NASA Daily News Summary

For Release: July 15, 1999

Media Advisory m99-143

Summary:

NASA Scientists Use Satellites to Help Track a Disease

and Keep it Under Control

'Art Aboard!' -- NASA Art Rides the Rails to Tour U.S.

Reporters Invited to Apollo 11 30th Anniversary Events

Video File for July 15 (will run approximately 2 hours and 30

minutes)

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NASA SCIENTISTS USE SATELLITES TO HELP TRACK A DISEASE

AND KEEP IT UNDER CONTROL

Using weather satellites to spot the early signs of an El

Nino, scientists may be able to help save East Africans and their
livestock from Rift Valley Fever, a mosquito-borne disease that
can be fatal to humans and animals.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: David E. Steitz

202/358-1730.
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD: Lynn
Chandler 301/286-5562.

Full text of note to press release:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/1999/99-081.txt

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'ART ABOARD!'--NASA ART RIDES THE RAILS TO TOUR U.S.

A touring exhibit of NASA Art will open at Washington DC's

Union Station from July 21-25 on Artrain, the nation's only
traveling art museum on a train. The three-year exhibit,
entitled "Artistry of Space," will travel to more than 120
communities in 48 states. A press preview of the exhibit will
take place on Monday, July 19, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The
opening of the exhibit will take place on Tuesday, July 20, 1999,
at 6:30 p.m. Reporters are invited to both events, which will be
held on Track 10 of Union Station.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Bert Ulrich

202/358-1713.

Full text of note to editors:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/note2edt/1999/n99-40.txt

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REPORTERS INVITED TO APOLLO 11 30th ANNIVERSARY EVENTS

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of the first landing of

humans on the moon, NASA participate in several events around the
country; some will be open for press coverage. The most current
schedule can be found on the Internet at:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/ap11ann/events.htm

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Sarah Keegan

202/358-1600.

Full text of note to editors:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/note2edt/1999/n99-41.txt

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If NASA issues additional news releases later today, we will e-

mail summaries and Internet URLs to this list.

Index of 1999 NASA News Releases:

http://www.nasa.gov/releases/1999/index.html

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Video File for July 15, 1999

Item 1 - Shuttle Commander Eileen Collins

 with Her Family TRT 4:50
Item 2 - Apollo 11 Music Video TRT 3:40
Item 3 - STS-93 Crew Interviews TRT 54:30
Item 4 - Rift Valley Fever (approximate) TRT 13:00
Item 5 - STS-93 Commander Eileen Collins
at White House (replay) TRT 2:10
Item 6 - X-37: New Space Plane (animation) (replay) TRT 4:10
Item 7 - STS-93 Crew Training (replay) TRT 11:05
Item 8 - STS-93 Training and Mission Animation (replay) TRT 5:15
Item 9 - Chandra B-Roll and Animation (replay) TRT 7:45
Item 10 - Apollo 11 Retrospective
interviews and B-Roll (replay) TRT 31:00
Item 11 - Apollo 11 30th Anniversary B-roll (replay) TRT 18:45

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ITEM 1 - SHUTTLE COMMANDER EILEEN COLLINS WITH HER FAMILY

Contact at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX: James

Hartsfield 281/483-5111.

ITEM 2 - APOLLO 11 MUSIC VIDEO TRT 3:40

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo

202/358-4555.

ITEM 3 - STS-93 CREW INTERVIEWS TRT 54:30

Contact at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX: James

Hartsfield 281/483-5111.

ITEM 4 - RIFT VALLEY FEVER TRT (APPROXIMATE) 13:00

Scientists' first successful prediction of El Nino in 1997 helped

save millions of dollars when state authorities wisely prepared
for the intense weather. Now scientists have discovered how to
read the early signs of an El Nino to help save hundreds of human
lives and thousands of livestock in East Africa from a mosquito-
borne disease called Rift Valley fever.

a - Deciphering the Link (1980-1988)

Scientists have discovered that the combination of the warmer than
normal water temperatures associated with El Nino and rising sea
surface temperatures in the western equatorial Indian Ocean can
trigger outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever in East Africa. The two
warm pools of water increase rainfall in wide areas of eastern
Africa. This can lead to large-scale outbreaks of the mosquito-
borne disease. Satellite images illustrate the close relationship
between ocean, rainfall, and their impacts on land vegetation.

b - Deciphering the Link (1992-1998)

In the early 1980s scientists discovered an episodic cycle of Rift
Valley Fever outbreaks dependent upon rainfall. Scientists found
that some El Nino episodes over the past five decades resulted in
large Rift Valley fever outbreaks. The deciding factor is whether
the Indian Ocean warms up along with the Pacific. Scientists
believe they can now predict episodes of Rift Valley Fever in East
Africa six months in advance.

c - Deciphering the Link (1992-1998) Closeup

d - The Vegetation Factor

By closely monitoring the vegetation in the region affected by the
increased rainfall, scientists can identify the actual areas
affected. Scientists use satellite images to show regions of
Africa that are greener (and wetter) than normal or more brown
(and drier) than normal.

e - A Global El Nino
The segment illustrates the global scale of the massive 1997-1998
El Nino and contains a superposition of sea surface temperature
anomalies on anomalies of the sea surface elevation.

f - The Evolution and Decline of El Nino

The space-based perspective provided by satellite observations
trace the evolution of El Nino from its beginning in early 1997
through its decline in early 1998. The onset of La Nina can be
seen as the emergence cooler than normal waters along the equator.

g - B-Roll: Scientists Study Satellite Data of El NinoO

Scientists at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center discuss recent
satellite data.

h - Interview Excerpt
Dr. Compton Tucker, Biologist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

i - Interview Excerpt
Assaf Anyamba, Geographer, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD: Wade

Sisler 301/286-6256.
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: David E. Steitz
202/358-1730.

ITEM 5 - STS-93 COMMANDER EILEEN COLLINS AT WHITE HOUSE

(replay)

Astronaut Eileen Collins was named Commander of the STS-93 at a

White House press conference on March 5, 1998. This footage
includes highlights from that conference. Participants included
the President and Mrs. Clinton and NASA Administrator Daniel S.
Goldin.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo

202/358-4555.

ITEM 6 - X-37: NEW SPACE PLANE (ANIMATION)

NASA and The Boeing Company have entered into an agreement to

develop an experimental space plane, the X-37, to test new
technologies for reusable launch vehicles. The X-37 will be
carried into orbit by the space shuttle or launched by a rocket.
It will remain in orbit up to 21 days, performing a variety of
experiments before reentering the atmosphere and landing. The
space plane will also technologies aimed at significantly cutting
the cost of space flight.

Contact at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL: Dom

Amatore 256/544-0031.
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Jim Cast 202/358-
1779.

ITEM 7 - STS-93 CREW TRAINING

Footage includes various aspects of training

Contact at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX: James

Hartsfield 281/483-5111.
ITEM 8 - STS-93 MISSION ANIMATION (REPLAY)

Compilation of computer animation used during the STS-93 mission

overview briefing.

Contact at NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX: Kyle Herring

281/483-5111.

ITEM 9 - CHANDRA B-ROLL AND ANIMATION (REPLAY)

a - Astronauts at Telescope Assembly TRT - 3:28

Astronauts from the STS-93 crew visit the Chandra Telescope
assembly.

b - Chandra Readied for shipping TRT - 1:42

Chandra is bagged, put in a shipping container and readied for
shipping to NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

c - Chandra IUS arrival TRT - 1:11

Footage shows the Chandra X-ray telescope mating with the IUS.

d - Mirror Comparison TRT - :37

Animation shows the refraction properties of the Chandra X-ray
telescope. X-rays that strike a mirror head-on are absorbed. X-
rays that hit a mirror at grazing angles are reflected like a
pebble skipping across a pond. Thus, X-ray telescope mirrors are
shaped like barrels rather than dishes.

e - Deep Space Network TRT - :14

Animation shows the communication path between the satellite and
the AXAF Science Center in Cambridge, MA. This communication is
via NASA's Deep Space Network.

f - Light Path TRT - :25

X-ray photons entering the telescope are reflected at grazing
angles and focussed onto an electronic detector to make an image
of a cosmic source.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Donald Savage

202/358-1727.
Contact at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville AL:
Dave Drachlis 256/544-6538.
ITEM 10 - APOLLO 11 - 30TH ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE VIDEO
(REPLAY)

Includes interviews conducted at the National Air and Space Museum

on May 26, 1989, with all three astronauts--Michael Collins, Neil
Armstrong, and Ed "Buzz" Aldrin--as well as historical footage of
Apollo 11.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo

202/358-4555.

ITEM 11 - APOLLO 11 30TH ANNIVERSARY B-ROLL (REPLAY)

a - The Apollo 11 Mission: Prior to Flight TRT - 5:47

Clips show various aspects of the Apollo 11 mission that sent
Astronauts Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, and Ed "Buzz" Aldrin
to the Moon. The first set of clips includes the following:
Crew photo
Mission simulator
LEM flight tests
Suit-up
Walkout

b - The Apollo 11 Mission: Liftoff TRT - 5:44

Footage includes:
Saturn V liftoff
First and second stage separation
Crew enroute to Moon
Views of Earth from the Command module

c - The Apollo 11 Mission: On the Moon TRT - 1:27

Footage includes:
Lunar views
LEM separates from command module
LEM descends to the Moon
Earth views

d - The Apollo 11 Mission: From the Moon back to Earth

TRT - 4:22
Footage includes:
Armstrong steps on the Moon
Walking on Moon
Planting flag on Moon
Crew retrieval from ocean and quarantine

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo

202/358-4555.

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The NASA Video File generally airs at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9

p.m. and midnight Eastern Time, but may be pre-empted by
mission coverage or breaking news. NASA Television is
available on GE-2, transponder 9C at 85 degrees West
longitude, with vertical polarization. Frequency is on
3880.0 megahertz, with audio on 6.8 megahertz.

Refer general questions about the video file to NASA

Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo, 202/358-4555, or
Pam Poe, 202/358-0373.

During Space Shuttle missions, you can access the full NASA
TV schedule from:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html

For general information about NASA TV see:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/

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information Service Web site:

http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/award.html

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end of daily news summary