henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) (05/24/88)
[If you're wondering why there's been somewhat of a hiatus in my AW&ST
postings, it's because I got rather more caught up than usual and took
it easy for a bit. I normally run about a month behind, partly because
it often takes that long for me to get and read AW&ST, and partly as a
deliberate policy to avoid direct competition with AW&ST.]
Arianespace says it would have to match China's $30M launch price if
Long March started really attracting customers, although it would be
difficult to keep it that low.
SDI's Boost Surveillance Tracking System satellite will use solar power
rather than an isotope power pack, due to a combination of launch-
safety clearance worries and the high cost and scarcity of Pu-238, the
isotope normally used.
USAF report urges efforts in small space nuclear reactors, in the 5-40kW
range. Report recommends against a second full-scale development project
at this time, as the existing SP-100 project is very expensive and is
eating up all available resources in the area; this is unfortunate since
some other concepts could be demonstrated at rather lower cost.
ESA is replacing possibly-faulty US-supplied memory chips in Ulysses
while waiting for its 1990 (maybe) launch. The project is also installing
a new ground-based mission operations computer because the existing one is
now seriously obsolete! Ulysses was originally meant to fly in 1983.
One other effect of the delay is that power-management procedures are
being revised, since the output of Ulysses's isotope power pack will be
down substantially by launch time. It was deemed too difficult and far
too expensive to refuel the power pack, despite the long delay. The loss
of power is awkward but is not expected to jeopardize the primary mission.
ESA's Hipparcos astrometry satellite undergoes final tests, after which
it will go into storage until launch next year on Ariane 4. Ariane's
problems have delayed the launch from this July to next June.
Picture of TDRS-C being readied for delivery to KSC as payload for STS-26.
NASA doubles official limits for insulation debonds on shuttle SRBs and
begins to stack SRBs for STS-26. Tests on the SSME LOX pumps have given
them a clean bill of health, and they have been reinstalled.
Ed Aldridge, Sec USAF, says that ALS is no longer a project to develop a
specific heavy launcher: it has been revised to a much vaguer technology
effort, partly as a result of budget-induced delays in SDI and the space
station.
Retired USAF general Sam Phillips [if that name does not ring a bell, dig
into your reference books and find out who was the overall top boss of
Project Apollo] says the US space program has been "trying to do the
impossible" by trying to maintain space leadership "on the cheap". He
urges attention to the lessons from Apollo: the need for firm support from
the White House on down, realistic budget planning, better relations between
government and industry, and much simpler organizations and review processes.
Space station price tag on the rise, yet again... NASA says that inflation
and the one-year stretchout from FY88 budget cuts have turned $14.6G into
$16G. [Does anyone seriously still think this gold-plated turkey has any
real chance of survival?]
British decision imminent on whether to re-enter the polar-platform part
of ESA's Columbus; this would probably mean abandoning its proposed role
in Canada's Radarsat project. [They did and it did. Boo hiss. I think
it's good that Britain is being a bit less negative toward ESA, but dumping
Radarsat was dumb.]
Fletcher tells symposium that a joint US/USSR lunar base makes more sense
as an initial objective than a joint Mars mission, saying this would allow
building a "stable foundation" for further exploration.
Pictures of the March 25 Scout launch from the San Marco platform.
Aerospatiale picked as lead contractor for the Infrared Space Observatory,
to be launched in 1993 carrying a 9m-focal-length infrared telescope and
enough liquid helium to keep it running 18 months.
Selenia Spazio picked as lead contractor for ESA's Data Relay Satellite
system (ESA's answer to TDRS). Italy is financing quite a bit of the
program, hence its prominent role. Final production goahead would be
late next year, for first launch (out of two) in 1995.
Starfind, the dark-horse private-navsat company, signs major contract
with Starfind South America to provide navsat services there, and claims
similar contracts near completion in other areas. Starfind is hoping
for a December launch on a Conestoga booster, but there may be some
delay. Starfind says it will not apply for an FCC license, as it expects
to operate under DoD authorization.
[Now, for a less positive report, from the 23 April issue of Flight
International...] Starfind still has no funding or FCC approval, despite
committing to five launches and the 17-year South American contract. It
is also running behind, with Geostar conspicuously out in front. Geostar's
piggyback payloads on existing comsats are already getting results:
Countrywide Truck Service of California located a $50k stolen truck using
the truck's Geostar transponder.
--
NASA is to spaceflight as | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
the Post Office is to mail. | {ihnp4,decvax,uunet!mnetor}!utzoo!henryeugene@pioneer.arpa (Eugene N. Miya) (05/26/88)
In article <1988May24.051418.14152@utzoo.uucp> henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes: >[If you're wondering why there's been somewhat of a hiatus in my AW&ST . . . >and partly as a deliberate policy to avoid direct competition with AW&ST.] >NASA is to spaceflight as | Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology >the Post Office is to mail. Somehow, Henry, I don't think AW&ST has to worry about competition from the Usenet. (At least until you start releasing color pictures and images.) Nor do the postal services for that matter ;-). A small observation from --eugene miya, NASA Ames Research Center, eugene@aurora.arc.nasa.gov resident cynic at the Rock of Ages Home for Retired Hackers: "Mailers?! HA!", "If my mail does not reach you, please accept my apology." {uunet,hplabs,ncar,ihnp4,decwrl,allegra,tektronix}!ames!aurora!eugene