HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Launch Pass
From: dlr@testeng.ksc.nasa.gov (Doug Reed)
Date: 23 Nov 92 10:39:10 EST
Organization: Voice Systems Engineering, Kennedy Space Center

In article <69814@cup.portal.com> BrianT@cup.portal.com (Brian Stuart Thorn) writes:
> <deleted>
> 
>A Car Pass for Space Shuttle launches will put you on the NASA Causeway,
>a strip of land crossing the Banana River between Kennedy Space Center
>(on Merritt Island, Florida - between Cape Canaveral and the mainland) and
>the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (on Cape Canaveral proper.)
>The NASA Causeway is about six miles due south (in the middle) of
>Launch Pad 39A and about seven miles south of Launch Pad 39B. This location
>is probably the best all-round viewing location for launches of the
>Space Shuttle, but there are some qualifiers...
> 
>There are pros and cons to both sites, but if you can get a pass, definitely
>go out to the NASA Causeway! The NASA Causeway site is equipped with
>loudspeakers broadcasting commentary from Shuttle Launch Control (the same
>as NASA-Select TV) so you'll know what's going on even if you don't have
>a radio. However, be advised that traffic on the Causeway can be terrible.
>My advice is to take plenty of food, drink, and sunblock and plan to spend
>a lot of time waiting. It's a smart idea to take some fold-up chairs and a
>picnic set-up, too.
>
>Pros for the Titusville area are easier access and a faster getaway after
>the launch. Cons are that some riverside locations charge you for the
>priviledge of parking there (ah, capitalism at work) and a radio station
>carrying launch coverage may be hard to find (keeping you in the dark as
>to what's happening in Launch Control.) Further, a morning launch may be
>lost in the rising sun as seen from Titusville. (If the launch is scheduled
>for within two hours of dawn, go down to Cocoa Beach instead.)
>
> <deleted>
>
>-Brian

Shuttle launch coverage is listenable on 146.940 (K4GCC ham radio
repeater) and runs throughout the entire mission.

Also, no alcoholic beverages are permissable on the space center.

-Doug

-- 
+-----------+---------------------------------+--------------------------+
| Doug Reed | HP3065AT Board Test Engineering | Kennedy Space Center, FL |
| Ham Call N4QVY | #include <std_disclaimer> | Lockheed Space Operations |
+----------------+---------------------------+---------------------------+
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
From: kentm@aix.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent)
Subject: Re: Hubble
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 03:17:07 GMT

In article <BxqL15.DJ2@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>
>The really interesting space
>telescopes are the small ones, not the megaprojects.  Anybody got a list
>of *those* projects?

Here is a list of past (from roughly the Challenger accident on) and future
astronomy missions that I am aware of.  It is by no means complete.  In fact,
if you know of a mission that isn't here, please email me and I'll update my
list.

Date       Payload                             Agency         Vehicle
----       -------                             ------         -------
17 Nov 89  Cosmic Background Explorer          NASA           Delta I
24 Apr 90  Hubble Space Telescope              NASA           STS-31 Discovery 
   Jun 90  Roentgen Satellite                  DARA/NASA      Delta I
02 Dec 90  Astro; Broad Band X-Ray Telescope   NASA           STS-35 Columbia
05 Apr 91  Compton Gamma Ray Observatory       NASA           STS-37 Atlantis
07 Jun 92  Extreme Ultra-Violet Explorer       NASA           Delta II
13 Jan 93  Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer          NASA           STS-54 Endeavour
11 Mar 93  SPARTAN-201 1                       NASA           STS-56 Discovery
30 Jun 93  SPAS-ORFEUS                         NASA           STS-51 Discovery
07 Dec 93  Hubble Revisit 1; COSTAR            NASA           STS-61 Endeavour
16 Apr 94  SPARTAN-204                         NASA           STS-63 Atlantis
21 May 94  SPARTAN-201 2                       NASA           STS-64 Discovery
01 Oct 94  SPAS-CRISTA                         NASA           STS-66 Atlantis
       94  Infrared Space Observatory          ESA            Ariane
10 Jan 95  Astro 2                             NASA           STS-68 Endeavour
       95  Spectrum X-Gamma                    Russia         Proton
11 Jun 96  SPARTAN-201 3                       NASA           STS-78 Columbia
06 Jun 97  Hubble Revisit 2                    NASA           STS-86 Discovery
14 Jul 98  Advanced Xray Astrophysics Facility NASA           STS-94 Endeavour

Acronyms
--------
SPAS    Shuttle Pallet Satellite
ORFEUS  Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer
CRISTA  Cryogenic Infrared Space Telescope Assembly
SPARTAN Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy

Note: The SPAS and SPARTAN payloads are only partial Shuttle payloads.

The list of Shuttle missions is rather long, but the observing time for
each is rather short.  An optimist would say NASA has gotten out of the
megaproject mentality.  A pessimist....Henry?

Mike

-- 
Michael Kent                                   kentm@rpi.edu
McDonnell Douglas                              Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tute Screwed Aero Class of '92                              Apple II Forever !!
Xref: sparky sci.space.shuttle:2732 sci.space:15966
From: BrianT@cup.portal.com (Brian Stuart Thorn)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle replacement, STS-52 half-full
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 17:42:25 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <1992Nov15.060518.20381@cs.sfu.ca>

Actually, I was trying to support the Space Shuttle, not insult those who
work on STS and payloads.
 
But you must admit, I think, that STS-52 was darned near half-full, despite
the SVS tests with the robot arm. It is my opinion that SVS could have easily
been added to another flight, such as the STS-54 TDRS-F flight next January.
Even with TDRS-F/IUS and the DXS payload, it would seem SVS should have fit.
 
As for the USMP-1 payload, well once upon a time (STS-41D to be specific)
NASA launched three satellites aboard Shuttle, and still had space for
the OAST-1 solar array system. Now, it seems, NASA considers one satellite
(and a very small one at that) plus one pallet a full manifest.
 
What gives?
 
-Brian
 
P.S., I consider myself more than mildly supportive of the Space Shuttle,
but when NASA starts flying half-empty Space Shuttles and saying "the mission
was full", I get worried.
 
Challenger wasn't that long ago.
 
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
From: kentm@aix.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent)
Subject: Re: Shuttle replacement, STS-52 half-full
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 05:40:26 GMT

In article <69647@cup.portal.com> BrianT@cup.portal.com (Brian Stuart Thorn) writes:

>P.S., I consider myself more than mildly supportive of the Space Shuttle,
>but when NASA starts flying half-empty Space Shuttles and saying "the mission
>was full", I get worried.

I was just trying to explain, not defend, NASA's position as I see it.  Both
ground control and the astronauts claimed that they were very busy and work-
ing 12 - 16 hour days.  They may not have had the crew time to support an
additional payload, I don't know.  I do know that payload volume is not the
only constraint.

I can think of several ways to work around the problem:

1) Launch the LAGEOS on a Delta.  This could have been done rather easily,
   in my opinion.

2) Launch IRIS on another or the same Delta.  This would have required a
   significant development that NASA may have had to pay for.  IRIS was
   developed as an upper stage for Shuttle commercial payloads.  After
   commercial satellites were removed from the manifest, NASA agreed to
   launch LAGEOS as its first and only IRIS payload.  This was probably
   important for international relations as I suspect, but don't know,
   that Italy wanted data on what is for it a substantial rocket develop-
   ment program.  Thus IRIS, not just LAGEOS, needed to be flown.

3) Add another astronaut to the crew.  If crew time was indeed the constraint
   as I suspect, that fact should have been obvious early enough to add a-
   nother astronaut to run the additional payload in the payload bay.

4) Make it an EDO flight.  Again, if crew time were the constraint, adding
   the EDO pallet would add another two man-weeks to the flight.

For reasons not obvious to me, NASA is only flying one EDO flight per year.
The incremental cost of making a regular Columbia flight an EDO flight is
rather low.  If it were up to me, Columbia would be flying EDO every flight,
even if half of it were nothing but astronauts floating around in LBNPs.

Mike

-- 
Michael Kent                                   kentm@rpi.edu
McDonnell Douglas                              Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tute Screwed Aero Class of '92                              Apple II Forever !!
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
From: forrepr@eng.auburn.edu (Philip R. Forrest)
Subject: Story Musgrave is Buckaroo Banzai
Reply-To: forrepr@eng.auburn.edu
Organization: Auburn University Engineering
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 18:16:01 GMT

In article 4033@phred.UUCP, petej@phred.UUCP (Peter Jarvis) writes:
>In article <1992Nov12.232654.4613@news.duc.auburn.edu> forrepr@eng.auburn.edu writes:
>>
>>I believe there is a Shuttle Flight manifested for late next year that
>>will visit the Hububle (uh, I mean Hubble) telescope. From what I've
>>heard, the chances of success are pretty good. The defect in the scope's
>>mirror is said to be 'perfect', so I *think* they'll just have to replace
>>the main CCD camera with one of a different focal length.
>>
>D
>You are correct. They currently have a mockup of Hubble in the neutral
>buoyancy water tank at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Al.
>Story  Musgrave and Tom Akers are currently in the tank working on repair
>procedures.
>
>Peter Jarvis..........
> 

I am of the opinion that Story Musgrave is as close to a
real life Buckaroo Banzai as anybody's gonna get.

Here's what I understand his qualifications to be:
PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong:

Orthopedic Surgeon
Astronaut
Musician
Graduate Degree in Literature
Looks like Yul Brenner (sp?) and 'Mr. Clean'

But, I'm still not impressed...he hasn't had a #1 single
yet !! ;)

---
Phil Forrest - Ascent FDO wanna be
Auburn University Mechanical Engineering
Auburn, AL


Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
From: kentm@aix.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent)
Subject: Re: Hubble
Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 06:04:32 GMT

In article <Bxvs37.3y9@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:
>
>I'd say they're being slowly forced out of it because cost bloat has
>gotten so bad that Congress will no longer tolerate it.  They still
>see small projects as supplements to the megaprojects rather than
>replacements for them, though; it's only just starting to dawn on
>them that there won't be any more megaprojects.

Probably an accurate assessment.  I'm still not convinced that the smaller
payloads like ORFEUS, SPARTAN, and CRISTA are worth the expense of 1/3 of
a flight for 8 to 10 days of observing time.  I must admit, however, I know
very little about them.  Would it be possible to leave ORFEUS and CRISTA up
there for a few months and retrieve them on a later flight?

Mike

-- 
Michael Kent                                   kentm@rpi.edu
McDonnell Douglas                              Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tute Screwed Aero Class of '92                              Apple II Forever !!
From: waterman@titan.ksc.nasa.gov
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Shuttle Computer Problems
Date: 23 Nov 92 22:38:11 EST
Organization: NASA, Kennedy Space Center

Monday November 23 10:20 EST

I'm looking for some help out here in the net. Any physists or experts
in electron physics out there?
   The problem we're having is with both the General Purpose Computers
(GPCs) onboard the shuttle as well as the Main Engine Controllers (SSMEC).
Both experience single bit upsets while in orbit. The GPCs have one bit
error correction and log these upsets in what we call a soft error counter.
For the SSMEC, it has no error correction. We dump the SSMEC memory after
landing and determine how many upsets have occurred. Well today when the
SSMECs were powered up on Discoveries three Main Engines, the standby
computer on engine 3 had one bit flipped from the last time it was powered
up (about a week ago). The GPCs have also experienced soft errors while at
the pad. The current theory is that high energy particles striking the 
memory cell impart energy which changes the state. My question is if
high energy particles can change the memory on the shuttle sitting on the
pad. Why aren't all the other computers in the world inflicted with the
same problem? Has anyone heard any studies being done on this?

Some info, the SSMEC uses 8K static RAM chips to make up the 64K by 16 bit
main memory. When power is removed the memory is held up by a 3.56V
battery. Todate it is believed that all bit flips have occurred at this
lower battery voltage (power up voltage is 5V). This of course can not
be proved (could have happened at full power in memory that was not being
accessed).

Thanks.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Waterman [Aqua]
waterman@titan.ksc.nasa.gov
---------------------------------------------------------------------------


Xref: sparky sci.space.shuttle:2790 sci.space:16122
From: phfrom@nyx.uni-konstanz.de (Hartmut Frommert)
Subject: Re: Telnet access to spacelink ? (solved, thanx)
Keywords: telnet, spacelink
Organization: Dept. of Physics, University of Constance
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:17:36 GMT

Thanx to all who responded. To summarize:

Access via telnet is
  telnet spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov
  login  newuser
  pass   newuser
if you login the first time (later you have an own Id+pass). 
Access via ftp is  
  ftp ames.arc.nasa.gov
  user anonymous                 (or ftp)
  pass <YourUserId>
  cd /pub/SPACE/SPACELINK
--
 Hartmut Frommert                 <phfrom@nyx.uni-konstanz.de>
 Dept of Physics, Univ of Constance, P.O.Box 55 60, D-W-7750 Konstanz, Germany
                                           -- Eat whale killers, not whales --
Xref: sparky sci.space.shuttle:2733 sci.space:15968
From: BrianT@cup.portal.com (Brian Stuart Thorn)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle replacement
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 17:53:56 PST
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
  <1992Nov16.142949.15445@iti.org>

>> Atlas and Delta are providing profits for the companies that make them <<
 
As for Delta, absolutely, positively right. But I fail to see how depositing
two enormously expensive satellites in the Atlantic can be said to be
a profit for General Dynamics and the Atlas. One more misfire, and GD might
be relegated to government flights only (Ariane will make a killing).
 
Besides, you seem to have missed my point.
 
The Space Shuttle was already more-or-less paid for, so why not use it.
I was trying to say (got sidetracked, I must admit) that the U.S. should
have put its money into a new unmanned booster system, not tired old
designs like Titan and Atlas. In the meantime, we should have continued to
use Shuttle to launch as much as possible until an NLS-or-whatever came
online. It would be online by now, I think, if we hadn't taken the Titan IV
plunge.
 
-Brian
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
From: dgthorpe@cayley.uwaterloo.ca (David Thorpe)
Subject: Launch Pass                                            
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 1992 03:15:28 GMT

As per instructions in the weekly reminder posting, I was able to obtain
shuttle launch dates.  I noticed that the last time the manifest file was
updated was in Sept.  Is there a more up-to-date launch date for STS-54
available?  It lists Jan 13 as the date.

Also, it pointed out how to obtain shuttle lauch passes.  What exactly
are these passes and are they a good place to view a launch from?  I
sent my request for the passes almost 5 weeks ago and they still haven't
arrived.  Does anyone know how long they usually take to arrive?
Xref: sparky sci.space.shuttle:2727 sci.space:15955
From: cbehre@spock.usc.edu (Charles Behre)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
Subject: Re: Shuttle replacement
Date: 16 Nov 1992 10:51:46 -0800
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: spock.usc.edu



|>   What about the SSTO DC-Y?  It's my understanding that the DC-1 should be
|> able to do just about everything that the shuttle can do (with the possible
|> exeption of carry the SpaceLab).  And a lot cheapter to boot.
|> 
|> 
|>   ##########################################################################   
|>   ##   /   ##               Progress Before Peace!               ##   /   ## 
|>   ##  //   ## Matt J. Martin, Technosociology and Space Politics ##  //   ## 
|>   ## ///// ######################################################## ///// ##
|>   ##   //  ##        Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN       ##   //  ##
|>   ##   /   ##           myempire@mentor.cc.purdue.edu            ##   /   ##
|>   ##########################################################################
|> 

What level of success would the DCX testing program have to show to make it a 
viable candidate?  Does this program have the ability to fascinate congress and
Al Gore if it demonstrates what it intendend to do? On the other hand, would a
DCX program shifted to taking on the duties of a HL-20 be a disasterous 
move in terms of the programs efficiency?

Also on a side note, the Nov 2 issue of Av Week reports that Pratt & Whitney has
finished testing the DCX's preproduction version of the RL10A-5 engines and will 
begin shipping them by years end.

--Chip
From: ple@erg.sri.com (Paul Evans)
Subject: navigation state vectors
Originator: ple@intrepid.erg.sri.com
Organization: SRI International, Menlo Park, CA
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 19:40:42 GMT

I have questions about the use of navigation state vectors by manned
spacecraft.  My understanding is that what is usually referred to as
the state vector is really two vectors, a position vector and a
velocity vector.  The vectors are in units of feet and feet/sec, and
are in a coordinate system with the z axis pointing at the mean
rotational axis of the earth, the x axis pointing at the mean vernal
equinox, and y axis perpendicular to both.

Are the spacecraft onboard computers continually updating the state
vector?  I could see where this might be a possibility for the shuttle
in earth orbit, but what about the Apollo missions?  I can't imagine
continually solving that kind of n-body problem with the limited
onboard computing resources available at that time.

For the Apollo missions there is also the question of the appropriate
coordinate system.  Did they use the geocentric-equatorial system
throughout, or did they do a coordinate transform when they got to the
moon?

In practice the state vector is often updated by the mission control
center.  This leads to the question of whether or not the spacecraft
can navigate if communications are lost.  It would seem that the ground
tracking network is in a better position to determine the position
vector, while the inertial measurement unit onboard the spacecraft is
the best source for establishing the velocity vector.  If the
spacecraft loses its state vector, can it reestablish one from scratch,
or must they get it from the ground?

Thanks in advance for any information anyone can provide about these
issues.

Paul Evans ple@erg.sri.com
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: Re: Launch sequence of events?
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 23:54:31 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

In article <92322.152812AUJAM@ASUACAD.BITNET> <AUJAM@ASUACAD.BITNET> writes:
>... didn't they design the engins to
> burn at throttle up 110% to push past a certant point in the launch trajectory
>and this is only for a few second,kind of like red lining your car...

This sounds like a confused combination of two things.

One is that in some kinds of engine-failure emergencies, the remaining
engines get pushed to 109% (the highest the engines are currently cleared
for) to make up for the loss.

The other is that during a short period early in flight, as the shuttle
is approaching maximum dynamic pressure ("max q" -- when air drag is
at its peak, because the shuttle has accelerated to a fairly high speed
but isn't yet clear of the thick lower atmosphere), the engines are
throttled *down* briefly.  This holds down speed a little until the
shuttle is in somewhat thinner air, reducing the peak pressure and
the associated stresses and heating.
-- 
MS-DOS is the OS/360 of the 1980s.      | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
              -Hal W. Hardenbergh (1985)|  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
From: aws@iti.org (Allen W. Sherzer)
Subject: Re: Shuttle replacement
Organization: Evil Geniuses for a Better Tomorrow
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1992 19:20:16 GMT

In article <70y1pmf@rpi.edu> kentm@aix.rpi.edu (Michael V. Kent) writes:

>>I don't doubt that much cheaper expendables CAN be build (Zenith Star
>>launchers for example cut costs in half). I simply don't believe that the US
>>government can build them.

>Then why do you propose that the U. S. government build Delta Clipper?

I don't. 

I do propose that government build the DC-Y which is a research vehicle
and not an operational vehicle. I believe that the operational Delta
Clipper should be build with private funds.

Even here you will note that great care is going to find the agency to
build DC-Y. Using conventional procurement practices nither NASA nor
DoD could build DC-Y. However, SDIO and a few sections within DoD
are open enough to execute the program.

   Allen
-- 
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
| Allen W. Sherzer | "A great man is one who does nothing but leaves        |
|  aws@iti.org     |  nothing undone"                                       |
+----------------------156 DAYS TO FIRST FLIGHT OF DCX----------------------+
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space
From: cfifer@rvgs.vak12ed.edu (Craig Fifer)
Subject: Transcripts
Organization: Virginia's Public Education Network (Roanoke)
Date: Wed, 18 Nov 92 01:06:33 GMT

Does anyone have or know where I can get transcripts of shuttle
missions?  I know this is an unusual question but I would
appreciate any assistance I could get.

-Craig Fifer
cfifer@rvgs.vak12ed.edu
-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
|   Never play leapfrog with              |   Craig Fifer                   |
|   a unicorn!   -Murphy                  |   3736 Heritage Road, S.W.      |
|                                         |   Roanoke, Virginia  24015-4518 |
Organization: Arizona State University
Date: Tuesday, 17 Nov 1992 15:28:12 MST
From: <AUJAM@ASUACAD.BITNET>
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: Launch sequence of events?
 <1992Nov9.054245.3985@news.duc.auburn.edu> <4023@phred.UUCP>

I don't think this is right but I am no expert didn't they design the engins to
 burn at throttle up 110% to push past a certant point in the launch trajectory
and this is only for a few second,kind of like red lining your car. This was wh
at those lay-scientest news reporters told us during the old telacast of the la
unch.
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle,sci.space