WYLBB@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU (Michael Linn) (08/16/88)
I've heard a lot of mention about "NASA Select", which is presumably
some sort of cable TV channel.
How can one get access to it?
Is it available nationwide or only in certain regions?
Is there a fee to subscribe to it?
Would someone please fill me in on the details?
Thanks.rlf@mtgzy.att.com (r.l.fletcher) (08/27/88)
I have seen repeated references to NASA Select, can someone please explain what it is and how do I get it? Thanks, Ron Fletcher AT&T Bell Laboratories Middletown NJ
klr@hadron.UUCP (Kurt L. Reisler) (08/29/88)
In article <4135@mtgzy.att.com> rlf@mtgzy.att.com (r.l.fletcher) writes: >I have seen repeated references to NASA Select, can someone >please explain what it is and how do I get it? Well, NASA Select is a service that is (can) be provided to lcoal cable companies. If you are currently a cable TV subscriber and are not sure if you get NASA Select, you might try calling your cable company. In the DC area (DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland), NASA Select is carried on channel 40 by Media General Cable. Usuallt it just shows a blue and black screen, with the logo "NASA SELECT" and the date and time. However, when there is activity, such as the recent FRF and SRB test firings, and missions, the coverage is LIVE and via more camera angles then the networks show you. In fact, it seems that the networks get most (not all) of their camera angles from NASA Select. Kurt
mike@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Mike Smithwick) (03/30/89)
[] In article <1989Mar27.213437.22701@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes: >In article <Added.4Y=O_Wy00Ui30R7E8O@andrew.cmu.edu> BISURFAC@ECUVM1.BITNET (Lou Surface) writes: >>... My question is why were there no cabin views during >>the launch? Come to think of it, I don't recall cabin views at launch >>on any mission - from Apollo to STS. Is this due to G-force limits >>on operating cameras? - that would be suprising. Or is there some >>classified ritual that occurs at T minus 0? Several reasons I can think of: 1) The ground controllers probably don't want to clutter up the shuttle's comm channels with an unecessary wide-band transmission, otherwise known as TeeVee. Since the launch is perhaps the most communications intesive portion of the flight, I sure that all conceivable channels are reserved for more valuable information. 2) The shuttle's cameras are pretty big dudes, long boxes around 6"x6"x18" or so. They have got to be pretty heavy (>15 pounds) once you add in the electronics, massive zoom lenses and motors to drive them, etc. The mounts for the cameras are petty flimsy, and would never work in 1G. Launch video would require the manufacture of special mounting brackets. 3) No classified ritual, as I've seen many a film taken of the crew during launch. (Unless they scratch themselves in certain interesting places that might not be too appealing :-). There were two U.S missions which did have video during launch : Gordon Cooper's Mercury flight, Faith 7. They were trying out an experimental slow-scan tv system which transmitted back pictures at about 2 seconds/frame. The other was the Apollo-Soyuz launch. There was a camera tucked under the right control panel looking up at the crew during the launch sequence. It's quite an interesting sequence. On STS-30, they'll be trying out a Sony cam-corder. This might pave the way for small, lightweight cameras which might conceivably be left on during the launch sequence. >There's no special problem with it that I'm aware of. I'd assume that >the reason is (a) the view would be boring, Any more "boring" than 38 minutes of a crewmember throwing switches in the Aft flight deck? :-) >and (b) the astronauts' >conversations are considered private unless explicitly transmitted. The cameras do not come equipped with microphones, so any internal conversations would not be transmitted. >-- >Welcome to Mars! Your | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology >passport and visa, comrade? | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ <-great signature Henry *** mike (cerbral GURU, insert M&Ms to restart) smithwick*** "Oh, I'm just a NOP in the instruction set of life, oh, ohhhh, hmmmmm" [disclaimer : nope, I don't work for NASA, I take full blame for my ideas]