HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca (Bruce Dunn)
Subject: Re: SSTO vs. 2-Stage
Organization: MIND LINK! - British Columbia, Canada
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 17:07:00 GMT

        The point has been made that using the DC-1 as an upper stage of a
two-stage vehicle adds the complication of mating the two vehicles.  I feel
that this is not likely to be a very time consuming job, but am willing to
listen to any evidence.  I think that the closest analogy might be the mating
of a Shuttle to its carrier aircraft, which is done on a routine basis. I
don't know if the current mounting allows in-flight separation, but the
mounting used for the Enterprise glide tests certainly did.  Does anyone have
information on how long it takes and how many people it takes to put the
Shuttle on the carrier aircraft?

        The point has also been made that the advantages of the two stage
system are negated if the booster cannot return to the launch site.  Flyback
boosters, with wings, have been assumed in many hypothetical two-stage
systems (and indeed a winged fly-back variant of the Saturn first stage was
examined as a possible booster early in the design process for the Shuttle).
In the case of the DC-1 first stage, I have been assuming no wings and only
limited aerodynamic maneuverability (similar to that of the DC-1).  To
examine what would happen if the booster flight were ***entirely*** vertical,
I have run a stepwise numerical simulation on a spreadsheet.  The results are
as follows:

(rounded numbers)
Assumptions:

Booster Total Mass             1000 tons
Booster Ascent Propellant       800 tons
Booster Isp                     300
Booster Initial acceleration    1.5 g
DC-1 Total Mass                 500 tons
Payload                          58 tons

Results:

Total Booster Burn Time         100 sec
Total gravity losses            980 m/s^2
Booster Altitude at Burnout      46 km
Velocity at Burnout            1190 m/s^2
Coasting Height                 120 km

        The "coasting height" is what the DC-1 (and the booster) will get to
if there are no further rocket burns.  Since the DC-1 has enough vertical
velocity from the booster to keep it clear of the atmosphere for some
minutes, it can then perform its burn horizontally and avoid further gravity
losses.  The booster of course will drop right back towards the launch site.

        The above picture is an over simplification of the process, but I
think that the general idea is clear.  If there is anyone who has software
which models ascent trajectories for launchers, it would be interesting to
see proper calculations for such a "bent" ascent trajectory (vertical ascent
for a first stage, followed by a largely horizontal burn from a second
stage).

--
Bruce Dunn    Vancouver, Canada   Bruce_Dunn@mindlink.bc.ca
Newsgroups: sci.space
From: ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright)
Subject: Re: SSTO vs 2 stage
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 16:54:07 GMT
Distribution: sci
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 <1992Dec31.015157.14864@cs.rochester.edu> dietz@cs.rochester.edu (Paul Dietz) writes:

>No, what you did was deride a careful and thoughtful analysis by Bruce
>Dunn by offering a strained analogy between aircraft and spacecraft.
>I merely pointed out your analogy was flawed.

Oh?  Well, let me try again.  The main cost component for reuseable 
launch vehicles is not fuel, or even fabrication costs, but maintenance.  
This is even more true for space launchers than for aircraft.  Bruce
offered a careful and thoughtful analysis that would reduce fabrication 
and fuel costs (*if* you accept his handwaving assertion that the lower
stage would cost less per pound to manufacture) while enormously increasing
the already-greater maintenance costs.

Now, please point out to me where my analogy is flawed.
From: i0c0256@zeus.tamu.edu (IGOR)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Re: Breeder Reactors
Date: 22 Dec 1992 12:10 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: sci
NNTP-Posting-Host: zeus.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

>Plutonium that the reactors "breed" and not on the safety of the 
>reactors.  The nuke power industry was trying to sell them as the answer

well it is my impression that there is also a fear due to the sodium fires
which was finally what made the french governement stop super-phoenix
for a while.....



> 
>It should be noted that Japan is pursuing breeders agressively.  I believe

France too. At least it was. What bugs me in the whole story is that
after spending 10 billion US$, they just cut the project.... ah those
evil-worshiper-anti-nukes....

>the shipment of fuel they are getting now goes toward a reactor that is
>a breeder but I am not sure.  
> 
>Grant Anderson
>Ganderson@jedi.decnet.lockheed.com

what about going back to space and forget about those
 anti-technology people :-).



Igor
Department of Nuclear Engineering
Texas A&M University
Newsgroups: sci.space
From: ewright@convex.com (Edward V. Wright)
Subject: Re: fast-track failures
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 23:08:45 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 <1992Dec23.114601.22583@ke4zv.uucp> gary@ke4zv.uucp (Gary Coffman) writes:

>Of course the SR-71 was a black program funded by clandestine government
>agencies to the tune of we don't know how many billions of dollars. 

Well, we do know that Kelly Johnson had no more than 100 engineers
working on the project.

How many billions can 100 engineers manage to spend in just 18 months?

Probably not enough to pay for the toilet paper in men's room
used the accountants that would have been required to run the
project your way.


>All technical development programs are subject to failure. You only
>have to look at the number of discarded prototype designs in any
>industry to see that. 

Except, as Henry has shown, there don't seem to be nearly as many
"discarded prototype designs" as you believe. (By roughly a factor
of 10. :-)

>Any management program that doesn't plan for
>the failure of certain subsystem developments to come in on spec,
>on time, and on budget, is going to have programs that fail more
>frequently than those that do plan for such contingencies. 

There's a difference between planning for contingencies and
basing your entire project plan on the assumption that, no
matter what, you ultimately will fail.

>Now that's not to say that *any* program can't be mismanaged, they certainly can. 

Name one program run your way that was *not* mismanaged.

>With major development programs today costing as much as they do, 

To pay for bean-counters, redundant paperwork, and CYA

>using a management style that doesn't plan for contingencies

Bullshit.  *Every* government program for the last 20 or so years
has followed your failure-oriented approach.  *Including* the
Space Shuttle program, the ridiculous Rogers Commission
report notwithstanding.  Government programs thrive on 
failure because of the Federal teat.  As long as they
do not meet their goals, funding continues.  Lifetime
job security.  Success-oriented programs pose the risk
that (shudder) goals will be met, the project will be
over, and those involved will have to find work somewhere
else.

Like most government reformers, you refuse to recognize that
the conditions you decry are the *results* of your reforms.  
You simply ascribe the worsening conditions to the fact that
your reforms have not been implemented thoroughly enough.
From: 18084TM@msu.edu (Tom)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: Moral Justification
Date: 21 Dec 92 17:09:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.BzMD49.1y1.1
Distribution: sci
Organization: [via International Space University]
X-Added: Forwarded by Space Digest
Original-Sender: isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU


gorney@picard.med.ge.com (Felix Gorney Mfg 4-6983) writes:

>: |>   Can any of you think of any moral or philosophical justification
>: |>   for using huge amounts of taxpayer money to fund the "space
>: |>   program" at all?  Not counting, of course, it provides high-
>: |>   pay, high-tech jobs for a bunch of us.
>:

> Well, I have one good reason, the space program more than pays for itself in
> new technology and spin-offs (actually the frequently quoted figure is for
> each dollar invested we have gotten a return of about seven bucks in high
> tech industry and savings)

>Mark

Sorry.  Valuable, perhaps, but not moral.

1) If it has such a good return, why do we need the gov. to pay for it?

2) How do you convince that factory worker that lost his job to a robot
   that his money should be spent to help put him on the street?

-Tommy Mac
------------------------------===========================================
Tom McWilliams               |Is Faith a short '  `      '   *.;     +%
18084tm@ibm.cl.msu.edu       |cut for attaining    +    .      '
(517) 355-2178 -or- 353-2986 |  . knowledge? ;"'       ,'    .   '     .
a scrub Astronomy undergrad  |      *     ,    or is it just  .       .
at Michigan State University |   ';   '        * a short-circuit?   ,
------------------------------===========================================
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Magellan Update - 12/21/92
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Keywords:  Magellan, JPL
Reply-To: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 15:14:31 GMT

Forwarded from Doug Griffith, Magellan Project Manager

                          MAGELLAN STATUS REPORT
                            December 21, 1992

1.  The Magellan spacecraft continues to operate normally, performing
a starcal (star calibration) and desat (desaturation of the reaction
wheels) in each 3-hour orbit 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.  On Sunday, December 20, the spacecraft performed the second radio
science experiment of recent weeks on orbits #6471 and 6472.  As the
spacecraft passed behind Venus (as viewed from Earth), Magellan
performed a limb-tracking maneuver on both ingress and egress.  In
this way, the received signal passed through the atmosphere of Venus
as it was refracted around the limb.

3.  By measuring the attenuation and doppler shift of both the S- and
X-band carrier signals, scientists can study the relative abundances
of H2SO4 (sulfuric acid) and CO2 (carbon dioxide), as well as other
measures of the atmosphere.

4.  Following the radio science experiment, controllers turned on the
360 kHz subcarrier and performed a Very Long Baseline Interferometry
(VLBI) experiment for two orbits.  Then the spacecraft was commanded
back to the carrier plus X-band mode.

5.  Spacecraft temperatures remain in the expected range: Bay 7 is 48
degrees C and Transmitter B is at 51.2 degrees C, with a cycle depth of 1.5
degrees.  The commanded position of the Solar Array Drive Mechanism will
be updated today in preparation for the holiday period.

6.  The spacecraft has completed 6367 orbits of Venus; 731 so far in
Cycle-4, which will end on May 25, 1993.  Cycle-4 is 39.5% complete.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     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: Magellan Update - 12/29/92
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Magellan, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Wed, 30 Dec 1992 00:14:00 GMT

Forwarded from Doug Griffith, Magellan Project Manager

                        MAGELLAN STATUS REPORT
                          December 29, 1992

1.  The Magellan spacecraft continues to operate normally, performing
a desat (desaturation of the reaction wheels) in each 3-hour orbit,
a starcal (star calibration) on every other orbit, 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.  On Sunday, December 20, the spacecraft performed two radio
occultation experiments.  As the spacecraft passed behind Venus (as
viewed from Earth), the S- and X-band signals were carefully monitored
at the DSS-14 station at Goldstone.

3.  Magellan performed a limb-tracking maneuver on both ingress and
egress.  In this way, the received signal passed through the
atmosphere of Venus as it was refracted around the limb.  S-band
communication was maintained through the entire period of occultation.
The X-band signal was tracked partway through both in entry and exit
portions of the occultations.

4.  Radio science investigators Dr. Paul Steffes of Georgia Tech, and
Dr. Jon Jenkins of the SETI Institute/NASA Ames Research Center,
expect the data to yield information on the thermal structure and
abundance of sulfuric acid vapor as well as average electron density
profiles of the Venus atmosphere.

5.  The spacecraft has completed 6426 orbits of Venus; 790 so far in
Cycle-4, which will end on May 25, 1993.  Cycle-4 is 43% complete.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     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: yee@atlas.arc.nasa.gov (Peter Yee)
Subject: NASA exceeds small disadvantaged business contracting goal [Release 92-231] (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, 24 Dec 1992 00:43:29 GMT

Donald L. Savage
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.              December 23, 1992
(Phone:  202/358-1600)


RELEASE:  92-231

NASA EXCEEDS SMALL DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS CONTRACTING GOAL 


     NASA Administrator Dan Goldin today announced that the 
agency has exceeded its 1992 goal of awarding 6.7 percent of 
the total value of the agency's prime and subcontracts to 
small disadvantaged businesses.

     Over $865 million was awarded to minority organizations, 
representing 7.2 percent of the total $12 billion awarded 
during the last fiscal year.  In 1990, NASA developed a plan 
to meet a goal of awarding 8 percent of the total to small 
disadvantaged businesses (SDBs) by the end of fiscal year 
1994.

     "This represents a major step forward to meeting and 
hopefully, exceeding our 1994 goal in 1993," said Goldin.  
"We are continuing the momentum by recently setting aside 
appropriate procurements for SDBs, including women-owned 
firms, and we are developing an awards program for technical 
small businesses.

     "I have directed top NASA officials to take steps to 
substantively increase SDB subcontracting in our top 100 
contracts.  Also, I have made reaching our 8 percent goal a 
part of the performance evaluations of NASA's associate and 
assistant administrators and center directors," said Goldin.

     Other steps announced today to meet the goal are to 
direct that contract consolidations which reduce prime awards 
to SDBs will be made only with the concurrence of NASA's 
chief of staff and to challenge the Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., to double their SDB 
subcontracting in FY 1993.

    On Dec. 2, NASA announced that $310 million would be set 
aside under a determinations and findings (D & F) to ensure 
that NASA reaches the goal.  The D & F listed 26 requirements 
for contracts at NASA centers.

     The goal includes small disadvantaged businesses, women-
owned businesses, Historically Black Colleges and 
Universities and minority educational institutions.  The 
congressionally-mandated goal was included in the FY 1990 
NASA appropriations bill.
Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Galileo Update - 12/29/92
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Keywords:  Galileo, JPL
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 18:24:00 GMT

Forwarded from Bill O'Neil, Galileo Project Manager

                            GALILEO STATUS REPORT
                              December 29, 1992

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

     Yesterday, the HGA (High Gain Antenna) warming turn to an attidue of 45
degree off Sun angle was performed in preparation for the DDA-5 (Dual Drive
Actuator #5) windup/hammering activities.  Real-time commands were sent
to update the system fault protection response and to modify attitude control
fault protection presistence level in support of the motor acuation activity.
Tracking was scheduled over DSS-43 (Canberr 70 meter antenna) and DSS-63
(Madrid 70 meter antenna).

     Today, December 29, 1992, after approxiamately 20 hours at warming
attitude, real-time commands for motor windup/hammering activities are being
sent to begin at approxiamately 6:56 AM PST for a period of up to 20 hours.
Tracking is scheduled over DSS-14 (Goldstone 70 meter antenna), DSS-43 and
DSS-63.

     Tomorrow, the sun acquistion back from warming attitude is scheduled
to begin at 2:48 PST.  The star scanner checkout and real-time commands to
reacquire celestial reference are scheduled.  Also, real-time commands are to
be sent to reconfigure the spacecraft.  Tracking is scheduled over DSS-14,
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. 

Newsgroups: sci.space.news
From: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov (Ron Baalke)
Subject: Mars Observer Update - 12/22/92
Followup-To: sci.space
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   
Keywords:  Mars Observer, JPL
Reply-To: baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Date: Mon, 28 Dec 1992 15:29:00 GMT

Forwarded from the Mars Observer Project

                MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
                    December 22, 1992

The C5A sequence continues to clock out and the C5B
sequence is being readied for early January uplink, pending
final confirmation of the date for transition to outer cruise
attitude.

The SCT has successfully loaded the I + 89 star catalogs and
ephemeris updates and the spacecraft is collecting stars while
in the Sun Star Init mode.  The spacecraft will be commanded
back to the  Array Normal Spin mode this afternoon.

The spacecraft is expected to be placed in the outer cruise
configuration in early January, which positions the spacecraft
HGA (High Gain Antenna) and solar array towards earth.  Following
transition to outer cruise, the HGA will be activated.  Following a
short calibration period, the HGA will then be utilized throughout
the rest of the mission for nominal operations.  Until this
transition point, the spacecraft will remain very inactive, with
only star catalog updates planned.

The spacecraft engineering elements and payload instruments
continue to perform well, and within specification.
     ___    _____     ___
    /_ /|  /____/ \  /_ /|     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: yee@atlas.arc.nasa.gov (Peter Yee)
Subject: Dante robot to provide live video as it descends into volcano [NTE 92-111] (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: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 05:44:59 GMT

Charles Redmond/Barbara Selby
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                             December 22, 1992
(Phone:  202/358-1757 -- 202/358-1983)

Randee Exler
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone:  301/286-7277)


EDITORS NOTE:  N92-111

DANTE ROBOT TO PROVIDE LIVE VIDEO AS IT DESCENDS INTO VOLCANO


	Dante, an eight-legged NASA robot, will provide live video of its
descent down the steep inner rim to the lava lake of the Antarctic
volcano Mt. Erebus during a technology demonstration and science
expedition to begin about Dec. 28.

	The robot demonstration is a joint NASA and National Science
Foundation undertaking using the Antarctic as a demonstration site for
robotic exploration development which could be used during future lunar
or Martian missions.

	The robotic exploration of the live Mt. Erebus volcano will take
a minimum of 3 days.  Each day, the Antarctic team will transmit five
20-minute live video feeds from cameras mounted atop the robot.

	The feeds will be transmitted from Mt. Erebus via NASA's Tracking
and Data Relay Satellite-West to the Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md.  NASA will issue further media advisories via the
Goddard Broadcast News Service (301/286-NEWS) when the dates and times
of the feeds are better known.

	NASA also will provide commentary on the robot's progress provided
by robotics and volcano experts at Goddard.  The television feed and
commentary will be available both at Goddard and on NASA Select
television.

	A news operation will be active at the Goddard Visitor Center on
Soil Conservation Road during these activities.  Media wishing to
participate will be able to access Goddard's payload operations
activities via closed circuit television.  Background materials, both
print and video, will be available prior to the first live video feed.
Newsgroups: sci.space.news