information contained in this message is soley for informa-
tional purposes only.  Use at your own risk.  No warranty expressed or
implied.]

Score:
Noriega: 1  USA: 0

"Good tea.  Nice house."  -- Worf

------------------------------

Date: 1 Jan 90 21:34:36 GMT
From: zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!brutus.cs.uiuc.edu!jarthur!polyslo!cosmos.acs.calpoly.edu![e-mail]  (Terrell Drinkard)
Subject: Re: Photographer of the decade


 [e-mail] (Edwin R. Carp) writes:
 [e-mail] (David Anthony Kramer) writes:
>>The editors of the magazine 'American Photo' nominated Voyager 2 as
>>the photographer of the decade, although they leave the final award
>
>Voyager, my eye!  Ansel Adams gets MY vote.

Not to be overly picky, but Adams' most famous pictures were taken
during his 1916 trip to Yosemite, not during the 1980s; though he
did have the grace to die the year Ronbo was re-elected.  :-)

Terry

Disclaimer et la Signaturo:
Hell no, I'm not responsible for what I say!  If everyone were
responsible for what they said, we'd have had a balanced budget in
1984.

------------------------------

Date: 2 Jan 90 12:05:46 GMT
From: wrksys.dec.com![e-mail]  (CUP/ASG, MLO5-2/G1 6A, 223-3283 30-Dec-1989 1459)
Subject: Telling it like it is.


        The following is from the December 30, 1989 strip of CALVIN AND
    HOBBES by Bill Watterson -

        Hobbes:  "A new decade is coming up."

        Calvin:  "Yeah, big deal!  Hmph.  Where are the flying cars?
                  Where are the Moon colonies?  Where are the personal
                  robots and the zero-gravity boots, huh?  You call
                  this a new decade?!  You call this the future??  HA!
                  Where are the rocket packs?  Where are the disinte-
                  gration rays??  Where are the floating cities?"

        Hobbes:  "Frankly, I'm not sure people have the brains to manage
                  the technology they've got."

        Calvin:  "I mean, look at this!  We still have the weather?!
                  Give me a break!"

------------------------------

End of SPACE Digest V10 #375
*******************