Feb 28 1985
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(New page: The Washington Times, in its report on the Space Shuttle 51-E mission delay, said that NASA Administrator James Beggs had indicated the delay might be a week or two. In announcing ear...)
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The Washington Times, in its report on the Space Shuttle 51-E mission delay, said that NASA Administrator James Beggs had indicated the delay might be a week or two.
In announcing earlier delays, NASA had said they would not alter the planned March 19 launch of the 51-D Space Shuttle mission, Aerospace Daily reported. However, in announcing the new 51-E launch date, NASA said the current 51-D mission launch would slip three days. (W Times, Feb 27/85, 4A; A/D, Feb 28/85, 1)
NASA Administrator James Beggs, in testimony before the Senate science, technology, and space subcommittee, said that projected cost overruns for the Centaur G and G Prime vehicles-development programs could run as high as $50 to $60 million, but that the agency did not think the problems would affect Galileo and Ulysses mission launches planned for the 2nd half of 1986, Aerospace Daily reported. Another NASA official testifying earlier had estimated the overrun at $30 to $40 million.
The discrepancy in estimates apparently stemmed from an agreement between NASA and the Air Force calling for a 50-50 sharing of Centaur G program-design and -development costs. The Air Force, however, had set a $150 million ceiling on basic Centaur-development costs, which had not yet been reached. If the overrun surpassed the ceiling, NASA would have to absorb the costs. (A/D, Feb 28/85, 1)
Spacecraft The USSR's Vega 1 and Vega 2 Venus and Halley's Cornet exploratory spacecraft had traveled 18.7 and 17.8 million miles from earth, respectively, and were functioning normally, Tass in English reported. The Soviets had had 67 radio communications with the stations since launch to measure flight-path parameters, monitor onboard systems, and to receive scientific and telemetric data.
Stations located in Evpatoriya and Simeiz in the Crimea, Goldstone (U.S.), Jodrell Bank (U.K.), Canberra (Australia), and Onsala (Sweden) received on January 21 and February 18 signals from the spacecrafts' radio transmitters to prepare for research on the circulation of the Venusian atmosphere using balloon probes. The reception of signals tested correlation of the various ground-measuring systems to ensure pinpointing of balloon probe locations during their forthcoming drift in the Venusian atmosphere. (FBIS, Tass in English, Feb 28/85)
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