HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
Subject: Re: question on privately funded space colonization
Organization: Purdue University Statistics Department
Distribution: sci
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 14:09:54 GMT

In article <C0GxFn.9x.1@cs.cmu.edu> roberts@cmr.ncsl.nist.gov (John Roberts) writes:

>-From: hrubin@pop.stat.purdue.edu (Herman Rubin)
>-Subject: Re: Question:How Long Until Privately Funded Space Colonization



>->In <3954@key.COM> rburns@key.COM (Randy Burns) writes:
>->>What are the current estimates of folks in this newsgroup of how long it 
>->>will be until the world starts to see privately funded space colonization?

>-Can one
>-reasonably expect people to do things when the government can step
>-in at any time and say no, or say that what you have done belongs
>-to it?  

>If it's the principle of eminent domain that you're worried about, then
>yes, that could theoretically happen. But the same applies to activities
>on the Earth. Does it make sense to refuse to buy a house or a car because
>in principle the government could take it away? In practice, most people
>don't have their houses or cars taken by the government - the political
>cost of doing so is high, serving to act at least as a partial check on
>the use of eminent domain. In fact, government seizure of a privately built
>lunar base could well be harder than (for instance) taking property on
>the Earth for a road or a landfill - not only is it much more "visible",
>but the US government hasn't claimed that the moon is part of its territory.

My concern has nothing to do with the principle of eminent domain.  It also
has nothing to do with claims about ownership of the moon.  

Consider the possible scenario:  An American organization raises enough
money to produce and operate a space station, acquires launching rights
in Tanzania, acquires the necessary equipment, and then existing law is
invoked to tell the organization that they cannot do it.  I believe that
this law could be invoked if Americans even participate in a foreign
organization.

Or the bureaucrats decide that the presence of a lunar colony would 
"not be in the national interest," and invokes RICO (it sure is that
broad) to seize at least any American assets of the organization.  
I doubt that the government of any industrial nation wants man in
space unless it is strictly under its control, or at least under the
control of those who would stifle mankind.

-- 
Herman Rubin, Dept. of Statistics, Purdue Univ., West Lafayette IN47907-1399
Phone: (317)494-6054
hrubin@snap.stat.purdue.edu (Internet, bitnet)  
{purdue,pur-ee}!snap.stat!hrubin(UUCP)
Newsgroups: sci.space
From: ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright)
Subject: Re: Overly "success" oriented program causes failure
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 18:40:02 GMT
Organization: Engineering, CONVEX Computer Corp., Richardson, Tx., USA
X-Disclaimer: This message was written by a user at CONVEX Computer
              Corp. The opinions expressed are those of the user and
              not necessarily those of CONVEX.

In <1993Jan7.080918.1849@ke4zv.uucp> gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman) writes:

No, NASA listened to Gary Coffman who said, "Don't be success-
oriented like the airlines, who believe one man is capable of
making a go/no-go decision on a flight.  Set up a bureaucracy
to make the decision instead." 

NASA required so many people to sign off that it was impossible
to get them all to agree at the same time.  If someone hadn't said,
"fuck this requirement," no Shuttle flight would ever have got off
the ground.  The bureacracy was so large that no one person knew 
which requirements were safe to waive and which weren't.  Yet each
flight required multiple waivers.

Somewhere along the line, someone made a mistake.  Immediately
the blame-fixers started their witch hunt.  They never bothered
to look too deeply, of course, for fear they would find themselves
looking into the mirror.  No bureaucrat is ever going to admit
that Bureaucracy itself was at fault.  Instead, they would take
the Gary Coffman approach.  If bureaucracy failed, it must be
because there wasn't enough of it.  

Meanwhile, the airlines, who are "success-oriented" because 
they must make money, rely on a single man -- the Captain -- to 
decide if an aircraft is safe to fly, based on input from a very 
small ground and flight crew.  And they fly thousands of planes 
every day, man-, woman-, and child-rated, in good and bad weather, 
with a very good safety record. 

But, by all means, let's not look at the airline model.  Because
we're about space and, as Gary tells us, Space is Different. Let's
have more bureacracy, more paperwork, and more managers involved.
Make sure every decision is made by a committee of at least eight
people because a single person might make a mistake.
From: steinly@topaz.ucsc.edu (Steinn Sigurdsson)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: was: question about SETI, now: planets around pulsars?
Date: 12 Jan 93 11:43:47
Organization: Lick Observatory/UCO
	<1993Jan8.020559.10713@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: topaz.ucsc.edu
In-reply-to: wa2ise@cbnewsb.cb.att.com's message of 8 Jan 93 02:05:59 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.020559.10713@cbfsb.cb.att.com> wa2ise@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (robert.f.casey) writes:

   In article <C0HvLB.1op@zoo.toronto.edu> henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer) writes:

   >Astronomers are very interested in the immediate vicinity of pulsars,
   >because it's an excellent bet that you can find objects of great theoretical
   >interest (accretion disks and such) there.  Peculiar and conspicuous objects
   >thereabouts would not be missed.  And yes, astronomers take the possibility

   About a year or so ago, some astronomers thought that they might have
   found planets orbiting a pulsar.  One suspect pulsar planetary system
   turned out to be false (orbit of one "planet" was 1/2 the time of Earth's,
   and thus suspect), but another looked good then.  Anyone know if this
   other (at the time) good detection has held up?  Confirmed?

The pulsar is PSR 1257+12, with timing anomalies consistent with the
presence of at least two planets of few Earth masses in  66 and 99 day
orbits (approximate). There is a possible third planet with orbital
period >> 1 year. The timing has remained consistent with the presence
of the planets and there is apparently the beginning of a hint of
evidence for planet-planet coupling in the timing, which was predicted
and is considered a "smoking gun" for confirmation.

There are other potential candidate pulsars which may have planets
around them, not yet confirmed.

*  Steinn Sigurdsson   			Lick Observatory      	*
*  steinly@lick.ucsc.edu		"standard disclaimer"  	*
*  The laws of gravity are very,very strict			*
*  And you're just bending them for your own benefit - B.B. 1988*
Xref: sparky sci.space:18947 talk.politics.space:1681
From: henry@zoo.toronto.edu (Henry Spencer)
Subject: man-rating
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 18:19:13 GMT
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology

In article <1993Jan06.165148.9581@eng.umd.edu> sysmgr@king.eng.umd.edu writes:
>>There is no need to man rate. It adds cost but doesn't affect
>>safety. If it where your money would buy the $70 million 98% safe
>>Atlas or the $90 million 98% safe Atlas?
>
>YOU say there's no need to man-rate. The astronaut community and anyone who
>goes up on it IS going to disagree with you. 

Depends on *who* goes up on it; sensible people will look at the reliability
figures and conclude that man-rating decreases the chances of a successful
flight (because it runs up the cost without increasing reliability).

The astronaut community is less conservative, overall, than their official
public image would have you think.  You'd have plenty of volunteers from
there if the engineering looked sensible and the purposes looked worthwhile,
even disregarding the number of qualified volunteers from elsewhere.

However, Doug's point is nevertheless valid, because the original context
was official government projects... and it is official NASA dogma that
man-rating is mandatory for such purposes.
-- 
"God willing... we shall return."       | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
       -Gene Cernan, the Moon, Dec 1972 |  henry@zoo.toronto.edu  utzoo!henry
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: yee@atlas.arc.nasa.gov (Peter Yee)
Subject: Shuttle Status for 01/06/93 (Forwarded)
Apparently-To: sci-space-news@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Followup-To: sci.space
Originator: yee@atlas.arc.nasa.gov
Reply-To: yee@atlas.arc.nasa.gov (Peter Yee)
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 01:15:57 GMT

                             SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
                             Kennedy Space Center, Florida

                             Wednesday, January 6, 1993


          George H. Diller
          407/867-2468

          Vehicle: OV-105/Endeavour   Mission Number: STS-54
          Location: Launch Pad 39-B
          Primary Payload: TDRS-F/IUS-13 + Diffuse X-ray Spectrometer (DXS)
          Launch Timeframe: January 13  8:52 a.m. EST
          Mission Duration: 5 Days 23 Hours 33 Minutes
          Inclination: 28.45 degrees   Crew Size: 5
          Nominal Landing: KSC  Jan. 19  8:24 a.m. EST


          IN WORK TODAY:

          - aft main engine compartment confidence test
          - install flight crew equipment items
          - install crew escape pole
          - Range Safety command checks
          - launch countdown preparations in Firing Room 3
          - TDRS battery charging
          - IUS/TDRS power-on stray voltage checks
          - IUS/TDRS payload closeouts
          - DXS interim servicing


          WORK COMPLETED:

          - aft main engine compartment closeouts/flight door installation
          - removal of main engine protective covers
          - loading orbiter mass memory unit software
          - star tracker inspections
          - fuel cell purges
          - external tank purges



          STS-54 WORK COMPLETED continued

          - external tank electrical checks
          - solid rocket booster electrical checks
          - solid rocket booster thermal curtain installation
          - IUS simulated countdown
          - EVA spacesuit checkout in orbiter airlock



          STS-54 WORK SCHEDULED:

          - ordnance connections Thursday
          - hypergolic tank pressurization on Thursday
          - external tank closeouts on Friday
          - solid rocket booster closeouts on Friday
          - IUS battery voltage checks on Friday
          - begin launch countdown at 9 a.m. on Sunday, January 10
          - astronaut arrival 3:30 p.m. Sunday
          - close payload bay doors 8 p.m. Sunday


          ISSUES & CONCERNS: None
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Magellan Update - 01/11/93
To: sci-space-news@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: Magellan, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 18:50:00 GMT

Forwarded from Doug Griffith, Magellan Project Manager

                         MAGELLAN STATUS REPORT
                            January 11, 1993

1.  The Magellan spacecraft continues to operate normally, orbiting
Venus 50 times per week and transmitting a carrier signal (plus X-band
telemetry) which is precisely tracked by the DSN (Deep Space Network)
stations to extract gravity data.

2.  Temperatures remain in the expected range.  Bay 7 which contains
the CDS (Command Data Subsystem), is at 46 degrees C with a cycle depth
of 4 degrees.  Transmitter B is at 49.2 degrees with a variation of 0.7
degrees.

3.  Attitude control continues to be precise.  All starcals (star
calibrations) over the weekend were successful with only one partial scan.

4.  Magellan has completed 6523 orbits; 887 so far in Cycle-4 which
will end on May 25, 1993.

5.  Following the end of Cycle-4, the Magellan mission will begin a
"Transition Experiment" in which the periapsis will be intentionally
lowered to allow the atmospheric drag to slow the spacecraft's
velocity.  This aerobraking maneuver will enable the mission planners
to circularize the orbit and gather high-resolution gravity data
closer to the poles of Venus.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.Jpl.Nasa.Gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Mars Observer Update - 01/12/93
To: sci-space-news@ames.arc.nasa.gov
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords: Mars Observer, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:48:00 GMT

Forwarded from the Mars Observer Project

                         MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
                              January 12, 1993
                                1:00 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin state and Outer Cruise
configuration and continues to perform as expected.  Teams are continuing
to study the Attitude Control Subsystem miscompared star problem.  An
interim solution has been uplinked and is active, pending approval and
implementation of the permanent fix.

Downlink is via the HGA (High Gain Antenna) at 2 kilobits per second.
Uplink is at 125 bps using the LGA (Low Gain Antenna).

The window for uplink of Flight Software Build 7.1.1 opens at 9:25 PM this
evening (93013 0525 UTC) and closes at 7:55 PM on Friday.  Build 7.1.1
contains changes to AACS (Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem)
Fault Protection logic determined to be necessary by the Spacecraft Team
and approved by Flight Engineering Office and Project management.
A relatively small number of Flight Software modules are being replaced,
the larger number of modules remaining unchanged.  These changes are not
related to the Celestial Sensor Assembly miscompared star situation.

No stored flight sequences are active.  The next, C6 B, is scheduled to go
active on January 18.

Ka Band Link Experiment (KaBLE) activities will end this evening due to
the Flight Software load.  There are additional KaBLE opportunities
projected for January 16 and 17.

Today the spacecraft is 50,015,515 km from Earth (31,078,200 miles)
travelling at a velocity of 11.55 meters/second (25,829 mph).  One way
light time is approximately 167 seconds.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Mars Observer Update - 01/07/93
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Mars Observer, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 00:00:00 GMT

Forwarded from the Mars Observer Project

                        MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
                              January 7, 1993
                                3:15 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin and continues to perform as
expected.  Teams are continuing to study the Attitude Control Subsystem
misidentified star problem.  The on-board telemetry Subcommutation map
switch is providing significantly more data for the Tiger Team to examine.

Uplink of Flight Sequence C5 B took place as scheduled last evening.
Activation occurred on schedule at 2:43 PM today.  At 3:00 PM, spacecraft
Contingency Mode was armed and the Low Gain Antenna transmitter (RPA1)
and Mars Observer Transponder 1 powered off.  At 3:04 PM, the on-board
sequence commanded on the High Gain Antenna transmitter (RPA2) and
Mars Observer Transponder 2.  Downlink via the HGA has been confirmed.

HGA operations provide downlink telecommunications at 2,000 bits per
second.  Uplink will continue to be through the Low Gain Antenna through
January 16 at the 125 bps rate.  On January 16, uplink will be swapped to
the HGA, though still at the 125 bps rate.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: New HST Photos Released
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  HST
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 00:42:00 GMT

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                        January 6, 1993
(Phone:  202/358-0883)

Jim Elliott
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone:  301/286-6256)

N93-002

NEW HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE PHOTOGRAPHS RELEASED TODAY

	Two HST photographs are available to media representatives through
NASA's Broadcast and Imaging Branch, 202/358-1741.  Today, both images are
being presented at the 181st Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in
Phoenix, Ariz.

New Details in a Supernova's Blast Wave

	The HST image shows with unprecedented clarity the structure behind
the shock waves in the Cygnus Loop supernova remnant.  This is allowing
astronomers, for the first time, to directly compare the actual structure of
the shock with theortical model calculations.

	The supernova blast wave is slamming into tenuous clouds of
interstellar gas.  This collision heats and compresses the gas, causing it
to glow.  The shock acts as a searchlight by revealing the structure of the
interstellar medium.

	The Cygnus Loop marks the edge of a bubble-like, expanding blast wave
from a colossal stellar explosion which occurred about 15,000 years ago.
(Color:  92-HC-731  --  B&W:  92-H-792)

Hubble Finds a Young Planetary Nebula

	The image shows an expanding cloud of gas that was ejected from the
aging star in the center.  Before the Hubble observations, little was known
about the nebula's structure because it is too small for any detail to be
seen using ground-based telescopes.  The planetary nebula, known as Hen 1357,
is about 18,000 light-years away and located in the southern constellation
Ara the Altar.
(Color:  92-HC-732  --  B&W:  92-H-793)
- end -
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Galileo Update - 01/04/93
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Galileo, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 01:31:00 GMT

Forwarded from Bill O'Neil, Galileo Project Manager

                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                              January 4, 1993

     The Galileo Spacecraft is operating normally in the all-spin mode and
is transmitting coded telemetry at 1200 bps (bits/second).

     Over the holiday period from Wednesday through Sunday, no spacecraft
activity was scheduled.  Tracking was scheduled over DSS-43 (Canberra 70
meter antenna).

     Today, January 4, 1993, a routine RPM (Retro-Propulsion Module) thruster
flushing maintainence activity is scheduled, and the DDA-5 (Dual-Drive
Actuator #5) Part B memory load is being uplinked.  This sequence covers
HGA (High Gain Antenna) warming turn and motor windup and hammering activities
from January 5, 1993 through January 8, 1993. Tracking is scheduled over DSS-43
and DSS-63 (Madrid 70 meter antenna).

     Tomorrow, the warming turn to a 34 degree off sun attitude is scheduled
in preparation for the DDA-5 Part B windup and hammering activities.
Real-time commands are scheduled to modify system fault protection parameters.
Tracking is scheduled over DSS-43.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Galileo Update - 01/05/93
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Galileo, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1993 23:55:00 GMT

Forwarded from Bill O'Neil, Galileo Project Manager

                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                              January 5, 1993

     The Galileo Spacecraft is operating normally in the all-spin mode and
is transmitting coded telemetry at 1200 bps (bits/second).

     Yesterday, a routine RPM (Retro-Propulsion Module) thruster flushing
maintainence activity was performed.  The sequence which covers HGA (High
Gain Antenna) warming turn and motor windup and hammering activities from
January 5, 1993 through January 8, 1993 was uplinked, as planned.  Tracking
was scheduled over DSS-43 (Canberra 70 meter antenna) and DSS-63 (Madrid
70 meter antenna).

     Today, January 5, 1993, the warming turn to a 34 degree off sun attitude
is scheduled to begin at 12:01 PM PST and complete at 12:26 PM PST.  Real-time
commands are also scheduled to modify system fault protection parameters.
Thereafter, real-time motor hammering commands are scheduled to be sent.
Tracking is scheduled over DSS-43.

     Tomorrow, real-time motor windup and hammering commands are scheduled
to be sent.  Tracking is scheduled over DSS-43 and DSS-63.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life.
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
Subject: Magellan Update - 01/05/93
Keywords: Magellan, JPL
Date: 5 Jan 93 23:44:00 GMT
Followup-To: sci.space
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

Forwarded from:
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109. TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011


                     MAGELLAN STATUS REPORT
                         January 5, 1993

     The Magellan spacecraft continues to operate normally,    
orbiting Venus 50 times each week and transmitting a carrier
radio signal which is precisely tracked by the Deep Space Network
stations to extract gravity data.

     By analyzing the subtle changes in the Magellan orbit,
scientists are able to map the variations in the interior of the
planet, and compare those variations with surface features.
Unlike Earth, there is a strong correlation between the internal
concentrations of mass at Venus and its surface topography.

     Magellan arrived at Venus August 10, 1990 and has completed
6,478 orbits; 842 orbits have been completed so far in this
fourth 243-day cycle which ends on May 25, 1993.
                              _____
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     Ron Baalke         | baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
    | | | |  __ \ /| | | |     Jet Propulsion Lab |
 ___| | | | |__) |/  | | |__   M/S 525-3684 Telos | Choose a job you love, and
/___| | | |  ___/    | |/__ /| Pasadena, CA 91109 | you'll never have to work
|_____|/  |_|/       |_____|/                     | a day in your life. 
Newsgroups: sci.space.news