gsh7w@astsun.astro.Virginia.EDU (Greg Hennessy) (12/05/90)
From gull@stars.dnet.nasa.gov Tue Dec 4 16:55:11 1990
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Subject: PRESS RELEASES
Status: R
UIT Status Report #01
2:30 p.m. CST Dec. 3, 1990
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL
Sunday night, the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) obtained 11
photographs of the Earth's airglow, a luminous phenomenon in the upper
atmosphere. These photographs will be used to calibrate the UIT's
photographs of celestial objects.
The UIT photographs are recorded on film and cannot be developed and
examined until Columbia returns to Earth. However, team members saw
telemetry readouts which showed that the motor which drives the UIT's
internal film transport turned on after each of the 11 photographs,
indicating that the film was advanced through the camera.
The UIT team, led by Principal Investigator Theodore P. Stecher of
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD, is awaiting the go ahead
from project controllers to proceed with the first UIT photographs of
objects beyond Earth. This may occur as soon as this afternoon, CST.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 11:15 AM EST Msg: UJJA-1657-4336
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: Astro 1 Mission Report No. 12
Posted: Mon, Dec 3, 1990 6:24 PM EST Msg: VJJA-1524-2497/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: ASTRO 1 MISSION REPORT NO. 12
Astro 1 Mission Report #12
1:50 p.m. CST, December 3, 1990
1/13:01 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Astro 1 gathered its first piece of scientific data from the Seyfert
Galaxy today at 11:30 a.m., CST when Payload Specialist Sam Durrance
successfully locked onto the target using the JPL Astro Star
Tracker, an element of the Image Motion Compensation System aboard
Shuttle Columbia.
The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope was successful in obtaining data
from the ultraviolet radiation found in the Earth's airglow, or
upper atmosphere. Next, HUT focused on its first outside target,
NGC-4151 the Seyfert Galaxy, a bright galaxy which radiates strong
ultraviolet and x-ray wavelengths.
By using Astro's star tracker, designed by the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, the team was able to steady the Instrument Pointing
System and focus on its target. After fixing on its target, the
instrument coordinated with another star and sent information to the
electronics system which made adjustments with the telescope's
mirrors for primary observations.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 11:20 AM EST Msg: DJJA-1657-4345
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: WUPPE Status Report No. 4
Posted: Mon, Dec 3, 1990 9:59 PM EST Msg: LJJA-1524-2539/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: WUPPE STATUS REPORT NO 4
WUPPE STATUS REPORT #04
7:30 P.M. CST, DEC. 3, 1990
SPACELAB MISSION OPERATIONS CONTROL
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER,
HUNTSVILLE, AL
The University of Wisconsin-Madison telescope aboard the Space Shuttle
Columbia took its first look at the stars today.
The telescope, known as the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter
Experiment, achieved "first light" at approximately 4:30 p.m. CST and
took spectra -- readings of the wavelengths of starlight -- from a
variable binary system where one star stirs up the other and causes
massive blobs of material to spin off, a phenomenon that can be traced
by polarization measurements.
The observation was used to start the process of aligning and focusing
the Wisconsin telescope, a procedure that will be completed when
Astro's Instrument Pointing System is fully calibrated. Subsequent
to the focusing and aligning procedure, science measurements of HR
1099 were accomplished by the Wisconsin instrument.
Following WUPPE's observation of HR 1099, at approximately 5:15 CST,
the Wisconsin instrument made its second stellar observation, this
time of a rapidly rotating star known as 21 Vulpecula.
21 Vulpecula and other rapidly rotating stars are of particular
interest to the WUPPE science team because of their tendency to
produce polarized ultraviolet light.
If a star spins fast enough, according to University of Wisconsin
astronomer Arthur D. Code, it will have an elongated instead of a
spherical shape. The faster the star spins, the more it is
flattened. The flatter a star, the more its light is polarized. In
effect, astronomers can determine the shape of star by measuring
polarization.
To date, there have been very few readings of polarized ultraviolet
starlight, so virtually everything WUPPE looks at will provide
astronomers with new insights into stars and other celestial objects
such as comets, quasars and interstellar dust and gas, the material
from which new stars are made.
In the next few hours, WUPPE will continue to take science
observations. Plans now call for the reacquisition of 21 Vulpecula
and magnetic white dwarf star known as G70D8247.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 11:22 AM EST Msg: FJJA-1657-4347
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: MSFC Astro Shift Summary 06
Posted: Mon, Dec 3, 1990 11:42 PM EST Msg: QJJA-1524-2544/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: MSFC ASTRO SHIFT SUMMARY 06
Astro 1 Shift Summary #06
9:30 p.m. CST, December 3, 1990
1/20:40 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
During the past eight to nine hours, Astro-1 payload operations
aboard Columbia began to settle into the type of routine which had
been hoped for pre-mission. Around noon (CST), one of the major
milestones to date for the mission was passed when a successful
observation was made on the mission's first target outside the
Earth's atmosphere. It occurred when the Hopkins Ultraviolet
Telescope was able to acquire and observe a distant galaxy
designated by astronomers as NGC (New General Catalogue) 4151. The
brightest Seyfert galaxy known, this object has a number of
interesting features including emissions of blue and ultraviolet
light -- characteristics which are unusual for this type of galaxy.
The Astro-1 crew was able to acquire the target using a manual
pointing mode of the Instrument Pointing System. The procedure,
called "contingency target acquisition," involves using data from a
star tracker system developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and
incorporated into Astro-1's Image Motion Compensation System.
Following the successful galaxy observation, efforts continued to
obtain full acquisition capabilities with the Instrument Pointing
System's Optical Sensor Package. The Optical Sensor Package star
trackers, along with the Spacelab computer system's stellar
software, provides the normal mode of automatically acquiring and
locking onto desired celestial objects. With engineering support
from both Houston and Huntsville, successive refinements over a
several-hour period were made to the Optical Sensor Package pointing
geometry.
The efforts culminated around 7:30 p.m. CST when Payload Specialist
Sam Durrance reported accomplishing the first successful IDOP, or
operational identification, of a desired target. The target
acquired with this pointing was a magnetic white dwarf designated as
G70D8427, one which is of interest in the Astro-1 observational
program because it has been studied quite thoroughly in visible and
near ultraviolet light, but not in the far ultraviolet region.
Another key milestone during the period was bringing all three
ultraviolet telescopes into observe mode simultaneously at
approximately 4:30 p.m. CST. Successful acquisition of scientific
data was reported by principal investigators for both the Hopkins
and Wisconsin instruments, and a photographic exposure was made by
the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope.
During the period, ground controllers for the Broad Band X-ray
Telescope continued working procedures to bring their instrument
into precise alignment with its Two-Axis Pointing System, which is
separate from the Instrument Pointing System used by the ultraviolet
telescopes. The BBXRT team reported progress and, as of late
evening, was optimistic about reaching full operating status soon.
The X-ray telescope did demonstrate successful acquisition of X-ray
photons during the period, while aimed at the Crab Nebula.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 11:23 AM EST Msg: IJJA-1657-4350
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: MSFC Status Report No. 15
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 7:39 AM EST Msg: LJJA-1524-2591/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: MSFC STATUS REPORT NO. 15
Astro 1 Mission Report #15
05:50 a.m. CST, December 4, 1990
2/05:00 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
"Intensive efforts continue in trying to get good optical holds with
the Instrument Pointing System in order to obtain the desired
science targets that we have selected," said Astro-1 Assistant
Mission Manager Stu Clifton, from Huntsville's Spacelab Mission
Operations Control. "Following the sub-system computer crash
earlier this evening, one of the star trackers on the optical sensor
package failed to return to operating condition. This has made it
much more difficult to acquire the targets we've scheduled.
"Efforts are under way to recycle the star tracker to bring it back
to full operating condition," said Clifton. "It is in these
situations that one can see the value of the many simulations that
we've held on Astro. We have simulated many failures, and having
done so, the procedures for resolving these failures have been
developed. And this has certainly facilitated our ability to
resolve the problems that we get on a real mission."
Mission Scientist Gene Urban made these comments regarding the
status of the mission: "Before the sub-system computer crash, we
got some beautiful data. We got some extremely good spectra. The
Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope has been operating well, and we're
waiting to get the X-ray telescope realigned." UIT's first science
data was received at approximately 11:13 CST. And the Broad Band
X-ray Telescope is still performing tests during night passes to
coalign the telescope with its Two Axis Pointing System.
Attempts to automatically acquire scheduled science targets
including Supernova 1987A were not successful. Though the targets
are often apparently in the field of view, the crew was unsuccessful
in locking onto guide stars. Therefore, Mission Specialist Bob
Parker, using a joy stick, called a paddle, and Payload Specialist
Ron Parise, typing on a keyboard, attempted to locate targets
manually to acquire science data. "Give me a paddle and a telescope
and I can move the universe!" said Parker.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 11:25 AM EST Msg: SJJA-1657-4360
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: Shuttle Status
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 10:37 AM EST Msg: ZJJA-1524-2631/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:YOUNG,FN:DICK)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:DRYDENTV),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: KSC SHUTTLE STATUS
KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - Tuesday, Dec. 4, 1990 9:30 a.m.
STS-35 - COLUMBIA (OV 102)
The solid rocket booster retrieval ships arrived at Hangar
AF on the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at about noon yester-
day. The right booster parachute failed to separate from the
booster at water impact. Officials are looking into why the
pyrotechnic parachute separation devices failed. The boosters
will be disassembled at Hangar AF in preparation for refurbish-
ment.
STS-39 - DISCOVERY (OV 103) - OPF BAY 1
Freon servicing is planned this week. Operations scheduled
this week include tests of the Ku-band antenna, servicing of the
water spray boilers, and a functional test of the waste contain-
ment system.
Tests of the right orbital maneuvering system (OMS) pod to
verify the internal screens in the propellant tanks have been
successful at the Hypergolic Maintenance Facility (HMF). Tests
will continue this week with the pod in a horizontal position.
STS-37 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2
Residual oxidizer and fuel propellants were drained from the
orbital maneuvering system crossfeed lines and manifold and the
bay was reopened for normal work early this morning.
Tests of the radar altimeter and landing gear hydraulic
struts are scheduled this week. Preparations are underway to
remove the left OMS pod. Pod removal is scheduled Saturday, to be
followed by transfer to the HMF for post-flight operations. The
number 3 auxiliary power unit was disconnected in preparation for
removal.
STS-39 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB
Stacking operations are continuing in the VAB. The right aft
center segment was mated shortly after midnight. The right for-
ward center segment was transferred from the Rotation Processing
and Surge Facility to the VAB and stacking of that segment is
scheduled to begin today.
# # # #
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 2:32 PM EST Msg: MJJA-1657-4614
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO,
(C:USA, ADMD:TELEMAIL, PRMD:NASAMAIL, O:NASA, UN:GSFC)
Subj: Dateline for Wednesday, December 5, 1990
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1990
LABORATORY FOR ASTRONOMY AND SOLAR PHYSICS SEMINAR: Dr. Leo Blitz,
from the University of Maryland, will present a seminar, entitled
"Direct Evidence for the Bar at the Galactic Center." The seminar
will be held tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. in building 21, room 183A.
CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN SPACE DATA AND INFORMATION SCIENCES: Dr.
David Kuck will present a seminar on "Delivering Parallel
Performance" tomorrow from 10:30 a.m.-noon in the building 3
auditorium. Dr. Kuck is a professor in the computer science and
electrical and computer engineering departments at the University
of Illinois at Urbana. He is also the director of the Center for
Supercomputing Research and Development. This seminar is part of
the Space Data and Computing Division's Advances in Computational
Science Seminar series.
CODE 200 ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY: Take a stroll down Bourbon Street
to the Management Operations Directorate Mardi Gras Festival. The
Code 200 Annual Awards Ceremony will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. in
the building 8 auditorium. Mardi Gras attire is encouraged.
SEMINAR: Legg, Mason, Wood, Walker, Inc., will present a seminar
on 1990's Guide to Financial, Estate and Retirement Planning. The
seminar will be held today, building 3 auditorium from ll:30 a.m.
to l2:30 p.m. Some of the topics covered will be IRA Rollover,
5-10 year forward averaging, tax management consideration and much
more. The seminar is sponsored by GEWA.
RED CROSS BLOODMOBILE: The Red Cross Bloodmobile will accept blood
donations in the building 8 auditorium today from 8:30 a.m. until
2:15 p.m. We need all types of blood, but especially B and O.
Please call x6-8601 to schedule your donation.
GSFC SAFETY AWARD CEREMONY: The Goddard Safety Award Ceremony will
be held today. Dr. John Klineberg will present the awards in the
building 3 auditorium from 2:30 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. Refreshments
will follow. Call Pat Greco on x6-6118 or Phillip Nessler on x6-
4693 for more information. There will be an interpreter for
hearing impaired employees.
PRODUCT DEMONSTRATION: Tomorrow, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. in the ITC
(building 18, room 173), ESDU International invites you to a
presentation of its "Validated Engineering Data & Software." ESDU
provides a service of validated design data comprising accurate,
up-to-date information, based on worldwide sources. It is
validated and endorsed by committees of international experts. If
you have any questions, please call the ITC Coordinator at x6-7285.
APPALACHIA MOUNTAIN TRUCK: The Appalachia Mountain Truck will be
parked in the building 8 visitor's parking lot tomorrow to receive
your Christmas donations of clean useable or new toys, household
items, clothing and canned food for the Appalachia poor.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: There is a need for volunteers to help load the
Appalachian Mountain Trucks on pickup days. An hour of your time
during lunch or after work will help to ensure that this important
work can continue.
PROJECT ANGEL TREE: A heartfelt thank you from the Goddard Bible
Club to over 100 generous GSFC employees who purchased Christmas
gifts for the children of prison inmates. A total of 160 gifts
plus monetary donations have been pledged. If you took an angel
but have not yet returned the gift, please do so this week. For
more information, call Barbara Scott at x6-6756.
ITEMS OF INTEREST: Join the Goddard Running and Orienteering Club
for an introduction to the sport of Orienteering, or "cunning
running." We will have an introductory video followed by a
question and answer period tomorrow at noon in building 22, room
271. An orienteering meet in Greenbelt Park on December 16
(registration from 12-2 p.m.) will allow our members to try their
hand at this novel sport.
GODDARD CONSERVATION CLUB: The Goddard Conservation Club would
like to invite you to come to the next meeting to learn about local
environmental action. We also will discuss ways to take action as
an individual. Join us today, from 12-1 p.m. in room 8 of building
2.
MAD AUDITIONS FOR "ON GOLDEN POND": Auditions will be held
December 7 at 6 p.m. and December 8 at 10 a.m. in building 3
auditorium. Callbacks will be December 9 at noon in building 3
auditorium. Cuttings are available from Tricia Kennedy in building
1, room 239, extension x6-2329.
ART SALE: The Hauss Galleries Art Sale, sponsored by the Goddard
Art Club, is today and tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the
entrance lobby outside the library in building 21. Stop by at
lunchtime and shop for paintings as low as $9.50.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 3:53 PM EST Msg: BJJA-1657-4785
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: MSFC Status Report No. 16
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 3:31 PM EST Msg: BJJA-1524-2711/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: MSFC STATUS REPORT NO. 16 & WUPPE STATUS REPORT NO. 5
Astro 1 Mission Report #16
12:23 p.m. CST, December 4, 1990
2/11:33 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
"We had some last minute excitement at the control center this
morning," Astro Mission Manager Jack Jones began his press briefing
at 9:30 a.m. CST today. "It appears at this time we have a good
healthy payload. All the instruments are up and working, and all
the pointing systems appear to be pointing nominally at this time.
Eliminating any unforeseen events, I think we're off and ready to
go. There may be some minor refinements, but I believe we're in the
mode to start getting science."
Spacelab operators had stayed busy during the night bringing up the
Instrument Pointing System and its optical sensor package which
provide automatic pointing to target stars for the three Astro
ultraviolet telescopes. After early difficulties loading software
into the star trackers, a misloaded computer patch had put the
system back at "square zero," according to Jones. But efforts to
reload the system proceeded much more quickly the second time, and
by the time of the briefing, Jones reported that the IPS was in the
"automatic fine track mode, working very stably now."
Also at the briefing, Broad Band X-Ray Telescope principal
investigator Peter Serlemitsos showed "first light" spectra for his
independently-mounted telescope, taken of the star Capella around 6
a.m. CST. Asked if the instrument would be making discoveries not
possible with previous telescopes, Serlemitsos replied, "We did not
work for the last ten years to say 'me too.' We are putting up an
instrument that does observations for the first time." He pointed
out that the X-ray telescope would have better resolution and
observe across wider energy bands than any before it. In addition,
co-observations of the same targets in both the ultraviolet and
X-rays would multiply the discoveries.
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 3:54 PM EST Msg: LJJA-1657-4795
From: PAO.POST
To: PAO
Subj: WUPPE Status No. 5
Posted: Tue, Dec 4, 1990 3:36 PM EST Msg: CJJA-1524-2712/20
From: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,SN:MSFC,FN:PUBINFO)
To: (C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:P),
(C:USA,PUB:TELEMAIL,PVT:NASAMAIL,O:NASA,UN:PAO.LOOP),
JRUFF/GSFCMAIL
Subj: WUPPE STATUS REPORT NO. 5
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON
WUPPE STATUS REPORT NO. 5
A.M., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1990
The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE)
acquired its third object, a magnetic white dwarf star, at
approximately 7 p.m. Monday (December 3).
The WUPPE science team was able to obtain about 4 minutes of
observation time on the star known as G70D8247.
White dwarfs are small stars, about the size of the Earth, but that
have masses approximating those of our sun. Some astronomers have
likened white dwarfs to stellar diamonds, because as they evolve they
produce large amounts of carbon at their cores. And since they are so
massive, gravity exerts anormous pressure, similar to subterranean
pressures of Earth that produce diamonds. In the presence of oxygen,
such conditions produce diamonds.
The white dwarf observed by WUPPE has a magnetic field about 100
million times stronger than the Earth's. Only about 1 to 5 percent of
white dwarfs have strong magnetic fields. The strong magnetic field
is of interest to WUPPE because light emitted in the prescence of a
strong magnetic fields polarizes light, a condition where the photons
that make up the light waves, instead of having random mations (up,
down, back, forth and diagonally), all move in the same direction.
The WUPPE instrument continues to perform well. Despite the loss of
one of its onboard computers, the WUPPE science team from the
University of Wisconsin-Madison is extremely pleased with quality of
the data being collected by the telescope now orbiting the Earth
aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
###
Command?
--
-Greg Hennessy, University of Virginia
USPS Mail: Astronomy Department, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475 USA
Internet: gsh7w@virginia.edu
UUCP: ...!uunet!virginia!gsh7w