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06-Aug-93 Daily File Collection
These files were added or updated between 05-Aug-93 at 21:00:00 {Central}
and 06-Aug-93 at 21:00:10.
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930806.REL
8/06/93: NITROGEN ICE DISCOVERED ON PLUTO
Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. August 6, 1993
Diane Farrar
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.
RELEASE: 93-142
The distant planet Pluto is covered with surface ices that are 98
percent nitrogen, University of Hawaii, NASA and other scientists say. With
such abundant nitrogen surface ice, Pluto's thin atmosphere must be primarily
gaseous nitrogen, they conclude.
This is the first clear detection of nitrogen on Pluto and the first
clear indication that the atmosphere is mostly nitrogen gas rather than
methane, as previously believed. Carbon monoxide also was detected for the
first time.
"Rather than methane as previously thought, it appears that frozen
nitrogen dominates the surface," said Dr. Ted Roush. Roush, employed by San
Francisco State University, works at NASA's Ames Research Center, Mountain
View, Calif.
Methane was detected on Pluto's surface in 1976. Extremely small
amounts of methane are easy to detect because it strongly absorbs specific
wavelenths of sunlight.
"The small amounts (1.5 percent) of methane ice are 'dissolved,' or
mixed at a molecular level, in the frozen nitrogen," Roush said.
The abundant nitrogen recently found on Pluto is a poor absorber of
sunlight and produces very weak features in the light reflected from the
planet, so it previously had not been identified.
The observations were made in Hawaii with a new instrument on the
United Kingdom Infrared Telescope in May 1992. The results are published in
the current issue of Science magazine, along with similar observations of
Neptune's moon, Triton.
Pluto resembles Triton in size and in surface and atmospheric
composition. Both have nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide ices on their
surface.
Because their surfaces are made of similar materials, scientists think
Pluto and Triton may have formed in a similar location in the solar nebula,
Roush said.
Pluto, almost 3 billion miles from Earth, is the only planet not yet
explored by a spacecraft. Pluto is unusual in several respects. Although
classified as a planet, it is smaller than Earth's moon. Pluto's only moon,
Charon, is at least half as big as the planet itself. It also is the only
planet in the solar system with an orbit highly inclined out of the plane of
the solar system.
The authors, with Roush, include first author Dr. Tobias Owen,
University of Hawaii; Dr. Dale Cruikshank of Ames; and Drs. J. L. Elliot and L.
A. Young, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Additional authors are C. de Bergh, Observatoire de Paris-Meudon,
France; B. Schmitt, St. Martin d'Heres, France; T. R. Geballe, Joint Astronomy
Center, Hilo, Hawaii; R. H. Brown, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena; and M.
J. Bartholomew, Ames.
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930806.SHU
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS 8/6/93
STS-51 SPACE SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT
Friday, August 6, 1993
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center
Vehicle: OV-103/Discovery Mission number: STS-51
Location: Pad 39-B Orbital altitude: 184 sm
Primary payload: ACTS-TOS/ORFEUS-SPAS Inclination: 28.45 deg
Launch date/time: Aug. 12 9:10-10:07 am Landing site: KSC
Duration: 10 days (landing Aug. 22) Crew size: 5
STS-51 IN WORK:
- start ACTS battery recharging
- preparations to repressurize OMS pods with gaseous nitrogen
- countdown preparations in Firing Room 1
STS-51 WORK SCHEDULED:
- pick up launch countdown 9:30 a.m. Monday at T-43 hours
- repressurize OMS pods with gaseous nitrogen Monday
- astronauts return to KSC from Houston at 3 p.m. Monday
- payload closeouts Monday
- close payload bay doors Monday
- load cryogenic reactants Tuesday
STS-51 WORK COMPLETED:
- solid rocket booster closeouts
- aft main engine compartment closeouts
- external tank closeouts
SPECIAL TOPICS: Columbia's OPF to VAB rollover
Preparations for the STS-58 launch continue on schedule. The Spacelab
SLS-2 module has been closed out for flight and the payload bay doors were
closed last night. The aft compartment and mid-body closeouts are complete.
The positive pressure check of the aft and the orbiter structural leak check
have been successfully performed. Weight and center of gravity determination
will begin on Monday. Rollover is targeted for 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, August
12.
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930806.SKD
DAILY NEWS/TV SKED 8-6-93
Daily News
Friday, August 6, 1993
Two Independence Square; Washington, D.C.
Audio Service:202/358-3014
% NOAA-I launch scheduled for Sunday;
% Scientist discover nitrogen ice on Pluto;
% STS-51 status.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The NOAA-1 launch, which is scheduled for this Sunday at 6:02 am EDT, will air
on NASA TV. NOAA-I is an environmental satellite that will monitor the Earth's
ocean's and atmosphere. The satellite will collect meteorological and ocean
data for transmission directly to users around the world. NASA TV coverage is
scheduled to begin at 4:00 am EDT.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Research has concluded that Pluto is covered with surface ices that are 98
percent nitrogen. Further studies indicate that with so much abundant nitrogen
surface ice, Pluto's thin atmosphere must be primarily gaseous nitrogen. This
is the first time that there has been clear detection of nitrogen on Pluto.
Early studies indicated that Pluto's atmosphere was mostly methane gas.
Researchers also have detected carbon monoxide for the first time on the
planet.
These findings were made in Hawaii with a new instrument on the United Kingdom
Infrared Telescope in May 1992. Pluto is the only planet not yet explored by a
spacecraft. The recent results from studying the planet Pluto are published in
the current issue of Science magazine
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Over the weekend, workers will continue to prepare the Space Shuttle Discovery
for the upcoming STS-51 mission. The STS-51 mission, which is scheduled to
launch August 12 at 9:10 am EDT, will carry a crew of 5.
Workers at the Kennedy Space Center have begun launch countdown preparations.
Technicians plan to charge the ACTS battery today and close out the crew
compartments.
Countdown is scheduled to begin at 9:30 am EDT on Monday, August 9. The crew
plan to arrive at the cape at 3:00 pm on Monday as well.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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, August 6, 1993
noon NASA Today.
12:15 pm Reach For the Stars.
12:30 pm Aero-Oddities.
1:00 pm Women's Health Issues.
2:00 pm Starfinder # 17.
2:30 pm Journey Through the Solar System; Jupiter
Picture.
3:00 pm TQM #17.
Sunday, August 8, 1993
4:00 am NOAA-I launch coverage.
6:02 am Scheduled launch of NOAA-I satellite
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
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:930806A.REL
8/6/93: MAGELLAN AEROBRAKING PRESS BRIEFING SET FOR AUGUST 10
Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. August 6, 1993
Jim Doyle
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
NOTE TO EDITORS: N93-45
From the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., Magellan
program managers will brief the media on the spacecraft's "aerobraking"
experiment at 1 pm EDT, Tuesday, August 10.
The Magellan spacecraft's orbit around Venus has been successfully
changed from highly elliptical to nearly circular in the first-of-a-kind
experiment called aerobraking.
The operation involved dipping the spacecraft into the thin upper
atmosphere of another planet, a risky maneuver frequently mentioned in theory,
but never actually performed before.
Aerobraking and its science benefits, including new knowledge of the
Venusian atmosphere, will be explained by a Magellan panel with a question and
answer period to follow.
Presenters will include Project Managers Doug Griffith, Project
Scientist Steve Saunders and Deputy Mission Director Ann Tavormina. Also
joining the group will be Dr. Gerald Keating, a senior atmospheric research
scientist from NASA's Langely Research Center, Hampton, Va.
This event will be carried on NASA Select television (Satcom F-2R,
Transponder 13, 72 degrees West longitude, frequency 3960.0 MHz, audio 6.8
MHz).
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=--=START=--=--= NASA Spacelink File Name:6_12_7.TXT
Mir element set #220 (5-Aug-93)
Mir
1 16609U 86 17 A 93217.80596446 .00006978 00000-0 90709-4 0 2204
2 16609 51.6209 330.3117 0003838 301.5056 58.5692 15.59078826426870
Satellite: Mir
Catalog number: 16609
Epoch time: 93217.80596446
Element set: 220
Inclination: 51.6209 deg
RA of node: 330.3117 deg Semi-major axis: 3654.6524 n.mi.
Eccentricity: 0.0003838 Apogee altitude: 212.1209 n.mi.
Arg of perigee: 301.5056 deg Perigee altitude: 209.3156 n.mi.
Mean anomaly: 58.5692 deg Altitude decay: 0.0109 n.mi./day
Mean motion: 15.59078826 rev/day Apsidal rotation: 3.7477 deg/day
Decay rate: 6.9780E-05 rev/day~2 Nodal regression: -5.0182 deg/day
Epoch rev: 42687 Nodal period: 92.3006 min
Checksum: 324
G.L.CARMAN
Source:NASA Spacelink Modem:205-895-0028 Internet:192.149.89.61
=--=--=-END-=--=--=
=--=END OF COLLECTION---COLLECTED 5 FILES---COMPLETED 21:04:54=--=