Johndale Solem origin of the shape of rubble-pile asteroids. His analytic theory of the breakup of comets by planetary tidal forces resulted in his calculation of the diameter and density of the parent comet of Shoemaker-Levy 9 as it was before breaking up in the tidal field of Jupiter in 1994 (1994a). Solem's research on interplanetary travel culminated in his MEDUSA concept, a nuclear explosive propelled spacecraft for interplanetary space travel (1994b). Gregory Matloff said this was "a surprising [propulsion] concept which might greatly reduce spacecraft mass." The concept inspired research and elaboration by the aerospace community. At the behest of NASA's
Patacamaya also contains two astro-cameras an AFU-75, and CCD SBIG ST-5 among other astronomical equipment. This equipment has been extremely useful for students researching such events as the passing of Halley's Comet and the Shoemaker Levy 9 Comet. Apart from the Observatory, Patacamaya has some other smaller sources of income including a weekly Sunday fair. Agriculture in the area consists mainly of potatoes. Patacamaya is also home to the military unit 'Batallon de Tanques I Calama.' Patacamaya Patacamaya or Patak Amaya (Aymara) is a city in Bolivia, situated in the La Paz Department. It is the seat of the Patacamaya Municipality,