THE MICHIGAN DAISY
Page Seven
T H I H G N D I YP g e e
Join The Daily
CIRCULATION DEPT.
Come in any afternoon
420 Maynard
U'students design moon satellite
'4
t
BUY.OR.LEV'.. A
A group of aerospace engin-
eering students at the Univer-
sity have developed preliminary
plans for a satellite which would
createa communications link
between earth and astronauts
on the far side of the moon.
The 872-pound craft, which
the students have named "Lin-
us," would eliminate the 40-
minute communications black-
out which now gives astronauts
and ground controllers the jit-
ters whenever orbiting Apollo
spacemen swing behind the
moon.
The satellite would allow the
U.S. space program to contin-
ue beyond the Apollo 20 mission
by permitting manned surface
exploration of the moon's back
side.
At present, the communica-
tions blackout prevents this.
Linus would provide the link
from a "halo" orbit in which
t h e satellite would appear to
circle slowly around a po in t
about 40,000 miles beyond the
moon. Actually, the satellite
would be orbiting th e earth,
timed to coincide with the
movement of the moon.
From its position beyond the
moon, Linus could also aid com-
munications with unmanned
probes beyond the moon.
Linus was designed by a team
of 16 engineering seniors for an
aerospace system design course
taught by Prof. Wilbur C. Nel-
son. The project took 15 weeks.
The preliminary design feas-
ibility study developed by the
students was presented last
month to representatives of in-
dustry and the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administra-
tion (NASA).
Nelson said he is optimistic
that NASA will continue devel-
opment of the project because
Linus, or a similar satellite,
would be "absolutely required
to allow maneuvers on the back-
side of the moon."
Without the satellite, Nelson
said, even an unmanned land-
ing on the far side of the moon
would be useless because there
.is no way of communicating
with such a .probe.
If NASA decides to proceed
with the project, Linus could be
launched within three years,
Nelson added. He said Linus was
the "first serious design study
done in this area."
The satellite is designed to be
launched from Cape Kennedy
by a three stage thrust-aug-
mented Thor Delta rocket. It
would be guided to its orbital
P
TEXTBOOKS
UP TO 3 OFF
U LRICH'S
The Student's Bookstore
would be guided to its orbital students' work.
position by sensors pointed at
the sun, the moon and the star
Canopus.
Linus looks something like a
10-foot pie plate with two large
rectangular paddles attached.
The pie plate is a parabolic an-
tenna, and the paddles are solar
panels which convert sunlight
into electrical power f o r the
crafts transmitting and receiv-
ing equipment. This equipment
is housed in a cylinder two-and-
a-half feet deep and four feet
across, located behind the an-
tenna.
Because the craft's halo . or-
bit would be somewhat unstable,
Linus would be equipped with
tiny rockets to provide weekly
"station-keeping" orbit correc-
C tions.
Linus is the tenth in a series
of satellite projects d o n e by
Nelson's classes. Previous pro-
jects have included preliminary
design feasibility studies for a
Mars hard-lander probe and a
Jupiter probe. Nelson s a y s
NASA is moving ahead in these
areas, partly on the basis of the
students' work.
I
...
CLOTHING
..........
Z " '.1 . " ' .S,. :
DAILY OFFICIAL
BULLETIN
(Continued from Page 6)
School will be on campus Jan. 13 to
discuss admission policies and general
info. with interested students. Ad-
vance appointments, Mrs. Bennett. 764-
0312 or in 1223 Angell Hall.
Anatomy Seminar: The development of
the dentition in its relation to cran-
lofacial growth. Dr. Frans P.G.M. van
der Linden. Center for Human Grov,'th
and Development, Univ. and Faculty of
Medicine, Dpt. of Arthodontics, Univ.
of Nymegen, Jan. 14, 4804 Med. Sci.,
II, 1 p.m.
ISMR Mental Retardation Colloquium:
Dr. Jane R. Bercer Assoc. Prof. of
Sociol., Univ. of aVlifornia, Riverside,
"Who is Normal? Two Perspectives on
Mild Mental Retardation." Jan. 21,
Sch rling Aud., School of Ed., 1 p.m.
To Members of the University Facul-
ty: The Michigan Memorial-Phoenix
Project invites requests for grants to
support research in "peaceful uses of
nucle r energy." New research ideas and
pilot projects particularly encouraged.
Relationship to peaceful uses of nuc-
lear,. energy however, must be clearly
stated in the application. Routine use
of isotope traver techniques will not
by itself justify support. Requests for
grants of $3,000 or less most appro-
priate. Grants cover equipment, sup-
plies, research assistance, and field
trips. Except under unusual circun-
stances, project will not pay the salary
of principal investigator. Applications
for grants are at Phoenix Project by
Jan. 23, 1970. Grants made by April 1,
1970. Application blanks at Phoenix
Project office, Phoenix Memorial Lab.,
call 764-6213.
Placement Service
3200 S.A.B.
Career Planning: 764-6338, underclass-
men planning ajors, srs., and g r ad.
students makig career plans. Library
of occup. Info and counseling.
General Division: 764-7460, seniors and
grad. students. Interviewing, director-
ies, literature and fob openings from
government, nn-profit, business and
industry.
Education Division: 764-7462, seniors
and grad students. Placement in pub-
lic, private, overseas; elem., secon., col-
lege, univ. positions in tetaching and
administration.
Summer Placement: 764-7460, Room
212, Lower Level. Undercisesment, srs,
grad, married, and foreign students.
Positions in camps, resorts, parks, busi-
ness, govn't, nationwide and abroad.
* * * *
GOVERNMENT TESTING DEADLINES
Federal Service Entrance Examina-
tion Applications for permanent work,
due immediately for the test on Jan.
17. Pick up applic. blank NOW at Ca-
reer Planning. 3200 S.A.B.
Summer Jobs with Federal Govn't.
Tests applications due January 9, for
next test, Feb. 14. only one more test
for summer work, apply by Feb. 4.
f * M 0
NOW IN PROGRESS
SAVE 20%
Omni