From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: space news from Aug 24 AW&ST
To: sci-space-news@news.arc.nasa.gov
Followup-To: sci.space
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 04:08:13 GMT

Russia is muttering about the possibility of moving its launch operations
entirely to Plesetsk, but this is thought to be mostly a bargaining position
in hopes of getting a better deal out of Kazakhstan for use of Tyuratam
(nee Baikonur) -- the move would be expensive and the higher latitude would
be awkward.

Japan to build a new test site for aircraft and rocket engines at Chitose
military base.

Article on sightings of a large aircraft somewhat resembling the old XB-70;
some features suggest it might be suitable as a launch aircraft for space
missions.  AW&ST speculates that this is the first stage of a two-stage
launch system with a small payload to orbit, noting that (a) a fast-track
development of such a system could have been attractive to DoD after the
Challenger disaster and the other launch failures around that time,
(b) it would be particularly attractive if it were a flexible system
capable of launching something on very short notice, (c) this could
explain why SR-71 operations were shut down in favor of satellites despite
the relative inflexibility of known satellite systems [although I think
an adequate explanation for *that* episode can be found in a more mundane
fact:  the USAF was paying for SR-71 operations while the CIA was the
major user of the data], (d) several satellite manufacturers have announced
availability of small-satellite buses even though none of them will admit
to having built any, (e) even the NASP people will admit (quietly) that a
two-stage system is easier and probably cheaper, (f) the USAF is known
to have studied such concepts, and (g) both employment and income at the
Lockheed "Skunk Works" are a lot higher than known programs will account
for, Lockheed classified programs now being worth nearly half a billion
a year to the company.  [It's an interesting theory, although I would
classify most of this evidence as rather thin, indicating that such a
program is possible rather than indicating that it is likely.]

United Airlines 747 reports a near-encounter with a wingless aircraft
about the size of an F-16, probably supersonic, which apparently was
not visible to LA center's radar.  DoD and USAF say it's not one of
theirs, but "we're not the only ones with strange projects".  It was
described as resembling the forward fuselage of an SR-71, which does
match up with an object seen being moved on the ground at Lockheed's
Skunk Works some months ago.

The security fuss at Ames has taken on a new twist:  it appears that
Americans of Asian descent were disproportionately selected as targets.
Of the five Ames employees sent home on leave pending investigation,
all are US citizens... but three are "Korean-Americans", one a "Chinese-
American", and the fifth is married to a "Japanese-American".  [These
fuzzy terms give no hint whether these people are naturalized citizens
born in those countries, or native-born USAnians with ancestors from
those countries.]  "Asian-Americans" appear to have been prominent
among those whose offices were searched as well.  It's particularly
odd because some of these people are doing completely unclassified
basic research of no commercial relevance.  Goldin has met with
representatives of the "Asian-American" community at Ames and has
promised an investigation into these oddities.  Nothing has yet been
said about the reason for the security raid.

Formation of a new "red team" within NASA to investigate ways of reducing
space-transport costs associated with Fred.  (This grew out of the
observation that the access-to-space red team and the human-presence-in-
space [I do wish they would just say "manned spaceflight" -- it seems to
be Cutesy Euphemism Week] red team had a lot of overlap.)  Goldin says
the new team is looking at transport options, notably unmanned heavylift
vehicles, and is *not* going to look at redesigning Fred yet again.  The
panel is chaired by Griffin and is composed mostly of non-station non-
shuttle NASA people, with notable exceptions of John Cox (station deputy
manager) and Max Faget and Caldwell Johnson (prominent manned-spacecraft
designers no longer with NASA).

Russia's Raduga Machine-Building Design Bureau announces a reworking of
its Burlak air-launched booster, eliminating the wing and increasing
both cargo volume and cargo mass (e.g. to 1100kg in low equatorial orbit).
Raduga says some prototype hardware has been built and the goal is
commercial launches in 1995.
-- 
There is nothing wrong with making      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
mistakes, but... make *new* ones. -D.Sim|  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry
Newsgroups: sci.space.news