MARSBUGS: The Electronic Astrobiology Newsletter Volume 9, Number 21, 10 June 2002. Editors: Dr. David J. Thomas, Science Division, Lyon College, Batesville, AR 72503-2317, USA. dthomas@lyon.edu Dr. Julian A. Hiscox, School of Animal and Microbial Sciences, University of Reading, Reading, RG6 6AJ, United Kingdom. J.A.Hiscox@reading.ac.uk Marsbugs is published on a weekly to monthly 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. While we cannot copyright our mailing list, our readers would appreciate it if others would not send unsolicited e-mail using the Marsbugs mailing list. The editors do not condone "spamming" of our subscribers. Persons who have information that may be of interest to subscribers of Marsbugs should send that information to the editors. E-mail subscriptions are free, and may be obtained by contacting either of the editors. Information concerning the scope of this newsletter, subscription formats and availability of back-issues is available from the Marsbugs web page at http://welcome.to/marsbugs or http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/marsbugs/marsbugs.html. _____________________________________________________________________ CONTENTS 1) SCIENTISTS RECREATE MARTIAN ENVIRONMENT Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council release 2) RELEASE OF THE BOOK, CONCEPTS IN SPACE SCIENCE Indian Space Research Organisation release 3) NEW HYDROTHERMAL VENT SITES FOUND, ORIGINAL VENT MAY HAVE BEEN COVERED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTION Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution release 4) SCI/TECH WEB AWARDS 2002 By Charles Choi and the Scientific American editors 5) RECLAIMING THE MOON: PLANS FOR A 21ST CENTURY RETURN By Leonard David 6) COSMIC RAIN DESTROYED DINO WORLD From SpaceDaily 7) USGS ASTROGEOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM WEB SITE LAUNCH By Deborah Lee Soltesz 8) ESA'S MICROGRAVITY SCIENCE GLOVEBOX (MSG) IS LAUNCHED TO THE ISS ESA release 41-2002 9) MARS IN THE MORNING By Edna DeVore 10) INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ASTROBIOLOGY IS NOW ONLINE By Helen Lancaster 11) NASA AND CLEVELAND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH LEADERS FORM CONSORTIUM NASA/GRC release 02-040 12) NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ASTROBIOLOGY INDEX By David J. Thomas 13) CASSINI SIGNIFICANT EVENTS NASA/JPL release 14) MARS ODYSSEY MISSION STATUS NASA/JPL release 15) MARS ODYSSEY THEMIS IMAGES NASA/JPL/ASU release 16) STARDUST STATUS REPORT NASA/JPL release _____________________________________________________________________ SCIENTISTS RECREATE MARTIAN ENVIRONMENT Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council release 31 May 2002 Scientists at the University of Leicester's Space Research Centre are recreating the hostile environment found on Mars in their laboratory, with a device known as the Martian Environment Simulator (MES). The machine reproduces the temperature, air pressure and unbreathable atmosphere known to exist on Mars. The MES is currently being used to test equipment on the Beagle 2 lander, part of the European Space Agency's Mars Express Spacecraft and due to arrive on Mars during Christmas 2003. The chance of Beagle 2 finding life, either current or past, on the red planet has increased recently due to the discovery of ice beneath the planet's surface. The MES will be used to test all future instruments for planetary science being developed at the Space Research Centre. Instruments that work in space need to be thoroughly tested to ensure that they will work in the extreme conditions found there and also to calibrate the readings that will be transmitted back to Earth. Researchers need to be sure that the gases in the atmosphere of another planet will not cause electrical arcing that damages the instruments. The MES creates an environment where the air is made mostly of carbon dioxide and the temperature can vary between a freezing minus 10 degrees Celsius (Martian daytime temperature) and a deadly minus 80 degrees (Martian night). The Martian air pressure at the surface is only 6 mbar compared to an average pressure of 1 bar on Earth. This means that the air pressure at surface level is lower than that at which the highest altitude commercial flights can travel at on Earth! The MES incorporates a special sample wheel where geological materials can be attached, making it possible to test instruments designed to analyze rocks or soil on the surface of Mars. The Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) is the UK's strategic science investment agency. It funds research, education and public understanding in four areas of science--particle physics, astronomy, cosmology and space science. PPARC is government funded and provides research grants and studentships to scientists in British universities, gives researchers access to world-class facilities and funds the UK membership of international bodies such as the European Laboratory for Particle Physics (CERN), and the European Space Agency. It also contributes money for the UK telescopes overseas on La Palma, Hawaii, Australia and in Chile, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre at the Royal Observatory, Edinburgh and the MERLIN/VLBI National Facility, which includes the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank observatory. PPARC's Public Understanding of Science and Technology Awards Scheme funds both small local projects and national initiatives aimed at improving public understanding of its areas of science. Images supporting this release are available at http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/Press/Martian.asp. Contact: Derek Pullan University of Leicester, Physics and Astronomy Department Phone: (+ 44) (0) 116 223 1045 Fax: (+ 44) (0) 116 252 2464 Mobile: 07740 646 413 E-mail: dpu@star.le.ac.uk Gill Ormrod PPARC Press Office Phone: 01793 442012 Fax: 01793 442002 E-mail: gill.ormrod@pparc.ac.uk _____________________________________________________________________ RELEASE OF THE BOOK, CONCEPTS IN SPACE SCIENCE Indian Space Research Organisation release 31 May 2002 At a brief function organized this afternoon in Bangalore, Dr K. Kasturirangan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation, released a book, Concepts in Space Science, edited by Professor R. R. Daniel. Dr. H. Narasimhaiah, President, National Education Society, presided over the book release function. The publication of the book was supported by ISRO as part of its effort to popularize Space Science, especially, among the student community. The book is targeted at students of 11th and 12th standard and undergraduate level. The articles for the book have been contributed by eminent scientists both in India and abroad. The book has been written in a simple language and style. It is a unique book that covers a variety of topics. It starts with the chapter "Space--The Exciting Scientific Frontier" authored by Professor R. R. Daniel and Dr. B. V. Sreekantan. The other topics bring out the stunning discoveries made in space sciences, especially, in the last century, and the opportunities and challenges it holds for the future. It conveys to the readers the excitement of conducting scientific research in space environment in varied disciplines like earth observation, solar systems, stars and galaxies, material science, human physiology in microgravity, astrobiology and extra- terrestrial life. Each one of the topics is dealt with in such a way as to kindle the interest of the readers. The book also has several illustrations including color pictures. The editor, Professor R. R. Daniel, is a physicist having researched in cosmic rays and high-energy astronomy. He did his research at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and, later, he was the Scientific Secretary of International Council of Scientific Union (ICSU) Committee on Science and Technology in Developing Countries. He was the first Chairman of the ISRO's Advisory Committee on Space Science and a member of the international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Bureau. He was also the first Chairman of the National Committee for the International Geosphere, Biosphere Programme (IGBP). He was conferred Padma Bhushan in 1992 by the Government of India. The book, Concepts in Space Science, has been published by the Universities Press and distributed by the Orient Longman Private Limited. _____________________________________________________________________ NEW HYDROTHERMAL VENT SITES FOUND, ORIGINAL VENT MAY HAVE BEEN COVERED BY VOLCANIC ERUPTION Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution release http://www.whoi.edu/media/divediscovernewvent.html 4 June 2002 The "Rose Garden"--one of the most well-visited and lush communities of seafloor vent life--may have been paved over by a recent volcanic eruption. But scientists on a just-completed expedition near the Galapagos Islands have discovered a thriving new community of very young tubeworms, clams, and mussels, which they have called "Rosebud." The 12-day expedition to the Galapagos Rift, where hydrothermal vents were first discovered 25 years ago, also found another new vent community in a previously unexplored region of the rift. This still- unnamed site was overflowing with clams up to 10 inches long and mussels nearly as large. The expedition had sought to revisit "Rose Garden," which had become an icon for deep-sea biologists. First found in 1979, it was filled with red-tipped tubeworms peeking out of 6-foot tall white tubes that swayed in shimmering warm vent fluids like flowers in the wind. Scientists had revisited the site in 1985, 1988, and 1990, and observed how mussels and clams had begun to overrun the tubeworm population. They had hoped to extend the longest-running investigation of how vent communities evolve over time, and how different vent animals move in and interact with each other. But the expedition, which began May 24, found no signs of "Rose Garden," nor any signs of previous visits. Instead scientists found a field of apparently fresh lava and a new community of very young clams, mussels and tubeworms as small as 1-inch in length. The expedition was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's new Ocean Exploration Program, the National Science Foundation, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. It was launched from the Research Vessel Atlantis, using a variety of deep- sea exploration instruments: Alvin, the human-occupied submersible; ABE, or Autonomous Benthic Explorer; a deep-sea towed camera system, and a towed CTD, which measures the conductivity, temperature and density of the water. "This is what the Ocean Exploration Program is all about," said Steve Hammond, Chief Scientist of NOAA's OE program and Co-Chief Scientist of the expedition. "We've assembled and coordinated an excellent team of scientists and an arsenal of tools to explore and make new discoveries in our ocean frontier." "The new 'Rosebud' site could be very young--less than a year old," said Tim Shank, Assistant Scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Co-Chief Scientist of the expedition. "We may have lost 'Rose Garden,' but we have found 'Rosebud.' It is a brand new site-perhaps very near its inception--whose evolution we can chronicle in the future." The expedition also discovered a new, 60- by 50-meter (about 200 by 165 feet) vent community brimming with large clams and mussels 200 miles west of the historic Galapagos Rift vent site. At 1,660 meters (5,478 feet) depth, the newest site is 800 meters (about 2,600 feet) shallower than "Rosebud." Images are available upon request from WHOI Media Relations at 508- 289-3340 or media@whoi.edu. Contacts: Shelley Dawicki, WHOI Phone: 508-289-2270 or 3340 Jana Goldman, NOAA Phone: 301-713-2483 Cheryl Dybas, NSF Phone: 703-292-8070 _____________________________________________________________________ SCI/TECH WEB AWARDS 2002 By Charles Choi and the Scientific American editors 4 June 2002 For the second annual Scientific American.com Sci/Tech Web Awards, the editors of Scientific American have sifted through the virtual piles of pages on the Internet to find some of the top destinations on the Web. There's an eclectic mix of 50 sites--five sites in each of 10 subject categories--that run the gamut from the serious and information-packed to the more whimsical, and even playful, sides of science and technology. Get the full story at http://www.scientificamerican.com/explorations/2002/060302webawards/ Also, if you missed last year's awards, the winners are at http://www.scientificamerican.com/explorations/2001/051401top50/index .html. 2002 Award Winners Descriptions of each site are available in the full article at the link shown above. Archaeology & Paleontology * Becoming Human http://www.becominghuman.org * Neanderthals and Modern Humans - A Regional Guide http://www.neanderthal-modern.com/index.html * The Cave of Lascaux http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ * Dino Russ's Lair: Dinosaur and Vertebrate Paleontology Information http://www.isgs.uiuc.edu/dinos/dinos_home.html * Atapuerca: A Human Heritage Site http://www.ucm.es/info/paleo/ata/english/ Astronomy & Astrophysics * The Nine Planets: A Comprehensive Tour of the Solar System http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html * Ned Wright's Cosmology Tutorial http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~wright/cosmolog.htm * Skyview: The Internet's Virtual Telescope http://skyview.gsfc.nasa.gov * NASA Watch http://www.nasawatch.com * The Astrobiology Web: Your Online Guide to the Living Universe http://www.astrobiology.com Biology * Embryo Images: Normal & Abnormal Mammalian Development http://www.med.unc.edu/embryo_images * DNA from the Beginning http://www.dnaftb.org/ * MicrobeWorld http://www.microbeworld.org/ * The Interactive Fly http://sdb.bio.purdue.edu/fly/aimain/1aahome.htm * The Tree of Life http://tolweb.org/tree/phylogeny.html Chemistry * Virtual Chemistry http://neon.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/ * Molecule of the Month http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/motm.htm * WebElements http://www.webelements.com/ * What's That Stuff? http://pubs.acs.org/cen/whatstuff/stuff.html * Molecules with Silly or Unusual Names http://www.bris.ac.uk/Depts/Chemistry/MOTM/silly/sillymols.htm Computer Science * The Internet Archive: Building an "Internet Library" http://www.archive.org * Computer History Museum http://www.computerhistory.org/ * The Living Internet http://livinginternet.com * A.L.I.C.E. AI Foundation http://alicebot.org * The Internet Public Library http://www.ipl.org Earth & Environment * The Paleomap Project http://www.scotese.com/Default.htm * The Earth Observatory http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ * Dive and Discover http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/ * Wild World http://www.nationalgeographic.com/wildworld/ * The Encyclopedia of the Atmospheric Environment http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/eae/enter.html Engineering & Technology * How Stuff Works http://www.howstuffworks.com * Bridge Building—Art and Science http://www.brantacan.co.uk/bridges.htm * Animated Engines http://www.Keveney.com/Engines.html * A Sightseer's Guide to Engineering http://www.engineeringsights.org/ * Inventors Museum http://www.inventorsmuseum.com/ Mathematics * Eric Weisstein's World of Mathematics http://mathworld.wolfram.com * The MacTutor History of Mathematics Archive http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk/~history/ * The Math Forum http://mathforum.org/ * A Brief History of Mechanical Calculators http://www.dotpoint.com/xnumber/mechanical1.htm * Introduction to Cryptography http://www.ssh.fi/tech/crypto/intro.html Medicine * The Virtual Autopsy http://www.le.ac.uk/pathology/teach/va/welcome.html * CancerTrack http://www.cancertrack.com/ * The Center for Mental Health Services Knowledge Exchange Network http://www.mentalhealth.org/ * Seeing, Hearing, and Smelling the World http://www.hhmi.org/senses/ * ALtruis Biomedical Network http://www.altruisbiomedical.net/index.html Physics * Physics 2000 http://www.Colorado.EDU/physics/2000/ * The Official String Theory Web Site http://www.superstringtheory.com/ * The Pendulum Lab http://monet.physik.unibas.ch/~elmer/pendulum/index.html * Gallery of Fluid Mechanics http://www.eng.vt.edu/fluids/msc/gallery/gall.htm * Werner Heisenberg and the Uncertainty Principle http://www.aip.org/history/heisenberg/ _____________________________________________________________________ RECLAIMING THE MOON: PLANS FOR A 21ST CENTURY RETURN By Leonard David From Space.com 4 June 2002 Giving the Moon a makeover in the 21st century may mean speckling its inhospitable surface with welcome mats brought by colonists setting up townships. Some envision erecting arrays of lunar science gear to probe the surrounding universe while others want to use the barren surface as backdrop for rest-in-peace cremations. Still there are those that caution about mauling the Moon, trashing its stark beauty through strip mining and off-Earth industrialization. Whatever the case, it is likely the surface of our partner planet will see changes, and not just from scientists, entrepreneurs, factory owners, but also swooning lovers that crave honeymoons on the Moon. That is the majority view of lunar advocates that assembled here for the National Space Society's International Space Development Conference 2002, held May 23-27. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/moon_nss_020604.htm l. _____________________________________________________________________ COSMIC RAIN DESTROYED DINO WORLD From SpaceDaily 4 June 2002 A shower of matter from space millions of years ago could have led to drastic changes in the Earth's climate, followed by the extinction of life on a massive scale, which also killed off the dinosaurs. This at least is a theory put forward by scientists from the University of Bonn. Normally, the solar wind acts as a shield against showers of cosmic particles, which prevents too many energy-rich particles from raining down on our atmosphere. Since 1997 scientists from Bonn, funded by the German Research Council (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft or DFG), have been examining how and why this gigantic shield works. They were the undisputed masters of a whole geological era until they suddenly disappeared 65 million years ago. "Perhaps Earth just became too damp and too cold for dinosaurs at that time," Professor Hans Jörg Fahr from the Bonn Institute of Astrophysics and Extraterrestrial Research surmises. The reason for the sudden change in climate could have been excessive pressure on our cosmic umbrella. Get the full story at http://www.spacedaily.com/news/deepimpact- 02j.html. _____________________________________________________________________ USGS ASTROGEOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM WEB SITE LAUNCH By Deborah Lee Soltesz USGS release 6 June 2002 We are pleased to announce the recent launch of the new USGS Astrogeology Research Program web site, http://astrogeology.usgs.gov. The site is a portal to information on our research, projects, and products. Featured on the site is information about our long history in planetary and terrestrial mapping and geology, our past and current mission involvement, and where we're headed in the future. Plus, you'll find news, solar system information, career postings, image galleries, and more! Whether you're a kid, scientist, teacher, or enthusiast, you'll find a wealth of information and resources about our solar system and the work we're doing to unlock its secrets. The mission of the USGS Astrogeology Research Program is to establish and maintain geoscientific and technical expertise in planetary science and remote sensing to: * scientifically study and map the solar system's planetary bodies, asteroids, and comets, * plan and conduct planetary exploration missions, and * explore and develop new technologies in data processing and analysis, archiving, and distribution. The Astrogeology Research Program contributes to and serves to support a variety of projects for agencies throughout the Federal Government, including NASA, JPL, Departments of Defense and Energy, and the USGS. We participate in all phases of flight mission support through providing scientific input for mission planning, creating precise planetary images and maps, and supplying landing site maps and characterization. Our mission participation and activities include the 2003 Mars Exploration Rover, the Cassini Mission to Saturn, Clementine, Galileo, Mars Odyssey, Near/Shoemaker, Deep Space 1, and Space Shuttle Imaging Radar. Scientists in the Astrogeology Research Program research topics in a number of fields such as terrestrial and planetary remote sensing and monitoring, planetary geologic processes, and astrobiology. An important aspect of the Astrogeology Research Program's work is involved in planetary cartography and mapping. There is a wide variety of information developed in this field, including geodesy, photogrammetry, image processing, geologic mapping, and nomenclature. If you have questions about the Astrogeology Research Program, see our web site for contact information: http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/About/Contact/. Contact: Deborah Lee Soltesz Web Development & Administration USGS Astrogeology Research Program 2255 North Gemini Drive Flagstaff, AZ Phone: 928-556-7088 http://astrogeology.usgs.gov _____________________________________________________________________ ESA'S MICROGRAVITY SCIENCE GLOVEBOX (MSG) IS LAUNCHED TO THE ISS ESA release 41-2002 6 June 2002 This morning, ESA's Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral inside the logistics module, MPLM-Leonardo aboard a US Space Shuttle--STS-111 UF2--mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Commenting on the occasion of the MSG launch, ESA's Director of Human Spaceflight and Microgravity, Mr. Feustel-Büechl said, "MSG is the first European provided research facility to have been launched to the ISS; the first to have completed the verification programme for this class of payloads, becoming the reference for the future development of ISS payloads. It is an example of positive, close cooperation and coordination between ESA and NASA as well as with European Industry." The MSG will enable astronauts on board the ISS to perform a wide variety of materials, combustion, fluids and biotechnology experiments as well as investigations in the microgravity environment. It can also accommodate minor repairs and servicing of hardware requiring a controlled working environment. The facility offers users a wide range of innovative, utilization alternatives from manual control by astronauts via laptop computers to fully automated and remote control from Earth ("telescience"). A permanent data exchange link with ground stations is also ensured. The MSG will be integrated and used in the US Destiny Laboratory for a projected operational period of ten years. ESA is planning to use the facility for European experiments. The first time MSG will be used by a European astronaut to perform European experiments will be during a Soyuz "taxi flight" mission in October 2002. ESA's Belgian astronaut Frank De Winne will perform four different experiments in the MSG in the field of protein crystallization, zeolites crystallization, combustion and fluid science. The prime contractor for the development of the MSG is Astrium GmbH (D) with Bradford Engineering (NL), Verhaert Design and Development (B), ATOS-ORIGIN (NL) and Laben (I) as subcontractors. For further information, please contact: Media Relations Office ESA Head Office, Paris, France Phone: +33(0)1.53.69.7155 Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690 Lina De Parolis MSG & Cryosystem Project Manager ESA/ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands Phone: +31(0)71.565.4128 Fax: +31(0)71.565.6603 _____________________________________________________________________ MARS IN THE MORNING By Edna DeVore From Space.com 6 June 2002 "Every morning, I go to Mars," Dr. Nathalie Cabrol says with a smile as she stands before a collage of Mars images in a darkened auditorium. Everyone is listening. And, with Nathalie, they go to Mars to see the craters, volcanoes, terraces, sedimentary layers, boulders, dried up ponds and washes. Time flies, and when the lights come up, Nathalie's excitement and passion have drawn even more people to the joys of exploring Mars. Dr. Nathalie Cabrol is a planetary geologist with the SETI Institute who works at NASA Ames Research Center. Her partner in science and in life is her husband, Dr. Edmond Grin. As scientists, they spend their days together analyzing images and data from the Mars Orbiter and Mars Odyssey, looking for evidence of water, and planning where to explore Mars to confirm the presence or absence of water. Get the full story at http://www.space.com/searchforlife/mars_devore_seti_020606.html. _____________________________________________________________________ INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ASTROBIOLOGY IS NOW ONLINE By Helen Lancaster 6 June 2002 The International Journal of Astrobiology is now online, and you can get access to some free sample articles when you visit the site at http://journals.cambridge.org/journal_InternationalJournalofAstrobiol ogy. Just click on Volume 1 Issue 1 to go to the free articles. If you experience any difficulties in accessing these articles, please let me know (hlancaster@cambridge.org). Access to issue 1 will be free until July 31st. 10% discount off your 2002 subscription At the moment, we are offering a 10% discount off an individual subscription to International Journal of Astrobiology. This means you can subscribe to the journal and receive 4 issues (print and electronic access) in 2002 for just £45/$67. This offer is valid until 1st July 2002, so place your order now! Please email or telephone to place your order. If you live in USA, Mexico or Canada, e-mail subscriptions_newyork@cambridge.org or telephone 914-937-9600. If you live in any other country, e-mail journals@cambridge.org or telephone +44 (0)1223 326070. Please remember to quote ref IJA02CJO when you place your order. Please note that you cannot benefit from this order if you subscribe to the journal online. You must telephone or email to place your order. _____________________________________________________________________ NASA AND CLEVELAND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH LEADERS FORM CONSORTIUM NASA/GRC release 02-040 7 June 2002 NASA's goal of protecting astronauts' health during long-term space missions has led to the planned infusion of $7.5 million into the Cleveland biomedical community over the next three years. An agreement among NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, University Hospitals of Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University was signed today to establish the John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium. The Consortium also includes the National Center for Microgravity Research on Fluids and Combustion, a partnership between Case Western Reserve University and the Universities Space Research Association. Using an integrated, interdisciplinary approach, the Consortium will combine member organizations' unique skills, capabilities, and facilities to achieve common research goals involving human health in space as well as on Earth. The research will leverage NASA's state of the art knowledge and expertise in the areas of fluid physics and sensor technology together with the other Consortium members' world class capabilities in biomedical research and health care to mitigate risks to astronaut health in long-term space flight. Conducting research to enable safe and productive human habitation of space is a major goal of NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research (OBPR), which sponsors this research. Mary Kicza, Associate Administrator heading OBPR, elaborates, "Long- term space flight exposes human beings to physiological and psychological health risks from radiation, reduced gravity and isolation and requires the ability to provide crew medical care remotely." While NASA has a long history of transferring aerospace technology and methodology to the biomedical community, recent emphasis has been placed on systematically combining the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology and engineering for the widest possible benefit of future space missions and improved terrestrial products and processes. Glenn Director Donald J. Campbell explains, "The John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Research Consortium reflects not only NASA Glenn's commitment to improving long-term human space flight, but also its impact on the Greater Cleveland Community by introducing new technologies applicable to medical products for use by physicians and their patients." Dr. Huntington Willard, who serves as Consortium Chairman as well as President and Director of the Research Institute of University Hospitals adds, "This partnership furthers our efforts to integrate Cleveland's major research institutions and to drive the area towards its goal of becoming a center of excellence in the life sciences and bioscience technology. Under the umbrella of this Consortium, we will be able to demonstrate the synergy of working together towards shared goals in biomedical research and technology." Mr. Bill Sanford, Interim President of BioEnterprise Corporation, concluded, "This is a terrific project for Northeast Ohio that will showcase the value of the space program, demonstrate the extraordinary biomedical engineering capabilities of our institutions, enhance the economic vitality of our region, and contribute to a healthier population everywhere." More information on the John Glenn Biomedical Engineering Consortium including descriptions of projects can be found at http://microgravity.grc.nasa.gov/grcbio/bec.html. Contacts: Katherine K. Martin Media Relations Office Phone: 216-433-2406 E-mail: katherine.martin@grc.nasa.gov Lori J. Rachul Media Relations Office Phone: 216-433-8806 E-mail: lori.j.rachul@grc.nasa.gov Sally V. Harrington Media Relations Office Phone: 216/433-2037 E-mail: s.harrington@grc.nasa.gov _____________________________________________________________________ NEW ADDITIONS TO THE ASTROBIOLOGY INDEX By David J. Thomas http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/astrobiology.h tml 10 June 2002 Astrobiology, exobiology and terraformation articles http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/online_article s1.html E. DeVore, 2002. Mars in the morning. Space.com. R. Moeller, 2002. Mars Odyssey’s measurements reveal a wet, Red Planet. Scientific American. Human space exploration and microgravity effects articles http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/online_article s3.html L. David, 2002. Reclaiming the Moon: plans for a 21st century return. Space.com. Evolutionary biology and chemistry articles http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/online_article s5.html S. Graham, 2002. Scientists discover a new amino acid. Scientific American. Astrobiology and extreme environments book list http://www.lyon.edu/webdata/users/dthomas/astrobiology/astrobiology_b ooks.html SpaceDaily, 2002. Cosmic rain destroyed dino world. SpaceDaily. _____________________________________________________________________ CASSINI SIGNIFICANT EVENTS NASA/JPL release 30 May - 5 June 2002 The most recent spacecraft telemetry was acquired from the Goldstone tracking station on Wednesday, June 5. The Cassini spacecraft is in an excellent state of health and is operating normally. Information on the present position and speed of the Cassini spacecraft may be found on the "Present Position" web page located at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cassini/english/where/. Instrument activities this week included uplink of Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS) Flight Software (FSW) version 1.3. Memory Readouts verified a complete and successful load. ISS also performed a FSW checkout, along with decontamination diagnostic imaging. Results of both activities will be available next week. Radio Science begins the Solar Conjunction Experiment (SCE)#1 this week. The SCE, a 30-day experiment, aims to measure a peculiar effect of solar gravity on the trajectory of electromagnetic radiation. In particular, the photons are deflected and delayed by the sun. Einstein predicted this effect in 1916 and its measurement during a solar eclipse in 1919 was the first experimental test of General Relativity. Alternative theories of gravity allow for different and adjustable values of the solar gravitational deflection. With this experiment, General Relativity could be tested at a level of 1 part in 100,000, one hundred times better than past experiments, dating back to 1978. Additional instrument activities included the uplink and activation of two Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) PRIMO looper programs to update RPWS data collection rates during the SCE, ISS observations of Spica, Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer occultation and alignment test activities at Spica, and an Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph Spica calibration. Spacecraft activities this week included a transition to Reaction Wheel Assembly (RWA) control for Spica observations and the SCE, an RWA momentum unload, uplink of an AACS/ Radio Science Subsystem Ka- band & X-band body vector update Immediate/Delayed Action Program (IDAP), uplink of an AACS RWA counter reset IDAP to zero out all RWA revolution counters in preparation for the SCE, and a clearing of the AACS High Water Marks. As reported last week, the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) executed a mute/unmute test in support of probe checkout activities. The spacecraft successfully muted and unmuted CIRS. Bus traffic ceased as expected and the command to unmute executed. CIRS however did not successfully send data to CDS after the execution of the unmute command. The instrument was then power-cycled in the background sequence as planned and communication between CDS and CIRS resumed. Investigation by the CIRS team is underway. The Titan Orbiter Science Team (TOST) held a meeting to integrate the period around +/- one day for the Titan-23 through Titan-32 flybys. TOST developed a reusable template to integrate these flybys, significantly reducing the workload associated with developing these and future integrated plans. Radio Science (RSS) held a System Assessment Meeting for Solar Conjunction Experiment #1. The Deep Space Network (DSN), Telemetry, Tracking, Command & Data Management (TTC&DM), Spacecraft Operations Office, Uplink Operations, and RSS all reported readiness to conduct the experiment. Mission Support & Services Office and RSS will be staffing all DSN tracks. The experiment will have 24-hour coverage 7 days a week. The C34 science planning process kicked off this week with Mission Planning personnel assisting. The primary topic at this week's Mission Planning Forum was exploration of the idea of Mission Planning assuming responsibility for coordinating all Cassini DSN passes during tour. The discussion covered the cons of Science Planning (SP) having to request changes through a layer of bureaucracy vs. the pro of Mission Planning's possible ability to negotiate neutrally between SP and the various teams in the Spacecraft Office, and apply consistent, complete guidelines on all passes. The idea is to avoid some of the problems encountered during the S9 & S10 Science Operations Plan implementation activity. Mission Assurance participated in a joint workshop between JPL and the Aerospace Corporation, to discuss Risk Management. The Cassini risk management process used during Mission Operations & Data Analysis was presented and was well received by the audience. Four different tools were also demonstrated including the Cassini Tailored Risk Management Tool that is developed and managed by Raytheon. Objectives of this workshop included teaming to best evolve the practice of Risk Management and a desire to develop consistency between the two organizations. This week Cassini Outreach formally announced the "Saturn Observation Campaign". This program seeks amateur astronomers to serve as local "Saturn observation experts" in their communities. Details of the program as well as the opportunity to participate can be found on the Cassini web site at http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov. Cassini is a cooperative project of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA, manages the Cassini mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. _____________________________________________________________________ MARS ODYSSEY MISSION STATUS NASA/JPL release 4 June 2002 Flight controllers for NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft completed the last major technical milestone today in support of the science mission by unfurling the boom that holds the gamma ray spectrometer sensor head instrument. Engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, received confirmation from the spacecraft that the 6.2-meter (20-foot) boom was successfully deployed at noon Pacific time. The gamma sensor head is part of the gamma ray spectrometer suite. It sits at the end of the boom to minimize interference from any gamma rays coming from the spacecraft itself. The two other gamma ray spectrometer instruments, the neutron spectrometer and the high- energy neutron detector, are mounted on the main spacecraft structure. During the past few months, while the boom was in the stowed position, the instrument suite has provided significant information about the hydrogen abundance on Mars. This allowed scientists to conclude there are large quantities of water ice just below the surface. "Deploying the boom enhances the sensitivity and accuracy of the gamma ray spectrometer instrument and will improve the accuracy of the hydrogen measurements," said Dr. William Boynton, principal investigator for Odyssey's gamma ray spectrometer suite at the University of Arizona, Tucson. Now the instrument will begin measuring many other important elements such as iron, aluminum, potassium, chlorine, thorium, uranium and others. "Today's deployment is a continuation of the excellent performance of this flight team. They have done an outstanding job," said Roger Gibbs, Odyssey's project manager at JPL. "I look forward to many exciting discoveries to come as we continue our mission." JPL manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. Principal investigators at Arizona State University in Tempe, the University of Arizona in Tucson, and NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, operate the science instruments. Additional science investigators are located at the Russian Space Research Institute and Los Alamos National Laboratories, New Mexico. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. An additional article on this subject is available at http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/mars_odyssey_020604 .html. _____________________________________________________________________ MARS ODYSSEY THEMIS IMAGES NASA/JPL/ASU release 3-7 June 2002 * Hebrus Valles (Released 3 June 2002) http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020603a.html * Southeastern Scarp of Olympus Mons (Released 4 June 2002) http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020604a.html * Huo Hsing Vallis (Released 5 June 2002) http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020605a.html * Syrtis Major (Released 6 June 2002) http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020606a.html * Auquakuh Valles (Released 7 June 2002) http://themis.la.asu.edu/zoom-20020607a.html All of the THEMIS images are archived at http://themis.la.asu.edu/latest.html. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. Dr. Philip Christensen leads the THEMIS investigation at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. _____________________________________________________________________ STARDUST STATUS REPORT NASA/JPL release 7 June 2002 There was one Deep Space Network tracking pass in the past week and all subsystems are normal. The power subsystem's performance continues to be excellent. The power provided by the solar array increased by approximately 0.1 amps from the last communications pass as the spacecraft heads closer to the Sun. The spacecraft is currently 312 million kilometers (193 million miles) from Earth and has traveled over 2.2 billion kilometers (1.4 billion miles) around the Sun since its launch in February 1999. For more information on the Stardust mission--the first ever comet sample return mission--please visit the Stardust home page at http://stardust.jpl.nasa.gov. _____________________________________________________________________ End Marsbugs, Volume 9, Number 21.