henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (03/16/89)
[The summaries are going to be terser and more selective than usual until I cut the backlog down some.] Tentative restraint-of-trade agreement reached with China on Long March: China will launch at most nine international comsats through 1994 and "maintain prices on par with the world market". All is not rosy, however; Arianespace wants to know why Washington has been dithering for years on similar negotiations with it, and the USSR wants to know why US comsats can be launched on Chinese launchers but not Soviet ones. Titov and Manarov are in good shape after a year in space; they were walking hours after landing. French doctor (participating because Chretien came down on the same Soyuz) says they looked drawn and pale, with problems maintaining upright position, on emergence from the Soyuz, but were walking with assistance three hours later, and appeared nearly normal (walking without assistance, with no special support clothing, although still fatigued) two days later. Whatever the Soviets are doing -- intensive exercise before return is certainly part of it -- it's working. Titov/Manarov/Chretien reentry delayed several hours due to computer problems aboard Soyuz. A new reentry program, intended to compensate for the problems last September, had a bug. A replacement program was entered and reentry was normal, two orbits late. Soviets revise Mars plans (subject to final approval). 1994 mission will include orbiter, balloon, "small meteorological stations" on the surface, and possibly penetrators. One objective will be site selection for a rover mission in 1996. However, the Soviets will be doing something in 1992 after all: a lunar orbiter with remote-sensing equipment, to select sites for future exploration. A possible future mission is sample return from the lunar farside in 1996. USAF awards major design and technology contracts for ALS. Fletcher has resigned, effective "at the pleasure of the president". [No surprise, he was expected to leave.] No word yet on replacement. Considerable turnover in crucial Congressional committees; some worry at NASA, although on the whole the changes are improvements. NASA's ambitious budget proposals will still get a rough time though. Of particular note is considerable feeling in Congress that too much space-station money is being spent on hiring managers and too little on hardware. -- Welcome to Mars! Your | Henry Spencer at U of Toronto Zoology passport and visa, comrade? | uunet!attcan!utzoo!henry henry@zoo.toronto.edu