June-September 1981:news from KSC

INTO THE SOLAR SYSTEM — OR NOT?

US planetary exploration has been slowed by Shuttle demands upon NASA funding and retrenchments ordered by the Reagan administration.

Slicing $640 million from the 1982 budget proposed by former President Carter. Reagan's trimming hit-hard upon agency planetary projects, which were reduced by 25 percent.

The major undertaking in this decade will be Galileo, a two-part spacecraft aimed at Jupiter and costing £645 million. Some 20 months after launch, when approaching Jupiter, Galileo will dispatch an instrumented probe towards the dense atmosphere until destroyed by high temperatures and pressures. The parent ship will orbit the planet and provide information concerning its satellites.

Andrew Stofan. deputy associate administrator for space science, told the 28th Annual Space Congress held in Cocoa Beach that the US will be left behind by other powers unless the administration changes its policy. The Soviet Union and Europe's space agency plan launches for the Comet Halley opportunity.

But the Space Congress, sponsored by Canaveral Technical Societies, seemed to echo Reagan's choice by devoting far more time to the reusable Shuttle two weeks after Columbia's triumphant debut. NASA and the Air Force gave the new transportation system top billing. Its impact upon more conventional rocket systems was clearly uppermost in the minds of their manufacturers. Papers dealing with Scout,Delta,Centaur and Titan promised greater weight lifting capacity as alternatives for the new vehicle.

Meanwhile. Japan is doing very well with its N-1 vehicle (131 kg to geostationary orbit) and successfully tested its N-2 in February. The new version can place 350 kg in geostationary orbit.

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POTENTIAL SHUTTLE MODIFICATIONS

While basking in acclaim following Columbia's first mission.NASA has more development work ahead before the reusable vehicle can live up to well advertised claims.

The space agency promised a capability of 65,000 lb of cargo launched to the east from the Cape and 32,000 lb in polar orbit when launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California where most military missions will begin.

"It is important to the future that performance augmentation be developed and made available to meet payload requirements which exploit Shuttle's capabilities.",William Goldsby, systems engineering chief in the Space Transportation System office, told the 18th Space Congress recently (29-30 April).

Goldsby discussed options under consideration which include uprating the Shuttle's main engines to 115 percent of rated power level, lighter cases for solid booster rockets (filament-wound), and a liquid boost module derived from Titan. All three will be studied in detail for selection and initiation of development in fiscal year 1983 to support requirement dates.

Goldsby outlined current steps being taken to increase payload capability, such as reducing inert weight in Orbiters and the External Tank, and improving solid rocket performance. By April 1983 NASA expects to have the 65,000 lb capability with Columbia, and then Challenger and Discovery in 1983 and Atlantis in 1984.

The liquid boost module (LBM) has been studied in detail and found to be practicable. This would employ a Titan first stage engine with shortened Titan tanks mounted under the 154 ft fuel tank as a strap-on system.