Frontier Status Report
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".
Understanding the Frontier
Space Launch Initiative
Frontier Processes at Work
Current Space Development as a Manifestation of Historic Frontier Processes
Read the previous issue on-line
Previous postings are also archived at:
Cortesi.com,
and ASI.org
|
Frontier Status Report 9/15/00
The docking of the Shuttle with the International Space
Station and the subsequent work inside and outside the
Station dominated the week's news. The Shuttle Discovery
rolled out to the pad in preparation for its October 6 flight.
Arianespace successfully launched its sixth Ariane 5 rocket.
A new buyer for Iridium has emerged. Orbcomm files for
chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The history of the new high frontier is now at your
fingertips. Research topics from past issues of Frontier
Status at Cortesi.com.
Email Frontier Status to a friend!
Highlights of the week of September 15 include:
- Shuttle docks with ISS
- Astronaut and Cosmonaut perform spacewalk
- Ariane 5 places GE-7 and Astra 2b in orbit
- NBC picks up Odyssey in Space (Survivor)
- Orbcom files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
- Work stops on Pluto Express
SHUTTLE
Atlantis
Despite the loss of one of its star trackers, the
Shuttle Atlantis (STS-106) made an elegant docking to the
International Space Station on September 10. By saving fuel
on the maneuver, the crew gained an extra day aboard the
space station (AP;
Spaceflight
Now).
Following docking, the crew attempted to sample the air
inside the station, but the sampling device broke before it
could be used. The non-critical test was then abandoned. In
preparation for the opening of the hatches on Monday,
ground controllers began heating the station and powered on
the air scrubbers.
The first task for the Atlantis crew was a two-man spacewalk
to attach power and communications cables between the
Zarya and Zvezda modules. At 12:00 midnight EDT
American Edward Lu and Russian Yuri Malenchenko spent
6.25 hours outside the station connecting the cables,
releasing a stuck docking target and erecting a boom for a
magnetometer. The pair also examined a small portion of the
Zvezda's solar panel that did not fully extend. Following the
spacewalk, the thrusters on Atlantis were used to boost the
orbit of the station. (AP; Florida Today;
Space.com;
Spaceflight Now).
On Monday at 9:10 p.m. EDT, the crew opened the hatch of
the Unity module and began the task of unloading materials
and equipment from the Shuttle and Progress modules.
Systems such as the bathroom were completed and primed
with water. Internal bracing necessary for launch, packing
materials and other gear that is no longer needed (totaling
331-kg), was removed and stored in the Shuttle. In all
2,770 kg of materials, supplies and water will be transferred
from the Shuttle and the docked Progress vessel (
Space.com;
Spaceflight
Now).
Discovery
The Shuttle Discovery was rolled out of the
Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3 and transferred to
Launch Pad 39A on September 11. The three auxiliary
power units (APUs) were hot-fired on September 12. The
crew for STS-92 arrived at the pad on September 12 for the
Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, which was
successfully completed on Friday. Transducer seals on the
left side maneuvering engine were replaced on September
13. The Z-1 truss will be installed in the orbiter on
September 19. The October 5 flight to the International
Space Station will be the 100th Shuttle launch. Problems
with one of the gyroscopes in the payload, which threatened
to delay the launch, have been resolved (Florida
Today;
NASA STS-92 Page).
ISS
Batteries
Even as the Shuttle crew began to unpack and
stow equipment and gear into the International Space
Station, ground controllers were working with problems
with Battery #5 on the Zvezda module. Ultimately, the
battery condition could not be resolved. Troubleshooting the
problem will have to wait until the Expedition One crew
arrives in November. The module was launched with only
five batteries. The Atlantis crew installed the remaining three
batteries. The station can operate on only three batteries
when unoccupied and as few as five when a crew is on
board. A mounting bracket that was in the way for the
installation of one of the batteries was removed by the crew
using a hammer and chisel. Astronauts also installed two
battery charge controllers in Zvezda and an electronic device
that allows Zvezda to control battery charging in visiting
Soyuz and Progress vessels (
Spaceflight
Now Day 6;
Spaceflight
Now Day 7).
Airlock
A NASA Super Guppy carrying the Joint Airlock
Module for the ISS arrived at KSC on 1:40 p.m. EDT on
September 13. The 4 meter wide and 6 meter long structure
was built to serve as an exit for spacewalks conducted with
either American or Russian spacesuits. The Module contains
an airlock for crew to enter and leave the station and an
equipment lock where crew can change in and out of
spacesuits and stow gear. The article was manufactured at
Marshall Space Flight Center by Boeing's Huntsville
division. It will now be transported to the Operations and
Checkout Building where it will be subject to vacuum testing
beginning next week. The 5.8 metric ton Module will
carried to the International Space Station by the Shuttle
Atlantis on STS-104 in May of 2001. It will be placed on
the right side of the Unity Node (NASA; SpaceDaily.com ;
Spaceflight
Now).
MIR
Destination Mir
The U.S. television network NBC has
agreed to pay nearly $40 million for the rights to air Mark
Burnett's "Destination Mir" series. About $20 million will
be used for training and launch of the winner on a Soyuz
rocket. The show would follow the diminishing ranks of
would-be cosmonauts as they trained for the show at
Russia's Star City. While plans are not finalized, the
program will likely premier in the fall of 2001 with the
launch of the winning contestant to Mir in early 2002. The
winner would experience a 10-day trip to Mir as part of the
crew rotation. The production of the series in cooperation
with MirCorp, which has leased the rights to use the Mir
space station. NBC has also gained the rights to air a
documentary on the first "Citizen Explorer" Dennis Tito as
he prepares for his commercial space flight (AP;
MirCorp;
Spaceflight
Now).
LAUNCHES
Ariane 5 / GE-7 / Astra 2B
At 6:54 p.m. EDT on
September 14, an Ariane 5 rocket (Ariane 506) was launched
from ELA-3 launch complex at the Kourou space flight
center in French Guiana. The Vulcain main engine ignited at
T=0 with the twin solid rocket boosters igniting at T+7.3.
The seven-second delay allows control computers to assess
the ignition of the Vulcain engine before committing to the
solid rocket ignition. At T+2.5 minutes the SRBs were
jettisoned at an altitude of 70 km. A minute later the payload
faring separated at an altitude of 112 km. At T+10:25 the
main engine shut down and separated. This was followed
by the ignition of the upper stage for its 17-minute burn. At
T+27:30, confirmation was received that the upper stage had
completed its burn. Astra-2B separated from the rocket 28.5
minutes into the flight. GE-7 separated from the Sylda 5
dual satellite payload unit 37 minutes into the flight. The
satellites were released into 559.9 x 35,926 km x 6.99-
degree geosynchronous transfer orbits. This was the sixth
Ariane 5 launch and the third commercial flight for the
launch system (Reuters;
SpaceDaily.com;
Spaceflight Now).
The Astrium-built Astra-2B will be the 10th for the satellite
network of the Societe Europeenne des Satellites (SES).
Astra-2B will make its way to 28.5 degrees East. The
3,300-kg spacecraft contains 30 Ku-band transponders. It
will serve portions of Europe and the British Isles with
Direct-to-home television service (Spaceflight Now;
Business Wire; Arianespace PR).
The Lockheed Martin-built GE-7 will provide
telecommunication services for the U.S., Canada and the
Caribbean for GE Americom. It will be placed at 137
degrees West longitude where it will replace the aging
Satcom C1. The A2100 spacecraft contains 24 C-band
transponders and weighed 1,983 kg at lift off (Spaceflight
Now;
Arianespace Web Site).
LAUNCH SYSTEMS
Delta 4
The delivery of the first Delta IV booster is on track
for an October delivery. In the next two weeks the
Rocketdyne RS-68 engine will be shipped to Decatur, for
integration with the first test booster. The integrated
components will then be barged down the Tennessee to the
Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for testing. The first
flight booster is expected to roll out of the Decator plant in a
few months. On Monday, September 11, Boeing dedicated
the 7-story, 100,000 square foot Delta IV processing plant at
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The first flight for the
Delta IV is tentatively slated for April of 2001 (Decator
Times; Florida Today).
Proton M
The new generation of Proton boosters, the
Proton M series, is being prepared for its first flight on
October 28. The improved rocket features a stretched body,
digital flight controls, and improved first stage engines.
Energomash has increased the thrust for the RD-253 engines
from 151 to 160 tons. The new rocket has the capability of
carrying 22 tons to LEO as opposed to 20.7 tons for the
current Proton. For missions beyond low Earth orbit, the
rocket will be outfitted with the new Briz M upper stage,
which has already debuted in May when it successfully
deployed the Gorizont communications satellite. The small,
but powerful engine also allows 2.5 more volume in the
payload section of the rocket. The test launch will carry the
Ekran M24 communications satellite to geosynchronous
orbit at 99 degrees East (
Space.com).
Vandenberg Fire
A wildfire at the Vandenberg AFB is
expected to have little impact on the scheduled launch of a
Titan II rocket carrying a NOAA weather satellite on
September 20. The 8,000-acre fire was reported to be 40
percent contained on September 14 (Media-News).
X-33
The innovative linear aerospike engine being
developed by Boeing Rocketdyne is being prepared for its
final phase of testing at the Stennis Space Center. The XRS-
2200 engine has to date accumulated over 1,500 seconds of
operation during 14 first phase test firings. This is the
equivalent of seven X-33 flights. Individual engines were
subject to start-up under a variety of conditions, operation at
a variety of power, oxidizer and fuel settings. Under the
next test phase two XRS-2200 engines will be mated
together and operated in the X-33 flight configuration to
verify the seal between engines, dual-engine operation and
flight control parameters and the effectiveness of the
redundant turbomachinery (
VentureStar Web Site;
Spaceflight
Now).
LEGISLATION
Missile Defense System
China has asked the United
Nations to step in to stop the U.S. from deploying the
proposed Missile Defense System. The announcement
comes only a week after U.S. President Clinton deferred the
decision to deploy the proposed Missile Defense System to
the next U. S. President. Chinese Foreign Minister Tang
Jiaxuan's comments were countered by Belgium's foreign
minister, who stated that NATO had no objections to the
plan. Tan Jiaxuan also was critical of the U.S. policies on
international intervention and human rights (AP).
NASA Budget
The U.S. House of Representatives voted
September 14 to approve $28.7 billion in spending for
NASA (FY 2001-2002), but set a cap on development costs
for the International Space Station. The bill, H.R. 1654,
passed by a margin of 399-17 and now moves to the Senate
for a final vote. The $14.1 billion for FY 2001 and $14.6
billion for FY 2002 are slightly above Administration
requests. Space Station funding in total was capped at $25
billion with Space Shuttle costs associated with station
construction limited to $17.7 billion. To help cope with
unforeseen problems, a $5 billion contingency fund was set
up for the Station and a $3.5 billion fund set up for the
Shuttle.
CHARISMA
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Scientists, engineers, astronauts, NASA officials, military
planners, and at least one Frontier Historian are set to meet at
the Long Beach Convention Center in California for the
Space 2000 Conference and Exhibition of the American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The AIAA will
meet from September 19 - 21.
AIAA Space 2000
Aside: Frontier Status editor, Dale Gray, will be presenting
a paper entitled, "Space Launch Initiative: Frontier
Processes at Work" on Wednesday, September 20 (Space
Launch / Space Access Session 8 -- Future of Space
Launch).
EXPLORATION
Pluto Express
Bad news was received this week on the
future of the Pluto Express. A stop-work was issued on
September 12 to the JPL group working on the Pluto-Kuiper
Express mission. While NASA insists that the mission is
delayed and not cancelled, the narrow launch window to
assure that Pluto is studied before its atmosphere freezes. If
the decision is reversed in the next few months, the mission
team could still meet the 2004 launch date that takes
advantage of the position of Jupiter to get a slingshot assist.
The stop work order was in part cost related. The mission
costs have doubled since 1998 (Florida Today; Space
Views;
JPL Web Site;
Space.com).
Pioneer 10
Contrary to earlier reports, the early solar
explorer Pioneer 10 has failed to make its latest course
correction. A command for a pointing maneuver on July 8
apparently was not carried out. The slowly rotating
spacecraft will be positioned for a re-command maneuver in
mid-November. Controllers track the signal strength once or
twice a month to verify the rotation of the spacecraft. The
spacecraft is currently operating on about 65 watts of power
from its Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs).
This is sufficient for transmitter, receiver, command and data
handling and the Geiger Tube Telescope (GTT). Because of
lack of power, the science instrument and transmitter must
be turned off to fire the attitude control thrusters during the
biannual spacecraft pointing maneuvers. The receding
spacecraft is nearing the threshold of the Deep Space
Network's ability to communicate with it (SpaceDaily.com).
Mars Oxidants
A study by Dr. Albert Yen, JPL, appeared
in the September 15 Science magazine detailing processes at
work in Mars' super oxidized surface. Intense ultraviolet
radiation passes through the meager Martian atmosphere to
produce an abundance of oxygen ions -- free radicals -- that
destroy organic molecules on the surface. This finding
makes it unlikely that evidence of life will be found on the
surface. Efforts are now underway to determine how deep
the free radicals may have penetrated the surface. Their
findings may influence the depth future Mars landers drill for
soil samples (JPL; Space Views).
SATELLITES
Telstar-8
Space Systems/Loral has signed an agreement
with Sea Launch for the delivery of Telstar-8 to orbit. The
5500-kg satellite is the heaviest payload on the Sea Launch
manifest. The satellite is the first to be built on the extended
1300 bus and features an amazing 92 transponders and an
end of life power rating of 16 kW. The satellite will operate
in Ku, C and Ka-bands (
Spaceflight
Now).
SATELLITES RADIO FRONTIER
XM Satellite Radio
On September 13, XM Satellite Radio
unveiled its new Washington D.C. headquarters and
Broadcast Center on New York Avenue. The $65 million
center is located in a converted printing factory. The facility
will be equipped with 82 end-to-end fiber optic, all-digital
radio studios and a 2,600 square foot performance studio.
Two seven-meter satellite dishes will transmit programming
to XM's two geostationary satellites. XM's satellite radio
service is slated to begin in early 2001 (XM Radio PR;
PRNewswire; Washington Post;
Delphi).
AsiaStar
On September 12, AsiaStar began direct-to-person
audio and multimedia broadcasting services. A variety of
programming began to flow on three broadcast beams
directed from the AsiaStar satellite launched on March 21,
2000. Each beam covers 14 million square kilometers of
Asia. The company's other on-orbit satellite, AfriStar began
broadcast services in October of 1999 (PRNewswire).
INTERNET IN THE SKY FRONTIER
New ICO
Hughes Space and Communications has been
contracted by New ICO to build at least three more HS 601
satellites. The contract also calls for modifications to 11
other spacecraft currently in production for the company.
Financial terms were not revealed. Each of the sophisticated
satellites has the computing power of 600 Pentium-III based
computers. Innovative antennas will allow the satellites
direct "air link" with computers. Used in conjunction with a
"smart processor", the satellites can tailor the beam to match
usage. New ICO is the Craig McCaw lead resurrection of
the former ICO Global Communications Ltd. New ICO
expects to begin service in 2003 (Hughes PR).
Spaceflight
Now).
Gilat
The pioneering true two-way broad-band satellite
Internet company Gilat announced this past week that it will
be changing its name to StarBand (SM). The service is set
to begin this fall in the U. S. with expansion into Canada
and Mexico in 2001 (Business Wire).
SATELLITE TELEPHONE FRONTIER
Globalstar
On September 5, Globalstar USA announced the
inauguration of services in Australia. Using groundstations
at Dubbo, Mount Isa and Meekatharra, the satellite telephone
system is capable providing coverage to all of continental
Australia, the island of Tasmania and up to 200 nautical
miles offshore. A number of American journalists covering
the Olympics plan on using the phones. Airtime currently
run $1.99 per minute plus long distance charges (Business
Wire).
GPS FRONTIER
One Satellite Out
One of the constellations of GPS satellites
was taken out of service on September 8 when its internal
clock became unstable. Without the clock, the satellite could
no longer be used for accurate position fixes. The U. S.
Space Command did not know when the problem would be
resolved, but normally takes about 7 to 10 days to restore the
satellite service in such circumstances. Because of the
redundancy in the system, GPS users will not notice any
change in readings (AP).
New Contract
The USAF has awarded Lockheed Martin
Space Systems a $53 million contract to begin modernization
changes for up to 12 GPS Block IIR satellites awaiting
launch. The improvements include a second civil signal and
two new military signals, increased signal power, and the
ability to reprogram power and signals in orbit. The contract
jump-starts a modernization plan that previously had not
been scheduled to operational until 2015 (Lockheed Martin
PR;
Spaceflight
Now).
MILITARY
Israel
Israel announced on September 14 that it had
successfully completed another test of its Arrow interceptor
missile. The missile destroyed a Black Sparrow missile
simulating the flight of a Scud launched toward the Israeli
coast. The 14-year project was developed in a joint effort
with the United States (SpaceDaily.com).
BUSINESS
Orbcomm
Orbcomm, the joint effort between Canadian
Teleglobe and Orbital Sciences, filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy protection this past week. The company has
stated that it remains committed to its network of LEO
satellites and expects to remain in full operation. The
company has retained Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette
Securities Corporation for advice on recapitalization
alternatives and to assist in discussions with its bondholders.
Orbcomm partners Teleglobe and Orbital Sciences have
indicated that they are prepared to convert their outstanding
debt into equity in Orbcomm. Orbcomm expects the
restructuring to allow the company to achieve financial
stability and emerge out of Chapter 11 quickly (PRNewswire;
Orbcomm Web site).
Iridium
On September 6, Global Development Concepts
Power Corp. (GDCPC) Satellite Division announced it is
willing to pay $100 million in gold for the orbital and ground
assets of the bankrupt Iridium satellite network. This is
three times the previous unsuccessful bid of CMC
International (NB).
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 |
Previous Friday |
Change |
| Boeing |
BA |
56.8125 |
54.750 |
2.0625 |
| EchoStar |
DISH |
45.3750 |
53.0625 |
-7.6875 |
| GlobalStar |
GSTRF |
11.625
| 9.625 |
2.0 |
| Hughes Electronics |
GMH |
35.125 |
34.8125 |
0.3125 |
| Lockheed Martin |
LMT |
29.5625 |
28.0625 |
1.5 |
| Loral Space |
LOR |
7.5 |
7.4 |
0.1 |
| Motorola |
MOT |
34.6875 |
35.625 |
-0.9375 |
| Orbital Sciences |
ORB |
7.875 |
8.875 |
-1.0 |
| Sirius |
SIRI |
52.6406 |
52.125 |
0.5156 |
| SpaceDev |
SPDVE.OB |
1.0312 |
1.0312 |
0.0 |
| SpaceHab |
SPAB |
5.8125 |
5.50 |
0.3125 |
| TRW |
TRW |
44.5 |
45.3125 |
-0.8125 |
COMING EVENTS
- September 18-21 - AIAA Conference, Long Beach, California.
- September 18 (?) - Kosmos 3M, Quickbird 1, Plesetsk,
Russia.
- September 20 - Shuttle Atlantis, landing, Kennedy Space
Center.
- September 20 - Titan II, NOAA L G-13, SLC-4W,
Vandenberg AFB.
- September 25 - Ukrainian Zenit-2, Badr-2/Meteor-
3M/Maroc-Tubsat/Reflector, Complex 45, Baikonur,
Kazakhstan.
- September 27 - ISC Kosmotras Dnepr, 5 satellites, Area
109, Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
- September 27 - Proton K/Blok DM-2, 3 Glonass GPS
satellites, Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
- September 28 - Minuteman III, GT-173-GM, Vandenberg
AFB.
- September 28 - Minuteman III, GT-174-GM, Vandenberg
AFB.
- September 30 - Soyuz-U, Progress M2 (ISS flight 2P),
Baikonur, Kazakhstan.
- October 6 - Pegasus XL, HETE 2, Kwajalein Missile
Range.
- October 6 - Shuttle Discovery, STS-92 (ISS 3A), Kennedy
Space Center.
- Uncertain - Ariane 4, Europe*Star FM-1, ELA-2 Kourour,
French Guiana.
- Mid-October - Sea Launch Zenit 3SL, Thuraya, Equatorial
Pacific.
FRONTIER CENSUS REPORT
With the docking of the Space Shuttle Atlantis to
the ISS, the space population has remains at seven. Orbital
demographics includes five Americans, a Russian and a
Ukrainian. Humans have spent a total of 322.75 man-days
in orbit in the year 2000. The first element of the
International Space Station has been in orbit for 666 days.
The occupation of the International Space Station is expected
to begin in early November, 2000.
SOURCES
SERVICES
119 articles archived; 89 used
(c) Copyright Dale M. Gray September 15, 2000.
 |
