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Military vs Civilian Orbital Laboratories, Vehicles, and Crews
On Mar 12, 8:52*am, wrote:
On Mar 12, 8:28 am, wrote: The Shuttle got funded, but not without getting a huge makeover by the Airforce that dramatically increased development cost with wings engines and tiles it didn't really need and the Army, that mandated SRBs which were dangerous and low performing, in lieu of a fully reusable first stage, increased operating costs. Among with the other crazy non existent crap in your rant, The Army had nothing to do with the Shuttle Thiokol did - to the everlasting chagrin of vonBraun who wanted nothing to do with the SRBs. I count them as army. By the early 1970's there was concern that although national satellite systems were providing essential capabilities to the national and strategic levels, tactical users in the military services were not being provided adequate access to these classified systems. In 1973, the Army took the lead by establishing the Army Space Program Office (ASPO) to execute the Army Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities Program (TENCOP), serve as the unique technical and fiscal interface with the national program offices, and manage the TENCAP material acquisition. The Army's TENCAP program is based on exploiting current and future tactical potential of national capabilities and integrating these capabilities into the Army's tactical decision making process as rapidly as possible. This approach was so successful that Congress ordered all services to establish a TENCAP program based on the Army's model in 1977. National systems are designed to support strategic requirements. The ASPO leverages the national technology to provide downlinking of these strategic systems to tactical levels. This data provides and accurate and current picture of the enemy and the terrain during planning and execution. National data combined with data from other sources significantly enhances the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB). For Haiti, TENCAP systems provided the primary source of imagery directly to the JTF Commander's analysts for planning the operation and executing the initial assault. For Desert Storm, TENCAP systems provided the majority of targeting support for deep operations and imagery for IPB support of operation planning/maneuver for both XVIII and VII Corps. TENCAP systems are also a significant source of support to humanitarian efforts. For Hurricane Andrew, TENCAP systems provided the quickest and most detailed damage assessment to the task force commander. TENCAP's secondary dissemination and intelligence broadcast capabilities provide the quickest and most detailed damage assessment to the task force commander. TENCAP secondary dissemination and intelligence broadcast capabilities provide continuing awareness through all phases of operations. They provide the tactical commander the ability to "see deep" in today's battlefield and then to assess the impact of shooting deep. ASPO has developed and fielded over ninety systems to both Army and air Force tactical units. After twenty years the ASPO charter was revalidated in 1993. Today the Army TENCAP program is the largest and most successful of the individual services programs. Since the beginning of the Space shuttle Program, eight Army personnel have been selected by NASA as Space Shuttle astronauts. All have flown on Space Shuttle Missions as Mission Specialists. Additionally, one Army Warrant Officer has flown as a Payload Specialist. Applications for assignment as Space Shuttle Astronauts are submitted through the U.S. Army Personnel Command to NASA. Selection to the Astronaut Program is made by NASA. In 1980, three Army officers were assigned to the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in support roles as part of memorandum of understanding between NASA and the DA. They were the initial contingent of what became the JSC Detachment of the Army Space Agency (now the U.S. Army Space Command) in 1987. Numerous other Army personnel have subsequently filled positions in Houston, gaining space operations experience to bring back to the Army, or moving into the NASA Astronaut Corps. LTC Sherwood "Woody" Spring d. LTC Sherwood "Woody" Spring, selected by NASA in 1980, flew as a Mission Specialist on STS-61B (Atlantis) from 26 November to 3 December 1985. During the mission, the crew deployed three communications satellites. Additionally, LTC Spring and USAF MAJ Jerry Ross conducted and EVA to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing trusses in space. In January 1987, the U.S. Army Space Agency's NASA Detachment was established at Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. Army astronauts and other Army personnel working at NASA are assigned to this unit. Later in 1987, the Army presented a concept briefing to the DOD Military*Man*in*Space Prioritization Board for two manned experiments, Terra Scout and Terra Geode, to be conducted on the Space Shuttle. Terra Scout received a high priority and was manifested in September 1991. LTC James C. Adamson was a Mission Specialist on STS*28 (Columbia) which conducted a classified DOD mission from August 8 * 13, 1989. COL Adamson flew again on STS-43 (Atlantis), 2-11 August 1991, which deployed a communications satellite. MAJ Charles "Sam" Gemar flew as a mission specialist on STS*38 (Atlantis), a classified DOD mission, from 15-20 November 1990. LTC Gemar's second mission was STS-48 (Discovery), 12-18 September 1991, which deployed an atmospheric research satellite. His third flight was STS-62 (Columbia), 4-18 March 1994, a microgravity research mission where the Shuttle was lowered to 105 nautical miles, the lowest ever flown by a Space Shuttle. LTC James S. "Jim" Voss and CW3 Tom Hennen flew onboard STS-44 (Atlantis) in November 1991. During this mission a Defense Support Program (DSP) satellite was deployed with an Inertial Upper State rocket booster. Also, CW3 Hennen conducted the Terra Scout experiment. In December 1992, LTC Voss and LTC M. Richard "Rich" Clifford were crewmembers aboard STS-53 (Discovery) which carried a classified payload on the last DOD Shuttle flight. This was the first time that two Army officers were on the same shuttle flight. COL Voss' third mission was on STS-69 (Endeavour) which deployed and retrieved two research satellites. During this mission, COL Voss conducted and EVA to develop techniques to be used in the construction of the International Space Station. LTC Clifford was subsequently assigned to the crew of STS-59 (Endeavour) which conducted radar mapping of the surface and atmosphere of the earth 9-20 April 1994. His third Shuttle mission, STS-76 (Atlantis) took place in the Spring 1996. STS-76 will be the third Shuttle flight to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. MAJ Nancy J. Currie (formerly Nancy Sherlock) was a crewmember on STS-57 (Endeavour), 21 June-1 July 1993, which retrieved a European research satellite. MAJ Currie became the first Army female officer in space. Her second mission was STS-70 (Discovery), 13-22 July 1995, during which a NASA Tracking and Data Relay communications satellite was deployed. LTC William S. "Bill" McArthur served as a Mission Specialist on STS-58 (Columbia), a record seven-person life science duration medical research flight. His second flight, STS-74 (Atlantis) took place in Fall 1995. STS-74 was the second Shuttle mission to rendezvous and dock with the Russian Space Station Mir. The U.S. Air Force Space Command was activated in September 1982. In March 1983, President Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). This was a major shift in national defense philosophy from massive retaliation to an active, non-nuclear defense that would be able to defend the United States against ICBMs. Later that year, DOD formed the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization (SDIO) to manage the SDI research and development program and coordinate work within DOD. Also in 1983, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Army (VCSA) formed the Army Space Council made up of designated general officers. The Army Space Council meets periodically to coordinate actions, approve proposals and provide guidance on Army involvement in and use of space. Staff responsibilities, were, however, split among many offices within Headquarters, Department of the Army in the Pentagon. The Army Space Executive Working Group was formed to coordinate and work on space related actions, especially those that would go before the Space Council. Army Science Board In 1984, the Army Science Board studied the Army's use of space to support its missions. The board concluded that the Army made only minor use of existing space capabilities and was not active nor influential in the design and operation of most of the systems. In January 1985, the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) directed that a Space Directorate be formed at Fort Leavenworth. The Space Directorate consisted of six people assigned to the Combined Arms Combat Developments Activity (CACDA). This directorate was tasked with developing concepts, doctrine and operational requirements for the use of space to support Army operations. Army Space Initiatives Study In May 1985, General Thurman, the VCSA directed that a special study group be formed for six months to analyze how the Army should use space and the Army's role in space. The Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations and Plans (DCSOPS) of the Army directed the establishment of the Army Space Initiatives Study (ASIS) group of 30 officers from throughout the Army be formed at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas to develop a blueprint for future Army involvement and investment in space that would enhance Army land operations around the world. On 1 July 1985, the U.S. Army Strategic Defense Command was activated using the resources of the Army's Ballistic Missile Defense Command (BMDSCOM) in Huntsville, Alabama. By August 1985, the Concepts Directorate of CACDA, with assistance from the Space Directorate, had prepared an interim operational concept titled Army Space Operations. On 23 September 1985, DoD established the United States Space Command (USSPACECOM) as a unified command with its headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, Colorado. Following World War II, the U.S. military became a leader in the development and use of space. These space capabilities continue to evolve as new technology is incorporated and users place greater and greater demands on space systems. The U.S. Army has had an important role in the development and use of space systems. In the early stages of the U.S. space program, the Army was instrumental in the development of rockets and satellites. The first U.S. satellite was launched into orbit by an Army Redstone rocket. Many of the Army's rocket and satellite programs were transferred to NASA shortly after it was created in 1958. The Army has always maintained heavy involvement in the design, development and operation of space systems. Since the mid*1980's, the Army has undergone an increase in the use of space systems to support its operations. This increased use of space systems resulted in new or improved capabilities during Operation DESERT STORM. Space systems provided essential support in the areas of communications, reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition, weather, terrain analysis, position/navigation and early warning. All of the space systems used were already in existence but their incorporation into the Army was accelerated. This was the outcome of an evolutionary process that is still on*going. The U.S. space program was fragmented with efforts by the Army, Navy and Air Force. The military services were competing as hard against each other as they were against the Soviets. President Eisenhower's scientific advisor, Dr. James R. Killian, president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), was tasked to study the situation and present a recommendation to the President. The military services lobbied hard to maintain control of the nation's space effort. Influenced by the President's "Space for Peace" policy, Dr. Killian recommended the establishment of a civilian agency to handle all aspects of research and development with civilian scientists guiding the space program. While plans for this new agency were tied up in red tape, the President could not let time and events overtake our space program. He directed the establishment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) within the Department of Defense. ARPA's plans for space exploration were soon approved by the President, and in a sense ARPA was the first U.S. space agency. In June 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Act was adopted. This act created the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), effective on 1 October 1958, and gave it a broad charter for civilian aeronautical and space research. The core of NASA's facilities came from the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) which was disbanded. The Air Force would continue development of ICBMs and the Navy could continue development of sea*launched rockets although the Navy did transfer Project Vanguard and part of the Naval Research Lab to NASA in November 1958. The Army could continue to develop IRBMs but would transfer much of its rocket program to NASA. Most NASA facilities, launch sites and test ranges have been, and continue to be, built under the supervision of the Army Corps of Engineers. In 1961, the Department of Defense assigned the mission of managing and operating U.S. military space launch vehicles and satellites to the Air Force. Doubtless this is where you got the idea that the army had nothing to do with things. Well, a major army contractor then. Happy? Likely not. The Thiokol Chemical Company was founded in 1929. Its initial business was a range of synthetic rubber and polymer sealants, and Thiokol was a major supplier of liquid polymer sealants during World War II. When scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory discovered Thiokol's polymers made ideal rocket fuels, Thiokol moved into the new field, opening laboratories at Elkton, Maryland, and later production facilities at Elkton and at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama. Huntsville produced the XM33 Pollux, TX-18 Falcon, and TX-135 Nike- Zeus systems. It closed in 1996. In the mid 1950s the company bought extensive lands in Utah for its rocket test range, and continues to have major operations in the state, at Magna and Promontory Utah. home of the Space Shuttle's SRB, and its current headquarters at Brigham City. The original Shuttle design did not have SRBs, it had a liquid fueled flyback first stage - a fully reusable system. It didn't have high cross-range, and didn't need tiles or wings. It used J2 engines, and didn't need an SSME- built around the best of the Apollo hardware and experience. |
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