Space

The new Orbiter will be built with several critical subsystem upgrades which will eventually be retrofitted to the remaining operational vehicles. New mission computers with higher clock speed and higher density memory will be fitted, the beryllium-carbon brakes will be replaced with carbon-carbon brakes, valves in the forward RCS (reaction control system) will be modified to avoid sticking open (a past problem leading to loss of propellant or worse) and the quick disconnect valves between the Orbiter and external main tank will be modified to preclude inadvertent closing. The crew module hatch will be redesigned to allow the crew to jettison it in horizontal flight. Rockwell are currently hiring personnel for the project with the outlook toward rehiring past production personnel, many of whom still reside reasonably close to the plant.

Mid August also saw Morton Thiokol test fire the new Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) case-to-case joint, case-to-nozzle joint and in late August the full size SRB. Initial test were carried out with deliberately introduced seal defects to prove the ability of the new design to cope with faults.

NASA Receives Go-Ahead for Shuttle-Based Elv Study

After a protracted disagreement with the USAF, NASA has funded a US$5m study covering the feasibility of the partly expendable Shuttle Derived Vehicle (SDV), since redesignated as the Shuttle-C (C – cargo).

The purpose of the study is to determine whether a vehicle based upon the Shuttle external fuel tank, SRBs and SSMEs, using an unmanned payload pod, could provide a cost effective launch vehicle. The Shuttle-C would free up substantial manned Shuttle Orbiter lift capacity which is otherwise committed to lifting Space Station assemblies throughout most of the 1990s.

NASA envisages the Shuttle-C lifting 100,000lb class payloads into orbit, this places it into the class of the planned USAF ALS ELV (refer p70 Sept 87 AA). The USAF has argued that the Shuttle-C is relative to the ALS an expensive vehicle based upon an old technology base and considers it unreasonable for the US to manufacture two separate heavy lift vehicles.

The Shuttle-C study will concentrate on the degree of modification required to Shuttle launch facilities and SRB/SSME/tank hardware in order to support the configuration.

In an unrelated move, the USAF has completed the refurbishing and conversion of the first Martin Marietta Titan II airframe into ELV configuration. Eight retired Titan II ICBMs have been earmarked for conversion to ELVs, with an option for five more conversions contracted for.

Modification to ELV configuration includes a guidance upgrade, fitting of command, range safety and telemetry subssystems, engine refurbishing and the fitting of a payload adapter in place of the re-entry vehicle and warhead.

Darpa Plans Lightweight Satellite Programme

The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency has taken the first steps toward a US$1,000m five year programme to design and demonstrate the technology base for a class of low-cost per-launch satellites/ELVs.

DARPA see the launching of large numbers of low cost vehicles as a useful complement to the current trend toward the building of ever larger and more sophisticated satellites. This is seen as critical in the military environment where larger vehicles are more vulnerable and more difficult to replace.

The Advanced Satellite Technology Programme will concentrate on spacecraft and launchers, with a radical proposal to investigate transportable launch systems. While the programme has run into opposition from many sections of the DoD, it has found much support with the US Naval Space Command and the private sector.

British National Space Centre Director Resigns Over Funding Cuts

Roy Gibson, the Director General of the UK’s BNSC resigned in mid August following a major government decision to substantially reduce projected spending on the UK space programme. The decision not to support a growth in Britain’s space commitment has come at an unfortunate time when ESA members are preparing for decisions on major long-term commitments.

Gibson had sought a leadership position for the BNSC in any future ESA programme, with British Aerospace already nominated as lead contractor in the ESA Columbus programme. At the time of writing it was not clear whether this leadership position would be retained or relinquished in favour of France.

The BNSC’s annual budget is currently of the order of £11Om and Gibson had sought an increase to about £250m over the next three years in order to secure a long-term leadership role in the ESA.

The decision followed the post election dismissal of Geoffrey Pattie, the Minister for Information and Technology, who was a strong supporter of the UK space initiative.

One of the major concerns at this stage is the future of the BAe HOTOL programme, the continuation of which may be impossible at current funding levels. The BNSC had made substantial progress on the assumption that further funds could be found. The Thatcher government’s decision has thus rendered the long-term future of the whole programme very uncertain. To the outside observer, this is somewhat reminiscent of the TSR. 2 fiasco, the UK government discarding its lead in a programme and later having to buy a less capable product overseas.

Closer to Home . . .

CSIRO has entered into an agreement with Japan’s Science and Technology Agency (STA) and National Space Development Agency (NASDA) on the use and processing of data from the Japanese Marine Observation Satellite MOS·1.

The MOS-1 was launched in February this year and is Japan’s first remote sensing satellite serving to a large degree as a technology demonstrator. The 740kg vehicle carries a Data Collection System and three radiometric sensors; the Multispectral Electronic Self Scanning Radiometer operates in bands close to that of the Landsat Thematic Mapper and offers 50m resolution, the Visible and Thermal Infra-red Radiometer operates in one visible and three infra-red bands and the Microwave Scanning Radiometer which senses atmospheric water by detecting K-band microwave signals.

In an unrelated event, the launch of AUSSAT-3 was set for mid September. The AUSSAT-3 vehicle will be launched on an ESA Ariane ELV from the ESA site at Kourou in French Guiana.

AUSSAT-3 will expand AUSSAT services to New Zealand and provide commercial broadcast services to remote areas. These services have been postponed due to the launch delay following the May 1986 launch failure of Ariane ELV.

Minister Signs Space Agreement With the United States

The Minister for Science, Mr Barry Jones, has signed an agreement which will permit the United States to launch and recover sounding rockets in Australia for scientific non-military, non-commercial purposes over the next 10 years.

The sounding rocket programme will be conducted by NASA and the Space Projects Branch of the Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce (DITAC). The Department of Defence will conduct the launches as DITAC’s agent. NASA previously launched sounding rockets from Woomera between 1961 and 1977.

The first sounding rocket to be launched under the agreement is scheduled from Woomera in mid-November. It is expected to carry a payload to study X-ray emissions from Supernova 1987A, discovered in February. A second sounding rocket to be launched later in November will carry instruments to measure gamma-ray emission from the supernova.