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From: jwm@stdc.jhuapl.edu (Jim Meritt)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: What if...
Message-ID: <3516@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu>
Date: 29 Mar 89 22:00:19 GMT
References: <5042@cbnews.ATT.COM> <15.UUL1.3#5131@mvac.UUCP> <1989Mar25.222108.9060@utzoo.uucp> <7648@killer.Dallas.TX.US> <7726@pyr.gatech.EDU>
Sender: news@aplcomm.jhuapl.edu
Reply-To: jwm@aplvax.UUCP (Jim Meritt)
Organization: JHU-Applied Physics Laboratory
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In article <7726@pyr.gatech.EDU> ccoprmd@pyr.UUCP (Matthew T. DeLuca) writes:
}     Space has no real 'ambient temperature', since space is not composed
}of matter, and temperature is a property of matter.  In Earth orbit,     
}the temperature of your craft is either very cold or very hot, depending on
}whether or not it is in the sun.  Many spacecraft rotate, to distribute the
}heating more evenly.  It is of note that while space is often thought of as
}'cold', spacecraft never have problems with maintaining warmth; rather, 
}one of the more common problems in space is that of overheating.

I love inconsistent samples!

MIR was freezing over when the Russian cosmonauts went back up - so cold that
it was below the temp gauges.  They spat on the walls and timed how long it
took to freeze to get an idea of the temperature.

The SKYLAB was cooking until the astronauts deployed an umbrella to keep the
sun off.

Two sample points, opposite signs...   :-)



The above was test data, and not the responsibility of any organization.