yee@ames.arc.nasa.gov (Peter E. Yee) (12/16/88)
Jim Ball
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
RELEASE: 88-170
NASA AND UCAR SIGN AGREEMENT FOR SUBORBITAL USE OF EXTERNAL TANKS
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), Boulder,
Colo., announced today the signing of a memorandum of agreement
that establishes the terms and conditions for UCAR's use of Space
Shuttle external tanks (ETs) for suborbital experiments.
The agreement stems from an earlier memorandum of under-
standing with UCAR and supports implementation of the President's
February 1988 Commercial Space Initiative, which announced that
expended external tanks would be made available to feasible U.S.
commercial and non-profit endeavors.
UCAR is interested in conducting scientific research through
experiments contained in the unpressurized, 5,000-cubic-foot inter-
tank area, between the fuel and oxidizer tank, within the Shuttle
external tank. These experiments would be conducted during the
suborbital trajectory of the tank following its jettison from the
Shuttle and prior to its destruction during reentry.
Under the terms of the new agreement, NASA will assist UCAR in
developing its suborbital use of the ET for intertank experiments
and the agency has agreed to make available to UCAR intertank space
on up to five designated ETs, subject to NASA requirements and
constraints. The use of the tanks by UCAR will not require any
operational or programmatic changes in Shuttle operations and UCAR
will reimburse NASA for any direct costs the agency incurs in
support of the agreement.
Following the completion of a technical implementation plan,
NASA and UCAR will negotiate launch services agreements to provide
the separate terms, conditions and financial arrangements for
launch and associated services required by UCAR's ET intertank
experiments. A timetable for flights under the 5-year memorandum
of agreement has not been established.
A number of organizations have proposed private uses for the
Shuttle external tanks, responding to a June 1988 Commerce Business
Daily announcement soliciting expressions of interests. NASA is
continuing the evaluation of the proposals. maniac@garnet.berkeley.edu (George W. Herbert) (12/18/88)
Gee, now that they've got the general idea, lets se if we can find someone with a couple af hundred million, and a free slot in the shuttle launch schedule (heh?) and see if we can put up a _cheap_ space station. -george william herbert ps-the UCB SPACE club may well set up a comittee to study this and do our idea of a proposal. if you want to send input, mail me something. anything welcome...