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SUMMARY
NEWS RELEASES:
SOHO SPACECRAFT BAGS 102 COMETS
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SOHO SPACECRAFT BAGS 102 COMETS
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VIDEO:
TRT: 1:38
Synopsis: Our Sun is a tremendously powerful, violent, and variable star like
many we
can see in the night sky. To better study solar variability and understand its
effects on
humanity, NASA is starting a multi-year program called "Living With a Star," a
set of
missions and enhancements to current programs which will provide new capability
for
understanding, and ultimately predicting "solar weather" and its effect on
Earth.
"Living With a Star" will introduce a new suite of spacecraft called Solar
Sentinels. For the
first time, scientists will be able to track solar storm regions over the entire
solar surface as
it rotates.
"Living With a Star" will use our most creative and advanced technologies in the
construction of this outer space network of sentinels and scientific spacecraft.
This
animation sequence shows show a satellite using large Solar sails, somewhat like
those
used in the days of sailing ships for propulsion. The sails on these new
satellites will use
the energy in sunlight, rather than traditional rocket propulsion, to get to
their orbits.
As civilization becomes more technically advanced and expands into space both
physically and economically, we are finding that Solar variability can affect
civilian and
military space systems, human space flight, electric power grids, GPS signals,
high
frequency radio communications, long range radar, microelectronics and
terrestrial
climate.
Item 4a Seawifs: Before and after flood still images from North Carolina--
October 1999.
Item 4b Landsat 7: Flyover of Manhattan--April 1999.
Item 4c Radarsat flyover/around of Antarctica--November 1999.
Item 4d Landsat views: Urban growth of the Baltimore/Washington corridor--April
1999.
In FY2000, the Space Shuttle program recommended three high priority safety
upgrades, including electric auxiliary power units, advanced health
monitoring for the orbiter main engines and avionics and cockpit upgrades.
By incorporating these three upgrades, the reliability of the Shuttle
during ascent almost doubles.
During the FY 2001 budget process additional high priority safety upgrades
were identified that will further increase the reliability of the Space
Shuttle during ascent. They include upgrades to the Space Shuttle main engines,
the solid rocket boosters and solid rocket motor propellant and the welding
process
used on the external tank.
Item 8 - New Results Show Which Way the Wind Blows over the Oceans- JPL
(replay)
Headquarters Contact: Dave Steitz 202/358-1730
JPL Contact: Diane Ainsworth 818/354-5011
Item 10 - "The Emotion of Space": NASA video on the excitement and challenges
of
exploration in the next few years. TRT: 3:30
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TV Producers:
Please note all times, unless otherwise noted, are Eastern Time.
The NASA Video File normally airs at noon, 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.,
9:00 p.m. and midnight Eastern Time. 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.
For general questions about the video file call NASA Headquarters,
Washington, DC: Ray Castillo 202/358-4555 or Elvia Thompson
202/358-1696.
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Contract Awards
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Brian.Dunbar@hq.nasa.gov
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