@S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley (06/07/85)
From: Rick McGeer (on an aaa-60-s) <mcgeer%ucbkim@Berkeley>
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from: <crash!usiiden!markf@nosc>
date: thu, 6 jun 85 12:51:12 pdt
to: crash!noscvax!space@mit-mc
subject: general space information
from: nasa/news service
subj: heat dissipation technology
even with long term manned presence in space still in its
infancy, a host of promising opportunities have been
identified which employ the natural vacuum and microgravity
conditions available in space. * a few problems also have been
discovered and nasa's lewis res centr is addressing one of the
particularly troublesome ones: how to dissipate heat that
builds up inside a spacecraft so that a constant and livable
temperature can be maintained for the astronauts who must live
and work onboard. * currently, heat removal is accomplished
through the use of a heavy, bulky, rigid metal heat transfer
system. * new technology being developed by lewis would use
the surface of a liquid coolant to radiate away excess heat,
thus saving as much as 90 percent of the current hardware
weight. and weight is an expensive commodity in space flight
operations. * called a liquid droplet radiator, the concept is
based on exposing a moving stream of hot droplets, the
diameter of a human hair, directly into space, allowing the
heat to radiate from the surface of the droplets. the droplets
would be ejected from a generator to a collector. at the
collector, the droplets would rejoin to for a liquid, in much
the same way that droplets of window spray reunite to become a
liquid on the window surface. the coolant then would be
recirculated and reused. essential is selection or development
of a heat transfer fluid with proper vapor pressure and
sufficient long life to permit extended reuse. * crucial has
been development of micromachining to produce holes as small
as .002 inches in diam. ** debra rahn hq and john m. shaw
lewis res centr.
**********************
from: nasa/news service
subj: sci & tech info fac
rms associates, landover, md., has been selected for
negotiations leading to award of a contract for the operation
and maintenance of the nasa scientific and technical
information facility (stif), lcoated near the baltimore/
washington international airport, baltimore, md.
* the 1 yr. contract will commence july 1, 1985, preceded by a
1 month phase in period. the contract will include provisions
for two 1 yr priced option extensions. two additional 1 yr
unpriced options are anticipated. the rms associates'
estiamted value of the 1 yr contract is approximately $5
million, with a total of approximately $15 million for the
first 3 yrs. * the contractor will be responsible for:
acquiring and processing documents and data approved by nasa
for entry into the nasa collection;
cataloging, abstracting, indexing and announcing these
materials; providing dissemination service; offering a
supporting reference service; compiling specialized
bibliographies; and providing other technical support. *
nasa stif is responsible for acquiring, organizing, processing
and storing worldwide aerospace information including
published articles, papers, books and reports. *
other firms submitting proposals were planning research
corp./government information systems, mclean, va., the
incumben; systems development corp., mclean, va.; m/a-com,
sigma data services corp., rockville, md.; and science
management corp., landover, md. ** barbara selby hq ****
*************
from: nasa/news service
subj: structural framework - space station
nasa has selected mcdonnell douglas astronautics co., a
california division of mcdonnell douglas corp., st. louis, and
rockwell intl., space station systems division, downey,
calif., for fixed price awards for definition and preliminary
design (phase b) of the structural framework and other
elements of a permanently manned space station. *
the contracts will be managed by nasa's johnson space center,
houston. work on the contracts will extend for 21 months.
industry teams selected for negotiations for the definition
and preliminary design of other space station elements were
announced by nasa on march 14. * the johnson contracts will
cover definition and preliminary design of the structural
framework to which the various elements of the space station
will be attatched; interface between the space station and the
space shuttle; mechanisms such as the remote manipulator
systems; attitude control, thermal control, communications and
data management systems; plan for equipping a module with
sleeping quarters, wardroom and galley; and plan for
extravehicular activity. the request for proposals indicated
the value of each of the contracts could be $27 million. * in
1984, nasa began the development of a permanently manned space
station pursuant to the directive in the state of the union
address from president reagan. ** barbara selby hq.
***********
from: nasa/news service
subj: space astronomy experiments
nasa has selected the first participants in a program to
assimilate the discoveries from a series of space astronomy
experiments into a comprehensive modern astrophysical theory.
the new reserch is expected to generate more effective use of
future experiments including the hubble space telescope, the
gamma ray observatory, the solar optical telescope and similar
projects still in planning. *
seven grps were selected- 49 proposals from 80 institutions,
involving nearly 300 people - making competition truly
national in scope. * dr. r. mccray and a team from u. of co.
will study detailed ways in which spectra form in a variety of
astrophysical sources such as stars, supernovae and active
galactic nuclei. spectra, or the pattern of radiation from
these sources, carry information about the physical conditions
of the object. the spectra includes radio, infrared, optical,
uv and x-ray radiation. * dr. j. ostriker anc colleagues from
princeton u. will analyze the most distant observable parts of
the universe. because of the infinite speed of light, distant
objects are seen as they existed long ago. looking back in
time by observing light from very distant galaxies and
quasars, scientists can study the "big bang" that
theoretically occurred in the early history of the universe. *
the sun will be studied by a team from yale u., led by dr. p.
demarque. they will develop computer models of the sun -
magnetic fields, sun spots, solar flares and solar wind.
-> dr. roger chevalier and a team from the u. of va. will
study the very hot gases that appear to surround clusters of
galaxies, individual galaxies and supernova remnants. the team
will seek to understand the origin and motion of the gas as
well as its effect on the development of galaxies. * dr.
ronald taam and colleagues from northwestern u. will study the
origin of rapid bursts of high energy radiation from neutron
stars and globular clusters. they hope to model the ignition,
nuclear evolution and propagation of burning fronts on
surfaces of neutron stars and to understand the nature of hot
plasma confinement in magnetic fields near such subjects. *
dr. david black heads a scientific team from nasa's ames
research center, mountain view, calif. and the u. of ca.,
santa cruz and berkeley campuses, that will investigate
various physical and chemical prosesses involved in the
formation of stars. they will concentrate on the stars'
origins in giant molecular clouds in interstellar space and
the protostellar/protoplanetary disk-shaped nebulae
surrounding fledgling stars. * a series of questions regarding
star and planet formation will be studied by a team of
scientists from the u. of arizona, headed by dr. simon white.
their research will include properties of star forming
regions, galaxy formation and evolution. they will use methods
from the study of hydrodynamics, plasma physics, radiative
transfer, atomic and molecular physics and physical cosmology.
* most of the teams will use supercomputers in their studies.
the researchers will be brought together in 1986 to exchange
information and to foster a greater understanding of the
advances that science has achieved. ** leon perry hq
************************
from: nasa/news service
subj: water hyacinth a new image
the water hyacinth, long fought as a weed that clogged streams
and lakes, is destined to become a force in the battle against
water polution as a result of nasa research. brought to the
u.s. in 1884 by the japanese as part of the new orleans cotton
states expo. the plants were given away as souvenirs and
thrown away into drainage canals. the plant grew at an
explosive rate. studies now show that under controlled
conditions the hyzcinth is ideal for domestic and industrial
water purification. ground into fertilizer they can be used to
produce biogas and fiber to produce large quantities of fresh
water. dr billy wolverton ph.d, sen res sci, and rebecca
mcdonald, res chem, nasa nat spc tech lab found in their
studies the hyacinth also shows promise for partially
supplying oxygen. food, pure water and waste treatment in
space. a waste water treatment system using the research is in
operation at nstl in fla, tx, & ca. an advanced natural waste
water process that combines anaerobic microbial filter
technology with the vascular plant wastewater treatment
technology to produce an efficient hybrid system has been
developed. the systems has the advantage that wastewater is
exposed to the atm. only after treatment, higher chemical
concentrations can be tolerated because of the higher surface
microbial filter. recent concerns about the discharge of
phenol were handled by the new technique. thanks to nasa
research, the dreaded water hyacinth is forming a new image.
instead of the uncontrollable aquatic monster it has been for
a hundred yrs, it is emerging as a large scale candidate for
large scale nutrient removal and water purification systems.
the hyacinth will help man sustain an acceptable quality of
life here on earth and in the remoteness of space. ** leon
*********************
perry hq.
from: nasa/news service
subj: nasa laser finds use in medicine
nasa has adopted a laser originally designed to measure gases
in the atmosphere to the task of cleaning out clogged arteries
without harming the walls of the blood vessels. the technique
could eliminate some coronary bypass surgery.
** physicians at la cedar sinai med centr and laser, jpl
scientists teamed together to develop the system. **
physicians warren grundfest, frank litvack & james forrester,
conducting research into the potential of lasers in
cardiology, sought a more precise & cooler laser than those in
use by medicine. ** the excimer developed by james
laudenslager, thomas pacala, stuart mcdermid and david rider
met the need. working with physician and fiber optics
consultant dr. tsvi goldenberg, the team refined the laser for
delicate cardiovascular cleaning. ** lasers are used in many
medical applications requiring precision cutting or welding.
use in cardiovascular research is new since misdirection can
perforate delicate artery walls...tissue cells can withstand
up to 154 degrees f. the excimer laser never reacher higher
than 149 f (428-500 f other lasers). glass magnetic switched
(jpl), the xenon chloride excimer laser can be made to produce
a uniform beam of energy that can be pulsed from 10 to 200
billionths of a second threading a 1.5 mm catheter through
coronary arteries; the laser is one of 3 bundles of fibers.
another shines a light; a third is a lens for video pictures
of the inside of the artery. clear fluid is used to flush the
artery of blood, allowing a clearer picture. typical tests
have taken 2 minutes. while properly cautious, the researchers
are encouraged by initial testing on animals, cadavers and
removed arteries of heart patients. ** azeezaly jaffer hq.
******************
from: nasa/news service
subj: nasa helps archaelogy
satellite imaging and remote sensing technology will be used
to probe the tropical andean jungles for archaelogical remains
in peru's rio abiseo natl park. * nasa's nat spc technology
lab (nstl) in mississippi, will colaborate in the project with
the anthropology dept. of the u. of colorado. * jerry hlass,
nstl cent dir. and dr. hearth, kir of spc sci and tech for u.
of c, have signed a memorandum of understanding for the
investigation. * archeological interests in the park include
the ancient site of gran patajen, the subtropical cloud forest
and the park's diverse ecology. data from landsat earth
resources satellite will be combined with information gathered
by a specially equipped aircraft from nstl. * sophisticated
instrumentation will allow researchers to "see" through the
dense vegetation to locate evidence of past settlements in the
now uninhabited region. interesting geographical features and
variations in vegetation may be observed and mapped. * when
cultural resources are identified through image analysis of
the 1,060 square miles, it will be checked out on the ground.
* nasa's interest is expansion of the use of space technology.
* thomas sever, a nasa remote sensing specialist and
archeologist at nstl, will provide support for 1 year.
starting in june will be nasa, the university and a remote
sensing team at peru's nat. agrarian u. in lima. * the project
is one of three archeological investigations being supported
by nasa. others are volcanic destruction of cities and
vegetation in costa rica; and support of the richard leaky
foundation in their search for evidence of human evolution in
kenya, africa. ** jim kukowski hq and mack herring nstl
*******
from: nasa/news service
subj: satellite rescue planned
nasa and hughes aircraft company have agreed to develop
jointly plans for a space shuttle mission to attempt to
salvage the hughes leasat 3 satellite in orbit. the
technically complex salvage attempt will provide an
opportunity to extend the shuttle's demonstrated capability to
rendezvous with and salvage satellites in space. * the salvage
attempt will take place under the terms of an agreement being
negotiated by nasa and hughes communications, inc. *
negotiations with the underwriters insuring leasat 3 have been
conducted by hughes in n.y. and london. agreement has been
reached with lloyd's and other european underwriters to
proceed with the attempted salvage. negotiations are
continuing with the american underwriters. * the mission is
presently planned for shuttle flight 51-i (targeted for aug
24). this date marks the opening of the window for rendezvous
with leasat. * the leasat 3 satellite is currently drifting in
low earth orbit without command or telemetry capability. * no
specific cause for the satellites failure has been determined.
the salvage plan involves modification of the satellite during
rendezvous by two of the shuttle crew to permit ground command
of the satellite. the modification will bypass all hardware
likely to have been the cause of the failure. * in its dormant
state the satellite is experiencing temperatures well below
the design and test limits of the liquid and solid propellent
system, electronics unit, batteries and other components. this
and other factors limit the chances of success. * leasat 4
will be launched during the same flight. a success for 3 and 4
would fulfill hughes commitments to the navy. * sarah keegan
hq and elizabeth hess hughes communication, inc. **
******************
from: ncar information
subj: wimps and the solar mystery
you wouldn't expect that wimp's could effect anything as
powerful as the sun, but astrophysicists at ncar and univ of
calif at santa cruz think otherwise. they have found that
smidgen of wimps - weakly interacting massive particles - can
alter the sun's central conditions, and in doing so could
resolve a puzzle that has bedeviled astronomers for years. *
the findings have recently become more than just a scientific
curiousity because developments in particle physics suggest
that wimpy particles may indeed exist. if so, wimps offer an
explanation for the shortage of neutrinos coming from the sun.
previously a total mystery. uc prof of astronomy and
astrophysics, john faulkner, along with ronald gilliland, ncar
astronomer, created detailed computer models of the sun and
demonstrated that a small number of wimps effectively lowers
the temperature at the sun's center. this in turn inhibits one
of the nuclear reactions taking place deep inside the sun, one
that is important because it produces the brand of neutrinos
that we can detect here on earth. *
neutrinos, so called "ghost particles" interact so seldom with
other matter that they can zip through millions of miles of
solid material. those released by the sun's nuclear reactions
stream clean out of the sun and off into space, passing
through nearly everything they encounter. *
by contrast, photons - particles of light - bounce around
inside the sun for millions of years before reaching the sun's
surface and escaping to space. * astronomers have detected
only one third as many solar neutrinos as their theories
predict, but it isn't for lack of looking. (cont'd next
message) ********
for almost two decades a special neutrino detector has sat
deep in a gold mine in s.dakota, where it is protected from
extraneous radiation. * "thge solar neutrino telescope acts on
earth as a thermometer for the center of the sun". it consists
of 100,000 gallons of perchlor-ethylene, a cleaning solvent.
solar neutrinos hitting it result in a chlorine atom changing
to argon. these are later counted. the large volume is to grab
some of the rare interacting neutrinos. experiments always
spot fewer than are predicted by theories of the sun's nuclear
reactions, perplexing astronomers. * the wimp which only
effects the center of the sun and does not carry disastrous
consequences for other regions is a potential answer. wimps
can travel partway from the sun's center before banging into
another particle. they offer a means of redistribution of the
energy within the sun. * by picking up energy in the extreme
conditions and depositing it in a shallower region, they can
smooth out the sharp peak in temperature that computer models
indicate exists in the sun's innermost volume. a small swing
in temperature greatly effects nuclear reactions producing
neutrinos detectable on the earth. the result is less
neutrinos on the earth reconciling theory and observation. *
particle physicist, have recently proposed "supersymmetry
theories" that predict particles that would match the wimp. in
particular the "photino", supersymmetrical to the photon is a
potential wimp. spurred by these and other findings, faulkner
and gilliland have submitted their calculations to the
astrophysical journal. ** john gustafson lick observatory and
joan frisch ncar ************************
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