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Conference 7.286::space

Title:Space Exploration
Notice:Shuttle launch schedules, see Note 6
Moderator:PRAGMA::GRIFFIN
Created:Mon Feb 17 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:974
Total number of notes:18843

512.0. "Sunspot activity harmful?" by KAOM25::TOMKINS (This MIND left blank INTENTIONALLY) Mon Mar 13 1989 12:20

     Would anyone know what the effects of the currently high levels
    of sunspot activity would have on the shuttle, its payload and the
    people on board?
     Could sunspot activity have anything to do with the province wide
    power outage today in Quebec, Canada? Apparently the Arora Borealius
    last night was supposed to have been quite spectacular for anyone
    who was at the right vantage point, ie; up north.
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512.1As long as they're not heading past the BeltsMTWAIN::KLAESN = R*fgfpneflfifaLMon Mar 13 1989 14:029
    	Not really, as they are inside the Van Allen Radiation Belts
    which circle Earth.  If the Space Shuttle were outside those belts,
    then the crew might be in danger from the radiation.  This is a
    concern for future manned Moon and planetary missions.
    
    	For more details on the STS-29 mission itself, see Topic 486.
    
    	Larry
    
512.2STAR::HUGHESMon Mar 13 1989 16:0014
    Higher inclination low earth orbits have more chance of seeing sunspot
    effects, i.e. the closer you get to the poles.
    
    At the briefing, this same question was asked and the NASA reps said it
    would not be a problem at this altitude and inclination (or any that
    the shuttle is likely to reach). It is potentially a concern for the
    TDRS links and for the deployment of TDRS-D, although the TDRS have not
    been reporting excessive heavy particle hits in the last few days.
    
    Apparently the aurorae were spectacular last night. A friend called me
    from a plane flight late at night to tell me about them, but I couldn't
    see them from my home (in Mass).
    
    gary
512.3No good telling me NOW....REPAIR::RICKETTSHave you tried kicking it?Tue Mar 14 1989 07:065
      Apparently a good auroral display was visible from much of the
    UK last night.....so I heard on the radio this morning, too late
    of course. 8*( We are coming up to a sunspot maximum, so it's expected
    that there will be a few more good shows during the next year or
    so.
512.4STAR::HUGHESTue Mar 14 1989 10:414
    FWIW, one of the local news services last night was predicting another
    good display tonight (Tuesday Mar 14).
    
    gary
512.5See also the ASTRONOMY fileANT::TRANDOLPHTue Mar 14 1989 12:482
You might want to check out LDP::ASTRONOMY. Several people (me included) sighted
the aurora last night. (Very beautiful! - hoping for a repeat tonight) -Tom R.