Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V13_4/V13_413.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #413

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 13 : Issue 413

Today's Topics:
         Re: Air Force small launch contract
          Re: Justifying manned space flight
             Re: NASA & Executive Branch
           List of Frequently Seen Acronyms (LONG)

Administrivia:

    Submissions to the SPACE Digest/sci.space should be mailed to
  [e-mail].  Other mail, esp. [un]subscription requests,
  should be sent to [e-mail], or, if urgent, to
             [e-mail]

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

Date: 16 Apr 91 11:42:53 GMT
From: ncrcom!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd![e-mail]  (Mike McManus)
Subject: Re: Air Force small launch contract

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Vincent Cate) writes:
>   I have been told (by somebody who stands a good chance of knowing)
>   that Orbital Sciences Corp is the only company with a bid in on the
>   Air Force contract for 5 small launches per year.  Does anybody know
>   if this is true?  Does anybody know of any other company bidding
>   on this contract?

Not sure I can answer the question, but I can add that my wife (an OSC
employee) just told me this morning that it is now "public knowledge" that OSC
has been awarded the contract, amounting to 40 or so Pegasus launches.

>   Assuming this is true, does anyone know why?  It seems there are a
>   number of companies bidding on the Motorola replacement launches and
>   I would think these same companies would be interested in the Air Force
>   contract too.

I know there are plenty of bids for the orignal launch of the Iridium sats, but
I think that OSC is the only replacement bid for one-at-a-time, the rest assume
2-3 per shot to be economically feasable (or piggy-back with some other load).
'Course I could be wrong on that.  My wife doesn't tell me everthing she knows,
she's afraid I'll "accidently" post it to the net :-)...
--
Disclaimer: All spelling and/or grammar in this document are guaranteed to be
            correct; any exseptions is the is wurk uv intter-net deemuns,.

Mike McManus                        [e-mail], or
NCR Microelectronics                ncr-mpd![e-mail], or
2001 Danfield Ct.                   uunet!ncrlnk!ncr-mpd!garage!mikemc
Ft. Collins,  Colorado
[phone]   Ext. 378

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

Date: 16 Apr 91 02:02:27 GMT
From: unisoft!fai!sequent!crg5![e-mail]  (Nick Szabo)
Subject: Re: Justifying manned space flight

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (John McCarthy) writes:

>In my opinion manned space flight should be justified for itself;
>mankind is going to the stars, and I would like to see as much as
>possible of it happen in my lifetime.

Space habitats cost 1,000,000 times a Winnebago of equivalent size
and function.  We aren't going to the stars with anything resembling
today's manned spaceflight technology.

If we want to see this happen anytime soon, let's learn about
where we want to go -- study astronomy -- instead of spending $billions
on engineering that will be obsolete in ten years.  One of the
largest gaps in space colonization is how to recover space resources,
especially volatiles.  We are woefully ignorant about small comets that
could be captured into earth orbit using gravity assist and aerobraking.
Theories differ widely (zero to millions) on how many of these exist,
and we have no capabilities for detecting them.  We know somewhat more
about near-earth asteroids, but still do not have enough capability to
detect the smaller, capturable ones.

BTW, kudos to the folks who are gathering and distributing the Dobsonian
comet and near-earth asteroid ephemerides in sci.astro.  This is a
great start -- these are the kind of projects we need to get mankind to
the stars.


>It pains me to have to tell
>my son, "Americans used to go to the moon, but we don't do it
>any more."

It pained a lot of American taxpayers to pay for it.  In 1969 less
than 40% of the American public was in favor the Apollo flights.

It pains me to see NASA spend money on engineering that is
inappropriate in scale for industrial uses and does not increase
our knowledge of space resources.  For going to the stars, we must
concentrate on advancing our knowledge.  We will not reach the stars
through ignorance.


--
Nick Szabo            [e-mail]
"The biscuits and the syrup never come out even" -- Robert A. Heinlein
The above opinions are my own and not related to those of any
organization I may be affiliated with.

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

Date: 16 Apr 91 21:16:17 GMT
From: epiwrl!wrl.epi.com![e-mail]  (Alan Parker)
Subject: Re: NASA & Executive Branch

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail]
(Henry Spencer) writes:
> Apart from the difficulty of getting such a forthright order out of any
> recent president :-(, alas, no.  Checks and balances.  The President can
> order NASA to do it, but only Congress can authorize spending money on it.


Does it bother others that so many don't seem to understand how our
government works?   We shouldn't expect everyone around the world to
understand the limits of a President and the role of Congress; but
certainly every American kid in school is taught about these things.
If Henry has to start telling posters how our government works, then we are
in big trouble.   I'm sure few of us can tell him how his works!

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

Date: 16 Apr 91 22:25:23 GMT
From: typhoon.ucar.edu![e-mail]  (Mark Bradford)
Subject: List of Frequently Seen Acronyms (LONG)


Acronym List for sci.astro, sci.space, and sci.space.shuttle:
Version 2.1, 16 Apr 1991
Last posted: 12 Mar 1991

This list is offered as a reference for translating commonly appearing
acronyms in the space-related newsgroups.  If I forgot or botched your
favorite acronym, please let me know!  Also, if there's an acronym *not*
on this list that confuses you, drop me a line, and if I can figure
it out I'll add it to the list.

The list will be posted at random intervals, more or less monthly.  All
comments regarding it are welcome; I'm reachable as [e-mail].

Note that this just tells what the acronyms stand for -- you're on your
own for figuring out what they *mean*!  Note also that the total number of
acronyms in use far exceeds what I can list; special-purpose acronyms that
are essentially always explained as they're introduced are omitted.

Thanks to everybody who's sent suggestions since the first version of
the list, and especially to Garrett A. Wollman ([e-mail]),
who is maintaining an independent list, somewhat more verbose in
character than mine.  He cribs from me, I crib from him.  It works.  :-)

AAS: American Astronomical Society
ACRV: Assured Crew Return Vehicle (or) Astronaut Crew Rescue Vehicle
AGN: Active Galactic Nucleus
ALS: Advanced Launch System
ANSI: American National Standards Institute
AOA: Abort Once Around (Shuttle abort plan)
APU: Auxiliary Power Unit
ARC: Ames Research Center (NASA)
ASRM: Advanced Solid Rocket Motor
ATDRS: Advanced Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
ATO: Abort To Orbit (Shuttle abort plan)
AU: Astronomical Unit
AURA: Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy
AW&ST: Aviation Week and Space Technology (a.k.a. AvLeak)
AXAF: Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility
BATSE: Burst And Transient Source Experiment (on GRO)
BBXRT: Broad-Band X-Ray Telescope (ASTRO package)
BH: Black Hole
BTW: By The Way
C&T: Communications & Tracking
CCAFS: Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
CCD: Charge-Coupled Device
CD-ROM: Compact Disk Read-Only Memory
CFHT: Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope
CIT: Circumstellar Imaging Telescope
COBE: COsmic Background Explorer
COSTAR: Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement
CRAF: Comet Rendezvous / Asteroid Flyby
CRRES: Combined Release / Radiation Effects Satellite
CSM: Command and Service Module (Apollo spacecraft)
DDCU: DC-to DC Converter Unit
DFRF: Dryden Flight Research Facility
DMSP: Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
DOD: Department Of Defense (sometimes DoD)
DOE: Department Of Energy
DOT: Department of Transportation
EAFB: Edwards Air Force Base
ECS: Environmental Control System
EDO: Extended Duration Orbiter
EGRET: Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (on GRO)
ELV: Expendable Launch Vehicle
EMU: Extravehicular Mobility Unit
EOS: Earth Observing System
ESA: European Space Agency
ET: (Shuttle) External Tank
ETLA: Extended Three Letter Acronym
ETR: Eastern Test Range
EUV: Extreme UltraViolet
EUVE: Extreme UltraViolet Explorer
EVA: ExtraVehicular Activity
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
FGS: Fine Guidance Sensors (on HST)
FIR: Far InfraRed
FITS: Flexible Image Transport System
FOC: Faint Object Camera (on HST)
FOS: Faint Object Spectrograph (on HST)
FTP: File Transfer Protocol
FTS: Flight Telerobotic Servicer
FUSE: Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer
FYI: For Your Information
GAS: Get-Away Special
GBT: Green Bank Telescope
GEO: Geosynchronous Earth Orbit
GHRS: Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (on HST)
GIF: Graphics Interchange Format
GMRT: Giant Meter-wave Radio Telescope
GMT: Greenwich Mean Time (also called UT)
GOES: Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite
GPC: General Purpose Computer
GPS: Global Positioning System
GRO: Gamma Ray Observatory
GSC: Guide Star Catalog (for HST)
GSFC: Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA)
HD: Henry Draper catalog entry
HF: High Frequency
HLC: Heavy Lift Capability
HLV: Heavy Lift Vehicle
HR: Hertzsprung-Russell (diagram)
HSP: High Speed Photometer (on HST)
HST: Hubble Space Telescope
HUT: Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (ASTRO package)
IAU: International Astronomical Union
IDA: International Dark-sky Association
IDL: Interactive Data Language
IGM: InterGalactic Medium
IMHO: In My Humble Opinion
IOTA: International Occultation Timing Association
IR: InfraRed
IRAF: Image Reduction and Analysis Facility
IRAS: InfraRed Astronomical Satellite
ISAS: Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (Japan)
ISM: InterStellar Medium
ISO: Infrared Space Observatory (or) International Standards Organization
ISPM: International Solar Polar Mission (now Ulysses)
IUE: International Ultraviolet Explorer
IUS: Inertial Upper Stage
JEM: Japanese Experiment Module (for SSF)
JILA: Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics
JPL: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
JSC: Johnson Space Center (NASA)
KPNO: Kitt Peak National Observatory
KSC: Kennedy Space Center (NASA)
LANL: Los Alamos National Laboratories
LaRC: Langley Research Center (NASA)
LDEF: Long Duration Exposure Facility
LEM: Lunar Excursion Module (a.k.a. LM) (Apollo spacecraft)
LEO: Low Earth Orbit
LeRC: Lewis Research Center (NASA)
LLNL: Lawrence-Livermore National Laboratories
LM: Lunar Module (a.k.a. LEM) (Apollo spacecraft)
LN2: Liquid N2 (Nitrogen)
LOX: Liquid OXygen
LRB: Liquid Rocket Booster
MB: Manned Base
MCC: Mission Control Center
MECO: Main Engine CutOff
MMH: MonoMethyl Hydrazine
MMT: Multiple Mirror Telescope
MMU: Manned Maneuvering Unit
MOL: Manned Orbiting Laboratory
MOMV: Manned Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle
MOTV: Manned Orbital Transfer Vehicle
MSFC: (George C.) Marshall Space Flight Center (NASA)
MTC: Man Tended Capability
NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASDA: NAtional Space Development Agency (Japan)
NASP: National AeroSpace Plane
NBS: National Bureau of Standards (now NIST)
NGC: New General Catalog
NICMOS: Near Infrared Camera / Multi Object Spectrometer (HST upgrade)
NIR: Near InfraRed
NIST: National Institute for Standards and Technology (was NBS)
NOAA: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NOAO: National Optical Astronomical Observatories
NRAO: National Radio Astronomical Observatory
NRO: National Reconnaissance Organization
NS: Neutron Star
NSF: National Science Foundation
NTT: New Technology Telescope
OCST: Office of Commercial Space Transportation
OMB: Office of Management and Budget
OMS: Orbital Maneuvering System
OPF: Orbiter Processing Facility
OSC: Orbital Sciences Corporation
OSCAR: Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio
OSSE: Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (on GRO)
OTA: Optical Telescope Assembly (on HST)
OTV: Orbital Transfer Vehicle
OV: Orbital Vehicle
PAM: Payload Assist Module
PM: Pressurized Module
PMC: Permanently Manned Capability
PV: Photovoltaic
QSO: Quasi-Stellar Object
RF: Radio Frequency
RFI: Radio Frequency Interference
RIACS: Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science
RMS: Remote Manipulator System
RNGC: Revised New General Catalog
ROSAT: ROentgen SATellite
RTLS: Return To Launch Site (Shuttle abort plan)
SAA: South Atlantic Anomaly
SAR: Synthetic Aperture Radar
SAREX: Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment
SDI: Strategic Defense Initiative
SEI: Space Exploration Initiative
SETI: Search for ExtraTerrestrial Intelligence
SID: Sudden Ionospheric Disturbance
SIR: Shuttle Imaging Radar
SIRTF: Space InfraRed Telescope Facility
SLAR: Side-Looking Airborne Radar
SLC: Space Launch Complex
SLS: Space Life Sciences
SME: Solar Mesosphere Explorer
SMM: Solar Maximum Mission
SN: SuperNova (e.g., SN1987A)
SNR: Signal to Noise Ratio (or) SuperNova Remnant
SPAN: Space Physics and Analysis Network
SPDM: Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator
SPOT: Systeme Probatoire pour l'Observation de la Terre
SPS: Solar Power Satellite
SRB: Solid Rocket Booster
SRM: Solid Rocket Motor
SSF: Space Station Fred (er, Freedom)
SSI: Space Studies Institute
SSME: Space Shuttle Main Engine
SSPF: Space Station Processing Facility
SSRMS: Space Station Remote Manipulator System
SST: Spectroscopic Survey Telescope (or) SuperSonic Transport
SSTO: Single Stage To Orbit
STIS: Space Telescope Imaging Spectrometer (to replace FOC and GHRS)
STS: Shuttle Transport System (or) Space Transportation System
STScI: Space Telescope Science Institute
SWF: ShortWave Fading
TAL: Transatlantic Abort Landing (Shuttle abort plan)
TAU: Thousand Astronomical Unit (mission)
TCS: Thermal Control System
TDRS: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite
TDRSS: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
TLA: Three Letter Acronym
TOMS: Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer
TSS: Tethered Satellite System
UARS: Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
UBM: Unpressurized Berthing Mechanism
UDMH: Unsymmetrical DiMethyl Hydrazine
UGC: Uppsala General Catalog
UHF: Ultra High Frequency
USAF: United States Air Force
UT: Universal Time (a.k.a. GMT, UTC, or Zulu Time)
UTC: Coordinated Universal Time (a.k.a. UT)
UV: UltraViolet
VAB: Vehicle Assembly Building (formerly Vertical Assembly Building)
VAFB: Vandenberg Air Force Base
VEEGA: Venus-Earth-Earth Gravity Assist (Galileo flight path)
VHF: Very High Frequency
VLA: Very Large Array
VLBA: Very Long Baseline Array
VLBI: Very Long Baseline Interferometry
VLT: Very Large Telescope
VMS: Vertical Motion Simulator
VOIR: Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar (superseded by VRM)
VRM: Venus Radar Mapper (now called Magellan)
WD: White Dwarf
WFPC: Wide Field / Planetary Camera (on HST)
WFPCII: Replacement for WFPC
WIYN: Wisconsin / Indiana / Yale / NOAO telescope
WSMR: White Sands Missile Range
WTR: Western Test Range

-- Mark Bradford ([e-mail]) <> To err is human, to moo bovine.
"No no no, don't tug on that - you never know what it might be attached to."

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

End of SPACE Digest V13 #413
*******************