Jan 30 1991
From The Space Library
NASA announced that the next Shuttle launch, scheduled for late February, would be delayed until early March in order to replace three thrusters used to steer the ship in orbit. During the eight-day flight, the 44 thrusters would be used to maneuver the ship into unusual positions. The ship's reentry engines also would be fired so a satellite temporarily placed in orbit could observe the rocket exhaust plumes. The aim was better identification of the plumes of missiles aimed against the United States in future wars. NASA also displayed the Gamma Ray Observatory scheduled to be carried into orbit in early April. (P Inq, Jan 30/91; B Sun, Jan 30/91; USA Today, Jan 30/91; AP, Jan 30/91; NY Times, Jan 31/91)
NASA announced that the Ohio State University's Center for Mapping, Columbus, one of 16 NASA Centers for the Commercial Development of Space, had developed a system that would reduce the amount of time and money needed to gather information on highway conditions. The system uses both positioning data from the Defense Department's NAVSTAR Global Positioning Satellite Systems and images taken from a pair of video cameras mounted in a standard van. The system would help locate roads needing repair and other hazardous conditions, including the location of fatal accidents. The 18-month project, called the Global Positioning System for Transportation Planning, involved the Federal Highway Administration, 38 state transportation departments, and the Canadian province of Alberta. The states had contributed $565,000 to the project, and NASA had given $280,000. The system also is ideal for mapping and the mobile unit enables digitizing to be done immediately. (NASA Release 91-16)
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