Mar 31 1978

From The Space Library

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Revision as of 02:11, 1 February 2010

GSFC announced it would welcome a first group of guest astronomers Apr. 3 to its international ultraviolet explorer (IUE) satellite observatory, the first designed so that astronomers with little knowledge of spacecraft design, and orbital operations could walk in, conduct observations, and receive data within 24hr. Astronomers would use NASA's IUE, placed in a modified synchronous earth orbit Jan. 26, to examine a wide range of celestial objects in the spectral ultraviolet region between 1150 and 3200A that included emissions of many common elements <such as hydrogen, helium, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen. Studies would range from the solar system to distant quasars, pulsars, and black holes.

NASA had selected nearly 200 astronomers from 17 nations (including the USSR) to conduct observations from GSFC's IUE installation and ESA's facility near Madrid, Spain. First guest astronomers would be Dr. Jeffrey Linsky, Univ. of Colo. specialist in cool stars, and Dr. Sara Head of GSFC, a specialist in hot stars. They would be succeeded by groups of 3 or 4 on a 7-day-a-wk basis throughout the yr. After 45 scientists had completed data reduction, the information gathered would indicate which aspects of astronomy should be emphasized during the spacecraft's remaining lifetime. (NASA Release 78-50)

JPL announced that aerospace and aircraft design engineers from the U.S. and Europe would meet for the 12th Aerospace Mechanism Symposium (AMS) at ARC late in Apr. The symposium would be devoted to discussion of problems of design, development, and use of aerospace and aircraft mechanisms. Featured banquet speaker would be Dr. P.B.S. Lissaman, one of the designers of the Gossamer Condor, the ultralightweight and most successful manpowered aircraft built to date (JPL Universe, Mar 31/78, 1)

The JSC Roundup reported on a 2-day conference, "Meeting Our Energy Needs Today and Tomorrow," with Dr. Peter Glaser, commonly thought of as the initiator of the solar-power satellite concept, as featured speaker. Glaser, designer of three instruments deployed on the lunar surface by the Apollo astronauts, had proposed a solar-power-satellite concept in 1968 before the days of concern with an energy shortage. He said the scientific community had slowly become aware that solar energy "shines brighter than ever as the major energy source." Glaser summarized the advantages of collecting the solar energy constantly available in space, as opposed to disadvantages of any terrestrial energy source: absence of gravity and weather; avoidance of thermal pollution and waste; and the ability to direct a beam of collected energy to any location on earth, sunny or not, having usable land or not, close to the user or not. Solar-energy development would depend on development of the Space Shuttle, he noted, and was an idea becoming economically attractive and socially acceptable. Microwave and laser beams could transmit this energy to earth; directing a microwave beam accurately had been demonstrated. As for safety, Glaser pointed out that one cannot concentrate microwaves into a weapon system, whereas lasers could be lethal, so that all nations would have to agree that the laser method would never be used as a weapon. Glaser described the phased array transmitting antenna already constructed on a 5-story-high project in the Aleutian Islands. He estimated 84% solar-power satellite efficiency in producing 30kw of power, as compared to current power plants with an efficiency range of about 40%. (JSC Roundup, Mar 31/78, 4)

NASA announced that MSFC had developed a teleoperator-retrieval system (TRS) vehicle for first use in late 1979, either to boost the Skylab orbiting space laboratory to a higher orbit or to deorbit it in a remote ocean area. The decision to reboost or deorbit was expected early in 1979. Concept of the system evolved from teleoperator supporting research and development under way since the mid-1960s. Anticipated long-range usefulness of the TRS for payload survey, stabilization, retrieval, and delivery missions; its recovery and reuse capability; and its adaptability for the Skylab reboost/deorbit mission had led to its further development.

The TRS had a central-core propulsion -system accommodating strapon kits for additional propulsion. A 24-nozzle attitude-control system on the core provided 6 deg of freedom for control of the vehicle during rendezvous, docking, and initial orientation. Although thrusters originally used cold-gas propulsion, designers were studying use of lowcost hydrazine (hot gas). Preprogrammed instructions in the vehicle's core and computer, or a Shuttle crew member, would control guidance and attitude maneuvers. The TRS and orbiter structure were new designs; other systems would be fabricated almost completely from either off-the-shelf components or those being developed under NASA contracts. (NASA Release 78-49)

Although to most people "aviation" would mean airliners and military aircraft, with a sprinkling of light planes, most of the aircraft in service and about two-thirds of the miles flown were in branches of flying known collectively as "general aviation," Lewis News reported, including private ownership for travel or sport; air taxi and commuter operations; agricultural flying; prospecting and exploration; law enforcement; firefighting; air ambulance; and pilot training. About 230 000 aircraft of varied types did jobs in the Free World, more than 90% of them in the U.S. General aviation had served all 13 200 U.S. airports, compared to the airlines' 42%.

In 1977 general aviation had provided transportation for 100 million Americans, using less than 0.7 of 1 % of all fuel used for transportation in the U.S. and less than 6% of fuel used by all aviation, while carrying a third of all intercity air passengers. The general aviation industry had provided jobs for more than a quarter of a million Americans in the manufacture, sales, and service of its products; grossed about $1.5 billion in new aircraft sales; and exported about 30% of its total production, contributing more than $500 million to the U.S. balance of trade. (Lewis News, Mar 31/78, 3)

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