L-5 NEWS A PUBLICATION OF THE L-5 SOCIETY VOL. 3 NUMBER 4 APRIL 1978 Carolyn Henson, Editor

Membership Services: Marc Boone Jolene Aronson In this issue: Janet Tarney 1 Sunsat Energy Council Formed William Weigle Administrative Services 2 Jimmy C. Will Increase NASA’s Budget If Good Friend Jerry B. Will Take Permanent Space Walk. Board of Directors: Isaac Asimov Barry Goldwater, Sr. High Frontier Bill Introduced Robert A. Heinlein Gordon R. Woodcock 3 Convair to Design System For Space Orbit Assembly Barbara Marx Hubbard Konrad K. Dannenberg UN Committee Discusses Space Issues Hon. Edward R. Finch, Jr. James E. Oberg Tethered Satellite to be Studied Leonard David J. Peter Vajk Jack D. Salmon Art Form for Space? Phillip Parker David M. Fradin 4 Shuttle Update Romualdas Sviedrys Keith Henson 5 So You Want to be an Astronaut? Carolyn Henson William Weigle Astronaut Candidates Selected Mark Hopkins Norie Huddle Magoroh Maruyama 6 Be Your Own Astronaut Space entrepreneur Paul Siegler reports on a Harlan Smith daring plan by Robert Truax to lob people into space. Carol Motts 7 Space Mines, Space Law, and the Third World by Eric Drexler

8 Russia’s Bios-3 Mini-Colony by Phill Parker

Publication office: the L-5 Society, 9 Compliments and Caveats T.A. Heppenheimer comments on the 1060 E. Elm, Tucson, Arizona Salut-6 space station. 85719. Published monthly. Subscription: $12.00 per year, Salyut-6 Facts & Figures by James E. Oberg included in dues ($20.00 per year, students $15.00 per year). Second class postage paid at Tucson, 12 OTRAG News Arizona and additional offices. Copyright ©1978 by the L-5 14 Bibliography Update Society. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without written consent of the L-5 Society. 16 Conferences The opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect 17 Inside the L-5 Society the policy of the L-5 Society. Membership Services: L-5 Society, 1620 N. Park Avenue, Tucson, Arizona 85719. Telephone: 602/622-6351.

Change of address notices, undeliverable Front Cover: Interior view of a Bernal Sphere space colony one mile in diameter copies, orders for subscriptions, and housing ten thousand people. A detail of this picture is shown in The High other mail items are to be sent to: Frontier, by G.K. O’Neill, paperback, Bantam Books, 1978. (Art work courtesy L-5 Society Don Davis.) Membership Services 1620 N. Park Tucson, AZ 85719 Sunsat Energy Council Formed

Peter Glaser, shown standing, at the first organizational meeting of the Sunsat Energy Council Dec. 7, 1977. Glaser, founder of the Council, is the originator of the solar power satellite concept and a Vice President of Arthur D. Little, Inc.

Representatives of 42 major American energy and aerospace companies joined in power plants orbiting in space. This studies show that by generating electricity Washington, D.C. April 6 to announce electricity would be sent back to earth for in space, where sunlight is strong and formation of the “Sunsat Energy use in homes and factories. Each of the continuous, enough energy could be Council,” a group promoting production satellite designs now under study by NASA provided to reduce U.S. dependence on of electric power from solar energy as a could supply enough electricity to run a imported oil and allow continued econ- long term solution to U.S. energy city the size of New York. “Solar electric omic growth.” problems. power would be clean and inexpensive,” Studies by Boeing and Arthur D. Little According to the council, electricity says Art Dula, aerospace lawyer and Sunsat suggest that the first commercial satellite would be produced from sunlight by large member, “both industry and government could be in operation as early as 1995.

1 Jimmy C. Will Increase NASA’s Budget If Good Friend Jerry B. Will Take Permanent Space Walk

©1977 New Times magazine

Jimmy Carter, who as late as the last presidential election was known as a High Frontier master’ of political symbolism, has not escaped the cosmical message of the man with an even more perfect grasp -- the Bill Introduced 39-year-old perfect master of political symbolism, Jerry Brown. Brown’s most Senator Harrison A. Williams, Jr. (D- recent display came in his flashy support NJ) has introduced a bill which calls for a 2 for American space initiatives -- support year, $1 million study on solar power which could cause a skittish President to satellites by the National Science Found- cripple the federal program. ation. “The two-year investigation I “There seems to be a back-lash from propose,” Williams said, “would be the the White House whenever Brown talks Dear President Carter: necessary first step, and a decision whether about space,” a senior staff scientist at to proceed could be made by 1980. . . If Dr. NASA headquarters in Washington told I respectfully urge maximum feasible O’Neill and his colleagues are correct, us. “Every time Jerry Brown says funding of the nation’s space program. something about space, the OMB (Office Space is the energy and resources solar satellite power generation, at the very of Management and Budget) comes after frontier of the future--the only genuine least, would supply cheap energy for half our budget,” another high NASA official frontier we have left. Sharp cutbacks in the world’s electricity needs, without the said. NASA’s budget now, just as we are need for major technological break- NASA contractors reportedly have discovering the unexpected, practical throughs.” been “encouraged” to steer clear of payoffs of the space program under The legislation would provide for an Brown. on pain of thinner contracts. presidents Kennedy and Johnson would be analysis of the benefits, costs, and impacts Brown’s fabulously ambitious Califor- to let go fallow the enormous capital of implementing the “High Frontier” nia dreaming goes far beyond little things investment the nation has already made in program in relation to jobs, environment, like the White House: Last August, space and to delay momentous develop- international relations, and national se- Brown and his state hosted a convocation ments in energy, resources, communi- curity. Williams asked that $l,000,000 be of aerospace executives, NASA officials cations, and environmental management authorized for fiscal years 1979 and 1980 to and media and space supporters for the National Science Foundation which something called Space Day. Rockwell systems which are now within our International -- central contractor for the technological grasp and capability. would make recommendations to Con- space shuttle -- paid for the celebration. I received a copy of Majority Leader Jim gress and the President, based on data Introducing his cabinet, Brown chilled Wright’s letter to you of 29 March 1977, obtained during the study to determine White House spines with his unveiled and also of Bert Lance’s reply to Mr. whether the program should be adopted as ecotopian threat: “We have plenty of Wright’s of 16 June 1977. I fully support a national goal, as was the moon program money for space. In fact, I’d like to point Jim Wright’s pleading for the Solar Power in 1961. out that our state surplus is just slightly Satellite project, and was extremely “Congress has been inundated with smaller than the entire NASA budget. I’m disappointed by the tenor of Mr. Lance’s energy legislation to correct the immediate not offering it . . . (laughter) but I do set reply. I have the sense we are “stalling out” and short-term supply problems,” Will- it as a yardstick of what’s possible.” just at the time we should be making a iams said, “but it is necessary to consider maximum effort in this vital area. long-range solutions and alternatives for Astronaut Jack Swigert (Apollo 13) As a Democrat, a businessman, and one future generations as well. The High recently announced his candidacy as of your strongest supporters, I plead with Frontier program could offer such an Republican nominee for the Senate seat you to reconsider and not shortchange the energy alternative, and I hope that action held by the Democrat incumbent in needs of the U.S. Space Program. will be taken quickly on this legislation.” Colorado. He joins Astronauts John Respectfully yours, The bill will fall under the jurisdiction of Glenn and Harrison Schmidt in turning to Sam E. Dunnam the Senate Committee on Human Re- politics as a career choice. Austin, TX sources, which Williams chairs.

2 L-5 News, April 1978 Convair to Design System TETHERED SATELLITES TO BE STUDIED Orbit Assembly by Phill Parker For Space Two companies, Martin Marietta and Ball Brothers, have been selected by General Dynamics has received a The flight demonstration article will be NASA to look into tethered satellites. contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide used to verify the Shuttle’s capability to Such a satellite, attached to an orbiting a conceptual design of a large space system deploy future Department of Defense Space Shuttle by a cable up to 62 miles that could be assembled in orbit using the spacecraft that might require assembly in long, has several potential applications. Space Shuttle Orbiter. orbit. The primary application would be to gain scientific data from the Earth’s upper Convair division was awarded the Thomas said the on-orbit assembly atmosphere in order to map the Earth’s $750,000 contract by the Air Force’s Space could mature into an operational system in magnetic and gravity fields and to assist 1986 with continuing missions at least 10 and Missile Systems Organization in the studies of atmospheric or plasma (SAMSO) who also awarded a competing years beyond that. physics. Other potential applications are: parallel contract to Martin Marietta cargo transfer between space vehicles; Aerospace. The basic task will be to retrieval of satellites or debris without develop a conceptual design of a space- U.N. Committee having to maneuver the Shuttle; and craft that will be assembled in space from transfer of large amounts of energy to a large deployable modules. The assembled Discusses Space remote experiment or from a remote, modules will result in a final spacecraft possibly dangerous, power source to a that is between 600 and 1,000 feet in Issues space station. diameter. New York -- The 15th annual meeting of ART FORM FOR SPACE? According to Russ Thomas, Program the Scientific and Technical Subcom- Manager, Convair will also design a mittee of the U.N. Outer Space Commit- A Canadian art workshop, Resolute prototype spacecraft to demonstrate the tee concluded on March 2. The Subcom- Art Works of Toronto, announced plans for a possible orbiting artform, on the deployment and on-orbit assembly mittee spent much of its time discussing 27th November 1977. This group initiat- technologies using a single Shuttle flight. questions raised by Cosmos 954, the ed a project to place a work of art into a “We see this design as being a total space nuclear-powered Soviet radar ocean recon- 1½ hour orbit. system; a spacecraft with an upper stage, naissance satellite that disintegrated over In describing the project, Resolute Art avionics and guidance package,” he said. Canada in January. The full Outer Space Works announced that they were ap- Mr. Thomas regards the new Air Force Committee may decide to set up a study to proaching NASA on the feasability of a contract as a significant addition to the look into possible regulations or safety 1980 space shuttle launch for this company’s Advanced Space Programs and standards for nuclear power sources in sculpture. The work would be a series of one which complements existing National space. nine silvery spheres, each of 300 feet Aeronautics and Space Administration On remote sensing, the Soviet Union diameter, placed in orbit 100 feet apart programs. proposed a cutoff at 50 meters resolution giving a total length of 3500 feet. The spheres would be made of segmented “Our initial effort,” he said, “will define on the dissemination of data. Other dele- sections of thin plastic membranes with an operational spacecraft system. We ‘will gations expressed doubt about the utility specially prepared reflective surfaces for then define the flight demonstration of resolution as a criterion to justify maximum visibility. The spheres would model.” control of dissemination, but most did feel have a skin thickness of 0.004 inches and Subsequent phases of the project involve that control of some kind would be be made of aluminised mylar. The total ground validation, including simulation appropriate for information about natural surface area of each sphere would be of techniques for rendezvous, alignment resources. Some third world countries about 6½ acres. The spheres will be and final docking. supported the idea of creating a panel of gas-inflated, using sublimating powder, in The hexagon-shaped modules are experts to coordinate the activities of states orbit. Each sphere will be packaged into a envisioned as large as 400 feet across. Three and organizations in the remote sensing launching cannister, this splitting into or more of the modules linked together field. The Subcommittee alsodiscussed the two halves on reaching orbit, ‘when the gas inflation takes place. The orbital would form the spacecraft antenna system monitoring of pollution by remote height being suggested is for this art work sensing. which would be used for general is apogee -- 290 miles, perigee -- 250 communications or as a space-based radar. Certain equatorial countries insisted miles and inclination 49 degrees, revolu- Thomas said that each packaged module that the question of sovereignty over geo- tion period 96 minutes. would first be carried into a 180-mile low synchronous orbit be referred to the full Describing the work, the Resolute Art earth orbit in the Orbiter’s cargo bay. After Outer Space Committee, despite the U.S. Works say that what makes this a ‘work deployment from the Orbiter and erection, position that there is no scientific or of art’ would be the tension in it between a transfer stage would then boost the technical basis for any claim of extension the natural and the artificial. It makes its system into a 22,000-mile-high earth of national sovereignty to portions of geo- appearance in the natural sky, neither synchronous orbit, where it would dock synchronous orbit. dominating it or being dominated by the with previously deployed elements. Looking toward the future, the sky. It bears a resemblance to stars but According to SAMSO, the prototype Subcommittee set the stage for a final the resemblance is superficial since nine stars of equal size do not occur together demonstration model could provide a decision in 1979 on a world conference on in a straight line spaced equally apart nor platform to perform tasks unique to the outer space. At the initiative of the USSR, traverse the sky every 96 minutes. They space environment, such as servicing, the Subcommittee also recommended that reason that the orbiting art work is an rendezvous and docking as well as testing. it add one new item to its agenda for 1979: experiment in monumental building and Plans call for automated assembly in space questions relating to space transportation that it is conceived as a monument with manned supervision. systems. appropriate to the Twentieth Century.

3 Shuttle Update

Next fall, more than three years since the installation of some remaining stands and Only one structure on Cape Canaveral last Saturn roared skyward from launch systems expected to be in place by April. Air Force Station will be modified to complex 39, the characteristic hustle and The two-bay structure will serve as an support Shuttle operations. Hangar AF bustle of piloted space flight once again aircraft “hangar.” It is here, in a “clean will be transformed into a solid rocket will dominate the scene at the Kennedy room” environment, that ordnance and booster recovery and disassembly facility. Space Center. residual fuels will be rendered safe, flight It will serve as a receiving and disassembly It will begin next October when orbiter and landing systems will be refurbished site for the reusable SRBs after their 102, fresh from the assembly line in and payloads will be removed and retrieval from the ocean following Shuttle California, soars piggybark into KSC atop installed. launches. Modifications, which began in its 747 carrier aircraft. The stubby delta- The orbiter landing facility and the January, will be completed in the last winged craft-designed to rumble into orbiter processing facility are the only new quarter of next year, and will include a orbit like a rocket. maneuver beyond the facilities required to support Shuttle barge slip at the rear of the building. atmosphere like a spareship and return to operations at KSC. The remaining Shuttle The eventual cost of construction, earth and land on a runway like an preparations consist of modifications to modification work and ground support airplane-will be the first of its kind to test existing facilities originally designed and equipment to support Space Shuttle the rigors of celestial flight. built IO support the Apollo lunar landing operations at the Kennedy Space Center In November and December. the missions. will be about $700-800 million. remainder of the Space Shuttle flight kit -- orbiter main engines, external tank and solid rocket booster motors (SRBs) -- will arrive at KSC. Along with the orbiter, they will enter the test, assembly and checkout pipeline that will culminate in a scheduled launch from complex 39 in March of the following year. After completion of six development flights. including four landings at the Dryden Space Flight Center. the Space Shuttle will commence operational missions from the Kennedy center in May 1980. KSC was selected in 1972 as the primary launch and landing site for Shuttle operations. Construction of new facilities and modifications to existing ones are proceeding on schedule at KSC to support the Shuttle’s debut. The landing facility. where the Shuttle orbiter will land on its return to Earth, was Shuttle’s Runway completed last August. Supporting facilities such as the mate-demate device, to offload the orbiter from its 747 carrier aircraft, and the microwave landing system, to guide the orbiter to an automatic landing, will be completed in April 1978. Meteorological sites to support landing operations were completed in November 1977. One of the world’s longest concrete runways, the orbiter landing facility is 4.5 kilometers long, 91 meters wide and has a 300-m safety overrun at each end. The facility is located northwest of the vehicle assembly building (VAB). The orbiter processing facility, located adjacent to the VAB and connected to the landing facility by a 3.2-km towway, is essentially completed except for the

4 So You Want To Be An Astronaut?

Astronaut Maj. John M. Fabian, 39, Air Force astro- nautical engineer, of Colorado Springs. Dr. Anna L. Fisher, 28, physician, of So you are a would-be astronaut with Candidates Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. three strikes against you. . . but you Lt. Dale A. Gardner, 30, Navy physician, aren’t out yet, by any means. Not by a long shot. Selected of Camarillo, Calif. Strike one: you aren’t an experienced NASA Administrator Dr. Robert A. Lt. Robert L. Gibson, 31, Navy pilot, of jet fighter pilot with thousands of hours Frosch recently announced the selection of Leonardtown, Md. of flight time, so you weren’t picked as a 35 new astronaut candidates for the Space Maj. Frederick D. Gregory, 37, Air Force pilot-astronaut and have little chance of Shuttle program. The group will report to pilot, now attending the Armed Forces ever being picked. the Johnson Space Center July 1, 1978, Staff College in Norfolk, Va. Strike two: You didn’t make the where they will join the astronauts Stanley D. Griggs, 38, NASA engineer, of ‘Mission Specialist’ selection either, as a currently on flight status. Seabrook, Texas. test engineer or as a scientist. You might NASA received 8,079 applications dur- Terry J. Hart, 31, Bell Telephone Labora- someday, but the odds are not good. ing a year-long recruiting period which tories engineer, of Long Valley, N.J. Strike three: You couldn’t get close to ended June 30, 1977. Since August, 208 Cdr. Frederick H. Hauck, 36, Navy pilot, of the Spacelab ‘payload specialist’ selection finalists have been interviewed and have Oak Harbor, Wash. panel either. These part-time researchers will be nominated by the panel of undergone medical examinations at the Dr. Steven A. Hawley, 27, astronomer, of “Principal Investigators” who themselves Johnson center. Santa Cruz, Calif. were picked by NASA boards determined After two years of training and evalua- Dr. Jeffrey A. Hoffman, 34, astrophysicist to get the most productive science and tion there, successful candidates will at the Mass. Institute of Technology. engineering from each Spacelab mission. become astronauts and enter the Shuttle Dr. Shannon W. Lucid, 35, biochemist, of But you are not out., because most of training program leading to selection on a Oklahoma City. the Space Shuttle seats for the 1980s are Space Shuttle flight crew. Lt. Cdr. Jon A. McBride, 34, Navy pilot, of still empty, still unassigned. They are Those chosen as pilots will operate the Edwards, Calif. possibly still available for use. Only user Space Shuttle orbiter, maneuvering it in Dr. Ronald E. McNair, 27, physicist at the demand will open them up. These are the four extra seats on each Earth orbit and flying it to Earth for a Hughes Research Laboratories, Malibu, ferry Shuttle flight, the missions devoted runway landing. Mission specialist astro- Calif. to launching synchronous comsats or nauts will be responsible for the coordina- Capt. Richard M. Mullane, 32, Air Force other cargo payloads. Nominally, these tion, with the commander and pilot, of engineer, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. flights will carry three people: two pilots Space Shuttle operations involving crew Capt. Steven R. Nagel, 31, Air Force pilot, and an engineer, and will last for one to activity planning, the use of consumables, of Edwards, Calif. three days. Their sole purpose will be and other Space Shuttle activitiesaffecting Dr. George D. Nelson, 27, astronomer at running freight service into orbit -- but experiment operations. They may partici- the University of Washington, Seattle. even on earth, freighters carry passengers pate in extravehicular activities (space Capt. Ellison S. Onizuka, 31, Air Force sometimes, too. One seat on the flight walks), perform special payload handling engineer from Kealakekua, Hawaii. deck, and all three on the middeck, are or maintenance operations using the Space Dr. Judith A. Resnick, 28, electrical empty. And that doesn’t count three more possible seats (“rescue configura- Shuttle remote manipulator system, and engineer, Xerox Corp., El Segundo, tion”) in the middeck. assist in specific experiment operation at Calif. Putting people into those four ‘empty the discretion of sponsors of given Sally K. Ride, 27, researcher at Stanford seats’ on the freighter missions would not experiments. University, Calif. cost much extra, since the weight is The newly selected candidates include Maj. Francis R. Scobee, 38, Air Force pilot, negligible and the consumables are 14 civilians and 21 military officers. Of the of Edwards, Calif. standard. So, if it is to be possible to group, six are women, and four are Dr. Margaret R. Seddon, 30, surgical resi- hitch-hike a three-day space ride, how can members of minority groups. Currently dent at the Memphis City Hospital, it be done? there are 27 astronauts on active status (17 Tenn. NASA has not set up mechanisms for pilots and 10 scientist astronauts) and one Capt. Brewster H. Shaw, 32, Air Force pilot’ this, and has not considered it in any on leave of absence. of Edwards, Calif. detail. But it is these seats which will be used to fulfill NASA’s unwritten promise The new astronaut candidates are: Capt. Loren J. Shriver, 33, Air Force pilot, to send a representative of the news Maj. Guion S. Bluford, 35, Air Force of Edwards, Calif. media into orbit in 1981-1982. Other engineering specialist, from Dayton, Maj. Robert L. Stewart, 35, Army aero- occupants of these seats could be poets, Ohio nautical engineer, of Edwards, Calif. medical patients, visiting scientists, and Lt. Cdr. Daniel C. Brandenstein, 35, Navy Kathryn D. Sullivan, 26, geologist, of the President of the United States. And pilot, of Oak Harbor, Wash. Cupertino, Calif. you. Capt. James F. Buchli, Marine, 32, of Dr. Norman E. Thagard, 39, a physician, So how? More than curiosity will be Lexington Park, Md. of James Island, S.C. needed as justification. Propose an Dr. James D. van Hoften, 33, engineer, of experiment or some other activity to Lt. Cdr. Michael L. Coats, Navy pilot, of NASA. Create a market, and compel the Great Mills, Md. Houston, Texas. Space Shuttle management to consider Maj. Richard O. Covey, Air Force Pilot, 32, Lt. Cdr. David M. Walker, 33, Navy pilot, this option. of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. of Virginia Beach, Va. Fill those seats! Forget the three Lt. Cdr. John O. Creighton, 32, Navy Lt. Cdr. Donald E. Williams, 36, Navy strikes: the game has just begun. pilot of Lexington Park, Md. pilot, of Lemoore, Calif.

5 by Paul Siegler

Would you like to be an astronaut? erected on the pad and serviced until objectives), but also to show NASA Robert Truax, of Saratoga, California, almost ready for flight-without the nose engineers that they’re going in the wrong thinks he has just the solution. For $1 cone. Nearby, the astronaut will be put direction by powering the Space Shuttle million, he’ll put together a launch vehicle into the nose cone-which has a shirtsleeve with large solid rockets. Instead, Truax which will lift you to 50 miles -- to the edge environment-and the life support system feels the best solution is to use “big dumb of space. From your vantage point in the will be activated. There will be just enough boosters” of a liquid fuel type. He wants to rocket, you’ll briefly be able to view air inside to last 30 minutes. Quickly, a simplify the overall approach to the thousands of square miles of the earth’s crane will hoist the nose cone with Shuttle. To the contrary, he says, the surface, as well as peer into the near-black astronaut atop the vehicle, and the Shuttle program is too sophisticated, of interstellar space. This-the dream of a countdown will continue on to firing. At making for unacceptable turnaround rocket pioneer from the beginning of our liftoff there will be television crews to times. He further feels that a ballistic type nation’s space program. monitor the whole flight-as well as a TV recoverable vehicle stands a better chance Robert Truax has experience in camera inside the vehicle showing viewers than a winged glider. A parachute is designing rockets. After leaving Aerojet what the astronaut is seeing outside the lighter and simpler than wings, possibly General, he built a steam-rocket powered window. Maximum acceleration of 3G more reliable, having been proven many racing car. He’s also the person responsible will come at about 100,000 feet. At that times in past programs such as Mercury, for building the rocket which lifted Eve1 point, engines will shut off and the vehicle Gemini, and Apollo. In his words, Knievel over Snake River Canyon several will coast to 50 miles. designing a spacecraft to land at an airport years ago. Now he’s graduated to a more The astronaut will have a clear view of makes about as much sense as designing an powerful vehicle which can lift a human the earth and sky through the window, and aircraft to land at a railroad station. payload to 50 miles. will be likely be describing the experience This project, dubbed Project Private Basically a sounding rocket, Truax’s to viewers on the ground through a special Enterprise, has already evoked considera- vehicle is composed of parts from many communications link. At some point the ble interest from the TV networks. As a other programs. The four 1000 pound vehicle may begin to tumble. This backup to the astronaut’s own one million thrust engines are surplus vernier engines tumbling is undesirable, but cannot be dollars, the networks would likely pay from the Atlas program. The basic gyros remedied until the vehicle is back down to almost the whole amount for viewing will come from a Nike Hercules, and about 100,000 feet altitude. At that point rights. Most of the gain from this first others parts may come from the X-15 and the drogue chute will pop out to stabilize flight, says Truax, would be used to make Polaris programs. The benefit of this the system and help slow the descent. By the system even more reliable. Subsequent technique is to reduce the cost and increase the time it reaches 20,000 feet, its rate of flights would cost but $10,000. Who’s the reliability of the whole program by descent will have slowed to about 400 miles interested? Truax has already had several using tried and true components-thereby per hour, and the main chute will pop people approach him to be the first saving unnecessary development cost and open. This will be a 48 foot diameter chute astronaut in his vehicle. One potential time, and using parts with known of a type tested successfully and used many astronaut is selling T-shirts to try to reliability factors. times. Also, a port will be opened at 20,000 finance his way. The first person to come The vehicle itself will be 24 feet long, feet to replenish the air in the nose cone. By up with the money will be the first person with 25 inches outside diameter. (This the time it lands in the water, flight time to go. narrow diameter means the astronaut will will have been ten minutes. A recovery fleet be somewhat cramped and will have to will lx on its way in minutes. Truax’s Like Lutz Kayser of Germany, Robert squat inside the payload compartment to recovery fleet consists of a 120 foot cutter Truax is moving out on his own, using fit.) Fully fueled, it weighs 3100 pounds; with two helicopters and a fixed wing private capital in an attempt toaccomplish dry, it weighs 1100 pounds. The four airplane. Skin divers make up part of the a space first and make some money doing engines give a total thrust of 4000 pounds, team. it. Also like Kayser, Truax is using simple which means the astronaut will experience The Volks-Rockets, as Truax like to call components in an attempt to keep the total a maximum of 3G thrust during ascent. it, would then be recovered and reused for cost down and reliability high. And it Before flight, there will be many ground future flights, and the astronaut will have looks like he might succeed. tests to assure as high a reliability as made headlines across the country. When The requirements are simple. And if possible. (Truax estimates a 90% to 98% could all this come about? Perhaps no later you’re the first with the million dollars, the chance for survival in the first piloted than 1980, depending on when funding TV networks will likely repay you in full. flight.) There have already been some tests becomes available. In a sense, Truax hopes Consider Robert Truax’s dream, then, as of the engine components. his vehicle would be the world’s first your opportunity to be the first private On the day of launch, all will be set up at reusable shuttle. And therein lies part of astronaut in the world-with all the a base near a large body of water-such as the object of his intent. He’s doing this not accompanying benefits. He’s waiting to the Pacific Ocean or a large lake. just to make money (and let there be no hear from you, right now. According to Truax, the vehicle will be doubt that monetary gain is one of the

6 L-5 News, April 1978 Space Mines, Space Law, and the Third World

by K. Eric Drexler Can a U.S. company legally mine the space activities, but would require a moon? Some lawyers say yes, others say national intent-to-appropriate. no. Some say a special international Because all relevant paragraphs of the entity must do the job. The 1967 Outer treaty refer to “outer space, including the Space Treaty, the primary source of law moon and other celestial bodies,” use of on such matters, says: the moon is no more restricted than use “The exploration and use of outer of space. Space has been used freely by space, including the moon and other individual nations and companies with no celestial bodies, shall be carried out for legal challenge. Because all relevant the benefit and in the interests of all paragraphs of the treaty refer to “explo- countries, irrespective of their degree of ration and use,” use of the moon is no economic or scientific development, and more restricted than exploration of the shall be the province of all mankind.” moon. A single nation explored the moon (Article I, first paragraph) (initially) and removed lunar material “Outer space, including the moon and without legal challenge. Nowhere in the other celestial bodies, is not subject to relevant paragraphs does the treaty make national appropriation by claim of any distinction between actions permis- sovereignty, by means of use or occupa- sible in the use of the moon, the use of tion, or by any other means.” (Article II) space, and the exploration of the moon. Jack Salmon states (L-5 News, May We should also note paragraph two of 1977): “. . . Certainly the mining of lunar article I: materials and their transport into space “Outer space, including the moon and for construction purposes is more than a other celestial bodies, shall be free for strict reading of the treaty permits; J.H. exploration and use by all States without Glazer has even argued that construction discrimination of any kind, on a basis of of a fixed-orbit colony might be con- equality, and in accordance with interna- strued as ‘national appropriation’ of a tional law, and there shall be free access portion of outer space.” to all areas of celestial bodies.” However, a strict reading of the treaty This appears to guarantee free use of would prohibit activities that are appar- celestial bodies by all nations, without ently considered to be legal. Current need for the special international agree- military activities are a use of outer space ments that some claim are required. not “in the interests of all countries,” Please note that the treaty says nothing while operation of current communica- to suggest that mining is a special or tions satellite systems are a use of outer proscribed form of use. space not “carried out for the benefit . . . Article IV states: of all countries, irrespective of their “States party to the Treaty shall bear degree of economic or scientific develop- international responsibility for national ment.” Whatever the first paragraph of activities in outer space, including the article I may mean, precedent suggests moon and other celestial bodies, whether that it does not prohibit a nation from such activities are carried out by govern- using outer space for the benefit of itself mental agencies or by non-governmental or whoever it pleases. entities . . . ” With regard to “national appropria- This appears to imply the right of tion,” we must remember that the treaty nongovernmental entities, including com- says nothing about scale. If collecting a panies, to operate on the moon or other few rocks during project Apollo did not celestial bodies. constitute “national appropriation” of To summarize, no precedent exists for the moon, neither will collecting more interpretations of the treaty which would rocks during mining operations. If orbit- require special international agreement to ing a small inhabited spacecraft for a few permit use of outer space, including the days fails to violate the treaty, orbiting a moon and other celestial bodies. No colony for a few centuries can do no precedent exists for interpretations re- worse. quiring specially negotiated international Moreover, since the treaty explicitly distribution of benefits from such use. permits the use and occupation of outer Precedent exists for removal of lunar space, article II can scarcely prohibit materials, and the treaty does not suggest them. In fact, article II declares that outer space is not subject to national appropriation by any means whatsoever. A mass driver flinging lunar ore into space. This suggests that “national appropria- tion” is not an accidental byproduct of

7 that such activities constitute national two million year supply of energy. A four compartments. Two compartments appropriation of the moon. The treaty single asteroid, Ceres, contains resources were called phytotrons and housed, at establishes that non-governmental entities enough to build a land area over 600 different stages of the experiment, higher may carry out activities in space under times that of Earth -- assuming we plants such as wheat and vegetables, while national supervision. From this we may construct enormous, inefficient colonies the third compartment was used, at some conclude that U.S. companies can, with with lots of dirt. Fears that the developed stages, to house Chlorella unicellular federal permission and oversight, legally world could soon gobble up the third algae. The fourth compartment was the mine the moon. world’s share of space resources are crew compartment with three cabins, I am not a lawyer, and the above groundless, yet fears continue. kitchen, laundry, toilet and washing interpretation may prove faulty. If so, Educating the world about space facilities. Each phytotron had 20.4 sq. article XVI provides a way out: resources would dispel these fears, but meters of growing area, each equipped “Any State Party to the Treaty may educating the world is an awesome task. with trays for aerial sub-irrigation culture give notice of its withdrawal from the A more practical solution would be to of wheat and for growing vegetables in Treaty one year after its entry into force make a dramatic concession to the hydroponics on a porous clay filler, a by written notification to the Depository developing countries. Congress could pass system for distributing nutrient solutions Governments. Such withdrawal shall take a resolution limiting U.S. exploitation of and for ventilation and heat dissipation. effect one year from the date of receipt space resources over the next century (or Twenty valves were installed to imitate of this notification.” until an international allocation agree- sunshine guides. The rated capacity was The 1967 Outer Space Treaty seems ment is reached) to no more than l/1000 1,000 liters of oxygen per 24 hours per incapable of blocking space mining, but of the resources of the asteroid belt, or of phytotron. The food requirements of the more than just signed treaties affects the moon, or of any other celestial body, three man crew were provided by the international relations. Many have sug- with no more than l/100,000 to be higher plants. gested seabed mining as a legal analogy to consumed in any given year. Simple A six month program was carried out space mining. Fruitless negotiations con- calculations show this resolution to be a with the BIOS-3 unit. The first stage of tinue on a comprehensive Law of the Sea mere gesture: the U.S. couldn’t come the experiment lasted two months. They Treaty (see L-5 News, January 1978). close to exceeding this limit if it tried. used the two phytotrons in a “man-higher Disagreement in these negotiations cen- Now, consider the propaganda value: plant” system. The two phytotrons were ters on the concept of the “common “Look! We’re opening space to the world planted with wheat, Bordeaux cabbage, heritage of mankind,” which supposedly and using less than our share of its Chante carrots, Dill, Petrovsky turnip, describes the seabed and other extra- resources. In fact, we are leaving over Peking leaf cabbage, Virovsky white national resources. Developing countries 99.9% to the future and to the third raddish, Batun onions, Din-Zo-On cucum- are said to “contend that the concept Such a resolution would help bers and sorrel. Culture conditions were world!” 2 prohibits the United States, or any other defuse objections to space mining, and 145-l80 W/m of uninterrupted illumina- nation with the technological ability to help to shock people into a sorely needed tion, an air temperature of 22-25°C do so, to develop these resources or new pattern of thinking. relative humidity of 72-78% and a carbon reduce them to possession.” Regardless of dioxide concentration of 0.2-1.5%. The treaties, this position could pose a results from this first stage were very political problem if extended to space encouraging and seemed to point the way resources. The developing countries’ re- to a successful cycle of closed ecological flex response to talk of space mining systems. However, for the second and seems to be “Stop! Leave some for us!” third stages of the experiment, one of the Need such conflicts arise? phytotrons was replaced by a compart- The developing countries have good ment of Chlorella. In the second stage, reason to block exploitation of the wheat was planted. It appears that the seabed. Exploitation of seabed resources wheat was severely affected by the by the advanced nations would hurt some presence of the Chlorella in the system developing economies by undercutting and the toxic levels in the vegetables also the market for their mineral resources, rose. The third stage saw only the which are all many of them have to sell. vegetables and Chlorella being planted Exploitation could well deplete seabed and grown. Again, high toxic levels were resources before the developing countries found although the crew were able to become capable of benefiting from them. function normally. It seems the toxicity They have nothing to lose and everything was due to the presence of the chlorella to gain from delay. in the system. The overall result of this Nevertheless, the developing countries experiment, however, is that it does have good reason to favor exploitation of appear to be possible to create a space. Space will return energy (and Russia’s BIOS-3 biological life support system within eventually materials) at a future time limited space and that that system be when the world’s supplies may be running Mini-Colony controlled from within i.e. space colony short and the developing countries’ style. demand should be rising sharply. Exploi- Some years ago, back in 1972/73, the (PJP) tation, far from depleting space resources, Soviet Union conducted a six month (Readers of the above article are directed would make them increasingly available experiment of a closed-loop environment to a more detailed account of the BIOS-3 as the developing countries become able using people and higher plants. This unit and the results from the experiments to use them. In space, with the long lead small-scale experiment has many fascinat- contained with ‘Acta Astronautica’, Vol. times for resource development, the ing aspects that have relevance to space 3 pp.633-650 under the title “Life developing countries have nothing to gain colony design. The BIOS-3 experiment support System With Autonomous Con- and quite a bit to lose from delay. points successfully to the possibility of trol Employing Plant Photosynthesis’ by Much conflict could be avoided if totally closed ecological systems on space I.I. Gitelson, et al, of the L.V. Kirensky everyone concerned realized that the colonies. Physics Institute of the Siberian Branch resources of space are effectively limit- The BIOS-3 unit comprised a stainless of the USSR Academy of Sciences, less. In every second, the sun pours out a steel body of 9 x 14 x 2.5 meters with Krasnoyarsk, USSR).

8 L-5 News, April 1978 From the Center - T.A. Heppenheimer

The Soviets have made a noteworthy of the question: What is a space station? truly accomplish the goals of those earlier accomplishment. Climaxing a decade of What is the threshold which separates a ideas. concerted and often disappointing effort, true space station from a long-duration What, then, would be a threshold for they have succeeded in establishing a space manned orbiting flight? space colonization? How would one station in orbit. Their Salyut 6 has I think the common judgment would be distinguish a large space station from an supported the cosmonauts Grechko and that this threshold consists of maintaining embryonic space colony? I would argue Romanenko in orbit for some three the station as a long-term facility, that the difference is reliance on nonter- months, as this is written; and they have resupplied by flights from Earth. This is restrial resources: Once there is a lunar successfully resupplied the orbiting Salyut distinct from even a very long flight by a mine and a mass-driver serving a space via shuttle rockets from Earth. spacecraft, if that craft is not resupplied manufacturing plant, then we will be at In the history of astronautics, the but instead returns to Earth after its the “Salyut 6” stage of space colonization. permanent space station is a desideratum mission. But will the Soviets play a leading role? which has served to focus effort and study The U.S. Skylab was also a space station; Here the technical gulf between a space from the earliest days of the science. The it was abandoned after being in use less station and a space colony yawns wide. For classic concept is the orbiting wheel of von than a year. It may yet see further service in operations in high Earth orbit, or on the Braun or of Arthur Clarke -- a design the shuttle era. Plans are afoot for an early Moon, the use of hydrogen as a propellant closely resembling the Stanford Torus shuttle flight to boost it to-higher orbit; but is essential. The Soviets have yet to space colony. Indeed, a quarter-century such plans must go forward quickly, for demonstrate its use. We flew our first ago, von Braun’s ideas were receiving the Skylab’s orbit is decaying. hydrogen-fueled stage in 1962. same sort of attention as the ideas of space There are several ways in which these Beyond that, for all the hopes of U.S. -- colonization are receiving today. early space stations are pertinent to the Soviet space cooperation, there still is this: In the real world, the early von Braun goal of space colonization. One is that the The U.S. space program is civilian in and Clarke concepts have not been history of the space station may be, to an character; the Soviet’s is entirely controlled realized. Yet the Salyut must be regarded as extent, repeated: Twenty-five years after by their military. It is the Soviet army and a true space station, albeit one not so the initial public discussions of elaborate air force which set their priorities in space. elaborate as one might wish. Such a concepts, there may be space systems And no consideration of space cooperation statement follows from an understanding which, while much less elaborate, still can ignore this. SALYUT-6 FACTS & FIGURES

JAMES E. OBERG

diameter and 6 meters long (of which only between magnets and which can be spun The following data is extracted in rough 4.1 is pressurized -- the rest houses the up or down along any axis to trim the arrangement from the Soviet press, maneuvering engines, fuel tanks, and aft attitude of the whole vehicle; an improved describing various features of the mission docking equipment). ventilation system; a modified and more of Salyut-6. Soviet sources have been quite Three solar power wings are attached to sensitive thermal control system; an explicit and forthright about many aspects the middle compartment. They measure 3 automatic navigation system called the of this mission, but, regrettably, much of by 15 meters and can articulate to follow ‘Delta’ which computes orbit, AOS/LOS, the interesting data has not been relayed to the sun. Their peak power is 4000 watts, sunrise/sunset, and other scheduled events. the Western public. although accounting for battery charging The ‘Delta’ autonomous on-board The Salyut-Soyuz combination weighs for darkness, normal operating power is navigation system is a small computer, in excess of 26,000 kg and has an interior 2000 watts. about the size of a small suitcase. It volume of more than 100 cubic meters. The The maneuvering engines are straddling connects to a radio altimeter, velocity length of the complex is more than 20 the docking port at the aft end. Their total measuring devices, and astronavigational meters. The Salyut has three cylinders: the thrust is 600 kg. Fuel is not described sensors, and outputs navigation data, via a transfer compartment, sealed at each end (NOTE: We suspect it is hydrazine and link to the ‘Stroka’ teletype. As the station by a hatch, and possessing a ‘side-door’ for nitric acid). passes over radio beacons in the USSR, EVA-this compartment is about two The Salyut-6 is a ‘heavy spacecraft of a Doppler shifts are used to compute radial meters in diameter and 2.5 meters long. new type.’ It has on-board standard velocity. Rising and setting of celestial Next is the so-called ‘working equipment which was tested on earlier bodies are noted, and the position of the compartment’ with a diameter of 2.9 flights: the ‘Stroka’ teletype, an horizon (NOTE: Also, the flow of meters and a length of 3.8 meters. The installation for recycling water which is atmospheric ions past the spacecraft can widest section of the station houses most of 95% closed loop; a spacecraft orientation provide a velocity vector determination to the scientific apparatus (total weight of system based on a rapidly spinning within a degree or two). apparatus: 1500 kg), and is 4.15 meters in spherical weight which is suspended The ‘Delta’ provides data as mentioned

9 earlier. It automatically switches on/off a console in the Salyut, and if something Soyuz-26 and the ‘visiting cosmonauts,’ the station’s communications gear. Via a unforeseen had happened, could push a the on-board crew was in the configuration push-button at the end of a cord. the button to ‘blind’ the autopilot, halting the they should have been in three months cosmonauts can precisely fix any given approach of the Progress. That was before, but with the additional moment on board, such as during visual evidently the only control the cosmonauts expenditure of two Soyuz spacecraft/ observations, in Moscow time, with exact had over the Progress. They could also boosters (my guess at cost? In excess of a reference to the orbital position of the turn on the Salyut engines and pull away hundred million dollars each. No wonder station at that moment. from a bad Progress. the Soyuz-25 crew had their wrists The orbit of the space station complex is Progress-l transferred about 1000 kg of slapped!) inclined to the equator by 51.6 degrees. propellants and air, so that might be the The rendezvous of the Soyuz-27 was not The standard altitude is about 350 km whole load. The total weight transferred routine, since the Soviets pointed out that with a period of 91.34 minutes, which from Progress-1 was more than 2300 kg, SO “the Soyuz-26 spaceship was blocking the allows for the same azimuth pass over the about 1300 kg was ‘dry weight.’ (NOTE: station’s rear radio antennas, (so) the launch site every second day 48 minutes The Soviet data says that the cosmonauts Soyuz-27 had to be (ground) guided not earlier (31 revolutions apart). The orbit use of 20-30 kg of material per day of flight, merely into the vicinity of the station, but slowly decays due to air drag (NOTE: Rule leading to the estimate of a Progress visit precisely in line with the forward antennas of thumb, about .02 minutes shorter period needed every 43 to 65 days). Whether that in order to be in radio contact with Salyut- per week) so periodic blasts of the figure also includes air losses during EVA, 6.” Sounds like a punt to me. maneuvering engine are required. maneuvering fuel, etc., is unknown. Soyuz-27 also brought new film for the Alternately, the engine of a docked Soyuz unknown. on-board “MKF-6M” multi-spectral earth or Progress ship can be fired to boost the The Progress delivered new weighted resources camera, made in East Germany station. This was done with the engine of training (anti-weightlessness) suits for the at the Karl Zeiss-Jena plant. An earlier Soyuz-26 on December 29, and with the cosmonauts, as well as medical supplies to model of this camera was flown on the solo engine of Progress-l on February 5. Since replace expired medicines in the lot eight day Soyuz-22 mission in September the Salyut was injected into a low orbit by originally launched on board Salyut-6. 1976. NOTE: I suspect that film which was the Proton booster on September 29 (about Carbon dioxide filters (presumably launched on board the Salyut-6 in 220 by 275 km, period 89.1 minutes), the lithium hydroxide) were also included; as September had expired by the time the payload had to use up a great deal of fuel to well as new bed linen and new safety straps Soyuz-26 cosmonauts got there, so new raise itself to the operating altitude at 350 for the chairs, and more fans. replacement film had to be launched on km. A Pravda, Jan. 24 interview with the next available transport. The launch of the Progress-l space Academician Boris Raushenbakh states: The MKF camera is used in the ‘Raduga’ cargo/tanker was played up big (well, they “Docking with two space vehicles makes it (rainbow’) experiment, which records deserve the applause). The ship carried possible to hand over the station and its views of the earth in six bands (not 2500 kg of cargo: fresh supplies of apparatus to replacement crews ‘in flight,’ specified); 90% of the photo tasks are for oxygen/nitrogen to raise the Salyut cabin without any interruption in its work.:” economic purposes, while 10% is for pressure, propellants, oxygen regenerators this avoids time wasted in mothballing research in remote sensing. Since Soyuz-22, (cannisters containing sheets of potassium and de-mothballing the station, and the camera was improved by the addition superoxide which reacts with air humidity switching to and from automatic/remote of an extra electronics backup unit, and to absorb some CO-2 and give off control. So I suspect this means that two extra film cassette slots were built in. oxygen), air filters, water, clean clothes, Salyut-6 will never be uninhabited again, Each picture covers an area of 165 by 220 film, letters and newspapers from home, although this will call for some pretty km, and each cassette carries film for 250 new documentation for experiments, a fancing juggling of Soyuz and Progress shots. geographic atlas, a Vesna-2 portable tape ships at the forward and aft docking ports. The two docking mechanisms, at recorder with music cassettes, and various The whole Progress unloading took two opposite ends of the Salyut, are pieces of unspecified scientific gear. The weeks of almost full time and deliberate functionally identical (BUT NOTE: the total spaceship weight was given as 7000 work. Special admiration should be Progress supply/tanker can apparently kg. Externally it is said to closely resemble reserved for the fuel transfer: I don’t like only pump fuel in from the AFT docking the Soyuz, with a higher level (if that’s handling nitric acid and hydrazine on the position). Once a ship is docked, a plastic possible: Ed) of automation. The service ground, let alone in space. After the air hose with installed fan is extended from module is slightly enlarged. The Soyuz transfer, the cosmonauts finished by a position in the station into the cabin of command (‘descent’) module is modified purging the fuel transfer lines so nothing the docked ship. by removal of heat shield, parachute, would contaminate the outside of the When the two Soyuz ships were docking couches, periscope, etc., and installation of Salyut at separation. The Progress did two to the Salyut in January, there were a total tanks of fuel, oxidizer (Not liquid oxygen days of test maneuvers, then fired its of eight hatches separating the two crews: as an ignorant Western correspondent maneuvering engine to re-enter over the the command module hatch, the orbital guessed), oxygen and nitrogen for the north Pacific and burn up-thousands of module forward hatch, the docking port cabin air, and gas to pneumatically push miles short of Canada. hatch, the aft transfer tunnel hatch, the the fluids into the tanks of the Salyut. The NOTE: The launching of Soyuz-27 working/transfer tunnel hatch, the Soyuz ‘orbital module’ became a cargo seems to have been a makeshift mission forward docking hatch, the other Soyuz hold, which the cosmonauts could enter. whose sole purpose was to get the crew’s orbital module hatch, and the other Soyuz As they removed one bank of supplies, they Soyuz to the forward docking port, command module hatch. replaced that volume with trash and spent clearing the way for the Progress to use the Russia’s first space walk in almost nine equipment from the Salyut. aft port. The failure of Soyuz-25 in October years took place on December 20, near The docking of the Progress to the forced the next crew to use the wrong port midnight Moscow time. The walk had to Salyut-G/Soyuz-27 was done by autopilot. due to suspicions that the forward port was take place over Soviet territory for The cosmonauts observed the approach at damaged. With the return to earth of communications requirements, but this

10 L-5 News, April 1978 required that it take place in the middle of the ‘Rheograph.’ the Beta-3 instrument are taken. Every five the normal sleep cycle and in the dark. Another piece of medical equipment is or six days, a more thorough examination This underlined the urgency of the walk, the ‘Beta-3’ device, which records ballisto- is conducted with the Polinom-2M which was to check out possible damage to cardiograms. Tests are made before, apparatus. the forward docking port by the Soyuz-25 during, and after runs on the exercycle, A ‘group for psychological support’ has docking abort in October (NOTE: It treadmill, and the ‘Chibis’ vacuum suit been working to keep the crew should be recorded here that the crew of (NOTE: This is evidently a ‘lower body psychologically healthy. Cosmonaut that mission, unlike EVERY previous negative pressure’ chamber like that used mood is monitored via analyzing crew, did NOT receive the standard ‘Hero on Skylab). harmonics in their voices to detect hidden of the Soviet Union’ award, but instead The station has about twenty portholes tension. Special projects are undertaken to were granted a much lesser medal, clear of various sizes. One experiment is to avoid any possible ‘sensory deprivation’ indication that they were being held in determine the effect of space conditions on problems. Soyuz-27 brought up a tape part responsible for the failure). the optical properties and surfaces of these recorder and cassettes. A videotape recorder The crew was in vacuum 88 minutes but portholes. The crew found a scratch 1.5 and movies are also on board. reportedly Grechko only spent about millimeters deep on one porthole and it is Vladimir Shatalov writing in ‘Air twenty minutes outside, while assumed it was caused by a meteorite. In Transport,’ reported by TASS over Radio Romanenko remained in the transfer the first 1000 revolutions of the Salyut, Moscow on January 16, tells us that the module monitoring the EVA. Photos only one ‘large’ particle was recorded by visit of Soyuz-27 crewmen to Salyut-6 released by NOVOSTI show that a work micro-meteoroid sensors. means “it will be possible to send ‘narrow’ platform, including handrails and Another medical device was included: specialists for staging some local restraints, has been installed on the the Amak-3 autonomous microanalyzer experiments and then quickly returning to exterior of the Salyut. for blood samples. Possibly this device was earth.” Together with the announcement The cosmonauts spent the previous two delivered in the Progress-l, since no that there are now “physician- days preparing for the spacewalk, then mention of it was made before January 27. cosmonauts” in training (Russia’s first went to sleep early and awoke a few hours Footnote: A six month long ‘bedrest’ real “scientist-astronauts” since 1964), this before midnight. After the walk, they experiment under the direction of chief suggests that a long endurance flight crew stowed equipment and did not go to sleep Soviet space doctor Oleg Gazenko was will be occasionally visited by a space until about 8 AM, sleeping until 4 PM. conducted at the ‘Institute of Medical and medicine expert for a ‘house call in orbit’ Their normal sleep cycle is a standard 8 Biological Problems’ from October 4, 1976 and for tests to determine if the crew can AM to midnight awake. The EVA really (note space anniversary connection) continue their months-long marathon. messed it up. through April 1977. Eighteen persons were COMMENT: With the capability of The spacesuit has a ‘hard’ torso, like a involved in three groups: six tested resupplying ALL consumables of the cuirass of medieval armor. In the back of preventive measures against the effects of Salyut-6, all bets on total mission duration the cuirass is a large hatch, mounted upon weightlessness, six tested the measures are OFF. I would not be surprised to see which is the autonomous life support only half as much, and six used no cosmonauts using the Salyut-6 five years system. The cosmonaut enters the suit measures at all. All remained prone with from now. By then, bigger and better through this hatch and closes it by pulling their heads slightly lower than their feet. things will be in orbit, but Salyut-6 could on a D-ring attached to the front. Final Gazenko is reported to have said at the end still be operational as well. And I believe sealing is accomplished by pulling of the experiment that “it can be said with Gazenko: we’ll see a 180 day space visit by a forward and upwards on another lever on certainty that the limit for man’s flight in crew (or single cosmonaut, as colleagues the front of the suit. The suit can be space goes beyond six months.” are rotated) this year. donned unaided in five minutes. Biological experiments are also For the first time, the Salyut crew is Underneath the pressure suit the important. The growth dynamics of maintaining the same working hours as cosmonaut wears another suit of elastic chlorella algae are being studied, along the ground support people in Moscow. tubing through which water circulates for with the effects of weightlessness on cell This is possible because of improved cooling. The control pack is located on the division. communication even outside of range of chest, with written instructions inscribed An experiment called ‘Resonance’ Soviet in-country tracking sites. in reverse, since the cosmonaut views the involved jumping around in various For personal hygiene, an isolated dials of the control pack via a mirror modules of the complex and observing sanitation system, and a folding shower mounted on his arm. The suit is so flexible motion and flexure at joints to other (first on a Soviet space station) are that the hands can be clasped behind the modules. This experiment was done in all provided. head, and the gloves are sensitive enough combinations of Soyuz/dual-Soyuz/ Contact with the Salyut-6 is being to permit the wearer to handle small Soyuz-Progress docking configurations. maintained via the Soviet in-country instruments or even write with a pen. The ‘Medusa’ experiment calls for tracking sites (Yevpatoriya, Tbilisi, The suits are mounted on special racks special flasks of bio-polymers mounted on Baikonur, Kolpashevo, Irkutsk, Ussuriysk, in the transfer compartment. They are of the outside of the station, exposed to and Petropavlovsk) and via tracking ships one basic size to fit all cosmonauts of any vacuum and cosmic radiation. Control at sea: the ‘Volkov,’ newly commissioned, height. flasks are inside the station. They will be is off Cuba; the ‘Gagarin,’ flagship of the The Salyut has an exercycle and a retrieved and returned to earth to see if tracking fleet, is off the coast of Nova treadmill, along with stress suits such as living spores could indeed have crossed Scotia; the ‘Komarov’ is in the the ‘Penguin’ and ‘Athlete’ gadgets which open space and begun life on earth. Mediterranean. Smaller ships are in the maintain stress against the muscular and The crew’s adaptation to weightlessness South Atlantic. The other major tracking skeletal systems of the cosmonauts. proceeded normally. All negative effects of ship, the ‘Korolev,’ is in port. Three new Medical tests are done with a clinical weightlessness (dizziness, nausea, tracking ships are in various stages of sea multi-functional apparatus called the headache) had disappeared by the seventh trials or construction: the ‘Belyayev,’ the Polinom-2M (tested on earlier flights) and day. Every two or three days, readings with ‘Dobrovolskiy,’ and the ‘Patsayev.’

11 OTRAG News

I have rarely read such a heap of fabrications and distortions as the Tad Szulc article on “Germany Rearms” in the March issue of Penthouse. Szulc accuses the US of being secretly involved with German testing of cruise missiles for nuclear warheads at a secret military center in the Congo-Zaire. His article consists of a series of baseless assertions, phony ‘straw men’, radical cliches inconsistencies internally, and stupidities. Worst of all are the deliberate omissions of facts which do not fit. The genera1 consensus on Lutz Kayser and OTRAG, and on the space transpor- tation system allegedly being built in competition with French and NASA boosters, is that Kayser is a flamboyant con man raising money for a space-age scam before absconding to Rio. On the other hand, his cheap expendable space launch booster might indeed work. It is barely conceivable that he is a front for someone else, but a few facts reveal the absurdity of that paranoid fraud. Szulc claims that “weather satellites” are the OTRAG justification. Baloney. OTRAG says that it can build cheap boosters to undersell any client’s need for

The reality: OTRAG’s first rocket test May 17, 1977. Photos courtesy of Theo The fantasy: Penthouse’s version of OTRAG’s rocket tests. Pirard.

The first OTRAG rocket: an assembly of 4 independent 1st OTRAG rocket is launched successfully from Manono, 12 modules which burn diesel oil and nitric acid. North of Shaba. satellite launchings, mainly for communi- cations satellites. An equatorial site makes the most advantage of the earth’s rotation speed. Szulc hints ominously about the nature of OTRAG’s “clients”, but he seems not to know (or want his readers to know) that most artificial satellites launched today by NASA are for private clients. Inconsistencies: in one paragraph, Zaire receives “vast American economic and military assistance” . . . and in anoth- er, “American military aid to Zaire has been kept down to a small volume”. Who did Szulc’s research? Stupidities: the assertion that an IRBM with a range of 1500 miles is about to be test fired from a range 300 miles across, make a full duration flight, and return to the test range! Omissions: The Germans, as part of European space activities, have for more than ten years been working on various rocket stages for orbital launch rockets. The latest is a stage of the ‘Ariane’ booster now being built mainly by the French for ESA, the European Space Agency. How is this OTRAG activity any more a treaty violation than the earlier space rockets? Who did Szulc’s research? Omission: Moscow has unleashed a major wave of hysterical publicity against the OTRAG activities, seeing in them a good gimmick to whip up anti-German sentiment at home and anti-Western sentiment in Africa. Szulc does not mention this massive propaganda cam- paign, and why not? Could his ‘sources’ and ‘quotes’ and various ‘high-level hints’ Build your own: you. too can become a not included. Write or call Centuri Flying all be part of the well-known disinforma- cruise missile threat with a powered, Model Rockets,’ Box 1988, Phoenix, AZ tion activities of the USSR? flying, 12 inch long scale model of the 85001. 602/264-0325 for details. Who did Szulc’s research? He tells us controversial weapon. Nuclear warheads who by a revealing spelling error. He spells the name of MBB corporation’s The Feb. 26 Boston Sunday Globe carried reports in a French Marxist magazine middle partner as “BELKOV” when it is an article by Andrew Wilson which claims called Asie-Afrique. which has been actually “BOELKOW”. It is “BELKOV” that “it can now be established that the closely following the Soviet line on only on documents in Russian or OTRAG. Wilson reports that the translated from the Russian. Is that where East bloc of countries must have known all motivation behind these attacks is that “an Szulc got all his juicy anti-German along that their allegations about the use “information”? And the third member is of the Zaire range for military purposes are, approach has been made to OTRAG by the “BLOHM” not “BLAUM” as Szulc (and like stories of the building of a huge Chinese.” Observing that they have the Russians) mispell it. Caught in his military airfield and of OTRAG operating suspended their space program since 1976. own trap of fabrications? a CIA-type airline. totally without apparently due to launch problems. Szulc’s eager participation in the foundation . . .Three basic facts make the Wilson reports that “When recently asked Moscow-inspired anti-OTRAG campaign, OTRAG type rockets unsuitable for whether OTRAG had actually begun and his use of Moscow-supplied informa- military use. First, the diesel -- nitric acid negotiations with Peking, Kayser declined tion without telling his readers where it fuel cannot be stored in the rocket tubes to comment. But when asked if OTRAG came from, must disappoint readers who without danger of an explosion. . . Second, would be prepared to provide launch remember his former journalistic scruples facilities for a Chinese reconnaisance and standards. This OTRAG abortion there are grave doubts as to whether Kayser does not measure up to such standards of can lick outstanding problemsof guidance satellite, he answered without hesitation. accuracy or honesty. His ‘accusations’ and combustion which make the OTRAG “The answer is yes. I do not see anything have instead pointed the finger of rocket a hazardous vehicle for the wrong with the Chinese doing the same as accusation directly back at him. launching of hugely expensive spy both the Americans and the Russians have James E. Oberg satellites. Third, the great weight of fuel been doing for years.” Wilson also reminds Associate Editor required (85% of the total launch weight), us that “Russia is trying to persuade a SPACE WORLD magazine plus the weight of standard engineering majority of signatories to the United While the L-5 News may have been the components like valves, raises doubts Nations Space Treaty to amend the treaty first publication to report on weak points about the payload that Kayser’s larger with a clause banning the proliferation of in Tad Szulc’s analysis of the OTRAG rockets will eventually be able to carry.” spy satellites (which would confirm the operation (“Penthouse Slams OTRAG”, Wilson notes that Tad Szulc’s Penthouse Russian-American duopoly in this area).” L-5 News, Jan 1978), it is not the only one. article bears a “close resemblance to

L-5 News, April 1978 13 The High Frontier Lobbying for Space by G.K. O’Neill, paperback, by Robert A. Freitas, Jr. Bantam Books, 1978 Review by Carolyn Henson Imagine a self-sufficient colonial para- planning of future high-orbital communi- Lobbying for Space is a privately dise, hovering between the Earth and the ties. published pamphlet which contains every- moon, without cars, pollution, heatwaves In his book, O’Neill predicts that thing you could possibly want to know or blizzards. Imagine being one of human space colonies -- “communities in about the politics of space in the United thousands of settlers from Earth, helping which manufacturing, farming, and all States. Subtitled “The 1978 Space to build a whole universe of floating other human activities can be carried Lobbyist’s Handbook”, it is up-to-date worlds. out” -- will be established by the end of and crammed with facts ranging from the Gerard K. O’Neill, the world’s leading the century. “The normal first reaction to history of NASA funding to the space authority on human space colonization -- such a statement,” he writes, “is disbe- related voting records of all the members who first developed this exciting and lief: isn’t such a development beyond us? of Congress. It tells you how the NASA practical concept in 1969 -- now reveals in Not at all: the settlement of space by appropriations process works, how to documented detail exactly how these humans could be carried out without ever write effective letters, and where to write. wonders can be accomplished within our exceeding the limits of the technology of It contains a listing of over 100 space lifetime in The High Frontier. this decade.” oriented publications, including addresses First published in William Morrow A program of expansion into the “High and capsule descriptions, as well as the hardcover a year ago, this landmark work Frontier,” according to O’Neill, would text of the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and was released in a completely revised, produce substantial benefits, ranging the maps of all the Congressional updated and illustrated paperback edition from the immediate and severely practical districts. from Bantam Books in January. Approxi- one of solving the energy crisis we face on In order to receive this 63 page mately 60 specially commissioned black Earth, to dealing with the slightly pamphlet, send a check or money order and white drawings by Don Davis are longer-term problem of population size for $4.20 to: Space Initiative, Box 353, featured throughout the book, illustrating and Earth’s capacity to support it, to the Santa Clara, CA 95050 the human and technical aspects of non-material yet compelling notion of the colonies in space. opportunity for increased human options I hear that you have a copy of Lobbying Though O’Neill originated his concept and diversity of development. For Space by Robert A. Freitas Jr., and that for space colonization eight years ago, it To that end, his book discusses the you are considering reviewing it soon in is only within the past several years that concrete plans which could result in such the pages of L-5 News. You might be it has begun to bear fruit, as NASA and communities. He begins with a first interested in the field testing that I have many physical and social scientists, community of 10,000 people, 4,000 of been giving it. Herewith, some statistics. engineers and governmental and business whom would work at building additional Before I acquired a copy of Lobbying For colonies, concerns -- who once scoffed at the idea while the remaining 6,000 Space, I had written a grand total of one -- have become directly involved in the would produce satellite solar power stations to supply inexpensive, inexhaust- letter to our federal government in my ible power to earth. entire lifetime. Now, however, armed with The High Frontier is filled with details the names, addresses, and zip codes in the of who will work in space and how they pages of my Lobbying For Space will get there; how gravity, agriculture, handbook, I have been averaging about climate and time will be controlled; how one letter per week encouraging, or each colony might choose to govern chastising, various public officials for itself; and how, though the initial cost their stand on our space program. I call might be as high as $100 billion,. each that a dramatic improvement. And I hope colony will eventually pay for itself through the opening of new sources of that you can convey my feelings for the energy and materials, while preserving our tremendous utility of Lobbying For Space environment. to the readers of L-5 News. Gerard K. O’Neill is a Princeton Jonathan Boswell University physicist whose studies on the Charlottesville, VA humanization of space began in 1969 as a result of his undergraduate teaching. Dr. A Call for Space O’Neill was selected by the editors of Aviation Week as one of the Americans Literature who contributed most to the develop- ment of the aerospace field in 1975. The Michigan Quarterly Review, During the 1976-77 academic year, while formerly a literary magazine, has become on sabbatical leave from Princeton,’ he an interdisciplinary journal devoted to visited the Massachusetts Institute of exploring significant issues. The spring Technology as the Jerome Clarke Hunsak- 1979 issue will be devoted entirely to the er Professor of Aerospace. Most recently theme, ‘The Moon Landing and its he was named recipient of the 1977 Phi Aftermath.’ The publication hopes to Beta Kappa Award and was also the subject of a feature profile on CBS-TV’s assemble as much as 200 pages of essays, “60 Minutes.” Dr. O’Neill lectures fre- memoirs, interviews, fiction, poetry, quently and has contributed many graphic works-writing in any literate Assembling solar panel arrays and articles on space colonization to scientific form-that will illuminate the last decade concentrating mirrors of power satellite. publications. of space consciousness.

L-5 News, April 1978 14 It is looking for work that is thoughtful, original. a new perspective on a much publicized event. Not public relations Bibliography Update by Conrad Schneiker material, but creative, individual budget surplus is roughly the size of responses. It welcomes material of any California Suggests Secession NASA’s funding for the year. California’s length. though anything beyond 30 typed “GNP” ranks high compared with the pages stands a poor chance of being New Times, November 25, 1977 This article appears unconnected with GNPs of developed countries, California selected. All manuscripts must be has astronaut Rusty Schweickart as an accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed space. But among the “. . . top aids of California Governor Jerry Brown [who] advisor. Note “Sacramento’s stand in favor envelope. Payment is on acceptance and of solar over nuclear power. . . ” in contrast runs about $5 to $8 a printed page. have supplanted their dreams of national glory with the pleasant little fantasy of to “plutonium and gas-crazy Washing- Deadline is Nov. 1, 1978. ton.” Nothing solid here but it makes for It is interested also in graphic materials, secession” is Stewart Brand. Brand has popularized space colonies via the Co- interesting speculation. What if . . . particularly photographs. previously unpublished, to accompany the texts. evolution Quarterly and a recently pub- Learning to Build Large Structures In Submissions or requests for additional lished book. He also introduced Brown to Space information should be sent to: Laurence the idea. The result was California’s Space Thomas Hagler, Herbert G. Patterson, Day and a shift in rhetoric from the “Era of C. Allen Nathan Goldstein, Editor, Michigan Quarterly Limits” to the “Era of Possibilities,” Astronautics & Aeronautics, December 1977 Review, 3032 Rackham Bldg., Ann Arbor, reflecting Brown’s new passion for space. Suggests orbital demonstration projects Mich. 48109. Telephone number is (313) Brown pointed out that California’s to verify space construction techniques 764-9265. and technology needed for building large text of the Bantam edition. space structures. Called by Isaac Asimov “an encyclo- Return To Mars pedia of gravity-free life that ought to be on the shelf of everyone interested in Richard C. Hoagland writing or reading science fiction” A Analog, May 1977 HOUSE IN SPACE describes life on Describes possible manned and un- Skylab from the launching and arrival of manned trips to Mars that are made the first astronaut crew on May 26, 1973, possible using solar sails put in space by to the departure of the third and final the space shuttle. Note: these are what crew on February 8, 1974. That last crew might be termed “old technology” solar of three men had lived in space for 84 sails in contrast to the newer, more days, the longest period in the history. efficient “built in space” designs. Their “house in space” was a “can” (as they called it), 48 feet long and 21 feet in Space Roles For The Less Than Super- diameter, orbiting the earth every 93 powers minutes at a distance of 269 miles. Now James J. Harford abandoned, it is still in orbit. Astronautics &Aeronautics, December 1977 The book gives a vivid reconstruction At the 28th International Astronautical of Skylab’s workday regimen, the rela- Congress, Arthur C. Clarke (and others) tionships among the different crews and criticized O’Neill’s paper for his cost with ground control (the crews conversa- estimates of space industrialization. Clarke tions are made public here for the first time), the scientific findings and accom- guessed that they were low by a factor of a plishments, and all of the expected and hundred, contrary to every major study on unexpected problems of people living and the subject. O’Neill rejoined, “I propose a working in weightlessness. Focusing on codicil to the third Arthur Clarke theorem, the third and last of the crews, the ‘after engineers and scientists go on record author profiles the three men who stayed with expressions of opinion, no matter up the longest and proved the most what data are presented, no opinion is independent, causing some unpro- going to change.’ ” (Clarke’s law concerns grammed differences with ground con- the fallability of distinguished old scien- Bantam Books, 1978 trollers. tists who go on record stating that How does it feel to live in space? What “The best part of A HOUSE IN something is impossible to do.) is it like to eat, sleep, breathe and SPACE,” said Apollo astronaut Michael communicate in a gravity-free atmo- Collins, Director of the National Air and Frontier Law sphere? Space Museum, “is Cooper’s ability to Arthur M. Dula The recent Skylab program -- our first describe the astronauts as individuals, Analog, August 1977 successful experiment in living in space- each quite different from his crew mates, The development of space law and the provided some of the answers and rather than homogeneous automatons.” major factors that have shaped it are probably has even greater significance for Henry S.F. Cooper, Jr., is a staff writer discussed. “A continuing question that the future of space exploration than the for The New Yorker who has specialized will face space law in the distant future Apollo moon missions. The first book to in covering the NASA space missions. His will be which system of laws will direct the present in sharp, behind-the-scenes detail accounts of the Apollo program were lives and economic production of the just what happened aboard Skylab, A among the most popular and highly HOUSE IN SPACE by Henry S.F. regarded reportage on our first ventures people who live in space. At the present Cooper, Jr., was published in paperback into space and were the basis of three time we have two candidates for the by Bantam Books on February 1. successful books: Apollo on the Moon, position: free enterprise from the United Fifty-four extraordinary NASA photo- Moon Rocks, and 13: The Flight That States and central state planning from the graphs are interspersed throughout the Failed. Soviet Union.”

15 The REALITY of the NEAR FUTURE -- 1992

A Course Offered at “Building New Community Systems in This Program is being supported by a California State Uni- Space” grant from Rockwell International “Solar Power” Corporation. versity, Northridge, For Further Information: FEATURES: Call or Write: Dr. B.J. Bluth California (Sociology Talks by about fifteen people now Associate Professor of Sociology 396D), Summer Session, working on space activities in Private California State University, Industry, NASA, the military, and the Northridge, Ca. 91330 June 27 - August 4, 1978. university; 213-885-3591 (Leave your number and a Trips to see the Orbiter being built and good time to return your call) Course Objective: The focus will be on other space technology; the sociological dimensions relating to the Luncheon Meetings where 3 to 4 people If people want to register for the course by possibilities of creating a better life in will have lunch with at least one of the mail, the following information is space and on earth by investigating the speakers; important: problems involved in the development of Slides and Space Materials from NASA and All mail registration must be made community social and cultural systems for Private Industry will be made available for between May 1 and May 26. large space habitats. In order to bring teachers for use in their classes; All fees must accompany the application. home the near reality of the whole venture, Development of Units on Space Settle- Audit or Credit some speakers will cover the technological ments can be selected by teachers as a term at $39.00 per unit $117.00 parameters and current possibilities for project; Student fees 11.00 actually building habitats in space and Class Discussions of how man can make a Total $128.00 working in them. Others will consider the better life in space and for the earth. The application should include the impact life in space will have upon people following information: in space communities and here on earth. SOME OF THE PARTICIPANTS WILL Name, address, phone, sex, birthdate, class BE: level and present school if relevant, and Course Outline: Richard Johnson, Ph.D. course and ticket number. Applications I. The Near Reality of Living and Chief of the Biosystems Division will be taken in order of reception. Working in Space: Getting There, NASA/Ames There is a limit of 48 places in the course. Building There, Working There, and Director of the 1975 study on Space Col- Send to: Living There. onization and Member of the Viking Office of Continuing Education II. The Impact for Earth: Technological, biology experiment team. Calif. State University, Northridge Economic, Political, and Social. Eric Burgess Northridge, Ca. 91330 III Difficulties and Risks: Military, Co-founder of the British Interplanetary Anyone interested in housing can write the Political, Economic, and Social. Society Housing Office (same address) or call 213- IV. The Chances for Making a Better Life Author and lecturer on Space 885-2396. for Humankind: Effects on the Third Charles L. Gould World, Humanity’s Changing Con- Project Manager for NASA Space 15th Space sciousness, Planning for Freedom, Industrialization Contract, and Life Beyond the Galaxy. Rockwell International Corporation Congress J. Peter Vajk, Ph.D. Staff Scientist of Science Applications, Four generations of Astronauts will Some Possible Topics: Inc. on long range planning for NASA participate in a panel discussion with “Star Wars: What is Technically Pos- on space industrialization; Kennedy Space Center Director Lee sible Today” Author of an article, “The Impact of Scherer as panel chairman at the Fifteenth “Industrialization -- The Long Range Space Colonization on World Space Congress, April 26, 27 & 28 in Cocoa View and the Near and Immediate Steps” Dynamics” and a forthcoming book, Beach, Florida, Bill Holmes, Space “Getting There via Shuttle and Space Foundations For a Choiceful Future Congress General Chairman, announced Lab” which examines the emerging potential today. “Consequences of Isolation and Con- for humanity on Earth, both in outer Deke Slayton (Mercury & Apollo/Soyuz finement” space and inner space. Test Project), Manager of the Space “Breaking the Limits to Growth -- Econ- Captain Stanley G. Rosen, USAF Shuttle Orbital Test Flights; John Young omic, Social, and Personal Implications Space and Missile Systems Organization (Gemini 3 & 10, Apollo 10 & 16), Chief of of Space” Author of “Mind in Space” the Astronaut Office: Vance Brand (C.M. “War and the Military in Space” Harrold Emigh Pilot - ASTP) Shuttle Orbital Flight Test “The Extraterrestrial Imperative: The Planning and Design Systems for Space Training; and Joe Engle, Pilot of the Space Next Step in the Evolution of Man’s Social Transportation Shuttle “Enterprise” will join Lee Scherer Life” Rockwell International Corporation in “Meet the Astronauts,” a panel session “The Evolution of Consciousness” Faren R. Akins, Ph.D. free and open to everyone in the universe “‘Space is for People” National Research Council Research beginning at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April “New Products from Space: Optics, Associate 27, in the Cape Colony Convention Center, Medicines, Electronics, Metals, etc.” Effects of Isolation and Confinement featuring opening remarks followed by an “What the Future will Look Like -- a NASA/Ames audience question and answer period. visual and auditory preview” and others ...... This will be one of three panel sessions

16 L-5 News, April 1978 held throughout the S-day symposium. The first panel, titled “Space Today,” Inside the L-5 Society will be chaired by John Yardley, Associate Administrator for Space Flight, NASA Headquarters, Washington D.C., and will Raleigh L-5 begin the Congress Wednesday morning at again at the Central Library on the 8:30 a.m. also in the Cape Colony Raleigh L-5 opened shop on February 11, 1978 with a meeting of co-ordinating Parkway. Our first meeting will be 10 a.m. Convention Center. members Rupert Hazle, Larry Williams, June 10. From July on we will be meeting On Friday, April 28 at 8:30 a.m., the and Tim Katterman. the first Sat. of every month at 10 a.m. theme of the 15th Space Congress: “Space Three first objectives include: We had a public lecture and slide show -- The Best Is Yet To Come” will be the a. spreading information about space on April 1st at 2 pm at the Marple Twp. topic of the final panel to be held at the colonization and industralization when Free Library, Springfield and Sproul Rds. Atlantis Beach Convention Center. Dr. ever and where ever possible. Broomall, Pa. 19008. We are also taking George Morgenthaler, Vice President and b. establishing a library of technical part in the “Sun Day” Celebrations on General Manager, Martin Marietta information Wed. May 3rd at 7 p.m. in the Central Aerospace, Baltimore Division will be c. designing fund raising projects to Library. We will also be holding a lecture Chairman of this panel. finance research such as Gerard O’Neill’s 500g mass driver. and slide show on June 3, 1978 at 1 p.m. at The final event of the Congress will be First projects include preparation of the Youth Science Fair Awards Ceremony the Frankford Y.W.C.A., 4606 Leiper St., statistical testimony for use at the Phila. Pa. 19124. We are hoping to have the at the Atlantis Beach Convention Center Carolina Power & Light Wake County followed by the Patrick Air Force Base “Libra Colony” film in time for these Nuclear Power Plant Hearing and attend- lectures. Open House featuring The Thunderbirds. ing ‘Great Decisions 78’ -- a group of The Space Congress is a non-profit discussions sponsored by the Foreign symposium sponsored by the 26 member Policy Association to help citizens direct Houston L-5 Meeting Canaveral Council of Technical Societies U.S. Foreign Policy goals. Public service announcement for (CCTS), and is held annually in Cocoa Interested people in the Triangle Area Houston area L-5ers: The Houston Beach, Florida. For more information, should write P.O. Box 5381, Raleigh, chapter of the L-5 Society will hold its write: SPACE CONGRESS, BOX 1333, N.C. 27650 or call (919) 833-1398 for April meeting on Friday, April 21, at 7:30 Cocoa Beach, FL 32931. details of meetings or questions. PM in the University Center of the Norfolk, VA L-5 University of Houston. SPS Talk Those interest in forming a Norfolk, MASC News J. Peter Vajk will give a talk on solar Virginia L-5 chapter should contact David power satellites 8:50 PM at the Symposium Howland, 719 Graydon Ave., Norfolk, VA The National Governor’s Association on Energy Technologies at the Radiation 23507, 622-5983. held its annual meeting Feb. 26 to Feb. 28 Research Society Meeting in Toronto, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington Canada May 14. Philadelphia L-5 D.C. In attendance were 52 of 54 Govern- ors. The Maryland Alliance for Space Colonization (MASC) spent Sunday the Before Creation a Presence Existed, The Space Futures Society here in Phila. 26th trying to gain the attention of the Self-contained, complete, is very alive and kicking. Since our Governors so as to tell them about space Formless, Voiceless, Mateless, inception on Aug. 13, 1977 we have been solar power. The main thrust of the Changeless, continually growing and reaching new conference was energy production and Which yet pervaded itself plateaus of attendance. Two of our most conservation. The issues discussed by the With unending motherhood. distinguished members, Kenneth Governors included oil and natural gas, Though there can be no name for it, McCormick and Jon Alexander have been coal, nuclear energy, outer continental I have called it “The Way of Life” doing personal lobbying in Washington shelf development, renewable resources Perhaps I should have called it “The and corresponding for the L-5 News. A programs and energy facility siting. Fullness of Life,” new member, Dr. Lee Valentine, is The topic of solar power energy, Since fullness implies widening into organizing a spinoff chapter within however, was not on the agenda. In the space, Jefferson Hospital of Phila. in which he course of a press conference we were able to Implies still further widening, hopes to galvanize Doctors throughout ask Governor Milliken, Chairman and Implies widening until the circle is whole this area into a political lobbying effort. Governor of Michigan, and Governor In this sense Dr. Lee Valentine has personally Jerry Brown of California about space The way of life is fulfilled, supervised a fund raising drive in which solar power systems. Heaven is fulfilled, Earth fulfilled $2500.00 has been raised locally for S.S.I. We asked Governor Milliken “Have you And a fit man also is fulfilled: through his efforts. Another member Mark discussed solar power satellites as a These are the four amplitudes of the Hess is coordinating efforts to penetrate permanent alternate source of energy and universe the war games clubs and is head of an will you be discussing it as a possibility?” And a fit man is one of them: independent committee to design a space He stated that “It came up briefly and we Man rounding the way of earth, colony survival game. Peter Kazlowski is recognize it as an important issue...... ” Earth rounding the way of heaven, in charge of our NASA film procurement. but he felt there were more immediate Heaven rounding the way of life Our meetings are now held monthly. We issues to be discussed at the present Till the circle is full are currently at the Broad and Morris Free conference. Lao Tzu (604 BC) Library but starting in June we will meet Even more significant and positive were

17 the statements made by Governor Brown already have one.” The legislator also might be technically possible, he was not in a later press conference, which was set suggested that rather than giving the Army convinced or, at best, didn’t know whether up at our request. Governor Brown spoke and Navy each an airplane, they could or not they would be economical. He to the media and replied at great lengths to share one and take turns flying it. claimed disbelief of the many favorable our solar power questions. The second day’s proceedings were more cost-benefit analyses done of the subject. Governor Brown underscored the need interesting. The witnesses were the Carter’s science advisor, Frank Press, for increased research on alternate energy president of Martin-Marrietta, the head of was the next witness. He was destined to sources and especially solar power. He the National Academy of Sciences, Gerard receive the flak that should have been stated that one space solar power station O’Neill and Barbara Hubbard. After being reserved for Dr. Frosch. His performance could replace the need for 50 nuclear power placed in a somnolent state by the first two was almost pathetic. Dr. Press had the stations and that the geothermal energy witnesses, Ms. Hubbard’s vibrant rhetoric misfortune of possessing the voice and available in California alone could replace brought the committee room to life. This total lack of inflection of the computer an additional 20 nuclear power stations. was what the committee gallery had been “HAL” from the movie 2001: A Space When later we were able to ask him his waiting for and her words paved the way Odyssey. His testimony consisted of thoughts on House Concurrent for Prof. O’Neill. Dr. O’Neill summarized apologies for the Administration and a Resolution 451 (introduced by Olin the results of the 1977 NASA-Ames feigned enthusiasm for the space program. Teague of Texas), he said “Yes, we would summer study which showed that there One of his more outrageous statements, like to see much more attention directed were no show-stoppers to the concept. He coupled with his monotone, evoked open towards alternate energy sources.” In fact also showed a film of the M.I.T. mass- derision and laughter from the gallery. Re: in his opening statement he spoke driver. The congressmen seemed duly SSPS. “We simply don’t know anything strongly of alternate energy sources, impressed. In questioning afterwards, about them.” If this is truly the case, referring to a large prominent MASC O’Neill told the committee that he would perhaps Dr. Press should be replaced by banner, which we had located nearby. need a million dollars in the next year to someone who does know something about We were also able to talk briefly to continue his research. Some members them. I find it at least disconcerting that Governors Exon of Nebraska and expressed astonishment at the low figure. someone endowed of such profound Governor Bolin of Arizona, who requested Dr. Handler, N.A.S. chairman, was asked ignorance is advising the President. that we get Dr. O’Neill to send him if there were any major technical break- The foregoing was only a thumbnail information on the matter. In general, all throughs required for O’Neill’s scheme. sketch of the proceedings in Washington of the Governors, members of their staffs There was a long pause, seemingly for one month ago. My editorializing will be and members of the press whom we dramatic effect, and then a reluctant “No.” forgiven, I trust, with the realization that contacted expressed positive interest, but Barbara Hubbard was asked why NASA this is not strictly a news story, but rather were uninformed as to space solar power was not carrying through with these plans. my own impressions and reactions to alternatives. Perhaps a matter for local L-5 She replied that Dr. Frosch seemed to be recent events to which I was a witness. To chapters to pursue! committed to limits to growth. Dr. summarize: I was cheered by the fact that Handler interrupted and suggested that several members of the committee seemed she let Dr. Frosch speak for himself. almost as impatient with the Michigan “Missal” Chairman Teague concurred and said, Administration as we are. We have several somewhat ominously, that he would be friends in Congress and these friendships The Missal, the newsletter of the given every chance to do so on the should be carefully nurtured with letters Michigan L-5 Society, is still going strong. following day. We went to bed that night and phone calls. In particular, Rep. Following is an excerpt from the March maliciously gladdened at the prospect of Scheuer of New York City should be given issue. Frosch’s roasting on a slow spit in the thanks and support. The most helpful On January 24-26, Year of our Lord committee room the next morning. thing that could be done with respect to 1978, the Space Science and Applications Alas, it was not to be. The NASA him would be to write him descriptions of Subcommittee of the House Science and administrator was allowed to give his the ways that our program would directly Technology Committee convened to hold testimony and get away without question- benefit the inhabitants of his district. This hearings for the purpose of examining our ing to attend the appropriations hearing in was a query that he put to O’Neill that future space program. another building. Before he left, however, wasn’t properly responded to. Anyone who The testimony of the first day consisted he unveiled the space agency’s exciting can think of some immediate, direct of industrialists. The most exciting plans for the future: more earth resources benefits to the urban areas should send proposal offered was an experimental satellites and a more advanced them directly to him or else to us to be platform in geosynchronous orbit where communication satellite. He also opened relayed to him. studies could be done to determine the his testimony with the statement that his --The Missal, $3.00/year, Box 126 feasibility of powersats (earth-based role was not that of a Columbus, but rather Michigan Union. Ann Arbor, MI 48109. configuration) by the late 1980’s. As was to of one of Isabella’scounselors. I’m not sure The L-5 Society is attempting to build a occur several times in the next couple of personally how to interpret this. If I recall comprehensive file of newspaper and days, the committee members appeared my history correctly, Isabella hocked her magazine articles concerning space; parti- bored and frustrated at the lack of jewels and funded Columbus against the cularly on space colonies, solar satellites, imagination displayed by the witnesses. advice of her counsel. In this light, Dr. etc. These would be used both to keep track This was heartening to L-5 partisans. The Frosch sees himself as an obstructor rather of media and publicopinion, and to have a only memorable statement was that made than an originator or facilitator. It is list of writers and publications which have by G. Harry Stine concerning cutting back obliquely comforting to see that he is at taken an interest, pro or con, on the the shuttle fleet from five to four. He made least consistent; his self-view coincides subject. Local papers and magazines are as the comment that O.M.B. reminded him of with his actions. One of the few questions important as national ones in this respect. the Senator in 1908 who asked, “Why does he did answer concerned powersats. His L-5ers are encouraged to send all relevant the Army need another airplane. They answer was to the effect that while they articles to the National office.

18 L-5 News, April 1978