Space & Astronomy/Space and Astronomy (October 1993).iso/pc/text/stskits/sts_45.pre

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                                   NASA


                           SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION
                                  STS-45

                                 PRESS KIT


March 1992



PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

Mark Hess/Jim Cast/Ed Campion
Office of Space Flight
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  [phone])

Brian Dunbar/Paula Cleggett-Haleim/Mike Braukus
Office of Space Science and Applications
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  [phone])

Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone:  [phone])

Barbara Selby
Office of Commercial Programs
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  [phone])

Mike Simmons
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(Phone:  [phone])

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone:  [phone])

Jane Hutchison
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
(Phone:  [phone])

Dolores Beasley/Susie Marucci
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone:  [phone])

Myron Webb
Stennis Space Center, Miss.
(Phone:  60l/688-334l)

Nancy Lovato
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
(Phone:  [phone])



CONTENTS

GENERAL RELEASE.........................................................1

MEDIA SERVICES..........................................................3

STS-45 QUICK-LOOK FACTS.................................................4

VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS.............................................6

TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS...........................................7

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES...............................................8

STS-45 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING.............................................9

ATMOSPHERIC LAB FOR APPLICATIONS AND SCIENCE-1.........................11

ATLAS SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS........................................13

ATLAS INVESTIGATIONS CHART.............................................14

ATLAS PROGRAM..........................................................19

INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLYMER MEMBRANE PROCESSING........................19

GET AWAY SPECIAL.......................................................20

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT.......................................21

RADIATION MONITORING EXPERIMENT-III....................................22

VISUAL  FUNCTION TEST-III..............................................23

CLOUD LOGIC TO OPTIMIZE USE OF DEFENSE SYSTEMS-1A......................23

SPACE TISSUE LOSS......................................................23

STS-45 CREW BIOGRAPHIES................................................24

STS-45 MISSION MANAGEMENT..............................................26

UPCOMING SHUTTLE MISSIONS..............................................29

PREVIOUS SHUTTLE FLIGHTS...............................................30



RELEASE:  92-32

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES OF ATMOSPHERE, SUN HIGHLIGHT STS-45


     Studies of the sun, the upper reaches of Earth's atmosphere and
astronomical objects using an international array of instruments in Atlantis'
cargo bay will highlight Shuttle Mission STS-45.

     The 46th Shuttle flight and Atlantis' 11th, STS-45 is planned to be
launched at 8:01 a.m. EST March 23.  With an on-time launch, landing will
be at 6:08 a.m. EST March 31 at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

     Atlantis will carry the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and
Science-1 (ATLAS-1), 12 instruments from the United States, France,
Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Japan, that will
conduct 13 experiments to study the chemistry of the atmosphere, solar
radiation, space plasma physics and ultraviolet astronomy.  ATLAS-1 is
planned to be the first of several ATLAS flights designed to cover an entire
11-year solar cycle, the regular period of energetic activity by the sun.  Co-
manifested with ATLAS-1 is the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
Instrument (SSBUV), which provides highly calibrated measurements of
ozone to fine-tune measurements made by other NASA and NOAA satellites.

     Commanding Atlantis will be Charles Bolden, making his third space
flight.  Brian Duffy will serve as pilot, making his first shuttle flight.
Mission Specialists include Kathy Sullivan, making her third flight; Dave
Leestma, making his third space flight; and Mike Foale, making his first space
flight.  Payload specialists will be Byron Lichtenberg, making his second
flight, and Dirk Frimout, Belgian Scientist, making his first flight.

     ATLAS operations will continue 24 hours a day, with the crew split into
two teams each on a 12-hour shift.  The Red Team will consist of Leestma,
Foale and Lichtenberg.  The Blue Team will be Duffy, Sullivan and Frimout.
Bolden, as Commander, will set his own hours.

     Secondary experiments aboard Atlantis will include Space Tissue Loss, a
study of the effects of weightlessness on body tissues; the Visual Function
Tester, a study of the effects of weightlessness on human vision; the
Radiation Monitoring Equipment, an often-flown device that measures
radiation aboard the Shuttle; Investigations into Polymer Membrane
Processing, a study of developing polymer membranes used as filters in
many industries and in space and the Cloud Logic to Optimize Use of
Defense Systems, an investigation to quantify the variation in apparent cloud
cover as a function of the angle at which clouds of various types are viewed.

     Also flying on STS-45 will be NASA's Get Away Special payload, a program
which provides individuals and organizations the opportunity to send
scientific research and development experiments on board a Space Shuttle.

     In addition, the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment will provide amateur
radio operators worldwide, plus students at several selected schools, the
opportunity to converse with crew members aboard Atlantis.



MEDIA SERVICES


NASA Select Television Transmission

NASA Select television is available on Satcom F-2R, Transponder 13,
located at 72 degrees west longitude; frequency 3960.0 MHz, audio 6.8
MHz.

The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter and for the
change-of-shift briefings from Johnson Space Center, Houston, will be
available during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Marshall
Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; Johnson Space Center; and NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.  The television schedule will be updated
to reflect changes dictated by mission operations.

Television schedules also may be obtained by calling COMSTOR, 713/483-5817.
COMSTOR is a computer data base service requiring the use of a telephone
modem.  A voice update of the television schedule may be obtained by dialing
202/755-1788.  This service is updated daily at noon ET.

Status Reports

Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-orbit activities
and landing operations will be produced by the appropriate NASA
newscenter.

Briefings

A mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior to launch.  During the
mission, change-of-shift briefings by the off-going flight director will occur at least
once per day.  The updated NASA Select television schedule will indicate when
mission briefings are planned to occur.


STS-45 QUICK LOOK


Launch Date:        March 23, 1992

Launch Site:        Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Pad 39A

Launch Window:        8:01 a.m. - 10:31 a.m. EST

Orbiter:        Atlantis (OV-104)

Orbit:             160 x 160 nautical miles, 57 degrees inclination

Landing Date/Time:     6:08 a.m. EST, March 31, 1992

Primary Landing Site:    Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

Abort Landing Sites:    Return to Launch Site - Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
            Transoceanic Abort Landing - Zaragoza, Spain
            Alternates - Moron, Spain; Ben Guerir, Morocco
            Abort Once Around - White Sands, N.M.

Crew:            Charles Bolden, Commander
            Brian Duffy, Pilot
            Kathy Sullivan, Mission Specialist 1
            David Leestma, Mission Specialist 2
            Mike Foale, Mission Specialist 3
            Dirk Frimout, Payload Specialist 1
            Byron Lichtenberg, Payload Specialist 2

Cargo Bay Payloads:    ATLAS-1 (Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications
            and Science-1)
            SSBUV-4 (Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
            Instrument)
            GAS Canisters (Get-Away Specials)

Middeck Payloads:    RME-III (Radiation Monitoring Experiment-III)
            STL (Space Tissue Loss)
            VFT-II (Visual Function Tester-II)
            CLOUDS-1A (Cloud Logic to Optimize Use of Defense
            Systems)
            SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment)
            IPMP (Investigations into Polymer Membrane
            Processing)

STS-45 Launch Window

STS-45 VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS

                                Pounds

Orbiter (Atlantis) empty and 3 SSMEs                172,293

Atmospheric Lab for Applications and Science-1                 15,100

Get-Away Specials/Support Equipment                     522

Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument            720

Investigations of Polymer Membrane Processing                 17

Radiation Monitoring Experiment-3                     23

Space Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment                      30

Visual Function Tester-2                         10

Space Tissue Loss                             68

DSOs/DTOs                                250

CLOUDS                                      5

Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition                      4,495,910

Orbiter Landing Weight                            205,046


STS-45 TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

_____________________________________________________________________________
                              RELATIVE
EVENT                      MET        VELOCITY    MACH        ALTITUDE
               (d:h:m:s)         (fps)                (ft)
_____________________________________________________________________________

Launch               00/00:00:00

Begin Roll Maneuver       00/00:00:10         183        .16              776

End Roll Maneuver       00/00:00:19         418        .37            3,555

SSME Throttle Down to 89%  00/00:00:22        499        .44             4,791

SSME Throttle Up to 67%    00/00:00:31        718     .64             9,603

Max. Dyn. Pressure (Max Q) 00/00:00:56      1,244           1.20            30,580

SSME Throttle Up to 104%   00/00:01:06      1,538           1.55            42,347

SRB Separation           00/00:02:05      4,141           3.79           155,086

Main Engine Cutoff (MECO)  00/00:08:35     25,001          21.62           376,676

Zero Thrust           00/00:08:41     24,999        N/A            376,909

ET Separation           00/00:08:53

OMS-2 Burn            00/00:37:08

Landing               07/22:07:00



Apogee, Perigee at MECO:    157 x  19 nautical miles
Apogee, Perigee post-OMS 2:     161 x 160 nautical miles



SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES


     Space Shuttle launch abort philosophy aims toward safe and intact
recovery of the flight crew, orbiter and its payload.  Abort modes include:

     * Abort-To-Orbit (ATO) -- Partial loss of main engine thrust late enough
to permit reaching a minimal 105-nautical mile orbit with orbital
maneuvering system engines.

     * Abort-Once-Around (AOA) -- Earlier main engine shutdown with the
capability to allow one orbit around before landing at either White Sands
Space Harbor, N.M., or the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space
Center, Fla.

     * Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of one or more main engines
midway through powered flight would force a landing at either Zaragoza,
Spain; Moron, Spain; or Ben Guerir, Morocco.

     * Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) -- Early shutdown of one or more
engines, and without enough energy to reach Zaragoza, would result in a
pitch around and thrust back toward KSC until within gliding distance of the
SLF.

     STS-45 contingency landing sites are Kennedy Space Center, White
Sands, Zaragoza, Moron and Ben Guerir.



STS-45 PRE-LAUNCH PROCESSING

     Flight preparations on Atlantis for the STS-45 mission began Dec. 9,
1991 following its last mission, STS-44, which ended with a landing at
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

     Atlantis was processed in 55 days, the best ever since mission STS-43,
the previous record breaker with a 60-day Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF)
flow.  Processing took place in OPF bay 2 to prepare Atlantis for its 11th
flight, including the installation of the ATLAS-1 payload which is the primary
payload for mission STS-45.

     Atlantis' systems were fully tested while in the OPF, including the
orbital maneuvering system and the forward reaction control system.

     Space Shuttle main engine locations for this flight are as follows: engine
2024 in the No. 1 position, engine 2012 in the No. 2 position and engine
2028 in the No. 3 position.  These engines were installed on Jan. 10-11.

     Work began in January 1990 at KSC to assemble the ATLAS payload
components.  Over the last 2 years, payload technicians joined the two
ATLAS pallets, integrated the experiments and completed required tests.
Technicians installed the ATLAS payload into Atlantis' payload bay on Jan.
25, 1992, while the Shuttle was in the OPF.  The Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet experiment was installed in the payload bay on Jan. 28.  A 43-
hour test, verifying connections between the orbiter and payload, was
performed Jan. 29-31.  The payload was closed out for flight in the OPF on
Feb. 9.

     The Crew Equipment Interface Test, with the STS-45 flight crew, was
conducted in the OPF on Feb. 1.  The crew became familiar with the
configuration of the orbiter, the ATLAS payload and unique equipment for
mission STS-45.

     Booster stacking operations on mobile launcher platform 1 began Dec. 10
and were completed by Jan. 15.  The external tank was mated to the
boosters on Jan. 22 and the orbiter Atlantis was transferred to the Vehicle
Assembly Building on Feb. 13, where it was mated to the external tank and
solid rocket boosters.

     The STS-45 vehicle was rolled out to Launch Pad 39-A on Feb. 19.  A
dress rehearsal launch countdown with the flight crew members was held
Feb. 26-27 at KSC.

     A  standard 43-hour launch countdown is scheduled to begin 3 days prior
to launch.  During the countdown, the orbiter's onboard fuel and oxidizer
storage tanks will be loaded and all orbiter systems will be prepared for
flight.

     About 9 hours before launch, the external tank will be filled with its
flight load of a half a million gallons of liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen
propellants.  About 2 and one-half hours before liftoff, the flight crew will
begin taking their assigned seats in the crew cabin.

     The end of mission landing is planned at the KSC Shuttle Landing
Facility.  KSC's landing convoy teams will be on station to prepare the
vehicle for towing to the OPF.  Atlantis' next flight will be mission STS-46
with the U.S./Italian Tethered Satellite System and the European Space
Agency EURECA payload scheduled for launch this summer.

ATLAS-1

     ATLAS-1 is the first of up to 10 ATLAS missions to be undertaken
throughout one solar cycle, which lasts 11 years.  During that period, a cycle
of solar flares, sunspots and other magnetic activity moves from intense
activity to relative calm.

     ATLAS missions are part of Phase I of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth, a
large-scale, unified study of planet Earth as a single, dynamic system.
Throughout the ATLAS series, scientists will gather new information to gain
a better understanding of how the atmosphere reacts to natural and human-
induced atmospheric changes.  That knowledge will help identify measures
that will keep the planet suitable for life for future generations.

     ATLAS-1 will perform 14 experiments using 12 instruments to
investigate the interactions of the Earth's atmosphere and the sun.  The
experiments will study the chemistry, physics and movement of the middle
and upper atmosphere by measuring the sun's energy and the distribution of
trace chemicals in the atmosphere.

    By studying these factors throughout a solar cycle, scientists will
form a more detailed picture of Earth's atmosphere and its response to changes
in the sun.  The ATLAS-1 instruments also will observe the links between
magnetic fields and electrified gases, called plasma, that lie between the sun
and Earth.  Also, an astronomical telescope will examine sources of
ultraviolet radiation in the Milky Way and other galaxies to learn more about
the stages in the life of a star.

     The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the ATLAS-1 Spacelab on an 8-day
flight, during which its crew will gather information to be used by scientists
on the ground.  The European Space Agency provided the reusable Spacelab
platform in 1981 as its contribution to the Space Shuttle program.  The
versatile Spacelab facility is comprised of pressurized modules that provide
laboratory work space and open U-shaped platforms, called pallets, that hold
instruments requiring direct exposure to space, such as telescopes.  On
missions such as ATLAS, which use open pallets alone, the instruments'
power supply, command and data-handling system and the temperature
control system are housed in a pressurized container called an igloo.

     Spacelab elements are arranged in the Space Shuttle cargo bay to meet
the unique needs of each flight.  For the ATLAS-1 mission, the scientific
instruments will be mounted on two Spacelab pallets in the Shuttle cargo
bay.  All of the instruments flew on earlier Spacelab missions and others will
fly on future ATLAS missions, reducing the cost of this space-based research.
Reuse of these facilities also will allow scientists to expand their base of
knowledge to provide a more accurate, long-term picture of planet Earth
and its environment.  From Atlantis' 160-nautical-mile orbit, these
instruments will be exposed directly to space when the Shuttle bay doors
are open.  During the mission, the orbiter's position will be changed
frequently to point the scientific instruments toward their targets -- the
sun, the Earth and space.

[Atlas-1 Pallet Art]

     NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications, Washington, D.C
sponsors the ATLAS-1 mission.  Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville,
Ala., is responsible for training the science crew and the ground-based
science team.  During the flight, NASA's Spacelab Mission Operations
Control facility at Marshall will control science activities.

     Kennedy Space Center in Florida will prepare the Spacelab and will
launch it aboard Atlantis.  Johnson Space Center in Houston will train the
flight crew and provide Shuttle orbiter flight control.

     Other countries participating in experiments on the ATLAS-1 payload are
Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the
United Kingdom.  The European Space Agency will provide operational
support for the European investigations.

     Scientists will spend years poring over the data collected during the
ATLAS-1 mission.  This information will be organized at a special data-
processing facility at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.,
where the data will be made available to other researchers studying global
change and form the foundation for the remaining missions in the 11-year
ATLAS series.

ATLAS SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS

     Without the atmosphere, life as humans know it could not survive.
Proper atmospheric pressure, temperature and oxygen levels are critical to
maintaining life.  Energy is absorbed and cycled when radiation from the sun
interacts with atmospheric chemicals Q mainly nitrogen and oxygen, with
traces of carbon dioxide, water vapor and other gases.  Additionally, energy
is absorbed and cycled when charged particles (ions and electrons) interact
with the magnetic field generated by the Earth's core.

     Human activities, including agriculture and industry, affect these
complex processes.  For example, the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) used in air
conditioning and other industries rise to the stratosphere, where they are
reduced to reactive chlorine that depletes the ozone layer which protects
the Earth's surface from harmful solar radiation.  Halons, which contain
bromine and are commonly used as fire inhibitors, behave similarly.
Naturally occurring chemicals such as methane and nitrous oxide can lead to
ozone depletion or inhibit chlorine-induced ozone depletion.  Atmospheric
concentrations of all these gases are increasing, as is the concentration of
carbon dioxide, which is produced by fossil fuel combustion.  These changes
are likely to result in increased stratospheric ozone depletion and changes
in atmospheric temperatures.  The ATLAS mission will help scientists
validate and refine their models of the effects of chemical change in the
stratosphere.

     Earth's atmosphere comprises five layers:  troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.  These are classified by
temperature, pressure and chemical composition.

[Atlas-1 Investigations Chart]

     Imbedded in the mesosphere and thermosphere is an electrically
charged area called the ionosphere.  Beyond the ionosphere is the
magnetosphere, which separates Earth's magnetic field from interplanetary
space.  The solar wind Q a high-speed stream of charged particles from the
sun Q gives the magnetosphere a comet-like shape with a tail extending for
vast distances from the planets night side.

     The boundaries of these layers are not exact.  They interact and form a
chain from Earth's surface to interplanetary space.  Since they are
interconnected, what happens at levels above the clouds affects us on the
ground below.

     The instruments aboard ATLAS-1 will collect information about the
composition of Earth's atmosphere, investigate how Earth's electric and
magnetic fields and atmosphere influence one another, examine sources of
ultraviolet light in the universe and measure the energy contained in
sunlight and how that energy varies during the mission.  The ATLAS-1
investigations are divided into four broad areas -- atmospheric science, solar
science, space plasma physics and astronomy.

     A master timeline schedule is programmed into a computer aboard the
Spacelab to orchestrate mission experiment sequences automatically.
Although this timeline may be revised if necessary, computer coordination
contributes to the smooth operation of complex instruments and tasks.

     Most of the atmospheric and solar instruments and the astronomical
telescope will be computer operated.  The instrument data will be sent
directly to scientists at the Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility on
the ground.  The crew will run the space plasma physics instruments
manually.  For example, the crew will report to their counterparts on the
ground on visual effects observed from the firing of a beam of charged
particles (electrons) into the surrounding plasma.

     ATLAS-1 instrument controls are located in the aft flight deck of the
Shuttle orbiter.  The crew will ensure that automatically controlled
instruments function properly and enter observational sequences for
manually controlled equipment.  They also will fine-tune and align video
cameras and television monitors and select camera filters, among other
tasks.

Atmospheric Science

     Six atmospheric science investigations on ATLAS-1 will study the middle
and upper atmosphere with a variety of instruments that will help correlate
atmospheric composition, temperature and pressure with altitude, latitude,
longitude and changes in solar radiation.  The types of environmental
phenomena to be examined include global distribution of atmospheric
components and temperatures, as well as atmospheric reaction to external
influences such as solar input and geomagnetic storms.

     The high-altitude effects of terrestrial environmental episodes Q volcanic
eruptions, forest fires, massive oil fires in Kuwait Q also may be examined.
Data collection will help scientists monitor short- and long-term changes,
the goal of the series of ATLAS flights.

     Gases in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere undergo constant
changes triggered by variations in ultraviolet sunlight, by reactions between
layers and by air motions.  Many of the photochemical reactions Q the effect
of light or other radiant energy in producing chemical action Q cause atoms
and molecules to emit light of very specific wavelengths.  These light
signatures are called spectral features.

     The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) will measure spectral
features to determine the composition of the atmosphere, down to trace
amounts of chemicals measured in parts-per-trillion.  This investigation,
which previously flew on Spacelab 1, will add to data about the varied
reactions and energy transfer processes that occur in Earth's environment.

     The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) and the Grille
Spectrometer (Grille) experiments will map trace molecules, including
carbon dioxide and ozone, in the middle atmosphere.  This mapping will be
accomplished at orbital sunrise and sunset by measuring the infrared
radiation that these molecules absorb.  An orbital "day" consists of a sunrise
and sunset occuring approximately every 90 minutes during flight.  These
data will be compared with information gathered during other missions to
note worldwide, seasonal and long-term atmospheric changes.  Both
instruments have flown previously, ATMOS on Spacelab 3 in 1985 and Grille
on Spacelab 1 in 1983.

     The Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) experiment will
measure the abundance of two forms of hydrogen -- common hydrogen and
deuterium or heavy hydrogen.  ALAE will observe ultraviolet light, called
Lyman-alpha, which hydrogen and deuterium radiate at slightly different
wavelengths.  Deuterium's relative abundance compared to hydrogen at the
altitude's ALAE will study is an indication of atmospheric turbulence in the
lower thermosphere.  After determining the hydrogen/deuterium ratio,
scientists can better study the rate of water evolution in Earth's atmosphere.
ALAE flew on Spacelab 1.

     The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) measures the
strength of millimeter-waves radiating at the specific frequencies of water
vapor, chlorine monoxide and ozone.  Observations of these gases will enable
scientists to better understand their distribution through the upper
atmosphere.  MAS data will be particularly valuable because they should be
unaffected by the presence of aerosols, the concentrations of which have
increased by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991.  An earlier
version of MAS flew on Spacelab 1.


Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet

     The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV), which measures
atmospheric ozone levels, is a calibrating experiment co-manifested with
ATLAS-1.  Its measurements are compared to those from ozone-observing
instruments aboard the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations
NOAA-9 and NOAA-11 satellites and NASA's NIMBUS-7 satellite to ensure
the most accurate readings possible of atmospheric ozone trends.  The
SSBUV assesses instrument performance by directly comparing data from
identical instruments aboard the NOAA spacecraft and NIMBUS-7 as the
Shuttle and satellite pass over the same Earth location.  SSBUV data also can
be compared to data obtained by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
launched in September 1991 to study the processes that lead to ozone
depletion.  The solar data taken by SSBUV also will be compared with data
from the four solar instruments.

     SSBUV is physically separate from the ATLAS-1 payload, housed in two
Get Away Special canisters mounted in the Shuttle's payload bay.  The
instrument canister holds the SSBUV, its aspect sensors and in-flight
calibration system.  The support canister contains the avionics, including
power, data and command systems.  SSBUV commands will be sent from a
Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) at the Johnson Space Center.
SSBUV data will be received at Johnson and the Marshall Space Flight
Center.

     SSBUV is co-manifested with future ATLAS flights.  The ATLAS-1 mission
will be the fourth flight of SSBUV, which previously flew in October 1989,
October 1990 and August 1991.  SSBUV is managed by the Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Solar Science

     Four solar science investigations will measure the sun's energy output to
determine its variations and spectrum.  Such information is important for
understanding the effect of solar radiation on the composition of the Earth's
atmosphere and ionosphere.  Scientists studying Earth's climate and the
physical processes of the sun also use the information

     Because the sun is Earth's major source of heat, it drives atmospheric
circulation and affects the weather.  A change of only a few degrees in the
temperature of Earth's atmosphere might cause dramatic changes in the
ocean levels, ice caps and climate.  There is evidence that the solar
constant, the amount of heat normally received at the outer layer of Earth's
atmosphere, fluctuates.  Therefore, it is important to determine its range
and variability.

     The Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and the Measurement of Solar
Constant (SOLCON) experiments will measure the total amount of light and
energy emitted by the sun, which is especially important in climate studies.


     The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC), the Solar Ultraviolet
Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) and SSBUV investigations will add to
scientists' understanding of how variations in the sun's energy output affect
the chemistry of the atmosphere.  Spectral information is needed to study
atmospheric reactions because different atmospheric components at
different altitudes absorb different wavelength ranges.  These four
instruments have flown on previous Space Shuttle missions.

Space Plasma Physics

     Two space plasma physics instruments, the Atmospheric Emissions
Photometric Imaging (AEPI) and Space Experiments with Particle
Accelerators (SEPAC), will study the charged particle and plasma
environment.  A third investigation, Energetic Neutral Atom Precipitation
(ENAP), will be conducted using data from the ISO instrument.  Active and
passive probing techniques will investigate key cause-and-effect
relationships that link the Earth's magnetosphere, ionosphere and upper
atmosphere.  Electron and plasma beams will be injected into the
surrounding space plasma to study phenomena such as aurora Q visible
signatures of magnetic storms that can disrupt telecommunications, power
transmissions and spacecraft electronics Q and spacecraft glow.

     Spacecraft glow is a recently discovered phenomenon.  On Shuttle
missions, surfaces facing into the direction of travel were covered with a
faintly glowing, thin orange layer.  Understanding spacecraft glow is very
important because of its impact on experiments in the cargo bay and on
other satellites.  This emission of light could interfere with sensitive data-
collecting instruments.

     The space plasma investigations also will help us understand the effects
of solar energy on our weather, communications and spacecraft
technologies.  AEPI and SEPAC flew on Spacelab 1.

Astronomy

     Much remains to be learned about the stages and the rate of star
formation in other galaxies.  Young stars reach very high temperatures and
emit intense ultraviolet radiation, which cannot be detected by ground-
based astronomers.  However, this radiation can be detected by an ultraviolet
sensor, such as the Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST), placed outside
Earth's atmosphere.  FAUST, which flew on Spacelab 1, will study
astronomical radiation sources at ultraviolet wavelengths inaccessible to
observers on Earth.  Better knowledge of ultraviolet emission sources will
lead to improved understanding of the life cycle of stars and galaxies
throughout the universe.  FAUST has flown on Spacelab 1.

THE ATLAS PROGRAM

     ATLAS-1 is an important part of the long-term, coordinated research
that makes up NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.  The ATLAS-1 solar science
instruments and several of the atmospheric science instruments (MAS,
ATMOS, SSBUV) will fly on future ATLAS missions.  Beyond its own science
mission, a key goal of the ATLAS series is to provide calibration for NASA's
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS).  Two ATLAS-1 instruments,
ACR and SUSIM, have direct counterparts aboard UARS, while other
instruments aboard each mission are closely related.  Repeated flights of the
ATLAS instruments, which can be carefully calibrated before and after each
flight, will provide long-term calibration data sets for comparison with data
from many satellite instruments and for long-term trend studies.

     The next ATLAS flight, ATLAS-2, is scheduled for launch in spring 1993.
Immediately after ATLAS-1 lands, the science teams for instruments flying
on ATLAS-2 will begin recalibrating and preparing their instruments for
reflight, while analyzing and interpreting their ATLAS-1 data.

INVESTIGATIONS INTO POLYMER MEMBRANE PROCESSING

     The Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing (IPMP), a
middeck payload, will make its sixth Space Shuttle flight for the Columbus,
Ohio-based Battelle Advanced Materials Center, a NASA Center for the
Commercial Development of Space (CCDS), sponsored in part by the Office
of Commercial Programs.

      The objective of the IPMP is to investigate the physical and chemical
processes that occur during the formation of polymer membranes in
microgravity such that the improved knowledge base can be applied to
commercial membrane processing techniques.  Supporting the overall
program objective, the STS-45 mission will provide additional data on the
polymer precipitation process.

      Polymer membranes have been used by industry in separations
processes for many years.  Typical applications include enriching the oxygen
content of air, desalination of water and kidney dialysis.

     Polymer membranes frequently are made using a two-step process.  A
sample mixture of polymer and solvents is applied to a casting surface.  The
first step involves the evaporation of solvents from the mixture.  In the
second step, a non-solvent (typically water) is introduced and the desired
membrane is precipitated, completing the process.  Previous flights of IPMP
have involved the complete process (STS-41, -43, -48 and -42) and the
evaporation step alone (STS-31).  On the STS-45 mission, only the
precipitation step will be performed.

     On this mission, the process is initiated by STS-45 crewmembers.  They
will begin by accessing the two IPMP units in the stowage location in a
middeck locker.  By turning the valve on each unit, water vapor is infused
into the sample container, initiating the process.  Previous work indicates
that the entire process should be complete after approximately 10 minutes,
and the resulting membrane will not be influenced by gravitational
accelerations at that time.  The stowage tray containing the two units is then
restowed for the duration of the flight.

     Following the flight, the samples will be retrieved and returned to
Battelle for testing.  Portions of the samples will be sent to the CCDS's
industry partners for quantitative evaluation consisting of comparisons of the
membranes' permeability and selectivity characteristics with those of
laboratory-produced membranes.

     Lisa A. McCauley, Associate Director of the Battelle CCDS, is program
manager for IPMP.  Dr. Vince McGinness of Battelle is principal investigator.

GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENT

     NASA's Get Away Special (GAS) program's goal is to provide access to
space to everyone by offering individuals and organizations of all countries
the opportunity to send scientific research and development experiments
on board the Space Shuttle on a space-available basis.

     Ten GAS experiments most recently flew on STS-42 in January 1992.
To date, 77 GAS cans have flown on 17 missions.  The GAS program began
in 1982 and is managed by Goddard Space Flight Center.  Clarke Prouty is
GAS Mission Manager and Larry Thomas is Technical Liaison Officer.

(G-229) Experiment in Crystal Growth:
NASA Technical Manager:  Dave Peters

     This experiment was designed to grow crystals of gallium arsenide
(GaAs).  GaAs is a versatile electronic material used in high-speed
electronics and optoelectronics.  The crystal grown on this mission will be 1
inch in diameter by 3.5 inches long and will be grown using a gradient
freeze growth technique.

     The payload is entirely self-sufficient and includes its own power system,
growth system and control and data acquisition systems.  The crystal growth
will last nearly 11 hours and will be initiated by an astronaut closing a
switch.  This is the only human interaction necessary with this payload.

     This experiment is a reflight of a successful GAS experiment conducted
on STS-40 in June 1991, but with additional features included to enhance
the ability to analyze convection effects on crystal growth in microgravity.

     The payload was designed and constructed at GTE Laboratories in
Waltham, Maine, and is jointly sponsored by GTE, the U.S. Air Force Wright
Research and Development Center Materials Laboratory, Dayton, Ohio, and
the Microgravity Science and Applications Division of the NASA Office of
Space Science and Applications.  The Space Experiment Division of NASA's
Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, manages the project.  Project manager is
Dr. Richard W. Lauver.

     This experiment is part of a comprehensive program that involves a
comparative study of crystal growth under a variety of terrestrial conditions
in addition to crystal growth in microgravity aboard the Space Shuttle.
Scientists from each research institution will contribute to characterization
of the space-grown crystals.

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX)

     The Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment is designed to demonstrate the
feasibility of amateur shortwave radio contacts between the Space Shuttle
and ground amateur radio operators, often called ham radio operators.
SAREX also serves as an educational opportunity for schools around the
world to learn about space first hand by speaking directly to astronauts
aboard the Shuttle via ham radio.  Contacts with certain schools are included
in planning the mission.

     In addition, if the Russian Mir Space Station becomes visible to the STS-
45 crew during the mission, SAREX may be used to attempt a conversation
with the Mir cosmonauts, who also have a ham radio aboard.

     Four of the STS-45 crew members are licensed amateur radio operators:
Mission Specialists Dave Leestma, call sign N5WQC; Kathy Sullivan, call sign
N5YVV; Pilot Brian Duffy, call sign N5WQW; and Payload Specialist Dirk
Frimout, call sign ON1AFD.  Frimout and Sullivan are fluent in several
European languages and hope to make contacts in that part of the world.
However, STS-45's 57-degree inclination will place the spacecraft in an
orbit that will allow worldwide contact possibilities, including high latitude
areas not normally on the Shuttle's groundtrack.

     Ham operators may communicate with the Shuttle using VHF FM voice
transmissions, a mode that makes contact widely available without the
purchase of more expensive equipment.  The primary frequencies to be used
during STS-45 are 145.55 MHz for transmissions from the spacecraft to the
ground and 144.95 MHz for transmissions from the ground to the
spacecraft.

     SAREX has flown previously on Shuttle missions STS-9, STS-51F, STS-
35 and STS-37.  The equipment aboard Atlantis for STS-45 will include a
low-power, hand-held FM transceiver, spare batteries, a headset, an antenna
designed to fit in the Shuttle's window, an interface module and an
equipment cabinet.

     SAREX is a joint effort of NASA, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL),
the Amateur Radio Satellite Corp. and the Johnson Space Center Amateur
Radio Club.  Information about orbital elements, contact times, frequencies
and crew operating times will be available from these groups during the
mission and from amateur radio clubs at other NASA centers.

     Ham operators from the JSC club will be operating on HF frequencies
and the AARL (W1AW) will include SAREX information in its regular HF voice
and teletype bulletins.  The Goddard Space Flight Center Amateur Radio
Club will operate 24 hours a day during the mission, providing information
on SAREX and retransmitting live Shuttle air-to-ground communications.

STS-45 SAREX Operating Frequencies

Location            Shuttle Transmission        Shuttle Reception

U.S., Africa,    145.55 MHz        144.95 MHz
South America    145.55            144.97
and Asia    145.55            144.91

Europe        145.55 MHz        144.95 MHz
        145.55            144.75
        145.55            144.70

Goddard Amateur Radio Club Operations
(SAREX information and Shuttle audio broadcasts)

 3.860 MHz          7.185 MHz
14.295 MHz         21.395 MHz
28.395 MHz

     SAREX information also may be obtained from the Johnson Space Center
computer bulletin board (JSC BBS), 8 N 1 1200 baud, at 713/483-2500 and
then type 62511.

RADIATION MONITORING EQUIPMENT-III (RME)

     The Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III measures ionizing radiation
exposure to the crew within the orbiter cabin.  RME-III measures gamma
ray, electron, neutron and proton radiation and calculates in real time
exposure in RADS-tissue equivalent.  The information is stored in memory
modules for post-flight analysis.

     The hand-held instrument will be stored in a middeck locker during
flight except for activation and memory module replacement, done every 2
days.  RME-III will be activated by the crew as soon as possible after
reaching orbit and operated throughout the mission.  A crew member will
enter the correct mission elapsed time upon activation.  RME-III is
sponsored by the Department of Defense in cooperation with NASA.


VISUAL FUNCTION TESTER-II (VFT-II)

     The objective of the Visual Function Tester-II experiment is to measure
changes in a number of vision parameters in the vision of subjects exposed
to microgravity.  VFT-II consists of a hand-held battery-powered testing
device which incorporates a binocular eyepiece and uses controlled
illumination to present a variety of visual targets for subject testing.  The
device measures changes in the contrast ratio threshold in the vision of
subjects exposed to prolonged microgravity.  Test results are read on a
display and recorded on data sheets.  VFT-II has flown previously on Shuttle
missions STS-27, STS-28 and STS-36.

     On STS-45, the payload specialists will be the primary subjects for VFT-
II and will perform testing at 2 weeks and 1 week prior to the flight.  In
flight, they will be tested each day.  Post-flight, they will be tested 2 days
after landing and 1 week after landing.  VFT-II is sponsored by the Air Force
Space Systems Division, Los Angeles.

CLOUDS-1A

     The overall objective of the CLOUDS-1A program is to quantify the
variation in apparent cloud cover as a function of the angle at which clouds
of various types are viewed and to develop meteorological observation
models for various cloud formations.

     The CLOUDS-1A experiment is stowed in a middeck locker and consists
of a Nikon F3/T camera assembly and film.  On-orbit, a crew member will
take a series of high resolution photographs of individual cloud scenes,
preferably severe weather and high "wispy" cirrus clouds, over a wide range
of viewing angles.

SPACE TISSUE LOSS (STL)

     Space Tissue Loss is a life sciences experiment that studies cell growth
during spaceflight.  The hardware developed for this experiment allows
drugs to be added and the response tested at any preprogrammed time
during the mission.  The objective of the experiment is to study the
response of muscle, bone and endothelial cells by evaluating various
parameters including shape, cytoskeleton, membrane integrity and
metabolism, activity of enzymes that inactivate proteins and the effects or
change of response to various drugs on these parameters.

     The payload consists of a large tray assembly which can be refurbished
and replaced.  The tray fits inside a standard middeck locker.  All fluids and
cells within the tray have three levels of containment to assure that nothing
escapes from the package into the middeck.  The self-contained computer
system is preprogrammed for medium and gas delivery to the cells,
environmental monitoring of temperature and other important parameters,
timed collection of medium and/or cells and cell fixation.

STS-45 CREW BIOGRAPHIES

     Charles F. Bolden, Jr., 45, Col., USMC, will serve as Commander.
Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Bolden was born in Columbia, S.C., and will
be making his third space flight.

     Bolden graduated from C.A. Johnson High School in Columbia in 1964;
received a bachelor of science in electrical science from the Naval Academy
in 1968; and received a master of science in systems management from the
University of Southern California in 1978.

     Bolden was designated a naval aviator in 1970 and flew more than 100
sorties in Vietnam in the A-6A Intruder.  In 1979, he graduated from the
Naval Test Pilot School.  He later served as a test pilot for the A-6E, EA-6B
and A-7C/E aircraft until his selection by NASA.

     His first space flight was as pilot of STS-61C in January 1986.  He next
served as pilot for STS-31 in April 1990.  Bolden has logged more than 267
hours in space.

     Brian Duffy, 38, Lt. Col., USAF, will serve as Pilot.  Selected as an
astronaut in 1985, Duffy was born in Boston, Mass., and will be making his
first space flight.

     Duffy graduated from Rockland High School, Rockland, Ma., in 1971;
received a bachelor of science in mathematics from the Air Force Academy
in 1975; and received a master of science in systems management from the
University of Southern California in 1981.

     Duffy completed pilot training in 1976 and flew the F-15 out of Langley
Air Force Base, Hampton, Va., until 1979.  He graduated from the Air Force
Test Pilot  School in 1982 and served as Director of F-15 flight tests at Eglin
Air Force Base, Fla., until his selection by NASA.

     At NASA, Duffy has participated in Shuttle software development, served
as Technical Assistant to the Director of Flight Crew Operations and worked
as CAPCOM or spacecraft communicator for several Shuttle missions in
Mission Control.

     Duffy has logged more than 3,000 flying hours in more than 25 different
types of aircraft.

     Kathryn D. Sullivan, 40, will serve as Mission Specialist 1.  Selected as
an astronaut in 1978, Sullivan considers Woodland Hills, Calif., her hometown
and will be making her third space flight.

     Sullivan graduated from Taft High School, Woodland Hills, in 1969;
received a bachelor of science in Earth sciences from the University of
California at Santa Cruz in 1973; and received a doctorate in geology from
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1978.

     Sullivan first flew on STS-41G in October 1984.  Her second flight was
on STS-31 in April 1990.  Sullivan has logged more than 318 hours in space.

     David C. Leestma, 42, Capt., USN, will serve as Mission Specialist 2.
Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Leestma was born in Muskegon, Mich.,
and will be making his third space flight.

     Leestma graduated from Tustin High School, Tustin, Calif., in 1967;
received a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering from the Naval
Academy in 1971; and received a master of science in aeronautical
engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1972.

     Leestma first flew on STS-41G in October 1984 and on STS-28 in August
1989.  Leestma has logged more than 318 hours in space.

     Michael Foale, 35, will serve as Mission Specialist 3.  Selected as an
astronaut in 1987, Foale considers Cambridge, England, his hometown and
will be making his first space flight.

     Foale graduated from Kings School, Canterbury, England, in 1975;
received a bachelor of arts in physics from the University of Cambridge,
Queens' College, in 1978; and received a doctorate in laboratory physics
from Queens' College in 1982.

     Prior to his selection as an astronaut, Foale worked for NASA as a
payloads officer in Mission Control.  As an astronaut, his assignments have
included work in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and on crew
rescue and operations planned for Space Station Freedom.

     Dirk D. Frimout, 51, will serve as Payload Specialist 1.  A European Space
Agency staff member, Frimout was born in Poperinge, Belgium, and will be
making his first space flight.

     Frimout graduated from Atheneum secondary school in Ghent, Belgium;
received a bachelor's degree in electrotechnical engineering from the State
University of Ghent in 1963; received a doctorate in applied physics from
the University of Ghent in 1970; and performed post-doctorate work at the
University of Colorado Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics in 1971.

     Frimout worked at the Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy as head of
section instrumentation from 1965-1978.  From 1978-1984, he served ESA
as crew activities coordinator and experiment coordinator for Spacelab 1.
From 1984-1989, he worked in the microgravity division of ESTEC and is a
senior engineer in the Payload Utilization Department of the Columbus
Directorate for ESA.

     Byron K. Lichtenberg, 44, will serve as Payload Specialist 2.  First
selected as a payload specialist by NASA in 1978, Lichtenberg was born in
Stroudsburg, Pa., and will be making his second space flight.

     Lichtenberg graduated from Stroudsburg High School in 1965; received a
bachelor of science in aerospace engineering from Brown University in
1969; received a master of science in mechanical engineering from the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1975; and received a
doctorate in biomedical engineering from MIT in 1979.

     Lichtenberg joined the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and later earned wings as
an F-4 fighter pilot, logging more than 2,500 flying hours on 138 combat
missions.  After discharge from the Air Force, he attended graduate school
at MIT.  Lichtenberg first flew as a payload specialist on STS-9 Spacelab-1 in
November 1983, logging 10 days in space.

STS-45 MISSION MANAGEMENT

NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Office of Administrator

Richard H. Truly - Administrator
Aaron Cohen - Deputy Administrator (Acting)
Roy S. Estess - Special Assistant

Office of Space Flight

Dr. William Lenoir - Associate Administrator
Thomas E. Utsman -  Deputy Associate Administrator

Office of Space Science

Dr. Lennard A. Fisk - Associate Administrator
Alphonso V. Diaz - Deputy Associate Administrator
Robert Benson - Director, Flight Systems Division
Earl Montoya - Program Manager
Dr. Shelby Tilford - Director, Earth Science and Applications Division
Dr. Jack Kaye - Program Scientist
George Esenwein - Experiments Program Manager
Dr. Charles Pellerin - Director, Astrophysics Division
Dr. Barry Welsh - Program Scientists, FAUST
Dr. George Withbroe - Director, Space Physics Division
Lou Demas - Chief, Space Physics Flight Programs Branch

Office of Commercial Programs

John G. Mannix - Assistant Administrator
Richard H. Ott - Director, Commercial Development Division
Garland C. Misener - Chief, Flight Requirements and Accommodations
Ana M. Villamil - Program Manager, Centers for the Commercial
            Development of Space


Office of Safety & Mission Quality

George A. Rodney - Associate Administrator
Charles Mertz - Deputy Associate Administrator (Acting)
Richard U. Perry - Director, Programs Assurance Division

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA.

Robert L. Crippen - Director
Jay Honeycutt - Director, Shuttle Management and Operations
Robert B. Sieck - Launch Director
Conrad G. Nagel - Atlantis Flow Manager
John T. Conway - Director, Payload Management and Operations
P. Thomas Breakfield - Director, STS Payload Operations
Joanne H. Morgan - Director, Payload Project Management
Mike Kinnan - STS-45 Payload Processing Manager

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, HUNTSVILLE, ALA.

Thomas J. Kee - Director
Dr. J. Wayne Littles - Deputy Director
Harry G. Craft, Jr. - Manager, Payload Projects Office
Anthony O'Neil - Mission Manager
Ms. Teresa Vanhooser - Assistant Mission Manager
Gerald Maxwell - Assistant Mission Manager
Dr. Marsha Torr - Mission Scientist
Paul Craven - Assistant Mission Scientist
Robert Beaman - Chief Engineer
Dr. George McDonough - Director, Science and Engineering
James H. Ehl - Director, Safety and Mission Assurance
Alexander A. McCool - Manager, Shuttle Projects Office
Alexander A. McCool - Acting Manager, Space Shuttle Main Engine Project
Victor Keith Henson - Manager, Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor Project
Cary H. Rutland - Manager, Solid Rocket Booster Project
Gerald C. Ladner - Manager, External Tank Project

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON

Paul J. Weitz - Director (Acting)
Paul J. Weitz - Deputy Director
Daniel Germany - Manager, Orbiter and GFE Projects
Donald R. Puddy - Director, Flight Crew Operations
Eugene F. Kranz - Director, Mission Operations
Henry O. Pohl - Director, Engineering
Charles S. Harlan - Director - Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance
Sharon Castle - ATLAS-1 Payload Manager

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, GREENBELT, MD.

Dr. John M. Klineberg - Director
Dr. Vincent V. Salomonson - Director, Earth Sciences
Dr. Franco Einaudi - Chief, Laboratory for Atmospheres
Dr. Mark R. Schoeberl - Head, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics
Ernest Hilsenrath - SSBUV Principal Investigator
Donald Williams - SSBUV Mission Manager
Clarke Prouty - GAS Mission Manager
Larry Thomas - Technical Liaison Officer

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, BAY ST. LOUIS, MISS.

Gerald W. Smith  - Director (Acting)
Gerald W. Smith - Deputy Director
J. Harry Guin - Director, Propulsion Test Operations

AMES-DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH FACILITY, EDWARDS, CALIF.

Kenneth J. Szalai  - Director
T. G. Ayers - Deputy Director
James R. Phelps  - Chief, Space Support Office

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