The California Collection/TheCaliforniaCollection.cdr/his018/m35kit.txt

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 SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-35 PRESS KIT
 MAY, 1990

 CONTENTS

 GENERAL RELEASE
 STS-35 QUICK LOOK
 STS-35 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING
 SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES
 SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES
 ASTRO-1
 BROAD BAND X-RAY TELESCOPE
 SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT
 SPACE CLASSROOM
 ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM
 PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS
 CREW BIOGRAPHIES
 MISSION MANAGEMENT TEAM



 GENERAL RELEASE
 COLUMBIA TO FLY ASTRONOMY MISSION
 RELEASE: 90-63

Highlighting mission STS-35, the 36th flight of the Space Shuttle and 10th
mission of orbiter Columbia, will be around-the-clock observations by the
seven-member crew using the ultraviolet astronomy observatory (Astro) and the
Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT). Both instruments are located in Columbia's
payload bay and will be operated during 12-hour shifts by the crew.

Above Earth's atmospheric interference, Astro-1 will observe and measure
ultraviolet radiation from celestial objects. Astro-1 is the first in a series
of missions that will make precise measurements of objects such as planets,
stars and galaxies in relatively small fields of view.

Liftoff of the 10th flight of Columbia is scheduled for 12:45 a.m. EDT on May
17 from launch pad 39-A at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Columbia will be
placed into a 218 statute (190 nautical) mile circular orbit, inclined 28.5
degrees to the equator. Nominal mission duration is expected to be 8 days 19
hours 55 minutes. Deorbit is planned on orbit 139, with landing scheduled for
8:40 p.m. EDT on May 25 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

Astro-1 uses a Spacelab pallet system with an instrument pointing system and a
cruciform structure for bearing the three ultraviolet instruments mounted in
parallel configuration. The three instruments are the Hopkins Ultraviolet
Telescope (HUT), the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-polarimeter Experiment
(WUPPE) and the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT). The star tracker, which
supports the instrument pointing system, also is mounted on the cruciform.

HUT will study faint astronomical objects such as quasars, active galactic
nuclei and supernova remnants in the little-explored ultraviolet range below
1200 Angstroms. It consists of a mirror that focuses on an aperture of a prime
focus spectrograph. Observations of the outer planets of the solar system will
be made to investigate aurorae and gain insight into the interaction of each
planet's magnetosphere with the solar wind.

WUPPE will measure the polarization of ultraviolet light from celestial
objects such as hot stars, galactic nuclei and quasars. It uses two-mirror
telescope optics in conjunction with a spectropolarimeter. This instrument
will measure the polarization by splitting a beam of light into two
mutually-perpendicular planes of polarization, passing the beams through a
spectrometer and focusing the beams on two separate array detectors.

UIT consists of a telescope and two image intensifiers with 70 mm film
transports (1000 frames each). It will acquire images of faint objects in
broad ultraviolet bands in the wavelength range of 1200 to 3200 Angstroms.
This experiment also will investigate the present stellar content and history
of star formation in galaxies, the nature of spiral structure and non-thermal
sources in galaxies.

Also in the payload bay is the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope which has two
co-aligned imaging telescopes with cryogenically cooled lithium-drifted
silicon detectors at each focus. Accurate pointing of the instrument is
achieved by a two-axis pointing system (TAPS).

BBXRT will study various targets, including active galaxies, clusters of
galaxies, supernova remnants and stars. BBXRT will directly measure the amount
of energy in electron volts of each X-ray detected.

Astro observations will begin about 23 hours after Columbia has completed its
maneuvering burn to circularize its orbit at 190 nautical miles. BBXRT will be
activated approximately 13 hours after orbital insertion. Astro will be
deactivated 12 hours before deorbit and BBXRT deactivation will be 4 hours
before the deorbit burn.

Columbia's middeck will carry the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) to
communicate with amateur radio stations within line-of-sight of the orbiter in
voice mode or data mode. This experiment has previously flown on STS-9 and
STS-51F. Also on this mission, Columbia will function as the subject for
ground sensor operations as part of the Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS)
calibration test.

Commander of the seven-member crew is Vance Brand. Pilot is Guy Gardner.
STS-35 is Brand's fourth trip to space. He previously flew on the Apollo-Soyuz
Test Project mission in 1975. He also commanded Shuttle missions STS-5 in
November 1982 and STS-41B in February 1984. Gardner previously piloted STS-27
in December 1988.

Mission Specialists are Mike Lounge, Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Parker. Lounge
previously flew on STS-51I in August 1985 and STS-26 in September 1988.
Hoffman flew as a Mission Specialist on STS-51D in April 1985. Parker's
previous spaceflight experience was STS-9 in November 1983.

Payload Specialists Ronald Parise and Samuel Durrance round out the STS-35
crew. Both are making their first space flights.



STS-35 QUICK LOOK

 Launch Date: May 17, 1990
 Launch Window: 12:45 a.m. - 3:09 a.m. EDT
 Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
 Launch Complex 39-A
 Orbiter: Columbia (OV-102)
 Altitude: 218 statute miles (190 nm)
 Inclination: 28.45
 Duration: 8 days, 19 hours, 55 minutes
 Landing Date/Time: May 25, 1990, 8:40 p.m. EDT

 Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

 Abort Landing Sites:
 Return to Launch Site -- Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
 Trans-Atlantic Abort -- Banjul, The Gambia
 Abort Once Around -- Edwards AFB, Calif.

 Crew:
 Vance D. Brand -- Commander Red/Blue Team
 Guy S. Gardner -- Pilot -- Red Team
 Jeffrey A. Hoffman -- Mission Specialist 1/EV -- Blue Team
 John M. "Mike" Lounge -- Mission Specialist 2/EV2 -- Blue Team
 Robert A.R. Parker -- Mission Specialist 3 -- Red Team
 Samuel T. Durrance -- Payload Specialist 1 -- Blue Team
 Ronald A. Parise -- Payload Specialist 2 -- Red Team

 Red Team shift is approximately 10:30 p.m. -- 10:30 a.m. EDT
 Blue Team shift is approximately 10:30 a.m. -- 10:30 p.m. EDT

 Cargo Bay Payloads:
 Ultraviolet Astronomy Telescope (Astro)
 Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT)

 Middeck Payloads:
 Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS)
 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX)



STS-35 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING

Kennedy Space Center shuttle processing teams began preparing Columbia for its
10th flight on January 26 when it returned to Florida following the completion
of its last flight, the STS-32 LDEF retrieval mission in January.

Columbia spent about 2 and one-half months in the Orbiter Processing Facility
where some 24 minor modifications were made to the orbiter's onboard systems,
including the reworked nose landing gear axle and the addition of strain
gauges on the Space Shuttle Main Engine high pressure oxidizer turbo pumps.
Following the STS-32 flight, a debonding in the main combustion chamber was
found in engine 2022 in the No. 2 position. It was replaced with a new engine,
2012, for the STS-35 flight. The other two engines will be flown in the same
position as Columbia's last flight: 2024 in the No. 1 position and 2028 in the
No. 3 position.

The Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS) and the Shuttle Atmosphere Mass
Spectrometer (SUMS) experiments, both located in the chin panel, will provide
information on local surface air pressure and atmospheric density during
reentry. The Shuttle Infrared Leeside Temperature Sensing (SILTS) pod camera,
mounted in the top of the vertical stabilizer, was moved from viewing the port
side to the centerline view of the orbiter. This camera will obtain
high-resolution infrared images of the surfaces as the orbiter reenters
Earth's atmosphere. These infrared maps will indicate the amount of
aerodynamic heating of orbiter surfaces in flight.

Columbia was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building April 16 and mated
to the external tank on Mobile Launcher Platform 3. During Columbia's rollout,
Crawler Transporter No. 2 reached a milestone when it turned over 1,000 miles
on its odometer. Rollout to Pad 39-A on April 22 occurred during the STS-31
Discovery launch countdown. Discovery was launched April 24 from Pad B, 1.65
miles north of Pad A.

Once at the pad, routine operations were performed to ready the vehicle
elements for launch. The terminal countdown demonstration test was conducted
April 27-28.

The launch countdown will begin about 3 days prior to the 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.

Columbia is scheduled to land at Edwards AFB, Calif., KSC's landing and
recovery team at NASA's Ames-Dryen Flight Research Facility will prepare the
orbiter for its ferry flight back to Florida, expected to begin about 5 days
after landing.



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 Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.;
White Sands Space Harbor (Northrup Strip), N.M.; or the Shuttle Landing
Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center, Fla..

* Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of two main engines midway
through powered flight would force a landing at Banjul, The Gambia; Ben
Guerir, Morocco; or Moron, Spain.

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

STS-35 contingency landing sites are Edwards AFB, White Sands, Kennedy Space
Center, Banjul and Ben Guerir, Moron.



SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES

DAY ONE

 Ascent
 Post-insertion
 Unstow Cabin
 Astro/BBXRT Activation
 SAREX Setup
 DSO

DAY TWO

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX

DAY THREE

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX

DAY FOUR

 AMOS
 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX

DAY FIVE

 AMOS
 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX

DAY SIX

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX

DAY SEVEN

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 RCS Hotfire

DAY EIGHT

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX
 DTO
 FCS Checkout

DAY NINE

 Astro/BBXRT Observations
 SAREX
 SAREX Stow
 Astro/BBXRT Deactivation
 Cabin Stow
 Deorbit Burn
 Landing at Edwards AFB



THE ASTRO-1 MISSION

Since the earliest days of astronomy, humankind has used the light from the
stars to test their understanding of the universe. Now, an array of telescopes
to be flown on the first Spacelab mission since 1985, will extend scientists'
vision beyond the visible light to view some of the most energetic events in
the universe.

Astro-1 is the first Spacelab mission devoted to a single scientific
discipline -- astrophysics. The observatory will operate from within the cargo
bay of Space Shuttle Columbia on the STS-35 mission. Together, four telescopes
will dissect ultraviolet light and X-rays from stars and galaxies, revealing
the secrets of processes that emitted the radiation from thousands to even
billions of years ago. Wherever it points, Astro promises to reveal an array
of information.

The Astro-1 Spacelab project is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Ala.



Seeing the Universe

Astronomy from the ground always has been hampered by the Earth's atmosphere.
Even visible light is distorted and blurred by the motion of air masse, and
visible light is just a small part of the radiation that virtually all objects
in the sky emit. Other forms of radiation -- like cooler, low-energy infrared
light and hotter, high-energy ultraviolet light and X-rays -- are largely
absorbed by the atmosphere and never reach the ground.

Seeing celestial objects in visible light alone is like looking at a painting
in only one color. To appreciate fully the meaning of the painting, viewers
must see it in all of its colors.

The Astro-1 telescopes were constructed to add some of these "colors" to
scientists' view of stars and galaxies. The telescopes' perch above the veil
of Earth's atmosphere in Columbia's cargo bay will allow scientists to view
radiation that is invisible on the ground.

Three of Astro-1's telescopes will operate in the ultraviolet portion of the
spectrum and one in the X-ray portion. One will take photographs; two will
analyze the chemical composition, density and temperature of objects with a
spectrograph; and the other will study the relative brightness and
polarization (the study of light wavelength orientation) of celestial objects.
Some sources will be among the faintest known, as faint as the glow of
sunlight reflected back from interplanetary dust.

By studying ultraviolet and X-rays, astronomers can see emissions from
extremely hot gases, intense magnetic fields and other high-energy phenomena
that are much fainter in visible and infrared light or in radio waves -- and
which are crucial to a deeper understanding of the universe.

Several space telescopes -- notably the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-3
(Copernicus) launched in 1972, the International Ultraviolet Explorer launched
in 1978 and the second High Energy Astronomy Observatory launched in 1979 --
opened the window in these exciting parts of the spectrum. The combined
observations by Astro, the Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based
observatories will provide astronomers with a more comprehensive view of the
cosmos than ever before.



What Astro-1 Will "See"

The universe viewed by the Astro observatory will look strikingly different
from the familiar night sky. Most stars will fade from view, too cool to emit
significant ultraviolet radiation or X-rays. Yet, very young massive stars,
very old stars, glowing nebulae, active galaxies and quasars will gleam
brightly.

Astro will make observations in this solar system.

Astro will examine the chemistry of planetary atmospheres and the interactions
of their magnetic fields. The Astro observatory will study comets as they
interact with light and particles from the sun to produce bright, streaming
tails.

Stars

Astro will peer far beyond this solar system to study many types of stars. The
sun is only one of an estimated several hundred billion stars in the galaxy.
Stars like the sun are the most common type: fiery spheres of gas, about 1
million times larger in volume than Earth, with nuclear furnaces that reach
temperatures of millions of degrees.

Today, current evidence indicates that the sun is a stable, middle-aged star,
but some 5 billion years hence it will swell and swallow the inner planets
including Earth. As a red giant, it may eject a shell of dust and gas, a
planetary nebula. As the sun fades, it will collapse to an object no bigger
than Earth, a dense, hot ember, a white dwarf. Astronomers predict that most
stars may end their lives as white dwarfs, so it is important to study these
stellar remains. White dwarfs emit most of their radiation in the ultraviolet,
and one of Astro-1's main goals is to locate and examine white dwarfs in
detail.

Supernova

Astro-1 instruments will locate hot, massive stars of all ages so that
astronomers can study all phases of stellar evolution. Stars with 10 to 100
times more mass than the sun burn hydrogen rapidly until their cores collapse
and they explode as supernovas, among the most powerful events in the
universe. These stars are initially are very hot and emit mostly ultraviolet
radiation.

Astro will view the recent explosion, Supernova 1987A, which spewed stellar
debris into space. Supernovas forge new elements, most of which are swept away
in expanding shells of gas and debris heated by the shock waves from the
blast. Astro-1 will look for supernova remnants which remain visible for
thousands of years after a stellar death. Astro-1's ultraviolet and X-ray
telescopes will provide information on element abundances, the physical
conditions in the expanding gas and the structure of the interstellar medium.

Neutron Stars, Pulsars, Black Holes

After a supernova explosion, the stellar core sometimes collapses into a
neutron star, the densest and tiniest of known stars, with mass comparable to
the sun compacted into an area the size of a large city. Matter can become so
dense that a sugar cube of neutron star material would weigh 100 million tons.

Sometimes neutron stars are pulsars that emit beacons of radiation and appear
to blink on and off as many as hundreds of times per second because they spin
so rapidly. Scientists have theorized that some stars may collapse so far that
they become black holes, objects so dense and gravitationally strong that
neither matter nor light escape. Astro will look for the ultraviolet radiation
and X-rays thought to be produced when hot, whirling matter is drawn into a
black hole.

Star Systems

Few stars live in isolation; most are found in pairs or groups. Some stellar
companions orbit each other and often pass so close that mass is transferred
from one star to the other, producing large amounts of ultraviolet and X-ray
radiation which Astro-1's four telescopes are designed to study. These binary
star systems may consist of various combinations of objects including white
dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes.

Star Clusters

Stars may congregate in star clusters with anywhere from a few to millions of
members. Often, there are so many stars in the core of a cluster that it is
impossible to distinguish the visible light from individual stars. Because
they shine brightly in the ultraviolet, Astro-1 will be able to isolate the
hot stars within clusters.

The clusters are excellent laboratories for studying stellar evolution because
the stars residing there formed from the same material at nearly the same
time. However, within a single cluster, stars of different masses evolve at
different rates.

Stellar evolution can be studied by looking at clusters of different ages.
Each cluster of a given age provides a snapshot of what is happening as a
function of stellar mass. By examining young clusters (less than 1 million
years old) and comparing them to old clusters (1 billion years old),
scientists can piece together what happens over a long time.

Interstellar Medium

The space between stars is filled with dust and gas, some of which will
condense to become future stars and planets. This interstellar medium is
composed chiefly of hydrogen with traces of heavier elements and has a typical
density of one atom per thimbleful of space. Astro-1 will be able to measure
the properties of this material more accurately by studying how it affects the
light from distant stars.

For the most part, the interstellar medium is relatively cool, but it includes
pockets of hot matter as well. Dense clouds of dust that surround stars and
scatter and reflect light are called reflection nebulae. These are often
illuminated by hot, young stars in stellar nurseries hidden within the clouds.
Ultraviolet observations will reveal the features of stars hidden by the dust
as well as the size and composition of the dust grains.

Other Galaxies

Beyond the Milky Way are at least a hundred billion more galaxies, many with
hundreds of billions of stars. They contain most of the visible matter in the
universe and are often found in clusters of galaxies that have tens to
thousands of members. X-ray and ultraviolet emission will allow scientists to
study the hottest, most active regions of these galaxies as well as the
intergalactic medium, the hot gas between the galaxies in a cluster.

Galaxies have a variety of shapes and sizes: gigantic spirals like the Milky
Way, egg-shaped elliptical and irregular shapes with no preferred form. Astro
will survey the different types of galaxies and study their evolution. The
nearby galaxies will appear as they were millions of years ago, and Astro will
see the most distant ones as they were billions of years ago. By comparing
these galaxies, scientists can trace the history of the universe.

Quasars

Some galaxies are in the process of violent change. Such active galaxies have
central regions (nuclei) that emit huge amounts of energy; their ultraviolet
and X-ray emission may help us identify their source of power. Astro-1's
ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes will detect quasars, very distant compact
objects that radiate more energy than 100 normal galaxies.

Quasars may be the nuclei of ancient active galaxies. Strong X-ray and
ultraviolet radiation arising in the central cores of these powerful objects
may help scientists discover what these objects really are.

This overview is the known universe today, but many of these ideas are only
predictions based on theory and a few observations. Scientists still lack the
definitive observations needed to confirm or refute many of these theories.
Scientists do not know the exact size of the universe or its age. Scientists
have never definitely seen a black hole, and they continue to question the
nature of quasars.

To understand these mysteries, scientists need to see the universe in all its
splendor. Astro is part of NASA's strategy to study the universe across the
electromagnetic spectrum, in all wavelengths.



THE ASTRO-1 OBSERVATORY

The Astro-1 observatory is a compliment of four telescopes. Though each
instrument is uniquely designed to address specific questions in ultraviolet
and X-ray astronomy, when used in concert, the capability of each is enhanced.
The synergistic use of Astro-1's instruments for joint observations serves to
make Astro-1 an exceptionally powerful facility. The Astro-1 observatory has
three ultraviolet-sensitive instruments:

o Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) uses a spectrograph to examine faint
astronomical objects such as quasars, active galactic nuclei and normal
galaxies in the far ultraviolet.

o Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) will take wide-field-of-view photographs
of objects such as hot stars and galaxies in broad ultraviolet wavelength
bands.

o Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) will study the
ultraviolet polarization of hot stars, galactic nuclei and quasars.

These instruments working together will make 200 to 300 observations during
the STS-35 mission. The Astro ultraviolet telescopes are mounted on a common
pointing system in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. The grouped telescopes
will be pointed in the same direction at the same time, so simultaneous
photographs, spectra and polarization studies will be available for each
object observed. The telescopes will be operated by Columbia's crew.

A fourth Astro instrument, the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT), will view
high-energy objects such as active galaxies, quasars and supernovas. This
telescope is mounted on a separate pointing system secured by a support
structure in the cargo bay.

For joint observations, BBXRT can be aligned with the ultraviolet telescopes
to see the same objects, but it also can be pointed independently to view
other X-ray sources. BBXRT will be operated remotely by ground controllers.
Since the ultraviolet telescopes and the X-ray telescope are mounted on
different support structures, they can be reflown together or separately.



THE HOPKINS ULTRAVIOLET TELESCOPE

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope is the first major telescope capable of
studying far ultraviolet (FUV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a
wide variety of objects in space. HUT's observations will provide new
information on the evolution of galaxies and quasars, the physical properties
of extremely hot stars and the characteristics of accretion disks (hot,
swirling matter transferred from one star to another) around white dwarfs,
neutron stars and black holes.

HUT will make the first observations of a wide variety of astronomical objects
in the far ultraviolet region below 1,200 Angstroms (A) and will pioneer the
detailed study of stars in the extreme ultraviolet band. Ultraviolet radiation
at wavelengths shorter than 912 A is absorbed by hydrogen, the most abundant
element in the universe. HUT will allow astronomers, in some instances along
unobserved lines of sight, to see beyond this cutoff, called the Lyman limit,
because the radiation from the most distant and rapidly receding objects, such
as very bright quasars, is shifted toward longer wavelengths.

HUT was designed and built by the Center for Astrophysical Sciences and the
Applied Physics Laboratory of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md.
Its 36-inch mirror is coated with the rare element iridium, a member of the
platinum family, capable of reflecting far and extreme ultraviolet light. The
mirror, located at the aft end of the telescope, focuses incoming light from a
celestial source back to a spectrograph mounted behind the telescope.

A grating within the spectrograph separates the light, like a rainbow, into
its component wavelengths. The strengths of those wavelengths tell scientists
how much of certain elements are present. The ratio of the spectral lines
reveal a source's temperature and density. The shape of the spectrum shows the
physical processes occurring in a source.

The spectrograph is equipped with a variety of light-admitting slits or
apertures. The science team will use different apertures to accomplish
different goals in their observation. The longest slit has a field of view of
2 arc minutes, about 1/15th the apparent diameter of the moon. HUT is fitted
with an electronic detector system. Its data recordings are processed by an
onboard computer system and relayed to the ground for later analysis.

Johns Hopkins scientists conceived HUT to take ultraviolet astronomy beyond
the brief studies previously conducted with rocket-borne telescopes. A typical
rocket flight might gather 300 seconds of data on a single object. HUT will
collect more than 300,000 seconds of data on nearly 200 objects during the
Astro-1 mission, ranging from objects in the solar system to quasars billions
of light-years distant.

HUT Vital Statistics

 Sponsoring Institution: The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

 Principal Investigator: Dr. Arthur F. Davidsen

 Telescope Optics: 36 in. aperture, f/2 focal ratio, iridium-coated paraboloid
mirror

 Instrument: Prime Focus Rowland Circle Spectrograph with microchannel plate
intensifier and electronic diode array detector

 Field of View 10 arc minutes of Guide TV:

 Spectral Resolution: 3.0 A

 Wavelength Range:
 850 A to 1,850 A (First Order)
 425 A to 925 A (Second Order)

 Weight: 1,736 lb

 Size: 44 inches in diameter, 12.4 ft. in length



WISCONSIN ULTRAVIOLET PHOTO-POLARIMETER EXPERIMENT

Any star, except for our sun, is so distant that it appears as only a point of
light and surface details cannot be seen. If the light from objects is
polarized, it can tell scientists something about the source's geometry, the
physical conditions at the source and the reflecting properties of tiny
particles in the interstellar medium along the radiation's path.

The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE), developed by
the Space Astronomy Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is designed to
measure polarization and intensity of ultraviolet radiation from celestial
objects. WUPPE is a 20-inch telescope with a 5.5-arc-minute field of view.

WUPPE is fitted with a spectropolarimeter, an instrument that records both the
spectrum and the polarization of the ultraviolet light gathered by the
telescope. Light will pass through sophisticated filters, akin to Polaroid
sunglasses, before reaching the detector. Measurements then will be
transmitted electronically to the ground.

Photometry is the measurement of the intensity (brightness) of the light,
while polarization is the measurement of the orientation (direction) of the
oscillating light wave. Usually waves of light move randomly -- up, down,
back, forward and diagonally. When light is polarized, all the waves oscillate
in a single plane. Light that is scattered, like sunlight reflecting off
water, is often polarized. Astro-1 astronomers expect to learn about
ultraviolet light that is scattered by dust strewn among stars and galaxies.
They also can learn about the geometry of stars and other objects by studying
their polarization.

To date, virtually no observations of polarization of astronomical sources in
the ultraviolet have been carried out. WUPPE measures the polarization by
splitting a beam of radiation into two perpendicular planes of polarization,
passing the beams through a spectrometer and focusing the beams on two
separate array detectors.

In the ultraviolet spectrum, both photometry and polarization are extremely
difficult measurements to achieve with the high degree of precision required
for astronomical studies. To develop an instrument that could make these
delicate measurements required an unusually innovative and advanced technical
effort. Thus, the WUPPE investigation is a pioneering foray with a new
technique.

The targets of WUPPE investigations are primarily in the Milky Way galaxy and
beyond, for which comparative data exist in other wavelengths. Like the
Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, WUPPE also makes spectroscopic observations of
hot stars, galactic nuclei and quasars. Operating at ultraviolet wavelengths
that are mostly longer than those observed by HUT (but with some useful
overlap), WUPPE provides chemical composition and physical information on
celestial targets that that give off a significant amount of radiation in the
1,400 to 3,200 A range.

WUPPE Vital Statistics

 Sponsoring Institution: University of Wisconsin, Madison

 Principal Investigator: Dr. Arthur D. Code

 Telescope Optics: Cassegrain (two-mirror) system, f/10 focal ratio

 Instrument: Spectropolarimeter with dual electronic diode array detectors

 Primary Mirror Size: 20 in. diameter 279 sq.* in. area

 Field of View: 3.3 x 4.4 arc minutes

 Spectral Resolution: 6 Angstroms

 Wavelength Range: 1,400 to 3,200 Angstroms

 Magnitude Limit: 16

 Weight: 981 lb

 Size: 28 inches in diameter 12.4 ft. in length

* This and subsequent changes were made to avoid confusion since the computer
will not create exponents for cm2 or the circle over the A for Angstrom.



THE ULTRAVIOLET IMAGING TELESCOPE

In the 20 years that astronomical observations have been made from space, no
high-resolution ultraviolet photographs of objects other than the sun have
been made. Nonetheless, the brief glimpses of the ultraviolet sky have led to
important discoveries in spiral galaxies, globular clusters, white dwarf stars
and other areas.

Deep, wide-field imaging is a primary means by which fundamentally new
phenomena or important examples of known classes of astrophysical objects will
be recognized in the ultraviolet. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT),
developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is the key
instrument for these investigations.

UIT is a powerful combination of telescope, image intensifier and camera. It
is a 15.2-inch Ritchey Chretien telescope with two selectable cameras mounted
behind the primary mirror. Each camera has a six-position filter wheel, a
two-stage magnetically focused image tube and a 70-mm film transport, fiber
optically coupled to each image tube. One camera is designed to operate in the
1200 - 1700 Angstrom region and the other in the 1250-3200 Angstrom region.

Unlike data from the other Astro instruments, which will be electronically
transmitted to the ground, UIT images will be recorded directly onto a very
sensitive astronomical film for later development after Columbia lands. UIT
has enough film to make 2,000 exposures.

A series of 11 different filters allows specific regions of the ultraviolet
spectrum to be isolated for energy-distribution studies. After development,
each image frame will be electronically digitized to form 2,048 x 2,048
picture elements, or pixels, then analyzed further with computers.

UIT has a 15-inch diameter mirror with a 40-arc-minute field of view -- about
25 percent wider than the apparent diameter of the full moon. UIT has the
largest field of view of any sensitive UV imaging instrument planned for
flight in the 1990s. It will photograph nearby galaxies, large clusters of
stars and distant clusters of galaxies.

A 30-minute exposure (the length of one orbital night) will record a blue star
of 25th magnitude, a star about 100 million times fainter than the faintest
star visible to the naked eye on a dark, clear night. Since UIT makes longer
exposures than previous instruments, fainter objects will be visible in the
images.

The instrument favors the detection of hot objects which emit most of their
energy in the ultraviolet. Common examples span the evolutionary history of
stars -- massive stars and stars in the final stages of stellar evolution
(white dwarfs). Images of numerous relatively cool stars that do not radiate
much in the ultraviolet are suppressed, and the UV sources stand out clearly
in the photographs.

The UIT's field of view is wide enough to encompass entire galaxies, star
clusters and distant clusters of galaxies. This deep survey mode will reveal
many new, exciting objects to be studied further by NASA's Hubble Space
Telescope. Although the Hubble Space Telescope will have a much higher
magnification and record much fainter stars, the UIT will photograph much
larger regions all at once. In addition, the UIT will suffer much less
interference from visible light, since it is provided with "solar blind"
detectors. For certain classes of targets, such as diffuse,
ultraviolet-emitting or ultraviolet-scattering nebulae, UIT may be a more
sensitive imager.

A wide selection of astronomical objects will be studied in this first deep
survey of cosmic phenomena in the ultraviolet. The UIT is expected to target
hot stars in globular clusters to help explain how stars evolve. Another
experiment may help astronomers learn whether properties and distribution of
interstellar dust are the same in all galaxies. High-priority objects are
Supernova 1987A and vicinity, star clusters, planetary nebulae and supernova
remnants, spiral and "normal" galaxies, the interstellar medium of other
galaxies and clusters of galaxies.

UIT Vital Statistics

 Sponsoring Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt,
Md.

 Principal Investigator: Theodore P. Stecher (NASA GSFC)

 Telescope Optics: Ritchey-Chretien (variation of Cassegrain two-mirror system
with correction over wide field of view)

 Aperture: 15 in.

 Focal Ratio: f/9

 Field of View: 40 arc minutes

 Angular Resolution: 2 arc seconds

 Wavelength Range: 1,200 A to 3,200 A

 Magnitude Limit: 25

 Filters: 2 filter wheels, 6 filters each

 Detectors: Two image intensifiers with 70-mm film, 1,000 frames each; IIaO
astronomical film

 Exposure Time: Up to 30 minutes

 Weight: 1,043 lb

 Size: 32 inches in diameter, 12.4 ft. in length



ASTRO CARRIER SYSTEMS

The Astro observatory is made up of three co-aligned ultraviolet telescopes
carried by Spacelab and one X-ray telescope mounted on the Two-Axis Pointing
System (TAPS) and a special structure.

Each telescope was independently designed, but all work together as elements
of a single observatory. The carriers provide stable platforms and pointing
systems that allow the ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes to observe the same
target. However, having two separate pointing systems gives investigators the
flexibility to point the ultraviolet telescopes at one target while the X-ray
telescope is aimed at another.

Spacelab

The three ultraviolet telescopes are supported by Spacelab hardware. Spacelab
is a set of modular components developed by the European Space Agency and
managed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Hunstville, Ala. For each
Spacelab payload, specific standardized parts are combined to create a unique
design. The elements are anchored within the orbiter's cargo bay, transforming
it into a short-term laboratory in space.

Spacelab elements used to support the Astro observatory include two pallets, a
pressurized igloo to house subsystem equipment and the Instrument Pointing
System. The pressurized Spacelab laboratory module will not be used for Astro.
Rather, astronauts and payload specialists will operate the payload from the
aft flight deck of the orbiter Columbia.

Pallets

The ultraviolet telescopes and the Instrument Pointing System are mounted on
two Spacelab pallets -- large, uncovered, unpressurized platforms designed to
support scientific instruments that require direct exposure to space. Each
individual pallet is 10 feet long and 13 feet wide. The basic pallet structure
is made up of five parallel U-shaped frames. Twenty-four inner and 24 outer
panels, made of aluminum alloy honeycomb, cover the frame. The inner panels
are equipped with threaded inserts so that payload and subsystem equipment can
be attached. Twenty-four standard hard points, made of chromium-plated titanium
casting, are provided for payloads which exceed acceptable loading of the
inner pallets.

Pallets are more than a platform for mounting instrumentation. With an igloo
attached, they also can cool equipment, provide electrical power and furnish
connections for commanding and acquiring data from experiments. Cable ducts
and cable support trays can be bolted to the forward and aft frame of each
pallet to support and route electrical cables to and from the experiments and
the subsystem equipment mounted on the pallet. The ducts are made of aluminum
alloy sheet metal. In addition to basic utilities, some special accommodations
are available for pallet-mounted experiments.

For Astro-1, two pallets are connected together to form a single rigid
structure called a pallet train. Twelve joints are used to connect the two
pallets.

Igloo

Normally Spacelab subsystem equipment is housed in the core segment of the
pressurized laboratory module. However, in "pallet only" configurations such
as Astro, the subsystems are located in a supply module called the igloo. It
provides a pressurized compartment in which Spacelab subsystem equipment can
be mounted in a dry-air environment at normal Earth atmospheric pressure, as
required by their design. The subsystems provide such services as cooling,
electrical power and connections for commanding and acquiring data from the
instruments.

The igloo is attached vertically to the forward end frame of the first pallet.
Its outer dimensions are approximately 7.9 feet in height and 3.6 feet in
diameter. The igloo is a closed cylindrical shell made of aluminum alloy and
covered with multi-layer insulation. A removable cover allows full access to
the interior.

The igloo consists of two parts. The primary structure -- an exterior
cannister -- is a cylindrical, locally stiffened shell made of forged aluminum
alloy rings and closed at one end. The other end has a mounting flange for the
cover. A seal is inserted when the two structures are joined together
mechanically to form a pressure-tight assembly.

There are external fittings on the cannister for fastening it to the pallet,
handling and transportation on the ground, and thermal control insulation. Two
feed- through plates accommodate utility lines and a pressure relief valve.
Facilities on the inside of the cannister are provided for mounting subsystem
equipment and the interior igloo structure. The cover is also a cylindrical
shell, made of welded aluminum alloy and closed at one end. The igloo has
about 77.7 cubic feet of interior space for subsystems.

Subsystem equipment is mounted on an interior or secondary structure which
also acts as a guide for the removal or replacement of the cover. The
secondary structure is hinge-fastened to the primary structure, allowing
access to the bottom of the secondary structure and to equipment mounted
within the primary structure.

Instrument Pointing System

Telescopes such as those aboard Astro-1 must be pointed with very high
accuracy and stability at the objects which they are to view. The Spacelab
Instrument Pointing System provides precision pointing for a wide range of
payloads, including large single instruments or clusters of instruments. The
pointing mechanism can accommodate instruments weighing up to 15,432 pounds
and can point them to within 2 arc seconds and hold them on target to within
1.2 arc seconds. The combined weight of the ultraviolet telescopes and the
structure which holds them together is 9,131 pounds.

The Instrument Pointing System consists of a three- axis gimbal system mounted
on a gimbal support structure connected to the pallet at one end and the aft
end of the payload at the other, a payload clamping system for support of the
mounted experiment during launch and landing and a control system based on the
inertial reference of a three-axis gyro package and operated by a
gimbal-mounted microcomputer.

Three bearing-drive units on the gimbal system allow the payload to be pointed
on three axes: elevation (back and forth), cross-elevation (side to side) and
azimuth (roll), allowing it to point in a 22-degree circle around a its
straight-up position. The pointing system may be maneuvered at a rate of up to
one degree per second, which is five times as fast as the Shuttle orbiter's
maneuvering rate. The operating modes of the different scientific
investigations vary considerably. Some require manual control capability,
others slow scan mapping, still others high angular rates and accelerations.
Performance in all these modes requires flexibility achieved with computer
software.

The Instrument Pointing System is controlled through the Spacelab subsystem
computer and a data-display unit and keyboard. It can be operated either
automatically or by the Spacelab crew from the module (when used) and also
from the payload station in the orbiter aft flight deck.

In addition to the drive units, Instrument Pointing System structural hardware
includes a payload/gimbal separation mechanism, replaceable extension column,
emergency jettisoning device, support structure and rails and a thermal
control system. The gimbal structure itself is minimal, consisting only of a
yoke and inner and outer gimbals to which the payload is attached by the
payload-mounted integration ring.

An optical sensor package is used for attitude correction and also for
configuring the instrument for solar, stellar or Earth viewing. The Astro-1
mission marks the first time the Instrument Pointing System has been used for
stellar astronomy. Three star trackers locate guide stars. The boresite
tracker is in the middle, and two other trackers are angled 12 degrees from
each side of the boresite. By keeping stars of known locations centered in
each tracker, a stable position can be maintained.

The three ultraviolet telescopes are mounted and precisely co-aligned on a
common structure, called the cruciform, that is attached to the pointing
system.

Image Motion Compensation System

An image motion compensation system was developed by the Marshall Space Flight
Center to provide additional pointing stability for two of the ultraviolet
instruments.

When the Shuttle thrusters fire to control orbiter attitude, there is a
noticeable disturbance of the pointing system. The telescopes are also
affected by crew motion in the orbiter. A gyro stabilizer senses the motion of
the cruciform which could disrupt UIT and WUPPE pointing stability. It sends
information to the image motion compensation electronics system where pointing
commands are computed and sent to the telescopes' secondary mirrors which make
automatic adjustments to improve stability to less than 1 arc second.

The Astro-1's star tracker, designed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif., fixes on bright stars with well-known and sends this
information to the electronics system which corrects errors caused by gyro
drift and sends new commands to the telescopes' mirrors. The mirrors
automatically adjust to keep pointed at the target.

Broad Band X-ray Telescope and the Two-Axis Pointing System (TAPS)

Developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, these pointing systems were
designed to be flown together on multiple missions. This payload will be
anchored in a support structure placed just behind the ultraviolet telescopes
in the Shuttle payload bay. BBXRT is attached directly to the TAPS inner
gimbal frame.

The TAPS will move BBXRT in a forward/aft direction (pitch) relative to the
cargo bay or from side to side (roll) relative to the cargo bay. A star
tracker uses bright stars as a reference to position the TAPS for an
observation, and gyros keep the TAPS on a target. As the gyros drift, the star
tracker periodically recalculates and resets the TAPS position.



ASTRO OPERATIONS

Operation of the Astro-1 telescopes will be a cooperative effort between the
science crew in orbit and their colleagues in a control facility at the
Marshall Space Flight Center and a support control center at Goddard Space
Flight Center. Though the crew and the instrument science teams will be
separated by many miles, they will interact with one another to evaluate
observations and solve problems in much the same way as they would when
working side by side.

On-Orbit Science Crew Activities

The Astro science crew will operate the ultraviolet telescopes and Instrument
Pointing System from the Shuttle orbiter's aft flight deck, located to the
rear of the cockpit. Windows overlooking the cargo bay allow the payload
specialist and mission specialist to keep an eye on the instruments as they
command them into precise position. The aft flight deck is equipped with two
Spacelab keyboard and display units, one for controlling the pointing system
and the other for operating the scientific instruments. To aid in target
identification, this work area also includes two closed-circuit television
monitors. With the monitors, crew members will be able to see the star fields
being viewed by HUT and WUPPE and monitor the data being transmitted from the
instruments.

The Astro-1 crew will work around the clock to allow the maximum number of
observations to be made during their mission. The STS-35 commander will have a
flexible schedule, while two teams of crew members will work in 12-hour
shifts. Each team consists of the pilot or flight mission specialist, a
science mission specialist and a payload specialist. The crew and the ground
controllers will follow an observation schedule detailed in a carefully
planned timeline.

In a typical Astro-1 ultraviolet observation, the flight crew member on duty
maneuvers the Shuttle to point the cargo bay in the general direction of the
astronomical object to be observed. The mission specialist commands the
pointing system to aim the telescopes toward the target. He also locks on to
guide stars to help the pointing system remain stable despite orbiter thruster
firings. The payload specialist sets up each instrument for the upcoming
observation, identifies the celestial target on the guide television and
provides any necessary pointing corrections for placing the object precisely
in the telescope's field of view. He then starts the instrument observation
sequences and monitors the data being recorded. Because the many observations
planned create a heavy workload, the payload and mission specialists work
together to perform these complicated operations and evaluate the quality of
observations. Each observation will take between 10 minutes to a little over
an hour.

The X-ray telescope requires little attention from the crew. A crew member
will turn on the BBXRT and the TAPS at the beginning of operations and then
turn them off when the operations conclude. The telescope is controlled from
the ground. After the telescope is activated, researchers at Goddard can
"talk" to the telescope via computer. Before science operations begin, stored
commands are loaded into the BBXRT computer system. Then, when the astronauts
position the Shuttle in the general direction of the source, the TAPS
automatically points the BBXRT at the object. Since the Shuttle can be
oriented in only one direction at a time, X-ray observations must be
coordinated carefully with ultraviolet observations.



GROUND CONTROL

Astro-1 science operations will be directed from NASA's new Spacelab Mission
Operations Control facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center. The BBXRT
will be controlled by commands from a supporting payload operations control
facility at Goddard.

Spacelab Mission Operations Control

Beginning with the Astro-1 flight, all Spacelab science activities will be
controlled from Marshall's Spacelab Mission Operations Control Center. It will
replace the payload operations control center at the Johnson Space Center from
which previous Spacelab missions have been operated. The Spacelab Mission
Operations Control team is under the overall direction of the mission manager.

The Spacelab Mission Operations Control team will support the science crew in
much the same way that Houston Mission Control supports the flight crew. Teams
of controllers and researchers at the Marshall facility will direct all NASA
science operations, send commands directly to the spacecraft, receive and
analyze data from experiments aboard the vehicle, adjust mission schedules to
take advantage of unexpected science opportunities or unexpected results, and
work with crew members to resolve problems with their experiments.

An air/ground communications channel, in addition to the one used by the
Mission Control Center in Houston, will be dedicated to communications between
the Alabama control facility and the science crew aboard the Space Shuttle.
"Huntsville" will be the call sign from space that astronauts will use to
address their control team at the Marshall facility.

The Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility is located on two floors of
Building 4663 at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Most of the activity occurs
in two work areas: the payload control area on the upper floor from which the
overall payload is monitored and controlled; and the science operations area
on the ground level, where scientists for the individual telescopes monitor
their instruments and direct observations.

The payload control area is the hub of payload operations. Communication with
the crew, on-orbit and ground computer systems monitoring, science activities,
and even television camera operations are marshalled from work stations in the
control room. Console operators in the area are referred to as the payload
operations control center (POCC) cadre. The cadre is made up of three teams
under the leadership of the payload operations director.

The operations control team is responsible for real- time payload control.
They make sure that the pre- planned observation schedule is being followed
and send commands to the instruments and instructions to the crew. Designated
team members stay in voice contact with the the on-board science crew via an
air-to-ground communications loop.

The data management team ensures that the science data needed from the payload
is scheduled and received properly. The responsibilities range from telling
the on-board computer when to send down the information it has been storing to
scheduling TV transmissions from orbit.

The payload activities planning team is in charge of replanning the payload
crew activity schedule when anything from unexpected science opportunities to
equipment problems requires a change. After a science operations planning
group makes rescheduling decisions for upcoming shifts, the planning team
determines the many adjustments that will allow those changes to be
accomplished.

The POCC cadre also includes the mission scientist, who leads the science
operations planning group and acts as a liaison between the cadre and the
science investigator teams; the alternate payload specialist, a backup crew
member who helps with air-to-ground communications and assists the mission
scientist; and a public affairs commentator.

The science operations area on the ground floor of the Spacelab Mission
Operations Control facility is staffed by teams of scientists and engineers
who developed the Astro-1 telescopes. The principal investigators and support
groups for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, the Ultraviolet Imaging
Telescope and the Wisconsin Photo- Polariameter Experiment, along with the
Broad Band X-ray telescope representatives and a team monitoring the Marshall
Space Flight Center's Image Motion Compensation System share a large room in
the science operations area.

The teams monitor the data flowing back from each instrument, evaluate the
instruments' performance, and assess and analyze the science information
revealed by the data. It is possible for the principal investigator to talk
directly with the crew member operating his instrument if circumstances demand
personal interaction.

Engineers on the science teams provide inputs on instrument performance and if
necessary recommend alternate methods to maintain optimal performance.
Scientists in each group evaluate the quality of data given the scientific
objectives. They also may do preliminary analysis of their data, though a
complete study may take months or even years.

Space astronomy is a fluid process because observations sometimes produce
unexpected results that demand more study than originally planned during the
mission. In addition, hardware contingencies may demand that some activities
be rescheduled. Any changes in the plan will affect the observations of all
four science teams. Therefore, representatives from each team participate in
the twice-daily, science-operations planning group meetings. The science
objectives and viewpoints of the various teams are weighed; then the group
agrees on changes to the original activity plan.

BBXRT Payload Operations Control Center

A special team located at a remote payload operations control center at the
Goddard Space Flight Center will operate the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope and
its Two-Axis Pointing System. However, some members of the BBXRT team will be
stationed at the Marshall control center to participate in science planning,
and all commands issued to the payload will be coordinated with the mission
management team at Marshall. The two payload operations control centers will
be linked via voice communication so that teams at both places can confer.



ASTRO-1 HISTORY

In February 1978, NASA issued an announcement of opportunity for instruments
that could travel aboard the Space Shuttle and utilize the unique capabilities
of Spacelab. Three telescopes -- HUT, UIT, and WUPPE -- evolved as a payload
manifested as OSS-3 through 7, and these missions were assigned to the Goddard
Space Flight Center. Because the Instrument Pointing System and other Spacelab
facilities were needed for OSS-3, management was moved in 1982 to the Marshall
Space Flight Center. The payload was renamed Astro.

The Wide Field Camera was added to the payload in 1984 to make detailed
studies of Comet Halley, which was due to move through the inner solar system
in the spring of 1986.

The instruments were constructed, and the observatory had completed Spacelab
integration and testing by January 1986. Astro-1, consisting of HUT, UIT,
WUPPE and the Wide Field Camera, was ready for orbiter installation when the
Challenger accident occurred.

After the accident, the instruments were removed from Spacelab and stored.
Periodic checks were made during storage. However, because of the the long
interval, the decision was made to examine and recertify all of the Astro
instruments. As a part of this process, questions arose in the summer of 1987
about the quality certifications of the bolts used in the Astro-1 hardware.
Support structures and instrument and electronics attachments were inspected
for possible faulty bolts. A total of 298 bolts eventually were replaced.

HUT was kept at Kennedy Space Center, but its spectrograph was returned to The
Johns Hopkins University in October 1988. Although protected from air and
moisture by gaseous nitrogen, HUT's extremely sensitive ultraviolet detector
had degraded with time. The detector was replaced but failed to pass an
acceptance review, and a third detector was installed in January 1989. An
aging television camera was replaced in May 1989.

WUPPE's precise instruments also required recalibration after their storage
period. Rather than ship the large, sensitive telescope back to the University
of Wisconsin where it was developed, astronomers there built a portable
vertical calibration facility and delivered it to the Kennedy Space Center.
Calibration was completed in April 1989. WUPPE's power supplies for the
spectrometer and for the zero order detector were returned to the University
of Wisconsin, where they were modified to reduce output noise.

UIT also stayed at Kennedy, where the power supply for its image intensifier
was replaced in August 1989.

Because Comet Halley was no longer in position for detailed observation, the
Wide Field Camera was removed from the payload in the spring of 1987. In March
of 1988, BBXRT was added to the Astro-1 payload. Originally proposed in
response to the 1978 announcement of opportunity, BBXRT had been developed as
one of three X-ray instruments in a payload designated OSS-2. This was
renamed the Shuttle High-Energy Astrophysics Laboratory and proposed for
flight in 1992. However, when Supernova 1987A occurred, BBXRT was completed
ahead of schedule and added to the Astro-1 payload. The addition would allow
study of the supernova and other objects in X-ray as well as ultraviolet
wavelengths.

The completed payload was tested at 6-month intervals. Level IV testing, in
which instruments and command software are operated apart from Spacelab
pallets, was completed in August 1989. The three ultraviolet telescopes, the
Instrument Pointing System and the igloo were integrated with the Spacelab
pallets for Level III testing, which concluded in December 1989. The pallet-
mounted ultraviolet telescopes and pointing system, as well as the BBXRT and
its Two-Axis Pointing System, were moved to the Cargo Integration Test
Equipment stand where testing was completed at the end of February 1990.

Astro-1 was installed in Columbia's payload bay March 20, 1990. Final
integrated testing in the Orbiter Processing Facility between the orbiter,
payload, mission centers and satellite relays was completed March 26-28.
Payload pad activities included installation of Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope
(UIT) film, removal of telescope covers, final pallet cleaning and BBXRT
argon servicing.



THE BROAD BAND X-RAY TELESCOPE

The Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) will provide astronomers with the first
high-quality spectra of many of the X-ray sources discovered with the High
Energy Astronomy Observatory 2, better known as the Einstein Observatory,
launched in the late 1970s. BBXRT, developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md., uses mirrors and advanced solid-state detectors as
spectrometers to measure the energy of individual X-ray photons. These
energies produce a spectrum that reveals the chemistry, structure and dynamics
of a source.

BBXRT is actually two 8-inch telescopes each with a 17 arc-minute field of
view (more than half the angular width of the moon). The two identical
telescopes are used to focus X-rays onto solid-state spectrometers which
measure photon energy in electron volts in the "soft" X-ray region, from 380
to 12,000 eV. The use of two telescopes doubles the number of photons that are
detected and also provides redundancy in case of a failure.

X-ray telescopes are difficult to construct because X-ray photons are so
energetic that they penetrate mirrors and are absorbed. A mirror surface
reflects X-rays only if it is very smooth and the photons strike it at a very
shallow angle. Because such small grazing angles are needed, the reflectors
must be very long to intercept many of the incident X-rays. Since even
shallower angles are required to detect higher-energy X-rays, telescopes
effective at high energies need very large reflecting surfaces.

Traditionally, X-ray telescopes have used massive, finely polished reflectors
that were expensive to construct and did not efficiently use the available
aperture. The mirror technology developed for BBXRT consists of very thin
pieces of gold-coated aluminum foil that require no polishing and can be
nested very closely together to reflect a large fraction of the X-rays
entering the telescope.

Because its reflecting surfaces can be made so easily, BBXRT can afford to
have mirrors using the very shallow grazing angles necessary to reflect
high-energy photons. In fact, BBXRT is one of the first telescopes to observe
astronomical targets that emit X-rays above approximately 4,000 electron
volts.

The telescope will provide information on the chemistry, temperature and
structure of some of the most unusual and interesting objects in the universe.
BBXRT can see fainter and more energetic objects than any yet studied. It will
look for signs of heavy elements such as iron, oxygen, silicon and calcium.
These elements usually are formed in exploding stars and during mysterious
events occurring at the core of galaxies and other exotic objects.

BBXRT will be used to study a variety of sources, but a major goal is to
increase our understanding of active galactic nuclei and quasars. Many
astronomers believe that the two are very similar objects that contain an
extremely luminous source at the nucleus of an otherwise relatively normal
galaxy. The central source in quasars is so luminous that the host galaxy is
difficult to detect. X-rays are expected to be emitted near the central engine
of these objects, and astronomers will examine X-ray spectra and their
variations to understand the phenomena at the heart of quasars.

Investigators are interested in clusters of galaxies, congregations of tens or
thousands of galaxies grouped together within a few million light-years of
each other. When viewed in visible light, emissions from individual galaxies
are dominant, but X-rays are emitted primarily from hot gas between the
galaxies.

In fact, theories and observations indicate that there should be about as much
matter in the hot gas as in the galaxies, but all this material has not been
seen yet. BBXRT observations will enable scientists to calculate the total
mass of a cluster and deduce the amount of "dark" matter.

A star's death, a supernova, heats the region of the galaxy near the explosion
so that it glows in X-rays. Scientists believe that heavy elements such as
iron are manufactured and dispersed into the interstellar medium by
supernovas. The blast or shock wave may produce energetic cosmic ray particles
that travel on endless journeys throughout the universe and instigate the
formation of new stars. BBXRT detects young supernova remnants (less than
10,000 years old) which are still relatively hot. Elements will be identified,
and the shock wave's movement and structure will be examined.

BBXRT was not part of the originally selected ASTRO payload. It was added to
the mission after the appearance of Supernova 1987A in February 1987, to
obtain vital scientific information about the supernova. In addition, data
gathered by BBXRT on other objects will enhance studies that would otherwise
be limited to data gathered with the three ultraviolet telescopes.

BBXRT Vital Statistics

 Sponsoring Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

 Principal Investigator: Dr. Peter J. Serlemitsos

 Telescope Optics: Two co-aligned X-ray telescopes with cooled segmented
lithium-drifted silicon solid-state detectors in the focal planes

 Focal Length: 12.5 ft. each, detection area, 0.16 in. diameter pixel

 Focal Plane Scale: 0.9 arc minutes per mm

 Field of View: 4.5 arc minutes (central element); 17 arc minutes (overall)

 Energy Band: 0.3 to 12 keV

 Effective Area: 765 cm2 at 1.5 keV, 300 cm2 at 7 keV

 Energy Resolution: 0.09 keV at 1 keV, 0.15 keV at 6 keV

 Weight: 1,500 lb (680.4 kg)

 Size: 40 inches in diameter, 166 inches in length.



SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX)

Conducting shortwave radio transmissions between ground-based amateur radio
operators and a Shuttle-based amateur radio operator is the basis for the
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX).

SAREX communicates with amateur stations in line-of-sight of the orbiter in
one of four transmission modes: voice, slow scan television (SSTV), data or
(uplink only) fast scan television (FSTV).

The voice mode is operated in the attended mode while SSTV, data or FSTV can
be operated in either attended or unattended modes.

During the mission, SAREX will be operated by Payload Specialist Ron Parise, a
licensed operator (WA4SIR), during periods when he is not scheduled for
orbiter or other payload activities. At least four transmissions will be made
to test each transmission mode.

The primary pair of frequencies intended for use during the mission is 145.55
MHz as the downlink from Columbia, with 144.95 MHz as the uplink. A spacing of
600 KHz was deliberately chosen for this primary pair to accommodate those
whose split frequency capability is limited to the customary repeater offset.

SAREX crew-tended operating times will be dictated by the time of launch. As a
secondary payload, SAREX will be operated by Parise during his pre-and
post-sleep activities each day. This means that wherever the Shuttle is above
Earth during those operating windows, amateur stations can communicate with
Columbia. Currently, those windows provide coverage for Australia, Japan,
South America and South Africa.

The continental United States has little or no coverage except through a
network of ground stations in other parts of the world in conjunction with
relay links back to the United States.

Another part of the SAREX is the "robot," providing an automated operation
which can proceed with little human intervention. The robot will generally be
activated during one of the crew-tended windows and deactivated during the
next one. This gives approximately 12 hours on and 12 hours off for the robot,
with the operational period chosen to cover all of the U.S. passes.

SAREX has previously flown on missions STS-9 and STS-51F in different
configurations, including the following hardware: a low-power hand-held FM
transceiver, a spare battery set, an interface (I/F) module, a headset
assembly, an equipment assembly cabinet, a television camera and monitor, a
payload general support computer (PGSC) and an antenna which will be mounted
in a forward flight window with a fast scan television (FSTV) module added to
the assembly.

Antenna location does not affect communications and therefore does not require
a specific orbiter attitude for operations. The equipment is stowed in one
middeck locker.

SAREX is a joint effort of NASA and the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL)/Amateur Radio Satellite Corporation (AMSAT).

STS-35 COLUMBIA SAREX FREQUENCIES

 Shuttle    Accompanying
 Transmit   Shuttle Receive
 Frequency  Frequencies
 (MHz)      (MHz)

 Group 1
 145.55 144.95
 145.55 144.91
 145.55 144.97

 Group 2
 145.51 144.91
 145.51 144.93
 145.51 144.99

 Group 3
 145.59 144.99
 145.59 144.95

 Group 4
 145.55 144.95
 145.55 144.70
 145.55 144.75
 145.55 144.80
 145.55 144.85

Note: The 145.55/144.95 combination is in both Groups 1 and 4 because
alternate uplink frequencies from Group 1 would be used over North and South
America while those from Group 4 would be used generally in other parts of
the world.



"SPACE CLASSROOM, ASSIGNMENT: THE STARS"

"Space Classroom" is a new NASA educational effort designed to involve
students and teachers in the excitement of Space Shuttle science missions.
This new program joins more than 160 other educational programs being
conducted by NASA that use the agency's missions and unique facilities to help
educators prepare students to meet the nation's growing need for a globally
competitive work force of skilled scientists and engineers.

The first Space Classroom project, called Assignment: The Stars, will
capitalize on the May 1990 flight of Astro-1, a Space Shuttle astronomy
mission. It is designed to spark the interest of middle school students,
encouraging them to pursue studies in mathematics, science and technology. It
will offer educators an alternative approach to teaching their students about
the electromagnetic spectrum -- a science concept that is required instruction
in many classrooms in the United States.

Space Classroom, Assignment: The Stars, involves several educational elements:
a lesson on the electromagnetic spectrum to be taught live by the Astro-1 crew
from the cabin of the Space Shuttle Columbia during the flight; a supporting
lesson to be taught from the Astro-1 control center in Huntsville, Ala.; an
Astro-1 teachers guide; an Astro-1 slide presentation; a NASA educational
satellite video conference next fall; and post-flight video products suitable
for classroom use.

The major component of Assignment: The Stars will be a lesson taught by
members of the Astro-1 science crew from the Space Shuttle as they orbit the
Earth during the mission. This 15-20 minute presentation will focus on the
electromagnetic spectrum and its relationship to the high-energy astronomy
mission.

The crew presentation will be followed by demonstrations and discussions of
the concepts introduced by the crew from a classroom in the Astro-1 control
center at Marshall Space Flight Center.

The lesson will conclude with an opportunity for some students participating
in the lesson from Marshall and students at Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md., to ask questions of the crew in orbit. Students at both
centers will participate in additional workshops, tours and laboratory
sessions.

The lesson by the crew, the follow-up lesson from the Astro-1 control center
and the question-answer session will be carried live on NASA Select TV, Satcom
satellite F2R, transponder 13, 3960 megahertz, 72 degrees West longitude. NASA
Select will carry continuous programming of all mission events as well. The
lesson is tentatively scheduled for the fifth day of the mission.

Beginning about 1 week before launch, Astro-1 Update, a recorded bulletin on
the status of the Astro-1 mission and Space Classroom, will be available by
dialing 205/544-8504.

In the fall of 1990, tapes of the lesson will available for a small fee from
NASA CORE, Lorain County Joint Vocational School, 15181 Route 58 South,
Oberlin, Ohio, 44074 (phone: [phone]).



ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM

The advent of operations of the Space Shuttle orbiter provided an opportunity
for researchers to perform flight experiments on a full-scale, lifting vehicle
during atmospheric entry. In 1976, to take advantage of this opportunity,
NASA's Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology instituted the
Orbiter Experiments (OEX) Program.

Since the program's inception, 13 experiments have been developed for flight.
Principal investigators for these experiments represent NASA's Langley and
Ames Research Centers, Johnson Space Center and Goddard Space Flight Center.

Six OEX experiments will be flown on STS-35. Included among this group will be
five experiments which were intended to operate together as a complementary
set of entry research instrumentation. This flight marks the first time since
the September 1988 return-to-flight that the Langley experiments will fly as a
complementary set.

Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS)

The SEADS nosecap on the orbiter Columbia contains 14 penetration assemblies,
each containing a small hole through which the surface air pressure is sensed.
Measurement of the pressure levels and distribution allows post-flight
determination of vehicle attitude and atmospheric density during entry. SEADS,
which has flown on three previous flights of Columbia, operates in an altitude
range of 300,000 feet to landing. Paul M. Siemers III, Langley, is the
principal investigator.

Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS)

The SUMS experiment complements SEADS by enabling measurement of atmospheric
density above 300,000 feet. SUMS samples air through a small hole on the lower
surface of the vehicle just aft of the nosecap. It utilizes a mass spectrometer
operating as a pressure sensing device to measure atmospheric density in the
high altitude, rarefied flow regime where the pressure is too low for the use
of ordinary pressure sensors. The mass spectrometer incorporated in the SUMS
experiment was spare equipment originally developed for the Viking Mars
Lander. This is the first opportunity for SUMS to fly since STS-61C in January
1986. Robert C. Blanchard and Roy J. Duckett, Langley, are co-principal
investigators.

Both SEADS and SUMS provide entry atmospheric environmental (density)
information. These data, when combined with vehicle motion data, allow
determination of in-flight aerodynamic performance characteristics of the
orbiter.

Aerodynamic Coefficient Identification Package (ACIP)

The ACIP instrumentation includes triaxial sets of linear accelerometers,
angular accelerometers and angular rate gyros, which sense the orbiter's
motions during flight. ACIP provides the vehicle motion data which is used in
conjunction with the SEADS environmental information for determination of
aerodynamic characteristics below about 300,000 feet altitude.

The ACIP has flown on all flights of Challenger and Columbia. David B. Kanipe,
Johnson Space Center, is the ACIP principal investigator.

High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP)

This instrument is a triaxial, orthogonal set of highly sensitive
accelerometers which sense vehicle motions during the high altitude portion
(above 300,000 feet) of entry. This instrument provides the companion vehicle
motion data to be used with the SUMS results. HiRAP has been flown on 11
previous missions of the orbiters Columbia and Challenger. Robert C.
Blanchard, Langley, is the HiRAP principal investigator.

Shuttle Infrared Leeside Temperature Sensing (SILTS)

This experiment uses a scanning infrared radiometer located atop the vertical
tail to collect infrared images of the orbiter's leeside (upper) surfaces
during entry, for the purpose of measuring the temperature distribution and
thereby the aerodynamic heating environment. On two previous missions, the
experiment obtained images of the left wing. For STS-35, the experiment has
been reconfigured to obtain images of the upper fuselage.

SILTS has flown on three Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton and E.
Vincent Zoby, Langley, are co-principal investigators.

Aerothermal Instrumentation Package (AIP)

The AIP comprises some 125 measurements of aerodynamic surface temperature and
pressure at discrete locations on the upper surface of the orbiter's left wing
and fuselage, and vertical tail. These sensors originally were part of the
development flight instrumentation system which flew aboard Columbia during
its Orbital Flight Test missions (STS-1 through 4). They have been reactivated
through the use of an AIP-unique data handling system. Among other
applications, the AIP data provide "ground-truth" information for the SILTS
experiment.

The AIP has flown on two previous Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton,
Langley, is principal investigator.



PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS

Vehicle/Payload Weight (lbs)

Orbiter Columbia empty 158,905

Ultraviolet Astronomy Telescope (Astro) 17,276
 (IPS, igloo and 2 pallets)

Astro Support Equipment 404
 (middeck equipment)

Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) 8,650
 (including TAPS and support equipment)

Detailed Test Objectives (DTO) 274

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 61

Total vehicle at SRB ignition 4,523,199

Orbiter and cargo at main engine cutoff 267,513

Orbiter landing weight 225,886



STS-35 CREW BIOGRAPHIES

Vance D. Brand, 58, will serve as Commander. Selected as an astronaut in 1966,
he considers Longmont, Colo., to be his hometown. STS-35 will be Brand's
fourth space flight.

Brand was Apollo Command Module Pilot on the Apollo- Soyuz Test Project (ASTP)
mission, launched on July 15, 1975. This flight resulted in the historic
meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts. The
three-member U.S.crew spent 9 days in Earth orbit.

Brand's second flight was as Commander of STS-5 in November 1982, the first
fully operational flight of the Shuttle Transportation System and first
mission with a four person crew. Brand next commanded the 10th Space Shuttle
mission aboard Challenger. STS-41B with its crew of five was launched Feb. 3,
1984.

Prior to joining NASA, Brand was a commissioned officer and naval aviator with
the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 to 1957. Following release from active duty,
he continued in Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard jet fighter
squadrons until 1964. Brand was employed as a civilian by the Lockheed
Aircraft Corporation from 1960 to 1966. He was an experimental test pilot on
Canadian and German F-104 programs and has logged 8,777 flying hours, which
includes 7,312 hours in jets, 391 hours in helicopters, 531 hours in
spacecraft and checkout in more than 30 types of military aircraft.

Guy S. Gardner, 42, Col. USAF, will serve as Pilot. Selected as an astronaut
in 1980, he considers Alexandria, Va., to be his hometown. STS-35 will be his
second Shuttle flight.

Gardner was Pilot for STS-27, a 4-day flight of Atlantis launched Dec. 2,
1988. The mission carried a Department of Defense payload. The crew completed
their mission with a lakebed landing at Edwards on Dec. 6.

Gardner graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria in 1965. He
received a bachelor of science degree in engineering sciences, astronautics
and mathematics from the USAF Academy in 1969 and a master of science degree
in astronautics from Purdue University in 1970.

After completing pilot training, he flew 177 combat missions in Southeast Asia
in 1972 while stationed at Udorn, Thailand. In 1973, he flew F-4's and in 1975
attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards. In 1977- 78 he was an
instructor pilot at the USAF Test Pilot School. He has logged over 4,000 hours
flying time and 105 hours in space.

Jeffrey A. Hoffman, 45, will serve as Mission Specialist 1 (MS1). Selected as
an astronaut in 1978, he was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. STS-35 will be his second
Shuttle flight.

Hoffman was a Mission Specialist aboard Discovery on STS-51D, which launched
from the Kennedy Space Center in April 1985. On this mission, he made the
first STS contingency spacewalk, in an attempted rescue of the malfunctioning
Syncom IV-3 satellite.

Hoffman graduated from Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale, N.Y., and received a
bachelor of arts degree in astronomy from Amherst College in 1966. He received
a doctor of philosophy in astrophysics from Harvard University in 1971 and a
masters degree in materials science from Rice University in 1988.

At NASA, Hoffman has worked as the astronaut office payload safety
representative. He also has worked on extravehicular activity (EVA), including
the development of a high-pressure space suit.

John M. "Mike" Lounge, 43, will be Mission Specialist 2 (MS2). Selected as an
astronaut in 1980, Lounge considers Burlington, Colo., to be his hometown. He
will be making his third Shuttle flight.

Lounge was a mission specialist on STS-51I conducted in August 1985. During
that mission his duties included deployment of the Australian AUSSAT
communications satellite and operation of the remote manipulator system (RMS)
arm. The crew deployed two other communications satellites and also performed
a successful on-orbit rendezvous and repair of the ailing SYNCOM IV-3
satellite. His second flight was aboard Discovery on STS-26 in September 1988.

Lounge graduated from Burlington High School in 1964 and received a bachelor
of science degree in physics and mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1969 and a master of science degree in astrogeophysics from the University of
Colorado in 1970. At NASA, Lounge now serves as Chief of the Space Station
Support Office which works with design and operation of the Freedom space
station.

Robert Allan Ridley Parker, 53, will serve as Mission Specialist 3 (MS3).
Selected as an astronaut in 1967, he grew up in Shrewsbury, Mass., and will be
making his second Shuttle flight.

Parker was a member of the astronaut support crews for Apollo 15 and 17
missions. He served as a mission specialist on Columbia's sixth space flight,
STS-9, in November 1983 which was the first Spacelab mission.

Parker attended primary and secondary schools in Shrewsbury, Mass.; received a
bachelor of arts degree in astronomy and physics from Amherst College in 1958,
and a doctorate in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in
1962.

Samuel T. Durrance, 46, will serve as a Payload Specialist. Durrance is a
research scientist in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins
University, Baltimore, Md. He considers Tampa, Fla., his hometown.

Durrance has made International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite observations of
Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus. He helped develop special pointing
techniques needed to observe solar system objects with that satellite. His
main astronomical interests are in the origin and evolution of planets, both
in this solar system and around other stars.

Durrance received a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree
in physics from California State University and a doctor of philosophy degree
in astrogeophysics from the University of Colorado.

Ronald A. Parise, 38, also will serve as a Payload Specialist. Parise is a
senior scientist in the Space Observatories Department, Computer Science
Corporation in Silver Spring, Md. He is a member of the research team for the
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, one of the instruments scheduled for flight as
part of the Astro payload. He is from Warren, Ohio.

Parise has participated in flight hardware development, electronic system
design and mission planning activities for the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope
project. He is pursuing his astronomical research interests with the
International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite under a NASA grant. Parise also
will conduct the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) during the STS-35
mission.

He received a bachelor of science degree in physics, with minors in
mathematics, astronomy and geology from Youngstown State University, Ohio, and
a master of science degree and a doctor of philosophy degree in astronomy from
the University of Florida.



STS-35 MISSION MANAGEMENT

OFFICE OF SPACE FLIGHT

 Dr. William B. Lenoir - Associate Administrator
 Joseph B. Mahon - Director, Flight Systems
 Robert L. Crippen - Director, Space Shuttle
 Leonard S. Nicholson - Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Program)
 Brewster Shaw - Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Operations)

OFFICE OF SPACE SCIENCE AND APPLICATIONS

 Dr. Lennard A. Fisk - Associate Administrator
 Alphonso V. Diaz - Deputy Associate Administrator
 Robert Benson - Director, Flight Systems Division
 Dr. Charles Pellerin, Jr. - Director, Astrophysics Division
 William Huddleston - Astro Program Manager
 Dr. Edward Weiler - Astro Program Scientist
 Dr. Geoffery Clayton - Deputy Program Scientist

OFFICE OF SPACE OPERATIONS

 Charles T. Force - Associate Administrator
 Eugene Ferrick - Director, Tracking & Data Relay Satellite Systems Division
 Robert M. Hornstein - Director, Ground Networks Division

AMES RESEARCH FACILITY

 Dr. Dale L. Compton - Director
 Victor L. Peterson - Deputy Director

AMES-DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH FACILITY

 Martin A. Knutson - Site Manager
 Theodore G. Ayers - Deputy Site Manager
 Thomas C. McMurtry - Chief, Research Aircraft Operations Division
 Larry C. Barnett - Chief, Shuttle Support Office

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

 Dr. John W. Townsend, Jr. - Director
 Peter T. Burr - Director of Flight Projects
 Dale L. Fahnestock - Director of Mission Operations & Data Systems Directorate
 Dr. Theodore Gull - Astro Mission Scientist
 Frank Volpe - BBXRT Manager
 Bruce Thoman - BBXRT Operations Manager
 Peter Serlemitosos - BBXRT Principal Investigator
 Theodore Stecher - UIT Principal Investigator

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

 Aaron Cohen - Director
 Eugene F. Kranz - Director, Mission Operations
 Franklin Brizzolara - Payload Integration Manager

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

 Forrest S. McCartney - Director
 Jay Honeycutt - Director, Shuttle Management & Operations
 Robert B. Sieck - Launch Director
 John T. Conway - Director, Payload Management & Operations
 Joanne H. Morgan - Director, Payload Project Management
 Robert Sturm - Astro-1 Launch Site Support Manager

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER

 Richard H. Petersen - Director
 W. Ray Hook - Director for Space
 James P. Arrington - Chief, Space System Division

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

 Thomas J. Lee - Director
 Jack Jones - Astro Mission Manager
 Stuart Clifton - Assistant Mission Manager
 Dr. Eugene Urban - Deputy Mission Scientist
 Thomas Rankin - Payload Operations Director
 Fred Applegate - Payload Operations Director
 Steven Noneman - Payload Operations Director



NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS

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

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

 Terri Sindelar
 Educational Affairs
 NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
 (Phone: [phone])

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

 Randee Exler
 Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
 (Phone: [phone])

 Kyle Herring
 Johnson Space Center, Houston
 (Phone: [phone])

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

 Jean Drummond Clough
 Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
 (Phone: [phone])

 David Drachlis/Jerry Berg
 Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
 (Phone: [phone])