Volume 38 The Newsletter of AIAA Houston Section January / February 2013 Issue 4 The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics www.aiaahouston.org

HubbleA Geologist Revisited and on NASA’sCuriosity 50th onAnniversary Mars Interview with Dr. Dorothy Oehler

Also, Continuing in this Issue! Part 4 of 8:

Man Will Conquer Space Soon!

(Collier’s 1952-54) AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 1 January / February 2013 Horizons, Newsletter of AIAA Houston Section

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

From the Chair & From the Editor 3 Cover story: A Geologist and Curiosity on Mars, Dr. Dorothy Oehler 5 HOUSTON Sarah Brightman on ISS, by Sandrine Rolland, 3AF MP 13 Profile of Dominique Teyssier, Future Virgin Galactic Astronaut 14 A Visit to Pierre-Paul Riquet Saint-Orens High School (France) 17

Horizons is a bimonthly publication of the Houston Section Five Tau Ceti Planets in the Signals, Two in the Habitable Zone, Wes Kelly 19 of The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The 1940 Air Terminal Museum & EAA 26 Douglas Yazell, Editor Editing team: Dr. Steven E. Everett, Ellen Gillespie, Shen Climate Change and Local Responses, Douglas Yazell 28 Ge, Don Kulba, Alan Simon Regular contributors: Dr. Steven E. Everett, Philippe Science Fiction by Scientists, Dr. Larry Jay Friesen 29 Mairet, Scott Lowther, Douglas Yazell Contributors this issue: Dr. Dorothy Oehler, Wes Kelly, Kickstarter for Space Projects & The First SPACE Retreat, by Shen Ge 30 Dominique Teyssier, Dr. Larry Jay Friesen, Sandrine Rol- land Science Fiction Author Boris Strugatskij, by Wes Kelly 37

AIAA Houston Section NASA Signs Agreement for a European-Provided Service Module 42 Executive Council Daniel Nobles Calendar, Cranium Cruncher (Dr. Steven E. Everett), History, Membership 44 Chair Section News & Staying Informed 46

Vacant Robert Plunkett Man Will Conquer Space Soon! from Collier’s (1952 - 1954) 54 Chair-Elect Secretary Man Will Conquer Space Soon! February 28, 1953 World’s First Space Suit 56 Sean Carter Clay Stangle Past Chair Treasurer Aerospace Projects Review (APR Corner) by Scott Lowther 70

Michael Frostad Brian Banker The Back Cover: Robonaut 2 Team Receives National Robotics Award 72 Vice-Chair, Operations Vice-Chair, Technical Horizons and AIAA Houston Section Web Site AIAA National Communications Award Winner Operations Technical Dr. Gary Turner Dr. Albert A. Jackson IV Dr. Pamela Loughmiller Bebe Kelly-Serrato Jennifer Wells Dr. Zafar Taqvi Melissa Gordon Julie Mitchell Lisa Voiles Dr. Satya Pilla Rafael Munoz Sheikh Ahsan Svetlana Hanson Daryl Schuck Tom Horn Roger Kleinhammer 2004 2005 2006 2007 Angela Beck Dr. Steven E. Everett Eryn Beisner Gary Brown This newsletter is created by members of AIAA Houston Section. Opinions expressed herein other Douglas Yazell Ted Kenny than by elected Houston Section officers belong solely to the authors and do not necessarily repre- Irene Chan Dr. Kamlesh Lulla sent the position of AIAA or the Houston Section. Unless explicitly stated, in no way are the com- Shen Ge Ludmila Dmitriev-Odier ments of individual contributors to Horizons to be construed as necessarily the opinion or position Ryan Miller of AIAA, NASA, its contractors, or any other organization. All articles in Horizons, unless other- wise noted, are the property of the individual contributors. Reproduction/republishing in any form Councilors except limited excerpts with attribution to the source, will require the express approval of the indi- Alan Sisson vidual authors. Please address all newsletter correspondence to editor2012[at]aiaahouston.org. Christopher Davila Dr. Larry Friesen Cover: Gale Crater context image, showing location of the crater on the dichot- Shirley Brandt Sarah Shull omy between the southern highlands and northern lowlands of Mars. Image is Dr. Michael Martin color-coded elevation from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) that was Alicia Baker on NASA’s Mars Global Surveyor orbiter. Reds are elevations above 2600 m Ellen Gillespie and dark blues are elevations below -5200 m, with respect to the Martian da- Matt Johnson Melissa Kronenberger tum. North is up. Image created by D. Oehler. MOLA image data credit, NASA/ Goddard Space Flight Center. Table of contents page: part of Vincent van www.aiaahouston.org Gogh’s 1889 painting The Starry Night.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 2 Page 3 AIAA Houston Section Technical Committees From the Chair DANIEL NOBLES, CHAIR Technical Committees are the heart of Assurance; Systems Engi- opment, mentoring children, the AIAA Houston Section. This is neering; Space Commercial- or Public Policy. With elec- where colleagues gather to swap ideas, ization; and the International tions around the corner, feel learn from one another, and as a group Space Activities Committee free to talk to one of us about can bring in fascinating speakers to lunch (ISAC). getting more involved in a and learns on topics that interest them. leadership role (elected or They allow you to do your job better, and We also have numerous oth- appointed). make friends that can help you in your er groups that you could join career. if you have an interest in setting up Programs, learn- [email protected] The mentoring that committee members ing Journalism, web devel- (Daniel A. Nobles) experience can truly make a difference in Links: your career. If you are a member of the https://people.nasa.gov AIAA in order to attend conferences and join national technical committees, then you are truly missing out on some of the best benefits of your membership. Please attend our Annual Technical Symposium and discuss your qualifications to join a Houston Section Technical Committee. We accept everyone from students to seasoned graybeards. Perhaps now is the time to really gain the full benefits of AIAA membership.

The expectations for committees are sim- ple: meet the group at least twice a year and set up two lunch and learn sessions per year. That being said, not every member is expected to attend every meet- ing or lunch and learn. Work comes first, but when time permits, you will never regret joining a technical committee. It also adds food for discussion during those annual performance appraisals. Stand out among your peers. Join an AI- AA Houston Section Technical Commit- tee and show your boss that you are com- mitted to your field.

If three people are interested in starting a new technical committee such as pay- loads or space commercialization, we would be happy to create a new technical committee for you and assist you in re- cruiting new members.

Current technical committees are: Astro- dynamics; Automation and Robotics; Program Management & Integration; Extravehicular Activity; Guidance, Navi- gation, and Control; History, In-space Imaging and Crew Observation; Space Operations; Life Sciences, Space Pro- cesses and Human Factors; Propulsion and Power Systems; Safety and Mission

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 3 Page 4 From the Editor Curiosity on Mars and a Busy Horizons Team DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR

Special thanks go to Dr. Doro- the Tau Ceti candidate ex- gator spent a few days just east thy Oehler for our cover story oplanets. of Boeing Way, a short street this issue. She worked with me which exists only to cross Bay patiently during a busy time for Our French sister section 3AF Area Blvd as part of the en- her work on this inspiring pro- MP has been great about ex- trance and exit for the Boeing ject. changing newsletter articles, parking garage. As shown in and that tradition continues in one of the images, the gator is Wes Kelly suggested the article this issue. In related news, only about four feet long and about the late science fiction Orion is going international. its weight is about 70 pounds, I writer Boris Strugatsky, and I The Orion ESA service mod- would guess. There are plenty enjoyed learning about the ule is very big news for our of turtles in the ditch, too, so writings of the Strugatsky NASA/JSC community. This maybe that is its diet. Adult brothers. Thanks to this article, issue includes a NASA press and baby ducks sometimes we also have a new resource release and a reporter’s contri- wander into those ditches from for Horizons reporting, the bution to the question and behind the Boeing building, so biweekly Russian language answer session during the I hope they stay away from the newspaper Our Texas. The NASA/JSC press conference. gator. Small dogs walk near E-mail: NASA/JSC family includes a there now and then, but the editor2012[at]aiaahouston.org Russian community thanks to The alligator in the photo- dogs are safe while being

ISS work, and projects like this graphs below has been living walked on leashes by owners. www.aiaahouston.org article can expand Horizons in that ditch in the center of The University Park neighbor- An archive for Horizons on a readership. Wes Kelly contrib- Bay Area Blvd for a year or hood web site has more photos national AIAA web site is here. uted another article in response two, my neighbor tells me. I which serve to keep those resi-

to my request, a report about took those snapshots while the dents informed and warned. Submissions deadline: April 9, 2013, for the March / April 2013 issue, to be online by April 30, 2013.

Advertising Please contact the editor about rates.

Right: Astronauts for Hire (www.astronauts4hire.org) published their third quarterly newsletter.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 4 Page 5

A Geologist and Curiosity on Mars Cover Story DR. DOROTHY OEHLER, CURIOSITY PARTICIPATING SCIENTIST, INTERVIEWED BY DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR

Dr. Oehler is a Senior Scientist (evidence of past life) in Gale and I usually work in the Astromaterials Research crater. within the group and Exploration Science that assesses geo- (ARES) Directorate at Johnson Organic materials constitute logic Space Center. some of the best preserved and and mineralogic least ambiguous remains of an- data. We look at Please tells us about your trav- cient life on Earth and it is the images and el to California from Houston thought that organic materials spectroscopic data and working there on Mars may also provide evidence of that come down time. possible past life on Mars. How- each day, and we ever, because the surface of Mars plan the next day’s I went to Pasadena, California appears to be oxidizing and de- activities based on for the landing of Curiosity structive to organic compounds, what we have with my husband, John, and it will be necessary to select areas seen. Our group is another couple from Houston. in which to search for organic highly diverse and Above: NASA Mars Science Laboratory We were all at Caltech that remains very carefully. we have partici- (MSL) logo featuring the Curiosity rov- evening where they had 3 huge pants with exper- er. Image credit: NASA. screens set up outdoors for My background includes 20+ tise in many dif- folks involved in Mars Science years of research and exploration ferent areas (e.g., chemistry, Laboratory (MSL) to watch the in the petroleum industry where I biology, soil science, fluvial various events associated with studied organic materials in sedi- and aeolian geologic systems, the landing. There were several mentary rocks. That work includ- igneous processes, clay mineral- thousand people there. Shortly ed study of various types of bi- ogy, glacial processes, various before the landing, the Interna- osignatures, the geologic contexts types of spectroscopy, etc.). We tional Space Station passed in which organic biosignatures also discuss longer range plans overhead and was clearly visi- occur, and the characteristics of and strategy for obtaining the ble. The crowd cheered. When organic biosignatures at micro- best scientific results. the landing was taking place, scopic scales (in thin section) and you could hear a pin drop. Af- macroscopic scales (in outcrop). At the end of most days, we ter landing, there were tears in So I proposed to use my back- have a 1.5 to 2 hour Science some eyes. Landing was around ground to help identify optimum Discussion that is open to the 10:30 pm, Pacific Daylight localities for biosignature explo- entire team. We each give Time (PDT), and soon after ration by Curiosity, by targeting presentations at those Discus- that, I went to the Jet Propul- specific portions of outcrops sions, when we see areas in sion Laboratory (JPL) (just a at MSL investigation sites for which we can contribute infor- few miles away from Caltech) elemental, mineralogical, and mation relevant to current and and began my first “day” on chemical analyses and providing planned activities. Some of those Mars Time. All the scientists insight regarding geologic facies discussions are detailed with were there and work proceeded that can add to interpretation lengthy questions and follow-up. immediately that evening. I of MSL data throughout the mis- While we were all still in Pasa- finished that first “Mars Day” sion. dena at JPL and working on of work around 8:30 am PDT. Mars Time, some of the most What is your role on the team? intense Science Discussions end- What did you propose to win Geologist? ed up being at 2 or 3 in the this role as a Participating Sci- morning! entist? As a Participating Scientist, I interact with other geologists and How many Participating Scien- I proposed to help focus the geochemists. We have divided tists were selected? search for ancient biosignatures ourselves into “theme” groups (Continued on page 6)

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 5 Page 6

(Continued from page 5)

There were 29 Participating Scientists selected to be on the mission. And there are thousands of people who have worked on Curiosity (if you count all the engineers who helped to design and develop Curiosity and who help with the day to day operations). I am part of the Science Team which includes the Participating Scientists as well as scientists who are members of the vari- ous Instrument Teams. The whole science group consists of about 400 members and includes representatives from the United States and many other countries including the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, (Continued on page 7)

Fig. 1. Gale Crater showing landing ellipse (red oval) and Landing Site (green triangle). Image created by overlaying elevation data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on Daytime Infrared Data from The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS). Red colors are elevations higher than about -1500 m while the dark blues indicate elevations below about -4200 m. North is up. MOLA image data credit: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. THEMIS image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Arizona State University.

Fig. 2. Alluvial fan (left) and high thermal inertia unit (right) in Curiosity’s landing ellipse. Red star is Curiosity’s landing site. Left panel: HiRISE image of the alluvial fan that originates from the NW rim of Gale crater and travels into the area of the landing el- lipse (portion of red oval). HiRISE Image credit, NASA/JPL/University of Arizona. Right Panel: High thermal inertia unit. False- color map merging topographic MOLA data with thermal inertia data, and illustrating location of this unit distal to the alluvial fan. North is up. Thermal Inertia data obtained with THEMIS spectrometers on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft, colored so that reds are high thermal inertia. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 6 Page 7

(Continued from page 6) 1) Identification with images from than had previously been considered. the Mast camera (Mastcam) of a 3) Analysis of the Mars atmosphere by Canada, Japan, Russia, and Austral- rock outcrop that appears to be a the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) ia. pebble conglomerate. Because instrument. This showed atmospher- this rock includes fairly large ic enrichment in the heavy isotopes What is of note in Curiosity's results rounded pebbles, it is likely that of argon and of carbon in carbon so far? the conglomerate was formed as dioxide; these results support theo- a result of a major and vigorous ries of atmospheric loss on Mars and Gale crater includes a 5.5 km high, stream that flowed into the confirm connection to Mars of gases central mound of sediments that is crater. in Martian meteorites, where the surrounded by a moat-like topo- 2) Analysis of various ejecta clasts measured Ar-40/Ar-36 ratio is 7 graphic low. MSL landed on the by the Chemistry and Camera times more enriched in Ar-40 than topographic low (Fig. 1), about 400 (ChemCam) laser instrument and on Earth. m from a region that had been of the Alpha Particle X-Ray Spec- 4) Acquisition of the first X-ray diffrac- interest prior to landing because of trometer (APXS). Both instru- tion pattern of minerals from another its location distal to what appeared ments give indications of ele- planet, using the Chemistry and from orbital image data to be a cone mental composition. Results sug- Mineralogy (CheMin) instrument. -shaped feature that originated on gested that these ejecta blocks This information allowed identifica- the rim of crater and spread into the are alkali basalts, a type of igne- tion of a variety of minerals in the moat. This type of feature resembles ous rock not yet seen on Mars. sand scooped at a site called Rock- those on Earth that are commonly These data suggest that igneous nest (Fig. 3). deposited by streams (and called processes on Mars have alluvial fans). In addition, that distal been more complex and dynamic region was characterized by rela- (Continued on page 8) tively high thermal inertia (also determined from orbital data). Ther- mal inertia is a material property that influences the slowness with which the temperature of a material approaches that of its surroundings. Thermal inertia can be influenced by grain size and mineralogy, among other factors, and the fact that the thermal inertia of the distal region appeared distinctive could have reflected unusual rock for- mations at that locality (Fig. 2). Since Curiosity landed so close to this unusual unit, the Science Team decided to travel there first. Curiosi- ty has now arrived at that unit and is beginning to assess sediments in the part of it that has been called Yel- lowknife Bay (YKB).

During the traverse to YKB, Curios- ity spent much of its time character- izing all of its different instruments - checking their health and perform- ing First-Time-Activities (FTA) on each. Those activities are completed now. Everyone on the mission is pleased, as one by one each instru- ment has been tested and has per- formed excellently. Fig. 3. Self-Portrait of Curiosity taken by Mars Hand Lens Imager (MAHLI) on Curiosity at Notable results on the way to YKB Rocknest Site where scoop first used for CheMin and SAM analyses. Arrow points to scoop include sites. Image is a mosaic of 55 individual MAHLI images. Image Credit, Malin Space Science Systems.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 7 Page 8

(Continued from page 7) canyon to investigate the pro- Who else in Houston works on Cover Story gressively younger sediments, Curiosity? What is Curiosity's mission and higher in the mound. In this mission duration? way, we will learn about the Eleven people in the Clear geologic history that spans the Lake area work on Curiosity. The primary mission duration is change from the ear- Of those, ten people work two years. The main objective of ly, relatively wet period on on MSL at Johnson Space the mission is to assess Gale Mars to the later, drier and Center, in the Astromaterials crater’s past habitability. That colder time. Research and Exploration means we are evaluating the poten- (Continued on page 9) tial of regions in Gale to have sup- Figure 4. HiRISE image ported life. While we are consider- PSP_009149_1750_COLOR, ing an array of physical, chemical, showing the canyon in the and geological parameters, major mound of sediments at Mt. variables include long-lived water Sharp that Curiosity will as well as the potential traverse. Red arrow indicates for concentrating and preserving stratified sediment layers in organic materials. Our main objec- the canyon walls. North is up. tive is the 5.5 km mound of sedi- Image credit: NASA/JPL/ ments in the center of the crater. University of Arizona. That mound, officially Aeolis Mons, is unofficially called Mt. Sharp. There is a canyon that goes up Mt. Sharp (Fig. 4) and we will likely be traversing that canyon, looking at rocks in the canyon walls (just as one can do in the Grand Canyon of the United States). The rocks in the lower part of the mound are thought to have formed about 3.6 to 3.8 billion years ago.

For comparison, on Earth, we know that microbial life was abun- dant and diverse by 3.5 billion years ago (from morphological and geochemical fossils that are pre- served in ancient sedimentary rocks). Because of that abundance and diversity, it is reasonable to assume that microbial life was present on Earth before 3.5 billion years ago. Many think that the early histories of Mars and Earth were similar and so it makes sense to consider the possibility that mi- crobial life may have been present on early Mars, as well. Curiosity will be able to analyze sediments in sequence, starting with some of the oldest in Gale. And then, we will be able to “read” the histo- ry of the crater in changes in the rock types as we proceed up the

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 8 Page 9

(Continued from page 8) Dr. Elizabeth Rampe inclusion of organic com- for CheMin and Dr. Doug pounds, light elements, and Cover Story Science (ARES) Directorate. Archer for SAM. From the isotopic tracers that can add This group includes two Partic- Lunar and Planetary Insti- insight into our assessment of ipating Scientists, myself and tute, Dr. Allan Treiman the history and habitability of Dr. Paul Niles; Dr. Douglas serves as an MSL Long this important part of Mars. Ming, who acts as a Chairman Term Planner and Co-I on When those analyses are com- of the MSL Science Operations CheMin. pleted, Curiosity will turn Working Group and is also a around and begin the long trip Co-Investigator (Co-I) on Che- What is expected of Curiosi- to Mt. Sharp (Fig. 5). It is Min and SAM; Dr. Richard ty in the coming months? expected that the trip could Morris, a Co-I on CheMin and take 6 or more months. But SAM; Dr. John Jones, a Co- Curiosity has just used the once there, Curiosity will I on SAM; Mr. Trevor Graff, drill for the first time. We traverse up a canyon like that who provides data analysis for will take that drilled sedi- shown in Fig. 4 to evaluate CheMin; Dr. Brad Sutter, a ment and begin to analyze it strata of rocks that are ex- collaborator on SAM; and Ms. in both the CheMin and the posed in the canyon walls. Cherie Achilles who provides SAM instruments. We antic- Scientists will use all the data Payload Upload and Payload ipate that these analyses will to select best areas for poten- Download support. In addition provide information regard- tial biosignature preservation, we have two Post-Doctoral ing the mineralogical com- and samples from those areas Associates in ARES who are position of the sediments at will be analyzed with the full MSL instrument collaborators, YKB as well as potential (Continued on page 10)

Fig. 5. Oblique view of Gale Crater from a combination of elevation from the High Resolution Stereo Camera on the European Space Agency’s Mars Express orbiter, image data from the Context Camera on NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and color information from Viking Orbiter image data. Final land- ing ellipse, red oval. Earlier landing ellipse, black oval. Green line is approximate route to canyon in Mt. Sharp. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ESA/DLR/FU Berlin/MSSS.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 9 Page 10

(Continued from page 9) part of Martian history. Mars, and as a result, the Cover Story preservation potential for or- suite of instruments on board In this regard, Gale crater is a ganics in these compacted sedi- (Fig. 6). The rover will addi- terrific site to be exploring. ments may be enhanced. In tionally look at seasonal vari- While the sediments in the addition, Gale sits on the di- ations in atmospheric compo- upper part of the central chotomy that separates the sition and radiation, in prepa- mound are thought to have southern highlands from the ration for future exploration. been deposited in a more re- northern lowlands. That loca- cent, colder and drier period tion could have received runoff What do you hope to find on on Mars, the sediments in the from surface rivers that might Mars? Lake sediments? lower part of the mound are have existed south of Gale and, thought to have been deposit- of course, if there were an early Lake sediments, of course, ed in the earlier time that was ocean, Gale might have seen would be very exciting. But wetter. That early time could some influence of that because anything that gives us more have been the most habitable of its position on the dichoto- concrete information about period on Mars. Moreover, my. Finally, the accessible can- the early history of Mars will because those lower yon that cuts the mound will be fascinating. Some think mound strata are buried be- provide an unprecedented op- that there were abundant lakes neath a 5.5 km high pile of portunity to sample the strati- on early Mars and some even sediments, those strata will fied sediments exposed in the think there might have been have been compacted by the canyon walls, allowing investi- an early ocean in the north- weight of the overlying rock gation of the deposits that span ern Martian lowlands (see column. That compaction the wet to dry transition on cover image). So data from should help to mini- Mars. the MSL mission may provide mize exposure to processes of more insight into this early oxidation on the surface of (Continued on page 11)

Fig. 6. Curiosity Rover, showing full suite of scientific instruments. For scale, Curiosity is often compared to a Mini Cooper. Curiosity is about twice as long and five times as heavy as each of the previous two rovers on Mars, Opportunity and Spirit. Image credit: NASA/JPL.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 10 Page 11

(Continued from page 10) shown in Fig. 2. The sedi- white material that appear to be ments in YKB are diverse and a calcium sulfate mineral, and Cover Story The rover is currently at unlike anything we saw on the potential evidence for fluid YKB, the part of the high way there from the landing site. interaction with the rocks (Figs. thermal inertia unit that is The YKB sediments show po- 7 and 8). This is the site where distal to the alluvial fan lygonal fractures, veins of (Continued on page 12)

Fig. 7. Sediments at Yellowknife Bay (YKB). Mastcam image credit: Malin Space Science Systems.

Fig. 8. Veins of hydrated calcium sulfates in sediments at Yellowknife Bay (YKB). Image credit: NASA/JPL- Caltech/LANL/CNES/IRAP/LPGNantes/CNRS/LGLyon/Planet-Terre.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 11 Page 12

Cover Story

(Continued from page 11)

we just used the drill (Fig. 9) and will proceed to use the full capability of the instru- ments on Curiosity to help us to understand the history of this fascinating part of Mars.

Biography

Dr. Oehler received her Ph.D. from the University of Cali- fornia at Los Angeles (UCLA) and worked for 20+ years in the international pe- troleum industry as a geolo- gist/geochemist. After that, she began work at NASA, investigating earliest life forms on Earth as well as ap- plying techniques of predic- tive geology to questions of Mars habitability. This past November, she was awarded the 2012 Distinguished Alum- ni Award from UCLA. She Fig. 9. Curiosity’s first sample drilling. At the center of this image is the hole in a rock called lives in Houston with her hus- “John Klein” where Curiosity conducted its first sample drilling on Mars. The drilling took place band, John Oehler, who has on February 8, 2013, or Sol 182, Curiosity's 182nd Martian day of operations. A preparatory, recently published his first test shallower hole (the one on the right) was drilled two days earlier, but the deeper hole result- novel, Aphrodesia, to wide ed from the first use of the drill for rock sample collection. The image was obtained by Curiosi- acclaim. ty's MAHLI camera on Sol 182. The sample-collection hole is 0.63 inch (1.6 centimeters) in di- ameter and 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) deep. The “mini drill” test hole near it is the same diam- eter, with a depth of 0.8 inch (2 centimeters). Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS.

Above: Dr. Dorothy Oehler. Image credit: Dr. John Oehler.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 12 Page 13 Sarah Brightman on ISS 3AF MP SANDRINE ROLLAND, 3AF MP, TRANSLATED BY DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR

As a musician, I cannot imag- senberg, Born and many oth- century composers such as ine the vast Universe without ers today. Iannis Xenakis, composer, Our French sister section is sound or vibration, but space architect and engineer. In 3AF MP, l’Association Aéro- is so vast and empty! In Ancient Greece, Music is 1954, he created Metastasis, nautique et Astronautique de already imbued with philo- the first music entirely de- France, Midi-Pyrénées chap- So I look for a common sophical and mathematical rived from mathematical rules ter, www.3af-mp.fr. See the thread, the universal charac- concepts of Plato and Aristo- and procedures. His objective Section News pages for the teristic to connect with the tle, themselves inspired by was to put into practice a di- 3AF MP organization chart. essence of Music, the one and Pythagoras and his respect for rect relationship between Mu- More information is soon to be only universal language link- the mathematical relation- sic and Space Architecture. placed on our web site at ing the material world of the ships that govern the Uni- Probabilities are calculated www.aiaahouston.org, but that sciences to the spiritual world verse. For Pythagoras and his entirely, using explicit rules. has not yet been transferred of Philosophy and Arts: followers, everything is Num- from our former web site, Mathematics. bers. Things, including musi- Consider also the Artist’s own www.aiaa-houston.org. cal sounds, shape the nature Inspiration: was not Mozart The philosopher Leibniz, sci- of all numbers that are them- inspired by the transcendent The relevant committee is in entist and mathematician, did selves first principles of the characteristic of our Universe the technical branch of AIAA he not develop a symbolic whole of Nature. The conclu- to have attained such Perfec- Houston Section, the Interna- mathematics reflecting a for- sion of the Pythagoreans is tion in creation, perfect Har- tional Space Activities Commit- mal universal language, his that elements of numbers are mony? A deeply personal tee (ISAC), as shown on our “universal characteristic” for those of all that exists: the conviction has always been organization chart. The ISAC is the development of all types world is Number and Harmo- there at the core of my being, chaired by Ludmila Dmitriev- of rational and aesthetic dis- ny. telling me that Music is part Odier. course, which includes musi- of the essence of this vast, cal notes? Thus Music has a cosmic di- unique and perfect Universe. mension just as Astronomy This approach soothes me, has a musical dimension. In 2015, for the first time in unable to conceive for a mo- History, a professional opera ment that Music can be absent Plato even asserted that Music singer, Englishwoman Sarah from the Perfection and Har- and Astronomy are “Sister Brightman, will embark for mony that is the Universe, the Sciences.” Pythagoras, mean- the International Space Sta- famous pre-established Har- while, established a parallel tion (ISS) for what she calls, mony of Hilbert, Minkowski between the distances be- “the greatest adventure imagi- and Sommerfeld, a deep order tween stars and musical inter- nable.” For this musician, no revealed by numbers. Moreo- vals, finding a certain har- doubt in search of Harmony ver, Harmony, is it not a ma- monic proportion: between of any kind, it will be an op- jor component of Music? the Earth and the Sun one portunity not only to record obtains a Fifth, and an Octave her singing from the venue of This common factor is a key is obtained between the fixed Space, but to be first and fore- to Leibniz and all of these stars and the Earth. most in the heart of the unifi- princes of mathematical cation of Science and Art. thinking at the University of As for the Celestial Sphere Göttingen, who studied the above us, it was the Nine Sources: The Mind of God, deepest mysteries of our Uni- Muses. by Igor and Grichka Bog- verse: Minkowski, Sommer- danov- Wikipedia- musical feld, Hilbert, Klein, Linde- The legacy of this thinking is encyclopedias Above: Sarah Brightman, Ma- mann, Hurwitz, Weyl, Rama- very present in some 20th cy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, nujan, Gödel, Einstein, Hei- 2007. Image credit: Wikipedia.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 13

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3AF MP Profile of Dominique Teyssier DOMINIQUE TEYSSIER AND JEAN-LUC OTAL, MEMBER OF THE SPACE TOURISM 3AF MP TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

Our French sister section is 3AF MP, l’Association Aéro- nautique et Astronautique de France, Midi-Pyrénées chap- ter, www.3af-mp.fr. See the Dominique Teyssier, Leader of the SME SatSys Section News pages for the (SatCom System, Specialized in Satellite Telecommunications for Aircraft) and 3AF MP organization chart. One of the First French Citizens to Reserve a Ticket to More information is soon to Achieve a “Baptism of Space” Aboard the Spaceship Developed by Virgin Galactic be placed on our web site at www.aiaahouston.org, but that has not yet been trans- $200,000 for a few minutes of etched in my memory and first person in space and the ferred from our former web weightlessness! Even if the even then made me feel like first person to orbit Earth],” site, www.aiaa-houston.org. sum seems exorbitant to some, doing at least what Gagarin says Dominique Teyssier. In there are men who would like had done in 1961 [being the (Continued on page 15) The relevant committee is in to realize their dream, and this the technical branch of AIAA has no price according to them! Houston Section, the Interna- Dominique Teyssier is one of tional Space Activities Com- them. Leading SatSys, SME mittee (ISAC), as shown on with ten employees and realiz- our organization chart. The ing an annual turnover of ISAC is chaired by Ludmila 500,000 euros, he did not hesi- Dmitriev-Odier. tate to open his wallet for this opportunity. And when others accuse him of wasting his mon- ey, well, he once replied, “It seems to me that in France, money has always been a taboo subject. Many people buy ex- pensive cars, boats, country houses for amounts far higher. I could do the same but that does not interest me. I am more challenged by ‘being’ than by Right: Image of Dominique ‘having.’ This is why I chose to Teyssier, Courtesy of 3AF MP. participate in this adventure.”

Dominique Teyssier’s Childhood Dream Right: Image source for map, flag and coat of arms: Wikipe- “When I was eight, I remember dia. Map of the Ardèche a movie showing only once at “departement” (in red) and our only movie theater, a single the rest of France. Image screening, in our tiny village in credit: Marmelad. The flag of Ardèche (France) where my the Ardèche “departement” in father was a schoolteacher. The France. Image credit: us- movie was, ‘The Day the Earth er:Spedona. The unofficial Stood Still,’ directed by Robert coat of arms of the Ardèche Wise. We were not many, may- “departement” in France. be 10 or 15 students [in the Image credit: Syryatsu. theater]. It was the first time I went to the movies. This film is

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(Continued from page 14) ployed.” recalls Dominic mained undeterred. Three 1969, he watched, enthralled, Teyssier. For two years, de- months later he received a call 3AF MP the images in black and white spite an economic downturn, from Jean-Luc Wibaux, con- of Aldrin walking on the he sought a position, a good sultant for World Travelers. Moon on the television that career job… in vain. “Just checking to ensure you his father placed outside the are still interested…” In Sep- village's only shop, a small Dominique tember 2011, his dream store that belonged to his Teyssier’s Chance moved closer to reality when grandmother. Memories! Yet he received a letter from Vir- when it came time to choose “Many children dream of be- gin Galactic telling him that his path, he did not really ing a pilot, fireman or astro- he was booked on Space- know what to do for a living. naut. The hardest thing is to ShipTwo (the rocket airplane He first began studying phys- realize one’s dreams. I have glider to be launched ics and chemistry, before en- the chance to do it,” [dropped for an air launch at tering business school, guided Dominique Teyssier can say high altitude] by the mother by his desire to work interna- now, sitting at his desk, filled ship, the airplane White tionally. In the early 1980s, with model airplanes and heli- Knight Two) and he received just graduated, he moved to copters. Even though he did a giant book full of images of Paris and worked in a travel not have a career as a pilot, he his future journey. “Right agency. One foot in travel and will be in the shoes of an as- now, my relatives do not real- soon another foot in aero- tronaut one day soon. In 2008 ize what I will be doing, but nautics... In 1991, he earned a he discovered by chance that my staff is aware and smiling. private pilot license in France, tickets were available for pur- As for my clients who are then the IFR flight rating chase to board the spaceship aware, they find it good. (IFR, English for Instrument of the billionaire Chairman Some are jealous.” says Flight Rules) and a commer- and CEO of The Virgin Dominique Teyssier. For him cial pilot license in Miami. He Group, Richard Branson. He it is “…the culmination, the was lightly touching his fin- participated in many phone realization of the efforts made ger on his childhood dream of calls with Virgin in England, since 2001, when I worked becoming a pilot. But fate then with World Travelers, tirelessly to support my prod- decided otherwise. At the the travel agency that markets ucts and my company.” To- time, “Of about 2,000 pilot such space travel in France, day, he looks forward to the graduates, half were unem- but without success. He re- (Continued on page 16)

Left: Virgin Galactic mother ship White Knight Two. Im- age credit: D. Miller. Image source: Wikipedia.

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3AF MP (Continued from page 15) when I was hired by a startup tical satellite systems, mostly moment when he can, “… in Toulouse, France, Easy for government aircraft and unbuckle my seat belt and Flying. This company special- helicopters for telephony and experience weightlessness, ized in flight planning on the internet access, software floating in space, closer to the internet, very innovative at tracking system (which tracks stars, enjoying the beauty of the time. The adventure lasted the 3D trajectory of an air- Earth from above.” until 2001, when the internet craft) or cameras that take bubble burst. While we were pictures and video for surveil- I am more challenged by Before becoming a space the first software to market, lance helicopters. I sell my “being” than by “having.” traveler, Dominique Teyssier investors [did not come our products to the majority of recalled, “In 1990, I left my way to support us and make manufacturers of aircraft and Dominique Teyssier position as marketing manag- us a success]. The fall was helicopters. er in a company that sold very rapid. Having a hard spare parts for aircraft to cre- time finding work, I decided “When I created SatSys, I had ate my own company, Aero- to create SatSys in 2001, a to invest in everything by soft. For three or four years, I company specializing in satel- myself: technical studies, the made it work with a three- lite telecommunications for first test prototype flight, etc. person team, creating flight aircraft. I experienced very difficult planning software. Then I times. It took four years to get worked in the trading of air- “At SatSys, we design and the first real contract, one craft (business jets and heli- manufacture satellite commu- with Eurocopter in 2005. copters mostly) until 1999, nication products for aeronau- “Today, the goal of SatSys is Right: SpaceShipOne test to install our products on any- pilot Mike Melvill after the thing that flies. If our compet- launch in pursuit of the An- itors are large companies such sari X Prize on September as Alcatel, Cassidian and Tha- 29, 2004. Photo taken by les, this does not prevent us RenegadeAven during Civil from doing well in the mar- Air Patrol duties. Date: 29 ketplace, because, like all September 2004. Image small companies, we are able source: Wikipedia. Image to produce ‘sheep with five credit: Renegadeaven at legs’ [unusual products] for en.wikipedia. our customers.

“To date, our products are designed in Montréal and manufactured in Toulouse, and we operate commercially in Europe, Turkey, Canada and the United Arab Emirates, Right: White Knight Two and which together account for SpaceShipTwo directly over- 80% of our turnover. head during a flyby at Space- port America. The Virgin “Efforts have happily paid Galactic logo is clearly visi- off. Today, our equipment is ble on the underside of SS2. present on everything from Date: 22 October 2010, very small aircraft such as 13:52:07. Image source: unmanned aerial vehicles Wikipedia. Image credit: Jeff (UAVs) to the Boeing 747, Foust. and why not one day on White Knight Two and SpaceShipTwo?”

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A Visit to Pierre-Paul Riquet Saint-Orens High 3AF MP School (Haute-Garonne, France) PHILIPPE MAIRET, 3AF MP, TRANSLATED BY DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR

December 18, 2012 Louis Fréson, former Director the way, I was asking myself, of the Superior Institute of “What will I say to them?” The Lycée Pierre-Paul Riquet Aeronautics and Space But I told myself that this is a (LPPR) is a modern high (ISAE) Ensica, working for challenge, and as a working school in a dynamic environ- the Institute of Engineers and engineer and university grad- ment. Opened in 1991, it be- Scientists of France (IESF) uate, I like a challenge. In Our French sister section is longs to the younger generation and the Regional Union of spite of a certain shyness re- 3AF MP, l’Association Aéro- of high schools in Toulouse Engineers and Scientists Midi lated to public speaking I re- nautique et Astronautique de and its suburbs. It accommo- -Pyrénées (URISMIP), wel- tained from my youth, I told France, Midi-Pyrénées chap- dates 1,640 students. It is locat- comed us to the lycée. We myself, “It is decided!” As ter, www.3af-mp.fr. See the ed in the commune of Saint- were a group of three: José planned, “I will tell them Section News pages for the Orens de Gameville (also Manzano (a retired engineer about my journey from sixth 3AF MP organization chart. known as Saint-Orens), where ENSAM who has experience grade (about age 11) to my More information is soon to the borders of greater Toulouse with two business segments, first job as an engineer in be placed on our web site at and the Lauragais region meet. Civil Engineering and Phar- France.” www.aiaahouston.org, but Conveniently located, it offers maceutical Chemistry), Thier- that has not yet been trans- to students from a wide geo- ry Pardessus (of Ecole Poly- We met in a multi-use audito- ferred from our former web graphical area diverse training technique, ISAE Supaero, rium with Ms. Catherine site, www.aiaa-houston.org. on many general programs. A Airbus) and myself. We were Mautray of the high school center of scientific and techno- visiting to talk to high school and Mr. Joël Daste of ISAE. The relevant committee is in logical competence, this French freshmen, sophomores and Mr. Daste reminded the stu- the technical branch of AIAA high school develops lessons seniors about engineering dents that not just communi- Houston Section, the Interna- for different levels of diploma: careers. cation, but “good communica- tional Space Activities Com- general and technological bac- tion,” was important. Ques- mittee (ISAC), as shown on calauréat (The “bac” is the test I arrived at the school well tions from students were al- our organization chart. The required at the end of a high before 4:00 PM with bro- lowed and recommended. He ISAC is chaired by Ludmila school career.), BTS, and pre- chures from the French Na- stated that engineering careers Dmitriev-Odier. paratory classes for the tional Council of Engineers were not well understood by “grandes écoles” (France’s and Scientists (CNISF). On (Continued on page 18) most prestigious universities) of the sciences and technolo- gies of the Engineer. Known as the Space High School (Lycée de l’Espace), located near the “Aerospace Valley” schools of engineering, the French Nation- al Center for Space Studies (CNES), Rangueil campus in particular, this high school is at the heart of innovations that will shape research and future technologies in the Midi Pyré- nées region of France. (That was from the LPPR web site.)

In December of 2012, Mr Jean-

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(Continued from page 17) century. What are the qualifi- tection using “ceramic tiles,” 3AF MP cations for this engineering for example, and some pre- high school juniors and sen- career? We must “be creative, liminary studies on “Backup iors. Mr. Pardessus mentioned adapt to constraints and exter- Systems” (including ejection that all three speakers were nal events, be tough, have an seats). I also spoke about the there to give advice to stu- attraction for technology and “reorientation” of this project, dents. science, have an ability to following the Ministerial maintain abstractions, or at Conference of the European Mr. Manzano made a presen- least have some of those qual- Space Agency (ESA) in No- tation about the engineering ities. Remember, be creative, vember 1992. I mentioned a profession. “What is an engi- too! (After all, why not?)” recent project, ESA’s Ad- neer?” He explained that an vanced Re-Entry Vehicle engineer can be a technician, Following Mr. Manzano, I (ARV, which is not spoken a manager, and even an ad- took the floor and spoke about about since the ESA Ministe- ministrative. I would add that my experiences. At their age I rial Conference in November he or she can also be a combi- sought advice from family 2012) and the planned Ameri- nation of all three. An engi- members, friends, classmates can crewed space vehicles: neer may have scientific and and acquaintances, but also the capsules named Dragon technical skills and human teachers (including teaching from Space X and CST-100 qualities. Mr Manzano gave teams and advisers). As for from Boeing, and the “Baby the example of creating a ta- the required military service Space Shuttle,” the Dream ble. This example illustrated of my day, I traveled abroad Chaser of Sierra Nevada Cor- some techniques that can be as part of Military Coopera- poration. of use to engineers: value tion. Since the Lycée Pierre- analysis, functional analysis, Paul Riquet is The Space Finally, Mr. Pardessus told us and development of specifica- School in France since 2010, I it was important to find a bal- tions. He also presented a also talked about my first ance between work, family, history of the industrial revo- post: Engineer, specialist, and friends, both personal and lution(s) , he told us that fossil “Cockpit Installations” for the professional. He spoke of fuels are not inexhaustible, he European space shuttle pro- “technology,” and even “bio- explained that the threshold of ject called “Hermes,” in technology.” Mr. Manzano 9 billion human beings could charge of tasks including air reminded us of the im- be exceeded by 2050, he conditioning, oxygen, and portance of Mathematics, specified the need for invent- thermal cooling of the avion- Physics, Chemistry and Ap- ing a new industry for the ics. I also outlined some tech- plied Electronics, and of the future, and he emphasized the nical specialties characteriz- areas of Materials and Struc- need for engineers in the XXI ing this project (thermal pro- tures in particular, but he also spoke of nano-machines and nano-technologies. He also addressed the question of In- tellectual Property and Pa- tents.

We finished with a question and answer session. I hope the students found the event re- warding. To the organizers, I send a big thank you.

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Five Tau Ceti Planets in the Signals, Two in Exoplanets the Habitable Zone WES KELLY, TRITON SYSTEMS, LLC

This January the American findings of this nature point to to be considered suns (e.g., Astronomical Society held its spacecraft missions for direct brown dwarfs) add into a wid- 221st meeting in Long Beach, imaging or atmospheric spec- er definition tally. CA. Comparable in size, at- tral analysis of extrasolar tendance or disciplinary scope planets. Which of the season’s or the to the AIAA Aerospace Sci- conference’s reports or dis- ences conferences held during For anyone tracking the annu- coveries is most significant? the same month elsewhere al AAS winter meetings, it is We hesitate to say with so (Dallas/Ft. Worth), interests clear that extrasolar planet much to examine. Yet in prel- of the two communities inter- sessions have increased re- ude to the 2013 conference, sect over satellite observato- markably over the last twenty the December 19th San Fran- ries launched into space re- years; from a few tentative cisco Chronicle reported, Above: Wes Kelly (at right) quiring close coordination papers to whole sessions “International astronomers, in an image from page 15 of between engineers and astron- (Table 1) on discoveries, de- including a leading planet the March and April 2012 omers. But what’s more, in- tection techniques, assessment hunter at UC Santa Cruz, say issue of Horizons (page 15). creasing concern in the astro- of atmospheres, size in com- they have detected five possi- At left is James C. McLane nomical community with de- parison to solar system types ble planets circling a distant III. Image credit: Douglas tection and characterization of (“Jupiters,” “Neptunes,” star much like Earth's sun - Yazell. “extrasolar” planets gives “Earths...”) types of stellar and that one of those planets form, character and specific primaries, formation process, is apparently in the famed targets for high aerospace habitability….(!) Planet con- ‘habitable zone’ where water aspirations: travel to planets firmations approach 1000 and could exist on its surface. The about other stars. At the least, thousands of objects too small (Continued on page 20)

Table 1. 221st American Astronomical Society Meeting Extrasolar Planet Sessions - January 2013

Session Title 104 Circumstellar Disks I 109 Extrasolar Planet Detection from Spectroscopy and Micro-lensing 126 ExoPlanet Interiors and Atmospheres 135 Scientific Opportunities for the James Webb Telescope 144 Circumstellar Disks 149 Extrasolar Planets: Detection 158 Stars, Cool Dwarfs, Brown Dwarfs

205 Circumstellar Disks II 220 Circumstellar Disks III 224 Exoplanet Atmospheres 231 Planets and Planetary Systems Identified by Kepler 236 Newton Lacy Pierce Prize: Hot on the Trail of Warm Planets Orbiting Cool M Dwarfs

308 Planetary Systems Orbiting White Dwarfs 315 Transit Selection of Extra Solar Planets 324 Direct Detection of Exoplanets, Faint Companions and Protoplanetary Disks 333 Super Earths, M Dwarfs and Habitability 334 Survey and Catalogs of Extrasolar Planets 336 The Elemental Compositions of Extrasolar Planetesimals from Spectroscopy of Polluted White Dwarfs

343 Extra Solar Planet: Characterization, Theory and Detection 403 Dusty Debris in the Terrestrial Planet Zone II (?) 407 Kepler Exoplanets 424 Planetary Systems Orbiting White Dwarfs and Neutron Stars 435 Extrasolar Planets

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(Continued from page 19) ia. The planet that is in the search software and technology. Exoplanets habitable zone is only five team led by Mikko Tuomi of times the mass of Earth, they As Figure 1 shows, Tau Ceti is a the University of Hertford- calculate.” Subsequent reports defining member of the constel- shire used a new technique to debate whether the discovery lation Cetus the Whale visible in find the planets around the consists of one habitable plan- the northern hemisphere. If the star Tau Ceti using telescopes et or two. constellation can be discerned in Hawaii, Chile, and Austral- by an observer, then this specif- Detection methods for these ic nearby star can be pointed to planets were distinct from the as well as a possible to planets transit method employed by similar to the earth, worthy of the Kepler observatory, true; further study or exploration. but they are still based on Doppler radial velocity meas- It is unavoidable to quote exten- urements, variations of ab- sively from the report of Tuomi sorption lines in the visual et al., posted on line at a Hert- spectrum of the primary star, fordshire University site. To like the original 1990s planet start, the authors provide the discoveries by pioneers defining parameters for Tau Mayor, Marcy and Butler. Ceti (Table 2) on which their What is different now is that observations are based. And in Bayesian statistical analyses conclusion they provide similar are being used, combining tables for five planets, the last spectrographic measurements two of which are of most imme- from several observatories: at diate concern due to their simi- Hawaii, Chile and Australia. larity to earth in thermal sur- If you have seen the term roundings, dimensions or mass Figure 1.  Ceti in the northern sky defining constellation. “rolling average” in a stock (Table 3). performance report, then there’s a big clue to what’s Beside parameters derived for new in extrasolar planet the five possible planets, Table 3 with its “sigma” measures give us an indication of the radi- al velocity sensitivities of the Table 2. Estimated Stellar Properties of Tau Ceti or HD 10700. three observatory instruments ------involved in the study: the Parameter Units Value Notes HIRES, AAPS and HARPS ------spectrographs located respec- Spectral Type G8.5 V tively at three separate observa- tories, the Keck (Hawaii), the log R′HK -4.995 Magnitude Anglo-Australian (Australia near Sydney) and the European π [milli-arcsecs] 273.96 ±0.17 Parsec measure (ESO) in Chile.

Lstar [L0 ] 0.488 ±0.010 Luminosity HIRES is a grating echelle spec- trograph capable of operating Rstar [R0 ] 0.793 ±0.004 Stellar Radius between 0.3 and 1.0 microns (UV to IR) attached to the Keck Mstar [M0 ] 0.783 ±0.012 Stellar Mass Observatory on Mauna Kea on

o the island of Hawaii. Teff [ Kelvin] 5344 ±50 Effective Temperature The AAPS is the Anglo- [Fe/H] [vs. Solar] -0.55 ±0.05 Metallicity Australian Planetary Search program undertaken with the Age [Giga-years] 5.8 Australian Astronomical Obser-

−1 vatory. The AAPS exploits the v sin i [kms ] 0.90 Stellar Radial Velocity - Nominal high stability of what was the University College of London P [days] 34 Stellar Rotational Period rot (Continued on page 21)

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Table-3 System Summary – Nominal Orbital Solution of HD 10700 Radial Velocities Exoplanets Tau Ceti b c d e f

Minimum Mass * (Earths) 2.0 3.1 3.6 4.3 6.6 Semi-Major Axis (AUs) .105 .195 .374 .552 1.35 Period (Days) 13.95 35.36 94.11 168.1 642 Eccentricity - 0.16 0.03 0.08 0.05 0.03  (radians) 1.5 3.0 4.0 5.5 3.9 t0 ** (days) 4.17 20.62 2.31 37.42 168.49 M0 (radians) 2.6 3.2 5.8 0.5 1.6 K (m/sec) 0.64 0.75 0.59 0.58 0.58

Instrument Sensitivities ) σJ,1 (HIRES) (m/sec 2.14 σJ,2 (AAPS) (m/sec) 2.13 σJ,3 (HARPS) (m/sec) 1.06

* MPL sin i (inclination to perpendicular to line of sight) ** - argument of periastron,t0 - time of periastron, M0 - Mean Anomaly,

(Continued from page 20) they were in isolating and model- can be said about this? Perhaps a ing the jitter effects surrounding simple situation comparison Echelle Spectrograph (UCLES) the planetary search process. Sift- helps. to obtain the few meter per ing through the three observatories second measurement precision cumulative measurements and I have two coins with heads and in radial (line-of-sight) veloci- comparing them, their statistical tails, and then also I have two ties of stars, i.e., the necessary processing did much to clear away keys: one to an office building minimum to detect the reflex the noise. If polluting sonic fre- and then one to my office with- stellar Doppler motion induced quencies can be erased by coun- in. The keys are each difficult to by the presence of a terrestrial tering noise 180 degrees out of distinguish from each other, es- mass planet. phase, then much the same can be pecially in the dark. But the done with light noise. In examin- point is that likelihood of calling The HARPS high accuracy ing the sources of noise, it was heads and tails with the two radial velocity planet searcher necessary as well to adjust the coins will have a different distri- is attached to the 3.6 meter filters with time for effects such as bution than the likelihood of European Space Observatory, natural stellar overtones on other selecting the second key to the located in the high deserts at La cycles. But when all of these office door. This is because there Silla, Chile. Since October of measures were taken, the re- are different underlying assump- 2012, it has built to a capability searchers were startled to find tions. Even if the wrong key is of detecting a 0.96 meter sec- remaining Keplerian motions that selected for the office building, ond variation in visible spectral had not been identified before. the likelihood of selecting the lines, perhaps currently the best right key for the second door is such instrument on earth or in Much of the argument in behalf of very high – unless one misplaces space. the detections is based on Bayesi- the keys all over again in the an statistics and “posterior distri- hallway dark. Rolling Averages bution” parameters. As others and Spectral Lines have observed, some of these Now what if the keys are not techniques have been used to sig- held in one’s right and left hand, As reported in an earlier Hori- nificant effect by mathematicians eliminating uncertainty about zons, radial velocity measure- and physicists working on Wall which key was first used? And ment detection of planets is Street, the tools of the trade for then what happens if the keys hindered by background noise “quants.” For a non-statistician, are dropped and the background from both instrumentation and such as this reporter, “a priori” light is adjusted down to a stellar targets. Tuomi and the sounds more familiar than proba- threshold where murk affects rest of the team, in targeting bility measures “posterior;” and things much the same as full Tau Ceti were not so much the qualifier “Bayesian” often darkness? The certainty about intent on discovering planets as leaves one with dread. So, what (Continued on page 22)

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(Continued from page 21) And now suppose we have a the rings were observed from Exoplanets hundred coins that we flip and a surface normal, then no nor- which key is correct for the a hundred embedded door and mal radial velocities could be second lock is altered accord- safe locks that generate heads obtained from their light. Yet ingly. or tails and yes or no deci- although the Tau Ceti planets sions respectively. The statis- and their orbital plane might tics of the hundred coins with be invisible, the stellar spec- each successive trial will gen- tral line shifts that they cause erate a distribution of results can be observed even if the that will spread symmetrically line of sight to the star is par- about a 50-50 distribution of allel to the plane. In that case, heads and tails. But the replay with each orbit there would be of the lock and key distribu- two points at which non- tion will alter from these sta- radial velocities would be tistics as knowledge assump- reduced to zero with each tions about the successive circular orbit. Using the con- lock and key operations are vention of “inclination” changed, as Figure 2 suggests. adopted by astronomers for Now suppose that beside a studying binary stars, zero sequence of doors and safes to inclination is observation of lock in dim light, one is also the system perpendicular to wearing night goggles sensi- its plane. Hence, inclination tive to light within certain of 90 degrees would be obser- wavelengths and the system vation “edge on.” If this can experiences jitter… be demonstrated by transit events (such as observed with The point here is that the Kepler observatory), then Figure 2. Altered distribution of results based on knowledge knowledge about seemingly there is no uncertainty in mass of keys vs. coins. random processes surround- due to inclination uncertainty ing stars and instrumentation and mass is well pinned is not entirely without clues to down. their nature – and that these processes can be modeled But if inclination is unknown enough to clear away much and a mass is derived from fog. the apparent Doppler shifts of the star due to radial velocity Yet what is striking about the variations, actual planetary reported result is that if the mass would vary as a function values of K in Table 3 are M = M0/cos(i), where i is an considered as velocity magni- inclination between 0 and 90o. tudes for the planet induced For “line of sight offsets” of cyclic motions of Tau Ceti, all 45 to 60o, the mass increases the values are well below the by 40 and 100%, of course, as nominal sensitivities of the Figure 4 indicates. Conse- three instrument detection quently, if a nearly earth like systems. Curious about planet has a density much like Bayesian statistics and Mar- Earth’s (~5 gm/cm3), then we kov chains now? could also derive changes in diameter with mass as well as Planets as a differences in surface gravity. Function of Inclination – Venus, Earth and Mercury And Then Density have similar densities; but yet the Moon and Mars have den- Paradoxically, the best angle sities closer to 3/5 that of to get a reading on the orbital these terrestrial planets. Do velocities of Saturn’s rings is we know whether these plan- Figure 3.  Ceti system of planets derived from radial veloci- when they are hardly visible ets would have either density? ty measurements showing that between planets “e” and “f” at all – when they are ob- No, not yet, but we can show there exists a large gap. served on edge. Then again, if (Continued on page 23)

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(Continued from page 22) inhabitable, but comparative starting with the Earth-Sun interstellar planetology requires relationship, the 700,000 km Exoplanets the effect of reduced density examining many stellar and radius sun with a 5800o Kel- on radius and surface gravi- planetary characteristics to vin surface temperature (TEFF) ty (Figs. 5 and 6). Reasons mount a case for habitability would diffuse to a tempera- for reduced density might elsewhere – and the data is not ture of about 400 o K at include less iron relative to necessarily all there. To start Earth’s orbital radius of 1 AU silicon – or more water con- with, thermal flux from Tau Ceti (149.95 million km). densation in formation. But or another star must be calibrat- depending on the surface ed with the sun before consider- 0.5 o albedo, greenhouse effects ing how that thermal flux is ab- T(RPL) =(RPL/RSURF) TEFF = 396.7 K and location within the pre- sorbed or reflected back into sumed habitable zone, low space by a planet we will even- density could solve the high tually have to describe as well. Since Mars (R=1.52) and Ve- gravity problem in the event Considering that total flux from nus (R=.67 AU) might pro- of human visitation, but a stellar spherical surface re- vide rough bounds for habita- there would remain an issue mains constant between its sur- bility if their surface and at- 2 of whether the resulting face radius (4  RSURF ) and the mospheric reflectances were planets would resemble orbital radius of the planet, then tuned rather well to sustain Neptune or Venus more we know that effective tempera- near room temperature (300o than the Earth with thick tures in space decrease with dis- K) conditions in the temperate blankets of atmosphere tance. That is, luminosity is con- zones, as with the Earth, then merging into bottomless stant. control volume temperatures seas. at those regions would be rough bounds for the solar 2 4 2 4 Habitability L* = 4  RSURF TEFF =  4 RPL T(RPL) system’s habitability belt. The cooler, smaller and therefore Of course, we assume for Allowing for some round-off or less luminous (0.488) Tau starters that the Earth is measurement uncertainties, and (Continued on page 24)

Figure 4. Tau Ceti planets b through f – mass as a function of inclination from line of sight.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 23 Page 24

(Continued from page 23) um temperatures of a thick tacular in comparison to Exoplanets cloud cover or other elaborate events in our system’s ecliptic Ceti produces the same tem- heat transport mechanisms, plane. perature at a radius of about the planetary surface reflec- 0.698 AU. The “Venus-Mars” tance (inverse: albedo) would Wrap Up bounds can be redrawn for give us an estimate of how Tau Ceti accordingly as 0.48 much of that stellar flux is Just last August this writer and 1.06 AU the limits of radiated back into space. had the occasion to see the habitability. Greenhouse effects near the Discovery Channel video outer limit would be more Alien Planet which described So, do we have any possibil- supportive for the case of a visit to a nearby extrasolar ity of winners? The planets habitability there. planet by a future robotic “e” and “f” are located at or- spacecraft. Many of the fea- bital distances (semimajor Then there might still be an as tures of the story seemed to axes) of 0.552 and 1.35 re- yet undetected planet between suggest they were describing spectively (illustrated in Fig. “e” and “f” with a mass more Tau Ceti, or a similar nearby 3). By the rules described so near that of Earth’s. Our cal- star. far, “e” would qualify as a culations of spheres of influ- habitable planet and “f” at ence with increase of plane- I believe the destination star first glance would be consid- tary mass do not rule this out. was fictional. But had the ered more hostile than Mars. Examining spacing (.105, writers and contributing sci- And yet the prospects in our .195, .374, .552, 1.35 AUs), entists known! own solar system for present mass (2.6, 3.0, 5.8, 4.3, 6.6) day “habitability” for Mars and period (13.95, 35.36, References and Figure 6 are far greater than that of 94.11, 168.12, 642 days), Venus, though perhaps bil- there is no obvious reason lions of years back, water and there should not be a planet or earth-like temperatures or two between detected “e” and (Continued on page 25) atmospheric pressures might “f.” And habitable or not, once have prevailed on both. observing the other planets from that point in the mid Ignoring the layered equilibri- habitable zone would be spec-

Figure 5. Tau Ceti planets surface radii assuming Earth density & inclination effect.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 24 Page 25

(Continued from page 24) Exoplanets

References and Links

http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=25935#comments

http://star-www.herts.ac.uk/~hraj/tauceti/paper.pdf

http://aas.org Abstracts for the 221st meeting are no longer available on line, but this sight provides information about coming astronomical conferences and astronomical news.

Figure 6.  Ceti planets “e” and “f”: surface radii & gravity for nominal & “3/5” densities mass calculations for 0 o, 30o and 45o inclinations of orbital plane to line of sight.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 25 Page 26 Museum 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Hobby Airport An AIAA Historic Aerospace Site DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR From the museum news blog airline doesn’t know if a third the month. Some of the 2013 entry of January 3, 2013, by Shamu will join the fleet. But Wings & Wheels dates pen- Blair (McFarlain): Southwest I’ve got to say that it would be ciled in on the web site are Airlines has retired the original super to see a 737-800 Shamu! March 16, April 20, May 18, Shamu airframe, N334SW. June 15, July 20, August 17, This 737-300 was the first air- Visit this beautiful and unique September 21, October 19, plane painted in the now fa- museum in person soon! A great November 16, and December mous whale scheme. It was opportunity is the monthly 21 (HoustonSpotters led by done as a cross promotion for Wings & Wheels lunch hour Blair McFarlain are celebrat- This is a bimonthly column Sea World of California and program, 11:00 AM to 3 PM, ed in December, along with about the 1940 Air Terminal the ship entered service in May usually on the third Saturday of all the museum volunteers!) Museum, a 2008 addition to of 1988. Over the ensuing years the list of AIAA Historic Aero- 334 was joined by two addi- tional Shamu painted 737-500s: space Sites. The museum is N507SW and N501SW. They restored and operated by the were eventually stripped of non-profit Houston Aeronauti- their Shamu paint and replaced cal Heritage Society. with two new 737-700s which are still in the fleet and proudly 1940 Air Terminal Museum painted as Shamu: N713WN 8325 Travelair Street and N715WN. The last revenue Houston, Texas 77061 flight was on December 9th (713) 454-1940 and the ship is currently in Tuc- son where it is to be dismantled and scrapped. At this time the

Above: Southwest Airlines’ Boeing 737 Shamu jets were part of the Sea World California pro- motion. Image credits: Museum web site Above: When teaching people to make balsa wood gliders, we tell them to make (Michael Bludworth). them symmetric! Image credits: Museum web site, January 2013.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 26 Page 27

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Chapter 12 (Houston) Mission

The EAA’s Chapter 12, located at Ellington develop and improve various skills related In our May 2011 issue we started Field in Houston, Texas, is an organization to aircraft construction and restoration, pi- our series “EAA/AIAA profiles in that promotes all forms of recreational avia- loting, aviation safety and aviation educa- general and experimental avia- tion. The organization includes interest in tion. tion” with Lance Borden, who is homebuilt, experimental, antique and classic, rebuilding his Inland Sport air- warbirds, aerobatic aircraft, ultra lights, heli- Every individual and organization with an plane, an aircraft manufactured copters and commercially manufactured air- interest in aviation and aviation technology by his grandfather’s 1929 - 1932 craft and the associated technologies. is encouraged to participate. (EAA member- company. The second in this se-

ship is not required, but encouraged.) Meet- ries was a profile of Paul F. Dye. This organization brings people together ings are generally from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM The third profile will appear as with an interest in recreational aviation, fa- at Ellington Field in Houston Texas. We soon as possible. This series was cilitating social interaction and information welcome everyone. Come as you are and suggested by Richard Sessions of sharing between aviation enthusiasts. Many bring a guest; we are an all-aviation friendly EAA Chapter 12. of the services that EAA offers provide valu- organization! able support resources for those that wish to

Ideas for a meeting? Contact Richard at rtsessions[at]earthlink.net, Chapter 12 web site: www.eaa12.org. Another email contact: eaachapt12[at]gmail.com. As of April 13, 2012, EAA Chapter 12 is meeting on the first Tuesday of month, based on the calendar on the web site. Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) web site: www.eaa.org Scheduled/Preliminary Chapter 12 Event/Meeting Ideas and Recurring Events: 1st Saturday of each month – La Grange TX BBQ Fly-In, Fayette Regional (3T5) 1st Saturdays – Waco/Macgregor TX (KPWG), Far East Side of Field, Chap 59, Pancake Breakfast with all the goodies 8-10 AM, Dale Breedlove, jdbvmt[at]netscape.com 2nd Saturdays – Conroe TX Chapter 302 10 AM Lone Star Builder’s Ctr, Lone Star Executive 2nd Saturdays – Lufkin TX Fajita Fly-In (LFK) 2nd Saturdays – New Braunfels TX Pancake Fly-In 3rd Saturdays – Wings & Wheels, 1941 Air Terminal Museum, Hobby Airport, Houston TX Below: A Mooney (left) and an 3rd Saturdays – Jasper TX BBQ Lunch Fly-In (JAS) RV (right) in August of 2010 at 3rd Saturdays – Tyler TX Breakfast Fly-In, 8-11, Pounds Field (TYR) the 1940 Air Terminal Museum 4th Saturdays – Denton TX Tex-Mex Fly-In at Hobby Airport in Houston, an 4th Saturdays – Leesville LA Lunch Fly-In (L39) AIAA Historic Aerospace Site. It 4th Saturdays – Shreveport LA Lunch Fly-In (DTN) was EAA Day for the monthly Last Saturdays – Denton Fly-In 11AM-2 PM (KDTO) Wings & Wheels program. Image credits: The 1940 Air Terminal Museum.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 27 Page 28 Opinion Climate Change and Local Responses DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR, STARTING MY CLIMATE CHANGE COLUMN IN THIS ISSUE My opinions are not necessarily Join the Energy Quest. An- (2) Concerned (29%), (3) Cau- Environment (2009). the positions of drew C. Revkin says that is a tious (25%), (4) Disengaged AIAA or AIAA Houston Section. better bumper sticker than (8%), (5) Doubtful (13%) and In his 2011 presentation, [email protected] one saying Fight the Climate (6) Dismissive (8%). He en- Dessler summarized results of Crisis. He was writing in a courages public debate, but not the IPCC: Additional resources New York Times Dot Earth climate change debates titled,  It is virtually certain that the opinion blog entry of January “Is it Real?” climate is warming, and that it The Right Climate Stuff 29, 2013 (Other Voices, Can has warmed by about 0.7 de- (TRCS) team is a Houston Clear Climate Science Communica- Full disclosure: after seeing a gree C over the last 100 years. Lake area group (mostly from tion Matter?). draft of this article, two NASA/  It is very likely that humans that area) which first met in JSC veterans invited me to are responsible for most of the February of 2012. Most of their I was between alarmed and participate as a member of The recent warming. membership are veterans of the skeptical and leaning to being Right Climate Stuff (TRCS,  If we do nothing to reduce our NASA/JSC community. Their alarmed after attending cli- described in the sidebar), and I emissions of greenhouse gas- web address is mate change presentations in accepted. My proposed climate es, future warming will likely www.therightclimatestuff.com September and October of change columns do not neces- be at least 2 degrees C over and they recently published 2011 in the Houston Clear sarily reflect the views of any the next century. preliminary results. Lake area. The September group.  Such a climate change brings presenters were skeptical. The with it a risk of serious ad- The Climate Abyss is a blog October presenters were three Revkin calls attention to the verse impacts on our environ- in the Houston Chronicle by university professors, climate excellent work of Dan Kahan ment and society. Dr. John Nielsen-Gammon. science experts in my eyes, of the Yale University Cultural and some, if not all three, Cognition Project. “How much A friend sent me a link to How NASA Global Climate Change were alarmed. risk do you believe climate to Talk to a Climate Skeptic, by NASA’s Eyes on the Earth change poses to human health, Coby Beck at a web site called My Big Fat Planet An hour of PBS television safety or prosperity?” Science Grist, an environmental news A blog hosted by Dr. Amber (Frontline, October 23, 2012, literacy (measured as numera- and commentary web site. The Jenkins of NASA/JPL Climate of Doubt) put those cy, analogous to literacy and as same friend sent me a link to http://climate.nasa.gov/blog presentations into perspective. easily measured as literacy) has How we Know Global Warming Combining that TV show and a weak correlation with where is Real and Human Caused A 2008 Dr. Kevin Trenberth its related web page with we fall in the range from skep- (February 8, 2012), by Donald climate change lecture at UH is those 2011 presentations tical to alarmed, but cultural R. Prothero, writing on a web reported (pg. 9) in a past issue. made it easy for me to have identity has a strong correla- site called Skeptic. confidence in the results pre- tion. Science literacy increases sented by the United Nations polarization on this subject, In his 2010 book Storms of My “Expert Credibility in Cli- International Panel on Cli- increasing alarm among the Grandchildren, James Hansen mate Change, Proceedings of mate Change (IPCC). alarmed and increasing skepti- writes about data, just before his the National Academy of Sci- cism among the skeptical. Ask Figure 2: “...they take a scien- ence (PNAS), April 9, 2010 After watching another hour not what the new science of tific approach; they give prima- (sent for review December 22, of PBS television on January science communication can do cy to real data. Theories and 2009). 4, 2013 (Anthony Leiserowitz for you… models of the future can help “Here we use an extensive of Yale University’s Climate organize one’s thoughts, but dataset of 1,372 climate re- Communication project on A quick search found three they are only useful if they ex- searchers and their publication Moyers & Company, Ending national AIAA public policy plain the real world. A convinc- and citation data to show that (i) the Silence on Climate information papers. They are ing analysis must start with and 97-98% of the climate research- Change), I started writing this not representing the AIAA place most weight on data and ers most actively publishing in column and suggested adding position: (1) Essential Capabil- real-world observations.” the field show support for the climate change to our Sec- ities for Operational Climate tenets of anthropogenic climate tion’s upcoming Annual Change Monitoring (2010, link Dessler’s charts include a letter change (ACC) outlined by the Technical Symposium of Fri- not found), (2) Leveraging to a Senator on this subject. IPCC, and (ii) the relative cli- day, May 17, 2013, at NASA/ Aerospace Capabilities for Other local responses: talking to mate expertise and scientific JSC Gilruth Center. Climate Monitoring: An AIAA friends and questions such as, prominence of the researchers Information Paper (2010, link “If sea level rise combines with unconvinced of ACC are sub- Leiserowitz divided his audi- not found), and (3) Advancing a hurricane to damage our stantially below that of the con- ence into six groups: (1) and Applying Aerospace Tech- roads, should we create new vinced researchers.” Alarmed (16% of Americans), nology to Protect the Global standards before rebuilding?”

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 28 Page 29 Science Fiction by Scientists Book Review PRESS RELEASE

AIAA Houston Section mem- to Mars. Two ships (with two buildup of military personnel ber Dr. Larry Friesen has re- landers), a dozen crew mem- and weapons at or near its own cently had a book published. bers, six in each ship. Two base. A triggering event sets It is a work of science fiction: members of the expedition are the forces in motion against three novellas published as a on a long-range cruise in a each other. collection. The publisher is giant blimp that's just able to Firefall, whose web site is carry the two of them and a With a PhD from Rice Univer- www.firefallmedia.com. modest payload. The two are sity in Space Physics & As- the pilot, a man, and the wom- tronomy, Larry Jay Friesen No two of the stories are con- an he is in love with, a scien- worked at Johnson Space Cen- nected. In fact, they don't tist. He tries to win her affec- ter from 1976 through 1998, even inhabit the same “future tion and commitment. She mostly for McDonnell-Douglas Above: Larry Jay Friesen, au- history.” The overall title of sends back mixed signals; part and Lockheed-Martin. He cur- thor of the new book Betrayal / the book is Betrayal/Battle/ of the time she responds to his rently teaches Astronomy and Battle / Storm, published by Storm. attempts, part of the time she Physics at the University of Firefall. Image credit: Martha rebuffs him. When the blimp is Houston - Clear Lake. He was Friesen. The first story is “Buddy Sys- more than a third the way elected as an Associate Fellow tem.” A geologist/planetary around Mars from the landing of the American Institute of scientist stationed at a lunar site, they get caught in a dust Aeronautics and Astronautics settlement wakes up in a pres- storm that sends them crashing (AIAA). He brings a wealth of surized lunar rover, while on to the ground, breaking open a accurate detail to the highly an exploratory probe well couple of the blimp's gas cells probable reality of his stories. away from the base. He real- in the process. Can they repair izes (a) he has been uncon- the tears in the cells? Do they scious, and (b) his partner on have enough lifting gas this expedition is nowhere to (hydrogen) left to re-inflate the be seen. Both men seek the blimp? And can they do every- affection of the same woman, thing to get the blimp back to and jealousy has reared its the landing site in time to make ugly head. His partner has the launch window for the re- sabotaged the rover, but has turn trip to Earth? (The planets made it look like an accident wait for no man.) That's the due to poor maintenance. It's “Storm” part. basically a survival story: The geologist knows of a supply The “Battle” part is the third cache he just might be able to story, “Armor in Aristoteles.” walk to. Question: can he It is a conflict story: a tank make it before his one re- battle on the Moon. A hypo- maining air tank is exhausted? thetical future mid-East nation That's the “Betrayal” part of is trying to develop nuclear the title. weapons in secret. By this fic- tional future date, there are The second story is “Sail a multiple bases and even com- Dusty Sky.” It's a combina- munities on the Moon, spon- tion of a love story and a sur- sored by various nations. The vival story of a different sort. US has one (with contingents It's the first human expedition from various countries, but the US is the major sponsoring power); the mid-East nation has another. Espionage work finds that in order to hide its work from inspectors, the mid- East nation is moving the nu- clear project to the Moon. Each side starts a clandestine

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 29 Page 30

Crowdfunding Kickstarter for Space Projects SHEN GE, CONTRIBUTOR

Thousands of individuals con- 1. LiftPort ArduSat’s mission is to pro- tribute information to Wikipe- vide affordable space explora- dia, an example of crowdsourc- http://www.kickstarter.com/ tion for everyone by building ing. Take this one step further projects/michaellaine/space- an inexpensive satellite, Ar- and have individuals contribute elevator-science-climb-to-the- duino. This miniature cube money instead. This is crowd- sky-a-tethered satellite, measuring 10 cm funding. This method of fund- along each edge and weighing ing circumvents traditional http://www.liftport.com/ 1 kg, will have more than 25 sources and gatekeepers, allow- sensors including three camer- ing a grassroots method of Goal: $8,000 as, a Geiger counter, a spec- wealth distribution to interest- Funded: $110,353 trometer and magnetometer. ing projects. The largest crowd- LiftPort, an idea started by These sensors are connected to funding site is Kickstarter. As engineer Michael Laine of Se- a bank of programmable Ar- of March 2012, web users had attle, is a company started in duino processors which can pledged more than $165 million 2003 to investigate building a run the pledgers’ applications to millions of projects. space elevator on Earth. They or experiments. The pledger researched carbon nanotubes will be the user. Kickstarter is simple. As a pro- but concluded they would not ject starter, you set a target date help. However, LiftPort Through a web interface, the (two months or less) to fund a worked on building robots that user can upload code to an goal, a target monetary amount. can climb a tether. At one exact replica of the satellite on You then set various donor point, they had 60 university the ground to ensure that it rewards depending on the level research partners and between works. After some tests and of donation which can range 800 and 1,000 volunteers any needed modifications, the from $1 to any amount. If by working on the project. But the code will be uploaded into the target date, the goal has economy crashed in 2007 and ArduSat where the application been reached, you take about LiftPort went downhill. can run and gather data. Once 90% of the donations, while 5% the time the user has booked goes to Kickstarter and 3 to 5% Their revolutionary idea is to with ArduSat expires, the data goes to Amazon Payments for build a space elevator on the will be sent to the user via the processing donations. If the Moon. With current technolo- Internet. goal is not reached by that date, gy, it is feasible to build it in you get nothing. Typically, a eight years. LiftPort will build 3. KickSat project either makes the goal or a tethered tower as a precursor finds little support. A good to the lunar elevator. A robot http://www.kickstarter.com/ idea, demonstrated credentials will climb 2 kilometers to the projects/zacinaction/kicksat- and a good pitch are essential platform of high-altitude bal- your-personal-spacecraft-in- for generating enough support. loons tethered to the ground. space This will build upon the climb- Though the initial set of pro- ing robot experience acquired http:// jects which used Kickstarter by LiftPort in the past. www.spacecraftresearch.com/ were mostly in the arts, other MII/MII_overview.html fields successively followed 2. ArduSat https://github.com/zacinaction/ suit. Over the last year, there kicksat has been an upsurge in popular- http://www.kickstarter.com/ http://www.kickstarter.com/ ity in using Kickstarter to suc- projects/575960623/ardusat- projects/251588730/kicksat- cessfully fund space projects. your-arduino-experiment-in- your-personal-spacecraft-in- Let’s go over a few projects space space/posts Above: Covers of the recent that have been successfully issues of Horizons. Each funded and then bring up the http://www.nanosatisfi.com/? Goal: $30,000 cover image is linked to a use of Kickstarter for funding a page_id=16 Funded: $74,586 PDF file for the correspond- print version of Horizons, the Zac Manchester, an aerospace ing issue. Image credits: Ho- newsletter of AIAA Houston Goal: $35,000 engineering student from Cor- rizons. Section. Funded: $106,330 (Continued on page 31)

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 30 Page 31

(Continued from page 30) The 3G Suit is intended for and fees for both Kickstarter and Crowdfunding Intra Vehicular Activity (IVA) Amazon. nell University, designed, which will be used in case of built and tested a very tiny an emergency loss of cabin AIAA Houston Section’s Hori- and inexpensive spacecraft pressure. The up and coming zons newsletter will use Kick- called Sprite. It is about the space industry including starter as a means of generating size of a few postage stamps SpaceX, Boeing, Sierra Neva- at least $2000 for 200 printed but contains solar cells, a ra- da, Virgin Galactic, Armadillo, copies of one issue (a special dio transceiver, and a micro- Blue Origin, STAR Systems, version reduced to 36 pages in controller with memory and XCOR and any other suborbi- length) for marketing and pub- sensors. Each Sprite will cost tal or orbital spacecraft compa- licity. These magazines will be $300 to launch. ny will need these suits for the offered at events and online for basic safety of crewed flights tax-free donations of $7. Once KickSat will be a CubeSat and they will need a cheaper we sell all 200 copies, we can that will be designed to carry alternative than current NASA print 200 copies of the next is- hundreds or thousands of suits which cost well into the sue, so the continuing operation Sprites into low earth orbit. millions of dollars. pays for itself after a successful Initially housed in spring- crowdfunding. We prepared the loaded stacks and held in 5. Hermes Spacecraft video (already on YouTube), place by a lid, a transmitted arranged for pledger gifts radio signal will open the lid, http://www.kickstarter.com/ (NASA medallions and more), releasing the Sprites as free- projects/hermesspace/hermes- and now we are ready to put it Above and below: Covers of flying spacecraft. These spacecraft all on our own Kickstarter web the two most recent issues of Horizons. Each cover Sprites will then be tracked page and start our crowdfund- image is linked to a PDF and recorded by an interna- http://www.hermesspace.com/ ing. Please look for us on Kick- tional network of amateur starter and pledge your support. file for the corresponding ground stations. The Sprites Goal: $20,000 issue. Image credits: Hori- will last a few days or weeks Funded: $20,843 zons. before entering the Earth’s Space Transport and Recovery atmosphere leaving no traces Systems, LLC (STAR Sys- of space debris. tems) is a startup aerospace company working on the Her- 4. Final Frontier Design’s 3G mes spacecraft, a reusable sub- Space Suit orbital spacecraft. Hermes is a vertical takeoff, horizontal http://www.kickstarter.com/ landing vehicle that can carry projects/872281861/final- four passengers to an altitude frontier-designs-3g-space-suit of 62 mi (100 km) with a maxi- mum velocity of 2,300 miles http://finalfrontierdesign.com/ per hour (3,700 kilometers per hour). An encrypted remote Goal: $20,000 cockpit system will allow the Funded: $27,632 spacecraft to be controlled re- Final Frontier Design (FFD) motely for low altitude test is a company designing and landings. building a lightweight, inex- pensive, and highly functional STAR Systems already has a space suit for the new space full scale prototype of the Her- industry. The FFD Third Gen- mes structure. They only need eration (3G) Suit will follow help to create a full size proto- NASA flight certification type of the rocket motors. For standards and will be an up- propulsion, Hermes will use a grade over the 2G Suit, in- hybrid rocket motor 10 inches cluding such features as a in diameter capable of 5000 higher operating pressure, a pounds of thrust. The donated carbon fiber waist ring, a re- funds will be used for buying tractable helmet and improved sensors, data acquisition hard- gloves and glove disconnects. ware, materials, tier awards

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 31 Page 32 SPACE, The First SPACE Retreat the Academy SHEN GE, CONTRIBUTOR On January 8, 2013, a group mon goal of sharing knowledge solar system. Since he couldn’t of space professionals and and building together a make it in person due to family enthusiasts gathered at a vaca- roadmap for space habitation. obligations, the presentation tion apartment called Tropical took place using Skype. De- Park in a little town called On the first day of presenta- spite connection issues, the Callao Salvaje on the tropical tions, Shen Ge talked about the attendees were able to acquire isle of Tenerife, one of the purpose of Scientific Prepara- an understanding of the Canary Islands. There, under tory Academy for Cosmic Ex- roadmap for space habitation An earlier SPACE event took the sunshine of an eternal plorers (SPACE) and the plans as envisioned by Dr. David place on the Isle of Man. Hori- summer between episodes of for making SPACE the organi- Hyland. After this presenta- zons reported on that starting going to the beach and eating zation to create the human tal- tion, the attendees were treated on page 20 in the January / plenty of Canarian chicken ent for a spacefaring civiliza- to an appetizing dinner party February 2012 issue. and other local culinary de- tion. Shen discussed the ways with plenty of sangria and lights, these dozen or so folks that SPACE is acquiring atten- wine. gathered together for serious tion and money, including presentations and discussions planning events such as this On the second day, Virgiliu on the various aspects of SPACE Retreat. Another ex- Pop, a space lawyer currently space and space habitation. ample is an educational module working for the Romanian All presentations started at ten to be ready later this year or Space Agency (ROSA), talked o’clock in the morning to early next year. It will consist about the legal considerations accommodate for people’s of spacecraft and space mission of asteroid exploitation and potential late nights. This design taught at foreign univer- deflection. He pointed out that “unconference” organized by sities that do not have such a asteroids aren’t considered the Scientific Preparatory program. The foreign universi- things that can be owned. Academy for Cosmic Explor- ty will pay SPACE instructors However, claiming ownership Above: A chart about univer- ers (SPACE) hoped to gather to teach such courses at the is an issue since some people sity plans for SPACE. together people from diverse respective university. Within might do it, and just stating backgrounds with the com- the next five years to a decade, that you own an asteroid does SPACE will garner enough not imply real ownership. Ro- donations and sponsorships to bots may make the case for build its own campus. ownership. A recent shipwreck was recovered by robots. Vir- Ryan Haughey, a student under giliu’s second topic was the Dr. David Hyland, an aero- legal or moral obligation of space engineering professor at people to deflect an Earth- Texas A&M University, made impacting asteroid. Apparent- the next presentation. He spoke ly, there are no legal obliga- about the spacecraft which he tions but there are definitely and 33 other students designed moral ones. Finally, Vrigiliu as part of a spacecraft design described the Sagan dilemma, course. The design is for an “The same technology used to interplanetary spacecraft that deflect an asteroid can be used can fly 2-3 years with a crew as a weapon to harm Earth.” of 12. This project is very am- This issue might prevent test- bitious and will cost far more ing of asteroid deflection tech- than the F-35 Joint Strike niques. Above: The Observatorio del Teide (Teide Observatory) is an Fighter, an aircraft which re- astronomical observatory on Tenerife operated by the Instituto quired about $1 trillion to de- Roy Tucker, famed asteroid de Astrofísica de Canarias. Opened in 1964, it became one of the velop. Nonetheless, its conse- discover (Wikipedia, extracted first major international observatories, attracting telescopes quences for humanity will be February 7, 2013: “He is a from different countries around the world because of the good far greater. prolific discoverer of asteroids, astronomical seeing conditions. Later the emphasis for optical identifying at least 404 and co- telescopes shifted more towards Roque de los Muchachos Obser- Later that night, Dr. Hyland discovering one between 1996 vatory on La Palma. It is considered one of the world's major talked about the overall plan and 2009.”), next gathered observatories. Caption: Wikipedia. Image credit: SPACE. for the human habitation of the (Continued on page 33)

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 32 Page 33

(Continued from page 32) in his lifetime. He fully sup- Aeroponics will be used to SPACE, ports the 2045 Initiative which grow many of the plants which everyone around for a was started by a Russian mil- can reduce water usage by the Academy roundtable discussion (using a lionaire named Dmitry Itskov, 98% and reduce fertilizer us- rectangular table) about a man who also has aspirations age by 60%. Plants will be achieving space habitation. for immortality. The phases grown in microgravity since Three topics were addressed: leading to immortality by 2045 reduced gravity encourages financing, technology, and the will take place every ten years faster plant growth. One thing will. For financing, the sever- or so starting from now. Phase to be stressed in terms of mi- al topics addressed included 1 is training for a non- crogravity is that despite over resources (asteroid mining), biological body as depicted by five decades of crewed space- energy (asteroid mining), peo- the movie Surrogates. Phase 2 flight, there still has been no ple (tourism), and intellectual is brain sustainability where test on what level of gravity ideas (science, entertainment). the brain can survive despite (Continued on page 34) For technology, Roy directed bodily destruction. Phase 3 is the conversation to rotovators, where the mind is substrate telepresence, and digital im- independent, no longer tied to mortality. For the will, Roy the organic grey matter in our suggested the Pilgrim analogy noggins. Phase 4 is where sub- where people initially venture stance-independent minds will forth to escape confinement receive bodies with capacity on Earth and seek freedom of far exceeding that of ordinary expression. humans.

Caption: Rotovator concept Megan Heard next presented image from Wikipedia. Doug- on the life support system for las will crop the bottom of the interplanetary spacecraft Above: [Horizons Editor] Regarding rotovators, this image and that image and add the cap- which Ryan Haughey present- the following caption from Wikipedia. If the orbital velocity and tion and image credit from ed to us on the first day. Diet the tether rotation rate are synchronized, in the rotovator con- Wikipedia. will be similar that of the Ikari- cept the tether tip moves in a cycloid, and at the lowest point is ans, a Greek island people re- momentarily stationary with respect to the ground. (Image from On the third day, there was a nowned for their longevity. the cycloid article.) Image credit: Wikipedia. break from presentations. We piled into a bus for a memora- ble trip to the World Heritage site called El Teide, an active volcano in the middle of the island. The landscapes there were truly extraordinary, of- ten seeming to be from anoth- er planet or the Moon. On top of the volcano was the Teide Observatory. The attendees were taken on a tour of sever- al telescopes including the oldest telescope called the Carlos Sanchez Telescope.

On the fourth day, futurist Philippe van Nedervelde, a technology nomad and entre- preneur, gave a talk on ava- tars and digital immortality as predicted by the 2045 Initia- tive. The 2045 Initiative is a projection of what the world will be like in 2045. Philippe is a transhumanist who as- pires to achieve immortality Above: An example of space applications for rotovators. Image credit: Dr. David Hyland.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 33 Page 34

SPACE, (Continued from page 33) highway which uses weak sta- techniques can be useful in a bility boundaries to create low- space environment. She then the Academy humans can actually sustain. thrust trajectories. The homo- gathered up her needles and Scientists know that 0-G is clinic chain system of orbits demonstrated on Iulia and Me- bad and 1-G is good. Between just inside or outside another gan. those values, little is known. orbit system and the heteroclin- The space habitat can also ic chain system of orbits On the sixth day, Iulia Jivanes- serve as a test of human con- around Lagrange points L1 and cu, an aerospace engineer ditions in varying gravity. L2 are orbits of invariant mani- working for the Romanian folds which can be used for Space Agency (ROSA), talked Hyerim Kim next presented traveling around the inner solar about space systems as critical on the interplanetary super- system on the way to asteroids. infrastructures and system en- Heteroclinic orbits are orbits in gineering elements used to space which join two equilibri- categorize and give importance um points, whereas homoclinic to different parts. Ina Mertens, orbits are a subset of hetero- the Eastern European space art clinic orbits that have the same historian, went over the history starting and ending equilibrium of space art and presented a point. number of interesting images from the early days of the 20th On the fifth day, Roy Tucker century to the present. presented on how he hunts for asteroids. He went over the On the seventh day, Alan history and then the modern Pritchard, a systems engineer, method which he uses called presented on the holistic ap- scan-mode imaging. Roy ended proach he and his company his talk by showing the soft- Zen Systems developed to- ware Pinpoint which he uses to wards space. A key point is find asteroids. Though the pro- that space should not be con- gram can automatically detect sidered separate from Earth. It asteroids, the naked eye is still is a part of Earth and can be superior in detecting minute realistically reached. Parts of differences. Earth are harder to reach than space but are not treated with Amanda Shayle, an acupunc- such awe. turist, next presented on how Above: Examples of subjects in the curriculum of the Space acupuncture can be used to Erik Unger, a software engi- Preparatory Academy for Cosmic Explorers (SPACE). Image affect the largest organ in the neer and entrepreneur, next credit: SPACE. body, the skin, and how such presented a number of stunning videos of games that he has worked on and his own pro- jects of the moment which include web software for ground tracking, videos for the space elevator startup Liftport Group and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

On the eighth day, Shen Ge, aerospace engineer, presented an overview of asteroid mining concepts which included com- position, mining, astrodynam- ics, economics and law. An- toine van de Ven, a physicist and cognitive scientist, pre- sented his revolutionary phys- Above: An example of homoclinic orbit change and heteroclinic orbit chains for navigating to Ju- ics theory where antimatter piter. Image credit: SPACE. (Continued on page 35)

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 34 Page 35 repels instead of attracts. Us- the hat of spokesperson for the an annual event, and the sec- SPACE, ing such negative-mass anti- Lifeboat Foundation, it was hi- ond SPACE Retreat will take matter, a future spaceship can jacked by talks on panoptical place in Florida or Puerto Rico the Academy be propelled through space by systems, nearly undetectable and early in January of 2014. creating interaction of anti- inexpensive optical sensor sys- matter with normal matter. tems that will eliminate privacy Antoine admitted that he will as we know it. This smart dust not receive a Nobel Prize un- can be anywhere and view any- less this is tested experimen- thing anyone does. Since gov- tally, and tests will require ernments are already working on precise measurements be- such a system, Philippe suggest- tween two antineutrons at a ed that the only way to ensure facility such as CERN. Anti- personal freedom is to democra- neutrons are antiparticles of tize it and allow private citizens neutrons that are just as elec- as well as companies to spy on trically neutral as neutrons, people. As far as lifeboats go, making the effect of gravity, aside from space habitats and or anti-gravity as Antoine extraterrestrial settlements, predicts, much more noticea- Philippe suggested that humanity ble and hence potentially de- can use underground bunkers tectable. such as those built in Switzer- land during World War II. On the ninth day, Dragos Bra- Above: Two energy-momentum four-vectors can be visualized in tasanu, researcher at the Ro- The two remaining days were this diagram where the length of the vector, the energy, remains manian Space Agency full days of relaxation where the the same for both whereas the mass is negative for antimatter. (ROSA), presented the human remaining attendees discussed Energy as stated by Antoine is equivalent to the positive square elements of space projects what was learned and formulated root of the sum of the squares of the two quantities, (1) mass and team work. The social plans in drawing out the space times the speed of light squared, and (2) momentum times the context behind the engineer- habitation roadmap in the up- speed of light. Image credit: Antoine van de Ven. ing failures such as the Chal- coming weeks. The first SPACE lenger disaster and the Hubble Retreat was a success. It will be telescope optics misalignment is often invisible, unacknowl- edged, and immeasurable. Dragos presented on the four types of team builders as out- lined by Carl Jung’s theory. Erik Unger decided to give another look at this theory by presenting a personality chart with Asian elements called Roger Hamilton’s wealth dy- namics. Prasanna Deshapriya, a Sri Lankan student of astro- physics and an astronomer, presented on space tourism. He discussed what’s happen- ing today and what the future will hold.

Though the SPACE Retreat formally ended on January 22, 2013, its 14th day, there was a final lunch with futurist Philippe van Nedervelde on the 11th day. Though the dis- cussion was supposed to be on the preservation of human- ity, since Philippe also wears Above: Project milestones for the 2045 Initiative. Image credit: Philippe van Nedervelde.

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Staying Informed

A question from the NASA/JSC press conference of January 16, 2013. (Image credit: NASA.) See our article later in this issue. NASA Signs Agreement for European-Provided Orion Service Module

From Gina Sunseri of ABC News. “This questions is for Bill Gerstenmaier and for Mark Geyer: How tough is it to design a system like this when you don’t know ex- actly where you are going? You know you can go to the [International] Space Sta- tion but you don’t know if you are going to the Moon or Mars or an asteroid. Mark, when I interviewed you last year the plan was an asteroid. Well, how do you design a vehicle when you don’t real- ly know where it’s going to go?”

Bill: “We have the basic requirements understood. We know what change in velocity or how much propellant this ve- hicle needs to carry. We know what its basic structural load capability is. We know how long the life support systems need to be there. We know how many crew we’re going to carry. We know all of those parameters. You don’t design a car to just go to the grocery store. You design a car that can go to the grocery store, go to the shopping mall, maybe drive across the country and do other things. It’s the same kind of thing here. As engineers we take those basic requirements to do these multiple des- tinations, these multiple locations, and we’re building a system that will allow us to go explore those. We no longer want to build a system that is optimized for one particular destination. We want a system that can actually push human presence out into the solar system and allow us to go to all of these different destinations. We broke it down into the requirements that allow us to capture all of these destinations, scarred some interfaces to grow a little bit in the area. The teams are very comfortable with what we laid out in front of them. They understand the requirements they need to build to.”

Mark: “Bill said it great. This vehicle has lot of capability to do a lot of different missions. When you talk about volume and delta V and ability to carry crew it’s really got a lot of flexibility. Do we participate in those architecture studies that happen at headquarters when they talk about new missions to make sure that we understand what, if any, updates we would need to make? [Yes.] Even at this point, with all of those different discussions, our plans with EM-1 and EM-2 have not changed because this is a very capable vehicle.”

From http://collectSPACE.com:

February 20, 2013: Friendship 7 “found” in Texas: For at least the past four decades, a full-size model of a Mercury spacecraft has sat at the corner of Red Bluff Road and St. Augustine Avenue in Pasadena, Texas, located about 20 minutes from the Johnson Space Center. Sometime in the past few years, the capsule was repaired, restored and repainted, in the process gaining the logo of Friendship 7, John Glenn's capsule that he flew into orbit 51 years ago. Image credit: collectSPACE.

[Editor: I saw this from a distance recently as I drove by. I was tempted to return to report on this for Horizons and for my own curiosity. collectSPACE did a great job of reporting on this, but we all probably want to know even more about this mockup.]

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 36 Page 37 Science Fiction Author Boris Strugatskij Current Events WES KELLY, TRITON SYSTEMS, LLC In the Russian Community bi- Here, that is all I can say that time, one of not so many weekly newspaper Nash Tex- about this.” [Arabov was who in the 1990s did not as, Russian for Our Texas, screen writer for the 1988 change himself but remained serving much of the state, an film adaptation of the Stru- an establishment figure,” the article appeared noting the gatskij story, “Day of publicist Dmitrij Bykov [a passing of a significant Rus- Eclipse” (Den’ Zatmeniya) – frequent contributor to the sian cultural figure, one of the more about this below]. long-lived national weekly many icons of a generation or magazine Ogonyok] wrote in two, but also, significantly, an Boris Strugatskij was born eulogy for the writer. “He icon of those who have partic- April 15, 1933 in Leningrad. was absolutely, an undiluted ipated in international space The future writer’s father genius. And who is there to flight. What follows is a fairly worked in the Russian State compare him with today? I do literal translation of the text, museum. His mother was an not know of anyone. His death interspersing some of the ac- instructor teaching Russian is a catastrophe of the scale colades (italics) from promi- literature in school where of [folk singer and song writ- Above: A file photo of the late nent Russians that had origi- Boris himself studied. The er] Okudzhava’s passing. Boris Strugatskij from the nally appeared at the end of war years separated the fami- With his departure, all has internet or the Our Texas web the article. ly. During the Great Patriotic become still darker and more site, also found at Examin- War the Strugatskij family airless,” Bykov said. er.com. The Death of found itself in besieged Len- Boris Strugatskij ingrad. Because Boris was ill Bykov distinctly remembers Reported 29 November 2012 in January 1942, Arkadij and the time when he was first Nathan Zalmanovich Stru- acquainted with the creativity On 19 November in the gatskij were sent to the evacu- of the Strugatskij brothers. “It Almazov Hospital in St. Pe- ation point by themselves. was a collection of1962 sci- tersburg expired Boris Stru- Only in 1943 did the older ence fiction stories and [I gatskij, a legend of Soviet and brother Arkadij succeed in was] in Russia [and] it was Above: The biweekly newspaper Russian science fiction bringing his mother and 1975. I was sick and 8 years Nash Texas (Russian for Our (“fantastika”). He was 79 brother Boris to the village of old when I read ‘Attempt at Texas), the primary source for years old. Together from their Tashel in the Orenburg Re- Flight’ [or ‘Escape Attempt’]. this article, translated by Wes very first appearance the gion (then the Chkalov Re- It was the first time in my life Kelly, Triton Systems LLC. Brothers Strugatskij, a writing gion [so named, presumably that I read text that I could Newspaper web site: duet, more than many others for the pioneer Soviet avia- not physically pull myself www.ourtx.com influenced the generation of tor]). They returned to Lenin- away from. And all night I the 1960s to 80s. grad in 1945. In 1950 Boris read, until I had it all. For me finished school with a silver every new [piece of] writing Yurij Arabov, screenwriter medal and planned to enter from the Stugatskis was such says, “It is simply not ade- into the physics department of a discovery. From the first quate to say that two classical Leningrad State University. page, I fell prisoner to that (artists) have left us. The However, for a number of text.” Strugatskijs in my opinion reasons he was not accepted. were the best subjectivists of He then offered documents to The first collaborative pro- our 20th century literature, if, the mathematical and me- duction of the Brothers Stru- under a subject, it’s necessary chanical physics department gatskij saw light in 1958 – in to understand not only the where he completed studies in the magazine Technology for content of events, but also the 1955, under the specialty of Young People (Tekhnika Mo- intent of what is said. Their “stellar astronomer.” lodezhi) in which was pub- subjects are absolutely bril- lished the story From With- liant. For example, ‘Monday “Boris Strugatskij remained out, writing of the comings to Begins on Saturday’ in 1964. the last of the cohort of the Earth of visitors from space. We grew up with that litera- best Soviet artists, writers, In 1960 there came out anoth- ture. Boris is gone. But beside cinematographers, in the er novella. And then a year everything else previous, this ranks with [Andrej] Tarkov- later the Strugatskijs released Above: Book cover image from social activist performed the skij and [singer, actor, com- their first book, The Land of Wikipedia citing fair use. The duty of our intelligentsia: to poser] Vladimir Vysotskij. He Purple Clouds. image is linked to the related act in behalf of the fallen. was a living messenger from (Continued on page 38) Wikipedia web page.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 37 Page 38

Current Events (Continued from page 37) day, which is not entirely read Boris – Evil Overload, finally from far away with a smile. revealed them as writers of Within less than 10 years they There also appeared Roadside social commentary, quite pes- created basic productions of Picnic, a production as pro- simistically looking at the what could be known various- vocative as it was full of des- future – beyond dependence ly as the Noon Universe or pair. on that somewhat bright one Meridian World series – a they [once] promised to make. future domain where com- “That I came into contact munist ideals prevailed, with the text and then tried to After the death of his brother where people befriended each transfer it into cinematic me- Arkadij Strugatskij in 1991, other, where humanity met dium, it is from one side a Boris, in his words, with an alien mind and deter- wild responsibility and diffi- “continued to guide a thick mined that it was not so alien cult – period,” declares actor beam [boat] of literature with after all. and director Fyodor Bond- a two-hand tiller - but without archuk [Son of Sergei Bond- a partner.” Under the pseudo- Above: A file photo of the late In 1965 they wrote Monday archuk, film director of the nym S. Vititskij, he published Arcadij (left) Boris Strugatskij Begins on Saturday, about the 1960s production of Lev Tol- the novels, A Search of Pre- from the internet, also found at evangelists of the Soviet stoj’s “War and Peace”]. designation, or the 27th Theo- TV Tropes. “ITR” or technical class; the “And yet from the other, you rem of Etiquette and the Pow- engineers, programmers, de- remember about this as about erless Worlds. For the full signers and other inhabitants the elation experienced when collection of compositions of of the scientific investigative you succeed in coming into the Strugatskis, the writer institutes almost without num- contact with great literature prepared A Commentary for ber. and completely magical Proceeding. names. And the creation of Monday and several later sto- ‘Worlds of the Strugatskis,’ Though even at that, at times ries concluded the epoch of and what they left behind it had been difficult for the Strugatskij optimism. In the them – not only as literati public to separate one brother extended period of the follow- brilliantly using the Russian from the other. It is said that ing 25 years, the authors con- language and forming the Arkadij’s daughter once heard sequently presented to readers entire caste of the intelligent- how someone whispered be- their all the less romantic but sia, they also explain what is hind her back, “There goes nonetheless powerful works. happening here and now in the daughter of the Strugatskij this country, or what can oc- brothers.” In the interval of the 60s and cur in the world or in society 70s the authors wrote their at large, sometimes via [their] Boris introduced a separate key work, Doomed City or funny or even completely fan- contribution to the develop- simply Grad (the novel would tastic spaces or worlds, this ment of Soviet science fiction. be published much later), certainly is their main attain- In 1974 he organized a signif- where the fates of their own ment. And that, certainly, is a icant seminar. It was not in and the new generation were great, great loss.” the least that thanks to that sharply reflected in the multi- seminar, readers found out layered society of the pan- Finally the authors return to about other Soviet science opticum. In Doomed City it is the Meridian World, already it fiction writers Svyatoslav not even clear who is feared is far from being as joyous as Loginov, Vyacheclav Ryba- more, the Nazi Geiger, the it was 15-20 years ago. There kov and Aleksandr Tyurin. Stalinist Voronin or the per- the end justified the means. There they formulated the son who was a representative Terror forces one to go for project Time of the Scholars. of the sixties generation and murder. And humanity, which In that framework, well disenchanted with all, Kats- earlier did not shy away from known science fiction writers man. influencing other civilizations developed the Meridian toward progress, seems not to World and other domains of The brothers wrote Ugly realize that with them, in the the Strugatiskijs. But from Swans, having held it, like course of 100 years, a new that moment, their writers’ Grad, on the table for two race conducts detailed experi- duet was no more. Above: Book cover images from decades. The anti- ments. Wikipedia citing fair use. Each bureaucratic Trojka Fairy In later years Boris related to image is linked to the related Tale interrupted the condi- One of the last collaborative the science fiction “reality” Wikipedia web page. tional continuation of Mon- productions of Arkadij and (Continued on page 39)

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 38 Page 39

(Continued from page 38) in the writing workplace. sequence of initial scenes it Current Events introduces characters with that they constructed skepti- Russian Prime Minister handles like Stalker, Writer cally. In one interview in the Dmitrij Medved called Stru- and Professor. The initial fall of 2011, he noted that gatskij’s death an uncompen- grim, bleak industrial future is within ten years the Stru- sated loss for Russian and much like a Twilight Zone set gatskij books would scarcely world literature. “Boris Nata- but in much more detail than survive. And he added that, novich Strugatskij passed on what 1960s sound studios more than that, the universe from life, a great writer and provided, adding desolate was empty and free of intel- thinker. A loss for our own industrial landscapes to which lect. and world literature,” he generic humans cling like wrote on Twitter. post barnacles. An expedition Both books of Boris Stru- is launched into The Zone, gatskij, written without The creativity of the Stru- where decades before a mete- Arkadij, are full of disen- gatskij brothers became the orite or something else fell. chantment. The main hero of measure of changes in Russia, The Zone is a region where the first, In Search of Predes- declared writer and chief edi- humans have capitulated and ignation, determines that his tor of “Literaturnaya no one understands what goes fate safeguarded him from Gazeta,” Yurij Polyakov. on - unless it is an intuitive death, not his own efforts. “Boris survived to see the Stalker guide. It is cordoned The hero of the second, Free results of these changes, and off as with the Berlin Wall. Above: Boris Strugatsky. Image of Supermen, was powerless in the long run not all of them Troops have vanished into its credit: Wikipedia. and unknowing, and even not caused him to rejoice. But confines and never returned. wanting to resist surroundings fact remains fact. Arkadij and or circumstance. In this story Boris Strugatskij were influ- The expedition commences their aging, though almost ences on thought of the 60s, under conditions of stealth immortal sensei (“teacher” in 70s and 80s,” the Liter- and pursuit and then emerges Japanese) is unable to teach aturnaya Gazeta editor reck- into a silent realm of forest anyone anything. ons. vegetation and COLOR. This could be the inspiration of Ten years ago, on October 2, Compiled by Nash Texas imitations such as the televi- 2002, Boris Natanovich put in (Russian for Our Texas) staff sion series Lost. Who knows? a place in his last book, writers from material on the As green as it is though, the “There is absolutely no time,” internet. landscape could have been a the sensei said, even with national park set aside for a some despair. He slumped Roadside Picnic, battle like Kursk or Stalingrad into the seat, placed his hands The Stalker, with ruins and rusted military on his knees, but now he bent Inhabited Island; hardware dotting the under- again, almost having curled in Film Directors growth. The explorers head the straps, “Absolutely,” he Tardovskij and Bondarchuk under the Stalker’s guidance repeated, “No time.” to a central ruin and a room. One of the most immediately Dialogue is terse and generic, Since 1998 on the official accessible artifacts of the but the camera work is Strugatskij Brothers website Strugatskijs’ work is the film “contemplative.” At this writ- there is posted an interview adaptation of Roadside Picnic ing, I haven't sorted out how with Boris. He answers ques- by director Andrej Tar- many YouTube installments tions from fans. The last com- dovskij, the adaptation titled go into this, but clearly after ments of Strugatskij were The Stalker. In fact, it can be 60 minutes, the Stalker story published on November 4, seen in segments on is hardly done. 2012. “Patience, stability and YouTube, the first part a 63- a bit of divine grace,” so he minute segment. Among Americans who fol- answered to the question of a low science fiction or Russian reader about how to become a Alexander Tardovskij partici- matters, I have found mixed writer. pated in the adaptation and reviews for this film. One of then went on to a career in us on Horizons staff com- “I am unable to recover my- part in the west. But the film mented that with its director Above: Book cover image from self. We get poorer and poor- itself had some interesting and writer pedigree The Stalk- Wikipedia citing fair use. The er.” Daniel Granin responded elements besides. Beginning er often appears on best film image is linked to the related to the death of his colleague with a stark black and white (Continued on page 40) Wikipedia web page.

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(Continued from page 39) working over nearly three above, directed a more recent Current Events years we arrived at a repre- Strugatskij adaptation to the lists, yet he wonders whether sentation of the story with screen, Inhabited Island the Russian science fiction hardly anything that remained (Obytaemyj Ostrov). Based on field had been as verdant as in common with the original a Meridian World novel titled others in the 20th century. other than the terms Stalker, in English as Prisoners of Another correspondent who the Zone and a mystical place Power, the film scored third shared the same Russian lan- where desires are enacted.” biggest at the box office in guage training this writer re- former Soviet Union lands in ceived in military service re- Stalker moves slowly to set 2009, and Bondarchuk re- ported that he did not like the the scene, but it does pose ceived a best acting nomina- film and preferred Roadside some interesting problems tion and a Golden Eagle Picnic (Piknik na Obochine), about genies in lamps. As the award for his portrayal. the book on which it was trio approaches the terraced Among Strugatskij stories, based, recommending that in site where things should come Inhabited Island has more preference – if I liked science to a head I had to wonder if than the usual summary com- fiction. the Professor had blown his mentary online. A 22nd centu- chance to have his wish ful- ry protagonist from a utopian, As it turns out, the only Stru- filled (a Nobel Prize in Phys- socialist Earth finds himself gatskij anthology I have in- ics as surmised by the Writer) marooned on a newly discov- cludes their screenplay for the by fretting about his lost ruck- ered planet with a humanoid same film, but not the original sack full of fresh underwear. society similar to that of his novel. Or does it? As can be Then he carps back at the home planet in the mid 20th seen from the cover, The Writer, “And so you want to century, but suffering the ef- Stalker is the lead story of a offer to humanity the treasure fects of a recent nuclear war Above: Book cover image from series of screenplays. of your purchased inspira- as well as exhibiting the forc- Amazon. [Translation: The Worlds of tion?” The Stalker guide him- es that brought it on. the Brothers Strugatskij - self would abjure that, “I am Film Scenarios: The Stalker, not Fate but the hand of Fate.” Forward A Case about a Murder, Day He claims that he is leading to the Socialist Future? of Eclipse, Without Arma- pilgrims in search of ment, Beetle in the Anthill, “happiness,” which he hopes “You can have any color as The Magician, The Cloud and will not be bought at cost to long as it's black.” – Henry Machine of Desires. An Alter- others. Since reading the Rus- Ford, summarizing the Ford nate title for A Case about a sian is slow going as a non- Motor Company customer’s Murder was Hotel of the Fall- native, it leaves time to won- choices. en Alpinist.] The texts are not der whether the Strugatskijs all written in conventional have a medieval everyman “When I was growing up, I screenplay form as dialogs tale with the monikers. Or is it read ‘Doomed City’ three and stage notes as would be a something else? After all, times.” – Artem Ponomarev, Shakespeare play (for exam- “academics” and writers were space scientist and physicist, ple, Stalker: Hello. Scholar: represented by powerful pro- Universities Space Research Good morning.), but in the fessional organizations in the Association (USRA), Houston, prose form of novellas. And Soviet Union. Were these Texas USA. finally, in marginal notes, the viewpoints of Everyman or Strugatskijs explain how the institutions being examined? Since Andrej Tardovskij also final story – not Machine of Then near the precipice, in the directed the Russian film So- Desires, but The Stalker was dusty ante room, the Profes- laris, we could be lured to the version that reached the sor gets a phone call and a think that Stanislav Lem was screen. warning from his colleagues a Russian science fiction writ- Above: From the collection of that the course he is on will er as well. He was Polish and Wes Kelly. The Worlds of the “Several years ago there be- finish him as an academic and was read widely both in the Brothers Strugatskij. Film Sce- fell on us the honor of partici- destroy the hopes of millions. west and Soviet bloc. What narios. The Stalker, A Case pating in the creation of the It turns out that there is more about the science fiction envi- about a Murder (Alternate Title: film, The Stalker. Director in his knapsack than clean ronment in Russia? What was Hotel of the Fallen Alpinist), Andrej Arsen’yevich Tarkov- clothes, his answer to the di- the milieu from which the Day of Eclipse, Without Arma- skij initially took as the basis lemma of allowing indiscrimi- Strugatskij brothers sprang? ment, Beetle in the Anthill, The for his film the fourth chapter nate wish fulfillments. We have more questions here Magician, The Cloud, Machine of our story, Roadside Picnic. than answers. of Desires. However, in the process of Fyodor Bondarchuk, quoted (Continued on page 41)

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(Continued from page 40) written during the avante- That constraint seems gradu- Current Events garde 1920s period, the Stru- ally to have lifted, or was While Americans have had gatskijs and Count Tolstoy pried loose by the creativity their own love affair with alike were obliged to discover of Andrej and Boris Stru- science fiction over the dec- communist utopias right down gatskij. ades, there was less trade with our temporal corridor within a Russian ideas in this realm century or so or when vehi- [END] than there has been with the cles landed on advanced alien space technology for which worlds. science fiction might have provided impetus here and After reading in the Stalker the consequences of a meteor strike - or something else - it is hard not over there. After Sputnik, at to note the significant Russian impact near Chelyabinsk of a large meteor or small asteroid in mid which point pulp science fic- February 2013. To most it was already observed as coincidental with the passage of a small aster- tion magazines had already oid DA14 at about the altitude of GPS navigational satellites. Coincidental as that was, another survived here for decades, Russian friend (Nikolai Gor’kavyj, co-author of Physics of Planetary Rings, 1994 Russian edition) Collier and Dell paperbacks once related to me how he had attended an early conference on planetary defense against asteroids published anthologies of So- near his laboratory at “Chelyabinsk - 70.” In attendance from America in 1994 was physicist Ed- viet science fiction, one edited ward Teller, there to explain how, when it came to asteroid defense, the hydrogen bomb could be by Judith Merrill, a New York the next century’s Swiss army knife. Odds makers might reflect less on coincidence and more on science fiction editor and an- whether Chelyabinsk was an intended target. For sure, though, events have become more akin to thologist, others introduced an Andrej and Boris Strugatskij story. [Wes Kelly] by science fiction writers Isaac Asimov or Theodore Sturgeon. To read these books now in the wake of the Stru- gatskij brothers’ careers would be like opening a time capsule related to them.

Aside from what might be included in the anthologies, we note that Lev Tolstoj’s nephew Aleksandr wrote sci- ence fiction in the 1920s. He wrote about socialist Martians (Aelita). Rocket pioneer Tsiolkovskij wrote science fiction as well, if only to elab- orate on theoretical astro- nautics. Soviet astronomers used science fiction as con- cept vehicles much like Brit- ish author Fred Hoyle, though one suspects without as much thinly veiled invective against the establishment as in the latter’s The Black Cloud. I submit, however, that tradi- tional Russian or Soviet sci- ence fiction mused as much as it liked about products of re- search institutes or the conse- quences of launching Sput- niks or rockets, but there had to be at least one constraint on their writing – and that was the official view of the future. With the notable exception of Above: Book cover images from Wikipedia citing fair use. Each image is linked to the related Wik- Yevgennij Zamyatin’s We, ipedia web page.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 41 Page 42 Current Events NASA Signs Agreement for a European- Provided Service Module NASA PRESS RELEASE, JANUARY 16, 2013

Orion is going international. capsule, which will carry four gram manager. “ESA’s con- Orion astronauts into space on tribution is going to be critical NASA signed an agreement in crewed flights and bring them to the success of Orion’s 2017 is going mid-December for the European home for a safe landing; the mission." international. Space Agency (ESA) to provide a launch abort system, which service module for the Orion would pull the crew module Exploration Mission-1 in spacecraft’s Exploration Mission- to safety in the unlikely event 2017 will be the first integrat- 1 in 2017. of a life-threatening problem ed flight test with both the An earlier page in this issue during launch; and the service Orion spacecraft and NASA’s provides additional report-  Watch Orion’s Exploration module, which will house new Space Launch System ing, including a journalist’s Mission-1 animation Orion’s power, thermal and (SLS). It will follow the up- question about designing a  View images from Orion Part- propulsion systems. The ser- coming Exploration Flight system with multiple desti- nership News Conference vice module is located direct- Test-1 in 2014, in which an nations.  View the Orion Service Mod- ly below the crew capsule and uncrewed Orion will launch ule Briefing Graphics will contain the in-space pro- atop a Delta IV Heavy rocket pulsion capability for orbital and fly to an altitude of 3,600 transfer, attitude control and miles above Earth’s surface, When the Orion spacecraft blasts off atop NASA’s high-altitude ascent aborts. It farther than a human space- Space Launch System rock- also will generate and store craft has gone in 40 years. For et in 2017, attached will be power and provide thermal the flight test, a test service the ESA-provided service control, water and air for the module is being built by module – the powerhouse astronauts. It will remain con- Lockheed Martin. that fuels and propels the nected to the crew module Orion spacecraft. until just before the capsule Exploration Mission-1 in returns to Earth. 2017 will launch an uncrewed “Space has long been a Orion spacecraft to demon- Above: As part of a new frontier for international coopera- “This is not a simple system” strate the performance of the agreement between the two tion as we explore,” said Dan said Mark Geyer, Orion Pro- (Continued on page 43) space agencies, the Europe- Dumbacher, deputy associate an Space Agency will pro- administrator for Exploration vide the service module for System Development at NASA NASA’s Orion spacecraft. Headquarters in Washington. Image credit: NASA. “This latest chapter builds on NASA’s excellent relationship with ESA as a partner in the Inter- national Space Station, and helps us move forward in our

plans to send humans far- ther into space than we’ve ever been before.”

The agreement primarily maps out a plan for ESA to fulfill its share of operation- al costs and additional sup- Above: JSC2013-E-004070 (16 Jan. 2013) Seated on the dais porting services for the In- for a January 16, 2013, joint National Aeronautics and Space ternational Space Station by Administration/European Space Agency Orion Partnership Above: As part of a new providing the Orion service News Conference at the NASA Johnson Space Center are (from agreement between the two module and necessary elements of left) Public Affairs Office (PAO) Moderator Brandi Dean; Wil- space agencies, the Europe- its design for NASA’s Explora- liam Gerstenmaier, NASA Associate Administrator for Human an Space Agency will pro- tion Mission-1 in 2017. Exploration and Operations; Thomas Reiter, ESA Director of vide the service module for Human Spaceflight and Operations; Mark Geyer, Orion Pro- NASA’s Orion spacecraft. There are three major components gram Manager; and Bernardo Patti, ESA Manager of Interna- Image credit: NASA. to the Orion vehicle: the crew tional Space StationOperations. Image credit: NASA.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 42 Page 43

(Continued from page 42) will launch Orion and a crew Dumbacher said. “NASA is of four astronauts into space. thrilled to have ESA as a part- Current Events integrated SLS rocket and the ner as we set out to explore spacecraft prior to a crewed “We have a lot to look for- our solar system.” flight. It will be followed by ward to in the coming years Exploration Mission-2, which with human exploration,”

The images below were selected by Philippe Mairet, 3AF MP and Douglas Yazell, AIAA Houston Section.

Above: Orion and the Orion ESA Service Module. Image source: Above: Orion and the Orion ESA Service ESA. Image credit: NASA. Module. Image credit: ESA.

Above: An aerial view of the complete NASA Johnson Space Center facility in Houston, Texas. A portion of Clear Above: This mosaic of images from the Envisat satellite presents a Lake can be seen at the top of the view. Image date: August unified Europe seen from space. Image source: Techno-Science. 10, 1989. Image source: Wikipedia. Image credit: Great Image credit: ESA. Images in NASA (GRIN).

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 43 Page 44

All calendar items are subject to change without notice. Section council meetings: email secretary2012[at]aiaahouston.org Time: 5:30 - 6:30 PM usually Day: First Monday or Tuesday of most months except for holidays. Location: NASA/JSC Gilruth Center is often used. The room varies. Recent Section events 21 February 2013: Dinner meeting. Guest speaker Leah Romero. Modeling & testing NASA Orion Capsule Parachute Assembly System (CPAS). Maiden name Olson (AIAA papers) Upcoming Section events

Audiobook in work by Ted Kenny, NASA/JSC, Chair, AIAA Houston Section History tech- nical committee, Suddenly Tomorrow Came, A History of JSC Friday, May 17, 2013: AIAA Houston Section Annual Technical Symposium (ATS 2013). Location: NASA/JSC Gilruth Center. The publicity poster is presented on page 3. Time: Approximately 7:45 AM to 4:30 PM. See www.aiaahouston.org. 2013 Conferences www.aiaa.org (Events link) 2 - 9 March 2013 Big Sky, Montana, 2013 IEEE Aerospace Conference 6 March 2013 Tallahassee, Florida, Florida Space Day 8 March 2013 Washington, DC, Columbia Plus 10 Lessons Learned and Unlearned 12 - 13 March 2013 Sacramento, California, 2nd Annual California Aerospace Week 18 - 20 March 2013 DC, 11th US Missile Defense Conference & Exhibition - CANCELLED 19 - 20 March 2013 Washington, DC, 2013 Congressional Visits Day 22 - 23 March 2013 Park City, Utah, Space Weather Community Operations Workshop 25 - 28 March Daytona Beach, 22nd AIAA Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Tech. Conf. & Co-located Conf’s 25 - 27 March Saint-Louis, France, 3AF-48th Int’l Symposium of Applied Aerodynamics 26 - 28 March Westlake Village, CA, Civilian Applications of UAVs – A Calif. Perspective 28 - 30 March 2013 Salt Lake City, Utah, Region VI Student Paper Conference 3 - 5 April 2013 Milan, Region VII (Europe) Student Paper Conference 5 - 6 April 2013 College Park, Maryland, Region I Student Paper Conference 5 - 6 April 2013 Chicago, Illinois, Region III Student Paper Conference 8 - 11 April Boston, 54th Structures, Structural Dynamics & Materials & Co-located Conf’s 8 - 9 April 2013 Raleigh, North Carolina, Region II Student Paper Conference 10 - 12 April Delft, Netherlands, EuroGNC 2013, 2nd CEAS Specialist Conference on GNC 10 - 13 April 2013 St. Louis, Missouri, Region V Student Paper Conference 15 - 19 April 2013 Flagstaff, Arizona, 2013 IAA Planetary Defense Conference 23 - 25 April 2013 Herndon, VA, Integrated Communications Nav. and Surveillance 2013 27 - 28 April 2013 Waco, Texas, Region IV Student Paper Conference 7 May 2013 Alexandria, Virginia, AIAA Fellows Dinner 2013 8 May 2013 Washington, DC, 2013 Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala 13 - 16 May 2013 Los Angeles, CA, Reinventing Space 2013 15 - 17 May 2013 Mendoza, Argentina, Seventh Argentine Congress on Space Technology 27 - 29 May Berlin 19th AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conf. (34th AIAA Aeroacoustics Conf.) 27 - 29 May St. Petersburg, Russia, 20th St. P. Int’l Conf. on Integrated Nav. Systems 29 - 31 May Charlottesville, VA, Requirements for UTC and Civil Timekeeping on Earth: A Colloquium Addressing a Continuous Time Standard 6 June 2013 Williamsburg, Virginia, 2013 Aerospace Today and Tomorrow 12 - 14 June 2013 Istanbul, 6th Int’l Conference on Recent Advances in Space Technologies 17 - 19 June 2013 Washington, DC, 2013 American Control Conference 24 - 27 June San Diego, AIAA Fluid Dynamics and Co-located Conferences and Exhibit 14 - 18 July 2013 Vail, Colorado, 43rd International Conference on Environmental Systems 15 - 17 July San Jose, California, 49th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit & 11th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC) 11 - 15 August Hilton Head Island, SC, AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist Conference 12 - 14 August 2013 Los Angeles, California, AIAA AVIATION 2013 Calendar 15 - 16 August 2013 Los Angeles, CA, 2013 Regional Leadership Conference 19 - 22 Aug. Boston, AIAA GN&C & Co-located Conf’s & AIAA Infotech@Aerospace 2013

Horizons: published bimonthly by the end of February, April, June, August, October & December at www.aiaahouston.org.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 44 Page 45

Cranium Cruncher Challenge DR. STEVEN E. EVERETT, GN&C TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Last month a logic puzzle was presented in which the crew positions of the members of a former Shuttle mission were to be determined based on several provided statements. Based on these statements, it may be determined that Brown is the Com- mander, Clark is the MS2, Jones is the MS1, and Smith is the Pilot. In solving the puzzle, the reader should have also discov- ered that the list of names in order of decreasing chess ability is Smith (PLT), Clark (MS2), Jones (MS1), and Brown (CDR); and that, in addition to Jones (MS1) and Smith (PLT) being neighbors, so are Brown (CDR) and Clark (MS2).

This month you are a materials scientist who has obtained two identical samples from the same rock from the first Mars sam- ple return mission. Your job is to determine the crushing strength of this Mars rock using a destructive test at your facility that can test at any of 100 discrete levels of pressure. If a sample fails the test, it is destroyed and cannot be used again, but if it does not break at a given level of test, it can be assumed that it was not significantly weakened and can be retested. What is the least number of tests that must be performed so that the highest level of pressure that can be sustained may be determined be- fore having destroyed both samples?

Email answers at steven-dot-e-dot-everett at boeing-dot-com.

Membership History LISA VOILES, MEMBERSHIP CHAIR TED KENNY, HISTORY TECHNICAL COMMITTEE CHAIR Our current spreadsheet shows Associates and Student Mem- Dr. Steven E. Everett, Nor- May 14, 1973, our Section is 1,088 members in AIAA Hou- bers. man Chaffee and Douglas also working to attract Skylab ston Section. Most list an or- Yazell volunteered to read for presentations from NASA/ ganization, but 386 of them list Our largest membership this audiobook project JSC veterans at ATS 2013. no organization, though for group from a university is a (below). If we can tie this in One contact person for that is some of those, we can deduce group of 162 people. The oth- with the AIAA Houston Sec- Dr. Albert A. Jackson IV, their affiliation by the organi- er two universities mentioned tion Annual Technical Sym- whose contact information is zation name in their email ad- above have 17 and 12 mem- posium (ATS 2013) of Friday, on our organization chart. dress. Our Section attracts bers. May 17, 2013, at NASA/JSC members mostly from NASA/ Gilruth Center (registration Since we will have recording JSC and its contractors, along Outside of academia, our larg- available vie SATERN), so equipment set up for our audi- with a large group from Texas est member group about 185 much the better. A draft pro- obook, we volunteered to help A&M University. Two other members. The closest mem- gram document is now availa- the NASA Alumni League universities in our Section with ber groups in size to that one ble on the ATS 2013 web JSC Chapter with oral history current or past AIAA Student are one with 58 members, page. recordings, even if they are Sections are Rice University followed by groups of the not transcribed in the near and the University of Houston following sizes: 29, 28, 26, Since Skylab was launched on future. (UH), including the UH Clear 17, 12, 10, 10, and so on. Lake campus. Suddenly Tomorrow Came… A History of the Johnson Space Join AIAA! Please see our Center, the Audiobook! (See page 22 of our July / August Membership grades include back cover for additional in- issue, a 76-page PDF file available in low (23 MB) or high Members, Senior Members, formation. (87 MB) resolution.) The original 1993 book is free (PDF Associate Fellows, Fellows, with great art!) via NASA. Honorary Fellows, Educator

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 45

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Section News

Night Pod Images Bring Earth to Light from Space Station

There is a reason the phrase “shooting in the dark” refers to things that are difficult to do -- and night photography is no exception. To account for low-light image scenarios, a photographer needs a steady tripod, but aboard the International Space Station, a traditional tripod isn't going to cut it. Thankfully, the European Space Agency, or ESA, developed NightPod for the crew's cameras.

This astronaut photograph of Liège, Belgium, at night was taken using the NightPod camera mount aboard the space station. The mechanism Above: This image, taken on December 8, 2012, with the allows astronauts to capture images of the Earth at night with greater ESA NightPod camera mount, shows the city of Liège, clarity and control than previously possible from orbit... Belgium, as it appears at night from the vantage point of the ISS. Image credit: ESA/NASA.

Association Aéronautique et Astronautique de France (3AF)

Sister Section of AIAA Houston Section since 2007 Jumelée avec AIAA Houston Section depuis 2007

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Please see our back cover AIAA 2013 Space for a few more details Section News from NASA about Automation and Robotics Award this 2013 AIAA award.

February 3, 2013- The AIAA Houston Section proudly wishes to congratulate the Robonaut2 team on this exciting award. Robonaut2 Left: JSC2009-E- continues to inspire the youth and adults around the world, and is a 155295 (28 July prime example of high technology and a strong model for how gov- 2009) --- NASA and ernmental research entities can partner with industry in a mutually General Motors beneficial manner. Their team has overcome great challenges and have come together rose to the occasion in ways that us outside their team may never to develop the next fully understand, but will strive to duplicate in the future. Congratu- generation dexterous lations, the AIAA Houston Section is very proud of their achieve- humanoid robot. The ments and this wonderful recognition of their efforts. robots – called Ro- bonaut 2 – were designed to use the same tools as humans, Sincerely, which allows them to work safely side-by-side humans on Daniel Nobles, Chairman, AIAA Houston Section 2012-2013 Earth and in space. Image credit: NASA.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)

www.aiaahouston.org

P.O. Box 57524 Webster, TX 77598

Downloaded February 17, 2013

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 47 Page 48

Rice University AIAA Student Section Advisor: Student Section Professor Andrew Meade, meade[at]rice.edu News 713-348-5880, www.ruf.rice.edu/~meade/

Above: Image credit: Rice University.

Above: A recent panel discussion at Rice University was led by George Abbey of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. A Rice news link provides a short biography for each of the following panelists: Mark Albrecht, Leroy Chiao, Joan Johnson-Freese, Neal Lane, Eu- gene Levy and John Logsdon. The video was placed online. Eric Berger commented on this panel discussion later in the Houston Chronicle.

Above: Image credit: Rice University.

Student Section News Please send inputs to Dr. Gary Turner, our College and Co-Op Chair. His e-mail address is: collegecoop2012[at]aiaahouston.org His backup for this task is Editor Douglas Yazell: editor2012[at]aiaahouston.org We publish most bimonthly issues at www.aiaahouston.org by the last day of each even-numbered month, and the submissions deadline is three weeks earlier. The November / December issue is an exception. It is published by December 10, not December 31.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 48 Page 49 Student Section The Texas A&M University AIAA stu- dent section started work on its web site News for the new year as of August 10, 2012: http://stuorg-sites.tamu.edu/~aiaa/

Faculty advisor: Professor John E. Hurtado, jehurtado[at]tamu.edu, 979-845-1659.

Brian Freno ‘08 Bob Cline ‘13 Chris Greer Chair Speaker Chair Graduate Representative

Rahul Venkatraman ‘13 Nhan Phan ‘14 Nicholas Ortiz '13 Vice Chair SEC Chair Senior Class Representative

John Guthery '11 Travis Dawsey Alejandro Azocar '14 Secretary Activity Chair Junior Class Representative Above: Nick Page of Tampa, Florida is the new (web site Erica Lovig ‘13 Nick Page '16 Logan Hodge '15 viewed on February 22, 2013) Treasurer Publicity Chair/ Webmaster Sophomore Class Representative Publicity Chair / Webmaster. Image credit: Texas A&M Jacob Shaw ‘16 University AIAA Student Sec- Freshman Class Representative tion web site.

Above: In 1997, the school became home of the George Bush Presidential Library. Image credit: Wikipedia.

Above: Statue of Lawrence Sullivan “Sul” Ross located in A view of the main campus, looking north from Kyle Field. At front of the Academic Building. the center is the Academic Building with its copper dome. Image credit: Wikipedia.

Student Section News Please send inputs to Dr. Gary Turner, our College and Co-Op Chair. His e-mail address is: collegecoop2012[at]aiaahouston.org His backup for this task is Editor Douglas Yazell: editor2012[at]aiaahouston.org We publish most bimonthly issues at www.aiaahouston.org by the last day of each even-numbered month, and the submissions deadline is three weeks earlier. The November / December issue is an exception. It is published by December 10, not December 31.

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 49 Page 50

AIAA Houston Section Annual Technical Symposium (ATS 2013) Section News Notes about a Few of the Submitted Abstracts Event Date: Friday, May 17, 2013

Astrodynamics INCOSE DR. ALBERT A. JACKSON IV, TC CHAIR INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL ON SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

AIAA Houston Section Astrodynamics Technical Committee The local INCOSE Chapter did a great job last year with two 75- Chair Al Jackson will organize a session as usual. minute morning sessions and two 75-minute afternoon sessions, filling that entire track for the day’s event. They might not have He will also submit an abstract about the Horizons series of re- quite that many presentations this year. prints, Man Will Conquer Space Soon! This famous series of space articles appeared in the weekly magazine Collier’s in eight issues from 1952 to 1954. The contributors included the organiz- er, Wernher von Braun. Horizons is the first to reprint this page Skylab 40th Anniversary by page in high resolution. We are reprinting these eight sets of KENNETH A. YOUNG AND OTHERS articles in the original order in eight consecutive issues of Hori- zons. The fourth of these eight sets of articles starts on a later Ken Young’s NASA-related oral histories and biography are page in this issue of Horizons. online. ATS 2013 penciled in two afternoon 75-minute sessions for the Skylab 40th anniversary presentations. The first Skylab Al Jackson is also one of the organizers of the Skylab sessions launch date was May 14, 1973. for this event. These sessions celebrate Skylab’s 40th anniver- sary. Skylab launched on May 14, 1973. One of the Skylab pre- senters will be Ken Young. Analysis of Voyages: Climate Change Charting the Course for DR. GERALD R. NORTH, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Sustainable Human Space Dr. Gerald R. North will make a presentation of at least 45 Exploration minutes about the essential story of climate change. He will in- DR. KUMAR KRISHEN, NASA/JSC clude time for questions and answers at the end of his presenta- tion. A few biographical notes from the university web site: The future of human presence in space beyond Earth orbit has North and his research group are interested in climate change been the focus of NASA strategic planning efforts for more than and the determination of its origins. We work with simplified four decades. In the recent past, a report titled “Voyages, Chart- climate models which lend themselves to analytical study, esti- mation theory as applied to observing systems, and the testing of ing the Course for Sustainable Human Space Exploration” was all climate models through statistical approaches. Often all three issued by NASA. This report identifies cis-lunar space, near- themes are combined for a particular application. Earth Asteroids (NEAs), the Moon, and Mars and its moons as the destinations for future human exploration. The strategy for Over a period of 30 years, North and associates have studied a this exploration is based on capability-driven approach. This hierarchy of simplified models known as Energy Balance Cli- approach is used to identify capabilities that need to be devel- mate Models (EBCMs). Both linear, nonlinear, and stochastic versions of these models have been shown to be good analogs to oped to enable multiple human missions. This presentation will the real climate of the surface temperature field including the summarize the highlights of the NASA report. It will critically two dimensional seasonal cycle and the field of fluctuations. examine the implications of the destinations on technology de- These models have very interesting properties from mathemati- velopment and capability enhancement. The objective is to cal as well as physical points of view. For instance, multiple show what developments should receive priority in the future to solutions occur for the present external conditions and their sta- enable safe and affordable human space missions. It will identi- bility properties are amenable to analysis. Stochastic versions of fy a set of questions that can lead to a successful prioritization of the models are useful analogs to more comprehensive models making them a useful laboratory for preliminary analyses before the technology development. In this context each destination expensive experiments are performed. and technology identified in this report will be discussed and rationale for the technology prioritization provided. (Views ex- pressed in this presentation are not necessarily those of NASA.)

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Section News

Above: Launch date October 23, 2012. Soyuz TMA- 06M crew patch. Image source: collectSPACE. Im- Above: Launch date December 19, 2012. age credit: Roscosmos / Evgeny Tarelkin. Soyuz TMA-07M crew patch. Image source: collectSPACE. Image credit: NASA / Roscosmos / Soyuz crew of TMA- 07M.

Who’s on ISS now? (February 25, 2013) Right: The crew members of the Expedition 34 mis- Expedition 34, November 2012 - March 2013 sion put together the fol- lowing description of  Oleg Novitskiy their patch: “The outer  Kevin Ford (Commander) border of the Expedition  Evgeny Tarelkin 34 patch takes the mold  Roman Romanenko line of a crew transfer or  Chris Hadfield generic resupply vehicle which will form our  Tom Marshburn bridge to the orbiting outpost throughout the second half of its opera- tional lifetime. Inscribed inside in gold is a craft symbolizing future extra- terrestrial landers that will someday open other celestial destinations to human exploration. Our Sun, which enables the miracle of the only known life in our universe, radi- ates above the rich and colorful orb of Earth. Its 15 rays represent the coun- tries of the International Space Station (ISS) Partnership whose foresight and sacrifice have enabled the first small steps into our universe. The ISS in flight represents the dedication, ingenuity, and cooperation amongst the thousands and thousands of workers around the globe who have successfully designed and built a wonder of our modern world. The distant stars, like those visible in our night sky, beckon us to come further into the depths of space. ‘Off the Earth. . . For the Earth’ - Our acknowledgement of the responsibility and commitment to work diligently for all inhabitants of planet Earth.” Image credit: NASA / Expedition 34 crew.

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AIAA Daily Launch Staying Informed Leading the News

“Legendary” Astronauts, Staff Meet For Apollo 17 Anniversary, amid “…little enthusiasm for a planned mission to an asteroid…” The Pensacola (FL) News Journal (12/16, Ghioto, Johnson) reported Eugene Cernan, the command- er of Apollo 17, John Glenn, and other “legendary Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts and mis- sion control staff gathered Saturday at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola for an unprecedented reunion” to celebrate the Apollo 17 anniversary. Those at the “Salute to the Pioneers of Space” event “steered clear of controversy surrounding burgeoning criticism of NASA amplified by recent reports that shows a space agency in flux with little enthusiasm for a planned mission to an asteroid and a lack of mission focus.” collectSPACE (12/14, Pearlman) noted also Friday was the 40th anniversary of when Apollo 17 left the moon.

Two student videos from NASA/JSC interns! NASA Johnson Style! (Take-off on Psy Gangnam style music video): iSS (lowercase intended): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPHM-rR4wN4 NASA Johnson Style: http://go.nasa.gov/ZmRigo (World’s best music video– see screen capture images. More than 2,000,000 hits on YouTube in the first week.)

Two Nearby Habitable Worlds Around Tau Ceti? http://phl.upr.edu/press-releases Dec 19, 2012 2:07 AM by Abel Mendez Torres [updated Dec 19, 2012 6:46 AM] From the Planetary Habitability Laboratory, University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo

Toumi et al. 2012 announced the possibility of five super-Earth exoplanets around Tau Ceti (aka HD See our related 10700). They also suggested that one article earlier in this issue. of these planets is within the habitable zone of the star. However, their data suggest that not only one but two are candidates for habitable planets.

Editor’s note: Tau Ceti is a star about 12 light years from Earth and similar to our Sun, but a bit dimmer.

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Staying Informed

Below: Dec. 12, 2012 Cassini Spots Miniature Nile River on Saturn Moon

Above: Perspective view of Charitum Montes. This computer- generated perspective view was created using data obtained from the High-Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC) on ESA’s Mars Express. Centred at around 53°S and 334°E, the image has a ground resolution of about 20 m per pixel. This perspec- tive view shows the breach on the northern side of the 50 km- Above: This image from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows a wide crater that dominates the image. Dendritic patterns link to vast river system on Saturn's moon Titan. It is the first time completely filled-in craters that flank the larger one, within images from space have revealed a river system so vast and which a small sand dune follows the contours of concentric sedi- in such high resolution anywhere other than Earth. The im- mentary pattern. This image was taken during revolution 10778 age is rotated 90 degrees clockwise. Image credit: NASA. on 18 June 2012. Credits: ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G. Neukum)

www.imav2013.org

École Nationale de l’Aviation Civile in Toulouse, France

Air Force Research Laboratory of the United States of America

Micro Air Vehicle (MAV) Re- search Center

Institute Supérior de l’Aéro- nautique et de l’Espace in Tou- Above: “How Will People be Able to Survive in Space?” The louse, France artist is Loup Mairet, age 9. He lives in France. His father Philippe is part of our Horizons team and part of our team working on our sister section relationship between AIAA Hou- ston Section and 3AF MP. Although Loup did not know it, in this issue of Horizons, our Collier’s reprints from 1952 - 1954 Airbus, an EADS Company start a series called Man’s Survival in Space.

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Collier’s 1952-54 Man Will Conquer Space Soon! (1952-54) DOUGLAS YAZELL, EDITOR

We continue reprinting this (That paragraph is presented on the next page.), and nine The Horizons Collier’s Team superlative series of space consecutive pages (no adver- articles on the following pag- tisements) in the middle pages Douglas Yazell, Editor es. Collier’s used eight issues of that issue. We follow Scott Lowther, Aerospace Projects Review (APR) of the weekly magazine from Dr. Albert A. Jackson IV 1952 to 1954 to publish these roughly that same format in Ron Miller, Black Cat Studios articles. We are on schedule as this issue. Melvin Schuetz, bonestell.com we work to use eight consecu- Scott Lowther keeps our cop- Frederick Ira Ordway III tive issues of Horizons to re- ies of all of the scanned pages John Sisson, Dreams of Space print Man Will Conquer Space we need to reprint this entire Arthur M. Dula Soon! This is our fourth in- Shirazi Jaleel-Khan stallment. series of two years (1952 to 1954) and about 89 pages. Quite a few more people make these articles possible, including This February 28, 1953 issue Scott allowed us to use his five issues of Collier’s, the the Horizons team listed on page 2. Thanks to all involved! of Collier’s used the front cov- er, a paragraph about the cover original magazines. John Sis- on its table of contents page (Continued on page 55) Cover Page “Man Will Conquer Space Soon!” in 8 Issues of the Weekly Magazine Collier’s 1952-54 Image Count 1 March 22, 1952: Man Will Conquer Space Soon! Yes 25 What are we Waiting For? pp. 22-23, The Editors Crossing the Last Frontier, pp. 24-29, 72, 74, Dr. Wernher von Braun A Station in Space, pp. 30-31, Willy Ley The Heavens Open, pp. 32-33, Dr. Fred L. Whipple This Side of Infinity, pg. 34, Dr. Joseph Kaplan Can We Survive In Space? Pp. 35, 65-67, Dr. Heinz Haber Who Owns the Universe? Pp. 36, 70-71, Oscar Schachter Space Quiz Around the Editor’s Desk, pp. 38-39 2 October 18, 1952: Man on the Moon Yes 11 Man on the Moon, p. 51, The Editors The Journey, pp. 52-58, 60, Dr. Wernher von Braun Inside the Moon Ship, pg. 56, Willy Ley 3 October 25, 1952: More About Man on the Moon No 10 The Exploration, pp. 38-40, 44-48, Dr. Fred Whipple & Dr. Wernher von Braun Inside the Lunar Base, pg. 46, Willy Ley 4 February 28, 1953: World’s First Space Suit Yes 10 Man’s Survival in Space, 10 Contributors & 3 Artists, edited by Cornelius Ryan This issue pp. 40-41 Picking the Men, pp. 42-48 5 March 7, 1953: More About (Continuing) Man’s Survival in Space No 8 Testing the Men, pp. 56-63 6 March 14, 1953: How Man Will Meet Emergency in Space Travel Yes 9 Concluding Man’s Survival in Space: Emergency! pp. 38-44 7 June 27, 1953: The Baby Space Station: First Step in the Conquest of Space Yes 6 Baby Space Station, pp. 33-35, 40, Dr. Wernher von Braun with Cornelius Ryan 8 April 30, 1954: Can We Get to Mars? / Is There Life on Mars? Yes 10 Is There Life on Mars? pg. 21, Dr. Fred L. Whipple Can We Get to Mars? pp. 22-29, Dr. Wernher von Braun with Cornelius Ryan Above: Man Will Conquer Space Soon!, a series of articles from 1952 to 1954, from the weekly magazine Collier’s. Source for most of the table: Wikipedia, Man Will Conquer Space Soon!, an article first written by John Sisson.

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(Continued from page 54) of AIAA Houston Section an issue titled Can We Get to son (Dreams of Space blog) takes on such a long term Mars? / Is There Life on Collier’s 1952-54 scanned two of his copies for project. Mars? It was tempting to pre- Horizons, and Ron Miller sent all three issues titled (Black Cat Studios) scanned In addition to the Horizons Man’s Survival in Space in one of his copies for Hori- team noted on page two of this issue of Horizons, short- zons. every issue, we have our Ho- ening time span for this all rizons Collier’s team to thank, volunteer task. For now, we Once all of the required as noted on the prior page. stay on course, with eight scanned pages were in Scott’s They contribute most of our consecutive issues of Hori- possession, he cleaned up the advertising for now, and we zons devoted to reprinting the scans where required. That thank them again for that. contents of those eight issues was a big job. of Collier’s. The Collier’s series in eight Every two months our Hori- issues of that magazine pre- Once we complete our reprint zons team publishes another sented a spectacular first is- series in this manner, we can issue, knowing that for eight sue, followed by two issues reprint the entire Collier’s consecutive issues, we have titled Man on the Moon, three series in a single publication, this excellent content from issues titled Man’s Survival in another ambitious volunteer 1952 to 1954 for Horizons. It Space, an issue titled The Ba- project already in work. is not often the volunteer team by Space Station, and finally

Issue 3 of 8: The cover image is not related to Man Will Conquer Space Soon!

Issue 5 of 8: The cover image is not related to Man Will Conquer Space Soon!

Above: Image credits: Scott Lowther, with help from other Horizons Collier’s team members.

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AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 56

Page 57

Lunar Module Equipment Locations diagrams

Full color, high quality print of NASA-MSC drawing dated

January 1969 showing the Lunar Module and

many of the important bits of equipment that went into it.

Prints are about 32 inches/81 cm wide by 18 inches/46 cm tall. ship.com

- The original was B&W. It has been converted to a full-color “blueprint” using the Saturn V as a color reference.

http://www.up-ship.com/drawndoc/saturnvprints.htm

$25

MSFC drawing 10M04574, the Apollo 8 Saturn V. V. 8 Saturn the Apollo 10M04574, drawing MSFC

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workers. Available for $35 plus postage at up at postage plus for $35 Available workers.

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color print is a reproduction of NASA of reproduction a is print color

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Saturn V Inboard Profile Prints Now Available SaturnInboard V Profile Prints Now

Looks great ! Hang one on your wall and be the envy of all your co your of all envy be the and wall on your one Hang ! great Looks

Approximately six feet long, this full this feet long, six Approximately

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 57 Page 58

Dreams of Space Books & Ephemera

Non-Fiction Children's Books about Space Flight from 1945 to 1975 http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.fr

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 58 Page 59

The Chesley Bonestell Archives of Melvin H. Schuetz

www.bonestell.com

A former satellite controller in the U.S. Air Force and private industry, Melvin H. Schuetz has researched and Award winner Ron Miller & Black Cat Studios collected publications from around the world containing Bonestell's art for more than four decades. His book, A Chesley Bonestell Space Art Chronology, is a unique Ron Miller, winner of the 2002 Hugo Award reference bibliography containing detailed listings of (World Science Fiction Society) for Best Related Work: over 750 publications which have included examples of The Art of Chesley Bonestell Bonestell's space art.

Dreams of Space, Books & Ephemera

Non-Fiction Children's Books about Space Flight from 1945 to 1975

http://dreamsofspace.blogspot.fr Classics Illustrated were comic books intended to educate as well as entertain. They often were fictional “classic” books in comic book form such as Moby Dick. They also had a special series called “The World around Us.” These were non-fiction comic books about topics of interest. Classics Illustrated. Illustrated by Gerald www.cgpublishing.com McCann, Sam Glanzman and John Tartaglione. The Illustrated Story of Space (80 pages), 26 cm, softcover. Contains illustrated stories on training for space, the first rocket to the Moon, the history and use of the rocket, the launch of Vanguard 1 and the construction of a space station. “The World Around Us” (#5) Janu- ary 1959.

Frederick Ira Ordway III Co-Author with Mitchell R. Sharpe of The Rocket Team

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AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 63 AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 64 AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 65 AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 66 AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 67 Page 68

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APR Corner Inflatable Spaceplane SCOTT LOWTHER, AEROSPACE PROJECTS REVIEW

Getting back safely from orbit mentioned it, the heating on shields. involves one of the most chal- re-entry does not come from lenging environments Man friction with the air. Instead, it If two spacecraft enter on the has yet tackled: the aerother- comes from the compression same trajectory and same mal heating involved in using of the air. As the spacecraft speed, and have the same the atmosphere to brake from plows into the air at many shape and mass, they will orbital velocity. The math is times the speed of sound, the have similar heating issues. If, Aerospace Projects Review (APR) is simple: if you use the atmos- air simply cannot easily get however, one of the space- presented by Scott Lowther, whose phere to slow your spacecraft out of the way, and “piles up” craft has a much larger sur- unique electronic publication is from orbital velocity, then all in front of the craft. The pres- face area, then to first order described as a “journal devoted to the kinetic energy that went sure is far greater than the the heating rates will be much the untold tales of aero-spacecraft into putting the spacecraft up local static air pressure, and reduced. A simple thought design.” there in the first place must be thus the compressed air heats experiment will illustrate this:

transformed into another form up. This cannot be avoided. a one kilogram rock, and a For more information: of energy… in this case, heat. However, it can be dealt with one kilogram balloon several

It is almost as if the space- in a number of ways. The meters in diameter. The rock Scott Lowther craft needs to be parked di- ways generally used have will enter as a meteor, decel- 11305 W 10400 N rectly behind the rocket en- been either refractory materi- erating slowly while glowing Thatcher, UT 84337 gine that launched it, and the als such as carbon structures white hot. The balloon, on the

engines run for as long as or silica tiles that can with- other hand, will virtually slam [email protected] they did during launch, for the stand the heat, or ablative heat to a stop. The acceleration www.aerospaceprojectsreview.com same throttle settings. shields that melt or vaporize will be immense, but the heat- and take the heat away. But ing rates will be vastly lower A note: unlike ever science another approach is to use compared to the rock. The fiction movie that has ever very large, but very light, heat same total amount of thermal energy will be converted from kinetic energy, but it will be spread over a far greater sur- face area. Thus the balloon might get a little warmer, but not white hot.

Several spacecraft have been designed to take advantage of the milder heating properties associated with inflatable re- entry vehicles. One such de- sign was studied at NASA- Langley in 1960 and found to be practical. While the nose cap would be made of a high temperature solid metal, structure, the bulk of the craft would be an inflatable struc- ture using tubes inflated to 75 psi as the primary structural elements. A two-man capsule was suspended within the inflated structure. The leading edge temperatures were held to around 1500° F; while con- ventional balloon materials could not withstand this, a Above: Inflatable spaceplane. Dimensions in feet (NASA, 1960). Image credit: Scott Lowther. (Continued on page 71)

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(Continued from page 70) many spaceplane designs: the spaceplane would be packed pitching moment produced by into a non-lifting configura- APR Corner fine steel mesh cloth impreg- larger wings at the forward tion. nated with a gas-tight elasto- end of the launch vehicle. The meric material could. The X–20 Dyna Soar dealt with It’s not clear if the design inflatable structure would be the pitching moment by add- analyzed by NASA was an in- folded and stored during ing very large fins to the tail house design or a contractor launch and while in orbit; ends of the initial Titan I and design. Several companies, inflation would occur just Titan II launch vehicles; a such as General Electric, had prior to re-entry. The ability similar launch vehicle with an devoted considerable effort to to be folded for launch solved inflatable spaceplane would the study of inflatable manned a major problem inherent with not need such fins, as the entry vehicles.

Weight breakdown: Structure (Wings, elevon, tail): 2,400 lbs Pressurization system: 400 lbs Capsule structure: 1000 lbs Crew: 400 lbs Escape system: 600 lbs Power system: 800 lbs Total: 6,000 lbs

Reference: NASA TN D-538, “A STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF INFLATABLE REENTRY GLIDERS,” Walter Olstad, Langley Research Center, October 1960.

Skylab Cutaway Full color, high quality print of NASA cutaway illustration of Skylab, with callouts. These prints are about 40 inches by 24 (101 by 61 cm). Price for Skylab Print: $35

http://www.up-ship.com/drawndoc/saturnvprints.htm

Scott Lowther’s UP-SHIP offers these and other large-format paper prints (Apollo program vehicles) for sale. Skylab launched on May 14, 1973. The AIAA Houston Section Annual Tech- nical Symposium (ATS 2013) takes place on May 17, 2013. ATS 2013 penciled in two 75- minute afternoon sessions for Skylab’s 40th anniversary. The perfect speaker gift!

AIAA Houston Section Horizons January / February 2013 Page 71

AIAA Houston Section P.O. Box 57524 Webster, TX 77598

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Robonaut 2 Team Receives National AIAA Robotics Award

February 4, 2013, NASA article. More information about this award is presented in this issue in our Section News pages.

The NASA team behind Robonaut 2, the first humanoid robot in space, has been awarded the AIAA Space Automation and Robotics Award for 2013. AIAA is the world’s largest technical society dedicated to the global aerospace profession.

Robonaut 2, or R2, is a dexterous humanoid robot built and designed at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Sent to the International Space Sta- tion in 2011 with the intention of aiding astronauts on dangerous tasks and freeing them from some the more mundane work, upgrades to the R2 system continue to produce novel advances in the field of robotics.

“The R2 development team is an incredible group of talented people and I am so proud that the team has been recognized with this prestigious honor,” said Dr. Myron Diftler, Robonaut Principal Investigator at NASA Johnson. “To be acknowledged this early in our planned activity on ISS is especially notable. This award from our peers gives us increased confidence that R2 is on a track to even more success as we move towards mobility inside, and then outside the International Space Station.”

The citation for the award reads, “In recognition of the Robonaut 2 Develop- ment Team’s pioneering technical achievement and advancement of humanoid dexterous robotics for human space exploration.”

Technologies developed by the R2 team have debuted in spinoff wearable robotic devices. The Robo-Glove, designed to reduce the risk of repetitive stress injuries and provide additional gripping strength to astronauts, is a direct descendant of the actuators and controls found in R2’s hands. Also drawing from the robot’s design team, the X1 exoskeleton device is a robot that a hu- man could wear over his or her body either to assist or inhibit movement in leg joints.

R2 is part of NASA's Game Changing Development Program, which seeks to quickly mature innovative technologies that will have cross-cutting applica- tions throughout agency missions and may also be of benefit to the American Above: ISS030-E-075365 (14 February 2012) aerospace industry. NASA's Game Changing efforts are part of the agency's Robonaut 2, nicknamed R2, is pictured during a Space Technology Program, which is innovating, developing, testing and fly- checkout and activities session in the Destiny la- ing hardware for use in future science and exploration missions. NASA's tech- boratory of the International Space Station. Im- nology investments provide cutting-edge solutions for our nation's future. age credit: NASA.

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Become a member of AIAA! You can join or renew online at the AIAA national web site: www.aiaa.org.

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