Conference 7.286::space

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, DEC. 9, 1991  10:30 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Jacking and leveling the orbiter.
- Gaining access to various areas of the vehicle such as the crew
cabin and aft compartment.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Towed the orbiter from the Shuttle Landing Facility to the  OPF
at 6 a.m. this morning.
- Orbiter and 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft departed Dryden Flight
Research  Facility  Saturday morning and spent the night at Shep-
pard Air Force Base, Witchita Falls, Texas.  The combo arrived at
KSC yesterday at 12:30 p.m. EST.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Opening the payload bay doors.
- Remove the tail cone and ferry flight fittings.
- Detailed post-flight inspections of the vehicle.
- Removal of the wheels and tires.



 

 KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, DEC. 11, 1991  10:30 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Preparations to open the payload bay doors.
- Preparations to remove the tail cone and ferry flight fittings.
- Post-flight tile inspections.
- Stacking of the right  aft  booster  in  the  Vehicle  Assembly
Building.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Removed the wheels and tires.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, DEC. 12, 1991  10 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Offloading STS-44 payload hardware from the payload bay.
- Removal of ferry flight fittings.
- Post-flight tile inspections.
- Stacking of the right  aft  booster  in  the  Vehicle  Assembly
Building.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Removed the tailcone.
- Opened the payload bay doors.

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, DEC. 13, 1991  10 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Tests of the fuel cells.
- Deconfiguring the aft flight deck from the STS-44 mission.
- Offloading STS-44 payload hardware from the payload bay.
- Removal of ferry flight fittings.
- Post-flight tile inspections.
-  Tensioning  the  hold  down  posts for the aft boosters in the
Vehicle Assembly Building.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Repositioned the main engines and  orbital  maneuvering  system
engines.

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, DEC. 16, 1991  10 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Tests of the fuel cells.
- Preparations to deservice  the  reaction  control  and  orbital
maneuvering systems.
- Inspections of the 17-inch disconnects.
- Post-flight tile inspections.
-  Tensioning  the  hold  down  posts for the aft boosters in the
Vehicle Assembly Building.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Replaced the faulty inertial measurement unit with the improved
HAINS model.
- Removed STS-44 payload items from the payload bay.
- Removed engine heat shields.

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, JAN. 6, 1992  11:30 AM


 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

 WORK IN PROGRESS:
 - Electrical and mechanical connection of fuel cells 1 and 2.
 - Functional testing of the forward reaction control system.
 - Installation of the brakes.
 - Inspections of the radiators.
 - Reinstallation of several reinforced carbon-carbon T-seals  and
 panels  on  the  leading  edges of the wings.  The seals were in-
 spected and are in good condition.
 - Preparations to remove the three main engines.
 - Stacking of the right forward assembly in the Vehicle  Assembly
 Building.



 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, JAN. 7, 1992  10 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Leak checks of helium regulators in the midbody of the orbiter.
- Tests of the Ku-band antenna.
- Electrical and mechanical connection of fuel cells 1 and 2.
- Functional testing of the forward reaction control system.
- Installation of the brakes.
- Inspections of the radiators.
-  Reinstallation of several reinforced carbon-carbon T-seals and
panels on the leading edges of the  wings.  The  seals  were  in-
spected and are in good condition.
- Disconnecting the three main engines from the orbiter.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Removed heat shields from around the three main engines.


  **   STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Stacking the left aft center segment in  the  Vehicle  Assembly
Building.
- Final work on the right booster.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Stacked  the  right  forward  assembly in the Vehicle Assembly
Building.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 8, 1992  11 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Leak checks of helium regulators in the midbody of the orbiter.
- Tests of the Ku-band antenna.
- Leak tests of the fuel cells.
- Inspections of the radiators.
- Reinstallation of several reinforced carbon-carbon T-seals  and
panels  on  the  leading  edges of the wings.  The seals were in-
spected and are in good condition.
- Removal of the no. 1 main engine.
- Installation of the wheels.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Removed main engines no. 2 and 3.
- Completed testing of the forward reaction control system.
- Installed the brakes.


      **   STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Connecting the left aft center segment to the booster.
- Final work to close out the right booster.


 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT -- THURSDAY, JAN. 9 -- 11 A.M.
    --------------------------------------------------------

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:

-Voltage tests of the fuel cells.

-Tests of the KU-band antenna.

-Reinstallation of T-seals on the leading edges of the wings.

-Main landing gear wheels mounted.

WORK COMPLETED:

-All main engines removed.

-Main Propulsion System 4-inch quick  disconnect  line  inspected
and in good shape.

-Nose landing gear wheels mounted.


 

 KSC SHUTTLE STATUS  -  FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 1992  -- 10:00 A.M.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 
     STS-45/ATLAS-1  --  ATLANTIS (OV 104) --OPF High Bay 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
*  Preparations for removal of helium tank next week
*  Water spray boiler checkout and service
*  Preparations for installation of main engine
*  Main landing gear tire installation
*  Auxiliary Power Unit hot lube oil flush preparations
*  Water Spray Boiler leak and functional tests
*  Solid rocket booster stacking operations in Vehicle Assembly
   Building and continue closeouts of SRB joints in VAB

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Voltage tests on fuel cells

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Installation of main engines
*  Remove and replace helium tank

PAYLOAD STATUS:
   Testing of NASA's Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and
Sciences is complete and closeouts have begun.



 

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, JAN. 13, 1992  11 AM


 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

 WORK IN PROGRESS:
 - Installation of auxiliary power units 1 and 2.
 - Functional testing of the orbital maneuvering system and  reac-
 tion control system.
 - Leak and functional tests of the water spray boilers.
 - Functional tests of the waste containment system.
 - Calibration of the inertial measurement units.

 WORK COMPLETED:
 - Installed the three main engines.
 - Installed the waste containment system.
 - Installed the main landing gear tires.

         **    STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

 WORK IN PROGRESS:
 - Connecting the left forward segment to the booster.
 - Final work to close out the right booster.



 

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, JAN. 14, 1992  10 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
-  Functional testing of the orbital maneuvering system and reac-
tion control system.
- Leak and functional tests of the water spray boilers.
- Functional tests of the waste containment system.
- Functional testing of the inertial measurement units.
- Removal of window No. 4 because of defects.
- Configuring the payload bay for the STS-45 payloads.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Installed auxiliary power unit No. 1.
- Checked out the power reactant storage and distribution system.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Installation of auxiliary power unit No. 2 on Thursday.
- Filling and bleeding of the hydraulic system this week.
- ATLAS payload arrives at the OPF Jan. 22.

        **   STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Connecting the left forward segment to the booster.
- Final work to close out the right booster.
- Preparations to install the nose cone on the left booster.


 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 15, 1992  10:30 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Testing of the communications system.
-  Functional testing of the orbital maneuvering system and reac-
tion control system.
- Checkout of two newly  installed  helium  tanks  for  the  main
propulsion system.
- Leak and functional tests of the water spray boilers.
- Functional tests of the waste containment system.
- Functional testing of the inertial measurement units.
- Configuring the payload bay for the STS-45 payloads.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Functional tests of the inertial measurement units.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Installation of auxiliary power unit No. 2 on Thursday.
- Filling and bleeding of the hydraulic system this week.
- ATLAS payload arrives at the OPF Jan. 22.

      ***     STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Final work to close out the boosters.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Mated  the  left forward segment and the left nose cone to the
booster stack.


 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, JAN. 16, 1992  11 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Testing of the nose wheel steering system.
- Testing of the communications system.
- Functional testing of the orbital maneuvering system and  reac-
tion control system.
-  Checkout  of  two  newly  installed  helium tanks for the main
propulsion system.
- Leak and functional tests of the water spray boilers.
- Functional tests of the waste containment system.
- Configuring the payload bay for the STS-45 payloads.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Filling and bleeding of the hydraulic ssytem.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- ATLAS payload scheduled to arrive at the OPF on Jan. 22.


    **   STS-45 and STS-49 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Stacking of the first booster segment for the STS-49 flight.
- Measurements of the STS-45 boosters alignment.
- Final work to close out the STS-45 boosters.

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, JAN. 24, 1992  11 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Leak checks of the main propulsion system.
- Installation of heat shields around the main engines.
- Cleaning of the payload bay.
- Configuring the payload bay for the STS-45 payloads.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- ATLAS payload scheduled to arrive at the OPF tomorrow  for  in-
stallation in the payload bay.
-  Crew  Equipment  Interface Test with the STS-45 flight crew on
Feb. 1.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Serviced the auxiliary power units with lube oil.
- Installed three windows in the crew cabin.
- Functional tests of the orbital maneuvering system and reaction
control system.

    ***  STS-45 SOLID ROCKET BOOSTERS - VAB

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Connections between the STS-45 boosters and external tank.


 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29, 1992  10 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Installing sleep stations in the middeck.
- Preparations for payload testing this week  to  verify  connec-
tions between the orbiter and ATLAS and the SSBUV.
- Tests of the main propulsion system and main engines.
- Preparations to service the potable water system.
- Installing heat shields around the main engines.
- Configuring the payload bay for the STS-45 payloads.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- ATLAS payload interface verification test tonight.
-  Crew  Equipment  Interface Test with the STS-45 flight crew on
Feb. 1.
- Frequency response test of the aerosurfaces next week.
- Functional test of the landing gear next week.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Installed the Shuttle  Solar  Backscatter  Ultraviolet  (SSBUV)
payload into the payload bay.


 

  KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, JAN. 30, 1992  11:30 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Leak and functional tests of the auxiliary power units.
- Functional test of the external tank doors.
- Installing sleep station pallets in the middeck.
- Testing to verify connections between the orbiter and ATLAS and
the SSBUV.
- Tests of the main propulsion system and main engines.
- Servicing of the potable water system.
- Installing heat shields around the main engines.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Crew Equipment Interface Test with the STS-45  flight  crew  on
Feb. 1.
- Frequency response test of the aerosurfaces next week.
- Functional test of the landing gear next week.



 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, JAN. 31, 1992  10:30 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Functional tests of the external tank doors.
- Installing sleep station pallets in the middeck.
- Testing to verify interfaces between the orbiter and ATLAS  and
the SSBUV.
- Tests of the main propulsion system and main engines.
- Servicing of the potable water system.

WORK SCHEDULED:
-  Crew  Equipment  Interface  Test  with  the STS-45 flight crew
tomorrow.
- Frequency response test of the aerosurfaces next week.
- Functional test of the landing gear next week.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Leak and functional tests of the auxiliary power units.



 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, FEB. 3, 1992  10:30 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
-  Interface  verification  tests between the ATLAS and the SSBUV
payloads.
- Functional test of the radiator latch.
- Installing sleep station pallets in the middeck.
- Tests of the main propulsion system and main engines.
- Servicing of the potable water system.
- Removal of auxiliary power unit No. 1.
- Closing out the aft compartment.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Frequency response test of the aerosurfaces later this week.
- Functional test of the landing gear next week.
- Transferring the orbiter to the Vehicle Assembly Building  next
week.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Successful Crew Equipment Interfact Test (CEIT) with the STS-45
flight crew members.
- Functional tests of the external tank doors.

- Closed out the wings and flipper doors for transfer to the VAB.


 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, FEB. 4, 1992  10:30 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Interface verification tests between the ATLAS  and  the  SSBUV
payloads.
- Preparations for the flight control test of the aerosurfaces.
- Servicing of the potable water system.
- Closing out the aft compartment.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Frequency response test of the aerosurfaces later this week.
- Functional test of the landing gear next week.
-  Transferring the orbiter to the Vehicle Assembly Building next
week.

 

From: [email protected] (Gary Morris @wayward)
Subject: STS-45 SAREX Operations
Date: 4 Feb 92 02:12:49 GMT
Organization: TeleSoft, San Diego, CA, USA
 
STS-45 HAM RADIO OPERATION
 
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) For STS-45
 
When Space Shuttle mission STS-45 launches, tentatively scheduled now for
March 23, 1992, amateur radio operators around the world will have the best
opportunity ever offered to communicate with astronauts during a space
flight.  STS-45 is the fifth mission to carry the capability for
transmissions between ground-based and Shuttle-based amateur radio operators
during flight.  The unique part of this mission is the 57 degree orbital
inclination.  During STS-45, Orbiter Atlantis will be flying over a much
larger portion of the world than in previous missions when the Shuttle
Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) was aboard.  Countries to be covered during
this flight include the United States, Canada, Japan, Russia, European
nations, South America, Asia, Australia, and Africa.  The list includes
practically the whole world. 
 
Adding to the distinctive international character of STS-45 are crew members
who are able to communicate in several languages.  During the mission, SAREX
will be operated by mission specialist David Leestma and pilot Brian Duffy,
both licensed operators.  Leestma's call sign is N5WQC and Duffy's is N5WQW. 
Other crew members who will be communicating alongside Leestma and Duffy are
mission commander Charles Bolden; mission specialists C. Michael Foale and
Kathy Sullivan, who is fluent in French and Norwegian; and payload
specialists Byron Lichtenberg and Dirk Frimout, who speaks French as well as
Dutch, and has the call sign ON1AFD.  Kathy Sullivan has passed her amateur
test but has not yet received her call sign.  The crew will use Dave's call,
N5WQC, during the flight. 
 
NASA has approved the use of amateur radio experiments during Shuttle flights
for two reasons: to encourage public participation in the space program and
to support educational opportunities offered by amateur radio.  SAREX has
flown previously in various hardware configurations on Space Shuttle missions
STS-9, STS-51F, STS-35 and STS-37.  As in the past, the crew will be
communicating with students at various schools worldwide.  SAREX crew-tended
operating times will be dictated by the time of launch.  As a secondary
payload, SAREX will be operated by Leestma and Duffy whenever their work
activities allow them time and when appropriate geographically for
transmission.  Most transmissions will be spontaneous open contacts.  The
SAREX will communicate with amateur stations in line-of-sight of the Orbiter
in a battery powered 2-meter voice transmission mode.  There will be no SSTV
or packet operation on this flight due to available power limitations.  All
on-orbit SAREX operations are conducted in the 2-meter International Amateur
Satellite Service band utilizing FM with a nominal frequency deviation of 3
kHz.  The primary frequencies intended for use during the mission are as
follows: 145.55 MHz for the downlink from the Atlantis and 144.91, 144.95 and
144.97 MHz for the uplink. 
 
An elaborate station setup is not required for making a 2-meter contact.  An
effective radiated power of no more than 100 watts will give excellent
results if there is not a lot of other ground interference.  A beam antenna
with both azimuth and elevation pointing capability will give best
performance, however, a fixed vertical antenna mounted above obstructions
will eliminate the need for elaborate orbit tracking and pointing.  Accurate
tracking data for your station location is best provided by a computer
satellite tracking program.  If you have a computer or programmable
calculator and need a tracking program, write to AMSAT Software Exchange, Roy
Welch, W0SL, 908 Dutch Mill Drive, Manchester, Mo 63011.  The orbital
parameters required by these programs are broadcast on W1AW bulletins and
AMSAT nets. 
 
The Keplerian elements can be obtained from the Public Services Branch, NASA
Johnson Space Center, AP4, Houston, Texas 77058.  They will also be available
to those with access to the Public Affairs Office Bulletin Board at the NASA
Johnson Space Center.  For access to this free electronic bulletin board,
call (713) 483-2500 and wait for a connection.  After connection, strike the
enter key twice.  You will be asked to enter a number.  Enter 62511 and you
will be connected to the public information bulletin board.  Follow the menus
for specific information wanted.  Keplerian elements are available in file
area 30.  Your computer configuration should be 8-N-1 at 1200 baud. 
 
The primary payload for the STS-45 mission is the Atmospheric Laboratory for
Applications and Science (ATLAS).  The laboratory will be mounted on a
Spacelab pallet in the Shuttle cargo bay.  Long-term changes in the total
energy radiated by the Sun will be measured and auroras from the polar
regions studied.  Mission duration is expected to be eight days. 
 
The following are Keplerian elements which match the nominal flight plan
for a launch on March 23, 1992, at 13:01 UTC. 
 
STS-45
1 00045U          92083.60247757  .00002000  00000-0  60500-5 0    55
2 00045  57.0018 276.2278 0008560 276.7379  83.2700 15.92512314    21
 
Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 00045
Epoch time:      92083.60247757        (23 MAR 92   14:27:34.06 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-005
Inclination:       57.0015 deg
RA of node:       276.2278 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0009153           Pre-launch SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   275.2941 deg        Launch:  23 MAR 92  13:01:00 UTC
Mean anomaly:      84.7118 deg
Mean motion:   15.92517922 rev/day                 W5RRR
Decay rate:      2.000e-05 rev/day^2      NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:               2
 
-- 
Gary Morris                  Internet: [email protected]
KK6YB                        UUCP:     ucsd!telesoft!GaryM
TeleSoft, San Diego, CA      Phone:    +1 619-457-2700

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, FEB. 7, 1992  10 AM

 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Cleaning and inspecting the payload bay.
- Stowing the Ku-band antenna for flight.
- Preparations for the flight control test of the aerosurfaces.
- Closing out the orbiter's midbody and aft compartment.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Closing the payload bay doors for flight tomorrow night.
- Functional test of the galley Sunday night.
- Flight control test of the aerosurfaces Sunday.
- Transferring the orbiter to the Vehicle  Assembly  Building  on
Wednesday  for  mate  with  the  external  tank  and solid rocket
boosters.
- Rollout to Launch Pad 39-A targeted for Feb. 19.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Successful  retest  of  a  replaced  cable  for   the   GRILLE
spectrometer, one of the ATLAS experiments.
- Replaced the rudder speed brake thermal clip.


 

This KSC Status Report was prepared at 11:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10.


 
                          STS-45

     In OPF Bay 2, work continues to go smoothly to prepare Atlantis
for the upcoming rollover to the transfer isle in the Vehicle
Assembly Building.  Over the weekend the flight readiness test of the
flight control surfaces was successfully completed.  The mid-body
cleaning was finished, and the payload bay doors were closed for a
structural pressurization leak check which is in work today.
There will then be a test cycling of the payload bay doors to verify
some hinge work.  Tomorrow the orbiter will have its weight and
center of gravity determination and will be placed on the orbiter
transporter.  Rollover is expected to occur between 4 and 6 p.m. on
Wednesday.  Discovery will spend one week in the VAB being mated to
the external tank and solid rocket boosters.  The rollout to Pad A is
currently scheduled for February 19.

 

KSC SHUTTLE STATUS  -  TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 1992  -- 10:00 A.M.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 
     STS-45/ATLAS-1 --  ATLANTIS (OV 104) -- OPF High Bay 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
*  Preparations for power down later today
*  Aft closeouts
*  Structural leak checks and positive pressure checks

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Close payload bay doors
*  Strongback removal
*  Galley functional tests
*  Thermal protection system water proofing

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Weight and center of gravity evaluations
*  Position orbiter transporter for mate
*  Move to Vehicle Assembly Building set for 8:00 a.m. Thursday


 

 KSC SHUTTLE STATUS - WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 1992 -- 11:00 A.M.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

 
     STS-45/ATLAS-1 --  ATLANTIS (OV 104) -- OPF High Bay 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
*  Retract platforms
*  Jack down, weight and center of gravity evaluations
*  Position orbiter transporter for mate
*  Retract landing gear following mate to the transporter

WORK COMPLETED:
*  Power down operations
*  Aft closeouts
*  Structural leak checks and positive pressure checks
*  Thermal protection system water proofing

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Move to Vehicle Assembly Building set for as early as 5:00
   a.m. Thursday
*  Mating operations with the External Tank and Solid Rocket
   Booster stack in Vehicle Assembly Building high bay 3

 

  KSC SHUTTLE STATUS - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1992 -- 10:00 A.M.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

 
        STS-45/ATLAS-1 --  ATLANTIS (OV 104) -- VAB bay 3

WORK IN PROGRESS:
*  Hard mate operations to attach the orbiter to the external
   tank
*  Tail service mast umbilical mates between the vehicle and the
   mobile launcher platform

WORK COMPLETED:
*  The orbiter was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building
   yesterday. First motion out of OPF bay 2 occurred at about
   9:30 a.m. The vehicle was spotted in the VAB transfer aisle at
   10:10 a.m.

WORK SCHEDULED:
*  Monoball umbilical connections
*  Rollout to pad 39-A scheduled for Thursday, February 20


 

       KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, FEB. 18, 1992  10 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 2

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Shuttle Interface Test to verify connections  between  the  or-
biter, the vehicle elements and launch platform.
- Preparations to roll out to the launch pad.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Rollout to Launch Pad 39-A targeted for tomorrow night.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Completed  electrical  connections between the orbiter and the
external tank Saturday.
- Started the Shuttle Interface Test yesterday morning.


 

ATLAS-1: The First Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science

        Earth is the launching pad for space missions of all types.
It is our home port, but is it a safe haven?  Today we face a  number
of environmental problems on the home front:  the destruction of
forests, depletion of the ozone layer and air pollution, to name only
a few.

        If we hope to preserve our fragile environment, we must first
understand our planet's major components -- the land, oceans and
atmosphere -- how they interact with one another and how other forces
such as the sun and Earth's magnetic field interact with them.  A
series of NASA Space Shuttle missions will assist this effort through
detailed studies of one part of the complex system that supports life
on Earth:  the atmosphere.  The series, called Atmospheric Laboratory
for Applications and Science (ATLAS for  short), uses Spacelab, a
Shuttle-based research laboratory.

        ATLAS missions are part of Phase I of NASA's Mission to Planet
Earth, a large-scale, unified study of planet Earth as a single,
dynamic system.  Throughout the ATLAS series, scientists will gather
new information to gain a better understanding of how the atmosphere
reacts to natural and human-induced atmospheric changes.  That
knowledge will help us identify measures that will keep our planet
suitable for life for future generations.


Mission Overview

        ATLAS-1 will fly aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission
STS-45 in spring 1992.  It is the first of up to nine ATLAS missions
that will be undertaken throughout one solar cycle, which lasts 11
years.  During that period solar flares, sunspots and other magnetic
activity in the sun changes from one extreme to the other and back.

        The mission will carry 14 experiments to investigate the
interactions of the Earth's atmosphere and the sun.  The experiments
will study the chemistry, physics and movement of the middle and upper
atmosphere by measuring the sun's energy.  They also will observe the
links between magnetic fields and electrified gases, called plasma,
that lie between the sun and Earth.  By studying these factors
throughout a solar cycle, scientists will be able to form a more
detailed picture of Earth's atmosphere and its response to changes in
the sun.  Also, an astronomical telescope will examine sources of
ultraviolet radiation in the Milky Way and other galaxies to learn
more about the stages in the life of a star.

        The Space Shuttle Atlantis will carry the ATLAS-1 Spacelab on
an eight-day flight, during which its crew will gather information
that will be used by scientists on the ground.  The European Space
Agency provided the reusable Spacelab platform in 1981 as its
contribution to the Space Shuttle program.  The versatile Spacelab
facility comprises pressurized modules that provide laboratory work
space and open U-shaped platforms, called pallets, that hold
instruments requiring direct exposure to space, such as telescopes.
On missions such as ATLAS, which use open pallets alone, the
instruments' power supply, command- and data-handling system, and the
temperature control system are housed in a pressurized container,
called an igloo.

        Spacelab elements are arranged in the Space Shuttle cargo bay
to meet the unique needs of each flight.  For the ATLAS-1 mission, the
scientific instruments will be mounted on two Spacelab pallets in the
Shuttle cargo bay.  Most of the instruments flew on earlier Spacelab
missions, reducing the cost of this space-based research.  Reuse of
these facilities also will allow scientists to expand their base of
knowledge to provide a more accurate, long-term picture of our planet
and its environment.  From Atlantis's 183-mile-high orbit, these
instruments will be exposed directly to space when the Shuttle bay
doors are open.  During the mission, the orbiter's position will be
changed frequently to point the scientific instruments toward their
targets:  the sun, the Earth and space.

        NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications, Washington,
D.C., sponsors the ATLAS-1 mission.  Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, Ala., is responsible for training the science crew and the
ground-based science team.  During the flight, NASA's Spacelab Mission
Operations Control facility at Marshall will control science
activities.

        Kennedy Space Center in Florida will prepare the Spacelab and
will launch it aboard Atlantis.  Johnson Space Center in Houston,
Texas, will train the flight crew and provide Shuttle orbiter flight
control.

        Other countries participating in experiments on the ATLAS-1
payload are Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands,
Switzerland and the United Kingdom.  The European Space Agency will
provide operational support for the European investigations.

        Unraveling the mysteries of the atmosphere requires dedication
and patience.  Each Shuttle mission is the culmination of long years
of hard work, which continues after the Shuttle returns to Earth.
Scientists will spend years poring over the data collected during the
mission.  This information will be organized at a special
data-processing facility at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md., where it will be made available to other researchers
studying global change, and form the foundation for the remaining
missions in the 11-year ATLAS series.


Scientific Investigations

        Without the atmosphere, life as we know it could not survive.
Proper atmospheric pressure, temperature and oxygen levels are
critical to maintaining life.  Energy is absorbed and cycled when
radiation from the sun interacts with atmospheric  chemicals -- mainly
nitrogen and oxygen, with traces of carbon dioxide, water vapor and
other gases.  Additionally, energy is absorbed and cycled when charged
particles (ions and electrons) interact with the magnetic field
generated by the Earth's core.

        Human activities, including agriculture and industry, affect
these complex processes.  For example, the chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
used in air conditioning and other industries rise to the
stratosphere, where they are reduced to reactive chlorine that
depletes the ozone layer, which protects the Earth's surface from
harmful solar radiation.  Halons, which contain bromine and are
commonly used as fire inhibitors, behave similarly.  Naturally
occurring chemicals such as methane and nitrous oxide can lead to
ozone depletion or inhibit chlorine-induced ozone depletion.
Atmospheric concentrations of all these gases are increasing, as is
the concentration of carbon dioxide, which is produced by fossil fuel
combustion.   These changes are likely to result in increased
stratospheric ozone depletion and changes in atmospheric
temperatures.  The ATLAS mission will help scientists validate and
refine their models of the effects of chemical change in the
stratosphere.

        Earth's atmosphere comprises five layers:  troposphere,
stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.  These are
classified by temperature, pressure and  chemical composition.

        Imbedded in the mesosphere and thermosphere is an electrically
charged area called the ionosphere.  Beyond the ionosphere is the
magnetosphere, which separates Earth's magnetic field from
interplanetary space.  The solar wind -- a high-speed stream of
charged particles (electrons and protons) from the sun -- gives the
magnetosphere a comet-like shape with a tail extending for vast
distances from the night side of the planet.

        The boundaries of these layers are not exact; they interact
and form a chain from Earth's surface to interplanetary  space.  Since
they are interconnected, what happens at levels above the clouds
affects us on the ground below.

        The instruments aboard ATLAS-1 will collect information about
the composition of Earth's atmosphere, investigate how Earth's
electric and magnetic fields and atmosphere influence one another,
examine sources of ultraviolet light in the universe, and measure the
energy contained in sunlight and how that energy varies during the
mission.  The ATLAS-1 investigations are divided into four broad
areas:  atmospheric science, solar science, space plasma physics and
astronomy.

        A master timeline schedule is programmed into a computer
aboard the Spacelab to orchestrate many mission experiment sequences
automatically.  Although this timeline may be revised if necessary,
computer coordination contributes to the smooth operation of complex
scientific instruments and tasks.

        Most of the atmospheric and solar instruments and the
astronomical telescope will be computer operated; the instrument data
will be sent directly to scientists at the Spacelab Mission Operations
Control facility on the ground.  The crew will run the space plasma
physics instruments manually.  For example, the crew will report to
their  counterparts on the ground on visual effects observed from the
firing of a beam of charged particles (electrons) into the surrounding
plasma.

        ATLAS-1 instrument controls are located in the aft flight deck
of the Shuttle orbiter.  The crew will ensure that automatically
controlled instruments function properly and enter observational
sequences for manually controlled equipment.  They also will fine-tune
and align video cameras and television monitors, and select camera
filters, among other tasks.


Atmospheric Science

        Six atmospheric science investigations on ATLAS-1 will study
the middle and upper atmosphere with a variety of instruments that
will help correlate atmospheric composition, temperature and pressure
with altitude, latitude, longitude and changes in solar radiation.
The types of environmental phenomena to be examined include global
distribution of atmospheric components and  temperatures, as well as
atmospheric reaction to external influences such as solar input and
geomagnetic storms.  The high-altitude effects of terrestrial
environmental episodes -- volcanic eruptions, forest fires, massive
oil fires in Kuwait -- may also be examined.  Data collection will
help scientists to monitor short- and long-term changes, the goal of
the series of ATLAS flights.

        Gases in the upper atmosphere and ionosphere undergo constant
changes triggered by variations in ultraviolet sunlight, by reactions
between layers and by air motions.  Many of the  photochemical
reactions -- the effect of light or other radiant  energy in producing
chemical action -- cause atoms and molecules to emit light of very
specific wavelengths.  These light signatures are called spectral
features.

        The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) will measure
spectral features to determine the composition of the atmosphere, down
to trace amounts of chemicals measured in parts-per-trillion.  This
investigation, which previously flew on Spacelab 1, will add to data
about the varied reactions and energy transfer processes that occur in
Earth's environment.

        The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) and the
Grille Spectrometer (Grille) experiments will map trace molecules,
including carbon dioxide and ozone, in the middle  atmosphere.  This
mapping will be accomplished at orbital sunrise and sunset by
measuring the infrared radiation that these molecules absorb.  An
orbital "day," with a sunrise and sunset, occurs approximately  every
90 minutes during flight.  These data will be compared with
information gathered during other missions to note worldwide, seasonal
and long-term atmospheric changes.  Both instruments have flown
previously, ATMOS on Spacelab 3 in 1985 and Grille on Spacelab 1 in
1983.

        The Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) experiment will
measure the abundance of two forms of hydrogen:  common hydrogen and
deuterium, or heavy hydrogen.  ALAE will observe ultraviolet light,
called Lyman-alpha, which hydrogen and deuterium radiate at slightly
different wavelengths.  Deuterium's relative abundance compared to
hydrogen at the altitudes ALAE will study is an indication of
atmospheric turbulence.  After determining the hydrogen/deuterium
ratio, scientists can better study the rate of water evolution in
Earth's atmosphere.

        The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) measures the
strength of millimeter waves radiating at the specific frequencies of
water vapor, chlorine monoxide and ozone.  Observations of these gases
will enable scientists to better understand their distribution through
the upper atmosphere.  MAS data will be particularly valuable because
they should be unaffected by the presence of aerosols, the
concentrations of which have increased by the eruption of Mount
Pinatubo in June 1991.

        The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (SSBUV)
is a calibrating experiment.  Its measurements are compared to those
from ozone-observing instruments aboard the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-9 and NOAA-11 satellites and NASA's
NIMBUS-7 satellite.  The SSBUV assesses instrument performance by
directly comparing data from identical instruments aboard the NOAA
spacecraft and NIMBUS-7 as the Shuttle and satellite pass over the
same Earth location within an hour.  SSBUV data also can be compared
to data obtained by the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, which was
launched in September 1991 to study the processes that lead to ozone
depletion.  The ATLAS-1 mission will be the fourth flight of SSBUV.


Solar Physics

        Four solar physics investigations will measure the sun's
energy output to determine its variations.  Such information is
important for understanding the effect of solar radiation on the
composition of the Earth's atmosphere and ionosphere.  Scientists
studying our climate and the physical processes of the sun also use
the information.

        Because the sun is Earth's major source of heat, it drives
atmospheric circulation and affects the weather.  A change of only a
few degrees in the temperature of Earth's atmosphere might cause
dramatic changes in the ocean levels, ice caps and climate.  There is
evidence that the solar constant, the amount of heat normally received
at the outer layer of our atmosphere, fluctuates.  Therefore, it is
important to determine its  range and variability.

        The Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and the Measurement of
Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiments will measure the total amount of
light and energy emitted by the sun, which is especially important in
climate studies.  The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) , the Solar
Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) and SSBUV
investigations will add to our understanding of how variations in the
sun's energy output affect the chemistry of the atmosphere.  Spectral
information is needed to study atmospheric reactions because different
atmospheric components at different altitudes absorb different
wavelength ranges.


Space Plasma Physics

        Two space plasma physics instruments, the Atmospheric
Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI) and Space Experiments with
Particle Accelerators (SEPAC), will study the charged particle and
plasma environment.  A third investigation, Energetic Neutral Atom
Precipitation (ENAP), will be conducted using data from the ISO
instrument.  Active and passive probing techniques will investigate
key cause-and-effect relationships that link the Earth's
magnetosphere, ionosphere and upper atmosphere.  Electron and plasma
beams will be injected into the surrounding space plasma to study
phenomena such as aurora -- visible signatures of magnetic storms that
can disrupt telecommunications, power transmissions and spacecraft
electronics -- and spacecraft glow.

        Spacecraft glow is a recently discovered phenomenon.  On
Shuttle missions, surfaces facing  the direction of travel were
covered with a faintly glowing, thin orange layer.  Understanding
spacecraft glow is very important because of its impact on experiments
in the cargo bay and on other satellites.  This emission of light
could interfere with sensitive  data-collecting instruments.

        The space plasma investigations also will help us understand
the effects of solar energy on our weather, communications and
spacecraft technologies.


Astronomy

        The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST), which flew on
Spacelab 1, will study astronomical sources of radiation at
ultraviolet  wavelengths that are inaccessible to observers on Earth.
Much remains to be learned about the stages of the rate of star
formation in other galaxies.  Young stars reach very high temperatures
and emit intense ultraviolet radiation, which cannot be detected by
ground-based astronomers.  However, this radiation can be detected by
an ultraviolet sensor, such as the FAUST, placed outside Earth's
atmosphere.  Better knowledge of ultraviolet emission sources will
lead to improved understanding of the life cycle of stars and galaxies
throughout the universe.


The Atlas Program

        ATLAS-1, the first of the ATLAS series of Shuttle flights, is
an important part of the long-term, coordinated research that makes up
NASA's Mission to Planet Earth.  The ATLAS-1 solar science instruments
and several of the atmospheric science instruments (MAS, ATMOS and
SSBUV) will fly on future ATLAS missions.  Beyond its own science
mission, a key goal of the ATLAS series is to provide calibration for
NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), launched from the
Space Shuttle in September 1991.  Two ATLAS-1 instruments, ACR and
SUSIM, have direct counterparts aboard UARS, while other instruments
aboard each mission are closely related.  Repeated flights of the
ATLAS instruments, which can be carefully calibrated before and after
each flight, will allow for long-term calibration of UARS instruments.

        The next ATLAS flight, ATLAS-2, is scheduled for launch in
spring 1993.  Immediately after ATLAS-1 lands, the science teams for
instruments flying on ATLAS-2 will begin recalibrating and preparing
their instruments for reflight, while analyzing and interpreting their
ATLAS-1 data.

Crew Profile

        The seven-member crew of ATLAS-1 will consist of a commander,
a pilot, three mission specialists and two payload specialists.  The
orbiter crew -- the commander, pilot and one mission  specialist --
will operate and maneuver the Shuttle, maintain the Shuttle's
subsystems and ensure flight safety.  The science crew -- the payload
commander, the other mission specialist and the payload specialists --
will manage the Spacelab and perform experiments.

        The orbiter crew and mission specialists are career NASA
astronauts.  Payload specialists and alternate payload specialists are
members of the science community.  These crew members were chosen by
an Investigator Working Group, made up of the chief scientists for
each mission experiment.  To make the best use of their short time in
space, the crew will be divided into two teams, each working alternate
12-hour shifts.

        The commander is U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Charles F. Bolden
Jr., an astronaut since 1980.  His previous missions include STS-61C,
which made a night landing at Dryden Flight Research Facility, and a
more recent one, STS-31, which deployed the Hubble Space Telescope.

        The pilot is U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Brian Duffy,
who became an astronaut in 1986.  He has participated in the
development of Shuttle computer software and has served as Technical
Assistant to the Director of Flight Crew Operations.  Lieutenant
Colonel Duffy represents the Astronaut Office in all matters
concerning the ascent phase of flight.  ATLAS-1 will be his first
Shuttle flight.

        The orbiter mission specialist is U.S. Navy Captain David C.
Leestma, an astronaut since 1980.  During Shuttle mission STS-41G,  he
performed a "spacewalk" to demonstrate the feasibility of  satellite
refueling.  He also flew on STS-28, a Department of Defense mission.
Captain Leestma currently is Deputy Director of the Flight Crew
Operations  Directorate.

        Mission Specialist Dr. C. Michael Foale, selected as an
astronaut in 1987, holds a doctorate in laboratory astrophysics.  He
has had responsibility for payload operations for four Shuttle
missions.  He is involved in the development of the spacewalk,
assembly and rescue-operations plans for Space Station Freedom.  This
will be his first Shuttle flight.

        Payload Commander Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, an astronaut  since
1979, holds a doctorate in geology.  Dr. Sullivan was the first U.S.
woman to perform a spacewalk when she and Captain Leestma proved the
feasibility of satellite refueling during mission STS-41G.  She also
helped deploy the Hubble Space Telescope during mission STS-31.

        Payload Specialist Dr. D. Dirk Frimout of the European Space
Agency holds a doctorate in applied physics.  He has acted as crew
coordinator and experiment coordinator for European experiments aboard
several Spacelab missions and is a co-investigator on the Grille
Spectrometer.  This will be Dr. Frimout's first flight.

        Payload Specialist Dr. Byron K. Lichtenberg holds a doctorate
in biomedical engineering.  He flew as the first U.S. payload
specialist on Spacelab 1.  He is a co-investigator on several
experiments for other Spacelab missions and has written many articles
on biomedical engineering and space flight.

        The two alternate payload specialists are Dr. Charles R.
Chappell and Dr. Michael L. Lampton.  Alternate payload specialists
train to back up the primary payload specialists.  During the mission,
they work with mission managers, principal investigators and the
science team at Marshall Center's Spacelab Mission Operations Control
facility.

        Dr. Chappell, who holds a doctorate in space science, was the
mission scientist for Spacelab 1 and currently is the Associate
Director for Science at Marshall Center.  He also is a co-investigator
for the SEPAC instrument.  Dr. Lampton holds a  doctorate in physics.
He served as an alternate payload specialist for the first Spacelab
mission.  Dr. Lampton, a co-investigator on the FAUST experiment, is a
researcher at the Space Sciences Laboratory of the University of
California in Berkeley.

Mission Management

Program Manager
        Mr. Earl Montoya
        NASA Headquarters
        Office of Space Science and Applications

Program Scientist
        Dr. Jack Kaye
        NASA Headquarters
        Office of Space Science and Applications

Mission Manager
        Mr. Anthony O'Neil
        Marshall Space Flight Center
        Payload Projects Office

Assistant Mission Managers
        Ms. Teresa Vanhooser
        Mr. Gerald Maxwell
        Marshall Space Flight Center
        Payload Projects Office

Chief Engineer
        Mr. Robert Beaman
        Marshall Space Flight Center
        Payload Projects Office

Mission Scientist
        Dr. Marsha Torr
        Marshall Space Flight Center
        Space Sciences Laboratory

Assistant Mission Scientist
        Mr. Paul D. Craven
        Marshall Space Flight Center
        Space Sciences Laboratory
 

STS-45
1 00045U          92083.60247757  .00002000  00000-0  60500-5 0    55
2 00045  57.0018 276.2278 0008560 276.7379  83.2700 15.92512314    21

Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 00045
Epoch time:      92083.60247757        (23 MAR 92   14:27:34.06 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-005
Inclination:       57.0015 deg
RA of node:       276.2278 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0009153           Pre-launch SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   275.2941 deg        Launch:  23 MAR 92  13:01:00 UTC
Mean anomaly:      84.7118 deg
Mean motion:   15.92517922 rev/day               G. L. Carman
Decay rate:      2.000e-05 rev/day^2    W5RRR - NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:               2

The "basic" schedule for NASA Select TV coverage of STS-45 is available.  The
version dated 1/7/92 is for planning purposes only and is subject to heavy
changes as the actual flight approaches.  The file will be updated as
necessary.


pragma::public:[nasa]sts-45.nasa_select


- dave

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, FEB. 20, 1992  10 AM


 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Making connections between the launch pad and the vehicle  ele-
ments.
- Preparations to power up the vehicle.
- Preparations to remove two auxiliary power units.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test Feb. 26-27.

WORK COMPLETED:
- First motion of the vehicle to the pad occurred at 11 p.m. last
night  and  Atlantis was reported harddown on the pad's pedestals
at 5:30 this morning.
- Extension of the rotating service structure around the vehicle.


 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, FEB. 21, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Making connections between the launch pad and the vehicle  ele-
ments.
- Preparations to remove two auxiliary power units.
-  Preparations  for  the  helium signature leak test of the main
propulsion system and three main engines.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Helium signature leak test begins Monday.
- Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test Feb. 26-27.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Powered up the vehicle yesterday.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, FEB. 26, 1992  11 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test began at 8 a.m.
- Replacement of two auxiliary power units (APUs).
- STS-45 flight crew emergency egress training at the launch pad.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Helium signature leak test of the three main engines  and  main
propulsion system.

WORK SCHEDULED:
-  Terminal  Countdown  Demonstration  Test will culminate with a
simulated main engine cutoff at 11 a.m. tomorrow.
- STS-45 crew wakes up at 6:05 a.m. tomorrow for the TCDT test.
- Hot fire of the two APUs next week to verify their operation.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, FEB. 27, 1992  11 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Replacement of two auxiliary power units (APUs).
- Preparations to load hypergolic propellants into the  orbiter's
onboard storage tanks.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Terminal  Countdown Demonstration Test concluded on time at 11
a.m. today.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- STS-45 crew departure from KSC this afternoon.
- Connections of the fuel lines to the APUs tonight.
- Hot fire of the two APUs next week to verify their operation.
- Flight Readiness Review scheduled for March 10.

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, MAR. 3, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Preparations to load hypergolic propellants into the  orbiter's
onboard  storage  tanks  that  feed the forward reactions control
system thrusters and both orbital maneuvering system  engines.  .
Hydrazine will be loaded into the orbiter's auxiliary power units
and the booster's hydraulic power units.
- Closing the pad at 12 noon today through Friday.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Serviced the auxiliary power units with lube oil.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Hot fire of the two APUs Thursday to verify their operation.
- Launch Readiness Review tomorrow.
- Flight Readiness Review scheduled for March 10.

 

  KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, MAR. 5, 1992  11:30 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Preparations to perform a  hot  fire  of  two  auxiliary  power
units.
- Disconnecting lines used in the hypergolic loading operation.
- Reopen the launch pad this afternoon.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Loaded  hypergolic  propellants  into  the  orbiter's  onboard
storage tanks that feed  the  forward  reactions  control  system
thrusters and both orbital maneuvering system engines.  Hydrazine
was loaded into the  orbiter's  auxiliary  power  units  and  the
booster's hydraulic power units.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Hot fire of the two APUs tonight.  The improved APU in slot No.
2 will be run for 12 minutes and the other APU in slot No. 1 will
be run for 7 minutes.
- Flight Readiness Review scheduled for March 10.

 

The STS-45 press kit is available.  This is a preliminary edition. I have some
format tuning and a few graphics in the queue.   I expect to have a final edition
ready next monday at the latest.

   pragma::public:[nasa]sts-45.ps

Two additional documents are available which I have formatted for use by my
local schools (others are of course welcome to use them):

 sts-45_atlas_overview.ps -- An overview of the ATLAS payload and program (20 ppg)
 sts-45_atlas_tg.ps       -- A teacher's guide w/classroom activities (60+ ppg)

The teacher's guide is still undergoing some changes requested by some teachers
so it will be re-released next week as well.   Both documents are tuned to the
ATLAS payload and have passing references to STS-45 -- so they can be reused
on subsequent ATLAS flights.


- dave

 
Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                           March 5, 1992
(Phone:  202/453-1549)
 
Jane Hutchison
Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif.
(Phone:  415/604-9000)
 
 
RELEASE: 92-30
 
NASA TO TEST NEW CELL GROWING SYSTEM
 
 
	A novel cell culture system for growing bone cells will undergo
its first test in weightlessness on this month's Space Shuttle
mission.  The new system will be part of Space Tissue Loss-1 (STL), an
experiment co-sponsored by NASA and the Walter Reed Army Institute of
Research, Washington, D.C.
 
	Dr. Emily Morey-Holton of NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain 
View, Calif., Life Sciences Division and Charlotte Cone of the University of 
California, San Francisco, developed the culture technology at Ames.  "This 
new culture system holds great promise for helping us understand what it 
takes to put minerals into bone," Morey-Holton said.
 
	The objectives of the STL experiment are to study the effects of the 
microgravity environment on the biochemistry and functional activity of 
various tissues including muscle, bone and blood cells.  "The Ames cell 
cultures in the STL experiment will investigate how exposure to 
microgravity changes the size, shape and cellular components of bone cells," 
Cone said.
 
	In typical bone cultures, osteoblasts (bone-forming cells), grow on a 
flat surface as a 2-dimensional sheet.  They do not look like osteoblasts in 
living bone, which are 3-dimensional.  In the new system, Morey-Holton and 
Cone place bone cells onto very tiny "beads" (approximately 0.004 inch in 
diameter) in tissue culture dishes, creating a 3-dimensional culture.  Cell 
bridges (connections) between the beads mineralize spontaneously in the 
new system.
 
	Previous studies of bone from animals exposed to microgravity for 1 to 
3 weeks have shown a decrease in bone mineralization, stiffness and the rate 
at which osteoblasts mature.  Such changes can have serious implications for 
humans on long-duration space voyages.  "While this adaptation may be 
perfectly suited to the new, lower gravity environment, there may be some 
real problems when people return to the normal gravity of Earth," Morey-
Holton said.
 
	Cone said the new culture system provides "a valuable opportunity to 
study how bone cells mature in culture over time, both on Earth and in 
space."  Post-flight electron microscopic analyses of cells from the flight 
experiment will be conducted by Dr. Stephen Doty of the Hospital for 
Special Surgery in New York City.

From: [email protected] (Peter E. Yee)
Date: 7 Mar 92 05:13:33 GMT
Organization: NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, MAR. 6, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Extension of the rotating service structure.
- Draining the auxiliary power unit catch bottles.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Successful hot fire of the two auxiliary power  units  at  4:30
a.m. today.
- Pad was reopened for normal work.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Flight readiness test of the three main engines next week.
- Ordnance operations next week.
- Installation of the two contingency space suits next week.
- Flight Readiness Review scheduled for March 10.

 

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, MAR. 9, 1992  11 AM


 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Purging the 17-inch umbilical cavity between the external  tank
and the orbiter.
- Draining the auxiliary power unit catch bottles.
- Mating the orbiter midbody umbilical unit to the orbiter.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Flight readiness test of the main engines tomorrow.
- Ordnance operations this week.
- Installation of the two contingency space suits this week.
- Flight Readiness Review tomorrow.


 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, MAR. 10, 1992  11 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Flight Readiness Review.
- Flight Readiness Test of the main  engines.  Valves  are  being
cycled and sensors are being calibrated.

WORK COMPLETED:
-  Purged  the 17-inch umbilical cavity between the external tank
and the orbiter.
- Drained the auxiliary power unit catch bottles.
- Mated the orbiter midbody umbilical unit to the orbiter.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Ordnance operations this week.
- Start of aft closeouts.
- Installation of the two contingency space suits on Friday.

 

Ed Campion                                       March 10, 1992
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

LAUNCH ADVISORY:

     NASA managers today set  March  23,  1992  as  the  official
launch date for the next Shuttle mission,  STS-45, which will in-
volve the Shuttle Atlantis carrying  the  Atmospheric  Laboratory
for Applications and Science (ATLAS-1) payload.  During the 8 day
mission,  Atlantis'  crew will study the chemistry of Earth's at-
mosphere,  solar radiation,  space plasma physics and ultraviolet
astronomy.

     The launch window on March 23 opens at 8:01 a.m. EST and ex-
tends for 2 1/2 hours.  Landing would normally take place at 6:08
a.m.  EST,  March 31 at the Kennedy Space Center,  Fla.,  weather
permitting.

     Commanding Atlantis will be Charles Bolden, making his third
space flight.  Brian Duffy will serve as pilot,  making his first
Shuttle  flight.    Mission  Specialists  include Kathy Sullivan,
making her third flight;  Dave Leestma,  making his third flight;
and  Mike  Foale,  making his first flight.   Payload specialists
will be Byron Lictenberg,  making  his  second  flight  and  Dirk
Frimout, a Belgian scientist, making his first flight.

     Coverage  of  Shuttle Mission STS-45 will be carried on NASA
Select television which is available on Satcom F-2R,  Transponder
13,  located at 72 degrees west longitude;  frequency 3960.0 MHz,
audio 6.8 MHz.

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, MAR. 13, 1992  11 AM
 
 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A
 
WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Tests of the systems supporting the two contingency spacesuits.
- Purges of the external tank.
- Closing out the aft compartment.
 
WORK COMPLETED:
- Installed the spacesuits in the airlock.
- First part of ordnance operations.
 
WORK SCHEDULED:
- Closing out the aft compartment next week.
- Launch countdown begins at noon Friday,  Mar.  20 at  the  T-43
hour mark.
- STS-45 flight crew arrives Mar. 20.
 
 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, MAR. 16, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Closing out the aft compartment.
- Launch countdown preparations.
- Topping off the ATLAS payload with freon.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Purged the external tank.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Launch countdown begins at noon Friday,  Mar.  20 at  the  T-43
hour mark.
- STS-45 flight crew arrives Mar. 20.
- Launch at 8:01 a.m. EST, Monday, Mar. 23.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - TUESDAY, MAR. 17, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Closing the payload bay doors for flight.
- Closing out the aft compartment  including  final  inspections,
removing platforms and installing the doors for flight.
- Launch countdown preparations.
- Final ordnance operations this evening.
- Stowing crew equipment in the crew cabin.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Topped off the ATLAS payload with freon.

WORK SCHEDULED:
- Pressurization of the hypergolic propellant tanks overnight.
-  Launch  countdown begins at noon Friday,  Mar.  20 at the T-43
hour mark.
- STS-45 flight crew arrives at 6:30 p.m. Mar. 20.
- Launch at 8:01 a.m. EST, Monday, Mar. 23.

 

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, MAR. 18, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A

WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Closing out the aft compartment  including  removing  platforms
and installing the doors for flight.
- Launch countdown preparations.
- Stowing crew equipment in the crew cabin.
- Moving booster flame deflectors to the launch position.
- Installation of the crew escape pole.
- Removing service platforms from the mobile launcher platform.

WORK COMPLETED:
- Closed the payload bay doors for flight yesterday.
- Final ordnance operations.
- Pressurized the hypergolic propellant tanks for flight.

WORK SCHEDULED:
-  Launch  countdown begins at noon Friday,  Mar.  20 at the T-43
hour mark.
- STS-45 flight crew arrives at 6:30 p.m. Mar. 20.
- Launch at 8:01 a.m. EST, Monday, Mar. 23.

 

STS-45
1 00045U          92083.60247757  .00002000  00000-0  60500-5 0    55
2 00045  57.0018 276.2278 0008560 276.7379  83.2700 15.92512314    21

Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 00045
Epoch time:      92083.60247757        (23 MAR 92   14:27:34.06 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-005
Inclination:       57.0015 deg
RA of node:       276.2278 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0009153           Pre-launch SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   275.2941 deg        Launch:  23 MAR 92  13:01:00 UTC
Mean anomaly:      84.7118 deg
Mean motion:   15.92517922 rev/day               G. L. Carman
Decay rate:      2.000e-05 rev/day^2    W5RRR - NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:               2

STS-45 PRE-LAUNCH M50 STATE VECTOR

Launch:  1992/083/13/01:00

GMT:     1992/083/13/46:00

Position
x:  -5134.795
y:  20794.742
z:  -4564.256

Velocity
x:  -12.739870
y:   -7.659093
z:  -20.546423

area:  2752.0
flux:   207.00
weight:  224000.0
index:  3.11

Cross check information:

Height of perigee:  160
Height of apogee:   159
Inclination          57.018

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, MAR. 19, 1992  10 AM
 
 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - PAD 39-A
 
WORK IN PROGRESS:
- Launch countdown preparations.
- Stowing crew equipment in the crew cabin.
- Removing platforms from the flight deck.
- Washing down the mobile launcher platform and the flame trench.
- Installing and filling the sound suppression water system bags.
 
WORK COMPLETED:
- Closed out the aft compartment yesterday.
- Moved booster flame deflectors to the launch position.
- Installed the crew escape pole.
- Removed service platforms from the mobile launcher platform.
 
WORK SCHEDULED:
- Launch countdown begins at noon tomorrow at the T-43 hour mark.
- STS-45 flight crew arrives at 6:30 p.m. tomorrow.
- Launch at 8:01 a.m. EST, Monday, Mar. 23.
 
WEATHER FORECAST:
- There is a 40 percent chance of having acceptable weather  con-
ditions  at  the  opening  of  the launch window and a 50 percent
chance for the entire launch period.
 
 

    Conditions expected on Monday, 3/23/92
     
    Synopsis:  Low pressure will be influencing weather in the Cape
    Canaveral vicinity.   The main concern will be thick layered
    clouds and a ceiling below 8,000 feet.
     
    At the opening of the launch window at 8:01 a.m. on Monday the
    conditions are forecast to be:
     
    Clouds:
     
    3,000-8,000 feet scattered cumulus (40% sky coverage)
    14,000-18,000 broken altocumulus (60% sky coverage)
    25,000-30,000 feet overcast cirrostratus (90% sky coverage)
     
    Visibility: 3 to 7 miles
     
    Wind - Pad 39A:  South 12 knots, gusts to 20 knots
     
    Temperature:  65 degrees  (72 degrees by the close of the window)
     
    Dewpoint:     61 degrees
     
    Humidity:     86%  (65% by the close of the window)
     
    Precipitation: chance of showers and possible thunderstorms
     
    Probability of launch weather criteria violation at the beginning
    of the launch period: 60%
     
    Probability of launch weather criteria violation over the
    duration of the launch period: 50%
     
    Probability of tanking constraint violation: 20%
     
    Chance of violation at launch time on Tuesday: 60%
                                          overall window: 50%
     
    Chance of violation at launch time on Wednesday: 30%
                                          overall window: 20%
     
    Developed by Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility
    USAF 45th Air Weather Squadron  3/19/92
    

This KSC Status Report was prepared at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 21st.



At the launch control center in Firing Room 1,  the countdown
for the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis continues and all
activity toward launch remains on schedule.  Pad 39-A is closed until
4 p.m. for the loading of cryogenic reactants.  These will be used by
the orbiter to generate power during the mission.  Now closed out for
flight are the solid rocket boosters, external tank, orbiter aft main
engine compartment, orbiter mid-body, the orbital maneuvering system,
and the orbiter's auxilary power units.

The next major activity will be the retraction of the gantry-
like rotating service structure which provides the primary access and
weather protection for the Space Shuttle, scheduled to be moved back
into the parked position at approximately Noon on Sunday.  Also
Sunday afternoon the switches in the cockpit will be configured for
launch.  Loading fuel into the external tank is scheduled to begin at
11:41 p.m. on Sunday night.

The astronauts arrived at KSC on schedule at 6:30 last night.
Today the crew is scheduled to have their flight physicals, fit
checks of their launch and entry suits, and the commander and pilot
are flying the Shuttle Training Aircraft.


Weatherwise, a frontal system and associated upper level low
pressure trough is located in the Western Gulf and is approaching
Florida.  This will significantly influence weather in the Cape
Canaveral vicinity on Monday.  Thick cloud ceilings, possibly below
the 8,000-foot mimimum, gusty winds, and and chance of showers or
thunderstorms are the leading concerns during the 2 1/2 hour launch
opportunity.  There is a 30% chance of acceptable weather at the
opening of the window, and 40% overall.  The forecast conditions at
the targeted 8:01 liftoff time are for broken clouds, a temperature
of 65 degrees, humidity 86%, winds southerly 12 to 20 knots, and a
visibility of 3 to 7 miles.

                L-1 Day Weather Forecast for STS-45
                Forecast prepared Sunday, 3/22/92

Synopsis:  A cold front will be located in the central Florida
vicinity with an upper level low pressure trough located in the
Gulf of Mexico.  The concerns are for thick layered clouds,
possible ceilings below 8,000 feet, strong winds, and possible
showers or thunderstorms with associated debris clouds.

At the opening of the launch window at 8:01 a.m. on Monday,
3/23/92, the conditions are forecast to be:

Clouds:

3,000-8,000 feet scattered cumulus (40% sky coverage)
10,000-16,000 broken altocumulus (75% sky coverage)
25,000-30,000 feet overcast cirrostratus (90% sky coverage)


Visibility: 7 miles, occasionally 3 miles in showers

Wind - Pad 39A:  Southwest 12 knots, gusts to 20 knots

Temperature:  65 degrees  (72 degrees by the close of the window)

Dewpoint:     61 degrees

Humidity:     86%  (65% by the close of the window)

Precipitation: chance of showers and possible thunderstorms


Probability of launch weather criteria violation at the beginning
of the launch period: 80%

Probability of launch weather criteria violation over the
duration of the launch period: 70%

Probability of tanking constraint violation: 20%

Chance of violation at launch time on Tuesday: 50%
                                      overall window: 40%

Chance of violation at launch time on Wednesday: 40%
                                      overall window: 30%


Developed by Cape Canaveral Forecast Facility, USAF




KSC SHUTTLE STATUS 3-22-92



This KSC Status Report was prepared at 9 a.m. Sunday, March 22nd.



At the launch control center in Firing Room 3,  the countdown
for the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is in a planned 13 hour
41 minute built-in hold at the T-11 hour mark.  The count will pick
up at 5:41 p.m. this afternoon.  The loading of cryogenic reactants
into the orbiter is complete and the orbiter mid-body umbilical has
been retracted.

The next major activity will be the retraction of the gantry-
like rotating service structure which provides the primary access and
weather protection for the Space Shuttle, scheduled to be moved back
into the parked position at approximately Noon today.  Also, starting
at about 2 p.m. this afternoon the switches in the cockpit will be
configured for launch.  Loading fuel into the external tank is
scheduled to begin at 11:41 p.m. on Sunday night.

The astronauts schedule today involves meetings to go over their
flight plans, status briefings on Atlantis and the Atlas payload and
on the weather forecast.  Commander Charlie Bolden and Pilot Brian
Duffy are flying the Shuttle Training aircraft this morning, and the
other crew members have T-38 flying scheduled this afternoon.  The
crew also has a telecon scheduled with the Johnson Space Center in
Houston.

Weatherwise, a frontal system and associated upper level low
pressure trough will significantly influence weather in the Cape
Canaveral vicinity and will continue through Monday.  Thick cloud
ceilings, possibly below the 8,000-foot mimimum, gusty winds, and and
chance of showers or thunderstorms are the leading concerns during
the 2 1/2 hour launch opportunity.  There is a 20% chance of
acceptable weather at the opening of the window, and 30% overall.
The forecast conditions at the targeted 8:01 liftoff time are for
broken clouds, a temperature of 65 degrees, humidity 86%, winds
southwesterly 12 to 20 knots, and a visibility of 3 to 7 miles.

Tuesday's forecast improves with at least a 50% chance of
acceptable weather.

I heard a few hours ago that the launch has been delayed indefinitely.

Anyone know what is wrong?

jb

    I heard on CNN this morning that there was a hydrogen and oxygen leak
    in one of the engine compartments. They said that they hoped to have it
    ready for tomorrow but this has shades of the hydrogen leaks from two
    summers ago. I hope not....
    
    
    Roger

This KSC Status Report was prepared at 10:15 a.m. Monday, March 23rd.

A decision has been made by NASA managers to make a second
launch attempt of the Space Shuttle Atlantis tonight.  The countdown
clock has been recycled to the T-11 hour mark and will resume
counting at 6:40 p.m.  Tanking of the vehicle will begin at 11:10
p.m. leading to a liftoff at exactly 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday.  There is
a 70% chance of acceptable weather at the opening of the launch
window, and an 80% overall.

Propulsion system engineers believe that the temporary liquid
hydrogen and liquid oxygen leakage which was observed is the result
of a seal between the external tank and the orbiter which was not
completely thermally conditioned.

Looking further at the weather at 8 a.m. tomorrow at the opening
of the window....the temperature is forecast to be 60 degrees, with a
humidity of 83%, winds will be NNE at 10 knots with occasional gusts
to 20 knots.  There will be scattered to broken statocumulus clouds
from 4,000 to 6,000 feet.  There is a slight chance of an isolated
shower, an occasional cloud ceiling below 8,000 feet, or of a cross
wind violation.

Tomorrow's launch window extends 8 a.m. to 10: 30 a.m. EST

The countdown for this morning's planned launch of Atlantis was
halted shortly after fueling began last night.  The launch team noted a
higher-than-normal leak rate in the orbiter's engine compartment for
both liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen.  (This morning's forecast
launch window weather at that point was calling for only a 20 percent
probability of acceptable launch conditions.)

Kennedy Space Center Launch Director Robert Sieck said at a morning
news briefing that the launch team's assessment suggests the
transient leaks were associated with the thermal stabilization process
of the 17-inch disconnect flange and seals and was not a systemic
problem.  Sieck said the launch team and Johnson Space Center flight
team members would spend today reviewing previous fueling processes
on this and other orbiters and also would review the paperwork trail
associated with Atlantis' launch preparations, including the mating of
the vehicle with its external tank.

Sieck said should their review prove negative the team would press
ahead for a launch attempt again tomorrow morning.  KSC Operations
Chief Jim Harrington said the team "accepts these things as a matter
of going about our business."

The launch weather prediction for tomorrow improves significantly and
presently calls for an 80 percent probability of acceptable weather at
some point during the two-and-a-half hour window, which opens at
8:00 am EST.

The STS-45 Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-1
flight crew will have the chance to relax today with the opportunity to
practice approach and landings in the Shuttle Training Aircraft if they
wish.  The countdown calls for tanking to begin again this evening at
11:00 pm EST.
 

[I realize we're not the press, but I thought it was interesting to see how
 NASA controls the press a bit in these situations.  -dg]


Mark Hess
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.            March 20, 1992

Dom Amatore
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

Dick Young
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

EDITORS NOTE:  92-24


        The STS-45 flight crew will hold an inflight press
conference at Mission Elapsed Time 6 days, 8 hours and 30
minutes (a launch at 8:01 a.m. EST on March 23 would place the
press conference on Sunday, March 29 at 4:31 p.m. EST).  About
20 minutes has been allotted for the press briefing, although the
amount of time could change depending on mission events and
orbiter/TDRS configuration.

        Only news media present at the Marshall Space Flight
Center or the Kennedy Space Center will have an opportunity to
ask questions of the flight crew during this press conference.
The time available for the press conference will be divided
equally between the two centers.

        The MSFC and KSC News Chiefs will determine which
reporters and in what order they will ask questions.  Ground
rules to be observed for the press conference follow:

        o Media will be allowed one question only and no follow-
ups will be permitted.

        o When called upon, media should state their name and
affiliation  before posing question.  Keep questions brief and to
the point.  Lengthy preambles may cost an additional question
for someone else.

        o If a question is for a particular individual, specify that
first.  If the question is for anyone, specify that first.  Do not ask
a question or comment by all crewmembers.

        o Limit questions to mission-related issues or general
space flight topics.

    I heard on the radio the first 4 or 5 minutes of launch. They were
    delayed about 14 minutes due to cloud cover violations but everything
    seemed to go great.....
    
    
    Roger

Article: 1887
From: [email protected] (TOBIN BECK)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space,clari.news.aviation,clari.news.military
Subject: Shuttle Atlantis launched on research flight
Date: 24 Mar 92 13:25:51 GMT
 
	CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- The shuttle Atlantis blasted off Tuesday
to carry an international crew of seven astronauts on an eight-day
mission to study how the Earth's atmosphere works.

	With its three main engines roaring at full throttle, Atlantis's twin
booster rockets thundered to life at 8:14 a.m. EST to kick off the 46th
shuttle flight, the second of eight planned for 1992.

	The launch was delayed 14 minutes because clouds obscured the Kennedy
Space Center runway on which the shuttle would land in an emergency
right after launch.

	Eight-and-a-half minutes later the shuttle's three main engines shut
down on computer command, putting Atlantis in a safe preliminary orbit.
A small rocket firing a half hour later was planned to put the craft in
a circular orbit 185 miles up.

	Strapped in aboard Atlantis's flight deck were commander Charles
Bolden, 45, co-pilot Brian Duffy, 38, David Leestma, 42, and Michael
Foale, 35. Seated on the shuttle's lower deck were Kathryn Sullivan, 40,
civilian researchers Byron Lichtenberg, 44, and Dirk Frimout, 51, the
first Belgian to fly in space.

	Atlantis rocketed upward on a course paralleling the East Coast of
the United States toward an orbit 185 miles high, thrilling thousands of
residents and tourists lining area roads and beaches with the spectacle
of a 4.5-million-pound machine going zero to 70 mph -- straight up atop a
blinding pillar of flame -- in seven seconds. When its main engines shut
down, the rocket was racing at 15,680 mph.

	The flight had been delayed for a day because of leaks of explosive
liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen at the start of fueling Sunday night.
The leaks were attributed to seals that took longer to ``seat'' than
expected after exposure to the supercold fuel. Only minor leakage was
detected at the start of fueling for Tuesday's flight.

	The reaction as the hydrogen and oxygen combine provided the main
thrust to push the shuttle off pad 39-A, assisted by the twin solid
rocket boosters.

	Atlantis's flight is the 46th in shuttle history, the second of eight
planned for 1992 and the 21st since the 1986 Challenger disaster.

	The goal of the mission is to carefully monitor the sun's energy
output and the structure, composition and chemistry of Earth's atmosphere.

	To gather as much data as possible, the astronauts plan to work
around the clock in two 12-hour shifts to operate 13 instruments
comprising the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science, or
Atlas-1, mounted in Atlantis's 60-foot-long cargo bay.

	The overnight crew - Leestma, Foale and Lichtenberg - planned to go
to bed just 3.5 hours after their ground-shaking liftoff.

	Shortly after reaching orbit, their crewmates planned to activate the
payload and begin a series of scientific observations.

	Along with gathering data about the sun and Earth's atmosphere, the
astronauts also plan to make measurements of various phenomena at the same 
time instruments aboard other satellites are observing the same targets.

	Later, scientists will be able to use data from the Atlas-1 mission
to re-calibrate the satellite-borne sensors, which tend to lose accuracy
as time goes by.

	The Atlas-1 payload includes 12 instruments provided by the United
States, France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands and
Japan. NASA's contribution to the payload is valued at $52 million. The
cost of the shuttle flight itself is between $300 million and $400 million.

	Throughout the mission, 13 experiments will be conducted in four
disciplines: atmospheric physics, solar physics, auroras and astrophysics.

	Most of the crew's time will be taken up by operating two experiments
to create and study artificial auroras. Natural auroras are created when
electrically charged particles from the sun get caught in Earth's
magnetic field and crash into the atmosphere.

	During Atlantis's flight, the astronauts repeatedly will fire an
electron beam into space to create dim, artificial mini-auroras. By
studying the behavior and appearance of the artificial auroras using a
sensitive camera system, scientists will learn more about the magnetic
field and its relationship to the atmosphere.

	Atlantis's flight is the first in a series of 10 shuttle missions
planned over the next decade to study the sun and Earth's atmosphere
over a complete solar cycle, an 11-year period in which the sun's energy
output goes from maximum to minimum and back again.

	Flight data will help determine the impact of pollution and what
might be needed to reverse dangerous trends like the depletion of the
protective ozone layer.

	Atlantis is scheduled to land at 6:07 a.m. April 1 on the Kennedy
Space Center's 3-mile-long shuttle runway.

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                      STS-45 Status Report #1

Tuesday, March 24, 1992, 12:30 p.m. CST


Space Shuttle Atlantis was launched at 7:13:40 a.m. CST today
after a short delay for cloud cover to dissipate above
the landing strip at the Kennedy Space Center.

A small orbit raising burn was completed about three hours
into the flight in order to put Atlantis into a 160-nautical-
mile circular orbit.  The short burn was needed to fine tune
the altitude following a small underspeed after ascent
attributed to the main engine performance and a routine dump
of residual propellants that occurs after the vehicle reaches
orbit.

The 13 foot per second (fps) underspeed is equivalent to 8.8
miles per hour.  Atlantis' orbital velocity is about 17,500
miles per hour.

Once on orbit, crew members on the blue team (Charlie Bolden,
Brian Duffy, Kathy Sullivan and Dirk Frimout) began
activities that put the vehicle in the proper configuration
to support activation of the ATLAS experiments in the aft
portion of the payload bay.

The Red Team aboard Atlantis prepared for sleep shortly after
getting into space.  Dave Leestma, Mike Foale and Byron
Lichtenberg are scheduled to be awakened at about 4:45 p.m. CST
today.

Once all electrical power was turned on to the experiments
and computers used to support the Atmospheric Laboratory for
Applications and Science, communications related to those
experiments was turned over to the Payload Operations Control
Center at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,
Alabama.

The primary focus of this first of up to 10 planned ATLAS
missions is to gain a better understanding of how the
atmosphere reacts to natural and human-induced atmospheric
changes during the course of on solar cycle which lasts 11
years.

All systems aboard Atlantis are performing well allowing the
crew to devote the majority of their attention to work with
on-board experiments.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
These are prelaunch elements rotated to the actual launch time of
13:13:40 UTC.  Updates will made as tracking data becomes available.

STS-45
1 00045U          92084.61127387  .00002000  00000-0  60500-5 0    75
2 00045  57.0018 280.3886 0008560 276.7379  83.2700 15.92512314    22

Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 00045
Epoch time:      92084.61127387 -----> (24 MAR 92   14:40:14.06 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-007
Inclination:       57.0018 deg
RA of node:       280.3886 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0008560           Pre-launch SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   276.7379 deg        Launch:  24 MAR 92  13:13:40 UTC
Mean anomaly:      83.2700 deg
Mean motion:   15.92512314 rev/day                 W5RRR
Decay rate:      2.000e-05 rev/day~2      NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:               2

G.L.CARMAN


STS-45 PRE-LAUNCH M50 STATE VECTOR

Launch:  1992/083/13/01:00

GMT:     1992/083/13/46:00

Position
x:  -5134.795
y:  20794.742
z:  -4564.256

Velocity
x:  -12.739870
y:   -7.659093
z:  -20.546423

area:  2752.0
flux:   207.00
weight:  224000.0
index:  3.11

Cross check information:

Height of perigee:  160
Height of apogee:   159
Inclination          57.018

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #1
6:00 p.m. CST, March 24, 1992
0/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

ATLAS-1 -- the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and
Science -- roared toward orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis
this morning at 7:13 CST.  Part of NASA's Mission to Planet Earth,
the Spacelab mission is the first of a series which will study the
Earth's atmosphere and the sun's influence upon it over an entire
11-year solar cycle.  ATLAS-1 experiments focus on four scientific
disciplines: atmospheric science, solar science, space plasma
physics and astronomy.

By making simultaneous solar and atmospheric measurements on a
global scale, scientists hope to unravel the complicated web of
man's impact on the environment.  "People have been studying the
sun and the atmosphere for many years," said Mission Scientist Dr.
Marsha Torr.  "But before now, we have not been able to study them
as a system, at the same time all over the globe, with this
sophistication of instruments."

The 13 ATLAS-1 experiment facilities were provided by scientists
from seven countries.  Teams of engineers and scientists for each
experiment are gathered at NASA's Spacelab Mission Operations
Control facility in Huntsville, Ala., where they will monitor
experiment data and make adjustments to the experiment operations
plan as necessary.

NASA Mission Specialist Dr. Kathy Sullivan and Belgian Payload
Specialist Dr. Dirk Frimout completed activation of the ATLAS-1
payload at 11:40 a.m. CST.  Then the crew in space and science
teams at Spacelab Mission Operations Control began the slow and
methodical process of activating the instruments and checking them
out.

All of the atmospheric science experiments due for activation at
this point are operating and healthy.  NASA's Atmospheric Trace
Molecule Spectroscopy instrument and the Grille Spectrometer from
Belgium, which map trace molecules in the middle atmosphere during
orbital "sunrises" and "sunsets," began collecting data near the
end of the shift.  The Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emmissions
instrument, developed by scientists in France and Belgium, took its
first readings of ultraviolet light to measure common hydrogen and
deuterium, or heavy hydrogen.  Observations also began with the
Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS).  A collaborative effort
of Germany, Switzerland and the United States, the experiment
measures ozone, chlorine monoxide, water vapor, temperature and
pressure in the middle atmosphere.  The Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet Experiment, whose measurements will be used to
calibrate ozone-measuring instruments aboard presently orbiting
satellites, was powered on.

Horizon sensors, which point to the center of the Earth as a
reference for three atmospheric experiments, is showing occasional
error messages.  The orbiter's inertial measurement units provide
the same information, and experiment operations can continue.
However, the method by which the affected instruments are operated
must be adjusted.

The astronaut crew prepared to operate two of the mission's space
plasma experiments by beginning battery charging for the Space
Experiment with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) instrument, which
will eject plasma beams into the space plasma surrounding the
Shuttle to study phenomena such as aurora and spacecraft glow.
They also set up the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging
(AEPI) television camera which records the SEPAC beams as well as
naturally occuring charged-particle phenomena.  Both experiments
are from the United States.

On the AEPI experiment's second mount checkout, computers relayed a
message that the equipment was not locked after stowing.   A
malfunction procedure succeeded in locking the equipment in place.
However, the same problem occurred during the next AEPI
calibration.  AEPI operations are on hold until the cause of the
problem can be determined.

The mission's lone astronomy experiment, NASA's Far Ultraviolet
Space Telescope (FAUST), took observations of the Virgo cluster and
the Telescopium cluster of galaxies.  The telescope's wide field of
view -- some 16 times the apparent diameter of the moon -- allows
it to make detailed pictures of many objects in one image.

Most of the solar science experiments will be activated later.
However, the Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral
Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM), turned on its microprocessor some six
hours ahead of schedule, to help warm the experiment.

In the next shift, NASA's Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO)
will be turned on and checked out by the crew, then begin measuring
spectral features to determine the composition of the atmosphere.
The crew will also check out the SEPAC system to begin experiment
operations late in the shift.Mission Control Status Report #2

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                  STS-45 MCC Status #2
             11:30 p.m. CST, March 24, 1992


Astronauts aboard the Atlantis Tuesday began settling into
what will become a familiar routine for the next eight days
as they began training the spacecraft's sophisticated ATLAS-1
sensor array on the Earth's atmosphere from a vantage point
160 nautical miles above the planet's surface.

All systems aboard Atlantis are working well, and flight
controllers at the Mission Control Center are tracking only
minor anomalies at this time.

Flight controllers responsible for electrical power aboard
the Atlantis reported Tuesday evening that the Spacelab
instruments are using less power than normal.  Although the
cryogenic fuels which supply electrical power can nominally
provide eight full days of data gathering, the flight control
team is hoping to conserve power to allow for the potential
of a ninth flight day of science activity.  That decision
will come later in the flight, but for now, flight
controllers report, electrical power usage looks promising.
Power usage thus far in the flight has averaged 15 kilowatts,
while the predicted usage over the course of the flight is
16.4 kilowatts.

The Atlantis is currently in a 162 x 160-nautical mile orbit.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #02
6:00 a.m. CST, March 25, 1992
0/23:00 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The first Spacelab Mission in NASA's Mission to Planet Earth
continued to examine the atmosphere surrounding our globe during
the night.  What scientists learn during this Space Shuttle mission
known as the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
(ATLAS 1) will contribute to long-term plans to conserve and
protect our natural resources.

The seven member crew of ATLAS 1 will explore the vast surroundings
of Earth for the next eight days.  The first shift onboard the
Space Shuttle Atlantis performed initial payload activation and
system checkouts.  The second shift, consisting of Mission
Specialists David Leestma and Michael Foale and Payload Specialist
Byron Lichtenberg, spent their time monitoring and maintaining the
atmospheric measurement equipment for the scientists at Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

During the night, Mission Specialist Michael Foale activated the
Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM).  Throughout
ATLAS 1, this instrument will make very accurate measurements of
the Sun's ultraviolet radiation flux.  Information will be compiled
over the next 11 years, which is a solar cycle.  Scientists want to
know more about these variations in the Sun's ultraviolet radiation
because they bring about changes in atmospheric conditions,
including the concentration of stratospheric ozone.  SUSIM,
provided by NASA, is calibrated before, during and after
spaceflight to determine precisely any changes in the instrument's
response to the Sun's ultraviolet radiation.  Data from the
experiments of ATLAS 1 will be compared to the information being
gathered by the SUSIM instrument on the Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite, which was launched in September of 1991, to identify any
long-term drifts in the satellite's instrument.

Dr. Foale also gave an overview of the Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha
Emissions experiment during this shift.  While Payload Specialist
Byron Lichtenberg held the camera, Michael Foale told how this
investigation will measure the relative abundance of hydrogen and
deuterium, a heavier form of hydrogen.  The findings of this
experiment will help scientists formulate a more definitive idea of
the present rate of water evolution in the Earth's atmosphere.

As activities by the Red-Shift crew continued, the Imaging
Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) science team, led by
co-investigator Dr. Doug Torr of the University of Alabama in
Huntsville, watched downlink of their experiment last night.  The
type of information they received was in the form of analog data
measuring the optical emissions arising from high altitude air
glow.  The images provided by ISO will help scientists better understanding
of such components of the atmosphere as atomic oxygen,
hydroxyl, nitric oxide and their excited (energized by the Sun)
states.  Payload Specialist Foale also gave an explanation of this
investigation during the evening.  According to Dr. Foale, "ISO
seems to be working quite well and is gathering some good data."
He went on to say that this is one of the few experiments onboard
which lets the crew see the raw science data in real-time.

Other ongoing experiments overnight included studies in atmospheric
science with two instruments to observe the ozone -- the German
Millimeter-wave Atmospheric Sounder and the Grille Spectrometer
from Belgium.  NASA's Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy took
measurements of the chemical and physical make-up of the atmosphere
from 6 to 93 miles above the Earth.  Active Cavity Radiometer
Irradiance Monitor, one of the solar science activities, was
activated and checked out to provide measurements of solar
irradiance.  Also during the night, a space plasma physics
investigation known as Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging
observed atmospheric light emissions using low-light television
cameras.

The next 12 hours will provide an opportunity for all four science
disciplines as activities get underway in space plasma physics by
NASA's Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging and the Space
Experiments with Particle Accelerators; solar science experiments
by the Naval Research Laboratory's Solar Ultraviolet Spectral
Irradiance Monitor, Measurement of the Solar Constant (provided by
Belgium) and the Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor;
further atmospheric science studies by the Imaging Spectometric
Observatory; and the Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope to gather
scientific data in astronomy.  The Blue-Shift crew also will be
entering a software change called a "patch" to correct a difficulty
experienced earlier with the Horizon Sensor.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Mission Control Status Report #3

                    STS-45 MCC STATUS #3
                 6 a.m. CST March 25, 1992

The blue team aboard Atlantis -- Commander Charlie Bolden,
Pilot Brian Duffy, Mission Specialist Kathy Sullivan and
Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout -- have begun their first
full day of work in orbit with the Atmospheric Laboratory for
Applications and Science (ATLAS-1).

The blue team crew members awoke at about 2:15 a.m. CST and
relieved their red team counterparts two and a half hours
later. The red team is scheduled to go to sleep at about 7
a.m. CST.

Flight controllers had a quiet night in Mission Control and
have seen no mechanical problems of any significance on the
spacecraft. In addition to studies of Earth's upper
atmosphere with the ATLAS-1 instruments, the crew plans work
with the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) today,
including possible radio contacts with operators in Wales;
Norway; Alberta, Canada; Indianola, Indiana; and San Diego,
Calif. During the night, Mission Specialist Dave Leestma
reported a succesful communication with the Gladstone Junior
School in England.

Also, the crew may photograph the Panama Canal; Appalachian
Mountains; Denver; Houston; forests near Leaf Rapids in
Manitoba, Canada; and ice in the Sea of Okhotsk.

Frimout, a native of Belgium, is scheduled to receive a call
from Prince Philippe of Belgium, visiting in the Payload
Operations Control Center at the Marshall Space Flight
Center, Huntsville, Al., at about 11:53 a.m. CST today.

Atlantis is now beginning its 16th orbit, circling Earth at
an altitude of about 160 nautical miles every one and a half
hours.

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 Status Report #4

Wednesday, March 25, 1992, 4 p.m. CST

Atlantis' Blue Team continued its work with the ATLAS experiments
located in the aft portion of the payload bay and a couple of
experiments inside the crew compartment.

Commander Charlie Bolden, Pilot Brian Duffy, Mission Specialist
Kathy Sullivan and Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout make up the
blue team while the red team consists of Mission Specialists Dave
Leestma and Mike Foale, and Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg.

The Mission Control team spent a quiet day monitoring orbiter
systems as Atlantis continues to perform very well.

The crew worked with some success with the Shuttle Amateur Radio
Experiment (SAREX) today, including radio contacts with operators
in Wales; Norway; Alberta, Canada; Indianola, Indiana; and San
Diego, Calif.

Frimout, a native of Belgium, received a call from Prince Philippe
of Belgium, visiting in the Payload Operations Control Center at
the Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Al., earlier today.

Bolden worked with an experiment to collect humidity condensate
from Atlantis for post-flight analysis.  About 15 ounces of the
condensate was collected in a modified beverage container via
special plumbing.

Commander Bolden also was the subject of another experiment to
investigate visual response as a function of longer space missions
to determine the operational impact on performance of entry,
landing and egress procedures.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #3
6:00 p.m. CST, March 25, 1992
1/10:37 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

Solar science, atmospheric emissions and the international nature
of the mission were the focus of ATLAS-1 activities today.

Early this morning, astronauts maneuvered the Shuttle Atlantis to
point the cargo bay toward the sun as the four ATLAS-1 solar
instruments began 12 hours of intensive observations, the first of
three major solar viewing periods scheduled for the mission.
Because the sun is Earth's major source of heat, it drives
atmospheric circulation and affects the weather.  Scientists will
use data from this and successive ATLAS missions during an 11-year
solar cycle to further their understanding of the effect of solar
radiation on the composition of the Earth's atmosphere and
ionosphere.

Using data gathered from the France's Solar Spectrum Measurement
(SOLSPEC) instrument, scientists should be able to identify
variations in solar infrared, visible and ultraviolet ranges.
Changes in each of these ranges are reflected differently in by the
atmosphere.

The U.S. Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM)
recorded ultraviolet light from the sun.  Variations in ultraviolet
radiation over a solar cycle bring about changes in a number of
atmospheric conditions, including the concentration of
stratospheric ozone.  SUSIM completed several hours of
co-observations with a similar instrument on the Upper Atmosphere
Research Satellite.

NASA's Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and Belgium's Measurement of
the Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiments took measurements of the
total amount of light and energy emitted by the sun.  Especially
important in climate studies, this "solar constant" is actually
thought to fluctuate slightly.  ATLAS instruments are attempting to
provide measurements accurate enough to detect even these small
changes.

This morning, engineers at the European Space Agency Technology
Center in the Netherlands sent romote commands to the SOLCON
experiment.  The successful transmission demonstrated the
decentralized ground commanding that eventually will be routine
with international experiments such as those planned for Space
Station Freedom.

The international nature of the mission was further emphasized
today when Prince Philippe of Belgium visited Spacelab Mission
Operations Control in Huntsville.  After briefings from his
countrymen on several ATLAS-1 science instrument teams, the prince
talked air-to-ground with Payload Specialist Dr. Dirk Frimout,
speaking in both Flemish and French.  Frimout, the first Belgian to
fly on a Shuttle mission, is Spacelab utilization manager for the
European Space Agency's directorate that is developing Space
Station Freedom's Columbus module.

While solar observations dominated the daylight portions of today's
orbits, science crew members Dr. Kathy Sullivan and Frimout
concentrated on atmospheric emissions during night passes.  "It
looks like the spirits of the solar night are dancing for you,"
commented Alternate Payload Specialist Rick Chappell, as he viewed
the first television images of auroras received at Spacelab Mission
Operations Control.  Sullivan and Frimout recorded natural auroras
and the glow of magnesium ions to trace magentic field lines in the
atmosphere with the Atmospheric Emission Photometric Imaging (AEPI)
experiment.  An earlier problem with the automatic stowing commands
was resolved by having the crew lock the equipment in place with
manual commands after use.

The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory viewed today's unusually
active auroral activity simultaneously with the AEPI experiment, in
addition to collecting spectra of dayglow and nightglow emissions.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST), which was the first
ATLAS-1 instrument to produce science data yesterday, has
experienced a drop in its high-voltage power supply.  Currently,
the instrument is being cooled down on successive night passes in
an attempt to cool a connector to restore the voltage.

The Grille Spectrometer team succeeded in freeing their
instrument's mirror with ground commands this afternoon.  It had
been prevented from rotating freely by a protruding piece of
thermal insulation.  A experiment computer operating software patch
will be sent to have Grille disregard errant displays that had
inteferred with its operations in earlier shifts.

In the next shift, sunset, sunrise and nighttime portions of each
orbit will be used for atmospheric measurement.  Several
instruments also hope to achieve co-observations with the Upper
Atmosphere Research Satellite.  Launching ATLAS-1 one day later
than originally planned allowed coordination with the satellite
earlier in the mission than expected.

The SEPAC particle accelerator will complete two more verification
electron beam emissions.  The first  SEPAC "virtual antenna," an
electron beam transmission which could be picked up by ground
receivers in Japan, will be sent out at around noon CST Thursday.

--------------------------------------------------------------------


                 MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                    STS-45 REPORT #5

Wednesday, March 25, 1992, 11:30 p.m. CST


On its eleventh orbital voyage, the Space Shuttle Atlantis
continues to perform nearly flawlessly, providing in the
process a stable platform for scientific investigations of
the Earth's atmosphere with the ATLAS-1 sensor array.

An earlier anomaly with a piece of hardware in the hydraulic
system now appears to be resolved. One of the heaters
supplying thermal conditioning to Auxiliary Power Unit No.
1's gas generator bed now appears to be working normally.
That heater was declared failed on Flight Day 1, but later it
began operating and cycling normally, and now is being
monitored for engineering data.  There are no operational
issues associated with performance of that hardware.

Otherwise, the Atlantis continues to operate well.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #04
6:00 a.m. CST, March 26, 1992
1/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The environment of space continued to provide opportunities for the
collection of scientific data last night as the Space Shuttle
Atlantis circled 186 miles above the Earth with its Atmospheric
Laboratory for Application and Science (ATLAS 1) payload.

Space plasma physics investigations were accomplished during the
night by two of the instruments located in the payload bay.  While
Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg operated the low-light
television camera, the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging
(AEPI) science team observed magnesium ions to study ionic motion.
This experiment helps scientists in their efforts to describe the
cause-effect relationship on upper atmospheric dynamics, using the
magnesium ions as the ionospheric tracer.  Natural phenomena that
can be studied using this technique include wind shears, electric
fields and neutral wind drift motions.

Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC), the second
space plasma physics experiment collecting data overnight, provided
some very interesting visual effects as the science team watched
from Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.  Byron
Lichtenberg was holding the camera for the scientists here to see
the beam.  After observing the beam in a test run, the SEPAC
science team was excited about their next activity.  Here, SEPAC
produced a virtual antenna while the Shuttle was over Japan.  This
was accomplished by the firing of an electronic beam in frequency
over 60 seconds and then repeating this sequence.  Ground listening
stations in Japan were recording the signals produced by this
virtual anntenna as part of the INSPIRE (Interactive NASA Space
Physics Ionosphere Radio Experiments) program.

Five unattended atmospheric science instruments also were busy
collecting data.  These experiments are considered to be unattended
because they require little or no crew intervention.  The first of
these atmospheric science studies, Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha
Emissions, scanned celestial space with its mirror.  The
Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) took measurements
of the Sun's infrared spectrum to identify and measure various
trace molecules and determine their vertical distribution in the
atmosphere.  This instrument also looked directly into the Sun to
let scientists realize the response of ATMOS equipment to direct
sunlight.  The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder continued
measurements of ozone, water vapor, chlorine monoxide, temperature,
and pressure in the middle atmosphere.  And finally, the Grille
Spectrometer studied trace chemicals in the atmosphere at orbital
sunrise and sunset.

Solar physics instruments were also busy taking measurements of the
Sun throughout the night.  The Active Cavity Radiometer and  the
Measurement of the Solar Constant instruments are used to determine
the Sun's total irradiance.  The experiment known as Solar Spectrum
Measurements from 180 to 3,200 nanometers gathered data to
understand more about how solar energy is distributed among the
different wavelength regions.

The next 12 hours will involve an experiment utilizing the
instruments of both Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging and
Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators.  AEPI will measure
the intensity of the artificial aurora created by the electron beam
of the SEPAC instrument.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 Status Report #6

Thursday, March 26, 1992, 6 a.m. CST


The crew of Atlantis continued their observations of Earth's
atmosphere during the night aboard a trouble-free spacecraft.
Flight controllers in Mission Control had a quiet night with
work centered on assisting the scientific investigators as
they plan another day of work with ATLAS-1.

The Atlantis crew made attempts, this morning, to
communicate with cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station
using the Shuttle Amateur Radio.  During the first attempt,
starting at about 4:38 a.m. CST, it was reported that Mission
Specialist Dave Leestma heard transmissions from the Mir,
however transmissions from Atlantis were not acknowledged by
the cosmonauts. The outcome of additional attempts have not
yet been reported by the crew.

During the night, flight controllers have continued to
monitor the amount of electricity used by Atlantis with hopes
that the usage may continue below that predicted prior to
flight, thus allowing the mission to be extended a day. At
present, the power consumption on board is averaging about
one kilowatt below the pre-flight predictions. The crew was
informed in their morning mail from Mission Control that if
power consumption remains at this low level, the one-day
extension should become possible.

Atlantis is in an orbit of 161 by 158 nautical miles,
circling the planet every 90 minutes and 19 seconds. The blue
team of crew members -- Commander Charlie Bolden, Pilot Brian
Duffy, Mission Specialist Kathy Sullivan and Payload
Spcialist Dirk Frimout -- began work on their third day in
space shortly after 4 a.m. CST.

STS-45
1 21915U 92 15  A 92 85.55303141  .00086000  00000-0  25990-3 0    95
2 21915  56.9957 276.0208 0007326 280.3982  79.6295 15.92081873   176

Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 21915
Epoch time:      92085.55303141 -----> (25 MAR 92   13:16:21.91 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-009
Inclination:       56.9957 deg
RA of node:       276.0208 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0007326                SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   280.3982 deg         from NASA flight Day 2 vector
Mean anomaly:      79.6295 deg
Mean motion:   15.92081873 rev/day                 W5RRR
Decay rate:      8.600e-04 rev/day~2      NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:              17

Note:  Predictions using element set JSC-008 will be 4 seconds late on
       orbit 17, 9 seconds late on orbit 25, and 27 seconds late on
       orbit 41, compared with set JSC-009.

G.L.CARMAN

    I heard on the news the other day that after the main tank separated
    the shuttle astronauts notices fuel leaking from it and said that it
    quickly disintegrated. They said that NASA was not concerned about
    this. I have heard nothing on the news since. Does anyone know if this
    is normal or if there really was a potential problem....
    
    Roger

    re: -1
    Sounds like one of the flapper valves (LOX or H2) didn't close.  There
    are valves on both sides of the orbiter/ET interface which are supposed
    to close to prevent fuel contamination of the orbiter and vehicle control
    during separation.  After the ET is separated, and the shuttle has
    enough clearance, a valve is opened on top of the LOX tank to cause the tank
    to tumble, increase drag, and have a relatively short destructive
    reentry.  The time to reentry is dependent upon altitude, trajectory at
    engine cutoff, and other factors.  It usually is no longer than 15
    minutes.  In fact, photographs of the ET after SEP have been taken from
    the cockpit.
    The "quick" disintegration could be caused by a number of factors, one
    of them being rapid depressurization of one or both tanks due to the
    flapper valve remaining open.

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                      STS-45 Status Report #7


Thursday, March 26, 1992, 3 p.m. CST


While scientists at the Payload Operations Control Center in
Huntsville, Alabama work with the ATLAS instruments in
Atlantis' payload bay, flight controllers in Houston continue
to monitor the health of the orbiter with no vehicle problems
being tracked.

The seven-member crew continues to use electricity
judiciously, making an extra day in space more of an option.

Pilot Brian Duffy was able to talk to four school children at
the Green Meadow School in Maynard, Massachusetts as Atlantis
passed over the area on orbit 37.  His contact was via the
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX), or Ham radio, being
flown on the STS-45 mission.

Earlier today the crew attempted on four occasions to contact
cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station using SAREX, but on
only one was Mission Specialist Dave Leestma able to hear the
cosmonauts while reporting they apparently could not hear his
transmission.

Commander Charlie Bolden collected more samples of humidity
from Atlantis' cabin air for anaylsis after the mission.  The
test is to examine the moisture for types of contaminants.

The orbiter's nagivation platform, made up of three inertial
measurement units or IMUs, remained stable enough to preclude
an alignment that was planned during the day, allowing the
payload community to continue science gathering
uninterrupted.

About one third of the way through the 46th Space Shuttle
mission and the 11th for Atlantis, all systems continue to
perform as expected.  The orbiter is currently in a 160 x 158
nautical mile orbit, circling the Earth every 90 minutes.

From: [email protected] (WILLIAM HARWOOD, UPI Science Writer)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space
Date: 27 Mar 92 01:26:19 GMT
 
 
	CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- The ``beam team'' aboard the shuttle
Atlantis zapped planet Earth with spiralling beams of high-energy
electrons Thursday, creating artificial auroras in a major milestone for
the crew's atmospheric research.
	But after 210 firings and the creation of 60 mini auroras, a 30-amp
fuse in the particle accelerator's battery system apparently blew out,
knocking the gun out of action. While engineers were hopeful the trouble
could be fixed, they were not optimistic.
	``It doesn't look likely, but we're certainly going to hope for the
best,'' payload controller Dave Scott told the Atlantis astronauts. 
``But right now it looks kind of dim.''
	The goal of the pioneering project is to use the mini auroras to
probe the properties of Earth's magnetic field and the chemistry and
physics of the upper atmosphere. Before launch, astronaut Michael Foale
said no one knew if the experiment would work. But it did, and ground
controllers were elated.
	``I just wanted to send up our congratulations to the new Atlantis
aurora makers,'' a ground controller radioed the astronauts. ``You all
are doing great stuff.''
	``You can just call us the 'beam team,''' replied astronaut Kathryn
Sullivan aboard Atlantis.
	If the gun cannot be coaxed back into action, chief experiment
investigator James Burch said other parts of the research could still be
conducted. And in any case, data from the 60 artificial auroras already
generated has exceeded pre-launch expectations.
	``In the area of artificial auroras, we had 100 percent success
there,'' Burch said. ``The things we did were more successful than we
expected.''
	Joining Sullivan, 40, and Foale, 35, aboard Atlantis are commander
Charles Bolden, 45, co-pilot Brian Duffy, 38, David Leestma, 42, and
civilian researchers Byron Lichtenberg, 44, and Dirk Frimout, 51, of
Belgium.
	So far, the eight-day mission has proceeded smoothly with only a
handful of problems, the most serious of which involves trouble with the
electrical power supply of an untraviolet telescope.
	``We feel like a bunch of Maytag repairmen down here, things are
going so well,'' flight controllers said in a morning teleprinter
message to the astronauts.
	With Atlantis's flight ticking along like clockwork, NASA officials
on Earth were gearing up for the Friday start of confirmation hearings
for aerospace industry executive Daniel Goldin, nominated by President
Bush to replace Richard Truly as administrator of NASA.
	Truly, forced to resign by the White House over policy differences,
plans to leave NASA April 1. In one of his final actions, agency
officials said, Truly plans to recommend to Goldin that Barbara Morgan,
an Idaho school teacher, be assigned to the crew of a future shuttle
mission.
	Morgan was the backup ``Teacher in Space'' candidate to Christa
McAuliffe, who was killed in the 1986 Challenger disaster. NASA
suspended the program in the wake of the tragedy and Goldin's position
on the issue is not known. Morgan, in Boston for an education
conference, could not be reached for comment.
	As for Atlantis's mission, the crew's use of electricity is running
less than expected and NASA managers may decide to extend the flight one
day to gather additional data. A final decision will not be made until
later in the flight and until then, landing remains scheduled for 6:25
a.m. April 1 at the Kennedy Space Center.
	The clear highlight of the day Thursday was the creation of
artificial auroras, a ``scientific first that we're all very excited
about,'' said mission scientist Marsha Torr. By mid afternoon, nine or
10 such displays had been generated.
	Natural auroras are created when electrically charged electrons and
protons from the sun get trapped in Earth's magnetic field and crash
into the atmosphere, colliding with atoms and molecules and giving off
light.
	The Atlantis astronauts are working to mimic nature by firing 7,000-
volt electron beams into space that shoot away along magnetic field
lines just like trapped particles from the sun. The result is a brief
flash of light that resembles a mini aurora.
	``You could see the beam traveling away from the orbiter,'' Foale
said at one point. ``The color of the beam ... was a whitish blue.''
	Foale said the crew's research would help scientists learn ``a lot
about the way the magnetic field and the electrons that spiral along
them interact.''
	The goal of the 46th shuttle flight is to gather data on the inner
workings of the atmosphere to help scientists and policy makers
determine what might be needed to reverse dangerous trends like the
depletion of Earth's protective ozone layer.
	Mounted in Atlantis's cargo bay are 13 instruments provided by the
United States, Begium, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and
Japan. The payload is known as the Atmospheric Laboratory for
Applications and Science, or ATLAS-1.

From: [email protected] (WILLIAM HARWOOD, UPI Science Writer)
Newsgroups: clari.tw.space
Date: 27 Mar 92 13:32:25 GMT
 
	CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (UPI) -- A telescope aboard the shuttle Atlantis
that was knocked out of action two days ago was coaxed back into
operation Friday, but the crew's aurora-making electron gun appeared to
be down for the count with a blown fuse.
	``If the fuse is truly blown, then it's unrecoverable,'' said Bill
Taylor, an experiment investigator. ``But we don't absolutely know for
sure whether or not it is blown and I wouldn't want to hazard a guess as
to what the probability is at this point.''
	He said engineers may ask the shuttle crew to attempt firing the
electron accelerator later Friday to make absolutely sure they
understand the problem.
	The suspect 30-amp fuse is located in the battery system that
supplies power to the 7,000-volt, half-amp electron gun. When the
problem first surfaced Thursday, the gun had completed 210 firings, of
which 60 generated artificial auroras, as intended. Regardless of the
gun's ultimate fate, researchers were delighted with the results already
in hand.
	``Those were fantastic, especially the artificial aurora ones, those
were just beyond our expectations,'' Taylor said. ``There was yelling
and screaming down here.''
	Back in orbit, shuttle commander Charles Bolden, 45, co-pilot Brian
Duffy, 38, David Leestma, 42, Michael Foale, 35, Kathryn Sullivan, 40,
and civilian researchers Byron Lichtenberg, 44, and Dirk Frimout, 51,
plowed through a full slate of research activities Friday.
	Taking time out from their scientific chores, the shuttle crew filmed
a brief segment for the Academy Awards show, scheduled for broadcast
Monday night.
	While the videotape from the shuttle was not released by NASA, a
brief glimpse of the crew, with Lichtenberg holding an Oscar statuette,
was inadvertently released over the agency's television network. A NASA
spokesman said he could not discuss the content of the segment and that
the videotape would not be released by NASA until after the Academy
Awards.
	The clear highlight of Atlantis's mission so far has been the
creation of artificial auroras using the electron gun mounted in
Atlantis's payload bay.
	Engineers spent the evening troubleshooting the problem. Officials
said if the fuse in question was, in fact, open, the astronauts would
not be able to fire the gun any more, cutting short the number of
artificial auroras they had hoped to generate.
	``Indications and analysis up to this point tell us that the 30-amp
fuse that connects the battery has blown, leaving us with an open
circuit,'' Dave Scott, a payload controller, told the crew.
	``Is there hope we can get the batteries charged again?'' asked
Foale.
	``It doesn't look likely, but we're certainly going to hope for the
best,'' Scott replied. ``But right now it looks kind of dim.''
	Natural auroras are formed when electrically charged particles from
the sun get trapped in Earth's magnetic field and spiral into the
atmosphere, colliding with atoms and molecules and releasing light.
	The electron beam fired from Atlantis mimics this process and
generates a small, short-lived artificial aurora that is easier to study
than the hard-to-predict natural variety.
	Along with carrying out detailed research on the health of Earth's
atmosphere, the astronauts have been participating in an amateur radio
project throughout the eight-day flight, chatting with schoolkids across
the nation and around the world.
	They also have been attempting to contact two Russian cosmonauts
aboard the Mir space station. While the Russians got through to Atlantis
on Thursday, the U.S. astronauts did not get through to Mir. More
attempts will be made later.
	The goal of the 46th shuttle flight is to gather data on the inner
workings of the atmosphere to help scientists and policy makers
determine what might be needed to reverse dangerous trends like the
depletion of Earth's protective ozone layer.
	Mounted in Atlantis's cargo bay are 13 instruments provided by the
United States, Begium, France, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands and
Japan. The payload is known as the Atmospheric Laboratory for
Applications and Science, or ATLAS-1.
	The crew's use of electricity is running less than expected and NASA
managers may decide to extend the flight one day to gather additional
data. A final decision will not be made until later in the flight and
until then, landing remains scheduled for 6:25 a.m. April 1 at the
Kennedy Space Center.

    I'm an advisor to a team of high school students in Maynard and they're
    now learning the highs and lows of science.   That "aurora-making
    electron gun" in .68 is the SEPAC experiment, and our school (and many
    others) are participating in a particular experiment with SEPAC called
    FO7: Virtual Antennas.   We managed to get one data take on flight day
    2, but now it looks like we're into the backup data taking plan (which
    is a bit less exciting).
    
    Nevertheless, it's a real learning experience for us all...
    
    - dave

    Dave, Were you involved in the Ham contact with the "school in
    Maynard"?

I wonder what happens to the shuttle when it shoots off all these zillions of
electrons.  I expect it would gather a positive charge for itself.  Does this
create any issue?

Burns

    re: .70 (SAREX contact)
    
    Only peripherally.  The 4th grade teacher (and ham radio operator) Judy
    Johnson did 99% of the work (her class uses ham radio as a way of
    supplimenting the teaching of geography -- the shuttle contact was just
    a really big plus).
    
    I participated by recording various press conferences and briefings off
    of NASA Select, and by printing up the various reports that I post here
    for the class, so they could see a bit behind the scenes.   So, from
    that perspective I'm just trying to give them all the resources I can
    get my hands on.
    
    A couple of weeks ago I spent most of the day at the school giving a
    "lecture" of sorts to all of the 4th grade classes.   I was there to
    show how space technology, history, and exploration was a hobby for
    some people in the community and how you can keep the fire long after
    you've left school.
    
    I covered the room with about 40 lithographs from my NASA art
    collection (my big one hasn't been framed yet), plus a sampling of my
    library of materials.   I then had the launch of STS-48 and the various
    engineering replays on the tape.  I talked about the launch sequence
    and pointed out things people might not otherwise notice (engine
    gimbals, sound suppression system, umbilical breaks, etc.), and tried
    to show the detail of what it takes to engineer one of these vehicles
    (and some idea of the size).    I did very little "lecturing" because
    after the first 30 seconds of talking the hands went up and I spent 40
    minutes per class answering just about every question in the world
    about space shuttles, rockets, and other bits of trivia (they REALLY
    taxed my shuttle trivia neurons).
    
    Then they circulated around the room, looking at the artworks, books,
    and my growing photo album and assaulted me with another barrage of
    questions.    It was great.
    
    
    Re: .71
    
    When the SEPAC electon beam is discharged the entire shuttle exterior
    becomes positively charged.  The charge is neutralized by injecting a
    pulse of argon plasma simultaneously -- and this (quite to the surprise
    of the initial investigators) neutralized the shuttle quite quickly for
    a few few seconds (this was done with SpaceLab-1 in the early 80's). 
    For ATLAS, the SEPAC experiment can constantly inject plasma into the
    shuttle area and maintain the field levels they desire.
    
    - dave

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #5
6:00 p.m. CST, March 26, 1992
2/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The ATLAS-1 crew and scientists at Spacelab Mission Operations
Control produced a scientific first today, creating artificial
auroras by firing an electron beam from the cargo bay of Shuttle
Atlantis.  "We want to send our congratulations to the new Atlantis
aurora makers," Alternate Payload Specialist Dr. Rick Chappell told
the crew from his position at Spacelab control.  "You can just call
us the 'beam team,'" quipped Mission Specialist Dr. Kathy Sullivan
in reponse.

The auroras were formed by interaction of electron beams from the
Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) instrument
with the Earth's upper atmosphere.  "We are trying to understand
the fundamental physics of aurora phenomena in a situation where we
know and can control the source," reported SEPAC scientist Bill
Roberts.  "Auroras are visible manifestations of the interaction
between the sun, the magnetosphere and Earth's atmosphere.  If we
can understand and recreate them, we can gain a better insight into
natural interactions in space."

Images of the SEPAC auroras were captured by the Atmospheric
Emission Photometric Imaging (AEPI) experiment's low-light
television cameras, which earlier recorded views of unexpectedly
active natural aurora.

Another form of SEPAC beam was monitored on Earth by groups of
high-school students.  Signals were pulsed toward the northeastern
United States in an attempt to create a "virtual" (non-physical)
antenna for very low-frequency communications.  "The scientific
purpose of the experiment is to learn more about the magnetic field
lines along which the signals travel," said Bill Pine of Project
INSPIRE (Interactive NASA Space Physics Radio Experiment).
Receivers scattered across the United States and other countries
should indicate whether the signal is strong enough to reach Earth
and how broad an area it covers.

A second virtual antenna experiment just before 2 p.m. CST was
completed "in the blind" while the Space Shuttle was out of contact
with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System.  When signal was
reacquired some 20 minutes later, the electron gun's battery
voltage was irregular.  Subsequent attempts to charge it have been
unsuccessful thus far.  Other scheduled experiment operations with
the SEPAC plasma contactor will continue while the experiment team
examines possible workarounds.

A third space plasma physics investigation took its first readings
today.  The Energetic Neutral Atom Particle Accelerators (ENAP)
team will use spectral data from the Imaging Spectormetric
Observatory (ISO) to trace faint emissions from high-speed,
uncharged atoms penetrating the middle atmosphere at night.

While the crew was busy with space plasma physics experiments, the
unattended atmospheric science measurements continued to be
extremely productive.  Mission Scientist Dr. Marsha Torr reported
to the crew, "MAS (Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder) is
proceeding almost routinely through observations, getting
everything they hoped to get; ATMOS (Atmospheric Trace Molecule
Spectroscopy) says they are 'in clover;' ALAE (Atmospheric
Lyman-Alpha Emissions) has observed deuturium in the nadir, a new
milestone; and ISO is getting beautiful spectra throughout the
spectral range."  Torr asked the crew to look for small, loose
particles in the cargo bay which may be creating reflections picked
up by some of the instruments.

No definite solution has been found for the Far Ultraviolet Space
Telescope (FAUST), which has not had sufficient high-voltage to
operate since the first day of the mission.  While the FAUST team
continues to work the problem, they have allocated their assigned
observation time to the atmospheric instruments.

The next shift promises more opportunities for atmospheric
science.  The last ATLAS instrument to be activated, the Shuttle
Space Backscatter Ultraviolet experiment, will begin calibrations
tonight in anticipation of taking its first science data tomorrow
morning.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

             MISSION CONTROL CENTER
            STS-45 STATUS REPORT #8

 Thursday, March 26, 1992, 11:30 p.m. CST


The Space Shuttle Atlantis continued to perform well
as the STS-45/ATLAS-1 mission neared its fourth day.
The flight control team is tracking only a handful of
minor anomalies, including degraded performance of
payload bay camera A, which has been deselected for
the remainder of the flight.

Although Atlantis continues to consume electricity at
a slightly lower than predicted rate, it is still to
early to say whether energy conservation aboard the
spacecraft will allow an extra day of science at the
end of the mission.  Flight controllers would require
an extra 24 hours of cryogenic fuel (which produces
electricity through chemical reactions in the
shuttle's fuel cells) before considering an extension
day.  The current margin is around 17 hours.

Mission Specialist David Leestma reported a series of
successful passes using the Shuttle Amateur Radio
Experiment, or SAREX.  This spaceborne Ham radio has
flown on several Shuttle flights in a project
sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, the
Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, NASA and the
Federal Communications Commission.  Those successful
linkups included a pass with Ed White Elementary
School in Houston (where young Sean Duffy had a chance
to speak with his father, Atlantis Pilot Brian Duffy),
and Challenger Junior High School in San Diego,
California.  Leestma also reported "quite a pileup" as
the Atlantis passed over Hawaii.  "I had no idea there
were so many Hams in the Hawaiian Islands," Leestma
said.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #06
6:00 a.m. CST, March 27, 1992
2/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

Earth viewing activities dominated the ATLAS 1 mission last night.
Five experiments onboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis continued to
gather data about the upper and middle atmosphere.  Although these
investigations run in the "unattended" mode under normal
conditions, the crew has the capability to enter commands using the
digital display unit when requested by the science teams at
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.

According to Dr. Jack A. Kaye, Program Scientist for ATLAS 1, "The
ATLAS missions will furnish a library of atmospheric spectra and
measurements of short-term natural and long-term human induced
variations in the atmosphere."  One experiment that will provide
information for this "library" is the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric
Sounder, a joint German, Swiss and U.S. effort.   This instrument
obtains Earth limb radiation data using a parabolic antenna and
measures global height distributions of water vapor, ozone and
chlorine monoxide.

Other observations of the Earth came from the Imaging Spectrometric
Observatory studying airglow in the high and low altitudes, during
both orbital day and night.  These images will provide information
on chemical components of the atmosphere such as atomic oxygen,
molecular oxygen, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and their excited
(energized by the Sun) states.  Two other atmospheric science
instruments, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy and the
Grille Spectrometer, measured trace molecules during orbital
sunsets and sunrises overnight.  The Grille Spectrometer also
measured the infrared emissions of those trace constituents.

The Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) instrument made
several observations of the bright limb of the Earth at both high
and low altitudes and scanned the Earth in the nadir (directly
beneath the Shuttle) mode last night.  The ALAE equipment measures
the relative abundance of atomic hydrogen and deuterium, a heavier
form of hydrogen.  It detects a particularly intense wavelength of
ultraviolet light, called Lyman-Alpha, which is absorbed in the
lower atmosphere.  For this reason, Lyman-Alpha radiation can only
be observed from space.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST) was back in operation
last night after a 24 hour cool down period to restore adequate
voltage to this, the only astronomy-related instrument of the ATLAS
1 payload.  The science team from the University of Berkeley,
Calif., was pleased as the telescope made two observations of a
patch of sky in the constellation of Hydra.  This particular
observation gives a clear image out of our own galaxy.  FAUST also
observed another target, M87.  This is a giant elliptical galaxy,
41 million light-years away in the heart of the Virgo cluster.
Centaurus, a southern constellation, also was observed during the
night.

Early into the shift, the Space Experiments with Particle
Accelerators (SEPAC) science team realized a problem with one of
their equipment components.  After careful analysis of the
situation, it was determined that a fuse had gone out in the
battery box associated with the electron beam accelerator.  Prior
to this, SEPAC had successfully completed 210 electron beam firings
and created 60 artificial aurora.  SEPAC is operational and
accomplished several plasma contactor tests overnight.  These tests
release a cloud of xenon, charged particles consisting of protons
and electrons.  During one of these plasma contactor operations, a
ground-based radar in Jicamarca, Peru, picked up the presence of
the SEPAC induced plasma.

The next 12 hours will be used for atmospheric science studies as
the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy, Imaging Spectrometric
Observer, Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder and the Grille
Spectrometer study the upper atmosphere while the Far Ultraviolet
Space Telescope will continue to observe astronomical objects.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

                   MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                  STS-45 Status Report #9

Friday, March 27, 1992, 6 a.m.


Atlantis continued to perform without problems overnight,
allowing the crew to concentrate on scientific work with the
ATLAS-1 instruments.

Flight controllers continued to see a lower-than-predicted
use of electricity aboard the spacecraft and are optimistic
that enough power may be conserved to allow Atlantis to stay
in orbit an extra day. Power consumption onboard remained
averaging about 1 kilowatt below the planned levels.

The use of propellant onboard also shows a trend that may
allow a ninth day to be added to STS-45. Propellant levels
onboard must be monitored closely because Atlantis is
scheduled to perform more than 250 maneuvers during this
flight, maneuvers that help aim the various ATLAS instruments
at their targets.

During the night, Mission Specialist Dave Leestma reported
communicating with school students in Barcelona, Spain, via
the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX). Today, the blue
team crew members will have opportunities to photograph
several areas of interest as part of the Shuttle Earth
Observations Project, including smoke reported over Columbia,
the island of Hawaii and the Vancouver to Seattle area.

Atlantis is in an orbit 162 nautical miles by 156 nautical
miles high, circling Earth once every 90 minutes, 16 seconds.

CURRENT STS-45 KEPLERIAN ORBITAL ELEMENTS


FROM: G.L.CARMAN
SUBJECT: STS-45 element set JSC-012

STS-45
1 21915U 92 15  A 92 89.57001389  .00126000  00000-0  36800-3 0   121
2 21915  56.9963 257.4148 0006174 310.5391  49.5174 15.93310475   816

Satellite: STS-45
Catalog number: 21915
Epoch time:      92089.57001389 -----> (29 MAR 92   13:40:49.20 UTC)
Element set:     JSC-012
Inclination:       56.9963 deg
RA of node:       257.4148 deg          Space Shuttle Flight STS-45
Eccentricity:     .0006174                SGP4 Keplerian Elements
Arg of perigee:   310.5391 deg         from NASA flight Day 5 vector
Mean anomaly:      49.5174 deg
Mean motion:   15.93310475 rev/day                 W5RRR
Decay rate:    1.26000e-03 rev/day~2      NASA Johnson Space Center
Epoch rev:              81

Note:  Predictions with element set JSC-012 are 9 seconds earlier than
       JSC-011 on orbit 81 and 24 seconds earlier on orbit 103.

 G.L.CARMAN

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                     STS-45 Status Report #10


Friday, March 27, 1992, 3 p.m. CST

The eleventh flight of Atlantis, now more than a third
complete, continues with no orbiter problems being tracked
that impact science activities of the ATLAS payload.

Throughout the day, electrical power use remained lower
than preflight predictions making the possibility of a ninth
mission day more likely.  In addition to the projected eight
day mission with two contingency days, 19 hours of extra
consummables margin exists, meaning the crew needs to conserve
only about five more hours of electricity-producing hydrogen
and oxygen to allow for the extra day in space.

Power consumption onboard continues to average about one
kilowatt below the planned levels.

The Red Team, Dave Leestma, Mike Foale and Byron Lichtenberg,
was awakened at 2:15 this afternoon to prepare for its 12
hour shift.

The Blue Team, Charlie Bolden, Brian Duffy, Kathy Sullivan
and Dirk Frimout, is scheduled to go to bed at 6:15 this
evening.

Atlantis' current orbit is 161 x 157.

                             #   #   #

MISSION STATUS 10A (addendum to report 10)

MISSION CONTROL CENTER STATUS REPORT #10A

11:30 p.m.
March 27, 1992

Red Team Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg reported that
the crew enjoyed a spectacular view of British Columbia and
the U.S. Pacific coast on Orbit 55.

The cloud-free pass over California was of particular
interest to specialists with the Space Shuttle Earth
Orbservations Project at Johnson Space Center, who asked the
crew to take advatage of a low sun angle during the pass to
photograph the coastline in sunglint.

This technique has been used for many years by orbiting
astronauts to discern such details of the marine environment
as internal waves, currents and eddys. (The phenomena of
internal waves was discovered by orbiting astronauts during
the Skylab program in the mid-1970s.)

In addition to photographing the coastline, Lichtenberg said
the crew was able to see Mt. Ranier in Washington, Mt.  Hood
in Oregon and the Golden Gate Bridge across San Francisco
Bay.

Earlier in the day, on Orbit 54, the crew enjoyed a similarly
excellent pass--largely cloud free--which began over Alaska
and extended to South America.  Cloud-free points of interest
included the south coast of Alaska, the Mississippi River
valley, sunglint in the Gulf of Mexico, views of Cuba,
sunglint in the Caribbean and agricultural burning in
Columbia and Brazil.

"We used every camera in the cabin," Commander Charlie Bolden
reported.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #7
6:00 p.m. CST, March 27, 1992
3/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

Planet Earth and its atmosphere were the center of attention as the
ATLAS-1 mission neared its mid-point today.  The Shuttle's cargo
bay pointed toward Earth most of the shift, and scientists working
at Spacelab Mission Operations in Huntsville periodically were
treated to spectacular views of the cloud-covered blue planet.

The Earth views supported activities for the Space Shuttle
Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment -- the last of ATLAS-1's
13 instruments to be activated -- which began taking measurements
this morning.  SSBUV compares ultraviolet solar radiation with the
amount of sunlight scattered off the Earth's surface to make global
ozone measurements.  This is the instrument's fourth Shuttle
flight, and it is scheduled throughtout the ATLAS series.
Therefore, data from this flight can be compared with measurements
from its earlier flights and upcoming missions to track changes
over time.

SSBUV and the other ATLAS-1 atmospheric instruments also serve to
verify the accuracy of free-flying satellites which provide
continuous ozone measurements.  Its observations are compared to
those from ozone-monitoring instruments aboard the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration's NOAA-9 and NOAA-11 satellites and
NASA's NIMBUS-7 satellite, as well as the Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite.  Sensitivity of instruments aboard satellites is often
degraded by long-term exposure to the space environment.  Since
SSUBV is carefully recalibrated between missions, comparisions of
its measurements with those made over the same Earth location near
the same time by the different satellites will allow scientists to
distinguish fluctuations in the ozone level from instrument
variations.

The ability to compare measurements of interacting influences on
the environment, taken by complementary instruments over an entire
11-year solar cycle, is an important feature of the ATLAS series of
Spacelab missions.  "By studying multiple parameters, we can begin
to understand the cause and effects of climatological and
atmospheric changes, giving us the information necessary to treat
causes instead of symptoms," explained Earl Montoya, ATLAS-1
program manager.  Scientists expect that tracking variations in the
range of measurements they will make over the ATLAS-1 series will
help them predict the future behavior of ozone and other
atmospheric factors.

Data continues to flow in to various atmospheric experiment teams
in the science control facility.  Several instruments which flew on
previous Spacelab missions have already received more and better
data than they did during the entire earlier flights.  The Grille
Spectrometer and the Atmospheric Trace Spectroscospy Experiment
(ATMOS) have collected data showing aerosol bands in the atmosphere
that are probably the remnants of the Mt. Pinatubo volcano eruption
in the Philippines last year.  Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout
snapped some photographs of the atmospheric horizon in an attempt
to record images of the volcanic dust.

The crew used the Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators'
plasma contactor to eject charged gas clouds and monitor the
neutralization of the electric charge built up as the Shuttle moves
through the atmosphere.  The experiment will help verify a plasma
contactor now under development for Space Station Freedom.  The
station is expected to collect electrons from its power-producing
solar arrays, and the plasma contactor will ground Freedom to its
space environment.  "As far as we can see, it looks just wonderful
and works better than it did in the lab," said SEPAC space station
specialist Ira Katz.  SEPAC scientists also hope to use the plasma
contactor ejections to make the first measurement of "critical
ionization velocity."  Results could be used to validate a theory
about the basic physics of the formation of the universe.

The Atmospheric Emission Photometric Imaging Experiment (AEPI)
recorded airglow in the vicinity of the orbiter, as well as
measuring intensities of natural aurora at several wavelengths.  A
distant cluster galaxy was imaged by the Far Ultraviolet Space
Telescope (FAUST), which was repowered late yesterday afternoon.

Astronomical observations will continue in the next shift, and the
crew will maneuver the Shuttle to special attitudes to take more
atmospheric measurements.  Admitting that the methodical nature of
the mission and its relatively smooth operation may make it seem
"routine and boring," Mission Scientist Marshal Torr emphasized,
"The data product we will have at the end of ATLAS-1 will be very
far from routine and boring.  We expect it to be a baseline people
will reference for decades to come."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #08
6:00 a.m. CST, March 28, 1992
3/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

Three of the four science disciplines onboard the Space Shuttle
Atlantis continued to collect information about the atmosphere
surrounding the Earth over night.  The science being conducted
during the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and
Science (ATLAS 1) is in support of our planet's environmental
health.

During one of last night's orbital sunsets, Payload Specialist
Byron Lichtenberg used the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric
Imaging (AEPI) camera to record images of an airglow layer.  These
airglow layers are produced from light emissions of chemicals in
the atmosphere.  Dr. Gary Swenson, co-investigator for AEPI,
speaking directly with Bryon Lichtenberg, said they were, "studying
the heights of the airglow layers and looking for wave patterns."
As the camera continued to record images of the orbital sunset, the
AEPI science team gave a  hearty "thumbs up" to show their
approval.  AEPI's low-light television camera also examined the
shape and intensity of a luminous wake caused by the Shuttle
Atlantis as it moved through the Earth's atmospheric plasma.

Keeping in line with the around-the-clock, minute-by-minute
schedule of events called a timeline, atmospheric science
instruments were busy collecting data during the past 12 hours.
All six scientific instruments to study the atmosphere had an
opportunity to operate last night.

The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) took measurements of
ozone concentration, temperatures in the middle atmosphere, and
trace molecules which are involved in the creation and destruction
of ozone.  A comparison of MAS measurements, as well as those of
ATMOS, ISO, SSBUV and GRILLE, to others made during successive
missions will alert scientists to changes in the atmospheric ozone
layer and allow them to monitor the effects of human activities on
the middle atmosphere.  This instrument operates essentially as a
passive radar -- using its parabolic antenna to receive data only.
It measures the radiation emitted by various constituents in the
Earth's atmosphere.

Two other atmospheric science instruments, the Atmospheric Trace
Molecule Spectrometer (ATMOS) and the Grille Spectrometer (GRILLE),
measured trace molecules, including ozone and chemicals that react
with ozone, in the middle atmosphere by examining the infrared
radiation they absorb.  The information collected by these two
instruments will be compared with similar data gathered during
other missions to indicate worldwide, seasonal, and long-term
atmospheric changes.

Further studies of the atmosphere were made during the night by the
Imaging Spectrometric Observatory.  By recording light signatures
in the airglow (a shimmering layer approximately 44 to 372 miles
above the Earth), scientists can determine the concentrations of
trace gases, which play an important role in atmospheric chemistry,
and how these concentrations change with latitude, longtitude,
altitude and time of day.  Also, the Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha
Emissions experiment measured the abundance of hydrogen and
deuterium to help scientists better understand the evolution of
water in the Earth's atmosphere.

The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer (SSBUV)
recorded backscatter radiance over the daylight portion of an
orbit.  This instrument observed solar radiation and the resulting
ultraviolet radiation that scatters off Earth's atmosphere and back
toward space.  SSBUV measurements will help scientists resolve the
problem of data accuracy caused by calibration drift of similar
instruments on satellites such as the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administrations's NOAA-9, NOAA-11, NIMBUS-7 and other
satellites.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope made four observations during
the last 12 hour period.  This instrument obtained two views of
stars at the edge of our galaxy.  An observation was also made of a
small magellanic cloud, as well as the Virgo cluster.

The Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators plasma contactor
experiments continued during the night.  Early in his shift,
Payload Specialist Byron Lichtenberg reported seeing a
"pink-purplish" glow about 40 to 50 feet above the orbiter,
apparently caused by the emission of xenon gases during the SEPAC
experiment.

Only one science discipline -- solar science -- had no observations
scheduled during the shift.  However, the Solar Ultraviolet
Spectral Irradiance Monitor was calibrated in preparation for
upcoming solar ultraviolet irradiance measurements.  Several solar
science observations will be made during the next 12 hour shift, as
well as investigations in space plasma physics, atmospheric science
and astronomy.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


                    MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                      Status Report #11

Saturday, March 28, 1992, 6:30 a.m. CST

     Atlantis continued to perform flawlessly overnight while
the crew concentrated on observations of Earth and its
atmosphere.

     Electrical power consumption has remained below planned
levels, and the current projection is that the spacecraft's
supply is sufficient to support an extra day in space.

     Shuttle managers are expected to review the situation in
the near future and decide whether to add 9th day to Mission
STS-45.

     Onboard Atlantis, Mission Specialist David Leestma
contacted a school in Harrington, England, using the Shuttle
Amateur Radio Experiment during the night and reported a long
exchange with students there.  Leestma told Mission Control
that the crew has made contact with a multitude of amateur
radio operators throughout the world so far, talking with
operators on every continent except Antarctica and Africa.

     The crew also reported spectacular views of Earth and
photography of San Francisco and the California coast,
Canada, China and the Russian Republic.

     Atlantis is now in a 161 n.m. x 156 n.m. orbit, circling
Earth every 90 minutes, 15 seconds.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

MISSION CONTROL CENTER STATUS REPORT #12
12:30 p.m. CST
March 28, 1992

All aboard Atlantis continues to go well as the orbiter and
seven-person crew crossed the halfway point in the STS-45 mission.

Flight controllers continue to monitor the health of the orbiter
and predict that consummables margins will nowsupport an
additional science day in space for the crew should the management
team decide to extend Atlantis'eleventh flight.

The payload community at the Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, Alabama, need a decision by midday Sunday to allow
enough time to plan science activities for the crew on the added day.

Here in Houston, flight controllers continually monitor all orbiter
systems and report no hardware concerns that would either impact
science or remaining in orbit for an additional day.

The Red Team consisting of Dave Leestma, Mike Foale and Byron
Lichtenberg is scheduled to wake up about 2:15 p.m. Central to
begin their sixth flight day in space. The Blue Team members
Charlie Bolden, Brian Duffy, Kathy Sullivan and Dirk Frimout
is scheduled to go to bed at 6:15p.m. Central this evening.

Atlantis' orbit is 161 x 157 nautical miles, circling Earth
each 90 minutes, 25 seconds.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #9
6:00 p.m. CST, March 28, 1992
4/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

"The baseline ATLAS-1 mission is over halfway through, and
everything is going very well," reported Mission Manager Tony
O'Neil at today's press briefing.  "The principal investigators
tell me the instruments are performing as well as possible."

The ATLAS-1 atmospheric instruments are now completing their third
day of observations.  Measurements have already been made of most
of the key atmospheric constituents ATLAS-1 scientists hoped to
track, and experiment teams at Spacelab control in Huntsville are
excited about the data they have gathered up to this point in the
mission.  "It's one thing to have a good plan," explained Dr. Mike
Gunson, principal investigator for the Atmospheric Trace Molecule
Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment.  "It's something else to actually
realize the plan and see all the good effects that come from it.
Thus far, ATLAS-1 has been an incredible success for us."  Around
1,000 ATMOS spectra already have been processed at NASA's Jet
Propulsion Laboratory, where the experiment was developed.

During this shift, the Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions instrument
collected about 50 percent more data than originally planned.
ATMOS, the Grille Spectrometer, the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric
Sounder (MAS), the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) and the
Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Experiment (SSBUV) made
several dozen correlative observations with Upper Atmosphere
Research Satellite (UARS), launched last September to track global
ozone.  Another UARS instrument served as a detector for emissions
from the Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC)
experiment.  In addition, ground-based stations around the world
are gathering data for comparison with ATLAS-1 measurements.

The astronaut crew served as eyes for the scientists on the ground,
describing the dancing lights of auroras visible in night passes
over the Southern Hemisphere.  This morning, Pilot Bryan Duffy
reported seeing a brilliant red and purple aurora that stretched
from Africa almost to Australia.  Duffy, Mission Specialist Kathy
Sullivan and Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout recorded auroras and
airglow for the Atmospheric Emission Photometric Imaging (AEPI)
experiment.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST) continues to make
images of large sections of the ultraviolet sky.  The Energetic
Neutral Atom Precipitation experiment used ISO data to observe
high-speed particles that rain down from the magnetosphere into the
atmosphere closer to Earth, where they give off very faint light
emissions.

One of the challenges of the ATLAS-1 mission has been the volume
and diversity of the data flow between the Shuttle Atlantis and
Spacelab control.  Mission Scientist Marsha Torr estimated that
that around 18 megabits of data per second are being processed.
"It is a tribute to the many people working around the clock in
Spacelab Mission Operations Control that this mission seems as
smooth as it does," she observed, referring the real-time
operations team, the replanning team, the data management team and
the many others who keep the complex mission timeline up-to-date
and operating.

During a live television segment from the Shuttle, Payload
Specialist Frimout recognized another group at Spacelab control --
the science teams for each of the experiments.  Pointing to a
picture of his colleagues, Frimout said, "We're not alone on
board.  We have the company of a whole group of people; we're very
proud of the work they do and very thankful for their help."  The
close working relationship between the scientists in orbit and the
scientists on the ground was illustrated as several teams were
voice-enabled to talk with crew members operating their experiments
during the day.

The four ATLAS-1 solar instruments -- Solar Ultraviolet Spectral
Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM), Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR),
Measurement of Solar Constant (SOLCON) and Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC)
-- are in final stages of preparation for the second solar
observing period of the mission, which will run for six hours.
They will be joined in this round of observations by the SSBUV,
which will compare solar ultraviolet measurements with the
ultraviolet radiation reflected from the Earth.

An official decision on extending the mission one day will not be
announced until tomorrow.  However, the science teams have been
busy proposing extra science activities they would like to
accomplish if the additional time becomes available.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


                       MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                          Status Report #13

Saturday, March 28, 1992, 11:30 p.m. CST


The Space Shuttle Atlantis continued to operate flawlessly
today as work continued to study the Earth's atmosphere from
space with the ATLAS-1 instruments.

Mission managers were scheduled to meet Sunday morning to
consider the merits of extending the flight by one additional
day.  The Payload Operations Control Center at the Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama requires a
decision by noon central time on Sunday in order to process
the science timeline for an extra day on orbit.  As of late
Saturday, the power consumption aboard Atlantis was
sufficiently below the pre-flight predictions to account for
an extra 27 hours of stay time on-orbit.

The decision on whether to extend the flight is based on
attaining any additional electrical margins beyond that
necessary to support the nominal eight-day flight plus two
contingency days.

Earlier in the day, as the Blue Team was handing over to the
Red Team aboard Atlantis, Mission Specialist Kathy Sullivan
reported a relatively good pass over the Panama Canal Zone.
Crews have often observed the Canal Zone to be cloud-covered
during past Space Shuttle flights, and obtaining detailed
photographs of that area from orbit was on the target list
for this flight supplied by the Space Shuttle Earth
Observations Project Office at Johnson Space Center.
Sullivan added her observation that the lower part of the
Earth's atmosphere has appeared hazier than she
remembered from her past Shuttle flights.  Sullivan's
last flight was STS-31 in the spring of 1990 on a mission to
deploy the Hubble Space Telescope. She said the atmosphere
appeared much more hazy than it did two years ago.

Mission Specialist Dave Leestma reported a successful contact
with an elementary school in California using the Shuttle
Amateur Radio Experiment equipment aboard Atlantis.  Leestma
spoke with several students at Norwood Creek Elementary
School in San Jose as the Atlantis passed over the west coast
of the United States at 17,500 miles per hour.  Some 600
parents, faculty and students were present for the event,
which was coordinated prior to the beginning of the mission
last Tuesday.

                       MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                          Status Report #14

Sunday, March 29, 1992, 6 a.m. CST

Atlantis continued to orbit in excellent health overnight and
flight controllers passed a quiet Sunday morning in Mission
Control, assisting with the ongoing scientific studies of Earth's
atmosphere.

The supplies of air, water, electricity, fuel and food aboard
Atlantis have been determined to be plentiful enough to
support an additional day in space for mission STS-45.
Shuttle managers will meet at 8 a.m. CST this morning to
decide if, indeed, a ninth day will be added to the flight.

Also, at about 7:19 a.m. CST, the crew will have the best of
four opportunities available today to attempt a conversation with
the cosmonauts aboard the Mir space station via amateur radio.
Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment investigators have asked the crew
to videotape any contact made with the Russian spacecraft if
possible.

Earth observation photography opportunities today include the
environment around Nuremberg, Germany and the Rhine River delta;
thunderstorms along the U.S. Gulf Coast; the region explored by
Christopher Columbus from the Bahamas south in the Carribean Sea;
the Pecos and Rio Grande rivers in Texas; and the great salt desert
in Iran to the Pakistani coast.

Atlantis is in a 160 by 156 nautical mile orbit, circling Earth each
90 minutes, 14 seconds.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #10
6:00 a.m. CST, March 29, 1992
4/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The ATLAS 1 mission continued last night as instruments onboard the
Space Shuttle Atlantis observed the Earth and its surroundings.
Although all of the science disciplines were studied during the
shift, four experiments studied the sun, and the energy radiated by
it, for approximately six hours.

One of these solar science instruments, the Measurement of Solar
Constant (SOLCON), was commanded by scientists at the European
Science Technology Center in Holland.  Although SOLCON was remotely
controlled during this solar observation period, it is normally
commanded by the Spacelab experiment computer.  SOLCON, a Belgian
instrument, determines the total solar radiation by measuring how
much power is required to maintain a heat balance between the two
cavities of the equipment.

NASA's Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor (ACR) was taking
simultaneous measurements with SOLCON to compare data about the
total solar irradiance.  These instruments are part of an ongoing
program that compiles a highly accurate, long-term total solar
irradiance database using a series of identical instruments aboard
satellites and Shuttle missions.  For example, measurements from
ACR were made at the same time its sister instrument, ACRIM, made
measurements aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite.

Another solar energy measuring instrument, the Solar Spectrum
Measurement from 180 to 3,200 Nanometers (SOLSPEC), operated during
the night.  SOLSPEC, a French, German and Belgian experiment,
measured solar radiation from ultraviolet through infrared to
determine how solar energy is distributed by wavelength.  This
investigation will help scientists understand how solar energy
varies over time, and to identify and quantify the connections
between variations in this energy and changes in the atmosphere.

A fourth instrument, the Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance
Monitor (SUSIM), was also busy measuring the sun's ultraviolet
radiation between 110 and 410 nanometers during the night.  During
this shift, SUSIM took measurements at the same time the SUSIM
instrument aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was
operating.  Information from these two instruments will be compared
to characterize any long-term drift in the satellite instrument.

Atmospheric sciences were conducted during this shift by the
Imaging Spectrometric Observatory, Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric
Sounder, Grille Spectrometer and the Atmospheric Trace Molecule
Spectroscopy.  The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
Spectrometer made its first solar observation of this mission to
measure solar ultraviolet radiation.

The Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging low-light television
camera made nadir (vertically beneath the Shuttle) observations
last night to view mid-latitude airglow structures, lightning
flashes in the tropical regions near land masses and marine
bioluminescence in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.  This
atmospheric science instrument also made images of the resonance
radiation of magnesium ions to help scientists better understand
the cause-effect relationship on upper atmospheric dynamics.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope took advantage of the orbital
nights to make observations of a cluster of galaxies in Dorado, as
well as Ophiucus, a region in our own Milky Way Galaxy filled with
stars, dust and gas.  This ultraviolet telescope also observed
NGC6752, a globular cluster of stars just outside our galaxy and
LHEM83, a nearby spiral galaxy similar to the Milky Way.  Dr. Tim
Sasseen, FAUST Project Scientist from the University of California
in Berkeley, seems very pleased with the observations made so far.
He commented on the Small Magellanic Cloud image captured earlier
in the mission by saying, "The image of a trail of gas behind the
cloud offers an intriguing suggestion of star formation taking
place in that region."

The next 12 hours will provide an opportunity for further
collection of science as the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder,
Imaging Spectrometric Observatory, Atmospheric Trace Molecule
Spectroscopy, Grille Spectrometer, Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha
Emissions and the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
Spectrometer continue to operate for atmospheric science
investigations.  Also, space plasma physics will be studied by the
Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging and Space Experiments
with Particle Accelerators instruments.

======================================================================


MISSION CONTROL CENTER
Status Report #15

Sunday, March 29, 1992, 9:30 a.m. CST

Spacecraft Communicator Jeff Wisoff notified Atlantis' crew Sunday
morning that an additional day in space has been officially
granted.

Following a meeting of mission managers, the crew was notified
about 9 a.m. that the mission is scheduled to end Thursday,
April 2, instead of Wednesday.

"That's great news, we're all excited about it," Commander
Charlie Bolden said in response to Wisoff, "Everybody is
smiling."

"Everybody's smiling down here also," Wisoff said.

The new landing time for Atlantis is approximately 5:24 a.m.
CST at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  The deorbit burn
that will drop Atlantis out of orbit for the descent into
Florida will occur about one hour prior to landing.

Weather predictions at landing time are for scattered clouds
with light easterly winds and a slight possibility of rain.
The backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in
California is predicted to have good weather on Thursday.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


MISSION CONTROL STATUS REPORT #16
3:00 p.m. CST
Sunday, March 29, 1992

For the fourth time in the shuttle program a mission has been
extended in order to allow the crew and science community to
collect additional data.

STS-45 was officially extended by one day following the
Mission Management Team meeting this morning when it was
determined that enough margin exists in the onboard fuel
tanks to keep Atlantis in space until Thursday.

Crew Commander Charlie Bolden and the remainder of the Blue
Team -- Brian Duffy, Kathy Sullivan and Dirk Frimout -- were
notified of the plan at 9 a.m. Central by Mission Control.

"That's great news, we're all excited about it," Commander
Charlie Bolden said, "Everybody is smiling."

"Everybody's smiling down here also," said Jeff Wisoff, spacecraft
communicator.

The Red Team consisting of Dave Leestma, Mike Foale and Byron
Lichtenberg were notified when they were awakened at 2:15 p.m. Central.

The landing time for Atlantis is approximately 6:24 a.m. EST
at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida -- about 11
minutes after sunrise.  The deorbit burn that will drop
Atlantis out of orbit for the descent into Florida will occur
about one hour prior to landing.

Weather conditions at the time of landing are predicted to be scattered
clouds with light, easterly winds and a slight possibility of
rain.  The backup landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in
California is predicted to have good weather on Thursday.

Previously, STS-9, STS-51F, and most recently STS-42 were
extended by one day to gather more science.

All Atlantis systems are performing well as the orbiter
circles the Earth every 90 minutes.

----------------------------------------------------------------------


ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #11
6:00 p.m. CST, March 29, 1992
5/10:47 ET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The ATLAS-1 suite of instruments will have an extra day to gather
information about the atmosphere, the sun, space plasma and the
stars, thanks to the crew's efficient conservation of on-board
consumables.

"We're very excited about getting the ninth day," said Mission
Manager Tony O'Neil.  "But I have a little problem," he quipped. "I
asked the principal investigators to submit requests for additional
science activities, and they turned in enough for ten days!"
O'Neil said the ATLAS-1 schedule would be completed as planned
through the eighth day, then the ninth would be divided among
orbiter attitudes for Earth observations, solar pointing, and
special orientations for astronomy and some atmospheric
investigations.

The Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) team
believes the crew may have created double layers of electron
charges during a plasma contactor run this morning -- a scientific
first.  Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout reported seeing "an intense
glow, like a candle burning," on top of the contactor, along with
very bright spherical patches in a cone-shaped beam.  Via a direct
air-to-ground hookup, Principal Investigator Dr. Jim Burch told
Frimout, "People have seen these multiple double layers in the
laboratory, but we really did not expect to see them in space. This
is very exciting for us."  The team hopes to repeat the experiment
later to verify results.

It was also a good day for the other crew-operated space plasma
experiment, the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI)
investigation.  During one activity, Mission Specialist Kathy
Sullivan reported seeing very bright natural auroras.  "We got the
best spectrum I've seen so far," she said.  "We must have gone
directly over part of the [auroral] curtain at the perfect time."
Auroras are visible evidence of solar-wind energy as it interacts
with Earth's atmosphere.

The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) is getting
increasingly high-quality data as the mission progresses.  The team
has now has several opportunities to measure chlorine monoxide, a
trace component of the middle atmosphere known to contribute to
ozone loss. "We are very hopeful that we have sufficient data to
measure chlorine monoxide in the atmosphere," reported experiment
team member Dr. Richard Bevilacqua.

Alternate Payload Specialists Rick Chappell, communicating with the
crew from Spacelab control, told them the Grille Spectrometer had
completed each of the team's experiment objectives several times,
saying they were getting "wonderful data."  During the mission, the
spectrometer has measured hydrogen chloride higher in the
atmosphere than it has ever been detected before.

Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) team members
reported several more coincident measurements with the Upper
Atmosphere Research Satellite, with some of the closest
correlations coming up tomorrow.  The Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet (SSBUV) Spectrometer has switched back to Earth
observations after completing solar viewing in the last shift, and
the Energetic Neutral Atom Precipitation Experiment (ENAP) had an
unexpected opportunity to view auroral emissions today.

Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) scientists are planning
additional measurements to learn more about distributions of
deuterium in the thermosphere.  Principal Investigator Dr.
Jean-Loup Bertaux reports the instrument has measured deuterium all
over the world during the ATLAS-1 mission.  The team will use the
data to map the altitude transition between the lower turbulence in
the atmosphere and calmer upper regions.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST) captured a wide-field
view of ultraviolet light emitted from globular clusters known to
astronomers as NGC4038/39.  Later, the team watched with enthusiasm
as their instrument downlinked live video of a bonus observation of
the star Avior, obtained during an inertial measurement unit
alignment.

The Atlantis flight deck looked a bit like a high-tech camera store
as Mission Specialist Kathy Sullivan panned the crowded work area
with a video camera during a spare moment.  With the exception of
the two plasma physics experiments, most ATLAS-1 instruments are
operated automatically by a master computer timeline, or remotely
controlled from the ground.  However, the crew supports several
experiments with various forms of photography, as well as by
sending some computer commands from the orbiter.

As an example, Sullivan said crew commanding from the onboard
laptop computer had given the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory
(ISO) more latitude than expected, "challenging the scientific
frontiers the instrument is capable of supporting."  ISO is an
array of five spectrometers which cover a range of wavelengths from
the extreme ultraviolet through visible light into near infrared.
Measuring the complete distribution of light as seen from the
atmosphere, it can recognize the chemical "fingerprint" of almost
every constituent in the thermosphere.

Students from three elementary schools in the Huntsville area
talked with Commander Charles Bolden via "ham" radio this
afternoon.  Four licensed ham radio operators on board have been
communicating with school children all over the world throughout
the flight, the fifth to carry the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment
(SAREX).  With the students in Huntsville was a special operator,
former astronaut Dr. Owen Garriot.  As a mission specialist on
Spacelab 1 in 1983, Garriot was the first person to operate amateur
radio from space.

The four solar science teams are busy analyzing the excellent data
they collected during their second observing period last night.  A
third period of sun-viewing operations is set for Tuesday.

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #17

Sunday, March 29, 1992, 11:30 p.m.


The Orbit 3 Team observed a quiet shift in Mission Control
this evening as the Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis continued
to perform flawlessly after more than 90 orbits of the Earth.

Flight controllers spent much of the evening preparing a new
attitude timeline for a ninth flight day.  Mission Managers
decided earlier Sunday to extend the mission by 24 hours to
allow for further science investigations. With the landing
now set for Thursday morning, planners worked to schedule the
different maneuvers Atlantis will execute in support of the
various science instrumentation that makes up the ATLAS-1
payload.

Atlantis continues to orbit the Earth once every 90 minutes
in a 161 by 156-nautical-mile orbit inclined 57 degrees to
the equator.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #12
6:00 a.m. CST, March 30, 1992
5/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

As the Space Shuttle Atlantis circled the Earth last night, mission
management and investigator teams from each of the ATLAS 1
experiments were busy at Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville,
Ala., deciding how to make the best use of the extra day in space.
Since the objective of ATLAS 1 is to gather data about the
environment surrounding our planet, the additional day will provide
even more information than originally planned.

During the past 12 hours, all six atmospheric science instruments
took part in investigations to help scientists understand more
about how the atmosphere evolved to support life on Earth, how it
is maintained and how it continues to change.  The Millimeter-Wave
Atmospheric Sounder (MAS), a remote sensing instrument, measured
the radiation emitted by water vapor, ozone and chlorine monoxide
in the middle atmosphere.  The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory
(ISO) made several measurements of airglow, including the extreme
ultraviolet and ultraviolet wavelengths of dayglow and viewed the
Earth from space.  Mission Specialist Michael Foale took
photographs of these observations.

Other instruments also were involved in the study of the
atmosphere.  The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS)
instrument and the Grille Spectrometer measured various trace
molecules during orbital sunsets and sunrises to determine how they
are distributed vertically in the atmosphere.  The Atmospheric
Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) instrument observed the brightness of
the Earth's limb at both high and low latitudes to provide
information about the hydrogen and deuterium content of the upper
atmosphere.

At the same time the other five atmospheric science experiments
were going on, The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet
Spectrometer (SSBUV) made observations which will be used as a
"yardstick" for comparison with satellite data.  The SSBUV measures
the concentration of ozone and the amount of radiation scattering
back into space from the Earth.  This information will give an
indication of how much ozone is actually present in the
stratosphere and lower mesosphere.

Using the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI)
low-light television camera, the crew of Atlantis has provided some
amazing views of airglow during this shift.  AEPI, one of three
ATLAS 1 instruments involved in the study of space plasma physics,
provided images of airglow that are not visible to the naked eye.
Airglow was not discovered until the early part of this century
when spectra of the night sky revealed light emitted from atomic
oxygen.  Therefore, observations such as the ones made by AEPI will
help scientists understand more about the distribution of many
atmospheric molecules.  AEPI made observations through the wake                                                                       
caused by the movement of the Shuttle through the atmosphere during
this shift.

Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) performed two
experiments with the plasma contactor during this reporting
period.  This investigation emits a partially ionized gas cloud to
neutralize any charge on the orbiter.  The ionized cloud contains
both electrons and positive ions, allowing neutralization either
way, depending upon what type of charge is on the orbiter.

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST) observed a Large
Magellanic Cloud, a nearby galaxy located in the constellation
Dorado.  This satellite galaxy of the Milky Way provides an
opportunity to study interstellar dust.  Information such as this
is important in comparing the evolution of a Large Magellanic Cloud
and our own Milky Way Galaxy.  FAUST also viewed extra galactic
light in the constellation Hydra.  While observing a target in the
constellation Coma, the FAUST science team lost power to their
instrument.  Members of the FAUST science and engineer team are
still investigating the situation.

The next 12 hours will be filled with atmospheric science
experiments by the Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder, Imaging
Spectrometric Observatory, Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy,
Grille Spectrometer, Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emission and the
Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Spectrometer.  Also during
the upcoming shift, the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging
Experiment and Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators are to
be used for space plasma physics investigations.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #18

Monday, March 30, 1992, 6 a.m.


Flight controllers saw no problems aboard Atlantis overnight
and the crew continued their science work uninterrupted.
Communications between the spacecraft and Houston were
minimal.

The crew will take a brief break from their science
observations at 3:43 p.m. CST today for a press conference.
Questions from reporters at the Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Alabama, and the Kennedy Space Center,
Florida, will be fielded by crew members.

Interesting regions of Earth the crew has been asked to
photograph today include the Missouri River from the Canadian
Border to Mississippi; Carribean islands; thunderstorms over
the Amazon River Basin; sunlight reflecting from the Persian
Gulf; and the Andes Mountains in South America.

Atlantis is in a 160 nautical mile by 155 nautical mile
orbit, circling Earth every 90 minutes, 12 seconds.

 

  KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - THURSDAY, MAR. 26, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - ON ORBIT

     Both solid rocket booster retrieval ships  have  arrived  at
Hangar  AF at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.   The Freedom
Star arrived at the dock with the left booster at 6:30 p.m.  last
night.  The  Liberty  Star  spent the night at Port Canaveral and
made its way up the Banana River this morning and arrived at Han-
gar AF with the right booster at 8 a.m.  today.  The left booster
is  on  its  dolly for post-flight safing and inspections.  Tech-
nicians are hoisting the right booster onto its dolly today.

     Atlantis' landing is planned for Apr. 1 at 6:19 a.m.  EST at
KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility.

[Note: Landing date has changed since this report  -dg]

 

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, MAR. 27, 1992  10 AM


 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - ON ORBIT

     The thrust vector  control  systems  on  both  solid  rocket
boosters  have  been depressurized and hydrolasing operations are
underway on the tunnel covers to remove the close out material.

     Atlantis' landing is planned for Apr. 1 at 6:19 a.m.  EST at
KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility.


 

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                         Status Report #19

Monday, March 30, 1992, 1:30 p.m. CST

While Atlantis' crew followed its pre-mission timeline,
controllers in Mission Control and payload control in Huntsville
concentrated on planning activities for the crew now that an extra
day in space has been granted.

Since the orbiter is trouble free, the only issue being addressed
is the predicted weather conditions in Florida and at the
alternate landing site in California.

A weather briefing to flight controllers in Houston at 12:30 p.m.
CST.  Today indicated that the primary landing strip at the
Kennedy Space Center looks favorable for a landing Thursday at
5:24 a.m. CST.  Friday looks unstable as a low front pushes across
Florida from the east carrying low clouds and rain.

The alternate site at Edwards Air Force Base appears to be
favorable Thursday and Friday.

Additional weather briefings to the flight control teams will
occur on each shift for the remainder of the mission.

The crew will take a break from its science activities this
afternoon for a press conference.  Questions from reporters at the
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and the
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, will be fielded by all seven crew
members.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #13
6:00 p.m. CST, March 30, 1992
6/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

From icecaps to deserts, and cotton-white clouds to brilliant blue
seas, live video from the Shuttle Atlantis today gave viewers back
home an armchair tour of Planet Earth.  The Shuttle's 57-degree
orbital inclination allows it to pass over most of the globe, about
as far south as Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, and as far north as
Juneau, Alaska.

Much of the video supported the Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet (SSBUV) spectrometer, which measures both the incoming
solar ultraviolet flux and reflected ultraviolet light.  Since
ozone absorbs ultraviolet light, the difference is an indication of
the amount of ozone in the stratosphere.  The Earth views will
allow SSBUV scientists to correct for cloud cover as they compare
the ultraviolet radiation from the sun with that which is reflected
back (backscattered) from the Earth.  SSBUV has flown on the
Shuttle once a year since 1989.  It will continue annual flights
through 2000, thus providing a database for an entire 11-year solar
cycle, in which the sun goes from maximum to minimum activity and
back again.

"This is what a Space Shuttle mission should be.  We are thrilled,
because the science data gathering is going just the way we had
hoped it would," reported Mission Scientist Dr. Marsha Torr.
Scientists for all six of the ATLAS-1 atmospheric instruments
continue to obtain an unprecedented amount of data for their global
picture of the atmosphere.

After receiving exceptional wide-field views of auroras and
atmospheric airglow throughout the mission, the Atmospheric
Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI) team instructed the crew today
to narrow their cameras' field of view.  The adjustment could
continue for most of their remaining observations.  Zooming in on
smaller areas provides sharper resolution of the specific target
which is being studied.

Mission Specialist Dr. Kathy Sullivan took time to thank the
training teams at Johnson Space Center and Marshall Space Flight
Center, which worked for almost a year to prepare the crew for the
ATLAS-1 mission.  "We're lucky to have such a full and competent
set of partners," said Sullivan.  "We wouldn't have felt so
confident and been so efficient if they hadn't done such a good job
of getting us ready."

The Spacelab Mission Operations Control staff has been very busy
planning science activities for an additional mission day.  "Time
in space is a precious commodity, and the flight planning team is
doing an outstanding job to ensure that we make the most of every
second in orbit," said Mission Manager Tony O'Neil.  Mission
Scientist Torr added, "We hope to have some 'icing on the cake' for
everybody."

The Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST) team released their
scheduled observation periods to other ATLAS-1 instruments when it
became apparent they would not be able to reactivate their
telescope, which lost all power at about 2:30 CST this morning.
Ground analysis suggests the outage was caused by a blown fuse.
The telescope had been making steady observations since Thursday,
after a stunning recovery from a high voltage problem the second
day of the mission.  "If we hadn't come back up after the first
failure, that would have been a true disaster," said Principal
Investigator Dr. Stuart Bowyer.  "NASA did a lot to help us make up
the time lost then, and scientifically this mission turned into a
real success for us.  It could take us up to three years to analyze
the data we have gathered."

During a press briefing today, Mission Manager O'Neil emphasized
the eduational activities associated with the ATLAS-1 flight.  The
crew is taking time from their duties to broadcast live
explanations of each of the ATLAS-1 experiments, and a teachers'
guide to the mission entitled "Earth's Mysterious Atmosphere" has
been published.  Educators may request a copy from their nearest
NASA Teacher Resource Center.  The text of the guide is also
available on Spacelink, NASA's computer bulletin board.  The
Spacelink modem telephone number is 205/895-0028, and its Internet
address is "spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov."

Atmospheric and space plasma physic activities will continue until
the end of the next shift, when the third intensive period of solar
observations will begin.  The four ATLAS-1 solar instruments, along
with the SSBUV, will study the sun for eight orbits (12 hours).

------------------------------------------------------------------------
MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #20

Monday, March 30, 1992, 11:30 p.m. CST


Members of the STS-45 crew took a break from science
activities to field questions from the news media today
during a live press conference from space.  The questions
originated from reporters gathered at the Marshall
Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and from the
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

During the evening hours, members of the Orbit 3 flight
control team in the Mission Control Center worked on
coordinating the science timeline for the extra flight day
that was approved by mission managers on Sunday.  Making the
most of that extra day of science activity requires the
gathering of priorities and preferences from each of the
major science teams on the ATLAS-1 project, and then working
those into a complicated orbiter attitude and crew activity
timeline.

All orbiter systems, meanwhile, continue to function well,
and no major anomalies are being tracked at this time.
Atlantis continues to circle the Earth once every 90 minutes
in a 160 x 154 nautical-mile-orbit.


-----------------------------------------------------------------


MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #21

Tuesday, March 31, 1992, 6 a.m.


Atlantis continued to orbit in excellent health during the
night, and Mission Control concentrated on planning
activities for the crew's additional day in space.

During the night, Shuttle Amateur Radio Experimenters
reported that the crew contacted students at a school in
Augsburg, Germany, for nine minutes. The contact was the
final communication planned with a school for the flight. The
shuttle crew has fielded questions from students worldwide
during the mission.

Today, the crew will have the opportunity to photograph the
central Mediterranean Sea and the Mt. Etna volcano; southern
Iraq, Kuwait and the Persian Gulf; the Volga River delta and
Caspian Sea in Russia; and the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

At present, the blue team of crew members -- Commander
Charlie Bolden, Pilot Brian Duffy, Mission Specialist Kathy
Sullivan and Payload Specialist Dirk Frimout -- are beginnng
their eighth work shift in space studying Earth's atmosphere
from above.

Atlantis is in a 160 nautical mile by 154 nautical mile
orbit, circling the planet every 90 minutes and 12 seconds.

    KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - MONDAY, MAR. 30, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - ON ORBIT

     Hydrolasing activities are continuing on both  solid  rocket
boosters to remove the thermal protective foam.

     Atlantis'  mission has been extended one day and the end-of-
mission landing is now scheduled for Thursday,  Apr.  2  at  6:24
a.m. EST at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility.

 

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #14
6:00 a.m. CST, March 31, 1992
6/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

ATLAS 1, the first in a series of missions to study both the
atmosphere surrounding the Earth and the sun, continued over night
as atmospheric science, space plasma physics and solar physics
investigations were conducted.

All six of the atmospheric science instruments were active at one
time or another during the past 12 hour period.  The Atmospheric
Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) instrument made further measurements
of the relative abundance of two varieties of hydrogen atoms in the
upper atmosphere -- atomic hydrogen and deuterium.  This instrument
detects a particular wavelength of ultraviolet light, called
Lyman-Alpha, which is radiated by both hydrogen and deuterium at
slightly different wavelengths.  By comparing results with similar
data gathered from the upper atmospheres of other planets,
scientists will have a better understanding of the transition
region between the lower turbulence atmosphere and the calmer
regions of the Earth's atmosphere and its role in the loss of water
since the formation of the planet.

The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) examined the
chemical and physical make-up of the atmosphere during this shift.
Since this instrument operates in the absorption mode, measurement
opportunities occured twice during each orbit.  ATMOS measures
solar infrared radiation after it passes through the atmosphere
during orbital sunrises and sunsets.

Observations of the global distribution of active trace gases which
absorb infrared radiation were made by the Grille Spectrometer.
During orbital sunsets, this instrument observed ozone, carbon
monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, nitrogen dioxide,
nitrous oxide, nitric oxide, hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen
chloride.

Also during this shift, the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO)
continued its collection of information about the mesosphere.  By
analyzing the "snapshots" taken by ISO, scientists will be better
able to understand such chemical components as atomic oxygen,
molecular oxygen, hydroxyl, nitric oxide and the excited states of
these molecules.

Video views from a window of the Shuttle Atlantis were downlinked
last night to allow scientists at Spacelab Mission Operations
Control in Huntsville, Ala., to see the parabolic antenna of the
Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS).  This instrument was
busy collecting important global measurements of chlorine monoxide
and water vapor in an effort to help scientists understand more
about ozone loss.

As the MAS investigators watched video coverage of their
instrument, the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI)
science team watched their low-light television camera move from
one postion to another to observe airglow.  From inside the
orbiter, Mission Specialist Michael Foale and Payload Specialist
Bryon Lichtenberg took turns with the hand-held AEPI camera making
observations of atmospheric light emissions through an orbiter
window.

For several hours last night, the Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet (SSBUV) Spectrometer measured the radiation of the sun
that was being reflected back toward the Shuttle by the ozone.
Observations of cloud coverage were made by this instrument to
provide a comparison of the data concerning radiation backscatter
with and without the presence of clouds.

The Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC) instrument
had a successful run of one experiment using the plasma contactor.
This experiment was used to observe the natural generation of
voltage caused by the crossing of velocity (from the Shuttle's
orbital attitude) with the magnetic field from Earth.  This voltage
forced electrons out of the plasma contactor.

The Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM)
instrument was calibrated during this 12 hour period to be ready
for upcoming solar observations.  The science teams working with
solar science experiments were preparing for the next solar
observation period, beginning early in the next shift.   The Solar
Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM), the Active Cavity
Radiometer (ACR), the Measurement of the Solar Constant (SOLCON)
and the Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) instruments will be used to
measure the sun's total irradiance and variations in solar energy
which affect the chemistry of the atmosphere.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                     STS-45 Status Report #22


Tuesday, March 31, 1992, 4 p.m. CST


Atlantis' crew spent the day fine tuning the vehicle's
position in space to support observations of the
ATLAS instruments.

The blue team, Charlie Bolden, Brian Duffy, Kathy Sullivan
and Dirk Frimout, continued busily collecting data for
experimenters at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,
Alabama and at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Flight controllers in Mission Control adjusted the timeline for
the extra day in space by moving items that normally would occur
later today to Wednesday.

The routine checkout of orbiter flight control surfaces and a
test firing of the onboard steering engines will begin about
2:30 a.m. CST, Wednesday, with the entry flight control team
led by Flight Director Jeff Bantle overseeing activities.

Atlantis remains scheduled for landing at the Kennedy Space
Center on Thursday at 6:23 a.m. EST on orbit 143.  The deorbit
burn of the orbital maneuvering system engines would occur about
an hour prior to landing.

Weather conditions remain favorable for landing with only a slight
chance of patchy ground fog.

Weather conditions for the backup landing opportunity at
Edwards AFB, California, also look good with only a slight
possibility of rain.

Current orbit numbers for Atlantis:  160 x 154 nautical miles
circling the Earth every 90 minutes, 11 seconds.

------------------------------------------------------------------

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #23

Tuesday, March 31, 1992, 11:30 p.m.


Flight controllers spent a busy evening preparing a series of
messages for the crew of Atlantis, and reviewing various
contingency plans as attention in the Mission Control Center
begins to focus on Thursday's planned landing.

With two landing sites to choose from, and a variety of
possible landing opportunities over the next several days,
flight controllers have been sorting through each of those
options and, with an eye to the uncertainties of weather,
have developed a series of detailed plans to deal with all of
the possibilities for end of mission.

The primary opportunity calls for a deorbit burn to occur on
orbit 142 with a landing at Kennedy Space Center on Orbit 143
at 6:24 a.m. EST.

The orbiter Atlantis, meanwhile, continues to function very
well, with no major systems anomalies of any kind being
tracked.

----------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #15
6:00 p.m. CST, March 31, 1992
7/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

The Shuttle Atlantis pointed its cargo bay toward the sun
during daylight passes today, as the ATLAS-1 solar
instruments completed their third observation period of the
mission.  The interaction of solar radiation with Earth's
atmosphere, oceans and land masses provides the primary
driving force for the determination of climate.  Precise
measurements of the sun and its variations, in association
with those of atmospheric constituent responses, are
essential for understanding the Earth environment.

The Solar Spectrum (SOLSPEC) experiment measured the sun's
output through its full range of energy, from ultraviolet
through infrared.  By identifying regions of the atmosphere
that are likely to respond to particular variations in solar
infrared, visible and ultraviolet ranges, scientists will
better understand and be able to anticipate atmospheric
changes.

The Solar Ultraviolet Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM)
focused on the sun's ultraviolet radiation, a significant
source of energy for the Earth's upper atmosphere.
Fluctuations over a solar cycle in the amount of ultraviolet
radiation from the sun vary more than visible light.  Those
fluctuations bring about changes in a number of atmospheric
conditions, including the concentration of ozone in the
stratosphere.

Two of the instruments -- the Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR)
and Measurement of the Solar Constant (SOLCON) -- measured
with great accuracy the total energy output of the sun, the
so-called "solar constant."  Studies indicate the solar
output actually fluctuates, and scientists theorize that
systematic changes of only 0.5 percent per century could
explain the entire range of past climates from tropical to
ice age conditions.

The European SOLCON instrument was again remotely commanded
from the European Space Technology Center in the
Netherlands.  However, during today's observations, the
control team in Europe timed the  commands based on downlink
received there, rather than making them when promoted by the
Huntsville-based SOLCON team as they did in the last solar
pointing period.  This was a demonstration of "telescience,"
remote interactive control of space-based experiments.  The
European Space Agency plans to refine this technique, in
cooperation with investigator teams, during upcoming
Spacelab missions.

"During the mission, we have accumulated an extensive amount
of information on solar irradiance," said Mission Scientist
Marsha Torr. "Therefore, our processed database should be
very precise, and the statistical accuracy of the
conclusions drawn will be very high."  ATLAS-1 will form the
baseline for rest of the series, as well as connecting and
verifying solar data from various free-flying satellites
whose lifetimes the series overlaps.

Joint observations are an important feature of the ATLAS
Spacelab missions.  Today, a worldwide network of
geophysical observatories, radar receivers and spectrometers
-- from the giant Arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico to
small mobile radio sounders -- took coordinated measurements
of the ionosphere during a regularly scheduled "World Day."
The observations from the ground will be compared with
Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) readings from space
to learn more about the global condition of the upper
atmosphere.  The Space Experiments with Particle
Accelerators (SEPAC) experiment performed another plasma
contactor experiment in coordination with the ground radar
station at Jicamarca, Peru.

ISO also joined with the Atmospheric Emissions Photometric
Imaging (AEPI) camera in auroral observations over the
Southern Hemisphere.  While viewing a particularly dramatic
aurora, AEPI Principal Investigator Dr. Stephen Mende
exclaimed, "For me, that's the best one I've seen so far!"
Alternate Payload Specialist Dr. Rick Chappell reported to
the crew, "The ISO folks got some good images as well.  That
was a dynamite pass!"

After more than 24 hours of intensive consultation with
science teams in Huntsville and with Mission Control at
Johnson Space Center, Spacelab mission operations replanners
completed the timeline for 16 bonus orbits afforded by the
extra mission day.  "Its a little like being given sixteen
$1,000 bills.  We had to find the best way to spend them so
everybody gets a good share," explained Mission Scientist
Torr.

The extra activities will be inserted into the timeline
beginning at about 7 p.m. CST.  The first four orbits will
be devoted to special attitudes, placing the Shuttle in
various orientations relative to its velocity vector (flight
path) or pointing it to high latitudes for auroral
investigations and additional readings of atmospheric
constituents.  For the next seven orbits, the Shuttle bay
will be pointed toward Earth, allowing the atmospheric
instruments to take additional measurements.  The bay will
then be pointed to the sun, giving the solar science teams
another four orbits of data.  The Shuttle will go back to an
Earth-viewing mode for one about one-and-a-half orbits.
During that time, some  science activities will continue as
the data recorders are emptied and instrument stowing
begins.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
STS-45 STATUS REPORT #24

Wednesday, April 1, 1992, 6 a.m.

The crew of Atlantis performed a trouble-free day-before-
entry check of the systems to be used for tomorrow's return
home this morning.

A test run of the spacecraft's hydraulic system; operation of
ailerons, elevons and rudder; operation of the cockpit
displays, controls and navigational aids; and a test-firing
of Atlantis' 38 large steering jets all went without
incident. Atlantis remains in excellent mechanical health.

Atlantis is scheduled to begin its descent at 4:22 a.m. CST
Thursday with a firing of its two orbital maneuvering system
engines. Touchdown at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing
Facility Runway 33 is planned at 5:23 a.m. CST Thursday.

The current weather forecast predicts acceptable weather for
a landing tomorrow at KSC, calling for a low deck of
scattered clouds and two high decks of broken clouds,
unlimited visbility and a north-northeast wind at 10 knots
gusting to 16 knots.

Overnight, the tracking satellite that had been used to relay
communications to Atlantis over the Western Hemisphere,
designated the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-Spare (TDRS-
Spare), malfunctioned. The result was about a 30-minute
longer than normal gap in communications between Atlantis and
the ground as flight controllers rescheduled communications
via another satellite. A second satellite that also can
provide coverage over the west, designated TDRS-West, is now
in use and Atlantis is back in standard, almost continuous,
communications over both hemispheres.

Also this morning, the crew sent the ground a videotape of a
recent large, burning oil spill from a well located in the
Republic of Tadzhikstan in the former Soviet Union. The
videotaped observation was requested by the Space Shuttle
Earth Observations Project in response to a special request
from the U.S. State Department. The blown-out oil well is
reported to be releasing 70,000 barrels of oil per day. The
oil was ignited by local officials in hopes of minimizing
runoff into the local river, which is used for widespread
irrigation in the area.

The crew also had four opportunities during the morning to
attempt contact with the Mir space station cosmonauts via
amateur radio, however no report has been made by crew
members regarding the possiblities.

   KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - WEDNESDAY, APR. 1, 1992  10 AM

 
          STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - ON ORBIT

     Hydrolasing activities are continuing on both  solid  rocket
boosters to remove the thermal protective foam.

     Atlantis'  end-of-mission landing is scheduled for Thursday,
Apr.  2 at 6:23 a.m.  EST  at  KSC's  Shuttle  Landing  Facility.
Weather  conditions  are  favorable,  but  there  is a chance for
ground fog.

     Once on the ground,  the shuttle processing team  will  safe
the  orbiter  and the flight crew will get out of the crew cabin.
Atlantis will be towed to the Orbiter Processing Facility  bay  1
about three hours after landing for post-flight inspections.

 

MISSION CONTROL CENTER
Status Report #25

Wednesday, April 1, 1992, 3:30 p.m. CST


Atlantis' crew performed final observations Wednesday with the
ATLAS and began stowing equipment in preparation for Thursday
morning's return from space.

Astronauts tested the flight control surfaces and steering jets
during the early morning without incident putting the orbiter in
position for the deorbit burn and entry.

Atlantis is scheduled to begin its descent at 4:22 a.m. CST
Thursday with a firing of its two orbital maneuvering system
engines.  Landing is scheduled for 6:23 a.m. EST at the
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The weather forecast for KSC predicts scattered clouds and north-
northeast winds at 10 knots gusting to 19 knots.  That
equates to a 14 knot head wind on runway 33 at the Shuttle
Landing Facility.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #16
6:00 a.m. CST, April 1, 1992
7/22:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama


Due to an extra day in space, scientific instruments nestled in the
payload bay of the Space Shuttle Atlantis were allowed to gather more
information than was originally planned last night.  The data set
gathered during the next 24 hours is a bonus since the pre-planned
mission has been completed.  This is just one of the benefits from the
extension of the ATLAS 1 mission.  Another benefit is that data from
different geographical regions than previously studied may be
obtained.  For example, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy
(ATMOS) instrument observations can be made up to approximately 25
degrees north, which is about 7 degrees further north than earlier
observations.

The science teams involved with the ATLAS 1 experiments used this
additional time to measure the Earth's atmosphere and the sun from a
"new perspective" by using different attitudes for observation.
Special attitudes (positions of the Shuttle in relation to its orbital
direction) were achieved for eight orbits during the past shift.
During one of these special attitudes, the Atmospheric Emissions
Photometric Imaging (AEPI) low-light television camera, located on one
of the Spacelab pallets in the cargo bay, was able to study the wake
of the Shuttle during orbital twilight.  Payload Specialist Byron
Lichtenberg operated the hand-held AEPI camera from the starboard
window of the orbiter.  By using air-to-ground voice communications
with Dr. Gary Swenson, co-investigator for this experiment,
Lichtenberg was able to make some adjustments to the camera, providing
a good view of the Earth's limb as the Shuttle was entering orbital
daylight.

The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) made use of the extra time
in space to take a calibration spectra of hydroxyl on one of the
orbital passes last night.  Later, this instrument took measurements
of the mesosphere to understand more about the photochemistry of this
atmospheric region.  Ground-based observations, part of "World Day",
continued overnight and the data will be compared to the information
gathered by ISO during this mission to learn more about the global
condition of the atmosphere.

Throughout ATLAS 1, another investigation, the Energetic Neutral Atom
Precipitation (ENAP) investigation, has used the ISO instrument to
gather data during orbital nights because the emissions caused by
these neutral atoms are quite faint.  Also, the ENAP science team at
Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, has been making
ground-based observations by remotely controlling a similar instrument
located at the McDonald Observatory in Fort Davis, Texas.  One of the
special Shuttle attitudes over the past 12 hours allowed ENAP to study
an area from the southern auroral zone, a circularly shaped region
around the Earth's magnetic poles.

Other experiments also were involved in atmospheric science last
night.  To provide information about the evolution of water in our
planet's atmosphere, the Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE)
investigation measured the concentration of hydrogen and deuterium in
the middle atmosphere.  The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy
and Grill Spectrometer (GRILLE) instruments observed sunlight as it
passed through the Earth's atmosphere during orbital sunsets to help
scientists study the distribution of trace constituents, both in
altitude and globally.  ATMOS also uses the sunrises for this
purpose.  The Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) experiments
continued to measure the concentrations of water vapor, chlorine
monoxide and ozone to show how these molecules are distributed in the
upper atmosphere.

The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) instrument measured
the distribution of ozone by observing the solar ultraviolet radiation
and the resulting ultraviolet radiation that scatters off Earth's
atmosphere and back toward space.  The data gathered by SSBUV will be
used to support the results of a series of similar instruments on
satellites.

The four solar science experiments onboard the Shuttle Atlantis
continued their investigations with the payload pointed toward the
sun.  The Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) and the Solar Spectrum
Measurement from 180 to 3,200 Nanometers (SOLSPEC) instruments took
additional measurements of the variations of the sun's energy.  The
Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and the Measurement of the Solar
Constant (SOLCON) experiments measured the sun's total irradiance
during the last shift.  Scientists need information such as this to
understand the how sun affects temperature and chemical composition of
the upper atmosphere.

The next 12 hours of the ATLAS 1 mission are to be filled with
observations by the atmospheric science instruments, solar science
experiments and space plasma physics investigations.  The end of the
upcoming shift will be used to prepare the scientific equipment for
deactivation.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

ATLAS-1 Mission Status Report #17
6:00 p.m. CST, April 1, 1992
8/10:47 MET
Spacelab Mission Operations Control
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Alabama

After harvesting an extra day of scientific data, the ATLAS-1 crew
and science teams at Spacelab Mission Operations Control in
Huntsville are beginning to shut down the instruments which make up
the first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
(ATLAS-1).  Payload deactivation is set to begin shortly after 7:30
p.m. CST.

The last 12 hours of operations centered on atmospheric and solar
science.  For some of the instruments, it was "business as usual"
as they added to their already impressive database.  For example,
the Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE) experiment, which
before the extra day had already operated for twice as long as
originally planned, collected additional measurements of hydrogen
and deuterium.

The crew continued their "hunt" for auroras with the Atmospheric
Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI) experiment cameras.  The AEPI
team observed a rare red aurora near the altitude of the Shuttle's
orbit.  Normally, auroras occur some 100 miles lower.

Other experiment teams took advantage of the extra time to be a bit
creative with their observation modes.  During an Earth-observation
orbit today, Pilot Brian Duffy maneuvered the Shuttle to a special
attitude to allow instruments mounted on the sides of the cargo bay
to get a new perspective.  The Grille Spectrometer, having viewed
sunrises and sunsets in the Southern Hemisphere for most of the
mission, got a look at a Northern Hemisphere sunrise.  The
Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS), on the other hand, took
readings south of the Earth's equator almost to the edge of
Antartica.

"To conduct detailed atmospheric studies, measurements in both
hemispheres are important," observed MAS Co-investigator Dr.
Richard Bevilacqua.  MAS scans the Earth's limb with a microwave
dish to track water vapor, ozone and chlorine monoxide levels in
the atmosphere.  The maneuver today, and a similar one last night,
gave MAS its best chlorine monoxide readings yet.  Since
concentrations of the chemical in the atmosphere are quite weak,
long daylight observation periods are required to make accurate
measurements.  "Though there is realitively little of it in the
atmosphere, chlorine monoxide is an important factor in ozone
photochemistry.  One molecule could destroy hundreds of thousands
of ozone molecules as the catalytic cycle repeats," explained
Bevilacqua.

The Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) also employed a special
orbital attitude, looking at the atmosphere's dayglow during the
transition from day to night, with the Earth shielding the
instrument's view from the actual glare of the sun.

Having completed their scientific objectives for the mission, the
Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) team instructed the
crew to power off their instrument just before 11 a.m. CST.  For
maximum accuracy of data interpretation, the precisely calibrated
instrument must be in almost identical condition at the end of the
mission as it was at the beginning.  "We powered off the SSBUV to
allow it to cool further," said Co-Investigator Bruce Guenther.
"Now, we're just waiting for the Shuttle to land, so we can start
the 12 months of work we'll have to do in the next 10 months to get
it ready for ATLAS-2."

This afternoon, the ATLAS-1 solar instruments took measurements of
the sun's energy output using very precise pointing by the orbiter
for three orbits, adding to the already impressive measurements
they accumulated during three earlier solar pointing periods.

ATLAS-1's concurrent measurements of the atmosphere and the sun
which powers it have have amassed an "historic database that is
truly unique," said  Mission Scientist Dr. Marsha Torr.  "An array
of instruments such as these has never been assembled before, and
it could be some time before as extensive a collection flies
again.  Scientists will be referencing this database for at least
two decades to come."

After a year of analysis by the experiment scientists, ATLAS-1 data
will be placed in public archives at the Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, where it will be available to the
scientific community.  Torr estimated that the instruments
downlinked 900 billion bits of data during the course of the
mission.  She quipped that if the total data were transcribed into
scientific journals and the journals placed on top of one another,
the resulting stack would be about two miles high.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      MISSION CONTROL CENTER
                         Status Report #26

Wednesday, April 1, 1992, 11:30 p.m. CST

After more than a week of around-the-clock data takes, the
ATLAS-1 science instrumentation was deactivated this evening
as the crew of Atlantis prepared to come home.

Deactivation of the scientific sensors by Red Team crew
members Dave Leestma, Mike Foale and Byron Lichtenberg
came at eight days, twelve hours and thirty six minutes into
the flight, or around 7:45 p.m. CST.  Deactivation of the
Spacelab subsystems, which provide power, cooling and command
and data retrieval capability, took place approximately three
hours later, or around 11 p.m.  CST.

That major milestone coincided with the wakeup time for the
Blue Team aboard Atlantis, consisting of Commander Charlie
Bolden, Pilot Brian Duffy, and specialists Kathy Sullivan and
Dirk Frimout.

Atlantis' deorbit burn is now scheduled to take place at 4:22
a.m. CST.  The spacecraft will begin to reenter the Earth's
atmosphere, at a point called Entry Interface, at 4:51 a.m.
CST, and is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space Center,
Florida at 5:23 CST, weather permitting.

----------------------------------------------------------------------
           

4/2/92:  STS-45 LANDING STATEMENT

After nine days of 24-hour-a-day experiments and 143 orbits around
Earth, the seven-member STS-45 crew returned home this
morning as Atlantis landed on time at 6:23 am EST at Kennedy
Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility.  They were greeted by
new NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin, who also held a press
conference at KSC following the landing.  This was the first manned
space mission in NASA's Mission to Planet Earth program and
obtained what mission scientist Dr. Marsha Torr described as an
unprecedented database on the interaction between the Sun's energy
output and the Earth's atmosphere.  All the scientific data obtained
during the mission has already been downlinked from Atlantis
to the payload control center at Marshall Space Flight Center
and distributed to the principal investigator teams.  The STS-45
flight crew will depart Kennedy later today for their return trip to
Houston.

I knew a DTO (Detailed Test Objective) was approved to photograph the ET as it 
separated.  This DTO is usually in the list of things to do, but I've only
heard it approved about 1 out of every 3-4 flights or so.   Consequently, how
normal or not this was might be subject to some debate.

- dave

Here's some expert comments via USENET:

>From: [email protected] (Jeffrey D. Goldader)
>Subject: Launch problems?
>Has anybody heard about the possible problems with the ET during
>Tuesday's shuttle launch?  I heard on the radio that one of the
>astronauts (Leestma?) had become rather disturbed after witnessing
>what he felt was a major leak in the tank, coming from the
>intertank area, following ET sep.  CNN only said, "NASA is playing
>down" the incident.  (I'll refrain from editorial comments until
>I know what really happened...)

>From: [email protected] (John DeVenezia)
>Organization: LESC
>
>Here's a transcript of the DTO you are talking about.
>STS-45 Air to Ground Conversation Between the CAPCOM and Astronaut
>Dave Leestma
>
>CAPCOM
>
>O.K. we have some SPAN people wondering about exactly what you saw at
>ET separation...... about the venting you saw.  Message 5B should be in
the
>tags tray after you get a chance to read that message if you want to
>respond to it people down here would be glad to hear what you have to
>say.
>
>DAVE LEESTMA
>
>....... Mike and I watched it the venting that we first saw was occurring
>out
>of the 17 inch line.  We could not tell if it was the LO2 or the LH2 side.

>It
>appeared that the disconnect on the ET side did not close.  And it was
>venting almost continuously out of the 17 inch line, one or the other.  As
>it
>went away from us.  About 5 minutes after we viewed it going away from
>us we started noticed some pulsing of a very large vent from the intertank
>area.  


The DTO (Detailed Test Objective) was to photograph & look at the ET as it
was leaving the shuttle.  Part of the reason why the shuttle was 6 feet per
second slow was because when they did the LO2 & LH2 dump from the MPS (Main
Propulsion System) they were not in the correct attitude and they didn't
get the extra push it normally gives because they were looking at the ET. 
The other reason was because apparently the shuttle was a little heavier
than expected (I guess we fed the astronauts too much....) and the
computers didn't run the engines long enough.  A OMS (Orbital Maneuvering
System) burn took care of that problem.

Now as to what was coming out of the intertank.  The upper 1/4 of the ET is
the LO2 tank.  The lower 2/3 of the tank is the LH2 tank.  The middle part
that separates the two is the intertank.  This also has the hydrogen vent
valve coming out of it.  What most he most likely saw was hydrogen gas
venting out the vent valve.  Remember, the 17" disconnect that flows to the
orbiter for the SSME's (Space Shuttle Main Engines) is now closed.  The
hydrogen is still boiling off, and it has been pressurized during flight
with "warm" GH2 from the SSME.  To make sure that the tank does not burst,
the vent valve will relieve at 36 +/-1 PSIG & Reseat at 34 PSIG (LH2 Tank)
and 31 +/-1 PSIG Reseat 29 PSIG (LO2 Tank).  All of the sudden it is
released and the "warm" GH2 and the LH2 are mixing, causing it to boil off
rapidly.  Wala.  The tank gets pressurized somewhat quickly.  It burps out
as the vent valve cracks and then reseats.  I am surprised he didn't see
the vent valve on the LO2 tank also relieving.  I have heard that the 17"
disconnect closed correctly by all indications, and that possibly the GO2
disconnect did not close, allowing the pressure from the LO2 tank to vent
out near the LO2 disconnect, thereby not requring the LO2 tank at the top
to vent (or burp), and this would be the venting seen at the bottom of the
tank "venting almost continuously out of the 17 inch line"

     KSC SHUTTLE STATUS REPORT - FRIDAY, APR. 3, 1992  11 AM


 
         STS-45/ATLAS-1 - ATLANTIS (OV 104) - OPF BAY 1

     Atlantis' end-of-mission landing occurred  at 6:23 a.m.  EST
yesterday  on Runway 33 at the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility.  The
main gear touched down at 6:23:06 a.m.,  the  nose  gear  touched
down at 6:23:14 and the wheels stopped at 6:24:04 a.m.  for a to-
tal mission elapsed time of 8 days,  22 hours and 9 minutes.  The
orbiter rollout distance on the runway was about 9217 feet.

      The  flight  crew  members  departed  yesterday from KSC to
return to the Johnson Space Center for post-flight follow up  ex-
ams and other activities.

     KSC's processing team towed the orbiter to the OPF by 1 p.m.
yesterday.  Initial assessments of the vehicle indicates that the
vehicle is in good shape.  Overall,  the tiles look good with the
exception of a ding on the No.  10 reinforced carbon-carbon panel
on the right hand wing.  That panel will be replaced  before  the
next flight.

     Ordnance  devices are being safed today and preparations are
underway to install the payload bay door strongbacks.  The  doors
are  scheduled  to  be  opened  Monday  and  the ATLAS payload is
scheduled to be removed Tuesday.


 

From:	DECPA::"[email protected]" "VOLCANO" 29-APR-1992 17:38:29.11
Subj:	Volcano photographs from last Space Shuttle mission

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

STS-45, the Space Shuttle Mission which flew in late March, brought
back some spectacular photographs of volcanic areas. I post a list of
some of the best below. 

As always, the photographs can be purchased at the cost of
reproduction (either as slide, transparency or print) from EROS Data
Center (605) 594-6151, or Technology Applications Center (505)
277-3622.  The Space Shuttle Earth Observations Office maintains a
database of all the catalogued handheld imagery from the U.S. Space
Program, and the database can be easily accessed through modem, SPAN
or Internet. 

The STS-45 photographs:

STS045-151-50	Valles Caldera
STS045-152-125	Honduras Volcanoes
STS045-152-268	Pinatubo
STS045-152-269	Pinatubo
STS045-152-273	Manila Bay, Taal
STS045-152-275	Manila and Pinatubo
STS045-152-277	Taal-Pinatubo
STS045-153-126	S. look down Cascades
STS045-153-127	Ranier
STS045-153-178	Kluchevskaya, Kamchatka
STS045-153-1182	S. end Kamchatka
STS045-153-193	S. Cascades
STS045-71-41	S. Kamchatka caldera
STS045-71-51	Hawaii w. Steam plume
STS045-71-81	Kamchatka
STS045-76-28	Mt Ranier
STS045-78-52	Pinatubo
STS045-78-60 	S. end kamchatka
STS045-78-88	Katmai
STS045-79-K 	Shiveluch, Kamchatka
STS045-79-43	Aleutians
STS045-80-08	Lake Van and caldera
STS045-82-4 	Ararat
STS045-84-32	St. Helens, Ranier
STS045-89-11	Ranier, St Helens
STS045-89-12	Ranier , St Helens
STS045-89-15	St Helens
STS045-89-18 	Ranier (nadir)
STS045-94-14	Lake Van and Ararat
STS045-94-102	Kluchevskaya, no snow
STS045-97-35	wide angle Kamchatka
STS045-98-25	S. end Kamchatka
STS045-98-26 	looking up Kamchatka from south
STS045-601-09	volcano (??where)
STS045-602-26	Hokkaido
STS045-605-02	Crater lake?
STS045-608-30 	Mayon, Luzon
STS045-614-12 	Kamchatka
STS045-614-18	Haleakala
STS045-618-62	Ararat
STS045-619-56	Caldera, L. van
STS045-619-61	Ararat
STS045-623-11	Caldera lake, Hokkaido
STS045-624-08	Ranier and St. Helens

Some of the Pinatubo shots are great, especially STS45-78-52 and STS45-152-275.

Enjoy,

Cindy Evans
Space Shuttle Earth Observations Office

P.S. - Some of the identifications are tentative because the imagery was
not time-tagged.  This is just a quick-look, informational list. 

MW 011/5/92
Space Shuttle Atlantis
March 24-April 2, 1992

Commander:
Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (Col., USMC)
Pilot:
Brian Duffy (Lt. Col., USAF)
Payload Commander:
Kathryn D. Sullivan (Ph.D.)
Mission Specialists:
David C. Leestma (Capt., USN)
C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.)
Payload Specialists:
Dirk D. Frimout (Ph.D.)
Byron K. Lichtenberg (Sc.D.)


Major Mission Accomplishments

* First Space Shuttle mission to focus on Earth's atmosphere and its
electromagnetic and solar environment in space.  Carried 13 instruments
designed to conduct 14 investigations in atmospheric science, solar science,
space plasma physics, and astronomy.

* Provided a scientific "snapshot" of Earth's atmosphere that will be used by
scientists over the next decade to understand periodic and episodic changes
taking place within it.

* Created the first artificial auroras by injecting 7.4 kilowatt electron beams
into the atmosphere below the orbiter where they produced 60 intense auroral
displays several kilometers in diameter.

* Generated radio waves with 100,000 electron beam pulses and observed them
with onboard receivers and with over 100 receivers on the ground in the U.S.
and Japan.

* Provided scientific measurements that are being used to provide calibration
information and complementary science for NASA's Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite and ozone-measuring instruments on NOAA meteorological satellites.

* Conserved sufficient orbiter power and consumables to permit the mission to
remain in space an extra day and return 110 percent of the science results
hoped for.

* Made SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment) contacts with amateur radio
operators on all seven of Earth's continents.  Using SAREX, the crew spoke to
students in 17 schools in the United States and six other countries.

* First flight of a Belgian astronaut on the Space Shuttle.

        The landing of the Space Shuttle Atlantis, with the STS-45 ATLAS 1
payload onboard, brought to a successful close the first chapter in a
multi-year research program devoted to the study of Earth's atmosphere.  Over
the next eleven years, a complete activity cycle of the Sun, ATLAS (Atmospheric
Laboratory for Applications and Science) missions will conduct important
investigations in atmospheric and solar science.  The ATLAS series will seek to
provide vital data that will help atmospheric scientists understand the complex
interactions taking place within and outside Earth's atmosphere.  This
information will help us understand global environmental problems such as ozone
depletion and global warming.

        ATLAS 1 consisted of 13 instruments designed to conduct 14
investigations in a variety of scientific disciplines for scientists from the
United States, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, and Switzerland. Seven of the
instruments will be carried into space on subsequent ATLAS missions.  In this
manner, each ATLAS flight will provide scientists with a "snapshot" of Earth's
atmosphere that can be compared to gain a better understand-ing of the periodic
changes that take place in the atmosphere.  Furthermore, the data from these
instruments will also provide insights to the effects episodic events, such as
volcanic eruptions, have on the atmosphere.  During ATLAS 1, the Atmospheric
Trace Spectroscopy (ATMOS) instrument surveyed atmospheric trace molecules by
measur-ing the effects they have on infrared radiation.  Similar measurements
were also taken by the GRILLE Spectrometer. The data from these two instruments
revealed aerosol bands in the atmosphere that are probably remnants of the Mt.
Pinatubo volcanic eruption in the Philippines last year.  When the next ATLAS
mission orbits Earth, it will be possible to survey those same remnants to
determine how much they dissipated.

        As a part of the 13 instruments of the ATLAS payload, Atlantis carried
the Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument (SSBUV-A) that has flown
previously on three Shuttle missions.  The SSBUV-A is similar to instruments on
NIMBUS and TIROS satellites that measure ozone concentrations at various levels
in the atmosphere.  In time, data readings from these satellites fluctuate,
making the accuracy of the readings suspect.  Measurements taken by the SSBUV-A
are being compared to those from the satellites to reestablish satellite
instrument accuracy and to validate previously transmitted data.

        In a similar vein, the Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) and
the Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) provided data that will insure the continued
accuracy of similar instruments on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite
(UARS) which was launched in 1991 by the Space Shuttle Discovery. SUSIM made
very accurate measurements of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation flow to learn how
this radiation changes over time and relate those changes to changes in the
atmosphere.  The ACR instrument also measured ultraviolet radiation and, along
with the Measurement of Solar Constant (SOLCON) instrument, provided a very
accurate measure on the solar constant, the amount of energy the Sun constantly
delivers to the atmosphere.  Scientists theorize that changes in the constant
of only 0.5 percent per century could lead to global climatic changes ranging
from tropical to ice age conditions.  The Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder
(MAS) instrument on ATLAS was also used for comparison with similar instruments
on UARS. MAS recorded important measurements on ozone and chlorine monoxide, a
key trace molecule involved in the destruction of ozone.

        With two exceptions, all thirteen ATLAS 1 instruments had no major
problems.  In spite of blown fuses on two of the instruments (Far Ultraviolet
Space Telescope or FAUST and Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators or
SEPAC), all fourteen investigations supported by the instruments received
significant data.  The FAUST instrument provided astronomers with their first
opportunity to explore wide areas of the sky in the far ultraviolet radiation
wavelength range.  Most ultraviolet light coming to Earth from space is
filtered out by Earth's atmosphere, making it essential to travel into space to
study this radiation first hand.  Previous space-flown ultraviolet instruments
have focused on narrow regions of the sky.  Before its power failure, FAUST
observed the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy to gain information that may
help astronomers better understand the evolution of our own galaxy.  A gas
trail behind the cloud was observed that could indicate a region of star
formation.  FAUST also made observations of galaxy clusters in the Virgo,
Telescopium, Dorado, and Ophicus constellations.

        The SEPAC instrument was used for controlled experiments that were
successful in generating the first artificial auroras ever produced in Earth's
upper atmosphere.  By firing a 7.4 kilowatt electron beam into Earth's upper
atmosphere, electrons circling atmospheric nitrogen and oxygen atoms and
molecules were excited to higher energy levels.  As they returned to lower
levels, they released light, forming high intensity auroras several kilometers
in diameter.  Forty of the sixty beams produced artificial auroras and were
imaged by the Atmospheric Emission Photometric Imaging experiment mounted in
Atlantis's payload bay.  The energy output of these auroras was greater than
the energy input from the beam, indicating that the beam may have triggered
larger reactions in the atmosphere.  SEPAC was also used to investigate the
interaction of ionized and neutral gases in space by injecting over 1,000 xenon
gas clouds into the atmosphere.  Furthermore, SEPAC generated radio waves with
about 100,000 electron beam pulses.  The pulses were observed by ATLAS 1
instruments and by over 100 receivers on the ground in the United States and
Japan. In addition to the scientific observers, radio receivers, constructed by
physics students in secondary schools in the United States and around the world
by amateur radio operators, were also tuned to receive signals from SEPAC.
Through the Interactive NASA Space Physics Ionosphere Radio Experiment
(INSPIRE) students and their teachers attempted to pick up radio waves
(whistlers) produced by the pulses.  Although the success of the experiment was
hampered by problems with the SEPAC instrument, students gained invaluable
experience in constructing scientific instruments and planning for data
collection.

        STS-45 featured two additional educational activities.  The Shuttle
Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) was used to talk with students in 17 schools
around the world (10 in the U.S. and its territories and schools in Belgium,
Canada, England, Germany, Norway, and Wales). Three of the STS-45 crewmembers
were even successful in establishing contact with amateur radio operators on
all seven of Earth's continents.  The other educational activity consisted of
taping for an educational videotape on Earth's atmosphere.  The program will be
distributed to schools through NASA's Teacher Resource Centers during the next
school year.

        Several middeck science experiments were also conducted during the
mission.  Included were the Investigations Into Polymer Membrane Processing,
Visual Function Tester II, and the Space Tissue Loss 1 experiments.  The
purpose of the Space Tissue Loss (STL) experiment was to study cell growth
during space flight.  Specifically studied were growth response of muscle,
bone, and endothelial cells to microgravity.  Scientists at the Walter Reed
Army Institute of Research have reported excellent survival rates for heart
muscle and immune cells.  Study of the STL results will be used in the
development of pharmaceutical products and physical treatment regimens to limit
the extent of muscle tissue loss after fractures/cast immobilization and
surgery.

        As a result of conservation of orbiter fuel and consumables by the
crew, the STS-45 mission was able to remain in space for one additional day.
The extra day permitted crewmembers to gather 110 percent of the data
originally planned for the mission and to broaden the geographic range of data
collection.


Mission Facts

Orbiter: Atlantis
Mission Dates: March 24-April 2, 1992
Commander: Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (Col. USMC)
Pilot: Brian Duffy (Lt. Col., USAF)
Payload Commander: Kathryn D. Sullivan (Ph.D.)
Mission Specialist: David C. Leestma (Capt., USN)
Mission Specialist: C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.)
Payload Specialist: Byron K. Lichtenberg (Sc.D.)
Payload Specialist: Dirk D. Frimout (Ph.D.)
Mission Duration: 8 days 22 hours 9 minutes
Kilometers Traveled: 5,994,555
Orbit Inclination: 57 degrees
Orbits of Earth: 143
Orbital Altitude: 296 kilometers
Payload Weight Up: 8,044 kg
Orbiter Landing Weight: 93,113 kg
Landed: Kennedy Space Center
Payloads and Experiments:
ATLAS I - Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science
SSBUV-A - Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument
CLOUDS - Cloud Logic to Optimize the Use of Defense Systems
SAREX - Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment
IPMP - Investigations into Polymer Membrane Processing
STS1 - Space Tissue Loss
VFTII - Visual Function Tester
Radiation Monitoring Equipment III
Getaway Special Experiment
Educational Activities
Educational videotape production

Crew Biographies

Charles F. Bolden, Jr. (Col., USMC). Charles Bolden was born in Columbia, South
Carolina. He earned a bachelor of science degree in electrical science from the
United States Naval Academy and a master of science in systems management from
the University of Southern California. After graduation, Bolden became a naval
aviator and later a test pilot.  He has logged more than 5,000 hours flying
time.  Bolden became an astronaut in 1981 and has flown in space twice
previously, as pilot of the STS-61C and STS-31 missions.

Brian Duffy (Lt.  Col., USAF). Brian Duffy was born in Boston, Massachusetts.
He received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the U.S. Air Force
Academy and a master of science degree in systems management from the
University of Southern California. Upon graduation Duffy completed pilot and
test pilot training.  Duffy became an astronaut in 1986.  This was his first
space flight.

Kathryn D. Sullivan (Ph.D.).  Kathryn Sullivan was born in Paterson, New
Jersey, but considers Woodland Hills, California her home.  She earned a
bachelor of science degree in Earth sciences from the University of California,
Santa Cruz, and a doctorate in geology from Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova
Scotia). Dr. Sullivan is an oceanography officer in the U.S. Naval Reserve and
an Adjunct Professor of Geology at Rice University, Houston, Texas. Dr.
Sullivan became an astronaut in 1979 and has flown previously as a mission
specialist on STS-41G and on STS-31.

David C. Leestma (Capt., USN). David Leestma was born in Muskegon, Michigan. He
graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a master of science degree in
aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He then
became a naval aviator.  Prior to this mission, Leestma served as a mission
specialist on the crews of STS-41G and STS-28.

C. Michael Foale (Ph.D.).  Michael Foale was born in Louth, England, but
considers Cambridge, England, to be his hometown.  He attended the University
of Cambridge, Queens' College, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in physics
and a doctorate in laboratory astrophysics.  Foale joined NASA Johnson Space
Center in 1983 in the payload operations area of the Mission Operations
Directorate. He was selected as an astronaut in 1987.  This was his first space
flight.

Byron K. Lichtenberg (Sc.D.).  Byron Lichtenberg was born in Stroudsburg,
Pennsylvania. He received a bachelor of science degree in aerospace engineering
from Brown University, a master of science degree in mechanical engineering
from MIT, and a doctor of science degree in biomedical engineering from MIT.
Upon receiving his undergraduate degree, Lichtenberg entered the Air Force and
became a pilot.  He served as a payload specialist on the STS-9 (Spacelab-1)
mission.  This was his second flight.

Dirk D. Frimout (Ph.D.).  Dirk Frimout was born in Poperinge, Belgium. He
received the degree of electrotechnical engineer at the State University of
Ghent (Belgium) and a doctorate in applied physics from the University of
Ghent. He performed post-doctoral work at the University of Colorado,
Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics. Dr. Frimout is senior engineer in
the Payload Utilization Department of the Columbus Directorate of the European
Space Agency (ESA) and has been responsible for ESA support to the European
experiments on ATLAS-1 since 1985.  He was selected as a flight payload
specialist in 1991.  This was Dr. Frimout's first space flight.
 

Sue Mathis Richard
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.              May 27, 1992

RELEASE:  92-75


        After travelling nearly 4 million miles in space
aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, "Oscar" returned
home to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Science (AMPAS).  Today, NASA Administrator Daniel S.
Goldin and Col. Charles Bolden, Commander of the
Atlantis mission, along with crew members Brian Duffy
and David Leestma presented the space-faring
statuette to Karl Malden, President of AMPAS.

        The ceremony took place in the Bob Hope Lobby of
the Academy's Center for Motion Picture Study in
Beverly Hills.  Also participating in today's "return
of Oscar from space" ceremony was Gil Cates, producer
of the past three Oscar telecasts.  "Perhaps no other
contemporary filmmaker's name is so synonymous with
movies about space than George Lucas' -- with the
possible exception of Steven Speilberg, who presented
the award to George," Cates said.  "And because of
that association with space exploration, it was
natural to tie in our nation's space program with the
presentation.  Taking the Oscar into space was the
perfect way to do it."

        "We don't go around letting Oscar take trips
with just anyone, you know," Malden commented wryly,
"but when Gil came to me with this idea, I felt
confident that our Academy's symbol would be in good
hands."

        On March 30, the Space Shuttle crew aboard
Atlantis, along with a free-floating passenger named
Oscar, participated in the 64th Annual Academy Awards
festivities.  After Steven Speilberg presented the
Irving G. Thalberg Award to George Lucas, the world
watched a videotaped salute to Lucas by the orbiting
crew who hailed him as "an explorer in his own
right."  Commander Bolden praised Lucas by saying,
"The imagination and ingenuity that have turned
dreams into the reality of space flight are no
different than those which turn ideas and inspiration
into motion pictures."  Lucas received the Thalberg
Award from the Academy for his high standards of film
production.

        Enhancing the space theme of today's event were
enlargements of photos from the Center's Photographic
Stills Archive depicting scenes of landmark motion
pictures dealing with space, including shots from one
of the earliest of all films, Melies' "Journey to the
Moon;" "Destination Moon;" "2001: A Space Odyssey;"
and Lucas' own landmark film, "Star Wars."  Also
displayed was a photo of the Space Shuttle Atlantis
launch on mission STS-45.

        During Lucas' March 30 acceptance speech at the
Academy Awards he thanked his parents and teachers
for their inspiration and credited them with teaching
him everything he knows.  He went on to say that
filmmakers are teachers too, only they have louder
voices and reach larger audiences.

        To show the motion picture industry one way in
which NASA reaches students and teachers across
America, NASA's first tractor-trailer-mounted, mobile
teacher resource center was parked outside the
Academy offering tours and educational
demonstrations.

        LASER (Learning About Science, Engineering and
Research) is outfitted with six teacher work stations
where teachers can access NASA information and
education materials from computers, view and copy
NASA-produced videos, duplicate slides, and reproduce
lesson plans and activities.  The 22-ton mobile
center is staffed by a full-time specially selected
mathematics and science teacher and two technicians.

NASA Facts
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Washington, D.C. 20546

Preliminary Results from ATLAS 1

        The first Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science (ATLAS 1)
conducted 14 investigations in atmospheric science, solar science, space plasma
physics and astronomy.  The 13 instruments were carried aboard two Spacelab
pallets or mounted on the payload bay walls of the Space Shuttle Atlantis,
which was launched March 24, 1992 and landed April 4, 1992.

        The data from these investigations will be used in several ways.  The
six ATLAS core instruments and the co-manifested Shuttle Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet Experiment (SSBUV), will be reflown periodically to provide
"snapshots" the Earth's atmosphere and the Sun at different points of the 11-
year solar cycle.

        ATLAS 1 obtained substantial volumes of data that will help scientists
better understand the chemistry of the atmosphere, the energy output of the
sun, the behavior of high-energy particles as they reach the atmosphere and the
structure of the universe.

        In addition, data from several ATLAS 1 instruments, which are precisely
calibrated before and after flight, will be compared to observations from
similar instruments aboard free-flying satellites.  This will help insure the
accuracy of a large portion of the data that is the ultimate product of NASA's
Mission to Planet Earth, a comprehensive research program that takes advantage
of the perspective from space to study the Earth as a global environment
system.

        Though data analysis continues, some preliminary results are available.
Data will continue to be refined and results published in scientific journals.
A special section of Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American
Geophysical Union, devoted entirely to ATLAS 1 results, is scheduled for
publication in spring 1993.

Atmospheric Science

Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS):

Showed increases in hydrogen fluoride and hydrogen chlorideQcompounds involved
in ozone depletionQfrom the instrument's 1985 flight aboard Spacelab 3.  These
increases are consistent with predictions of computer models and with
measurements of surface concentrations of chlorofluorocarbons, which are the
sources of the chlorine and fluorine in the stratosphere.

        ATMOS obtained more than 9,300 spectra in 53 orbital sunrises and 41
sunsets.  The instrument made 30 coincident measurements with the HALOE
instrument aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), 24 coincident
measurements with UARS' CLAES instrument and 14 coincident measurements with
the SAGE II instrument aboard the Earth Radiation Budget Satellite (ERBS).  The
formal comparison and analysis of data between the ATMOS and UARS science teams
will begin in 1993.

Atmospheric Lyman-Alpha Emissions (ALAE):

Expanded our knowledge about how chemicals mix in the regions above our
atmosphere by improving upon previous measurements of hydrogen and deuterium.

        ALAE observed deuterium as far down as approximately 50 miles (80
kilometers), the bottom of the atmospheric region known as the thermosphere.
This measurement represents an important advance over ALAE's measurements on
Spacelab 1 in 1983, in which atomic deuterium could not be detected below
approximately 70 miles (110 km).  ALAE also obtained measurements of hydrogen
and deuterium in the exosphere and interplanetary medium.

          The results from the Earth's upper atmosphere can also be compared to
similar measurements made in the atmospheres of Venus and Mars to help us
better understand the differences between the atmospheres of the planets.

Grille Spectrometer (Grille): Observed 10 trace atmospheric gases, including
carbon dioxide, ozone and chemicals involved in stratospheric ozone depletion.
Initial analysis shows an increase in hydrogen chloride from the mid-1980s,
compared to ATMOS data from Spacelab 3.  GRILLE obtained 89 observations
ranging from 1 degree South to 33 degrees South. An additional measurement was
made at 29 degrees North on the ninth (extra) day of the mission.  Data also
were compared with those from Grille's first flight, aboard Spacelab 1 in 1983.

Imaging Spectrometic Observatory (ISO):

Obtained the first complete spectral map of the ionosphere, thermosphere and
mesosphere (altitudes between 40 and 240 miles).  ISO also made the first
space-based measurement of the hydroxyl radical (OH, a key intermediate of the
chemistry affecting ozone levels in the mesosphere and stratosphere) between
approximately 40 and 50 miles (70-80 km) Together with measurements from ALAE,
MAS, ATMOS, and GRILLE, these data will form a comprehensive set of mesospheric
chemistry data that can be used to validate computer models.

        ISO also made the first comprehensive spectral survey of mesospheric
airglow, the faint glow that emanates from chemical reactions in the upper
atmosphere.  The airglow data can be used to help evaluate computer models of
the atmosphere.  ISO also made the first dayglow profiles of an electronically
excited form of atomic nitrogen, which may improve our understanding of nitric
oxide in the thermosphere and the critical role it plays in the chemistry in
the upper atmosphere.

Millimeter-Wave Atmospheric Science (MAS):

Refined our knowledge of the atmosphere with measurements of ozone, chlorine
monoxide and water vapor that were consistent with existing models and previous
observations.  Day-night, latitudinal and vertical variations in ozone and
water vapor were as expected.  The MAS data show significant variations in
ozone across longtitudes at approximately 60 degrees latitude and 18 miles (30
km) altitude.  This is consistent with data from the Total Ozone Mapping
Spectrometer (TOMS) aboard NASA's Nimbus 7 satellite.

        The MAS measurements are also being compared to ground- based microwave
measurements to improve validation and interpretation.  MAS measurements will
be compared to those from instruments aboard the Upper Atmosphere Research
Satellite (UARS) to better assess the MAS and UARS measurements.

Shuttle Solar Backcatter Ultraviolet Experiment (SSBUV):

Indicated, through comparisons of SSBUV data with the Solar Backscatter
Ultraviolet Experiment (SBUV-2) instrument aboard the NOAA-11 weather
satellite, that the SBUV-2 instrument has continued to degrade at its shortest
wavelengths as expected.  Subsequent analysis will allow science teams to
compare SSBUV's ozone data with NOAA-11's and refine the latter's data.

        Other results indicate that SSBUV's sensitivity over most of its
wavelengths was comparable to that seen in SSBUV's previous flight (August
1991), and that comparisons of solar measurements between these two flights was
quite good at most wavelengths.

        SSBUV obtained ozone profiles and total ozone amounts during 34 orbits.
For six additional orbits, the instrument observed upper stratospheric ozone
distributions with a higher resolution across Earth's latitudes.  The
instrument also obtained solar ultraviolet measurements on seven orbits, and
there were four in-flight calibrations to assess instrument performance.

Solar Science

Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monintor (ACRIM) and the
Measurement of the Solar Constant (SOLCON):

Obtained data on the solar constant that are still being analyzed and compared
to several similar instruments, including the ACRIM instrument onboard UARS and
to the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) onboard the Earth Radiation
Budget Satellite (ERBS).  SOLCON data show strong evidence for solar variation
during the mission (higher solar levels during the first and fourth solar
pointing period than the second and third).  The expected correlation between
total solar output and the number of sunspots was observed.

Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) and the Solar Ultraviolet
Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM):

Obtained measurements of the sun's ultraviolet energy.  Results are being
compared with those obtained from the previous flights of these instruments
aboard Spacelab 1 and Spacelab 2, respectively.  Preliminary comparisons
indicate relatively good agreement between the two flights for both
instruments.

        Once final analysis of the SUSIM data are completed, the results will
be compared with the SUSIM instrument flying aboard UARS. These highly
calibrated instruments are an important check on solar ultraviolet data because
the harsh environment of space significantly degrades instruments on
free-flying satellites.  While these instruments are designed with onboard
calibration lamps to correct for instrument degradation, the confidence gained
by having an independent instrument available for comparison is critical, given
the importance of ultraviolet radiation in creating and destroying ozone.

Space Plasma Physics

Atmospheric Emissions Photometric Imaging (AEPI):

Succeeded in several different areas.  By observing the formation and changes
in airglow (high- energy particles) around the shuttle, AEPI will help answer
questions about the energetics and dynamics of the mesosphere.  These
measurements are important in their own right and also will better define the
science objectives of the proposed Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Mesosphere
Energetics and Dynamics (TIMED) mission.

        AEPI also observed the artificial auroras created by the SEPAC
instrument.  By knowing the energy levels and electric currents of these beams,
and then observing the beams' behavior and lifetimes, the AEPI team will be
able to better understand how natural aurorae behave and the structure of the
Earth's magnetic field.  The AEPI-SEPAC experiments also proved the technology
of beam formation and the detection of subsequent aurora.

Energetic Neutral Atom Precipitation (ENAP):

Using the ISO instrument, studied emissions from neutral atoms (not
electrically charged) atoms that reached the upper atmosphere.  Emissions from
several chemicals were observed, and quantitative information on the magnitude
of these emissions was obtained.  These data are particularly important for
understanding emissions at low- to mid-magnetic latitudes.  Thermospheric
modelers will use the data to better understand the effect of neutral atom
precipitation on the chemistry of thermosphere and ionsphere.

Space Experiments with Particle Accelerators (SEPAC):

Created and observed several artificial auroras, allowing scientists to observe
the structure of the Earth's magnetic field.  Together, data from SEPAC and
AEPI showed the size and intensity of the artificial auroras and determined the
cause of their shape.  Correlative measurements made from the ground in Peru
detected disturbances associated with the SEPAC plasma contactor beam.  The
SEPAC investigation will provide significant amounts of data that will help us
better understand the structure of the Earth's magnetic field and the behavior
of high-energy particles from space as they reach the field.

Astronomy

Far Ultraviolet Space Telescope (FAUST):

Observed 22 fields and detected 4,976 objects.  Data anlyzed to date include
images from the north galactic pole and the galactic and extragalactic
background, as well as of the broad structural characteristics of galaxies.
Data on far ultraviolet emissions of the Earth were also obtained, as was
information about the magnitude of a potential Shuttle effect on astronomical
observations.  Astronomical data have been compared to that from other
spacecraft for particular objects; a good correlation between the flux observed
by FAUST and that from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) satellite
was obtained.

        FAUST data also indicated that the orbital night at ATLAS 1's
approximately 180-mile altitude becomes sufficiently dark that astronomical and
geophysical observations can be made to low light levels.  A faint far
ultraviolet glow seen when looking down at the Earth has been shown to be of
terrestrial origin and not due to shuttle glow.

March 1993