karn@mouton.UUCP (06/25/84)
Posted: Mon Jun 25, 1984 12:19 AM GMT Msg: RGIE-1827-1019
From: VRIP
To: RMYERS
CC: AMSAT
Subj: ASR#81-2 (Lead Story)
NASA Chooses AMSAT's WA4SIR For Shuttle Science Mission
Apparently the Hams-In-Space theme will have periodic reprise throughout
the second third of the decade as NASA has selected Dr. Ron Parise, WA4SIR,
to fly as Payload Specialist on at least 2 future shuttle missions!
Ron was notified on 11 Jun 84 of his selection. In an exclusive interview
with ASR last week, Ron indicated he had applied for the position in Sep 83
and was delighted at his success. He is anxious to include Amateur Radio
activities in the mission although he cautions, "This will be a crew-intensive
mission" referring to the projected March 1986 planned launch of Mission 61F.
The 61F mission will be a further flight of the Spacelab series.
Dr. Parise is an astronomer with a PhD from the University of Florida (1979)
and is 33 years old. He has been a licensed amateur since he was 11 having
held prior calls WN8JBR and WA8MHD. Ron is a native of Warren, Ohio, is
married and has a young son. He and his wife, Cecelia, are expecting another
child.
The newest astronaut-selectee is employed by Computer Sciences Corporation in
their Systems Sciences Division and currently lives in Silver Spring, Maryland
not far from AMSAT Headquarters. Ron is an active AMSAT member and frequently
gives talks and presentations on science aspects of OSCAR. He has been
AMSAT's Science Coordinator for the UO-9 mission. Computer Sciences
is under contract to NASA and in fact Ron works at the Goddard Space Flight
Center at Greenbelt, Maryland.
The 61F mission will carry the ASTRO 1 experiment in its Spacelab section.
This experiment is sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science Applications
and involves an ultraviolet imaging telescope. Ron helped design the
instrument and will be aboard to operate it and collect data. He also
is involved in two later follow-on experiments known as the "Hopkins
Ultraviolet Prime Focus Spectrometer" developed in conjunction with Johns
Hopkins University and the "Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo Polarimeter" developed
in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin. ASTRO 2 (Hopkins Spectrometer)
is due for launch in Nov 86 while ASTRO 3 (Wisconsin Photo Polarimeter) is
slated for Jul 87. Ron indicates his contract with NASA calls for him
flying two missions and being a backup for the third.
Regarding his operating Amateur Radio from the shuttle Ron says he is
"enthusiastic" and looks forward "to bringing some radios aboard". Ron says
he will support proposals to NASA for Amateur Radio activity on the missions
he will be flying but because of intense preparations for the science aspects
of the mission, will be unable to spearhead the proposal effort. He indicates
full support for the premise without hesitation, however.
The Amateur Space program has its roots firmly planted in space science.
AMSAT is a remarkable alloy of scientists, engineers, educators and
layman reflecting the very best in Amateur Radio. We are justly proud
that "one of our own" has been selected to carry space science further
along new paths and will be carrying Amateur Radio along just to keep in
touch! Congratulations to Ron, WA4SIR! (And to us, too).
Dr. Tony England, W0ORE, is due to fly the shuttle in March 85 and an
ambitious proposal was jointly submitted by ARRL/AMSAT recently to
permit Tony to follow the lead of Owen Garriott, W5LFL, and Owen's
historic 1983 premiere Ham-In-Space effort.