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11-Jun-93 Daily File Collection
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6/11/93:  PIONEER CELEBRATES 10 YEARS BEYOND THE KNOWN SOLAR PLANETS

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C
 Jun

Peter Waller
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.


RELEASE:  93-110

        The most distant manmade object, Pioneer 10, on Sunday celebrates the
10th anniversary of becoming the first spacecraft to explore beyond the orbit
of Pluto, currently the most distant solar system planet discovered.

        Pioneer 10 continues to send back science data to Earth even though the
spacecraft is 5 1/2 billion miles from its home planet.  It takes more than 8
hours for Pioneer 10's radio signal to make the trip to Earth.

        Pioneer 10 left all the known planets behind on June 13, 1983.
Launched in 1972, the 570-pound spacecraft had a design life of 21 months.
More than two decades later, it continues to hurtle through deep space at close
to 30,000 miles per hour.

        Five of the 11 instruments aboard are still sending back data through
the spacecraft's 7 1/2 watt radio signal, about the strength of a home
nightlight.  Pioneer 10 has transmitted more than 170 billion bits of science
data.  By the time its signal reaches the football-field-sized antennas of
NASA's Deep Space Network, the signal has the strength of 4-billionths of a
trillionth of a watt.

        During its long life, Pioneer 10 has scored a number of firsts -- the
first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt; to fly by Jupiter and return
pictures; to chart Jupiter's intense radiation belts; to measure the mass of
its four planet-sized moons; to locate the giant planet's magnetic field and to
discover that Jupiter is predominantly a liquid planet.

        As it plows through unexplored space, Pioneer 10 continues to seek the
boundary between the solar wind and true interstellar space, to search for
evidence of a possible 10th planet and for gravity waves confirming Einstein's
Theory of Relativity.


        Events such as collisions between entire galaxies would "rattle" the
actual structure of space itself, producing gravity waves.  The waves may be
relatively easy to detect in the long wavelengths (1 billion to 5 billion
miles).

        "Pioneer 10 and its sister ship, Pioneer 11, have been two of the
greatest scientific successes of the Space Age," said Dr. James Van Allen of
the University of Iowa, a Pioneer principal investigator.

        Perhaps Pioneer 10's most important finding about the outer solar
system is the extent of the sun's atmosphere, originally thought to have ended
at the orbit of Jupiter or Pluto. Pioneer 10 is now almost 10 times that far
and still within the solar atmosphere.  Many scientists now say that the solar
wind boundary interface with the cosmic interstellar gas might be as far away
as 9.3 billion miles, compared to Earth's distance from the sun of 93 million
miles.

        "Pioneer 10's exploration of the outer heliosphere (sun's atmosphere)
and its interface with the interstellar gas is of fundamental scientific
importance," said Dr. Frank B. McDonald of the University of Maryland,
Principal Investigator for the cosmic ray telescope. "By lasting so long,
Pioneer 10 has in essence created a new science mission and represents a
triumph for American technology and industry."

        "We still take science data from it daily and will probably continue to
do so until at least 1998.  That's an out-of-this-world record of
accomplishment," said Richard Fimmel, Ames' Pioneer 10 Project Manager.

        Pioneer 10 is managed by NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain View,
Calif., and was built by TRW, Redondo Beach, Calif.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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KSC SHUTTLE STATUS 6/11/93

      KENNEDY SPACE CENTER SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
                      Friday, June 11, 1993

KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham

-----------------------------STS-57------------------------------
Mission: STS-57/Spacehab/EURECA-Retrieval  Orbital Alt. 287 miles
Vehicle: Endeavour/OV-105                 Inclination: 28 degrees
Location: Pad 39-B                        Crew Size: 6
Launch Date/Window: June 20, 9:37 - 10:48 a.m. EDT
Expected KSC Landing Date/Time: June 28, 8:34 a.m.
Expected Mission Duration: 7 days/23 hours (if cryogenics allow)

IN WORK TODAY:
*  Helium Signature test
*  Launch countdown preparations
*  Begin aft compartment closeouts

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Flight readiness test (Saturday)
*  External tank purges (Monday)
*  Ordnance installation (Tuesday)
*  Countdown set to begin 2:30 a.m. June 17
*  Crew scheduled to arrive at KSC 3:30 p.m. June 17

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Preparations for helium signature test
*  Engine 2 heatshield installation


-----------------------------STS-51------------------------------
Mission: STS-51/ACTS-TOS/ORFEUS-SPAS      Orbital Alt.: 184 miles
Vehicle: Discovery/OV-103                 Inclination: 28 degrees
Location: OPF bay 3                       Crew Size: 5
Mission Duration: 9 days/22 hours     Target Launch Date: July 17

IN WORK TODAY:
*  Test Ku-Band deploy assembly
*  Orbiter mid-body, forward and aft closeouts
*  Preparations for main engine installation

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Final payload bay cleaning
*  Main engine installation (Saturday/Monday)
*  Close payload bay doors for rollover Vehicle Assembly Building

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Install Ku-Band deploy assembly
*  Aerosurface and flight control final cycling and checks



-----------------------------STS-58------------------------------
Mission: STS-58/SLS-2              Orbital Altitude: 176 miles
Vehicle: Columbia/OV-102           Inclination: 39 degrees
Location: OPF bay 2                Crew Size: 7
Mission Duration: 14 days
Target launch period: Early/Mid September

IN WORK TODAY:
*  Preparations to install extended duration orbiter (EDO) pallet
*  Waste containment system checks and tests
*  Drag chute installation

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Install extended duration orbiter pallet

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Cabin heat checks
*  Remove fifth cryogenic tank set
*  Remove all three main engines
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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Daily News/TV Sked 6-11-93

Daily News
Friday, June 11, 1993
Two Independence Square, Washington, D.C.
Audio Service: 202/358-3014


 % JPL to hold Magellan Science Seminar;
 % Workshop on HST Servicing Mission June 16;
 % STS-57 Update.


On Wednesday, June 16, 1993 NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will hold a
Magellan Science Seminar, "Venus: Then and Now." Dr. Steve Saunders, the
Magellan project scientist, will present a historical overview of the Venus we
first saw to the Venus we now know from the Magellan mission.  Magellan was
launched May 4, 1989, and arrived at Venus, the planet that is most like Earth
in our solar system, on August 10, 1990.  NASA TV will replay the taped event
at 2:00 p.m.  EDT.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Also on June 16, 1993, at 10:00 a.m., a workshop will be held to brief the
media on all aspects of the first servicing mission for the Hubble Space
Telescope. The workshop will be held at the Goddard Space Flight Center and
will broadcast live on NASA TV. Part two of the workshop will be held on June
17 at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, Md.

The STS-61 Hubble Space Shuttle servicing mission is scheduled to launch
onboard Endeavour in early December.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Workers, in preparing Space Shuttle Endeavour for the STS-57 mission, have
conducted the leak checks on main engine #2 and completed securing operations
of the new high pressure oxidizer turbopump to main engine #2 as well.

Technicians plan to begin the aft compartment closeouts, conduct the helium
signature test, install the ordnance and purge the external tanks.  The Flight
Readiness test is scheduled for tomorrow.


Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to launch June 20 from the Kennedy Space
Center and return on June 28.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


         Here's the broadcast schedule for Public Affairs events on NASA TV.
Note that all events and times may change without notice and that all times
listed are Eastern.


Friday, June 11, 1993

        12:00 pm        NASA Today news program featuring stories on STS-57,
                        and the Ulysses spacecraft.
        12:15 pm        Aeronautics & Space Report.
        12:30 pm        Flight Without Wings.
          1:00 pm       Four Days of Gemini IV
          1:00 pm       Veil of Venus.
          2:00 pm       Launch Box #5
          2:30 pm       Gemini Science Program.
          3:00 pm       The Future Rides on Quality
          3:30 pm       Everyone Can Make a Difference.



NASA TV is carried on GE Satcom F2R, transponder 13, C-Band, 72 degrees West
Longitude, transponder frequency is 3960 MHz, audio subcarrier is 6.8 MHz,
polarization is vertical.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:5_12_5_5.TXT

6/11/93:  PIONEER CELEBRATES 10 YEARS BEYOND THE KNOWN SOLAR PLANETS

Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C
 Jun

Peter Waller
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.


RELEASE:  93-110

        The most distant manmade object, Pioneer 10, on Sunday celebrates the
10th anniversary of becoming the first spacecraft to explore beyond the orbit
of Pluto, currently the most distant solar system planet discovered.

        Pioneer 10 continues to send back science data to Earth even though the
spacecraft is 5 1/2 billion miles from its home planet.  It takes more than 8
hours for Pioneer 10's radio signal to make the trip to Earth.

        Pioneer 10 left all the known planets behind on June 13, 1983.
Launched in 1972, the 570-pound spacecraft had a design life of 21 months.
More than two decades later, it continues to hurtle through deep space at close
to 30,000 miles per hour.

        Five of the 11 instruments aboard are still sending back data through
the spacecraft's 7 1/2 watt radio signal, about the strength of a home
nightlight.  Pioneer 10 has transmitted more than 170 billion bits of science
data.  By the time its signal reaches the football-field-sized antennas of
NASA's Deep Space Network, the signal has the strength of 4-billionths of a
trillionth of a watt.

        During its long life, Pioneer 10 has scored a number of firsts -- the
first spacecraft to cross the asteroid belt; to fly by Jupiter and return
pictures; to chart Jupiter's intense radiation belts; to measure the mass of
its four planet-sized moons; to locate the giant planet's magnetic field and to
discover that Jupiter is predominantly a liquid planet.

        As it plows through unexplored space, Pioneer 10 continues to seek the
boundary between the solar wind and true interstellar space, to search for
evidence of a possible 10th planet and for gravity waves confirming Einstein's
Theory of Relativity.


        Events such as collisions between entire galaxies would "rattle" the
actual structure of space itself, producing gravity waves.  The waves may be
relatively easy to detect in the long wavelengths (1 billion to 5 billion
miles).

        "Pioneer 10 and its sister ship, Pioneer 11, have been two of the
greatest scientific successes of the Space Age," said Dr. James Van Allen of
the University of Iowa, a Pioneer principal investigator.

        Perhaps Pioneer 10's most important finding about the outer solar
system is the extent of the sun's atmosphere, originally thought to have ended
at the orbit of Jupiter or Pluto. Pioneer 10 is now almost 10 times that far
and still within the solar atmosphere.  Many scientists now say that the solar
wind boundary interface with the cosmic interstellar gas might be as far away
as 9.3 billion miles, compared to Earth's distance from the sun of 93 million
miles.

        "Pioneer 10's exploration of the outer heliosphere (sun's atmosphere)
and its interface with the interstellar gas is of fundamental scientific
importance," said Dr. Frank B. McDonald of the University of Maryland,
Principal Investigator for the cosmic ray telescope. "By lasting so long,
Pioneer 10 has in essence created a new science mission and represents a
triumph for American technology and industry."

        "We still take science data from it daily and will probably continue to
do so until at least 1998.  That's an out-of-this-world record of
accomplishment," said Richard Fimmel, Ames' Pioneer 10 Project Manager.

        Pioneer 10 is managed by NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain View,
Calif., and was built by TRW, Redondo Beach, Calif.
     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL 1993 STATION BREAK

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MAY 1993 STATION BREAK

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THE ADVANCED X-RAY ASTROPHYSICS FACILITY MISSIONS

May 1993

Jerry Berg
Marshall Space Flight Center


        In the late 1990s, NASA will launch two complementary orbiting
observatories being developed as the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility
(AXAF).  The AXAF program will enable detailed, long-term study of X-ray
emissions from the universe and the phenomena that produce them.  It is
expected to yield data that will improve knowledge and understanding in some of
the most fundamental areas of scientific investigation.

        Astronomers know whenever they observe X-ray emissions, they are
viewing the most violent processes in the universe, since a tremendous amount
of energy is required to generate X-rays. Such X-ray sources include neutron
stars, suspected black holes, debris from supernova explosions, quasars, the
centers of active galaxies, and hot gas in individual galaxies and galaxy
clusters.  However, these phenomena and objects -- among the most interesting
and puzzling in the universe -- are usually hidden from human observation,
obscured by vast clouds of interstellar or intergalactic dust.

        While clouds of matter in space hinder such observations with optical,
or light-gathering telescopes, X-rays are able to penetrate dust-shrouded areas
of the universe.  But, X-rays and other types of high-energy radiation are
absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere.  Therefore, it was only in the 1970s, with
placement into Earth orbit of specialized X-ray instruments, that the first
significant surveys of space for X-ray sources were made.  One of these
instruments, the High- Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO-2, widely known as
the Einstein X-ray Observatory), provided such exceptional results that
astrophysicists, working with NASA, proposed development of a much more capable
X-ray project.  The result was the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility or
AXAF.

        Originally planned to be accomplished as a single comprehensive
mission, AXAF was restructured in mid-1992 to consist of two smaller, more
specialized missions.  The program restructuring was necessary to stay within
budget constraints, while preserving a high percentage of the originally
planned AXAF scientific capabilities.

AXAF-I

        The AXAF-I mission will be especially suited for imaging
investigations.  It will develop and place into orbit a telescope for capturing
high resolution images and spectra of X-ray sources.  That is, its observations
will produce "picture-like" images analogous to those made in visible light
with an optical telescope.  However, it will use X-rays to create them, not
visible-energy wavelengths, so that the images will reveal otherwise-hidden
features, just as a medical X-ray does.  AXAF-I's capabilities in the area of
X-ray spectroscopy will complement its imaging function.  Spectra, or
spectrographs, reveal the "chemical fingerprint" of an object by separating the
radiation received from it according to wavelengths, much as a prism splits
visible light into constituent colors.  Again, AXAF performs these specialized
functions in the X-ray region rather than in visible wavelengths.

Key Features

        To provide these capabilities, AXAF-I will have a unique mirror
assembly.  In an X-ray instrument, the mirrors themselves are much different
from those used in optical telescopes.  With very short wavelengths and high
energy levels, X-rays are absorbed rather than reflected from the surface of a
conventional mirror.  Therefore, X-ray telescopes use "grazing-incidence"
mirrors -- finely polished cylinders of glass that look something like ordinary
drinking glasses with no bottom.  The walls of the cylinders are not straight,
however, but are very slightly angled so that X-rays graze off the surfaces,
like a stone skipping on a pond.  This configuration, coupled with a slight
curvature of the surfaces, funnels the rays toward a point of focus behind the
mirrors, in the focal plane.  AXAF-I's mirror assembly will consist of four
sets of these cylindrical mirrors, mounted concentrically in a nested array.
The use of more than one set of mirrors increases the area for collecting X-ray
energy, just as does increasing the mirror diameter in a visible-light
telescope.  The aperture diameter of the largest mirror set will be 47.2 in.
(1.2 m), making it the largest X-ray grazing incidence telescope to date.  The
focal length of the mirror assembly will be 32.8 ft. (10 m).

        The specialized types of scientific information to be collected by
AXAF-I require that its design incorporate several sophisticated data
collection elements: a charge-coupled device imaging spectrometer and a
high-resolution camera in the observatory's focal plane; and two grating
spectrometers behind the high-resolution mirror assembly.  During observation
periods, these data will be stored on-board and periodically transmitted to the
ground for analysis.

        Weighing roughly 11,500 pounds (5,200 kg), the observatory will be
approximately 39 feet (11.9 m) long by 14 feet (4.2 m) in diameter.  It is
planned to be launched in late 1998, into a high elliptical orbit of 5,400 by
54,000 nautical miles (10,000 by 100,000 km).  AXAF-I is designed to have an
operational life of five years.


Development

        Following a competitive procurement, TRW Inc. of Redondo Beach, Calif.,
was selected in August 1988 as the prime contractor to develop what was then
planned as the single-mission Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility. TRW's major
subcontractors are Hughes Danbury Optical Systems of Danbury, Conn., and Kodak
Federal Systems Division of Rochester, N.Y. Following the 1992 restructuring
which created a two-mission AXAF program, the prime contractor's role was
modified to reflect those changes.  TRW's effort was specified as encompassing
development and initial operation of AXAF-I. The companion AXAF-S was
designated an in-house project to be accomplished by the Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, Ala.

        Management of the overall AXAF program, including supervision of
design, development, assembly and testing activities and the establishment of
the Operations Control Center is performed for NASA by the Marshall Center. The
Office of Space Science and Applications at NASA Headquarters in Washington,
D.C. is responsible for the overall direction of the program.

AXAF-S

        AXAF-S, the second mission, will concentrate on the area of high energy
X-ray spectroscopy, by which scientists study the chemical and physical
characteristics of celestial objects.  Different chemical elements emit or
absorb radiation at characteristic wavelengths or energies, producing spectral
lines which serve as "signatures" to uniquely identify the elements making up a
source.  In addition to providing insights regarding the chemistry of celestial
objects, such spectra can reveal their structural and dynamic features.

Key Features

        Just as the overall design and major components of the AXAF-I
observatory will be tailored toward its principal objective, X-ray imaging of
objects, those of AXAF-S will be specialized to best accomplish its primary
function of spectroscopy.

        As presently envisioned, the mirror assembly will consist of
approximately 40 formed metallic shells nested together, with a focal length of
15.7 ft. (4.8 m).  The largest mirror shell will be 17.7 in. (0.45 m) in
diameter.  As with the imaging observatory, the use of an array of concentric
mirrors allows intercepting a high percentage of the X-rays entering the
instrument's aperture.

        The X-ray spectrometer will be the heart of the AXAF-S instrument
package and is being provided for the mission by NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md. Specifically, the spectrometer will provide unique
capabilities in high-resolution spectroscopy at energies above 4,000 electron
volts.  That is, it will be most sensitive in the portion of the energy
spectrum spanning the mid to upper, or shorter-wavelength, portion of the X-ray
band.  Its high resolution will enable distinguishing spectral lines which are
very close together in wavelength.  These characteristics will make the
instrument's spectroscopic capabilities complementary to those of AXAF-I.

        AXAF-S is expected to weigh approximately 7,000 pounds (3,150 kg), have
an overall length of 21.5 feet (6.55 m), and a diameter of 6.5 feet (2.0 m).

Development and Launch

        Plans to launch a separate observatory known as AXAF-S emerged from the
1992 AXAF program restructuring.  Along with the decision to develop two

specialized, complementary missions, it was decided that AXAF-S should be
undertaken by the Marshall Center as an "in-house" effort, as opposed to the
more traditional method of having the work performed by a contractor team.

        The in-house decision does not, however, mean all work on the 10-plus-
year-long AXAF-S program (seven in development and at least three years of
operations) will be performed by NASA employees at NASA facilities.  The
project team will obtain many elements for the observatory from suppliers
specializing in particular types of hardware, just as a prime contractor would.

        Completion of AXAF-S is planned for 1999, in preparation for a launch
near the end of that year.  To enable the highest efficiency in observation
time, the observatory will be launched into a polar, Sun-synchronous orbit.
That is, it will circle the Earth such that each orbit takes it above the north
and south poles, while maintaining the solar arrays exposed to the Sun for most
of the year.  This is possible by having the observatory's orbit plane progress
around the Earth at the same rate that the Earth progresses around the Sun,
thus maintaining a constant relationship to the Sun. Placing the observatory
into such an orbit requires a launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in
California. A Delta II expendable launch vehicle will loft AXAF-S to an
altitude of approximately 350 nautical miles (650 km).

        The launch will begin what is planned as at least a three-year
operational life for the observatory in which its specialized capabilities --
complementing those of AXAF-I -- will be used by scientists to pursue major
advances in our understanding of the most basic nature of the universe.

AXAF OPERATIONS CONTROL CENTER
AND SCIENCE CENTER

        Once each observatory is in orbit, the focal points for the two
missions will be the AXAF Operations Control Center at the Marshall Space
Flight Center and the AXAF Science Center at Cambridge, Mass. The two
facilities will be electronically linked for the most efficient interaction in
mission planning and data transfer.  The facilities will each serve specialized
functions:

o The AXAF Science Center will assist the international science community in
preparing for the AXAF missions, specifically in areas such as preparation of
research proposals, planning of science observations, and calibration of
instruments prior to their installation in the observatories.  The Science
Center will also manage the receipt, calibration, distribution and analysis of
data from observations.  In March 1991, a contract was awarded to the
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for design, development, management and
operation of the Science Center. The contract is managed by the Marshall Space
Flight Center.

o The AXAF Operations Control Center will receive observation requests from the
Science Center and integrate them into a detailed schedule for transmission to
the two spacecraft.  In addition, the Control Center will provide capabilities
for mission planning and scheduling, processing of telemetry, command
processing and management, attitude determination and sensor calibration.  It
will interface with NASA's Deep Space Network and Space Network for spacecraft
communications.

* * *

        During their years of orbital operation, the two AXAF missions will
fill a major gap in the ability of astronomers to view the universe with the
widest possible scope.  AXAF will bridge the region of energy wavelengths
between those covered by the Hubble Space Telescope and by the Compton Gamma
Ray Observatory. The AXAF program represents a major stride toward advancing
the new age of astronomy and astrophysics.




     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORTS   5/03-06/93



MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 3, 1993
2:30 PM PDT

Spacecraft subsystems are performing well in Array Normal Spin and
outer cruise configuration, with uplink and downlink via the High Gain
Antenna; uplink at 125 bps, downlink at the 4 K Science and Engineering
data rate.

The spacecraft was commanded back to Array Normal Spin state at
approximately 2:58 PM Friday.  Flight Sequence C9, which was active at the
time of entry into Contingency Mode early Thursday, is to be updated by a
revised sequence designated "C9R".  A schedule has been developed for
sequence revision, sequence generation activities, sequence approval
uplink, and activation.  The current timeline has the uplink taking place in
a window beginning at 9:00 PM on Tuesday, 5/4, and ending Wednesday,
5/5 at 5:00 AM.  Sequence activation is scheduled for 2 PM on Wednesday.
Playback of DTR 1 (Digital Tape Recorder 1) is also planned for Wednesday
afternoon from 3:20 PM to 10:50 PM during the scheduled Goldstone pass.
Playback of DTR 2 is planned for Friday, 5/7 from 7:50 AM through 4:15 PM
during Madrid coverage.

Uplink of Flight Sequence C10 is planned to take place Friday in a window
extending from 4:15 PM through 5:00 PM.


MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS  5/3/93

PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109.

MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS
May 3, 1993

The Mars Observer spacecraft was returned to normal cruise mode at 3:15 p.m.
Friday, April 30, 1993, after spending about 38 hours in a fault protection
mode known as "contingency mode." In contingency mode, the spacecraft
automatically switches from the high-gain to the low-gain antenna and
repositions itself to a more favorable orientation toward the sun.

No hardware problems were involved in the incident and the spacecraft performed
perfectly in switching to contingency mode.  JPL's flight engineering team will
continue to study the problem until an adequate software fix can be designed
and uplinked.

Today Mars Observer is about 21 million kilometers (13 million miles) from Mars
and about 209 million kilometers (130 million miles) from Earth. The spacecraft
is traveling at a velocity of about 7,200 kilometers per hour (4,500 miles per
hour) with respect to Mars.





MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 6, 1991

     The Mars Observer Data Flow Test on May 3 was a complete success.  The
telemetry data flow started in CTA-21 (Compatability Test Area) and flowed
through the various subsystems to NOCC in Building 230.  Included in the test
was the new TCA (Telemetry Channel Assembly) subsystem.  All Mars Observer
telemetry rates and modes were demonstrated successfully using the NOCC upgrade
workstation displays.  NOCC was able to display and print telemetry/ montior
formats for each bit rate, and performed block dumps to the upgrade
lineprinter.


     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_8_4_9_13.TXT

MARS OBSERVER STATUS  5/10-14/93



MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS
May 10, 1993

     The Mars Observer spacecraft again switched into contingency mode -- a
self-protective default mode -- at about 4:57 a.m.  Pacific Daylight Time on
Sunday, May 9, 1993.  Flight controllers at JPL have decided to evaluate some
software modifications that will improve the spacecraft's attitude control
performance before returning to the normal outer cruise mode.

     Contingency mode occurs when the spacecraft is unable to correctly
identify its position in space with respect to certain stars and the sun.
Specifically, the spacecraft's sun sensor indicates that the position of the
sun is not in the same location as its on-board flight software expects it to
be.  When that happens, the spacecraft thinks it has lost its attitude
reference and automatically points at the sun, throwing the high- gain antenna
off target with Earth. Communications are automatically switched from the
high-gain to the low-gain antenna.  All unnecessary power loads, such as the
science instruments and tape recorders, are turned off.

     A software fix that will redefine some attitude control parameters is
being evaluated by JPL systems engineers.  That software was expected to be
ready for uplink in the next several weeks.

     Today Mars Observer is about 20 million kilometers (12.5 million miles)
from Mars and 220 million kilometers (136 million miles) from Earth. The
spacecraft is traveling at a velocity of about 7,000 kilometers per hour (4,000
miles per hour) with respect to Mars.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 10, 1993
4:00 PM PDT

Uplink of Flight Sequence C10 took place Friday afternoon, May 7, at
approximately 4:00 PM. Verification received was that the sequence loaded
normally.

An Engineering Data Formatter/Payload Data System Interface anomaly was seen at
8:58 AM on Saturday. The PDS repeatedly sent the same engineering data packet
due to a telemetry transfer packet problem.  Recovery is to reset the EDF by
re-transmitting the telemetry rate command.

The reload of Gamma Ray Spectrometer Random Access Memory was underway at the
time the PDS/EDF anomaly was noted, but completed successfully despite the
telemetry problem.  The GRS RAM Load used an abridged load strategy which did
not uplink "fill" zeroes" into memory.  This reduced the time required for RAM
load by almost 50%.

In a replay of previously encountered behavior, the spacecraft entered
Contingency Mode at 4:57 AM, Sunday morning, May 9. 10 bits per second, Low
Gain telemetry was acquired at Acquisition of Signal. Analysis by the Flight
Team shows that subsystems are in good condition and the Audit Queue memory
readout indicates the same characteristics as in previous C- Mode entries.

The recovery strategy being implemented is to readout the Starex Compool memory
and re-establish Inertial Reference today by commanding the spacecraft to Sun
Star Init. The Flight Team will analyze the memory dumps so as to fully
understand on-board events leading up to C-Mode entry, and to develop and test
permanent fixes.  Current planning is to remain in Sun Star Init at least
through Wednesday afternoon at which time a schedule for complete recovery to
Array Normal Spin will be approved.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 13, 1993
2:00 PM PDT

Flight Team members are finalizing plans for recovering the spacecraft which
remains in Contingency mode since early Sunday, May 9.  While the capability to
recover sooner has been available to the team, the opportunity has been taken
to better analyze memory readouts to determine specific causes, and develop a
permanent solution.

The Verification Test Laboratory (VTL) has been successful in replicating the
events leading up to the Good Friday (4/9/93) occurrence of C Mode Entry.
Flight Software and Attitude Control subsystem engineers have proposed a
solution which will prevent future occurrence of entry into C- Mode as a result
of the same set of events.  That solution, which involves a relatively minor
parameter change in celestial body sensing software, is being tested on the
VTL, modified Realtime Application Interactive Debugger, and Flight Software
VAX. Depending on the results of that testing, commands to recover to Array
Normal Spin could be sent as soon as tomorrow, Friday, May 14, or on Monday,
May 16.

The MO Navigation Team Chief advises that the spacecraft trajectory has not yet
been negatively affected by the effects of solar wind producing a "sailing"
effect on the solar array while the spacecraft is sun-coning, so as to require
an additional trajectory correction maneuver (TCM).  No TCM-4, provided for in
mission schedules but predicted to not be necessary based on the accuracy of
previous TCMs, appears to be required at this time.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 14, 1993
4:30 PM PDT

Flight Team members have finalized plans and management has authorized file
creation for recovering the spacecraft to Array Normal Spin state.  That
activity actually began this morning at shortly after 8:00 AM when the command
to reestablish Inertial Reference was sent.  Verification of successful
execution of that command was received shortly afterward.  While the capability
to recover sooner has been available to the team, the opportunity has been
taken to better analyze memory readouts to determine specific causes, and
develop a permanent solution.

The extra time spent on analysis has allowed AACS (Attitude and Articulation
Control Subsystem) and Flight Software engineers to develop and test a solution
to the problem that has caused several occurrences of entry into Contingency
Mode.

The current schedule is for the Starex Covariance change to be uplinked
beginning at about 7:00 AM on Monday, May 17.  With verification of successful
performance of that change, activities to recover to Array Normal Spin should
be completed by late morning Monday.


     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MARS OBSERVER STATUS   05/18-26/93



MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS
May 18, 1993

     The Mars Observer spacecraft was returned to normal cruise mode at about
8:15 p.m.  Pacific Daylight Time on Monday, May 17, eight days after the
spacecraft automatically switched to a self- protective mode on Sunday, May 9.
While recovery from contingency mode had been possible last week, the flight
team took the opportunity to more thoroughly analyze memory readouts of the
incident and develop a software fix that would improve the spacecraft's
attitude reference performance.

     The software fix was sent at about 5:20 p.m.  PDT Monday. The fix involved
a relatively minor parameter change to celestial body sensing software.  Using
the upgraded flight software, the spacecraft should be able to better identify
its orientation in space and prevent the switch-over to contingency mode that
has been occurring recently.

     Contingency mode causes the spacecraft to automatically point at the sun.
While in that orientation, the solar array also faces directly at the sun and
is subject to the effects of the solar wind.  Had a much longer period of time
elapsed, perhaps four to five times longer than that experienced during this
contingency mode incident, the spacecraft's trajectory could have been
affected.  The navigation team, however, reported Monday that the spacecraft
was still on course for arrival at Mars on Aug. 24, 1993.  At this time, the
fourth trajectory correction maneuver, which was planned as a backup maneuver
to correct any errors in the final trajectory to Mars, does not appear to be
necessary.

     All spacecraft subsystems are operating well.  The science payload will be
powered on now that the spacecraft has been restored to normal cruise mode.
Two-way communication also has been reestablished using the high-gain antenna.

     Today the spacecraft is about 19 million kilometers (11 million miles)
from Mars and 232 million kilometers (144 million miles) from Earth, traveling
at a velocity of about 7,200 kilometers per hour (4,300 miles per hour) with
respect to Mars.





MARS OBSEVER STATUS REPORT
May 21, 1993
11:00 AM PDT

The spacecraft is stable in Array Normal Spin. Communication is via the High
Gain Antenna; uplink at 125 bps, downlink is at the 4 kbps Science and
Engineering data rate.  Indications are that all spacecraft subsystems are
performing well.

The Flight Team has been carefully monitoring Attitude Control subsystem
performance since return to ANS on Monday evening.  The Gyro bias estimates
showed some instability Wednesday evening, apparently in conjunction with
nearly simultaneous Reaction Wheel Assembly zero crossing and STAREX
misidentified star counter resets.  AACS (Attitude and Articulation Control
Subsystem) engineers feel that there is a good possibility that a star was
erroneously accepted and is analyzing the situation.  It is generally felt that
this type of event would have been sufficient to cause the spacecraft to lose
inertial reference prior to the star processing software fix made Monday
evening.

The telemetry transition from 2kbps Engineering to 4kbps Science and
Engineering Mission mode telemetry yesterday was normal, indicating that the
Payload Data System/Engineering Data Formatter interface is operating properly.

The Payload Data System, Gamma Ray Spectrometer, and Magnetometer/Electron
Reflectometer were powered on yesterday.  Telemetry indicates that they are
performing well.

The Verification Test Laboratory (VTL) has been successful in replicating the
events leading up to the April 29 occurrence of Contingency Mode Entry.
Recreation of the problem in a test environment allows teams the opportunity to
confirm that the star processing software fix uplinked earlier this week
resolves the problems which had been causing recurring fault protection
activation.





MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
May 26, 1993
11:00 AM PDT

The spacecraft is stable in Array Normal Spin. Communication is via the High
Gain Antenna; uplink at 125 bps, downlink is at the 2 kbps Engineering data
rate.  Indications are that all spacecraft subsystems are performing well.

The Flight Team is uploading Flight Software Build 8.0 today and tomorrow.
Selected flight software modules are being updated to improve Attitude Control
subsystem performance.  Related activities are scheduled to be completed by
tomorrow afternoon.

Gamma Ray Spectrometer Random Access Memory load activity begins late in the
afternoon on Saturday, May 29.  That activity should complete about 8:00 PM
Saturday.

The Mars Observer Camera Mars Imaging Final Design Review was the subject of
Mission Manager's Operations Planning Meeting this morning.  The scope of the
meeting was Mars imaging during approach.


     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORTS  6/07-09/93


MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
June 7, 1993
2:00 PM PDT

The spacecraft is stable in Array Normal Spin. Communication is via the High
Gain Antenna in Mission Mode; uplink at 125 bps, downlink is at the 4 kbps data
rate.  One Way Light Time is 14 minutes and 28 seconds.  The Payload Data
System, Gamma Ray Spectrometer and Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer are
powered on.  GRS is operating from RAM. Indications are that all spacecraft
subsystems and the instrument payload are performing well.  No Flight Sequences
are currently active.

The Flight Team commanded the spacecraft Script Buffer reinitialization and
uplinked Flight Sequence C11 today.  Activation of C11 occurs tomorrow
(Tuesday) at 9:00 AM. Mars Observer Camera star imaging begins Wednesday at
9:00 AM and continues through July 1.

An all-day Preliminary Design Review of the Mapping Transition strategy takes
place tomorrow at JPL. GRS canister deploy and boom extension, the Magnetometer
boom extension, Solar Array deployment, and High Gain Antenna deployment will
be detailed.  These deployments take place post-MOI (Mars Orbit Insertion).





MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
June 9, 1993
2:00 PM PDT

The spacecraft is stable in Array Normal Spin. Communication is via the High
Gain Antenna in Mission Mode; uplink at 125 bps, downlink is at the 4 kbps data
rate.  One Way Light Time is 14 minutes and 38 seconds.  The Payload Data
System, Gamma Ray Spectrometer, Magnetometer/Electron Reflectometer, and Mars
Observer Camera are powered on.  Indications are that all spacecraft subsystems
and the instrument payload are performing well.  Flight Sequence C11 is
currently active.

Activation of C11 occurred Tuesday at 9:00 AM as planned.  Mars Observer Camera
star imaging was incorrectly reported to commence today at 9:00 AM in the
Monday, June 7 Status Update. The PI (Principal Investigator) and Payload
System Engineer advised that the MOC was powered on June 2 and began imaging on
June 3.  Initial star observations over the weekend were used to fine-tune
procedures to be used during the remainder of the star imaging observational
period, which extends through 1 July. The first successfully targeted star was
alpha Serp Cap (Unukalhai), a magnitude 2.6 star.

An all-day Preliminary Design Review of the Mapping Transition strategy took
place Tuesday at JPL. Gamma Ray Spectrometer canister deploy and boom
extension, Magnetometer boom extension, Solar Array deployment, and High Gain
Antenna deployment were detailed.  These deployments take place post-MOI (Mars
Orbit Insertion), beginning in November.

     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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MARS OBSERVER STATUS 1992

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MARS OBSERVER STATUS 1/4/93 THRU  1/14/93

MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 4, 1993
1:00 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin; the downlink data rate is at 250
bps while the uplink data rate is 125 bps utilizing the Low Gain Antenna.

The spacecraft experienced 2 inertial reference loss occurrences over the
period January 1 and 2 due to the Celestial Sensor Assembly misidentified
star threshold being exceeded, causing the spacecraft to enter Sun Comm
Power state.  Those occurred at 5:52 PM January 1 and at 11:05 PM January 2.
A third loss of inertial reference occurred at 12:05 PM, January 2,
while in the Sun Star Init step of recovery from the 1st inertial reference
loss.  The Sun Star Init CSA misidentified stars threshold, which is lower
in Sun Star Init than it is while in Array Normal Spin, again caused an
inertial reference loss, but was reset prior to entry to Sun Comm Power
mode.  Flight Teams were successful in returning the spacecraft to ANS at
1:22 PM on January 3.

A "Tiger Team" was formed and is examining all possible avenues to
resolve this problem. The team consists of Spacecraft Team members, Non-
Mars Observer JPL experts, and General Electric personnel who worked on
CSA development.

Engineers are working on interim procedures to maintain the spacecraft in
Array Normal Spin state in anticipation of Tiger Team recommendation
implementation.  Meetings will take place this week to discuss, authorize
generation of, and approve these commands.

The C5 B uplink, which includes transition to High Gain Antenna
operations, has been moved to January 5 from January 3, with activation
now scheduled for January 6.  These scheduled changes have been made to
allow Spacecraft Team and AACS (Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem)
engineers an additional 3 days to gather data in ANS state.



MARS OBSERVER MISSION STATUS
January 5, 1993

     The Mars Observer spacecraft is being prepared for the outer
cruise flight sequence.  Adjustments to point the high-gain
antenna directly at the sun are continuing through Jan. 6, 1993,
at which time the antenna will be powered on to begin receiving
and sending engineering and science data.

     The spacecraft team reports that all spacecraft subsystems
and instruments are performing well.  The camera "bakeout" to
prepare the instrument for operation will continue through Jan.
14, followed by a focusing test on Jan. 18.

     Today the spacecraft is about 43 million kilometers (27
million miles) from Earth, traveling at a speed of about 36,000
kilometers per hour (23,000 miles per hour) relative to Earth.
The spacecraft is traveling at a heliocentric velocity of about
97,000 kilometers (61,000 miles per hour).  One-way light time is
approximately 128 seconds.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 5, 1993
11:00 AM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin; the downlink data rate is at 250
bps while the uplink data rate is 125 bps utilizing the Low Gain Antenna.

The Spacecraft Team continues to receive telemetry showing the Attitude
Control Subsystem star sensing component to be indicating an
unexpectedly high number of misidentified stars.  Interim procedures have
been put in place by engineering and operations personnel to maintain the
spacecraft in Array Normal Spin state should the misidentified stars
count again increase toward the threshold at which on-board systems
detect inertial reference loss and intitiate fault protection measures.

Additionally, commands are being readied to change spacecraft data
Subcom maps to provide enhanced telemetry.  Command approval meetings
take place early this afternoon, with the commands to be be transmitted
thereafter.

Flight Sequence C5 B activation, which would affect transition to High
Gain Antenna operations, has been moved out 24 hours to January 7.  This
change has been made to allow Spacecraft Team, AACS (Attitude and
Articulation Control Subsystem) engineers, and the Tiger Team time to
gather and study the enhanced data in ANS state in order to gain a better
understanding of the CSA misidentified star situation.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 6, 1993
1:00 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin; the downlink data rate is at 250
bps while the uplink data rate is 125 bps utilizing the Low Gain Antenna.

A new Star Catalog/Ephemeris load was uplinked last evening and
verification of successful execution of the "Use" command received.

Teams are continuing to evaluate Attitude Control subsystem telemetry to
determine what is causing the misidentified star situation.  The Celestial
Sensor Assembly misidentified star counter continues to increment to an
average of 10 during each 100 minute ANS revolution of the spacecraft,
after which an expected star is detected and the counter reset to zero.
A correlation has been developed between the misidentified star count
increase and the time at which Mars comes into the CSA's field of view.
However, there has been no verification that this is the source of the
problem from the Tiger Team, which continues to review data and examine
all theories.

Mission Operations System teams feel that the spacecraft is performing
predictably and have procedures in place to respond to any further
occurrences of the problem prior to spacecraft loss of inertial reference.

Uplink of Flight Sequence C5 B which would affect transition to High Gain
Antenna operations is scheduled for this evening, with activation to occur
tomorrow morning.  HGA operations will significantly increase the
downlink data rate capability.  Upon successful transition to HGA
Operations is verified, the Ka Band Link Experiment (KaBLE) will begin.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 7, 1993
3:15 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin and continues to perform as
expected.  Teams are continuing to study the Attitude Control Subsystem
misidentified star problem.  The on-board telemetry Subcommutation map
switch is providing significantly more data for the Tiger Team to examine.

Uplink of Flight Sequence C5 B took place as scheduled last evening.
Activation occurred on schedule at 2:43 PM today.  At 3:00 PM, spacecraft
Contingency Mode was armed and the Low Gain Antenna transmitter (RPA1)
and Mars Observer Transponder 1 powered off.  At 3:04 PM, the on-board
sequence commanded on the High Gain Antenna transmitter (RPA2) and
Mars Observer Transponder 2.  Downlink via the HGA has been confirmed.

HGA operations provide downlink telecommunications at 2,000 bits per
second.  Uplink will continue to be through the Low Gain Antenna through
January 16 at the 125 bps rate.  On January 16, uplink will be swapped to
the HGA, though still at the 125 bps rate.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 8, 1993
1:30 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin and continues to perform as
expected. Teams are continuing to study the Attitude Control Subsystem
miscompared star problem.

Downlink is via the HGA (High Gain Antenna) at 2 kilobits per second.
Uplink is at 125 bps using the LGA (Low Gain Antenna). HGA calibration
activities were completed last evening.  Those calibrations indicate
HGA performance to be nominal.

With completion of C5 B as scheduled at 7:00 PM last evening, no flight
sequences are currently active.  This is to provide a ten day window to
allow upload of a new Flight Software build.

Teams are preparing Flight Software Build 7.1.1 for uplink on January 13
though 15.  Build 7.1.1 contains changes to AACS (Attitude and Articulation
Control Subsystem) Fault Protection logic determined to be necessary by
the Spacecraft Team.  These changes are not related to the Celestial
Sensor Assembly miscompared star situation.

The next Flight Sequence, C6 B (necessary C6 A activities were moved
into C5 B) is scheduled to go active on January 18.

Ka Band Link Experiment (KaBLE) activities have begun and are scheduled
to take place daily through January 12.  There are additional KaBLE
opportunities projected for January 16 and 17.




MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 12, 1993
1:00 PM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin state and Outer Cruise
configuration and continues to perform as expected.  Teams are continuing
to study the Attitude Control Subsystem miscompared star problem.  An
interim solution has been uplinked and is active, pending approval and
implementation of the permanent fix.

Downlink is via the HGA (High Gain Antenna) at 2 kilobits per second.
Uplink is at 125 bps using the LGA (Low Gain Antenna).

The window for uplink of Flight Software Build 7.1.1 opens at 9:25 PM this
evening (93013 0525 UTC) and closes at 7:55 PM on Friday.  Build 7.1.1
contains changes to AACS (Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystem)
Fault Protection logic determined to be necessary by the Spacecraft Team
and approved by Flight Engineering Office and Project management.
A relatively small number of Flight Software modules are being replaced,
the larger number of modules remaining unchanged.  These changes are not
related to the Celestial Sensor Assembly miscompared star situation.

No stored flight sequences are active.  The next, C6 B, is scheduled to go
active on January 18.

Ka Band Link Experiment (KaBLE) activities will end this evening due to
the Flight Software load.  There are additional KaBLE opportunities
projected for January 16 and 17.

Today the spacecraft is 50,015,515 km from Earth (31,078,200 miles)
travelling at a velocity of 11.55 meters/second (25,829 mph).  One way
light time is approximately 167 seconds.



MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 13, 1993
1:00 PM PST
(All times PST)

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin state and Outer Cruise
configuration and continues to perform as expected.  Downlink is via the
HGA (High Gain Antenna) at 2 kilobits per second.  Uplink is at 125 bps
using the LGA (Low Gain Antenna).

The first Flight Software (FSW) Version 7.1.1 "Task Swap" load was
uplinked last evening.  Despite strong weather at Goldstone causing
sporadic data outages, uplinks planned for last night were completed by
2:38 AM this morning and Spacecraft Team analysis verifying success of
the uplink completed by 2:56 AM.

The first uplink loaded and activated the updated FSW modules in Standard
Control Processor (SCP) 2, the non-control SCP.  The command to
deactivate SCP 2 is scheduled to be sent after verification that the
software is performing as expected.

Remaining FSW uplink activity will load and activate SCP1, the control
SCP.  After Spacecraft Team verification that this load is performing well,
SCP2 will be reactivated.  All FSW task swap activity will be completed by
Thursday at 5:30 PM.

Up to this point, the Ka Band Link Experiment (KaBLE) has successfully
acquired carrier at the Ka band.  Attempts to acquire Ka band telemetry
will resume after 5:30 PM on Thursday.

No stored flight sequences are currently active.  The next, C6 B, is
scheduled to go active on January 18.  A description of C6 B activities will
be included in Friday's update.



MARS OBSERVER STATUS REPORT
January 14, 1993
9:00 AM PST

The spacecraft is in Array Normal Spin state and Outer Cruise
configuration and continues to perform as expected.  Downlink is via the
HGA (High Gain Antenna) at 2 kilobits per second.  Uplink is at 125 bps
using the LGA (Low Gain Antenna).

As reported by the Spacecraft Team (C. Whetsel), the Flight Software Task
Swap to FSW version 7.1.1 continued on schedule per procedure.  For the
second night in a row, weather conditions at DSS-15 (Goldstone 34 meter
antenna) continued to be a factor, affecting both downlink and uplink.
Again, the preparation of redundant memory readout requests within each
command file allowed the flight team to complete all procedure activities
ahead of schedule, in spite of data losses.  All planned data validations
were completed.  After the handover to DSS 45 at 2:15 AM, no further link
problems were encountered.

Following the planned uplink procedure, the new code was deactivated in
the non-control SCP(SCP2) following an initial flight validation period of
just under 24 hours.  SCP2 was then commanded to resume its "MEOK"
signal, designating it as a valid back-up computer if the control SCP is
required to relinquish control for any reason.  Following this, the new code
was loaded into the non-control SCP(SCP1) and validated, but was not
activated (per the procedure).  As of the time of the System Engineer's
report, the new FSW code is resident in both SCPs, but is not active in
either SCP.  The new code will be activated in the control SCP (SCP1) this
afternoon at 1:00 PM.  If all goes well with that activation, the spacecraft
will be monitored for 24 hours and then the new code will be reactivated
in the non-control SCP (SCP2) on Friday afternoon.  The procedure will be
completed Friday afternoon after commanding the spacecraft to dump a
complete memory image of the onboard FSW and commanded to stop the
recording of data on DTR2 (Digital Tape Recorder #2).

Yesterday's update advised that Ka Band Link Experiment opportunities
occur after 5:30 PM today.  The next opportunity will be after completion
of FSW activities on Friday at 6:00 PM.  Remaining KaBLE opportunities
will consist of 3 windows of 4 to 6 hours each on January 16, 17, and 18.

No stored flight sequences are currently active. The next, C6 B, is
scheduled to go active on January 18.

     Source:NASA Spacelink    Modem:205-895-0028  Internet:192.149.89.61
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