Aeronautics and Space Report President 1988 Activities
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Aeronautics and Space Report of the President 1988 Activities NOTE TO READERS: ALL PRINTED PAGES ARE INCLUDED, UNNUMBERED BLANK PAGES DURING SCANNING AND QUALITY CONTROL CHECK HAVE BEEN DELETED Aeronautics and Space Report of the President 1988 Activities 1990 National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, DC 20546 Contents Summary .................. ........ ............. v National Aeronautics and Space Administration 1 National Aeronautics and Space Administration .......... v Space Science and Applications .................................... 1 Department of Defense ... Space Flight .................................................................. 23 ... Department of Commerce .......................................... xiii Space Station ................................................................ 31 Department of Energy ................................................ xiv Commercial Programs .................................................. 36 Department of the Interior .... Space Operations ......................................................... 42 Department of Agriculture ..................... .............xv Aeronautics Research and Technology ....................... 44 Federal Communications Commission .......... Space Research and Technology ............................... 58 Department of Transportation Exploration ................................................................... 66 Federal Aviation Administration .. Commercial Space Transportation ...... Department of Defense .......................................... 71 Environmental Protection Agency ............................. xvii Space Activities ............................................................ 71 National Science Foundation ........ Aeronautical Activities ................................................. 75 Smithsonian Institution .............................................. xvii Other Technologies ..................................................... 80 Department of State ......... ........ ............... XVll Arms Control and Disarmament Agency ................. xviii... Department of Commerce ..................................... 85 United States Information Agency ........................... xviii... NOAA Satellite Operations .......................................... 85 NOAA Application of Satellite Observations .............. 86 National Telecommunications and Information Administration ......................................................... 91 National Institute of Standards and Technology ........ 92 Department of Energy ............................................ 97 Space Nuclear Power Systems ..................................... 97 Nuclear Detonation Detection .................................. 104 ii Department ofthe Interior .................................. 107 Appendixes Remotely Sensed Data Acquisition and Processing 107 A-1 U.S. Spacecraft Record ... 169 Remote Sensing Applications ..... ... .. ... .. ... .. .. .. .. 109 A-2 World Hecord of Space Launches Successful in Attaining Earth Orbit or Beyond .............. 170 Department of Agriculture .................................. 123 A-3 Successful U.S. Launches-1988 ...................... 171 B-1 U.S.-Launched Applications Satellites, Federal Communications Commission ... .. .... .. .E9 1982-1988 ....................................................... 173 Communications Satellites . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 129 B-2 U.S.-Launched Scientific Satellites, 1982-1988 ....................................................... 175 Department of Transportation ............................ 135 B-3 U.S.-Launched Space Probes, 1975-1988 ......... 176 Federal Aviation Administration ....... ..... ..., .. ..... ... .. .. 135 C U.S. and Soviet Manned Spaceflights, Aviation Safety ............................................................ 135 1961-1988 ........................................ Air Navigation and Air Traffic Control ...................... 141 D U.S. Space Launch Activities ............................. 184 Commercial Space Transportation ........ .. ... .. ... .. .. ,146 E-1 Space Activities of the U.S. Government: Historical Budget Summary-Budget Environmental Protection Agency . .................... 151 Authority .......... ... .. .. ... .. ...... .... .. ... .. .. ... .. .. 185 Chart: U.S. Space Budget- National Science Foundation . .. .. .. .. .. , .. ,. .155 Budget Authority FY 1971-1988....................... 186 E-2 Space Activities Budget ..................................... 187 Smithsonian Institution .. .. ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 159 E-3 Aeronautics Budget ........................................... 187 F-1 Presidential Directive Department of State ............................................... 162 on National Space Policy .............................. 188 F-2 The President’s Space Policy and Commercial Arms Control and Disarmament Agency ..........164 Space Initiative to Begin the Next Century .. 194 United States Information Agency ...... .. .... ..... ... .166 iii Summary Nineteen eighty-eight marked the United States’ researchers to determine the composition, average return to space flight with two successful space shuttle expansion velocity, and other important characteristics launches in September and December, as well as six of this body. successful expendable rocket launches. Meanwhile, Hubble Space Telescope. Assembly and retesting many other less spectacular but important of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), the first of the contributions were made in aeronautics and space by four Great Observatories, was scheduled for comple- the 14 participating government organizations. This tion in early 1989, with launch expected in 1990. HST chapter summarizes the accomplishments of each of is an optical telescope that will enable astronomers to these participating organizations. The remaining see distant objects about ten times more clearly than chapters of this report provide more detail on each can be seen from even the best Earth-based observato- organization’s aeronautics and/or space activities for ries. the year. Gamma Ray Observatory. Construction of the National Aeronautics and Gamma Kay Observatory (GKO) continued in 1988, Space Administration with three of its four scientific instruments being installed on the spacecraft. Like the Hubble Telescope, Space Science and Applications the GKO is scheduled for launch in 1990. GKO will be The NASA space science and applications program used to study extraterrestrial gamma rays, the highest uses space-based technology 1) to study the universe energy radiation in the electromagnetic spectrum. including Earth, the sun, and the planets; 2) to solve Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility. In 1988, practical problems on Earth; and 3) to provide the NASA selected TKW, Inc. to be the prime contractor for scientific research foundation for expanding human the development and integration of the Advanced X- presence beyond Earth into the solar system. Scientific Kay Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). TKW immediately disciplines include the following: astrophysics, solar began work on the facility’s High Kesolution Mirror system exploration, space physics, Earth science and assembly. The AXAF is designed to observe celestial applications, life sciences, microgravity science and sources of x-rays, key to answering many of astronomy applications, and communications and information and astrophysics’ most important questions. systems. Space Infrared Telescope Facility. Detailed Astrophysics studies of the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIKTF) The NASA astrophysics program studies the origin were made in 1988. These studies included analyses of and evolution of the universe, the fundamental laws of the spacecraft and telescope systems. Expected to be nature, and the birth of stars, planets, galaxies, and the fourth of the Great Observatories, the SIKTF will be ultimately, life. The program research uses space used for astrophysical studies in the scientifically observatories, supported by a ground research base of critical infrared spectral region. A major focus will be instrument developments, suborbital research activities, the study of cosmic birth, including that of our solar data analysis, and theoretical studies. system. Supernova 1987a. NASA and its international Solar System Exploration partners continued to study Supernova 1987a in 1988 NASA’s solar system exploration program studies the using spacecraft and radio observatories, as well as evolution and nature of the planets and other bodies, rocket, balloon, and airborne campaigns from the and why the “terrestrial” planets are so different from Southern Hemisphere. The observations enabled one another. V Pioneer Venus. In December 1988, the Pioneer Space Agency. This umbrella program will include Venus Orbiter completed 10 years of successful extensive studies of the sun and its plasma and observation and data gathering at Venus. interaction with that of Earth. The major U.S. contribu- The Interplanetary and Interstellar Medium tion will be the Global Geospace Science program, The Pioneer 10 and 11 spacecraft are still providing which will study the transfer of energy in the interac- valuable science data on the interstellar medium. tive geospace system. Following its encounters with Jupiter, Saturn, and Explorer Missions. In 1988, the International Uranus, Voyager 2 continued its journey toward Cometary Explorer (ICE) continued its operations, Neptune. Voyager 1 has left the solar system. making solar wind measurements