The Magellan people are now guessing that the reason their bird is running cooler since the aerobraking is that exposure to atomic oxygen scrubbed contamination off its radiating surfaces. [Magellan has always had a puzzling tendency to overheat, and surface contamination might explain it.]
Meteosat 6 and Solidaridad 1 launched by Ariane Nov 29.
Clinton appears to have won key Congressional supporters for his US/Russian station program, in exchange for promises to campaign hard for it and fund it generously.
Magellan does first US bistatic-radar work on Venus Oct 6 and Nov 9, with its transmitters illuminating the surface for Earth receivers. Conditions were relatively unfavorable in Oct, and data analysis has not yet definitely found the signal. In Nov, it was definitely detected in real time. These are basically rehearsals for next May, when conditions will be good and some of Venus's more puzzling areas will be in the right place. There is also talk of trying to reactivate Magellan's radar system then, notably to do some altimetry work on Maxwell Montes -- the steep slopes confused altimetry data using Magellan's broad-beam altimeter antenna, and using the main antenna from the new lower orbit would help. Magellan's technical problems make this potentially difficult, however.
Orbital Sciences' TriStar completes flight tests in launch configuration, carrying a dummy Pegasus XL. Marshall Aerospace in England stripped the interior, installed a two-man operations console and a payload air- conditioning system, and fitted a Pegasus carry/release mechanism into the belly structure. Flight tests revealed buffeting problems in the neighborhood of the Pegasus, and Marshall added seals and fairings to block troublesome airflow. Drop tests were done on the ground. First operational flight is set for early 1994, when the first Pegasus XL launches Step-1 for the USAF. The XL version is about 25% heavier and has about 30% more payload than the standard Pegasus. The TriStar, dubbed "Stargazer", will be based at Bakersfield, Calif.; it will be used mainly for Pegasus launches, but other applications are being considered.
Atlas launch of a military comsat goes off on time (well, half an hour late) from the Cape Nov 28, clearing the range for Endeavour. The half hour was spent fixing a minor software goof, a misunderstanding over a valve position.
Endeavour launched Dec 2, bound for Hubble. Everyone is braced for trouble, with circa 1/3 of all available EVA time earmarked as reserves.