Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/mac/TEXT/SPACEDIG/V13_4/V13_421.TXT

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Subject: SPACE Digest V13 #421

SPACE Digest                                     Volume 13 : Issue 421

Today's Topics:
               * SpaceNews  15-Apr-91 *
              Re: lawsuits etc.
    Re: SSF Micro-g (Re: comsat cancellations and lawsuits
            Re: Mylar, not Teflon
   Proposals requested for Technology Transfer Centers (Forwarded)
           Jonathan's Space Report, Apr 16

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

Date: 13 Apr 91 18:01:47 GMT
From: csus.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!masscomp!ocpt!tsdiag!ka2qhd![e-mail]  (John Magliacane)
Subject: * SpaceNews  15-Apr-91 *


SB SPACE @ AMSAT < KD2BD $SPC0415
* SpaceNews  15-Apr-91 *

Bulletin ID: $SPC0415


                              =========
                              SpaceNews
                              =========

                         MONDAY APRIL 15, 1991


SpaceNews originates at KD2BD in Wall Township, New Jersey, USA.  It
is published every week and is made available for unlimited distribution.


* SAREX NEWS *
==============
The latest in a series of Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiments (SAREX)
can be described as being a success.  Although some hardware problems
prevented the reception of SSTV and packet radio by the crew of
Atlantis, many new milestones were created on this mission.

Amateur fast-scan television was successfully received from ground
stations by the SAREX equipment on board Atlantis.  STS-37 marks
the first mission where fast-scan television was ever received on
a manned spacecraft.  The only other time video images were received
in space occurred during the second SAREX mission, carried on STS-51-F
in August 1985, when amateur slow-scan television (SSTV) was received
on the space shuttle Challenger.

SSTV transmissions made by the SAREX equipment carried on STS-37
were successfully received by many ground stations within the
footprint of Atlantis.  These images, transmitted on 145.550 MHz,
showed many details of the extra vehicular activity made by the crew
of STS-37.

STS-37 also marks the first time in history when a shuttle crew
consisted entirely of licensed amateur radio operators.  The performance
and utility of amateur radio on STS-37, as well as on previous STS
missions, help to ensure an opportunity for a permanent and continuing
amateur radio presence in space, including the planned space station
"Freedom".


* NOAA-D NEWS *
===============
NOAA-D is scheduled for launch on 14-May-91 at approximately 15:52 UTC.
This weather satellite will become known as NOAA-12 after launch and will
replace NOAA-10 as the operational morning descending weather spacecraft.

[Information via Stephen McNeill, ZL4HG]


* OSCAR-11 NEWS *
=================
A recent status report of OSCAR-11's on-board computer (OBC) follows:

* UOSAT-2 OBC STATUS INFORMATION *

DIARY OPERATING SYSTEM V3.1 SMH MLJM MSH

 Today's date is 13 /4 /91  (Saturday)
 Time is 0 :30 :57 UTC
 Auto Mode is selected
 Spin Period is - 229
 Z Mag firings  = 0
 + SPIN firings = 13
 - SPIN firings = 11
 SEU count      = 1048
 RAM WASH pointer at AB05
 WOD commenced 13 /4 /91 at 0 :0 :8
 with channels 10 ,11 ,19 ,29 ,
 Last cmnd was 109 to 0 , 0
 Attitude control initiated, mode 1
 Data collection in progress

The 145.826 MHz remains continuosly active.  The 435.025 MHz beacon is
active on Sundays, UTC.  The 2401 MHz beacon is off at the present time.


* RS-12 NEWS *
==============
This past week, long-time OSCAR satellite enthusiast Pat Gowen (G3IOR)
reported he made a rather remarkable QSO with a ZL station from his QTH in
Norwich, England.  The QSO, made over a long-haul DX path, was accomplished
using the Mode K and T transponders flying aboard RS-12.  Pat mentioned that
he had always hoped someday to make a satellite contact with a ZL station
using AO-10 or AO-13 but they were never quite visible to both regions
simultaneously.  With the advent of continuous Modes K and T operations on
RS-12, this may start to become a very popular bird to work DX!  Also, with
the simplest of equipment requirements, it could become very popular with
novice satellite users.

The following table is a summary of the RS-12 Mode KT frequencies:

Uplink   :  21.210 -  21.250 MHz
Downlink :  29.410 -  29.450 MHz
Downlink : 145.910 - 145.950 MHz

Beacons  :  29.4081 MHz (or  29.4543 MHz)
           145.9125 MHz (or 145.9587 MHz)

[Information via ANS]


* FEEDBACK WELCOMED *
=====================
Feedback regarding SpaceNews may be directed to the editor using any one
of the following paths:

UUCP     : ...!rutgers.edu!ka2qhd!kd2bd
PACKET   : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NOAM
INTERNET : [e-mail] -OR- [e-mail]

MAIL     : John A. Magliacane, KD2BD
           Department of Electronics Technology
           Advanced Technology Center
           Brookdale Community College
           Lincroft, New Jersey  07738
           U.S.A.


/EX
--
John A. Magliacane                 FAX  : [phone]
Electronics Technology Department  AMPR : KD2BD @ NN2Z.NJ.USA.NA
Brookdale Community College        UUCP : ...!rutgers!ka2qhd!kd2bd
Lincroft, NJ  07738  USA           VOICE: [phone] ext 607

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

Date: 17 Apr 91 13:36:50 GMT
From: mnemosyne.cs.du.edu!isis![e-mail]  (Glenn A. Serre)
Subject: Re: lawsuits etc.

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] writes:

>2) NASA at the time did not have funds available to place the type of "launch
>order" you are suggesting.  Beside, were not Martin Marrietta and General
>Dynamics trying to get into the launch business on their own?  They could have
>dealt directly with Hughes, bypassing NASA entirely, but the hold up was and
>still is one of the Gov't Depts (Commerce and/or Transportation) requiring
>regulations and paperwork that stiffle this effort.

I'm not exactly sure what you're trying to say, but the reason that Commercial
Titan is having trouble is lack of demand, not gov't paperwork. Note the
relatively high rate at which the (admittedly few) CT launches occured as
compared to Shuttle or Titan IV.

--

--Glenn Serre
[e-mail]
--

--Glenn Serre
[e-mail]

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

Date: 17 Apr 91 16:46:29 GMT
From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!rpi![e-mail]  (Michael V. Kent)
Subject: Re: SSF Micro-g (Re: comsat cancellations and lawsuits

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Allen W. Sherzer) writes:
>
>You need to ask Nick that but I would guess he means the life science
>centrifuge. The micro-g people didn't like it and Congress cut funds for it
>last year.

NASA has since re-installed the centrifuge.  It will be going up on the 1st
flight after PMC, but it is still considered baseline design (and included in
baseline design costs).


--
Michael Kent                                  [e-mail]
McDonnell Douglas                             Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
St. Louis, Missouri                           Troy, New York
                               Apple II Forever!

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

Date: 17 Apr 91 06:15:58 GMT
From: prism![e-mail]  (Matthew DeLuca)
Subject: Re: Mylar, not Teflon

In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Mary Shafer) writes:

>You do remember Echo, don't you?  Sitting out on the lawn just after
>dark, watching it flash by?

Some of us aren't quite that elderly... :-)


--
Matthew DeLuca
Georgia Institute of Technology      "I'd hire the Dorsai, if I knew their
Office of Information Technology      P.O. box."  - Zebadiah Carter,
Internet: [e-mail]    _The Number of the Beast_

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

Date: 17 Apr 91 17:32:49 GMT
From: [e-mail]  (Peter E. Yee)
Subject: Proposals requested for Technology Transfer Centers (Forwarded)

Barbara E. Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  [phone])
April 16, 1991

RELEASE:  91-55

PROPOSALS REQUESTED FOR TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER CENTERS

      NASA has issued a request for proposals to establish six
Regional Technology Transfer Centers (RTTC), each funded at about
$1 million annually, to replace 10 Industrial Applications Centers
(IAC), whose contracts expire this year.

      The deadline for receiving proposals is June 17.  Selections
for negotiation for contract awards is targeted for late summer,
with the RTTCs expected to become operational early in 1992.

      The restructuring of the IAC program represents an effort by
NASA's Office of Commercial Programs, Headquarters, Washington,
D.C.,  to upgrade and revitalize the current network and is
intended to accomplish several objectives:

      * Broadening the geographical coverage of the network to
include all the contiguous states by establishing a regional
structure similar to the six Federal Laboratory Consortiums for
Technology Transfer (FLC);

      * Forming linkages with state and local government technology
transfer activities to leverage NASA's resources and avoid
duplication of effort;

      * Inclusion of all federal laboratories within the FLC in the
agency's technology transfer effort;

      * Establishing close ties with NASA's Centers for the
Commercial Development of Space in their respective regions, as
their technology "marketing" agent;

      * Providing a "full-spectrum" of services by all of the
network participants; and

      * Encouraging partnerships or consortia of universities and
state organizations within a designated region to represent that
region as one of the new RTTCs.

      Additionally, it is anticipated that the new regional
approach will align the centers closer to the needs of particular
industries, local businesses and entrepreneurs, and by establishing
a "presence" in each state in each region, be able to reach
prospective clients and market federally developed technology more
effectively.

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

Date: 17 Apr 91 13:10:52 GMT
From: agate!bionet!uwm.edu!spool.mu.edu!think.com!hsdndev!cfa203![e-mail]  (Jonathan McDowell)
Subject: Jonathan's Space Report, Apr 16

Jonathan's Space Report

Apr 16 1991 (no.71)
----------------------------------------------------

Atlantis landed at 1355 UT on Apr 11, on lakebed runway 33
at Edwards AFB, after 143 hours and 32 minutes in space.
After 8 flights, Atlantis has flown 952 hr 15 min.
Activation of GRO is proceeding smoothly so far.
Launch of STS 39/Discovery is due for Apr 23 at 07:05 EST.

Viktor Afanas'ev and Musa Manarov continue in orbit aboard the
Mir/Kvant/Kvant-2/Kristall/Soyuz TM-11/Progress M-7 complex.
Launch of Soyuz TM-12 remains due for May 12.

The Almaz radar satellite was launched by 3-stage Proton from
Baykonur on Mar 31. The satellite design is related to the
Salyut/Mir space stations, and was originally intended
as part of a piloted military space station project also
called Almaz. The original Almaz project was cancelled in
the late 1970s and the crews transferred to Soyuz and Buran
training. The current Almaz satellite was preceded by
a simpler version, Kosmos-1870, in 1987. Data from the
satellite will be commercially available.

A 4-stage Proton launched three GLONASS navigation satellites,
Kosmos-2139, Kosmos-2140, and Kosmos-2141, on Apr 4.

The ASC 2 television relay satellite was launched on Apr 12
by a Delta 7925. The ASC satellites were originally planned
by American Satellite Corp (Amersat). The company was bought
by Continental Telecommunications Inc (Contel) before the first one was
launched, and became Contel ASC. ASC 1 was launched
on 27 Aug 1985 by a PAM-D rocket from the spaceship Discovery.
In Mar 1991, General Telephone and Electronics (GTE) merged with
Contel, and Contel ASC is being merged with the GTE Spacenet Corp.
After on orbit checkout by Contel ASC, the new ASC 2 satellite
will be renamed Spacenet 4. GTE already has two fleets of satellites:
Gstar and Spacenet. Gstar was its original fleet; the Spacenet
satellites were built by Southern Pacific Communications (SPC).
SPC was bought up by GTE before the first Spacenet was launched.
The full GTE fleet is:

Satellite    Bands    Launch Date    Vehicle        Status

Spacenet F1    C, Ku    1984 May 23    Ariane V9    In GEO
Spacenet F2    C, Ku    1984 Nov 10    Ariane V11    In GEO
Gstar 1        Ku    1985 May  8    Ariane V13    In GEO
ASC 1        C, Ku    1985 Aug 27    STS 51-I    In GEO
Spacenet F3    C, Ku    1985 Sep 12    Ariane V15    Destroyed on launch
Gstar 2        Ku    1985 Mar 28    Ariane V17    In GEO
Spacenet F3R    C, Ku    1988 Mar 11    Ariane V21    In GEO
Gstar 3        Ku    1988 Sep  8    Ariane V25    In GEO
Gstar 4        Ku    1990 Nov 20    Ariane V40    In GEO
Spacenet F4(ASC2) C,Ku    1991 Apr 12    Delta 204    Just launched

___________________________________
|Current STS status:              |
|Orbiters                         |
|                                 |
|OV-102 Columbia        OPF Bay 1 |
|OV-103 Discovery       LC39A     |
|OV-104 Atlantis        EAFB      |
|                                 |
|ML/ET/SRB stacks                 |
|                                 |
|ML1                              |
|ML2/STS-39/ET/OV-103   LC39A     |
|ML3/STS-40             VAB Bay 3 |
-----------------------------------

10 years ago:  21 Apr 1981. Kosmos-1266, the 19th Soviet
nuclear reactor satellite, was launched from Baykonur.
Its reactor powered a radar intended to track naval vessels.
However the spacecraft malfunctioned and on Apr 29 the
reactor was separated and moved to a 950 km high orbit
where it will remain for several centuries. Its companion
satellite, Kosmos-1249, continued operating until Jun 1981.

20 years ago:  19 Apr 1971 The first Salyut space station was
launched on a 3-stage Proton rocket from Baykonur. Salyut
was a pressurised laboratory with a solar telescope and other
instruments. The Soyuz 11 crew later spent a month aboard it.

30 years ago:  Apr 1961. The week following the flight
of Vostok was rather quiet, with tests of Pershing,
Jupiter and Polaris ballistic missiles.

(c) 1991 Jonathan McDowell. Information in this report is obtained
from public sources and does not reflect the official views of NASA.

 .-----------------------------------------------------------------------------.
 |  Jonathan McDowell                 |  phone : [phone]                 |
 |  Space Science Lab ES65            | uucp:                                  |
 |  NASA Marshall Space Flight Center | bitnet :                               |
 |  Huntsville AL 35812               |  inter : [e-mail]  |
 |  USA                               |   span : ssl::mcdowell                 |
 '-----------------------------------------------------------------------------'

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

End of SPACE Digest V13 #421
*******************