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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 2183.PDF
IAF REPORT IAF SPACESHOTS Dbrnier has been awarded a Martin Marietta contract to provide the dual-satellite deployment system for the Commercial Titan III. Mar tin Marietta says it has no plans to market the smaller Titan II or large Titan IV. LTV is expected to enter the commercial launch vehicle market with Scout, taking on private companies Amroc and Space Services to trans port payloads to low Earth orbit. Space Services mean while plans a geostationary orbit version of its Conestoga booster. Another private company, E Prime Aero space, has now entered the market. General Dynamics expects to conduct two commercial launches of Atlas Centaur in 1989, building up to eight a year using two pads at Cape Canaveral after 1992. Spacelab has upgraded its Space Shuttle mid-deck augmentation module. It now has an independent environ mental control system, increased power capacity, and is hooked up to the Shuttle's thermal control system. A first flight is expected in 1991 carrying Nasa and Govern ment payloads, but commer cial flights may not begin until 1994. Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory is considering procurement of five small, low-cost satellites for a dedi cated astronomy mission. Surrey Satellite Tech nology of Guildford is offer ing satellites based on its Uasat, and Newbury-based Satellites International offers a similar service. A western customer is at the Soviet Baikonur Cosmo drome reviewing launch facili ties with a view to signing the first commercial Proton contract. The company is not thought to be US, since Secre tary of State George Schultz has reiterated his order that no US satellites be "exported" into the Soviet Union. Nasa concedes a Shuttle delay of a "few months", and says the Magellan Venus Radar Mapper may be manifested for the third flight to ensure a launch in April 1989. Further delays would see Magellan postponed to a more favourable launch window providing a shorter journey time. Nasa is deter mined to send Galileo on its protracted journey to Jupiter in November 1989. A Titan launch of Mars Observer earlier than 1992 is possible. Despite revealing plans for more than 20 derivatives of the Long March family, China seems to have narrowed its range to seven, including the CZ-1, 2, and 3. Four new versions are the CZ-2-4L, capable of carrying 9,000kg to low Earth orbit; CZ-3A, with a 2,500kg GTO capability; CZ-3A-4L carrying 4,000kg to GTO; and the CZ-4 (a CZ-3 with new upper stage) which can place 1,500kg in Sun-synchronous orbit. McDonnell Douglas is plan ning an uprated version of its Pam-D upper stage, desig nated Pam-D3. This will be able to carry a 2,720kg payload to GTO. Two Pam- D3s could be used in the dual- satellite version of the Martin Marietta Commercial Titan III. Pam is also being consid ered for use on the CZ-2-4L to give the vehicle GTO capabil ity. Studies presented by Space Frontiers have revealed that one still photo exists of Neil Armstrong on the lunar surface. It had been assumed that most surface pictures were taken by Armstrong himself and although Buzz Aldrin was given the camera for a short period, did not take a photo of Armstrong. Years of tracking, however, with the aid of research by Keith Wilson, have identified one photo showing Armstrong in shadow, working at the lunar module. The Nasa picture number is ASll-40-5886. Martin Marietta is the second of two companies to be awarded contracts by Nasa to study techniques including aerobraking, for landing spacecraft on Mars and returning samples to Earth. Lockheed is the other. Intelsat has approved the release of a request for up to nine Intelsat VII satellites. First launch will be in 1992. Leeders in high pressure sealing Lee Plugs An industry standard for over 30 years in critical hydraulic systems. i NoLe No Lockin Device An easily extractable design with more than 200 material and size options. No Information? No Problem! Contact Lee Products Limited The Vale, Chalfont St. Peter, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 9SU: Telephone: (0753) 886664 Telex: 847638 Fax: (0753) 889588 novation in miniature. LIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 24 October 1987 37
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