Dennis F. Boesen
I was surprised to see this signed photo of Dennis F. Boesen - the only unflown astronaut so far seen belonging to the van Buskirk collection.
According to Kenneth P. Bechis, another Starlab payload specialist, "SDI-related acquisition, tracking, and pointing technology are scheduled to be demonstrated in 1991 by Spacelab's 'Starlab' mission, using various onboard sensors, lasers, and ground-launched missiles with target boards and other diagnostics.
"Also undertaken will be experiments concerning the measurement and correction of optical aberrations and atmospheric effects on laser propagation; the possibility of submarine laser communications from space will be also be evaluated.
"Starlab's UV Camera Assembly will obtain passive rocket plume imagery, as well as background measurements that will examine the radiant intensities and the spectral and temporal variabilities of the earth limb."
The mission was to have lasted seven days, and pushed back, according to published sources to May 1992, the STS-50 Spacelab slot (flown with a different Spacelab.)
Air Force Program 513, first known as "SDI Starlab", was conceived in 1985. Around that time, a workforce of about one-hundred people at Kaman Aerospace in Colorado Springs began working on the Wavefront Control Experiment under a $ 40 million contract. Peak employment for the project probably lay around 1987, when Kaman opened an Electro-Optics Development Center in Tucson, Arizona, to support the program. By that time, the project was known as "Starlab".
SWAT-activities at the AMOS site began in 1986 as well, when MIT Lincoln Labs started building "a large frame dye laser to characterize the atmospheric effects on laser beam propagation."
The mission first appeared on the Space Shuttle Manifest of March 1, 1986. Listed as mission STS-72A, with a launch date of January 1988, the "SDI Spacelab" was to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, using a polar orbit. With Shuttle operations halted by the Challenger accident, the mission (now STS-34) slipped to June 1989 and then March 1990 (STS-38).
Since the Vandenberg launch capability was lost as a result of the Challenger accident, the polar orbit was changed to a 33.4 degree inclination flight, launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Flight support was moved to Cape Canaveral in September 1987. With completion of the Starbird launch site not expected before December 1989, the Starlab mission was rescheduled to fly on STS-41 in early 1988, with a launch date of June 1990 and later September 1990.
However, the Starlab mission was moved back further: on the January 1989 Launch Manifest, it was planned for the November 1990/STS-42 Spacelab slot. In June, this was taken up by the IML-1 Spacelab mission and Starlab was rescheduled for STS-48, with a launch in August 1991. It was next moved to STS-49, with a launch date of September 1991. In March 1990, with other Air Force Projects such as the Teal Ruby-satellite already canceled, launch was moved further back to January 1992.
In August 1990, the mission was scheduled for May 1992 (STS-50). In late September, Starlab was cancelled altogether to protect funding for the Briliant Pebbles system. The Spacelab slot was taken by the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML)-1. On September 1, 1990, the four payload specialists associated with the mission resigned from the program.
The Starlab mission would have been flown by a crew of seven astronauts. Four military Payload Specialists were assigned to the Starlab project in July 1987. They were: Craig A. Puz, Maureen C. LaComb, Dennis L. Boesen and Kenneth P. Bechis.
Puz and LaComb, both US Air Force captains, were selected as the primary Payload Specialists, Boesen and Bechis - more scientifically oriented - acted as their back ups.
Puz and LaComb were injured in a car crash in Boston in June 1988. One year later, Puz was medically disqualified and he was replaced by Boesen. The five NASA crewmembers had not yet been assigned to the mission when it was canceled in September 1990, but would probably have been commanded by Dan Brandenstein, John Creighton, Loren Shriver or Dick Richards.
Dennis F. Boesen
I was surprised to see this signed photo of Dennis F. Boesen - the only unflown astronaut so far seen belonging to the van Buskirk collection.
According to Kenneth P. Bechis, another Starlab payload specialist, "SDI-related acquisition, tracking, and pointing technology are scheduled to be demonstrated in 1991 by Spacelab's 'Starlab' mission, using various onboard sensors, lasers, and ground-launched missiles with target boards and other diagnostics.
"Also undertaken will be experiments concerning the measurement and correction of optical aberrations and atmospheric effects on laser propagation; the possibility of submarine laser communications from space will be also be evaluated.
"Starlab's UV Camera Assembly will obtain passive rocket plume imagery, as well as background measurements that will examine the radiant intensities and the spectral and temporal variabilities of the earth limb."
The mission was to have lasted seven days, and pushed back, according to published sources to May 1992, the STS-50 Spacelab slot (flown with a different Spacelab.)
Air Force Program 513, first known as "SDI Starlab", was conceived in 1985. Around that time, a workforce of about one-hundred people at Kaman Aerospace in Colorado Springs began working on the Wavefront Control Experiment under a $ 40 million contract. Peak employment for the project probably lay around 1987, when Kaman opened an Electro-Optics Development Center in Tucson, Arizona, to support the program. By that time, the project was known as "Starlab".
SWAT-activities at the AMOS site began in 1986 as well, when MIT Lincoln Labs started building "a large frame dye laser to characterize the atmospheric effects on laser beam propagation."
The mission first appeared on the Space Shuttle Manifest of March 1, 1986. Listed as mission STS-72A, with a launch date of January 1988, the "SDI Spacelab" was to be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, using a polar orbit. With Shuttle operations halted by the Challenger accident, the mission (now STS-34) slipped to June 1989 and then March 1990 (STS-38).
Since the Vandenberg launch capability was lost as a result of the Challenger accident, the polar orbit was changed to a 33.4 degree inclination flight, launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Flight support was moved to Cape Canaveral in September 1987. With completion of the Starbird launch site not expected before December 1989, the Starlab mission was rescheduled to fly on STS-41 in early 1988, with a launch date of June 1990 and later September 1990.
However, the Starlab mission was moved back further: on the January 1989 Launch Manifest, it was planned for the November 1990/STS-42 Spacelab slot. In June, this was taken up by the IML-1 Spacelab mission and Starlab was rescheduled for STS-48, with a launch in August 1991. It was next moved to STS-49, with a launch date of September 1991. In March 1990, with other Air Force Projects such as the Teal Ruby-satellite already canceled, launch was moved further back to January 1992.
In August 1990, the mission was scheduled for May 1992 (STS-50). In late September, Starlab was cancelled altogether to protect funding for the Briliant Pebbles system. The Spacelab slot was taken by the United States Microgravity Laboratory (USML)-1. On September 1, 1990, the four payload specialists associated with the mission resigned from the program.
The Starlab mission would have been flown by a crew of seven astronauts. Four military Payload Specialists were assigned to the Starlab project in July 1987. They were: Craig A. Puz, Maureen C. LaComb, Dennis L. Boesen and Kenneth P. Bechis.
Puz and LaComb, both US Air Force captains, were selected as the primary Payload Specialists, Boesen and Bechis - more scientifically oriented - acted as their back ups.
Puz and LaComb were injured in a car crash in Boston in June 1988. One year later, Puz was medically disqualified and he was replaced by Boesen. The five NASA crewmembers had not yet been assigned to the mission when it was canceled in September 1990, but would probably have been commanded by Dan Brandenstein, John Creighton, Loren Shriver or Dick Richards.