Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!samsung!uunet!fernwood!portal!cup.portal.com!Chris_F_Chiesa
From: Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Magellan Images
Message-ID: <43535@cup.portal.com>
Date: 21 Jun 91 13:48:14 GMT
References: <1991Jun20.004507.24932@jato.jpl.nasa.gov>
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Lines: 49

In a recent posting, Ron Baalke at JPL (baalke@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov) writes:

>                             ===================
>                               MAGELLAN IMAGES
>                               June 19, 1991
>                             ===================
> 
>      I've placed 17 more Magellan images at the Ames SPACE archives, bringing
> the Magellan total to 36 images.  These new images are in VICAR format ...

I have been TRYING and TRYING for the past year and a half to find a source
of this kind of imagery on some kind of MEDIA that I can read at my site.  I
do not have FTP access, nor is it practical to download megabytes of files at
2400 baud.

This posting for some reason gave me an idea that I haven't tried before, 
which is: 

Could someone of you who _CAN_ FTP these images, or even Ron Baalke himself,
perhaps place them onto a magtape and USmail them to me?  I'd be happy to 
pay a nominal fee for media and shipping if that would help.  I can handle
1600 and 6250 bpi 9-track magtape, Exabyte 8mm, and -- in a pinch, and only 
until August -- IBM-PC 3.5" floppy diskettes.  Of the three, I'd prefer the
9-track tapes since those are the most reliable here, but 8mm may not be as
unreliable as my colleagues keep telling me...  Data formats I can read in-
clude VMS Backup (I'm ON a VMS system) and Unix "tar."

You see, I work for a company which makes a high-resolution continuous-tone
Digital Image Recorder, and once I get hold of an image I can write a program
to convert ITS format to OUR format and generate beautiful quality paper or
film hardcopy...  I have been a "space fan" since early childhood and want
very badly to have some images I can hang up in my office, at home, all over
the place... etc...  Problems so far have been OBTAINING the images, and 
problems yet to face are those of INTERPRETING the FORMAT.  I'd like to re-
quest a description of the VICAR format in addition to the imagery, while
I'm at it! 

If anybody reading this thinks they can help me out, or knows someone else
who can but who hasn't read this, "pass it on" and e-mail or phone me! 
Info follows after my signature, below.

Thanks in advance, to everyone from the writers of Network software, to the
geniuses who build and operate our space probes etc.!

  Chris Chiesa
    Chris_F_Chiesa@cup.portal.com

      (716) 724-2029  weekdays, Eastern time
      (716) 482-9573  eves/weekends