Subject: Space-tech Digest #30 Contents: Paul Dietz Searching for Asteroids John Roberts Searching for Asteroids Paul Dietz Searching for Asteroids Larry Klaes An idea to get the small satellite project going again Larry Klaes Michaud's REACHING FOR THE HIGH FRONTIER ------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Wed, 3 May 89 09:22:05 EDT From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Searching for Asteroids The most recent issue of Final Frontier has a few paragraphs about a fellow named Zook at NASA who is working on an automated wide-field camera for asteroid searching. It seems very similar to the idea I mentioned before in this list: electronic imaging tied to software motion detection. According to Zook, the system will be able to see down to 23rd magnitude, seeing 1 meter diameter objects out to the moon and 100 m diameter objects out to 0.5 AU (at opposition, presumably). This system, if it is built and if it works, should locate many thousands of small near earth asteroids. An excellent use for NASA funds, IMHO. The more asteroids we know about, the easier is it to plan multiple fly-bys by a single spacecraft, and the more accessible the best candidate will be. Paul F. Dietz dietz@cs.rochester.edu Not too much faith should be put in experimental results until they are confirmed by theory. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 9 May 89 12:18:08 EDT From: John Roberts Formerly: National Bureau of Standards Sub-Organization: National Computer and Telecommunications Laboratory Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are those of the sender and do not reflect NIST policy or agreement. To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Re: Searching for asteroids >From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu >To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu >Subject: Searching for Asteroids >The most recent issue of Final Frontier has a few paragraphs about a >fellow named Zook at NASA who is working on an automated wide-field >camera for asteroid searching. It seems very similar to the idea >I mentioned before in this list: electronic imaging tied to >software motion detection. >According to Zook, the system will be able to see down to 23rd >magnitude, seeing 1 meter diameter objects out to the moon and >100 m diameter objects out to 0.5 AU (at opposition, presumably). Would information from this mechanism be close enough to real time to allow the detection of large objects on a collision course with Earth before they got here? John Roberts roberts@cmr.icst.nbs.gov ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 10 May 89 15:57:59 EDT From: dietz@cs.rochester.edu To: roberts@cmr.icst.nbs.gov Cc: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Searching for asteroids > Would information from this mechanism be close enough to real time to > allow the detection of large objects on a collision course with Earth > before they got here? Yes and no. I think it would look for asteroids at opposition (behind the earth) and would find them by noting their motion. Therefore, asteroids on final approach before collision would probably not be spotted (they don't move much across the sky, and are probably not behind the earth). However, if we find all the earth approaching objects then we can predict which are likely to come close to the earth in the next few centuries, and track the ones them very carefully. Paul F. Dietz dietz@cs.rochester.edu ------------------------------ From: klaes%renoir.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (CUP/ML, MLO5-2/G1 8A, 223-3283) Date: 15 May 89 10:49 To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu Subject: An idea to get the small satellite project going again... Newsgroups: sci.space Subject: Re: Do it yourself space-probes? Date: 13 May 89 04:27:43 GMT Reply-To: carson@tron.UMD.EDU (Dana Carson) Organization: Westinghouse Electronic Systems Group, Baltimore, MD From today's Fridaygram (Inhouse newsletter) the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has announced a competition to bring about the launch of at least three solar sail vehicles: The Columbus 500 Space Sail Cup 1992. The craft representing the Americas, Europe, and Asia will journey from high Earth orbit to the Moon and possibly Mars. The event will commerate the 500th anniversary for Columbus' "discovery" of the New World in 1492. Last December the Columbus Quincntenary Jubilee commission, established by Congress, approved the cup for 1992. Project goals include expanding the frontiers of space exploration for all peoples and fostering scientific achievments to benifit Earth's civilization. Both corporate and academic communities are expected to join forces in developing a successful solar sail entry. Followed with a contact number for Westinghouse employees interested in getting involved in design, building or contributing experiments. Dana Carson Westinghouse Electronic Systems Group Mail Stop 1615 UUCP:carson@tron.UUCP carson%tron.UUCP@umbc3.UMBC.EDU ...!netsys!umbc3!tron!carson AT&T: (301) 765-3513 WIN: 285-3513 ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 15 May 89 09:53:11 PDT From: klaes%renoir.DEC@decwrl.dec.com (CUP/ML, MLO5-2/G1 8A, 223-3283) To: space-tech@cs.cmu.edu Subject: Michaud's REACHING FOR THE HIGH FRONTIER (Pro-Space Groups). A book I highly recommend to those of you who want to join and/or form various space groups and need some background information on doing so can obtain this help from Michael A. G. Michaud's 1986 book, REACHING FOR THE HIGH FRONTIER: THE AMERICAN PRO-SPACE MOVEMENT, 1972-84, by Praeger Publishers, 521 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10175 (a division of Greenwood Press, Inc.), ISBN 0-275-92150-6 (paperback), $17.95. 436 pages. Michaud's book not only gives an excellent history of the development of U.S. (and British) space groups over the past decades, but also lists addresses of major space groups and has an excellent bibliography. The most interesting fact is that whenever NASA activity goes on the wane, pro-space group activities increase. Larry Klaes ------------------------------ End of Space-tech Digest #30 *******************