Jan 7 1993
From The Space Library
A rocky asteroid, rather than an icy comet, probably caused a huge explosion over Siberia in 1908 that flattened at least 40,000 trees over about 850 square miles. A research team from NASA and the University of Wisconsin used a computer simulation to determine that an asteroid measuring about 65 yards was a better explanation than the comet; the simulation revealed that comets would explode much too high in the sky to fit the projected altitude of the Tunguska blast. (B Sun, Jan 7/93; NY Times, Jan 7/93; LA Times, Jan 8/93; W Post, Jan 11/93; P Inq, Jan 7/93; WP, Jan 11/93)
NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin announced that NASA was raising the number of contracts it had with small, disadvantaged, and women-owned businesses. According to Goldin, $310 million would be set aside under a Determinations and Findings (D&F) to make sure that NASA awarded eight percent to such businesses. Eight percent was the figure set by Congress. (LA Watts Times, Jan 7/93)
Russia agreed to help build a U.S. atom smasher in Waxahachie, Texas. Russian scientists would be involved in the design, engineering, and production of two of the Collider's booster accelerators in addition to its experimental detectors. According to the terms of the agreement, which could add $100 million to the Russian economy and save the U.S. a similar amount, Russia would provide Russian hardware at half price. (WSJ, Jan 7/93; USA Today, Jan 7/93)
By using the Hubble Space Telescope, astronomers have concluded that the Markarian 315 Galaxy, a galaxy that has been observed for 10 years, is in reality composed of two merged galaxies; the collision of the two galaxies is thought to have provided new fuel for a massive black hole, which has a "tail" of gas 240,000 light-years long. (NASA Release 93-006; W Times, Jan 8, 1993)
Using the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE), NASA scientists measured thermal radiation differences across the universe and came up with more conclusive evidence than ever to support the "Big Bang" theory that the universe was created by a single blast 15 billion years ago. Measurements made by COBE revealed that 99.97 percent of the early radiant energy of the universe was released within the first year after the Big Bang itself. "This is the ultimate in tracing one's cosmic roots," said NASA scientist John C. Mather, who announced the findings at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society. (NASA Release 93-5; USA Today, Jan 8/93; NY Times, Jan 8/93; AP, Jan 8/93; Av Wk, Jan 25/93)
NASA released four new images gathered by the Cosmic Background Explorer. The images, which were released at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, showed infrared sources such as dust within the Solar System, stars in the Milky Way Galaxy, and dust and stars in other galaxies. The images were created from Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE) data. (NASA Release 92-256)
Static firing tests of a propulsion development test article for Space Station Freedom began at NASA's White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) in New Mexico in late December. The tests checked the preliminary design for the propulsion module that was to be used for Space Station attitude control, orientation, speed and altitude control, and avoidance of space debris. (NASA Release 93-7)
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