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Aviation History
1983
1983 - 0096.PDF
SPACEFLIGHT Orbital into orbit? CHICAGO Orbital Systems may develop a new upper stage for use with Shuttle, following an agree ment signed with Nasa. The new unit would complement the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Pam D, Boeing Aerospace's IUS, and General Dynamics Centaur G (pre viously Widebody Centaur). Orbital has been discussing a privately funded upper stage with Nasa for about a year. It will now explore what role Nasa could play in such a venture. Pam D was the first Shuttle stage to be financed commer cially—IUS is paid for by the Department of Defence (DoD), while Centaur G will be supported by DoD and Nasa. If Orbital's plans mature, customers will gain a wider choice without tying up Nasa money. Intelsat caters for businessmen WASHINGTON D.C. Intelsat has outlined plans to offer worldwide business communications, as an exten sion to its provision of inter national telephone, telex, facsimilie, and data-links via satellite. The business net work would be all-digital, and would first appear in the Atlantic region. Companies would be able to obtain links through their own small, satellite ground- station, instead of depending on terrestrial lines to the nearest Intelsat dish—as happens today. Alternatively, they could use short-distance ground lines to their nearest urban gateway—a shared, medium-size, ground-station outside each city. Customers would have the choice of full, part-time, or occasional use, and would be safe against pre-emption by other users. Links would be two-way, point-to-point 126 or point-to-multipoint, and would employ K or C-band frequencies. Intelsat has published pre liminary specifications for small ground stations, which it calls Standard Es. Three sizes are envisaged, with antenna-diameters of 3-5m, 5-5m, and 7-7m. The largest of these is proposed for use at urban gateways. In entering the business communications field Intelsat will be com peting with others, such as Satellite Business Systems. • Basic monthly rent for an international "half" telephone circuit remains at $390 in 1983. Because of inflation, this represents a cost reduc tion. • Intelsat has asked the European Space Agency for Ariane launch dates of August, October, and Decem ber. These slots are for the seventh, eighth, and ninth Intelsat Vs. The three Ariane launches were ordered from ESA a while ago, but the dates are significant. • R&D budget during 1983 is $12-3 million. It covers system needs for the 1990s, materials, components, and spacecraft. • The competition to launch Intelsat VI now includes Space Transportation, which proposes use of Martin Marietta's Titan 34D. Previous offers included Space Shuttle, Ariane, and Atlas-Centaur. Challenger is late for work Nasa's sixth Space Shuttle flight has been postponed by several days to February 1, and possibly later. STS 6 is being delayed by uncertainty about a tiny hydrogen leak in Challenger's engine compart ment, following the flight- readiness firing last month. The leak is within safety margins, but Nasa is keen to understand its nature before flight. Also, some conserva tism exists because it is Challenger's first mission. There are two possible expla nations for the hydrogen escape—a leak in plumbing, or an external source. STS 6 lift-off is due between 08.00hr and ll.OOhr EST. The mission will end with a landing at Edwards AFB, California. Telex in a suitcase MOUNTAIN VIEW Nasa-Ames and General Elec tric have developed a minia ture satellite ground Telex station, capable of fitting inside two suitcases. The equipment comprises a keyboard, TV display, small computer, printer, and a fold ing antenna. It may be oper ated anywhere in North or South America, and parts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Nasa's applications tech nology satellite, ATS 3, is being used to relay signals from the terminal to other ground stations. According to Nasa, the equipment can be set up in a few minutes. The antenna is pointed toward ATS 3's position (105°W) by means of a compass, elevation- indicator, and a chart. Possible uses include provision of communications in natural disasters. Aerospatiale in trim TES MUREAUX ~ Aerospatiale has re organised its Space and Ballistic Systems division, in an effort to improve relationships and promote direct contact with custom ers. Division chief Pierre Usunier has .organised activity into six groups. The groups and their heads are: Civil Pierre Maddon Military Gerrard Payelle Industrial Jacques Utter Quality Paul Meriau Testing Jean Jamet Technical Jean Lacaze They are based at division headquarters in Les Mureaux, near Paris. Re-organisation means that the division's three sites will no longer have direct contact with cus tomers. Jean Schittenhelm becomes director of the Les Mureaux site, replacing Pierre Madon. Jean-Reamy Hugues and Lucien Trousse remain directors of Aqui- taine and Cannes, respectively. Aerospatiale's previous organisation featured central services directly below Usunier, followed by a systems group, and then the centres. Ariane and carbonfibre assembly is handled by Les Mureaux, while Aquitaine is responsible for military manufacture, such _ as missiles. Cannes is Aero spatiale's satellite-con struction site. BAe's satellite work tops £280 million STEVENAGE British Aerospace Dynamics won satellite orders worth £282 million last year. The largest of these was for Europe's direct- broadcast satellite, L-Sat, for which BAe is prime contractor. L-Sat is worth £160 million to BAe, and a contract with ESA was signed on December 30. Co-contractors Aeritalia, Fokker, Selenia, and Spar Aerospace have reached agreement with BAe on the marketing of L-Sat and its derivatives. BAe's other 1982 orders comprised £58 million for Britain's Skynet IV military communications craft, £34 million for Europe's Giotto comet probe, and £30 million on miscellaneous work. Spaceshots... Nasa has made several minor changes to its 1983 expendable-launcher schedule (Flight, December 18, 1982, page 1749). IntelsatV-F is due to fly in March instead of January, and NOAA E in March rather than February. Navy 22, a Transit Navigation satellite, is due to fly in November. Space Shuttle launches in 1983 are STS 6 in Febru ary, STS 7 in April, STS 8 in June, STS 9 in September, and STS 10 in November. All the missions feature Challenger, except STS 9 which employs a refurbished Columbia. FLIGHT International, 15 January 1983
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