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Dale M. Gray is the president of Frontier Historical Consultants. Frontier Status reports are a free weekly annotated index chronicling the progress of the emerging "space frontier".
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Understanding the Frontier
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Frontier Processes at Work
Current Space Development as a Manifestation of Historic Frontier Processes
Why has the U. S. State Department Declared War on the American Satellite Industry?
Congress is Closing The Wrong Barn Door
Intelligent Life in Washington
Wither Iridium?
High Flight from the High Country
Robotic Spacecraft: Loaded for Bear or Barely Loaded?
Wanted: Freedom
Go Web, Young Man!
Imponderables
"Why", asked the Mad Hatter, "is a raven like a writing desk?"
Forging Plowshares into Spears
Amateur Rocketry Takes Flight
Why Compton Had to Die
The New Frontier
Previous postings are archived at:FSR Archive and ASI.org
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Frontier Status 237
January 12, 2001
by Dale M. Gray
Frontier Historical Consultants
China moved to center stage this week as the space world watched and commented on the successful launch of Shenzhou 2, the second prototype of a Chinese manned space capsule. Two other launches were attempted this week. After two weather delays an Ariane 44L rocket carried a Turkish telecommunications satellite to orbit. Sea Launch attempted to launch a Zenit 3SL, but a last moment abort has sent them back to port. Deep Space 1 has returned to full ion power and is approaching the milestone of one year of engine thrusting. Boeing and Loral /Space Systems reported major satellite contract awards. Russia continues investigations into two launch failures.
The history of the new high frontier is now at your fingertips. Research topics from past issues of Frontier Status at FrontierStatus.com.
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Highlights of the week of January 12 include:
- China launches SShenzhou 2 manned spacecraft prototype
- Arianespace launches Ariane 4 with Eurasiasat 1
- Sea Launch aborts Zenit 3SL launch 11 at T-11 seconds
- Stardust spacecraft approaches Earth
- Deep Space 1 ion engine given full thrust
- GlobalStar offers Internet service
- Rumsfield Report released
SHUTTLE
Atlantis
The space Shuttle Atlantis is on Launch Pad 39A awaiting its January 19 launch on STS-98. This will be the seventh US flight to the station. Launch of the 11-day mission is scheduled for 2:11 a.m. EST -- depending on the orbit of the International Space Station. Space suits to be used on the planned three walks have been installed and checked. Shuttle Main Engine flight readiness testing is complete. Onboard storage tanks for oxidizer and fuel were filled this past week. Workers closed-outs of compartments in the Solid Rocket Boosters and Shuttle. Workers attempted to close the payload bay doors for flight on January 10, however inspection found there was only a one-inch gap between the doors and the payload. Adjustments to the payload away from the doors caused the closure to slip to late Friday
(NASA; Shuttle Status Report @ SpaceRef).
The crew of Commander Ken Cockrell, Pilot Mark Polansky and Mission Specialists Tom Jones, Marsha Ivins and Bob Curbeam completed the Countdown Demonstration Test on Saturday and returned to Houston, Texas on Sunday. Goals for this flight include attaching the 15-ton Destiny Laboratory to the station, repositioning a docking port and three spacewalks by Jones and Curbeam to make connections. Combined the crew has 11 missions to their credit with a combined total of 132 days in space
(3162.5 hours). Ivins is the most experienced with four flights totaling 1009 hours. Jones has three flights to his credit with 963 hours in space. Cockrell also has three flights resulting in 906 hours. Curbeam has one previous mission with 284.5 hours in space. This is Polansky's first mission. As a bit of trivia, all three Mission Specialists, Ivins, Curbeam and Jones, were born in Baltimore, Maryland (NASA).
Discovery
The Shuttle Discovery is in the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) bay 1. This past week technicians successfully tested the power reactant storage and distribution system, water spray boilers and Ku band system. The Shuttle is being prepared for a March 1 launch to ISS carrying the Leonardo MPLM as cargo (NASA).
Endeavour
Endeavour is currently in OPF bay 2. This past week the reaction control system was removed to provide access for thruster replacement work. Fuel Cell No. 2 was also slated for replacement. Endeavour's next flight is slated for April 19 with the Raffaello MPLM and SSRMS as cargo for the ISS
(NASA).
ISS ALPHA
Expedition One
The crew of the International Space Station are busy preparing for next week's delivery of the Destiny Laboratory by the Shuttle Atlantis. Equipment and supplies stowed in passageways that will be used to access the Shuttle were repositioned. In preparation for the relocation of the Pressurized Mating Adapter 2, controllers attempted to cycle four latches on the Common Berthing Mechanism. While the first latch cycled correctly, the second appeared to be obstructed by an air duct. Plans are underway for pressurizing PMA so that the duct can be moved and the latch cycling directly observed. Once the latches are cycled, the PMA will be ready for its removal and relocation by the crew of Atlantis using the Shuttle Robot Arm. The freed port will then be used as a port for the Destiny module. This past week, the crew also repaired a leaky air conditioning unit by stuffing insulation into parts of it. With only one faulty current converter to report, the Station is in good health, orbiting at an altitude of 230 statute miles
(NASA;Aviation Now;ISS Status Report @ SpaceRef).
Destiny
The Boeing-built Destiny module is one of the heaviest payloads the Shuttle has ever been asked to carry to orbit. Because of its 14,515 kg
(32,000 pound) mass, Destiny will be launched with only five of its system racks in place. These will provide life-sustaining functions. The racks mass about 545 kg each. Six more systems racks will arrive on STS-102 in March. An additional 13 experimental racks will then be added on subsequent missions. The module features an aluminum hull with an insulated shield blanket, which is covered with an aluminum debris shield. The 8.5 meter
(28-foot) long, 4.3 m
(14 ft) diameter module was built at Marshall SFC and shipped to Kennedy Space Center in 1998. The two computers in the module will allow the attitude of the station to be controlled using Control Moment Gyroscopes. These computers will also monitor atmosphere, temperature, fire detection and other key systems, while monitoring experiments and managing experimental resources
(Boeing PR).
Russian Freighter
Russian managers at the Khrunichev Space Center and Energiya are considering reoutfitting the back-up FGB module to serve as a freighter for the ISS. Current Progress supply vessels can deliver 2.2 tons of materials to the station. The proposed system would be able to transport five tons of supplies. According to the Interfax report, the existing back-up for the Zarya module could be refitted relatively rapidly and once attached to the station could serve as a store room for the Russian section of the station. While the first of the new freighters using the existing module could be launched in 2001, Energiya's production capacity is at maximum. Russia has committed to 15 Progress supply launches
(
SpaceDaily.com).
MIR
Deorbit Plan
The Russian Aviation and Space Agency
(Rosaviacosmos) and RKK Energia have set March 6 as the day of Mir's deorbit. To prepare for the event, a Progress M1-5 supply vessel will be launched on January 18 and dock with Mir on January 22. Specially outfitted for additional fuel capacity, the main engines of the Progress will be used to lower the station's orbit and control its reentry. If the vehicle fails to dock with the station using the automatic systems, three two-man emergency crews have been named that are on stand-by for launch to the station. The crew to launch depends on failure scenarios. Computer systems on the station have been reactivated and gyrodynes turned on to keep the station aligned for solar power. To set up the deorbit, the station's gyrodynes will be turned off on February 10. On March 4 and 5, the Progress will fire its engines in three times to decrease Mir's speed and thereby lower its orbit. On March 6, a final pulse will decrease the station's speed by 17.3 meters per second
(56.8 feet per second). This will cause the orbit to intersect with the atmosphere. Atmospheric drag will then complete the work of pulling the station out of orbit. Fragments of the station are expected to splash harmlessly in to a remote portion of the Pacific Ocean east of Australia
(Interfax;Space.com ;Mir Report @ SpaceRef).
LAUNCHES
Ariane 4
On January 10, after a two consecutive days of delay due to unfavorable winds, an Ariane 4 rocket equipped with four solid rocket boosters was launched from the Guiana Space Center at 5:09 p.m. EST. The four SRBs completed their burn 45 seconds into the flight, but were retained on the rocket until T+74 seconds so that the falling casings would miss the Ariane 5 launch pad. At T+3:10 seconds the four first stage engines shut down, the first stage separated and the second stage ignited. Separation occurred at an altitude of 82.6 km. The satellite's fairing separated successfully at T+4:30 minutes. Second stage burn-out, separation and third-stage ignition occurred at T+6 minutes. The third stage completed it burn at T+19:06 minutes, then prepared for deployment. At T+20:30 minutes Eurasiasat 1 satellite was released into a 179.8 x 35,932 km orbit with a 6.5 degree inclination. This was the 60th consecutive successful Ariane 4 flight
(Arianespace;Space.com;Spaceflight Now).
Eurasiasat 1, aka Turksat 2A, mass at liftoff was reported at 3,535 kg. The telecommunications satellite is based upon the Alcatel Spacebus 3000BS. The satellite has 32 Ku-band transponders for DBS TV, radio and data transmission in Europe, Turkey and Asia and two steerable beams. The spacecraft has an expected service life of 15 years. The satellite's launch was originally delayed from December 8 for the inspection of the heat fairing. The satellite is owned by Eurasiasat S.A.M. of Turkey. It will be positioned at 42 degrees East Longitude
(Spaceflight Now; SpaceDaily.com; AFP; Arianespace).
Shenzhou 2
On Wednesday, January 10, China took another step toward becoming a space-faring nation. An unmanned Shenzhou capsule atop a Long March 2-F
(CZ-2F) rocket was launched from the Jiuquan Satellite Center in the northwestern province of Gansu. The launch took place at 1:00 a.m. local time
(12 p.m. EST). The Shenzhou spacecraft was released into a 196.5 x 333.8 km orbit with an inclination of 42.61 degrees ten minutes later. After 13 orbits, a single impulse maneuver put the spacecraft into a 329 x 334 km orbit inclined at 42.58 degrees. On January 12, the spacecraft was maneuvered into a 331 x 340 km orbit with the same inclination. The ambitious flight is expected to last five to seven days, though the orbital module is expected to continue its space experiments for six months. The first prototype of the spacecraft was successfully launched and recovered 14 months ago
(Phillip Clark;Go Taikonauts!;China Daily;Space.com;SpaceDaily.com;Spaceflight Now).
The Shenzhou 2 spacecraft is the second generation prototype to be used for manned space flight. The spacecraft consists of an orbital module, attached segment, reentry capsule and possibly an exposure facility where a docking unit may later be installed. The fully-functional capsule features an escape tower during launch and retro rockets that will fire just prior to landing. While no humans were on board, the capsule carried a number of animals that are used in experiments. The Chinese are conducting 64 experiments in life sciences, space materials, astronomy and physics during the flight. Nineteen species of plants and animals were included in the flight
(AFP; SpaceChina;China Daily;
SpaceDaily.com;
Space.com;
Spaceflight Now).
Sea Launch
The planned January 9th launch of a Sea Launch Zenit 3SL rocket from the floating Odyssey platform was aborted with only 11 seconds left in the countdown. The halt occurred when a problem was seen with the satellite payload. The 5:35 p.m. EST launch attempt occurred in the remote equatorial Pacific Ocean about 1,300 miles south of Hawaii. The rocket was to deliver the XM Satellite Radio satellite XM-1, dubbed "Roll", to orbit. While initial reports stated that there would be a four day recycling of the launch, inspections of the rocket revealed that pre-start fluids had flowed into the RD-171 engine. As a result, the rocket will have to be returned to home port to be reoutfitted with a new certified engine Once this is accomplished, the standard 50-day launch cycle will begin anew. The new launch date is calculated at February 28
(AP; Washington Post;Sea Launch Web Site;
Space.com;
Spaceflight Now).
LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Kosmos-3M
Despite an exhaustive search for the cause of the November 21 launch failure of a Kosmos-3M rocket, no single cause has been found. The rocket, carrying the American QuickBird reconnaissance satellite, launched nominally and had a successful first stage. However, telemetry and simulations have narrowed the cause of the ailure to the rocket's second stage. The accident nvestigation has narrowed the cause to a failure of the second stage engine or a premature shut-down of the second stage engine due to a erroneous emergency shutdown order from the rocket's onboard control system. The investigation
found nothing wrong with the 13 year-old rocket or the
activities of the rocket preparation teams. The second stage
and the 950 kg QuickBird satellite likely broke apart and
burned up on reentry into the atmosphere
(Interfax;SpaceDaily).
Tsyklon-3
Investigators working on the cause of the December 27 failure of a Ukrainian Tsyklon-3 rocket have concluded that the control system commanded the third stage to shut down prematurely. The engine shut down about 367 seconds into the flight. While the reason the control system failed is not yet know, it is known that the rocket was assembled ten years ago and that some of the components may have been defective or too old. Another failure scenario is that the rocket may have suddenly veered more than 15 degrees from the planned trajectory and that the control system correctly issued an abort order. There have been only 5 Tsyklon failures in 117 launches
(Space.com).
Kourou
This past week officials at the European Space Agency deferred a discussion on whether to allow the Starsem company to launch Soyuz rockets from the Kourou space center. The delay in consideration was caused when not all of the documentation was ready for presentation. The company hopes to fill a launch gap caused by the future retirement of the Ariane 4 system. While the Soyuz can launch a similar payload to the Ariane 4, the rocket is lighter and can be launched for only $30 million, which is $50 million less than the Ariane 4. It is expected to cost about $250 to $300 million to construct Soyuz launch facilities at Kourou. One of the main considerations for the ESA partners is whether the Soyuz launches would interfere with Ariane 5 launches. Starsem, which markets Soyuz rockets in the West, is a French-Russian company. The ESA is expected to take up the discussion in its March
(SpaceDaily).
TECHNOLOGY
Flying Feet
As proof that not all frontier inventions have to be high tech to be useful, Philip Watts of Applied Fluids
Engineering in Long Beach has proposed a useful innovation to space footwear for astronauts living in space. He has
developed a miniature variation of the common umbrella to be worn attached to the feet. Currently, astronauts and
cosmonauts must move from surface to surface, pushing off and landing. However, there is little control en route. Watts
and colleague David Carrier simulated various human powered propulsion systems. Batwings and jet-based
systems were rejected for lack of endurance or control.
However, miniature umbrellas attached to each foot allowed a floating crew member to create significant net force in one
direction. The umbrellas would open when pushing against air and close on the back-stroke. In addition to providing
locomotion, the system would also give orbiting humans needed exercise as they moved about the station. While the
idea of wearing umbrellas as shoes may appear strange at first glance. An effective system would create a new
standard of normalcy and acceptance, much as swim fins have become accepted and "normal"
(AFP;SpaceDaily.com;New Scientist).
EXPLORATION
Mars Odyssey
The $176 million 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft is being prepared for flight at the Kennedy Space
Center. Work scheduled includes the installation of the Gamma Ray Spectrometer beginning on January 16.
Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) and the Mars Radiation Environment Experiment
(MARIE) are also slated for installation. Physically the 2001 Mar Odyssey is 2.5 m
high, 2 m wide and will have a mass of 750 kg when launched on April 7 on a Delta 2 rocket. It will arrive at
Mars on October 20, 2001. The spacecraft will then aerobrake for a period of 76 days to achieve the desired
orbit. Total cost for the mission is expected to be $300 million
(Air Force News; University of Arizona PR;JPL).
For those that wish to watch the 2001 Mars Odyssey being prepared for its April 7 launch, Ron Baalke has set up a
webcam at Kennedy Space Center to monitor the work.
NASA Webcam
Stardust
On January 15, at 6:20 a.m. EST, the Stardust
comet sample return spacecraft will slingshot over the tip of
Africa at an altitude of 5,950 km. The spacecraft will be
traveling at 36,050 km per hour relative to the Earth. The
fly-by will redirect the spacecraft and give it the extra energy
needed to widen its current two year solar orbit to two and a
half years. The spacecraft is expected to encounter Comet
Wild 2 in January of 2004. It was launched from Cape
Canaveral on February 7, 1999. To date it has survived a
massive solar storm, has cleaned a fogged camera lens and
found heavier than expected molecules in space. If all goes
well it will return a comet tail sample to the New Mexico
desert in January of 2006
(JPL; University of Washington;
Stardust Web Site;
JPL PR @
SpaceRef;
Spaceflight Now).
Deep Space 1
On January 2, flight controllers commanded
the Deep Space 1 spacecraft to change its ion propulsion unit
from low to high power. While the change is slightly ahead
of the optimal moment for the increased propulsion, the
move will help mission planners keep ahead of the complex
orbital dance to rendezvous with Comet Borrelly. The
spacecraft continues to operate well using its camera as an
improvised star tracker. By the end of the month, the ion
engine will have accumulated 365 days of thrusting during
the mission. The spacecraft is currently 342 million km
away from Earth. Aye, Captain!
(Marc Rayman;
SpaceDaily).
CHIPSat
SpaceDev has been awarded funding for the
design and construction of CHIPSat in cooperation with the
University of California Berkeley's Space Science
Laboratory. Under the terms of the contract, the company
will design and build the spacecraft and then operate it for
one year. The satellite will hitch a ride on a Delta II rocket
with a GPS satellite primary payload. This is the first
University Explorer mission to be funded by NASA's
Explorers Office
(Space.com;
SpaceDaily).
SATELLITES
Anik F1
The Boeing-built and Ariane 44L-launched Anik
F1 telecommunications satellite has apparently experienced a
problem in its movement from its initial 38,412 x 225.5 km
orbit to its 107.3 degrees West Longitude orbital slot. The
satellite reportedly had to expend extra fuel to reach its
orbital slot. The fuel expenditure is expected to shorten the
designed life of the spacecraft by four to six months. Anik
F1 is the heaviest payload ever carried by the Ariane 4
launch system. With 17.5 kW of power, it is also touted as
the world's most powerful commercial communications
satellite
(Satellite Business News; Frontier Status 11/24/00;
Telesat PR).
Apstar-V
Space Systems/Loral
(SS/L) has been awarded a
contract by APT Satellite Company Ltd. of Hong Kong for
the design and construction of a satellite to replace its aging
APSTAR-1 satellite. The new satellite, designated
APSTAR-V, will also serve at the 138 degrees East
longitude orbital slot. In addition to Ku-band and C-band
telecommunication services, it will also provide a space-
based Internet backbone for Asian cities to connect with the
US. Built on the SS/L 1300 platform, the satellite will have
38 C-band and 16 Ku-band transponders, will have 10.6
kW of power and will have a mission life of 13 years.
Launch on a Chinese Long March-3B rocket is expected
from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in February of
2003. SS/L is responsible for obtaining all export licenses
(Business Wire; SS/L PR; Go Taikonauts!;
Space.com;
Spaceflight Now;
SpaceDaily).
SATELLITE RADIO FRONTIER
Sirius
In conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show
(CES) in Las Vegas, Sirius Satellite Radio conducted live
demonstrations of its satellite-based radio technology.
Radios were installed in cars in the Las Vegas area and on
the CES floor. Initial impressions of participants at the
show found the difference between the satellite and
traditional radio to be profound. During the show, Sirius
also announced a number of new programs that will be
added to the radio offering. Sirius will provide 100 channels
of digital quality radio from its three satellites for a $9.95
monthly fee. The service is aimed at mobile users, though
plans are in the works for stationary receivers
(PR
Newswire; Mercury News;
Sirius Radio Web Site).
INTERNET IN THE SKY FRONTIER
Globalstar
Globalstar Internet Access has begun to offer
Internet connections to its users. The Globalstar GSP-1600
phone by Qualcomm connects through a data cable to either
laptops or personal assistants -- allowing retrieval of e-mail,
instant messaging or access to Internet sites. The Globalstar
Data Service transfers data at 9600 bps. Internet access is
billed at the same per minute rate as the mobile phone
service. The new service was added after upgrades were
made to gateways in Canada, the United States and Puerto
Rico
(
SpaceDaily).
Starband
Echostar Communications Corp. announced on
January 8 that it is now offering a single dish solution for
both DISH Network Direct-to-Home satellite television
programming and Starband two-way, high speed Internet
access. The system comes with a StarBand Model 180
satellite modem that connects via a USB interface with PC
equipped with Pentium-class processor and operating with
Windows 98 or better operating system. The system is sold
for $449 MSRP with professional installation starting at
$199. A bundled price of $99.99 per month is available for
customers wanting DISH's 150 programming package and
the Starband Internet service. Customers can expect speeds
of up to 500 kbps. The system provides "always on"
service to save dial-up time and eliminates the need for a
second phone line
(
Starband Web Site).
MILITARY
Rumsfield Report
This past week Donald H. Rumsfield,
currently nominated for Secretary of Defense, issued a report
from the National Space Council, which he chaired. The
100-page report, recommends the re-establishment of a
National Space Council at the Pentagon and a presidential
special assistant for space on the National Security Council
staff. The report did not recommend development of any
space-based weapons or the creation of a "Space Force".
The report underscored the importance of space to national
security. Of the 750 active satellites in orbit, 300 belong to
the United States. Of these 180 are privately owned and
provide a variety of services ranging from television,
telephone, Internet and other communications services.
Military and governmental agencies own about 120 satellites
that provide telecommunications, remote sensing, and
navigation services
(USA Today;
Washington Post;
Spaceflight Now;
Space.com).
The Rumsfield Report is available on-line at:
Space.gov and
defenselink.mil.
UHF Follow-on
Boeing Satellite Systems has been
awarded a contract to build the 11th UHF Follow-On
(UFO)
satellite for the U.S. Navy. The contract amends an existing
contract by which Boeing's Satellite Systems
(Formerly
Hughes Satellite) produced 10 UFO satellites. Like its
predecessor UFO-10, which was launched on an Atlas
rocket November 22, 1999, the UFO-11 will be built on a
Boeing
(formerly HS) 601 platform. In addition to its ultra-
high frequency payload, it will also have a high-capacity
global broadcast payload. The new satellite will be launched
in 2003
(Business Wire; Frontier Status 11/26/99;
Spaceflight Now;
Boeing PR @ SpaceRef;
SpaceDaily).
CALCM
Boeing Company recently delivered the first six
Block 1A Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile
(CALCM). The configuration for the missiles includes a 3rd
generation GPS unit, advanced navigation software and an
anti-jam GPS system. In 1999, Boeing was awarded a
contract to retrofit 322 surplus Air-Launched Cruise Missiles
to CALCMs. Of these, 140 have already been delivered in
the Block 1 configuration. 132 will be delivered in the
Block 1A configuration and the final 50 missiles will be in
the new AGM-86D configuration. The CALCM is air
launched from a B-52 and contains high-explosive blast-
fragmentation warhead
(Boeing PR).
BUSINESS
Arianespace
For the first time in 20 years, Arianespace has
announced a fiscal loss for the year. Despite $1 billion in
earnings, the company has reported an overall loss of $185
million. This loss is primarily due to costs associated with
the first production lot of Ariane 5 rockets. However,
diminishing demand for the dual satellite launches on the
Ariane 4, costs associated with operating two launch
systems at Kourou and costs associated with continued
upgrades to the Ariane 5 contributed to the loss. The
company does not expect the loss to be repeated in 2001.
During the past year the company signed 25 payloads for
launch and expects to continue to acquire 50 percent of all
communications satellite launches
(
SpaceDaily;
Spaceflight Now;
Space.com).
Russia
While Russia conducted 38 space launches this past
year, it appears that the country will only launch 29 rockets
in 2001. The bulk of the launches will occur from Baikonur
Cosmodrome where 22 launches will take place. The
remainder of the launches will take place at Plesetsk
(six)
and Svobodny
(one). The launch totals do not include the
Russian participation in the Sea Launch venture, which
expects to launch three payloads this coming year. Despite
the dip in launch numbers, the Russian space industry
appears to be growing at a respectable rate. This past year,
the industry reported a 24-25 percent increase and expects
and 18-20 percent growth rate in 2001. Russia's
government has also increased its spending on space. The
2000 budget allocated 3.4 billion rubles while the 2001
budget allocated 5.9 billion rubles
(
SpaceDaily).
Orbital Sciences
The Orbital Sciences Corporation reported
that it was awarded about $1.2 billion in new contracts for
space and related ground services in year 2000. The orders
included $300 million for satellites and space systems, $500
million for launch vehicles, $250 million for electronics and
sensors, and $150 million for ground systems. This is the
fifth consecutive year that Orbital has been awarded in
excess of $1 billion in contracts
(
Orbital Sciences PR @ SpaceRef).
Ratexchange / London Satellite Exchange
The two firms of
Ratexchange and the London Satellite Exchange have joined
forces to provide users with immedate access to bandwidth.
The alliance allows users access to both fiber optic and
satellite bandwidth. Together the companies plan to offer
packaged solutions to bandwidth problem through an on-line
outlet
(SpaceDaily.com).
SPACE STOCKS
The stock listing is for informational
purposes only and not intended for trading purposes.
Frontier Status shall not be liable for any errors or delays in
the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
Additional stocks may be listed by request
(dalegray@micron.net).
| Company |
Ticker |
Friday Close |
Last Friday |
Change |
| Boeing |
BA |
60.625 |
58.75 |
1.875 |
| EchoStar |
DISH |
29.375 |
24.0 |
5.375 |
| GlobalStar |
GSTRF |
1.9062 |
1.9062 |
0.0 |
| Hughes Electronics |
GMH |
23.95 |
24.35 |
0.4 |
| Lockheed Martin |
LMT |
33.55 |
32.85 |
0.7 |
| Loral Space |
LOR |
5.0625 |
3.4375 |
1.625 |
| Motorola |
MOT |
22.125 |
21.1875 |
0.9375 |
| Orbital Sciences |
ORB |
5.4375 |
5.1875 |
0.25 |
| Sirius |
SIRI |
31.875 |
30.125 |
1.75 |
| SpaceDev |
SPDVE.OB |
1.0 |
0.9375 |
0.0625 |
| SpaceHab |
SPAB |
2.875 |
2.75 |
0.125 |
| TRW |
TRW |
39.0625 |
38.75 |
0.3125 |
| NASDAQ |
NASDAQ |
2626.50 |
2407.65 |
218.88 |
COMING EVENTS
- January 15 - Stardust Earth flyby, 5,950 km above the tip of
Africa at 6:20 a.m. EST.
- January 18, Soyuz-U, Progress, Mir Deorbit preparation,
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazakhstan.
- January 19 - Shuttle Atlantis, 7th ISS Flight
(STS-98), U.S.
Laboratory, Kennedy Space Center.
- January 19 - USAF Titan 2, DMSP-16, SLC-4 West at
Vandenberg AFB.
- January 28 - Shuttle Atlantis, landing Kennedy Space Center
(weather permitting).
- January 30 - Delta 2, GPS 2R-7, SLC-17A, Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station.
- January 31 - Ariane 44L
(Flight 138), SICRAL and
SKYNET 4F, ELA-2 at Kourou, French Guiana.
- February 2 - Titan 4B, Milstar 2-F2, SLC-40 at Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station
- February 7 - Ariane 44L, Sicral 1 / Skynet 4F, ELA-2,
Kourou, French Guiana.
- Early 2001 - Proton M/ Briz, Russian communications
satellite, Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazakhstan.
- February 10 - Soyuz-U, Progress, ISS resupply #3,
Baikonur Cosmodrome, Tyuratam, Kazakhstan.
- February 12 - NEAR Shoemaker landing on 433 Eros.
- February 28 - Sea Launch Zenit 3SL, XM-1
(Roll),
Equatorial Pacific.
- March 1 - Shuttle Discovery, 8th ISS Flight
(STS-102),
Leonardo Module, pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
- March 6 - Mir deorbit, remote Pacific Ocean.
- March 10-14 - March Storm 2001, ProSpace lobbying effort on Capitol Hill.
FRONTIER CENSUS REPORT
The space population remains at a baseline of
three. One US astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts are
currently in orbit. Humans have spent a total of 36 man-
days in orbit in the year 2001. The International Space
Station has been occupied for 72 days beginning on
November 2, 2000. ISS has been in orbit for 784 days.
NASA Human Spaceflight
SOURCES
SERVICES
161 articles archived; 123 used
(c) Copyright Dale M. Gray January 12, 2001.
Dale M. Gray is the president of Frontier Historical
Consultants. Frontier Status reports are a free weekly
annotated index chronicling the progress of the emerging "space frontier".
Send subscription requests
(subscribe or unsubscribe).
Previous postings are archived by
FrontierStatus.com and
at the Artemis Society
- Assistant Editor Robert Haynes-Peterson.
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- Technical support by the Artemis Society.
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