Conference 7.286::space

    The last I heard, STS-27 was scheduled for mid-November.  It will
    be carrying a DoD payload.  I don't know how that would affect launch
    viewing.  Does anyone know if they restrict the viewing access at
    all?
    
    						Mike

    Atlantis rollout is supposed to be this week.  The date being quoted
    for a launch is Nov 17.  Since this is a DoD flight though, the
    date and time are usually not specified until the last moment. I'm
    not sure if the 17th is just speculation.
    
    					Mike
    
    PS. If you see a KH bird being loaded, don't tell anyone.  It's
    secret :-)

    Atlantis is due to be rolled out of the VAB on Monday, 31-Oct. 
    The launch is now scheduled for sometime between 26-Nov and 28-Nov.
    The exact time is secret.
    
    						Mike

    Thanks for the information. Does anyone know a way to firm up the
    likely launch time? What are the chances that they'll launch on
    the weekend as opposed to a weekday? That's a long weekend for you
    in the US isn't it?
    
    By the way, Mike mentioned the VAB, which suggests to me that we're
    talking about Canaveral. The launch is from there isn't it? Not
    Vandenburg?
    Thanks, Mike Biber
    

    	Vandenburg Air Force Base in California has been "mothballed"
    until further notice, so plan on having all Space Shuttle launches
    in the forseeable future to be done at Cape Canaveral in Florida.
    
    	Larry
    

    re .4
    
    VAB = Vehicle Assembly Building   This is where the solid boosters,
    external tank and the orbiter are mated before being moved to the
    pad.
    
    Speaking of moves to the pad, there was a minor problem which will
    delay the move by one day.  They are still pretty cagey about the
    date.
    
    A trip to the Cape is a must for any space buff so even if you miss
    the launch, take one or both tours if possible.  You can also see
    the IMAX movie, "The Dream Is Alive", which has been discussed in
    other notes.  This is a real treat!
    
    						Mike

    November 17th sounded interesting for a launch date, I've heard
    the USSR shuttle was to launched on this date to celebrate their
    November revolution..

    	National Public Radio (NPR) reported this morning that Space
    Shuttle ATLANTIS flight STS-27 will launch sometime in late November
    between 6:30 and 9:30 in the morning (Florida time), and notice
    of its return to Edwards Air Force Base will only be given 24 hours
    notice, all due to its military mission.
    
    	Maybe I just haven't adjusted to the times, but it really bothers
    me than an American manned space mission is being kept censored
    to the public, especially one so soon after DISCOVERY.  It certainly
    won't endear the public to space exploration, nor make them write
    to their Congressmen for supporting the program.
    
    	I say let the military have their own missions, and let NASA
    keep theirs open to the public.
    
    	Larry
    

Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Path: decwrl!labrea!agate!pasteur!ames!yee
Subject: Atlantis scheduled for rollout to launch pad on Nov. 2 (Forwarded)
Posted: 1 Nov 88 04:15:22 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
  
Sarah Keegan                                October 31, 1988
Headquarters, Washington, D. C.
 
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
 
RELEASE:  88-147
 
ATLANTIS SCHEDULED FOR ROLLOUT TO LAUNCH PAD ON NOV. 2
 
     The Space Shuttle orbiter Atlantis is currently scheduled for
rollout to Launch Pad 39-B no earlier than 12:01 a.m. EST Wednesday,
Nov. 2. 
 
     Since March of 1987, KSC workers have been modifying and
preparing the shuttle Atlantis for its upcoming launch. Nearly 200
modifications were implemented - primarily the modifications
previously made to Discovery. 
 
     Atlantis was transferred from its processing hangar to the
Vehicle Assembly Building Oct. 22 and was bolted to the huge
rust-colored external tank and white solid rocket boosters. 
 
     Space center workers completed the Shuttle Interface Test which
verified the connections between the orbiter Atlantis, the external
tank, solid rocket boosters and mobile launcher platform.  This test
also verifies the various components of the SRBs including the new
joint heaters, the hydraulic power units and flight instrumentation. 
 
     While Atlantis was being prepared for flight in the Orbiter
Processing Facility, the redesigned solid rocket boosters were being
stacked in the Vehicle Assembly Building.  The stacking operation
began July 30 with the left aft booster and was completed on Sept. 20.
The next processing step, mating the external tank to the boosters,
was accomplished on Sept. 20. 
 
     Once at the pad, workers will begin validating connections
between the launch pad and the shuttle vehicle elements.  A "hot fire"
of the orbiter's auxiliary power units and the solid rocket boosters
hydraulic power units is planned shortly after the vehicle arrives at
the pad. 
 
     NASA will not conduct a Flight Readiness Firing (FRF) or a Wet
Countdown Demonstration Test during Atlantis' stay at the pad.  These
tests were performed on Shuttle Discovery, and included a 22-second
test firing of Discovery's main engines confirming the integrity of
the overall Shuttle system and launch pad facilities. 
 
     One of the major activities planned at the pad is the Terminal
Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT).  This is a "dress rehearsal" of
launch day for the STS-27 flight crew and for members of the KSC
launch team.  The actual launch countdown will pick up about three
days prior to liftoff. 
 
     NASA plans to launch the Space Shuttle Atlantis in late November
on mission STS-27.  An official target launch date will be set at the
Flight Readiness Review in mid-November.  Launch will occur during the
period from 6:32 a.m. EST to 9:32 a.m. EST. The STS-27 commander is
Richard "Hoot" Gibson, the pilot is Guy Gardner, and the three mission
specialists are Richard "Mike" Mullane, Jerry Ross and William
Shepard.  STS-27 is a dedicated Department of Defense mission. 

    The STS-27 crew are scheduled to arrive at KSC this Saturday (Nov
    12).
    
    The terminal countdown demonstration test will commence Sunday morning
    with a target T-0 at 11am Monday (is this a clue to launch time?).
    The flight readiness review will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday
    and a launch date should be announced on Wednesday.
    
    [from NASA Update, Nov 10]
    
    gary

    The latest information that I heard was on National Public Radio
    (NPR) -  Launch of the Atlantis is scheduled for December 1, in
    the morning.  That's about as specific as they got.  The actual
    launch time will be kept secret until T -9 minutes before lift-off.
    
    Interestingly, Aviation Week states that this will be one of the
    heaviest payloads yet launched by the STS, and takes up basically
    the entire volume of the cargo bay. (Whatever KH-11 type of satellite
    this might be...)

    I would guess that an early AM launch indicates good daylight
    conditions in the traget area, so look for a 7am launch
    
    jb
    

    Radio Moscow announce that the mission is to launch a new
    generation recon satellite code named 'la-cross' or something
    simular to that.  I have run the MIR pass and found that it
    will not be able to see the American Shuttle. The Soviet Space
    complex will be  about 150 deg out of phase and beside they now
    have a French Cosmonaut so spying may be out for a month.

    AvLeak also mentioned the name of satellite as <mumble> Lacrosse
    and said it was a radar imaging satellite. If I remember to bring
    it in, I'll enter some more info.
    
    Maybe this is the only way they can track B-2 test flights :-)
    
    gary

STS Atlantis has been successfully launched; the shuttle rose at around 9:30
this morning. Apparently it was one of the most beautiful days around the cape
and the flight so far has gone very smoothly.

The shuttle was headed on a NE course thereby lending credibility to the
rumours [published earlier by many including TASS] that the payload was
a radar imaging satellite code named Lacrosse that would be able to cover
80% of the Soviet Union - a land mass that is under cloud cover for about
70% of the time during the fall, winter and early spring!

-parthi

STS-27/Spy Payload

From Visual observation the payload had not separated
from the Shuttle on Pass 6 but by pass 7 one could 
observed two bright objects flying in formation.  The
first was gold in color followed by the brighter 
White object behind it.  I would think the Gold one
is the spy satellite and the White on the Shuttle.
By orbit 22 the separation was about 3 sec or about 
20 km, but still flying in formation.

At lift off I was able to hear the UHF communication
between the Shuttle and the Cape but every since lift
off the UHF freqency has been quite.

I have two element sets that I am using for STS-27.
SET 1 is now off by about 1/2 hour, SET 2 should help, 
but I would use both to window a time for visual observation.
    
    scan the skyies for the 30-40 min window as both time
    and position could be off.                
    
 
    STS-27                                              Set:    1, Obj:      1
          Epoch Year: 1988  Day: 337.396000000    Orbit #       1
          Inclination  =  57.00000000     R.A.A.N      = 189.00000000
          Eccentricity =   0.00022330     Arg of Per   =   0.00000000
          Mean Anomaly =   0.00000000     Mean Motion  =  15.60000000
          Drag         =  0.64530E-03     Frequency    =        0.000
          S.M.A.       =    6765.7514     Anom Period  =      92.3077
          Apogee Ht    =     389.1022     Perigee Ht   =     386.0806

    STS-27                                              Set:    2, Obj:      1
          Epoch Year: 1988  Day: 337.665280000    Orbit #       1
          Inclination  =  57.00000000     R.A.A.N      = 189.10000000
          Eccentricity =   0.00022330     Arg of Per   =   0.00000000
          Mean Anomaly =   0.00000000     Mean Motion  =  15.38170000
          Drag         =  0.64530E-03     Frequency    =        0.000
          S.M.A.       =    6829.6148     Anom Period  =      93.6177
          Apogee Ht    =     452.9799     Perigee Ht   =     449.9298

    
                              

    Sigh. I was hoping to get out and look for them, but not being able to
    get on the net over the weekend to look for orbital info made that
    impossible. 
    
    The gold object is almost certainly the satellite (probably covered
    in gold mylar). Must have looked neat to see to large objects in
    formation.
    
    FWIW, NASA gave the launch the same video coverage as they do for
    civilian launches, but without the dialog between mission control
    and the crew (their narrator was there however, explaining the various
    callouts that we couldn't hear).
    
    But don't tell anyone,
    
    gary

    I started this note on the off chance that I'd be able to see the
    launch. I appreciate the information you'll imparted. The way I
    figure it, I missed the launch by 90 seconds as Atlantis flew at
    09:30 on Friday 12/2 and I arrived at Kennedy at 23:00 the same
    day. I was told that STS-27 made its window by only 90 seconds.
    (Not that I really wanted NASA to have any further delays).
    The visit to KSC was wonderful and was the fulfillment of a lifetime's
    goal. (Not something we get to do everyday!).
    Thankyou for your help.
    regards, Mike Biber, Sydney Australia.

    Atlantis is due to land at Edwards Air Force Base in Claifornia
    at 3:36pm Pacific Time this afternoon.  Apparently everything went
    without a significant problem.
    
    						Mike

    I would assume all these sighting and more, plus optical
    photos will be in next week aw
    
    jb
    

    The Local PBS station in Boston, did a special on the
    6 o'clock news on the 'not so secret satellite'- was it bad
    for the US.
    
    Craig Covault the Senior Space Technology Editor for
    Aviation Week represented one side and the other was a
    ex CIA director, I don't remember his name.  I found his
    comments very interesting, (ex CIA) said that it is OK
    for Aviation Week to publish whatever they get, the problem
    was with the security of our national secrets especaily
    keeping NASA mouth shut.  We need to work on plugging the
    government leaks not take away a right of the press etc.
    
    Craig also stated that AW first did an article on the lacrosse
    'not so secret satellite' 10 years ago. That this satellite
    was an active transmitter of radio frequencies and would be
    easly radio and optically tracked by the Soviets.
    
    The news commintator also mention that TASS had also publish
    a complet discription of the satllite before launch and before
    AW.
                             
    jb
    
    

    Yeah, a little common sense between the military and NASA would
    help a lot. Clearly, to me at least, NASA get bent out of shape
    by the military's idiotic insistance on trying to keep everything
    secret and over reacts by announcing that they are not allowed to
    talk about certain things. Not releasing the launch time and trajectory
    for example helps noone.
    
    I suspect NASA are even more peeved by this mission as it is otherwise
    a good example of a mission that is well suited to the shuttle (carry
    a large complex satellite, deploy it, fly with it for check out and
    maybe repair or return it if need be).
    
    gary
    
    p.s. NASA Select coverage of the landing showed significant tile
    damage and even at least one missing tile. Apparently this resulted
    at liftoff.

>    p.s. NASA Select coverage of the landing showed significant tile
>    damage and even at least one missing tile. Apparently this resulted
>    at liftoff.

Two possible causes were cited - debris that hit the tiles when the SRBs
separated; debris when the external tank separated. The former is believed to
be the major cause, pending verification.

ABC [they seem to have better coverage after Slade & Dean took over] reported
an incident in which a � liter can of water spilled; and the astronauts had
to use vacuum pumps to suck them up. I can picture the next Hoover ad! 8*)

-parthi

    RE:  Debris.
    
    This is the second shuttle with contact damage to the tiles.  Previous
    missing tiles were felt to be caused by bonding and vibration problems,
    but not damage by hitting some duritus either in orbit or on the
    way such as booster/tank sep.  Is this a new problem, or one that
    is always there, but the degree of damage is currently on the up
    cycle?
    
    Les
    

    I suspect it is a problem that has always been there to various
    degrees (and possibly masked by other tile related problems on earlier
    flights).
    
    I do recall something about ice from the ET causing tile damage
    but don't recall the details.
    
    I don't know how the damage compares to previous flights as this
    is the first time I've had access to the unedited coverage, but
    I saw a lot marks and dents on the nose section (the underside,
    with black tiles) and at least one entire tile gone. There was other
    damage around the area of the missing tile that made it look like
    something substantial hit that spot.
    
    It is reassuring to know that the orbiter can sustain a sizable
    amount of tile damage and reenter without problem. At the time of
    STS-1 there were folks who thought that the loss of one tile on
    the underside could lead to the destruction of the orbiter on reentry
    (the term 'zipper effect' comes to mind).
    
    gary

    
    Here are the not so secret Nasa element sets for STS-27
    it seems that Nasa has Unclassified STS-27 element sets
    ( big 'U' at the end of the obj number 19670U ) runing
    check on the offical set and the amateur ones shows that
    a big at a boy must be given out as they are very close
    for simple visual observations.
    
    jb
    
    
    STS-27 1988 106A                                    Set:   18, Obj:  19670U
          Epoch Year: 1988  Day: 341.739583330    Orbit #      63
          Inclination  =  56.98830000     R.A.A.N      = 171.77070000
          Eccentricity =   0.00050670     Arg of Per   = 318.45280000
          Mean Anomaly = 301.65670000     Mean Motion  =  15.39175355
          Drag         =  0.97010E-04     Frequency    =        0.000
          S.M.A.       =    6826.6406     Anom Period  =      93.5566
          Apogee Ht    =     451.9396     Perigee Ht   =     445.0215

    

    re .25
    
    With reference to the tile damage on Atlantis and the zipper effect:
    
    If there is one thing Challenger taught us it should be that just
    because you got away with it once, doesn't mean you can get away
    with it forever.  If the tiles are being damaged at launch, NASA
    should be figuring out how to prevent that before we lose another
    orbiter.  It sounds like a nasty problem, (How do you prevent ice
    build up on the external tank for instance?), anyone know what's
    being done?
    
    Mike H

    Anyone know about the satellite?  Has it changed orbits, or is it still
    sitting around in more or less the same orbit from which it was
    launched?  Any sighting predictions?
    
    Burns
    

    ABC TV network got the go ahead this week for the
    MIR/Atlantis communication link-up in late 
    April on ABC Capital to Capital broadcast.
    
    john
    

RE: .29

Would you care to elaborate on that?

    re:30
    sorry that is all I know about the link, as soon as I
    find out more I will let you know.
    

    You don't understand...we have no idea what you are talking about in .29
    (at least I don't).  What MIR/Atlantis linkup?  What is ABC Capitol to
    Capitol.  etc etc etc
    
    Burns-the-thick
    

    No details were given out, but I would assume that it is at least a
    radio link up, possible a video link up also.   In fact
    the link may not even go between the US Shuttle and the
    Soviet MIR but be Shuttle to ground control with
    Mir the Flight Conrol Center and the two ground control
    station linking  (both video and audo) to ABC TV program.
    This is the most likly link as the radio frequencies used
    by the US and Soviet Space programs are not the same, plus
    the video systems are different.
    
    This is my own speculation, as soon as I get details of
    what the link will be I will post the information.  The
    annoucment gave no details.  I hope this helps 
    but in fact in can not untill more information is 
    made advailable.
    
    
    john
         
    

"Capitol to Capitol" is [often] a prime time news program offered by ABC TV's
News division. I believe it is most often moderated by Ted Koppel. Far as I
know, it seeks to bring together [via links atleast, if not in philosophy!]
USA and USSR "leaders" to discuss issues of mutual importance. Military,
political, social and scientific leaders are usually the featured guests,
with ordinary [!] citizens of each capitol providing the audience and often
participating and/or asking questions.

I guess they want to add more pizzazz by also providing a link to STS and MIR;
might provide an opportunity to compare and contrast objecctively the two
programs.

$0.02s worth
-parthi