| Drucella Andersen
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. July 9, 1992
(Phone: 202/453-8613)
Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/453-1547)
RELEASE: 92-107
NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin and Secretary
of Energy James D. Watkins today signed a cooperative
agreement on energy-related civil space programs.
Today's agreement provides "umbrella" principles
that outline the responsibilities and authority of both
NASA and the Department of Energy (DOE) in research and
development, fundamental science, advanced technology
development and education efforts.
"This agreement is the latest step in a fruitful
history of cooperation between NASA and the Department
of Energy, which has existed since the beginnings of
the U.S. space program," said Goldin. "Combining the
respective strengths of our agencies will make sure
that our future space endeavors will succeed and pay
off for the nation --even more effectively than they
have in the past."
In energy and energy-related research and
development, the agencies will coordinate their efforts
in renewable energy programs and will identify
activities that address NASA's civil space power needs.
The agencies agreed to continue ongoing research
in space nuclear power. DOE will design, build and
test space nuclear power and propulsion subsystems.
For NASA missions that require nuclear propulsion, NASA
will be responsible for systems requirements and
overall program management of space nuclear propulsion
systems, system integration and launch and space
operations. Both agencies will ensure that their space
nuclear-related activities meet environmental, safety
and security requirements.
In activities connected with the U.S. Global
Change Research Program, NASA will lead the definition
of the space-based part of the program with DOE
support.
Today's agreement also covers fundamental science
research. DOE irradiation facilities, including
particle accelerators, will support NASA life sciences,
space physics and spacecraft development activities
designed to understand the radiation effects of long-
duration spaceflight for both humans and hardware. The
agencies also agreed to continue research in space
physics and astrophysics to support the nation's space
science program.
NASA and DOE agreed to cooperate on developing
advanced technology to meet critical civil space needs,
which will be defined and incorporated in NASA's
Integrated Technology Plan for the civil space program.
The agencies also reaffirmed their commitment to
programs that improve U.S. science education and will
attract more young people to science, engineering and
mathematics careers.
NASA/DOE collaboration on specific projects will
be detailed in subsequent agreements that will address
the agencies' respective roles and responsibilities,
performance and schedule requirements and funding.
|
| From: [email protected] (AP)
Subject: NASA Lets Famous Ashes Fly
Copyright: 1994 by The Associated Press, R
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 94 8:10:40 PDT
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- ``Star Trek'' creator Gene
Roddenberry got his final wish -- his ashes flew on a space shuttle
sometime after his death in 1991.
NASA confirmed Thursday what his widow, Majel Barrett
Roddenberry, divulged at a local Space Congress banquet Tuesday
night -- that Roddenberry's ashes flew on a shuttle and were
returned several days later to Earth aboard the spaceship.
``It is true,'' NASA spokesman Brian Welch said Thursday
morning. ``It was approved as a personal effect'' of an astronaut,
he said.
Welch said he did not know when the ashes were flown or which
astronaut took them aboard. He believes it was a NASA first.
Mrs. Roddenberry, an actress who appeared in the original and
subsequent ``Star Trek'' series, said her husband ``would have
given anything to have been able, just once, to go into that great
galaxy he dreamed about, where so few men have gone before.''
``Sometime between the last day of Gene's life and Thursday,
nearly three years later, a beautiful space shuttle broke the
bounds of Earth and disappeared into the final frontier,'' she
said. ``It carried the ashes of Gene Roddenberry.''
Roddenberry died of a heart attack in October 1991 at age 70.
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