Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ut-sally.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!hao!seismo!ut-sally!jsq From: jsq@ut-sally.UUCP (John Quarterman) Newsgroups: net.followup Subject: Re: Alternate Energy & Microwaves Message-ID: <3082@ut-sally.UUCP> Date: Wed, 15-Aug-84 12:39:35 EDT Article-I.D.: ut-sally.3082 Posted: Wed Aug 15 12:39:35 1984 Date-Received: Sat, 18-Aug-84 02:09:09 EDT References: <4196@utzoo.UUCP> <369@utastro.UUCP> <762@dual.UUCP> Organization: U. Texas CS Dept., Austin, Texas Lines: 18 On putting astronomers in the space station: Actually, the planned space station will be in low earth orbit, quite a ways below geosynchronous orbit, which is the most likely place for power satellites. The astronomers would at least not have to contend with Earth's atmosphere, but they'd still have the power satellites in plain view. The space station is mostly for industrial research, anyway. A useful place for astronomers would be the L2 Terra-Luna libration point, which is a (more or less) stable point above the far side of the moon: no atmosphere, no interference from most light sources on earth or in most likely earth orbits. This is preferable to an observatory on the lunar far side itself because of ease of access. Or at least I'd think so. Doubtless some opinions from astronomers will follow up.... -- John Quarterman, CS Dept., University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712 USA jsq@ut-sally.ARPA, jsq@ut-sally.UUCP, {ihnp4,seismo,ctvax}!ut-sally!jsq