Sep 9 1994
From The Space Library
Space Shuttle Discovery was launched, and the six astronauts began a series of experiments. These included testing the first space-based optical "radar" to probe clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere; carrying the first automated factory in which a robot, not an astronaut, did the work; and later in the week testing SAFER, a new self-rescue rocket-powered backpack.
Also being tested was the Shuttle's manipulator arm to measure the effect of Discovery's thruster plumes, which might pose a problem ultimately in docking with the Russian Space Station Mir. The astronauts experienced some difficulties with a high-speed data recorder that would not work and a communications glitch related to the analysis of steering jet exhaust plumes. The astronauts successfully conducted extensive environmental monitoring using the LIDAR space-based radar-in this connection, NASA warned that looking at Discovery through a large telescope might result in eye damage. On September 13, Discovery released the SPARTAN (Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy) satellite to study the solar wind, the streams of charged particles hurtling from the Sun through the solar system at 1.5 million mph. The SPARTAN was scheduled to he picked up again by Discovery on September 15, but the capture of the satellite would he complicated by the failure of Discovery's radar system, which meant that SPARTAN could not be tracked. Meanwhile, NASA added another day to Discovery's mission to allow more laser-beam and jet-exhaust experiments to be conducted. On September 15, the astronauts recaptured SPARTAN on schedule and the radar operated, facilitating the operation. On September 16, two of the astronauts took spacewalks without a tether, testing SAFER in space for the first time. They took turns during a 6.5 hour outing and were limited to staying within 25 feet of the Shuttle so that they could he retrieved if SAFER failed. Bad weather prevented the Shuttle landing on September 19; it ultimately was diverted to Edwards Air Force Base, California, where it landed September 20. (H Chron, Sep 10/94; USA Today, Sep 12/94; H Post, Sep 12/94; H Chron, Sep 12/94; CSM, Sep 13/94; USA Today, Sep 13/94; P Inq, Sep 13/94; AP, Sep 13/94; W Post, Sep 14/94; P Inq, Sep 14/94; C Trib, Sep 14/94; UP, Sep 14/94; Reuters, Sep 14/94; NY Times, Sep 15/94; USA Today, Sep 15/94; P Inq, Sep 15/94; W Times, Sep 15/94; UP, Sep 15/94; Reuters, Sep 15/94; W Post, Sep 16/94; NY Times, Sep 16/94; USA Today, Sep 16/94; B Sun, Sep 16/94; W Times, Sep 16/94; CSM, Sep 16/94; AP, Sep 16/94; UP, Sep 18/94; Reuters, Sep 18/94; USA Today, Sep 19/94; AP, Sep 19/94; UP, Sep 19/94; Reuters, Sep 19/94; W Post, Sep 20/94; NY Times, Sep 20/94; B Sun, Sep 20/94; P Inq, Sep 20/94; USA Today, Sep 20/94; AP, Sep 20/94; Reuters, Sep 20/94; LA Times, Sep 21/94; W Post, Sep 21/94; W Times, Sep 21/94; P IN, Sep 21/94; B Sun, Sep 21/94; H Post, Sep 21/94; AP, Sep 21/94)
NASA announced the award of a contract to the industry team of GE Aircraft Engines and United Technologies' Pratt & Whitney for work on the propulsion component technologies for a 21st century High-Speed Civil Transport. (NASA Release 94-150)
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