Westwind #69 March 1983

NWSFS

The March 1983 issue of Westwind, including a short Norwescon 6 update, a science article, book reviews, and part two of four of a look at potential catastrophes with the Space Shuttle program.

• Artist
• Too Heads are Better than Won
• Convention Calendar
• Mixed Emotion: Venus Mapping Mission
• Lauraine Miranda’s NEWSFS
• Announcements
• Norwescon 6 Update
• Serpent’s Tooth
• NASA, We’ve Got A Problem!

Steven A. Gallacci, William R. Warren, Jr.

Northwest Science Fiction Society

March 1983

Julie Zetterburg-Sardo

Contents copyright (c) 1982 for the contributors by the Northwest Science Fiction Society.

English

Westwind: Clubzine of the Northwest Science Fiction Society

March 1983 #69

[Image: Art by LAF of a winged horse mid-flight.]

artist

WESTWIND’s elegant cover illustration was deftly rendered by LISA A. FREE, a very talented lady whose expressions have graced the pages of RIGEL, The SFWA Bulletin, Owlflight, and Chaosium. She is currently working on the game design for the forthcoming RINGWORLD and a publication called Princessions. No further information is currently available on these, but thanks to Scott Scidmore for tracking this down.

FEATURES

MIXED EMOTIONS: THE VENUS MAPPING MISSION By Harry J. N. “Andy” Andruschak 5
!? A Norweseon preview by the Editors 6
NORWESCON 6 UPDATE The latest confirmed guest list 7
SERPENT’S TOOTH By Jon Gustafson, Book Review Editor 8
NASA, WE’VE GOT A PROBLEM! By Art Bozlee (Part 2 of 4 parts) 9

DEPARTMENTS

EDITORIAL 3
CALENDAR 4
NEW NWSFS MEMBERS 6
ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWSWORTHIES 6

[Image: Art by S. Fox of a dark-haired woman standing before a large, looped structure, with a starry night sky in the background.]

WESTWIND - the newsletter of the Northwest Science Fiction Society. Issue #68 - February 1983 Published by the Northwest Science Fiction Society - Judy Lorent. Chairman ([REDACTED]); Elizabeth Warren, ViceChair ([REDACTED]): Thom Walls, Sec’y-Treasurer ([REDACTED]). Opinions expressed herein arethose of the authors, and not necessarily those of the publisher.

CO-EDITORS: Steven A. Gallacci, William R. Warren, Jr. LAYOUT: Steven A. Gallacci, William R. Warren, Jr. PRINTING: Michael Brocha. LABELS: Tony Pepin. COVER: Lisa A. Free. BACK COVER: John Alexander. CONTRIBUTORS: Harry J. N. Andruschak, Jon Gustafson, Art Bozlee, NWSFS staff. INTERIOR ART: Steve Fox (Frontispiece, 4), Steve Gallacci (3), John Alexander (6,10), William R. Warren, Jr. (3, 5, 8), National Aeronautics and Space Administration SSV FAM 1107 4.3.2. (9)

Contents copyright (c) 1982 for the contributors by the Northwest Science Fiction Society. WESTWIND is mailed monthly to members of NWSFS. Membership is $10 per year. (Non-subscription, $5 per year.) Please mail to NWSFS. POB [REDACTED], Seattle WA 98124. Advertising accepted; must be received camera-ready by the 20th of the month prior to issue. Mail to NWSFS. Full page (7.5 x 10). $20; half page (7.5 x 5). $12; quarter page (3.5 x 5). $7; eighth page or business card. $5.

NWSFS Information Hotline: [REDACTED].

Too Heads are Better than Won

[Image: Art by SAG and Warren of Steve and Bill, conjoined and working at a single typewriter.]

March, the saying goes, comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb. (Nice alliteration, that.) Well, particularly in the Great Pacific Northwet, this saying takes on new and ominous overtones. Frequently during March, local lunacy and raw nerves reach new annual highs in Seattle, as the diligent convention committee for Norwescon comes to the sudden realization that the interval remaining can be easily measured in days.

There are no panics … the concomm is too professional for that (and I can say that without too much bias, since I am not on the concomm again this year) but I have worked with these people, and they never fail to amaze me. If the meetings I have attended bits and pieces of are any indication, Norwescon 6 will keep and exceed the high standards set for previous Norwescons. I certainly hope you are planning to attend and that we’ll see you here. Don’t neglect committee members when you encounter them in the halls of the beloved, strained, but nicely-trained Seattle Airport Hyatt; most of them value a kind word or a little egoboo over all the perfumes of Arabia.

If you are not intending to attend, or some major disaster prevents you from coming … you have my sympathies.

A couple of things need a little clearing up at this point. Perhaps an appropriate lead-in would be this excerpt from a letter to Westwind from Steve Berry:

Dear Steve or Bill,

Thank you (I think) for correcting the Steve Perry/Steve Berry mixup. I’m sure that Steve Perry was tickled to find out that he is not the secretary of the Portland Science Fiction Society.

I cannot help but wish, however, that it was my story that was to be published in OMNI. Oh, well, back to the typewriter…

Steve G. did a nice job as editor of WESTWIND. Bill, you have a tough act to follow ….

—– Steve Berry

First impressions first. Yes, Steve, I would have a tough act to follow. Great credit is due to the entire Gallacci clan— Loretta and Steve made a marvellous editorial team, brother Greg was invaluable with his own editorial contributions … that and a word processor with which he is on very intimate terms (Westwind will run announcements regarding the honeymoon plans once they are finalized) and brother John, whose art graced several of the last few issues (not least of which included the back cover of the Norwescon 6 PR issue in January).

Well, all, fret not. Loretta, Greg and John are fissioning, each moving into domiciles of their own; Steve is virtually singlehandedly wrestling the copious tasks related to chairing the Norwescon 6 art show, and yes, I am moving into an editorial position with Westwind … Steve and I are now co-editors of this publication (I am merely handling most of this issue to free Steve’s hands for NWC), and I deeply regret any confusion, misunderstandings, or understandable misgivings anyone may have had at the idea of a scatterbrained artist like myself taking the magazine solo. Yes, I have been involved with it for a long time, and yes, I do care that it keep up its admirable and hard-won reputation … but I’m not fool enough to take over the whole ball of wax at a bite and exclude all the others.

I have been assembling the 'wind for a couple of days now, and I really need to express my gratitude to all of the Gal- laccis for their devotion to this huge, complicated, and often frustrating job. I believe (and hope) that Steve and I will be able to continue to produce the 'zine together, and that we can improve its relevance to you as a reader. Your comments and suggestions, fillos, articles, short fiction, or general nattering will be very much appreciated.

So for now — enjoy! And I hope we see you here at Norwescon, March 17–20!

—Bill Warren (The other real one.)

convention calendar

Mar 17–20: NORWESCON 6. SeaTac Hyatt Hotel, $49 ([REDACTED]). GoH Jack Williamson, AGoH Richard Powers, FGoH Art Widner, TM A J Budrys. All the fun and excitment of NORWESCON, again, plus an expanded Art Show, more closed-circuit TV, and panels and films and the Dragon Lady’s hospitality and the biggist Meet the Pros Party and the Masquerade (Spontaneous category back!) and all the rest. Memberships $20 to 3/1, $25 door. Info NWSFS POBox [REDACTED], Seattle WA 98124

Mar 18–20: FANTASY WORLDS FESTIVAL. Oakland Airport Hyatt. Guests Octavia Butler, Patricia Shaw Matthews, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Katherine Kurtz, Alicia Austin, others. Info Box [REDACTED], Berkley CA 94701. (We did not mean to compete with them, honest!)

Mar 27: Phoenix IX. Portland Masonic Temple. Guests Luke McDonnell & Steve Mitchell. Comic art and SF. $1 door. Info Second Genesis [REDACTED].

Apr 15–17: VIKINGCON 4. Bellingham. Guests Theodore Sturgeon, Wendy Pini, Ed Bryant, Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle. Info SF&F Club. WWU Viking Union, Bellingham WA 98225 [REDACTED].

Apr 29-May 1: TREASURECON. War Bonnet Inn, Billings, MT. Guests C.J. Cherryh, Robert Asprin, Steve Jackson. Emphasis on gaming. Memberships $20. Info c/o Barjon’s, [REDACTED] 1st Ave N., Billings MT 59101.

May 13–15: EUCON. Eugene Hilton $41 flat, $49 quad [REDACTED]. Guests Spider & JeanneRobinson, Dean Ing, Charles N Brown. Memberships $15 to 4/30, $17 door. Info Box [REDACTED], Eugene OR 97440.

May 20–22: V-CON Eleven. Richmond Inn, [REDACTED] Richmond BC, C$53 flat. GoH Frank Herbert, AGoH William R Warren Jr, FGoH Elizabeth “Dragon Lady” Warren, TM Georges Giguere. Back to a good-sized hotel again, back to the good times at V-Con. Memberships C$15 to May 7, C$18 door. Info POB [REDACTED] Bentall Centre, Vancouver BC V7X 1A2 Canada.

May 28–30: FUTUREFEST '83. Seattle Trade Center in downtown Seattle. Oberon Mediamagic. Info [REDACTED] 130 Ave NE, Bellevue WA 98 00 5, [REDACTED] (24 hours).

July 4th Weekend: WESTERCON 36. San Jose Red Lion Inn. GoH Phil Klass (William Tenn), AGoH Alicia Austin, FGoH Tom Whitmore. TM Damon Knight. Info [REDACTED] Center [REDACTED], Berkeley, CA 94704.

Jul 15–17: SPOKON. Spokane Sheraton. GoH David Eddings, FGoH Jon Gustafson, TM F.M. Busby. Memb. $10 to 3/1, $12 to 6/1, $15 door. Info [REDACTED] E. Broadway, Spokane WA 99206.

Sep 1–5: WorldCon 41 Constellation. GoH John Brunner, FGoH Dave Kyle, TM Jack Chalker. Hugo Awards, Masquerade, and everything else. Memberships: supporting $15 to 7/15, attending $40 to 7/15, higher at door. Info Box [REDACTED], Baltimore MD 21203.

Sep 23–25: MOSCON.

Nov 11–13: ORYCON 5. Portland Hilton $45/50/55. GoH Octavia Butler. Membership $12 til 5/31, $15 til 10/3. Info POB [REDACTED], Portland OR 97214.

Jun 29-Jul 3, 1984: Westercon 37. Portland Marriott Hotel $37/42/45. GoH Harlan Ellison, FGoH F.M. & Elinor Busby, TM Ed Bryant. Rates $20 til 7/4/83, supporting $9. Info POB [REDACTED], Portland OR 97216.

Aug 30-Sep 3, 1984: WorldCon 42 LA Con III. Anaheim Convention Center. GoH Gordon Dickson, FGoH Dick Eney. Memb. $30 til 4/30/83, $40 til 12/31/83. Info POB [REDACTED], Van Nuys CA 91409.

[Image: Drawing by S. Fox of a figure with bushy hair wearing a tunic and utility belt and a gas mask.]

MIXED EMOTION: VENUS MAPPING MISSION

By Harry J. N. Andruschak

[Image: Art by Warren of a Voyager-style space probe orbiting and scanning Venus.]

The 1984 Budget has been submitted to Congress. Here at JPL, we have mixed feelings about it. To be sure, we still have funding for the Galileo Mission to Jupiter. We have funding for the Centaur Upper Stage to launch it in 1986.

What we don’t have is the fifth Shuttle. 1984 is probably the last year that we can get the fifth shuttle started. After that, production lines must close, and it would be cheaper to design a whole new shuttle rather than re-start. But that new shuttle would cost much more than the proposed fifth orbiter.

Also in the proposed NASA budget is a new planetary start, the first since 1978 if it goes through. It is the Venus Mapping Mission, or VMM. It is a cheap version of what was once called the Venus Orbiting Imaging Radar … VOIR. VOIR was designed to map the entire planet down to a resolution of 100 meters. About 5% of the planet would be mapped with resolution down to 20 meters.

VMM will only map the planet down to 1,000 meters, and at best cover 70% of the planet, missing the polar regions. It is a third-rate mission whose only virtue is that it cost half of what VOIR would have. It also gives us a new start, to keep the spacecraft teams together.

However, just because VMM is in the budget does not mean it will get off the ground. Reagan cancelled the American International Solar-polar spacecraft after we had spent $100 Million on it. We spent about $50 Million on the cancelled Halley Comet intercept probe and the VOIR craft. Getting a start in 1984 does not mean we will lift off in 1988.

In fact, a few cynics are saying that VMM was put into the budget to be cut when the axe falls later this year. In fact, it may well be that the only way to get that fifth shuttle is to cancel VMM. Working at JPL, it would hurt to cut VMM … but we will need that fifth orbiter! If I had to choose, I would vote for the Shuttle, and cry myself to sleep.

Please write to your Congresscritters on the NASA budget, asking for BOTH the fifth Shuttle orbiter and the VMM.

[Ad: Ride Wanted - California
Carbon-based/Oxygen breathing life form seeks ground transport Santa Rosa CA to/from NORWESCON. Willing to share gas/driving. and I have an adjustable schedule. Call [REDACTED] or [REDACTED] and ask for Wendell Joost III.]

lauraine miranda’s newsfs

John L. Barnes
April Thovson
Gene Johnson
Glen Day

[Image: Art by Alexander of a dragon-like creature flying over a rocky landscape.]

!?

Since some of you poor, unenlightened individuals are reading this issue of Westwind from the (relative) comfort and safety of your own homes, rather than amid the mayhem, madness, confusion, and wonderful company of the congoers at Nor- wescon, the Editors would like to tell you a little about the spectacular programming you’re missing.

—AIRBORNE TO ORBIT (Tucson D Ballroom, Thursday)…Flight testing the new rocket-assist foot-launch hang gliders at El Paso.

—The Solitary Sasquatch (Phoenix F, Saturday)… The publisher of a new N.W. fanzine discusses hazards of storing electro-stencils in the basement.

—DOWN MAMMARY LANE (Portland C & E, Sunday) …What always seemed to happen when the buxom pulp-cover ladies' brass bras got cold? Several Northwest artists scrutinize

—ELEMENTARY SMOFFING (Albany Meeting B&C, Friday)… You don’t have to be a member of the Bavarian Illuminati, but it helps. More long-held secrets will be unveiled to those who can find this panel.

—THE GOLDEN GALOSH AWARDS (Salem B, Monday) …Ruritanian Fandom’s salute to the best in mis-translated SF.

—FILM PREVIEW: TALES OF THE CREEPING SLIME MOLD (Sub-basement Maintenance Duct 44G-6, Friday Midnight)… Bring some formaldehyde to this one, just in case.

—LATE-DEADLINE FANLINE FILLER PENAL PANEL (Tegucigalpa Z, Monday midnight) … Two local clubzine editors give tips on filling space in fanzines that should have been occupied by news with invented convention programming. Advertisers are invited to attend this enlghtening lecture.

Announcements

ALTHOUGH we got the news a little too late for inclusion in the February issue of Westwind, we feel it’s important to note that Victoria Poyser has a one-person show going at presstime with the prestigious Edward Fimbres Fine Arts Gallery in New York City. The show opened to a champagne reception on Friday, February 25th, and is slated to close on March 16th.

Victoria, who was introduced to fandom through Norwescon, has won two Hugos for best fan artist (1981 and 1982) and is currently living in New York, where she is keeping a busy schedule as one of the rising-est cover illustrators from the past several years. On display at the show are cover paintings from books published by DAW, TOR, Doubleday, and Timescape. Prints of same are available also.

While we regret being unable to offer this announcement earlier, Westwind and all of NWSFS offer sincere congratulations and wishes for continued success and growth to Victoria and Kipy. Kudos!!

NORTHWEST regional conventions are coming so fast and furious nowadays that they’re beginning to butt heads; for this reason, a group in Vancouver has decided to compile a Pacific Northwest Convention Co-ordination Calendar. The region to be covered will include Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, et al. If you are planning a convention, contact P.N.W.C.C.C. c/o PO Box [REDACTED] Station E, Vancouver BC Canada V6M 4G4. Donations OK.

HITCHHIKERS interested in touching bases with the honest-to-Colluphid Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy appreciation society in England, take note: ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha wants American froods to get the inside line to present and future goings-on re: the Guide. This nonprofit club produces a quarterly newsletter, Gargle Blaster, and a substantial merchandise list. US funds work out to 5.50/year and should be sent to ZZ9 Plural Z Alpha, [REDACTED] Northbrook Road, Aidershot, Hants, GU11 3HE, U.K. Hoopy!!

FUTUREFEST informs us that Leonard Nimoy’s agents jumped the gun in accepting. They assure WESTWIND’S editors that numerous guests will be present, including George Takei, Bibi Besch, Bjo Trimble and David Prowse. See the Con Calendar (pp4)for more.

NORWESCON 6 UPDATE

NORWESCON has gained an admirable name for itself over the years by attracting uncommonly large numbers of attending pros, and this year is no different. As of press time, here is a partial list of confirmed guests for Norwescon 6.

Guest of Honor: Jack Williamson
Art Guest of Honor: Richard Powers
Fan Guest of Honor: Art Widner
Toastmaster: Algis Budrys

Susan Allison, Darrel Anderson, Kim Antieau, Michael Armstrong, Robin W. Bailey, Jim Baen, Wayne Barlowe, Steven Bryan Bieler, Linda Blanchard, Jesse F. Bone, Art Bozlee, David Brin, Charles Brown, Mildred Downey Broxon, F.M. Busby, Elinor Busby, Frank Catalano, Michael Coney, Joel Davis, John DeCamp, J. Ray Dettling, Ted Dikty, Steve Dimeo, Sharman DiVono, Judi Dyer, G.C. Edmondson, Elton Eliot, Dale Enzenbacher, Jane Fancher, Robert Frazier, Sidney Ganis, Maureen Garrett, Richard Gauger, William Gibson, Janet Gluckman, Sherry Gottlieb, Jon Gustafson, George Harper, Fred Harris, David Hartwell, Marilyn Holt, Wayne Hooks, Howard Kazanjian, Jim Kingsley, Karl Krogstad, Stephan Lester, Megan Lindholm, Jerry Loomis, Elizabeth A. Lynn, George R.R. Martin, Cyn Mason, Julian May, Shawna McCarthy, Michael W. McClintock, Vonda N. McIntyre, Patricia McKillip, Robin McKinley, Mario Milosevic, Debbie Notkin, Alan E. Nourse, Gene O’Neill, Ted Pederson, Steve Perry, Victoria Poyser, Richard Purtill, Michael Reaves, Frank M. Robinson, Kim Runciman, Joanna Russ, Jessica A. Salmonson, Stephen Schlich, Stanley Schmidt, Jody Scott, Bradley H. Seiner, Wendy A. Shultz, Stephanie Smith, Julie A. Stevens, J.T. Stewart, Bruce Taylor, Gene Van Troyer, Eric Vinicoff, Jeff Walker, Carl Waluconis, William R. Warren Jr., Terry Windling, Teni Zuber

[Ad: White Center’s GEMINI BOOK EXCHANGE & COMIC CENTER
Specialties: Science Fiction & Westerns

[REDACTED] 16th Avenue SW • Near Roxbury Street
Seattle, WA 98106 • Phone [REDACTED]

DONALD D. KEEFE
CWO-4. USAF, Retired
Proprietor
ROBERT D. HACK
Manager

Visit our store for a very pleasant surprise! We have nearly 9,000 used science fiction paperback books, one of the largest supplies in the Northwest. And, as Seattle’s Super Shopper paperback book says about our store: “No dusty bins or rickety shelves here! This used bookstore stands out compared to many, because it is a spacious, new looking, modern, clean shop.” Try it, you’ll like it!

Our prices are competitive! We sell most used science fiction paperback books for about 1/2 price, plus 20¢. And to encourage sales, we will lower our price for NWSFS members showing us this ad in a current WestWind, by 10% for cash purchases over $6, or 15% for cash purchases over S12. Also, for SF trade-ins, we usually give trade-in credit equal to 1/2 of our regular SF selling price.

Don Keefe, the original owner of the store, repossessed it in Nov 81, after an 18 month absence. No more irregular hours! The store is open from 11 am to 6 pm - Mon thru Sat, excluding holidays. It is located in White Center in S.W. Seattle, sandwiched between Burien, West Seattle, and South Park. For directions on how to reach the store, please dial [REDACTED].]

SERPENT’S TOOTH

JON GUSTAFSON

[Image: A fanged snake curled up and reading a book.]

“The Draggin' Readers of Porn”
Bland McCaffeine

One of the most interesting books I’ve come across in a long time isn’t even science fiction. It’s The Grand Tour (Workman Publishing, 1981) with illustrations by Ron Miller and William K. Hartmann and text by (I’m assuming; it doesn’t really say) both. It is just what the title implies: a grand tour of the solar system, with many photos and lots of gorgeous full-color paintings by Miller and Hartmann taking us where the cameras have not yet ventured. Rather than taking you from the scorching Mercury to frigid Pluto, as most popular astronomy books do, this one takes you from the largest… the almost-star Jupiter… to the smallest, the asteroids and comets. Miller and Hartmann are two of the very best and most meticulous of today’s astronomical artists, and their work for this book is mind boggling! They have the ability to make the reader/observer feel as if he has actually stood on the dunes of Mars, or watched the volcanoes of Io erupt, or skimmed the cloud tops of Saturn. The writing in the book? Oh, yes, there was some, and quite entertaining and informative it was, too. But, my oh my, those pictures! I’m not sure how to recommend this book highly enough, but recommend it I do!!

Jack Williamson and Frederik Pohl’s Farthest Star (Ballantine/Del Rey, #30700, $2.75) is an excellent example of collaboration as an art form. This is a strange novel, also, showing that one plus one does not always equal two where two such inventive minds are concerned. The story revolves around Ben ( ) Pertin … the ( ) is for whichever middle name his latest duplicate uses … who is matter-duplicated off to various parts of the universe. These duplicates usually don’t live too long, due to the inimical nature of most of the places he’s sent. His latest assignment is to a peculiar world called “Cuckoo”, a world that has very low gravity despite a mass about the same as that of our sun (it’s about two A.U. in diameter … and hollow). It also seems to be livable, since it has examples of most, if not all, the major intelligent races in the galaxy represented on its surface. Since it was spotted approaching our galaxy, the questions fly thick and furious: Who built it? Where did it come from? The ideas in this fascinating novel are a curious mixture of old and new, the writing tight and engrossing. Flaws? Yes, a few, but generally overwhelmed by the substance of this book. I recommend it strongly.

NASA, we’ve got a problem!

Nonfiction by Art Bozlee

[Image: Diagram of a space shuttle with various parts separated and individually labeled.]

(In Part One, found in the February issue of WESTWIND, contributing editor Art Bozlee stated the disturbing opinion of several experts on American spaceflight technology: the U.S. is going to lose a Shuttle orbiter, payload, and crew before that vehicle reaches the end of its service life. While the American space program enjoys a remarkably safe record, the literally billions of systems and components of this vehicle make a catastrophic failure almost a certainty.

The main topics to be covered include the various forms human error can take: these will be discussed in the next issue. The last issue addressed itself to the failures possible in the intricate computer systems, some of which have already occurred, and the implications of such a failure during a critical phase of flight. Unforeseen problems cannot be fully addressed, but it is likely that exactly such a problem will cause the most disastrous results.)

Part 2: Mechanical Systems Failures

The mechanical systems on Shuttle consist of the airframe and the rocket engines used in flight. Of all the areas we will explore, the mechanical systems provide the most probable causes of an in-flight failure.

The Space Shuttle Main Engines (SSME’s) are the first systems we will examine. The SSME’s are perhaps the highest expression of the rocket builder’s art. Burning a combination of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen, they produce 375,000 pounds of thrust each, while weighing only 6700 pounds. No other rocket engine in history operated at this efficiency. Three of these engines are used on each Shuttle.

Despite this level of sophistication, the SSME’s and their related systems are capable of producing fatal in-flight failures. Each of the three SSME’s can gimbal (that is, they can swing on their mounts) to steer the spacecraft during the ascent phase of flight. During the first seven seconds of flight, the vehicle passes very closely to the launch tower structure. Should one or more of the SSME’s lock onone of the extremes of gimbal travel (a gimbal lock), it is unlikely the remaining operational engines could steer the vehicle. Striking the launch tower is a likely result. Given the very fragile nature of the spacecraft, the probable outcome would be fatal .

If this same gimbal lock should occur later in the flight, we may expect to see an in-flight destruct signal being sent to the spacecraft by the ground controllers. Hopefully, this would allow the crew to separate the orbiter from the rest of the vehicle before this command is sent.

The SSME’s are not the only engines that can abort a flight during the launch phase. The Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB’s) are the largest solid-fueled engines ever built, and are the first engines of that type to be used in manned spaceflight. These boosters are slightly over 149 feet long, 12.4 feet in diameter, and generate 2.65 million pounds of thrust each. Like the SSME’s, the thrust nozzles of the SRB’s can gimbal to steer the vehicle during ascent. While the SSME’s gimbal on a solid mechanical bearing, a multi-layer cloth bearing is used for thrust vector control on the SRB’s. On the first Shuttle flights, seven of the ten layers of this cloth burned through. This was far in excess of the amount of burn-through that was expected. If all ten layers of cloth had burned through, the thrust vector of the SRB would be radically altered. At the very least, the spacecraft could be sent spinning out of control with little chance to correct the condition. One of the reasons that solid boosters were chosen for the Shuttle was their reliability. However, it is evident that even reliable, well-understood systems can malfunction.

[Image: Art by Alexander of the Space Shuttle coming in for a landing.]

Once the spacecraft reaches orbit, risks are greatly reduced, but not eliminated. Of all the structures on the spacecraft, the payload bay doors are the most fragile. They offer one of the more plausible disaster scenarios. Assume that the doors are damaged in such a manner that they cannot be properly closed. Since these doors provide much of the structural strength of the vehicle, it isconceivable that the spacecraft could break up on re-entry. It isn’t all that difficult to damage a door. One of the more probable ways a door can suffer damage is upon impact with a satellite, during either deployment or recovery.

NASA has offered the crews only two alternatives if a door is seriously damaged. The first is to attempt a normal re-entry and landing. Re-entry is a hazardous operation under the best of circumstances, but to accomplish it with a damaged spacecraft possessing questionable structural integrity is an open invitation to disaster. However, after the fourth shuttle, ATLANTIS, is operational, a rescue flight would be made. The crew would be told to sit tight, reduce the expenditure of consumables as much as possible, and wait for the cavalry to come to the rescue. This asks the important question: What does one do with an abandoned spacecraft in orbit? That is a question for the international lawyers and diplomats to worry over.

To orient the spacecraft while in orbit and for brief periods during re-entry, the Reaction Control System (RCS) is used. The RCS consists of 38 primary thrusters, and six vernier (secondary) thrusters. The primary thrusters produce 870 pounds of thrust apiece, while the vernier thrusters provide 24 pounds each. They are arrayed in three groups; one at the nose of the spacecraft, and a group apiece in each of the two Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) pods flanking the tail. With the knowledge this system is vitally important to the success of any Shuttle flight, we can now examine the results of a plausible RCS failure.

The absolute worst case would probably be a thruster that sticks on (that is, it continuously fires until the propellant is exhausted or it is turned off by disabling the malfunctioning unit) during the deployment or recovery of a satellite. This could have a snowball effect if the satellite should strike the payload bay doors (as previously mentioned), damage the tiles, or even puncture the flight deck area of the orbiter. This snowballing of troubles would be a disaster of epic proportions. If all the RCS fuel is expended by the stuck thruster, the spacecraft could not even attempt a re-entry, since the RCS thrusters are used to control the spacecraft’s attitude during that phase of flight. The above mentioned rescue option would be one alternative, but it assumes the availability of a rescue ship. This is not probable until all four Shuttle orbiters are operational.

The problem of a flight deck rupture is one that is immediate and, most likely, fatal. In the early days of manned space flight, the pilots wore pressure suits to protect them from a sudden capsule depressurization. On the APOLLO program, the suits were tested by live subjects for a period of five days (the length of time it could take to return from an aborted lunar mission). Five days is a long time to spend in a space suit. (Question: where do you think the original research for disposable diapers came from?) On Shuttle, the crew is in ordinary flight suits. Certain crewmembers will not even be issued pressure suits for some missions. A sudden depressurization (in this case, one that takes several minutes at the most) will not give Shuttle’s crew any chance for survival. The ground controllers will know what happened by examining the telemetry, but will be absolutely unable to assist. Here, too, we are left with the problem of what to do with a spacecraft orbiting the Earth … with a cargo of dead people. Another one for the lawyers.

The tile trouble is one that has received extensive attention from the press. The tiles in question form the heat shield of the spacecraft. A little over 70% of Shuttle’s surface is covered with this ceramic marvel. Before the first shuttle flight, the tiles caused no end of frustrations and dark mutterings. Despite the best efforts of the technicians, tiles refused to stay glued to the orbiter’s skin aluminum. The engineers began to mumble under their breaths about leprosy. In one of the quickest fixes in aerospace history, a method of increasing the area that the glue (which was very similar to silicone rubber bathroom caulking) could adhere to was developed. Regardless, some of the tiles still refused to stay on. As late as the fourth flight, tiles were observed to come unglued in flight. So far, we have been very lucky. If a tile is damaged, the skin of the spacecraft is exposed to the searing heat of re-entry. Since the skin can only withstand a temperature of 350°F, it is easy to see that re-entry without tiles is impossible. The underside of the spacecraft receives the bulk of the re-entry heat, and is therefore most vulnerable. Referring back to our satellite impact scenario, let’s assume two situations. In one, the underside of the spacecraft is damaged, and in another, the top (let’s say the upper surface of the wing) is damaged.

First off, one myth needs to be put to rest. At one time, the engineers thought that if one tile were missing, tiles near the affected area would fall off as well. This was called the “zipper effect”. It now appears that the zipper effect doesn’t occur. If underside damage is present, the aluminum skin will burn through, and many very critical structures will be destroyed. High on the list of vital systems would be the main computers, landing gear structures, and possibly even the flight deck. The crew dies, and the orbiter is destroyed. Assuming that the upper surface of the wing is damaged, a chance does exist to get home intact, but it is slim. At the very least, the spacecraft will not be spaceworthy for some time.

We have explored several ways that the structure and systems on Shuttle carry the seeds of their own destruction. At present, nothing short of a complete vehicle redesign will enable us to eliminate these weaknesses.

(To be continued in the April issue.)

[Image: A woman in a parka holds a shotgun, with a sabre-toothed cat standing guard by her side.]

A Westwind Subscription is included in NWSFS membership, at $10.00 per year. Westwind is mailed during the first week of each month.

Contributions of art, reviews, articles, etc., are welcome. Deadline is the 20th of the month prior to issue.

P.O. BOX [REDACTED] SEATTLE, WA. 98124

Advertising is accepted - see page 2