BWAAHAHA!!! 51L questions answered...

lexcorp_at_ix.netcom.com
Date: 03/11/05 

Date: 11 Mar 2005 14:13:34 -0800

Had a nice long conversation with a co-worker about STS-25 SRM pressure
data that was recently discussed here, and got a lot of clarification.
To this day the data transmission system is loaded with restrictions
from the 70's that determine what data is sent back; there are
consequently minor gaps in the data that aren't gaps at all.

Unlike today, onboard memory was damned hard to obtain back then, so
systems were put in place to reduce the volume of pressure data
transmitted back to the ground as much as possible. Consequently, if a
pressure transducer had the same reading (say, 500 psi) for several (3
or more) readings in a row, the transmitter would only send the first
and last reading down. A simple subroutine on the ground would look for
those gaps, and then fill them back in. Simple. But, if you didn't know
what you were looking at, and didn't know who to ask, and were looking
for evidence of a coverup anyway... that lack of data could be seen as
Evidence Of Malfeasance.

Heeheeeheee!!!!

Relevant Pages

  • Re: How To Build Your Own Sputnik from the BBC
    ... indicate changes in temperature or a sudden drop ... in pressure caused by a puncture in the satellite's ... effect on its transmission as well, but I could easily have forgotten ... micrometeorites were common enough to puncture it. ...
    (sci.space.history)
  • Re: TRANSMISSION SLIPS ONLY WHEN CAR IS COLD!!!
    ... As to why it only slips when cold -there are several possibilities ... When the transmission is cold the parts are at their minimum ... More fluid may leak past seals, ... It might be the pressure is still reduced and some slippage is still ...
    (rec.autos.tech)
  • Re: Flight Computers and Temperature
    ... reading from a given sensor. ... a pressure sensor at low ... temperature will give a different reading than the same sensor at the ...
    (rec.models.rockets)
  • Re: 1998 honda civic a/c compressor replacement...
    ... last week the high side was reading well over 300 psi at medium rpm. ... Max pressure on your Civic is 300. ... get a 280 psi reading at medium rpms. ...
    (rec.autos.makers.honda)
  • Re: How To Build Your Own Sputnik from the BBC
    ... I don't remember hearing of Sputnik being intended to signal any kind of data like temperature or pressure except by the way that changes in those conditions might alter the electrical properties of the equipment inside. ... It seems like that would have frustrated the attempts of people to project its orbit by the Doppler effect on its transmission as well, but I could easily have forgotten or missed descriptions of that complication in the past. ... And they decided to use some sort of pressure indicator to vary the rate of the beeping, to see if micrometeorites were common enough to puncture it. ...
    (sci.space.history)