Jun 28 1993

From The Space Library

Jump to: navigation, search

Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)

NASA announced that during the first six months of their mission scientists using the U.S.-French TOPEX/Poseidon oceanographic satellite had recorded the most accurate measurements to date of global sea level changes. Oceanographers would use the data to calibrate computer models that help forecast future climate changes. (NASA Release 93-122)

Writing in the Los Angeles Times, commentator James Flanigan made the case for funding the Space Station, reminding readers of the Vest Commission report, ordered last March by the White House. The report listed three main goals of the Space Station program: to learn about space travel, specifically how human beings and materials react to prolonged weightless exposure; to gather technological and engineering knowledge; and to further international cooperation. (LA Times, June 28/93)

The House of Representatives voted to maintain $2.1 billion in funding for the scaled-down Space Station Freedom by a 220 to 196 vote. NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin attributed the growing support to an intense lobbying effort by the White House and congressional supporters. The project's chance of surviving the Senate vote were seen as good. (RTW, June 28/93; UPI, June 28/93; APn, June 29/93; AP, June 29/93; W Post, June 29/93; LA limes, June 29/93; H Post, June 29/93; B Sun, June 29/93; W Times, June 29/93; NY Times, June 30/93)

A National Research Council (NRC) study found that Space Shuttle computer software programs were flawed by lax attention to safety by NASA engineers. Nancy Leveson, who headed the NRC committee that prepared the report, said that "many of the same kinds of mistakes that played a role in the Challenger accident are now being repeated with the Shuttle flight software." NASA, which requested the study, was considering some of the report's recommendations. (AP, June 28/93; USA Today, June 29/93; B Sun, June 29/93)

Bad weather delayed the landing of Space Shuttle Endeavour at Kennedy Space Center. The landing was rescheduled for June 30, weather permitting. (UPI, June 29/93, June 30/93; W Post, June 30/93; USA Today, June 30/93; NY Times, June 30/93; B Sun, June 30/93; AP, June 30/93; RTW, June 30/93)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30