MARSBUGS: The Electronic Exobiology Newsletter Volume 4, Number 10, 3 July, 1997. Editors: David Thomas, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, 83844-3051, USA, thoma457@uidaho.edu or Marsbugs@aol.com. Julian Hiscox, Division of Molecular Biology, IAH Compton Laboratory, Berkshire, RG20 7NN, UK. Julian.Hiscox@bbsrc.ac.uk or Marsbug@msn.com MARSBUGS is published on a weekly to quarterly basis as warranted by the number of articles and announcements. Copyright of this compilation exists with the editors, except for specific articles, in which instance copyright exists with the author/authors. E-mail subscriptions are free, and may be obtained by contacting either of the editors. Contributions are welcome, and should be submitted to either of the two editors. Contributions should include a short biographical statement about the author(s) along with the author(s)' correspondence address. Subscribers are advised to make appropriate inquiries before joining societies, ordering goods etc. Back issues may be obtained via anonymous FTP at: ftp.uidaho.edu/pub/mmbb/marsbugs. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide a channel of information for scientists, educators and other persons interested in exobiology and related fields. This newsletter is not intended to replace peer-reviewed journals, but to supplement them. We, the editors, envision MARSBUGS as a medium in which people can informally present ideas for investigation, questions about exobiology, and announcements of upcoming events. Exobiology is still a relatively young field, and new ideas may come out of the most unexpected places. Subjects may include, but are not limited to: exobiology proper (life on other planets), the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI), ecopoeisis/ terraformation, Earth from space, planetary biology, primordial evolution, space physiology, biological life support systems, and human habitation of space and other planets. ----------------------------------------------------------------- INDEX 1) IMAGER FOR MARS PATHFINDER LANDS JULY 4 University of Arizona News Services 2) UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO-BUILT INSTRUMENT WILL FIND OUT WHAT MARS IS MADE OF University of Chicago 3) ROBOTIC MARS LANDING AND SPACE SHUTTLE REFLIGHT HIGHLIGHT A BUSY AND CHALLENGING WEEK FOR U.S. SPACE PROGRAM NASA note to editors: n97-44 4) MARS PATHFINDER WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 5) "HOT WHEELS" TOY: ANOTHER SUCCESS FROM JPL'S TECHNOLOGY AFFILIATES PROGRAM JPL release 6) CREATE A SLOGAN FOR NASA'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN 1998 From the 19 June 1997 edition of "NASA Head's Up" 7) INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EARTH OBSERVATION & ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (EOEI 97) 8) SHUTTLE MISSION REFLIGHT IN QUEST OF SCIENTIFIC MYSTERIES NASA release: 97-140 9) MIR UPDATE From "VideoCosmos Co." 10) TROPICAL RAINFALL MEASURING MISSION SET FOR OCTOBER 31 LAUNCH NASA release: 97-143 ----------------------------------------------------------------- IMAGER FOR MARS PATHFINDER LANDS JULY 4 University of Arizona News Services Fireworks might not be the most spectacular sight this Fourth of July. NASA will land a first-of-its-kind robotic probe called Pathfinder on Mars. The landing is 10 a.m. Tucson time. A few hours later, a camera called Imager for Mars Pathfinder, or IMP, will search for the sun so the lander's computer can point the probe's high gain antenna, which is Pathfinder's high-speed communications link, directly at Earth. At 4:30 p.m., IMP will start taking a panorama, frame by frame through red, blue and green filters, of its landing site, the ancient Martian flood plain Ares Vallis. This composite "mission success" photo -- which should be complete by 6 p.m. -- will be the first view of the surface of the Red Planet since Viking landers stunned the world with Mars images 21 years ago. University of Arizona Lunar and Planetary Laboratory scientist Peter H. Smith heads the team which has spent much of the past four years designing, building, calibrating and testing IMP. The group includes about 40 U.S., German and Danish scientists, engineers and students. The flight camera and its two backups are a bargain at $5 million (1992 dollars). Equipped with two "eyes" spaced about as far apart as human eyes, it will see in stereo. It has 24 filters for taking color pictures for scientists studying everything from the make-up of surface rocks and minerals to the composition and magnetic properties of wind-blown dust whipping through the thin Martian atmosphere. IMP is crucial to the scientific success of the 30 day-or-longer $280 million Mars Pathfinder mission, which is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of Pasadena. The overall Pathfinder mission is to test engineering technologies for use in future science missions to Mars. IMP's initial chores include not only locating the sun for directing the high-speed telemetry link to Earth, but showing which ramp is the best exit for Sojourner, the Pathfinder's mini- landrover. Moving Sojourner off the lander quickly is high priority, for the rover sits on solar panels needed to power the mission. IMP and its science team are practiced, tested and ready, Smith says. For these scientists, as for athletes, real-time risk is what spices the game. For a complete roster of the IMP team and more information on the camera, visit the Imager for Mars Pathfinder web site at http://www.lpl.arizona.edu/imp/index.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO-BUILT INSTRUMENT WILL FIND OUT WHAT MARS IS MADE OF University of Chicago June 18, 1997 An instrument designed and built at the University of Chicago and carried on the Mars Pathfinder spacecraft will determine the chemical composition of Martian rocks and soil, a crucial first step in determining what samples, on a future mission, should be brought back to Earth for further study. Pathfinder, scheduled to land Friday, July 4, will be the first spacecraft to land on Mars since Viking in 1976. The Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer is one of the key scientific instruments on board the Pathfinder's rover, Sojourner, which will be able to roam across the Martian surface guided by scientists and engineers on Earth. With the mobility provided by the rover and vision provided by a panoramic camera, APXS can be deployed to distant rock outcroppings, providing the first-ever chemical analysis of native Martian rock. The first results from the APXS will be available almost immediately after landing. B-roll, animation and photos are available from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Live video will be broadcast on the Internet from the Mars Pathfinder control room -- visit the University of Chicago's Web site, http://www.uchicago.edu "The basic question we are trying to answer is what is Mars made of?" said Thanasis (Tom) Economou, Senior Scientist in the University's Enrico Fermi Institute. Economou, along with Anthony Turkevich, the James Franck Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in Chemistry, designed and built the X-ray spectrometer. The alpha and proton spectrometers (originally designed at the University of Chicago) are being provided by the Max Planck Institut fur Chemie in Germany. Parker received his B.S. from Michigan State University in 1948 and his Ph.D. from Caltech in 1951, and joined the Chicago faculty as a Research Associate in 1955. He is the author of three books and well over 300 scientific articles, and has received numerous awards, including the 1989 National Medal of Science and the 1992 Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and from 1983 to 1986 was Chairman of the Academy's Astronomy Section. "Down the line we want to be able to find out if life on Mars developed along the same lines as life on Earth, but we won't be able to answer that question until we can bring back samples to examine in laboratories here on Earth," said Economou. "Before that can happen, we have to learn as much as we can about Mars and figure out what kinds of samples we should bring back. Our instrument will help select the proper samples for the next mission." The APXS can detect any chemical element except hydrogen at concentrations as low as a fraction of one percent. The instrument can detect elements like carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, which are important for life, said Economou, but it cannot determine their molecular structure, which is needed to find out if indeed life ever existed on Mars. The Sojourner APXS is mounted on a sophisticated mechanism that allows the sensor head to be placed against soil and rock samples in almost any position. Alpha particles bombard the sample, and the spectrometer detects alpha particles, X-rays and protons that are scattered or generated in the sample. "These studies of Mars will culminate in a sample return mission sometime between 2003 and 2005, which is something we also hope to be involved in," said Economou. Turkevich and Economou first developed an alpha proton spectrometer for use on the 1967 and 1968 lunar Surveyor missions (Surveyor V, VI and VII). These instruments, also designed and built by the technical staff at the University of Chicago's Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research, provided the first compete and accurate chemical analysis of the surface of the moon. The University of Chicago, through its Laboratory for Astrophysics & Space Research, has a long and distinguished history of space exploration. University scientists have participated in more than 35 space missions, including lunar landings, planetary orbiters, and extra-solar missions. John Simpson, the Arthur Holly Compton Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in the Enrico Fermi Institute, who is still active in space missions, participated in the United States' first mission to Mars in 1965. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ROBOTIC MARS LANDING AND SPACE SHUTTLE REFLIGHT HIGHLIGHT A BUSY AND CHALLENGING WEEK FOR U.S. SPACE PROGRAM NASA note to editors: n97-44 The week of June 30 promises to be a busy and memorable one in the history of space exploration, with the landing of NASA's Mars Pathfinder spacecraft on Independence Day, a Space Shuttle launch of the STS-94 microgravity science mission, and ongoing activities on Russia's Mir space station. NASA will offer near-continuous access to these events for the media and the general public. In addition to standard Space Shuttle-related mission activities, NASA TV will provide coverage of daily status briefings on Mars Pathfinder and extensive live programming on July 4-6 from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA. Telephone audio links will be available during overlapping events and numerous Internet sites are accessible for status reports and imagery. JPL also will operate a full-service newsroom for the Pathfinder landing from June 30 to at least July 11. The latest comprehensive schedule for NASA TV, and updates to it as events progress, is available from NASA Headquarters; JPL; Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; and, Kennedy Space Center, FL. It also is available on-line at the following URL: ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc/tvsked/tvsked.txt Mars Pathfinder Coverage Information News media should contact JPL's Public Information Office at 818/354-5011 for information on credentials for its newsroom. Please also notify JPL if you have a need for a Mission Audio feed of the STS-94 mission distributed to your work location in the von Karman Auditorium. Beginning on June 30, the Mars Pathfinder landing newsroom at JPL will be open at 818/354-8999, during at least the following hours (all times EDT): June 30-July 2 11 a.m.-8 p.m. July 3 11 a.m.-11 p.m. July 4 9:30 a.m.-3 a.m. (July 5) July 5-6 11 a.m.-3 a.m. July 7-11 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Status reports on mission activities for Mars Pathfinder will be issued by the JPL Public Information Office. Daily audio status reports will be available by calling 800/391-6654 or 818/354- 4210. A pre-landing briefing on Mars Pathfinder and its science objectives at Mars will be held at JPL on Tuesday, July 1, at 1 p.m. EDT. If the STS-94 launch remains scheduled for this date, this briefing will not be shown live on NASA TV. A taped rebroadcast of this briefing currently is planned for later that evening and the next morning. Media can access a live audio feed of this briefing by calling 818/354-6170. During the briefing, the STS-94 countdown can be heard on a Mission Audio feed to JPL. Extensive information on Mars Pathfinder, including an electronic copy of the landing press kit, related press releases, fact sheets, status reports and images, is available from the JPL World Wide Web home page at URL: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/marsnews The Mars Pathfinder project also maintains a home page at URL: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mpfmir These sites may receive heavy traffic on the days close to landing, but Internet users around the world can follow the mission by way of multiple local mirror sites that are now on- line, with links listed at the Web site above. The Internet sites feature updates on mission activities and will provide Pathfinder photographs of the Martian surface, once they become available. The sites also will feature a bird's eye view of the Mars Pathfinder mission operations area at JPL, via a live video camera feed that is updated every 15 minutes. Images returned by the Mars Pathfinder lander and rover will be released to the news media in electronic format only during the mission via addresses furnished to media upon request. These sites will include files offering the highest spatial and color resolution of images returned by the Pathfinder lander and rover. Images also will be carried on NASA Television during daily Video File broadcasts. STS-94 Coverage Information As with all Space Shuttle missions, the Johnson Space Center newsroom will be staffed 24-hours a day throughout the 16-day STS- 94 mission, Microgravity Science Laboratory-1, beginning at 9 a.m. EDT on July 1. Information regarding the mission can be obtained by calling the JSC Newsroom at 281/483-5111. Information on STS-94 is available through several sources on the Internet. The primary source for mission information is the NASA Shuttle Web. This site contains information on the crew and their mission and will be regularly updated with status reports, photos and video clips throughout the flight. The NASA Shuttle Web's address is URL: http://shuttle.nasa.gov If that address is busy or unavailable, the STS-94 Countdown Page can be found at URL: http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/missions/sts-94/countdown.html and the MSL-1 Home Page can be found at URL: http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov Television coverage of STS-94 on NASA TV during the heaviest period of Mars Pathfinder activities will include update reports, Flight Day Highlights, the "Mission Update" program and Mission Status Briefings, when warranted. Uninterrupted air-to-ground feeds of conversations between the astronauts in orbit and ground controllers along with mission commentary can continue to be heard on Mission Audio, which will be distributed to the NASA centers, as is usually the case during Shuttle flights. During the time when Mars Pathfinder activity is seen on NASA TV, a clean TV feed of Shuttle coverage also will be available at JSC. Reporters covering Mars Pathfinder at either JPL or the Kennedy Space Center will not be able to obtain a clean TV feed of Shuttle coverage after launch, only the programmed feed of both Mars Pathfinder and Shuttle activities through NASA TV. NASA Television is broadcast on the satellite GE-2, transponder 9C, C Band, 85 degrees West longitude, frequency 3880.0 MHz, vertical polarization, audio monaural at 6.8 MHz. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MARS PATHFINDER WEEKLY STATUS REPORTS JPL releases 20 June 1997 The spacecraft remains in good health and is currently about 168 million kilometers from Earth (7 million km from Mars). The total flight time since launch is now 196 days, and we have 14 days until Mars arrival. Completed the final flight software load process including resetting the flight computer. The spacecraft is now operating using the new software, including two small changes made as a result of Operational Readiness Test #7. The patch process worked flawlessly and we recovered from the reset within two hours. Completed the rover flight software patch and health check. A number of changes to the rover software have been identified as a result of post-launch testing, so a small patch was performed this week in conjunction with the planned rover health check. The rover woke up as expected based on lander command, the code patch was accepted, and all engineering telemetry measurements were normal. Completed validating all sequences required for pre-EDL and initial surface operations. Approximately 370 sequences will be loaded on the spacecraft starting this weekend. TMOD conducted a readiness review for Mars Pathfinder EDL and Surface Operations on June 13. No major issues were identified, and all DSN and MGSO elements will be ready to support project operations. June 26, 1997 Mars Pathfinder, now eight days away from landing on the surface of Mars, performed the last of its scheduled trajectory correction maneuvers at 10 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Wednesday, June 25. The correction maneuver was performed in two phases occurring 45 minutes apart. The first burn, lasting just 1.6 seconds, involved firing four thruster engines on one side of the vehicle. The second burn lasted 2.2 seconds and involved firing two thrusters closest to the heat shield. The combined effect of both burns changed Pathfinder's velocity by 0.018 meters per second (0.04 miles per hour), which places the spacecraft on target for a July 4 landing in an ancient flood basin called Ares Vallis. Pathfinder is scheduled to land at 10:07 a.m. PDT (in Earth- received time). The one-way light time from Mars to Earth is 10 minutes, 35 seconds, so in actuality, Pathfinder lands at 9:57 a.m. PDT. If necessary, a fifth trajectory correction maneuver may be performed just before Pathfinder hits the upper atmosphere of Mars. The maneuver would be carried out either 12 hours or six hours before Pathfinder reaches the atmosphere at 10 a.m. PDT in Earth-received time. The flight team will make a decision to proceed with the final correction maneuver the evening before landing. A final health check of the spacecraft and rover was performed on June 20. All spacecraft systems, including science instruments and the critical radar altimeter, remain in excellent health from the last check about six months ago. The rover received a "wake up" call, woke up on command from the lander, then accepted a software upgrade. Flight controllers next loaded the 370 command sequences that will be required by Pathfinder to carry out its surface operations mission. The spacecraft is now ready to begin its entry, descent and landing phase. It will be commanded into that mode at 1:42 p.m. PDT on June 30 by an onboard sequence. Mars Pathfinder is currently about 180 million kilometers (111 million miles) from Earth and about 3.5 million kilometers (2.2 million miles) from Mars. After 202 days in flight, the spacecraft is traveling at about 18,000 kilometers per hour (12,000 miles per hour) with respect to Mars. For further information, please visit our website at http://mpfwww.jpl.nasa.gov. Status report prepared by: Office of the Flight Operations Manager Mars Pathfinder Project NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA 91109 ----------------------------------------------------------------- "HOT WHEELS" TOY: ANOTHER SUCCESS FROM JPL'S TECHNOLOGY AFFILIATES PROGRAM JPL release June 19, 1997 It rocks, it rolls, it boogies. Mattel Inc.'s Hot Wheels JPL Sojourner Mars Rover Action Pack Set, a toy version of Sojourner, a mini-rover destined to traverse the Martian soil starting July 4, recreates the real robot's distinctive, six-wheeled, "rocker- bogie" locomotion system. The toy, now available nationwide, is but one example of how the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Technology Affiliates Program works cooperatively with industry. Through this program, corporations form strategic alliances with JPL either to license intellectual property, as was the case with Mattel, or to gain access to JPL's engineers and scientists to help solve a range of technological problems. To date, more than 120 companies, large and small, have utilized the program to solve upwards of 200 specific technology challenges. In short, the program provides a streamlined way for JPL, one of 10 NASA centers around the country, to do business with the private sector. The payoff: technologies developed for the space program prove beneficial back on Earth and, in the case of the Mattel toy, help educate and enthuse the public about the space program. "We are pleased to have forged an alliance with Mattel through our Technology Affiliates Program," says Merle McKenzie, manager of JPL's Commercial Technology Office. "Who could help but become intrigued by the Mars Pathfinder mission, scheduled to land on Mars on July 4 and set Sojourner free to explore the red planet, after seeing this intricately accurate mini-version of the mission's mini-rover?" She adds, "When Mattel first approached us in 1995 with the idea of creating a toy based on Sojourner, the Technology Affiliates Program significantly streamlined the process of licensing this technology. The program is designed precisely to cut red tape and get things moving along swiftly." JPL is managed by the California Institute of Technology, which serves as the party of record on all patents developed at JPL and works closely with JPL on Technology Affiliates Program agreements. Mars Pathfinder is one of the first missions in a new, decade- long NASA program of robotic exploration to expand scientists' knowledge of Mars. The unifying theme throughout the decade is the search for water, which is a key requirement for life. Sojourner, the first rover ever to explore the Martian surface, will not only take close-up images of the Martian terrain but also will measure the composition of the rocks and surface soil, determining their mineralogy. Sojourner's many innovations include miniature electronics and the ability to decide on its own whether to climb over rocks up to its own height of 0.3 meters (one foot) or to circumnavigate larger ones. Its "rocker-bogie" suspension is unique in that it does not use springs. Rather, its joints bend and conform to the contour of the ground, providing the greatest degree of stability for traversing rocky, uneven surfaces. A six- wheeled chassis was chosen over a four-wheeled design because it provides greater stability. Many of these fascinating features have been captured in the Mattel toy. "We hope this does indeed turn out to be a big hit," says McKenzie. "After all, what better way to inform the public about the space program and get everyone enthused about the marvelous technology it has inspired?" For further information about JPL's Technology Affiliates Program, visit their web site at http://techtrans.jpl.nasa.gov/tu.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- CREATE A SLOGAN FOR NASA'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY IN 1998 From the 19 June 1997 edition of "NASA Head's Up" The Office of Policy and Plans is holding a contest to identify a slogan to use for NASA's 40th anniversary programs and activities. To enter, submit your slogan in writing by July 31 to Steve Garber, Code ZH, or email steve.garber@hq.nasa.gov ----------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EARTH OBSERVATION & ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION (EOEI 97) Alexandria, Egypt October 13 - 16, 1997 OBJECTIVES: The International Conference on Earth Observation and Environmental Information (EOEI97) will be devoted to presenting and exploring international scientific and technical advances and innovative contributions in the fields of: Remote Sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS), Earth Observation, Data Management, Information Infrastructure, Scientific Investigations, Training and Education in three areas identified below. The conference will bring together researchers, developers, educators, analysts and users, who utilize Earth Observation and Environmental Information in the study of: 1- Oceans and Coastal Processes; 2- Water Resources; 3- Land Use/Land Vegetation Cover Change. Call for papers Contributions are solicited for oral or poster presentations. Contributions should focus on the three research themes (oceans and coastal processes; water resources; land use/land vegetation cover change). Authors must submit a title and abstract of about 500 words for review by the Technical Program Committee not later than June 15, 1997. Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their contributions by July 15, 1997. The full paper version of the accepted abstracts may be submitted to the conference (not mandatory). The full paper proceedings will be mailed to the registered attendees after the conference. In the context of the three themes listed above, appropriate contributions include but are not limited to: 1. Earth Observation Platforms Instruments 2. Data Management and Information Systems Distributed Database Management Systems, Geographical Information Systems, Software Tools for Earth Science, Internet Applications, Networking and Data Distribution, Image Processing 3. Earth System Science Process Studies, Modeling Studies. 4. Education and Outreach Formal Education, Informal Education. Deadlines Submission of Extended Abstracts, June 30, 1997 (extended date). Submission of Tutorial or Workshop Proposals, June 30, 1997 (extended date). Notification of Acceptance of Papers for Oral or Poster Presentation, July 15, 1997. Registration for Exhibits, July 15, 1997. Submission of Camera-ready Extended Abstracts, August 15, 1997. Authors/Attendees Pre-registration, August 15, 1997. Home Pages http : //www.frcu.eun.eg/www/conference/aast.html http : //www.ceosr.gmu.edu/news.html ----------------------------------------------------------------- SHUTTLE MISSION REFLIGHT IN QUEST OF SCIENTIFIC MYSTERIES NASA release: 97-140 Searching to solve Earth-bound scientific mysteries in space, teams of researchers are taking NASA's Microgravity Science Laboratory back into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia, targeted for launch on July 1. This Shuttle mission will be a reflight of NASA's Microgravity Science Laboratory-1, dedicated to 33 experiments concentrated in the areas of combustion science, protein crystals and study of the properties of metals and alloys important to many industrial processes. In April, the previous flight of the Microgravity Science Laboratory was cut short after four days because of a faulty fuel cell. The astronaut team and investigators at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, were only able to begin their schedule of experiments, which had been planned for 16 days. "Those four days allowed our science team to barely open the door to tantalizing scientific research," said Joel Kearns, manager of NASA's Microgravity Research Program Office at Marshall. "We were able to verify that we are headed in the right direction. But we were not able to reach our destination because of the shortened mission." Kearns, nevertheless, cited important accomplishments during the abbreviated April mission. He said researchers tested their experiment hardware under flight conditions and it performed "extraordinarily." NASA and commercial research teams also acquired their first glimpses of some "never-before-seen phenomena," said Kearns. The first observations of free-floating flame balls during the April flight were described by Dr. Paul Ronney of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles as "successful beyond my wildest dreams." His experiment, called the Structure of Flame Balls at Low Lewis-number, is designed to increase understanding of the characteristics of fuels and fires. Dr. Gerard Faeth of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor said that during the four-day flight, scientists got their first glimpse of the concentration and structure of soot from a fire burning in near-weightless conditions. The initial findings were an important step forward in understanding combustion and soot formation, he said. Like the flame ball experiment, this investigation could lead to improvements in fuel efficiency for all types of burning processes -- from car and jet engines to heating and cooking appliances. "The success we've glimpsed from the shortened Shuttle mission in April makes it clear that we're heading in the right direction," said Kearns. "All activated research apparatus functioned in an outstanding manner. This upcoming mission has the potential to add considerably to our basic scientific knowledge and our quality of life here on Earth," Kearns pointed out. ----------------------------------------------------------------- MIR UPDATE From: "VideoCosmos Co." Igor A. Marinin -- Deputy Director General, VideoCosmos Co. Chief Editor, Novosti Kosmonavtiki Igor A. Lissov -- Manager, Foreign Information, Novosti Kosmonavtiki June 25, 1997 -- Moscow, Russia [We have not attempted to colloquialize the English in this report. eds.] Situation onboard Mir space station has stabilized after an accident this morning and Russian officials see low probability of emergency landing. The crew hasn't even activated their Soyuz spacecraft. Progress M-34 cargo vehicle collided with one of the Spektr module's solar panels and cut a hole of some 30x40 centimeters in it. Due to force applied to the panel's rigid structure, a leak appeared in Spektr and by now, it is depressurized to zero and is considered lost. Other modules are airtight and has been successfully repressurized. Of two hatches between Core Module and Spektr, only the hatch in the docking compartnent of the Core Module was closed. Due to loss of electric power from Spektr, voltage in the Core, Kvant-2 and Kristall modules is low and more and more systems are being shut down, with the exception of the Vozdukh CO2 removing apparatus. Launch of Progress M-35 scheduled on Friday would be rescheduled by no more than 10 days. This cargo craft would deliver electric cables (to be built in hurry) and the crew would do EVA and connect Spektr solar panels with the electric system of the station. Progress M-34 is airtight and controllable and by 13:20 UTC today it was some 2.5 kilometers from Mir. Tomorrow it would be deorbited. ----------------------------------------------------------------- TROPICAL RAINFALL MEASURING MISSION SET FOR OCTOBER 31 LAUNCH NASA release: 97-143 NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) have set October 31 at 3:40 p.m. EST (Nov. 1, 1997, 5:40 a.m., JST) as the official launch date for the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The first Earth science satellite dedicated to studying the properties of tropical and subtropical rainfall, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) carries microwave and visible/infrared sensors, and the first spaceborne rain radar. Tropical rainfall comprises more than two-thirds of global rainfall and is the primary distributor of heat through the circulation of the atmosphere. More precise information about this rainfall and its variability is crucial to understanding and predicting global climate change. "We're very excited about this major opportunity for cooperation with Japan, which is NASA's largest international partner in Earth science," said William Townsend, Acting Associate Administrator for NASA's Mission to Planet Earth enterprise, Washington, DC. "The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission has great potential to improve scientific understanding of climate processes related to the heat released by tropical rainfall. In turn, this knowledge improves the global atmospheric circulation computer models that are used to make weather and climate forecasts." NASDA will provide the Precipitation Radar for TRMM and an H-II rocket to launch the observatory on a three-year mission from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan. "We are very happy to provide the Precipitation Radar for TRMM and launch this first space mission to measure a driving force of the global atmosphere, tropical rainfall. We hope this U.S.- Japan joint mission provides important data for predicting global climate change and weather anomalies," said Dr. Kazuyoshi Yoshimura, Executive Director of NASDA in Tokyo. "We will launch TRMM in November, and hereafter we can launch a rocket in each fall season. This is a good opportunity to expand the cooperation between the U.S. and Japan, and we expect a further cooperation in various fields, such as Earth observation satellites, Earth science, and global change research." NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, fabricated the observatory's structure and support systems, integrated and tested the spacecraft and is providing two science instruments. Two other instruments are being provided by NASAÕs Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, and its Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. Goddard also will operate TRMM via NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. NASA and NASDA will share responsibility for science data processing and distribution to the global change research community. Current knowledge of rainfall is limited, especially over the oceans. By flying in a low-altitude orbit of 217 miles (350 kilometers), TRMM's complement of state-of-the-art instruments will provide extremely accurate measurements of the distribution and variability of tropical rain and lightning, and the balance of solar radiation absorbed and reflected by Earth's atmosphere. Extensive prelaunch testing of TRMM was completed recently and the observatory currently is undergoing final preparations for its shipment to the Japanese launch site in late August. The TRMM launch window opens at 5:40 a.m. JST on Nov. 1, and with an approximate two-hour launch window daily for a 40- day period. TRMM's companion payload on the H-II rocket will be Engineering Test Satellite-7, a Japanese robotics experiment. The TRMM project is part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth enterprise, a long-term, coordinated research effort to study the total Earth system and the effects of natural and human- induced changes on the global environment. TRMM is managed by Goddard for NASA's Office of Mission to Planet Earth, Washington, DC. ----------------------------------------------------------------- End MARSBUGS, Vol. 4, No. 10