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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 0814.PDF
SPACEFLIGHT which enables a number of visual system requirements to be met, ranging from full colour daylight to simple monochromatic displays for head-up symbology. An interesting display of Tepigen's capabilities was seen during a low level "flight" through Dovey Valley, Wales, in a BAe Hawk. Only a real- tively small area has so far been modelled, using a number of generic features— larger areas being dependent on radar mapping data. Marconi is spending a lot of time finding out how much realism is needed in such depictions, in order to produce a system that is both realistic and affordable. Periodic vali dating features such as trees and houses clearly have to be present, but only in minimum detail for the fast jet applica tion at which Tepigen is currently aimed. For the Harrier GR.5 appli cation, Marconi believes that the "area of interest" concept is the best way of answering the RAF's tough field of view and resolution specifications. The company has no inten tion of developing a wide- angle display-type system from scratch, and does not in any case feel that this would provide adequate resolution. Instead, it is working with CAE on a display slaved in timately to eye movement, in which the instantaneous field of view can be highly detailed, the peripheral FOV less so. CAE's fibre optic helmet- mounted display has been under development for three years under a US Air Force- funded programme based at Williams Air Force base. A prototype has been built and the engineering model phase is underway. A number of other visual systems of similar type are being developed, but CAE claims that its use of fibre optics to feed the display to the pilot's eyes is unique. The company has also pioneered the idea of a 25° overlap between the displays to give a binocular effect. The deal between Marconi and CAE allows for the pair to compete together for contracts on a programme-by-pro gramme basis. The arrange ment is seen as mutually beneficial since CAE does not manufacture its own image generator and Marconi needs the marketing opportunities available to an established simulator manufacturer. Advanced shuttle studied WASHINGTON D.C. President Reagan has initiated a Nasa/US Air Force study to assess US national commercial and military launcher requirements into the next century. At the same time the President has approved Department of Defence procurement from Martin-Marietta of ten uprated Titan 34D-7 expendable launch vehicles (ELVs) worth an estimated $2,100 million. The ELVs will augment Shuttle flights starting in 1988 at the rate of two launches a year. The Titan 34D-7 is equipped with two solid-rocket boosters and is capable of placing a 10,0001b satellite into geostationary orbit. The future launcher study could lead to development in the late 1990s of a second- generation space shuttle and a new large expendable launch vehicle, possibly derived from existing Shuttle components such as the solid-rocket boost ers. The shorter-term possi bility of a fifth Shuttle Orbiter "is unlikely in the next fiscal year", says a National Secu rity Council spokesman. Rockwell has told Nasa that it could deliver a new Orbiter in 1992, given a go-ahead in 1986. The company argues that additional Orbits will be required to support the US Space Station when it becomes operational in 1993. The present fleet of four orbiters (the fourth, Atlantis, is delivered in June) will cost about $6,000 million to oper ate over 20 years, Rockwell estimates. A fifth vehicle would cost a further $2,000 million. The current Orbiter is designed for 100 missions, or 15 years of life, but this could be extended, Rockwell believes, by upgrading system components starting in the 1990s. As a first step, the company has a Nasa contract to replace Orbiter computers starting in 1988. Rockwell still sees the need for ten Orbiters to meet projected military and commercial launch require ments, including those to build and resupply the Space Station. After handing over Atlantis this summer, Rock well hopes to retain the capa bility to build one Orbiter every five years. A second-generation shut tle would be able to lift 100,0001b into equatorial orbit and 75,0001b into polar orbit, compared with 65,0001b and 40,0001b respectively for the existing Shuttle. The new vehicle would also be able to land at most US airports. Processing Navstar KENNEDY S.C. Rockwell's Navstar process ing facility at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, is scheduled to be completed in June. The first satellite to be handled will be GPS-13, a qual ification test vehicle for the larger Block 2 production versions of the global posi tioning system (GPS) space craft. The Rockwell facility will test the Navstar craft after their delivery and mate them to PAM-D2 upper stages before shipping them to the Shuttle payload integration facility. The first Block 2 flight will involve GPS-13, which is scheduled to arrive at the Cape in June 1986 for a Shuttle flight two months later. TDRS keeps its secret WHITE SANDS ~ Technical details of the timing circuit problem experi enced with the TDRS track ing and data relay satellite will not be revealed for secu rity reasons, says Nasa. The TRW-built TDRS spacecraft have encryption devices installed which protect the system switches involved from interfering signals. According to Nasa it is impossible to be more specific about the problem without exposing the nature of this protection system. During tests of TDRS 1, now in geostationary orbit, Spacecom, which operates the spacecraft on behalf of Nasa, discovered that under certain conditions timing circuits could cause errors in system switching sequences. While operating procedures have been developed to run TDRS 1 satisfactorily, this approach "is not acceptable for multiple spacecraft operations", says Nasa. The fault was confirmed in tests conducted on February 27 and 28, just days before the Shuttle Challenger was due to lift off carrying a second TDRS. Nasa decided to cancel the mission, 51E, and to remove and repair TDRS B. When TDRS B and C are, on station it is planned to place TDRS 1 in a spare location. In an operation last ing 58 days this satellite was raised to geostationary orbit in June 1983 using its attitude-control thrusters after its upper stage had malfunctioned. Astronomers observe Pluto LONDON ~ A once-in-124-years event in the solar system is presenting astronomers with a unique opportunity to observe the planet Pluto and its onfcy- known satellite, Charon. Charon and Pluto will be eclipsing each other for the next five years, during an alignment that takes place only twice during Pluto's orbit around the Sun. Charon was discovered in 1978 and Pluto-which will be nearer than Neptune to the Sun until 1999 in its highly elliptical orbit—was first detected in 1930. Slick 6 OK VANDENBERG AFB Facility verification checks using the non-flying Space Shuttle orbiter Enterprise on the SLC 6 "Slick 6" launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, have been successfully completed in preparation for a maiden launch on January 29,1986, at the earliest. Enterprise was mated to an external tank and inert solid-rocket booster, and was used to verify launch support structures on the pad. 16 FLIGHT International, 23 March 1985
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