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Info about Shuttle Flight STS- 40
1
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS
Mark Hess/Jim Cast/Ed Campion
Office of Space Flight
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/453-1134 or 202/453-8536)
Paula Cleggett-Haleim
Office of Space Science and Applications
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone: 202/453-1547)
Lisa Malone
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 407/867-2468)
Mike Simmons
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
(Phone: 205/544-6537)
James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston,
(Phone: 713/483-5111)
Jean Drummond Clough
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
(Phone: 804/864-6122)
Delores Beasley
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone: 301/286-2806)
Myron Webb
Stennis Space Center, Miss.
(Phone: 60l/688-334l)
Jane Hutchison
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
(Phone: 415/604-9000)
Nancy Lovato
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.
(Phone: 805/258-3448)
CONTENTS
GENERAL RELEASE 3
MEDIA SERVICES 4
STS-40 QUICK LOOK 5
SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 6
SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 7
VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 8
FLIGHT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 9
STS-40 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 10
SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES (SLS-1) 11
GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS 29
ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM 34
STS-40 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 37
STS-40 MISSION MANAGEMENT 40
UPCOMING SHUTTLE MISSIONS 43
PREVIOUS SHUTTLE FLIGHTS 44
ABOUT THE COVER 45
GENERAL RELEASE
RELEASE: 91-69
FIRST SPACELAB DEDICATED TO LIFE SCIENCES HIGHLIGHTS STS-40
Shuttle mission STS-40, the 41st flight of the Space Shuttle and
the 11th flight of Columbia, will conduct the Spacelab Life
Sciences (SLS-1) mission, the first spacelab dedicated to life
sciences research.
The launch of the SLS-1 mission is currently scheduled for no
earlier than 9:20 a.m. EDT on May 24. The mission will be flown
at an altitude of 160 by 150 nautical miles and at an inclination
of 39 degrees to the Equator.
During the SLS-1 mission, the STS-40 crew will perform
experiments which will explore how the heart, blood vessels,
lungs, kidneys and hormone-secreting glands respond to
microgravity, the causes of space sickness and changes in muscles,
bones and cells during the microgravity environment of space
flight and in the readjustment to gravity upon returning to Earth.
The experiments performed on Columbia's crew and on laboratory
animals will provide the most detailed and interrelated
physiological measurements acquired in the space flight
environment since the Skylab program flights in 1973 and 1974.
Other payloads on the SLS-1 mission include 12 experiments being
flown under NASA's Get Away Special program. The experiments,
enclosed in canisters on a bridge in the Shuttle's cargo bay, will
investigate such topics as materials science, plant biology and
cosmic radiation.
The NASA Orbiter Experiments Program will fly 7 experiments on
the STS-40 orbiter that will provide an opportunity for
researchers to gather data on a full-scale lifting vehicle, the
STS-40 orbiter, during atmospheric entry.
The mission is planned to last 9 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes,
concluding with a landing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., at
12:50 p.m. EDT, June 2. The Commander for this flight of Columbia
will be Marine Corps Col. Bryan D. O'Connor. Air Force Lt. Col.
Sidney M. Gutierrez will serve as Pilot. Mission specialists for
STS-40 are James P. Bagian, M.D.; Tamara E. Jernigan, Ph.D.; and
Margaret Rhea Seddon, M.D. The payload specialists are Francis
Andrew Gaffney, M.D., and Millie Hughes-Fulford, Ph.D.
Following the STS-40 mission, Columbia will return to Kennedy
Space Center, Fla., where the spacelab will be removed. The
orbiter will then go to Palmdale, Calif., for nearly 6 months to
undergo major modifications and inspections at Rockwell
International Corp. Columbia is next scheduled to fly on STS-50,
the
U. S. Microgravity Laboratory mission, in June 1992.
MEDIA SERVICES
NASA Select Television Transmission
NASA Select television is available on Satcom F-2R, Transponder
13, located at 72 degrees west longitude; frequency 3960.0 MHz,
audio 6.8 MHz.
The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter and for
the change-of-shift briefings from Johnson Space Center, Houston,
will be available during the mission at Kennedy Space Center,
Fla.; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; Johnson
Space Center; and NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The
television schedule will be updated to reflect changes dictated by
mission operations.
Television schedules also may be obtained by calling COMSTOR,
713/483-5817. COMSTOR is a computer data base service requiring
the use of a telephone modem. A voice update of the television
schedule may be obtained by dialing 202/755-1788. This service is
updated daily at noon EST.
Status Reports
Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-orbit
activities and landing operations will be produced by the
appropriate NASA news center.
Briefings
A mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior to launch.
During the mission, change-of-shift briefings by the off-going
flight director will occur at approximately 8-hour intervals.
STS-40 QUICK LOOK
Launch Date: May 24, 1991
Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Pad 39B
Launch Window: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. EDT
Orbiter: Columbia (OV-102)
Orbit: 160 by 150 nautical miles, 39 degrees
inclination
Landing Date/Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PDT, June 2, 1991
Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
Abort Landing Sites:
Return to Launch Site - Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Transoceanic Abort Landing - Ben Guerir, Morroco
Abort Once Around - White Sands Space Harbor, N. M.
Crew: Bryan D. O'Connor, Commander
Sidney M. Gutierrez, Pilot
James P. Bagian, Mission Specialist 1
Tamara E. Jernigan, Mission Specialist 2
M. Rhea Seddon, Mission Specialist 3
Francis A. (Drew) Gaffney, Payload Specialist 1
Millie Hughes-Fulford, Payload Specialist 2
Cargo Bay Payloads: Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1)
Get Away Special (GAS) Bridge experiments
Middeck Payloads: Physiological Monitoring System (PMS)
Urine Monitoring System (UMS)
Animal Enclosure Modules (AEM)
SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES
Day One Ascent
OMS 2 engine firing
Spacelab activation
Metabolic experiment operations
Echocardiograph operations
Day Two Baroreflex tests
Pulmonary function tests
Echocardiograph activities
Cardiovascular operations
Ames Research Center operations
Day Three Ames Research Center operations
Rotating dome operations
Echocardiograph activities
DTOs
Day 4 Baroreflex/Pulmonary function tests
Ames Research Center operations
Day Five Pulmonary function tests
Cardiovascular operations
Echocardiograph activities
Day Six Rotating dome operations
Echocardiograph activities
Cardiovascular operations
Ames Research Center operations
Day Seven DTOs
Ames Research Center operations
Day Eight Baroreflex tests
Echocardiograph
Cardiovascular operations
Day Nine Pulmonary function tests
Flight control systems checkout
Echocardiograph tests
Cardiovascular operations
Cabin stow
Partial Spacelab deactivation
Day Ten Spacelab deactivation
Deorbit preparation
Deorbit burn
Landing
SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES
Space Shuttle launch abort philosophy aims toward safe and
intact recovery of the flight crew, orbiter and its payload.
Abort modes include:
* Abort-To-Orbit (ATO) -- Partial loss of main engine thrust
late enough to permit reaching a minimal 105-nautical mile orbit
with orbital maneuvering system engines.
* Abort-Once-Around (AOA) -- Earlier main engine shutdown with
the capability to allow one orbit around before landing at either
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF)
at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; or White Sands Space Harbor
(Northrup Strip), N.M.
* Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of one or more main
engines midway through powered flight would force a landing at
either Ben Guerir, Morocco; Moron or Zaragoza, Spain.
* Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) -- Early shutdown of one or more
engines, and without enough energy to reach Ben Guerir would
result in a pitch around and thrust back toward Kennedy Space
Center, Fla., until within gliding distance of the SLF.
STS-40 contingency landing sites are Edwards AFB, Kennedy Space
Center, White Sands, Ben Guerir, Moron and Zaragoza.
VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS
Pounds
Orbiter (Columbia), empty and 3 SSMEs 172,482
Spacelab Life Sciences-1 Module 21,271
GAS Bridge Assembly 4,885
Spacelab Support Equipment 750
Space Acceleration Measurement System 250
Detailed Test Objectives 88
Detailed Supplementary Objectives 35
Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,519,081
Orbiter Landing Weight 225,492
FLIGHT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS
RELATIVE
EVENT MET VELOCITY MACH ALTITUDE
(d:h:m:s) (fps) (ft)
Launch 00/00:00:00
Begin Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:10 189 .17 799
End Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:18 403 .36 3,286
SSME Throttle Down to 67% 00/00:00:33 784 .71 11,283
Max. Dyn. Pressure (Max Q) 00/00:00:52 1,183 1.14 27,829
SSME Throttle Up to 104% 00/00:01:04 1,504 1.54 41,579
SRB Staging 00/00:02:05 4,136 3.85 155,954
Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) 00/00:08:33 24,644 22.27 367,999
Zero Thrust 00/00:08:40 24,673 22.3 370,235
ET Separation 00/00:08:50
OMS 2 Burn 00/00:42:20
Deorbit Burn (orbit 146) 09/02:31:00
Landing (orbit 147) 09/03:30:00
Apogee, Perigee at MECO: 155 x 40 nautical miles
Apogee, Perigee post-OMS 2: 160 x 150 nautical miles
STS-40 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING
Processing the orbiter Columbia for the STS-40 mission at
Kennedy Space Center began Feb. 9, following its last mission -
STS-35/Astro I.
About 40 modifications were made to Columbia during its 10 and a
half-week stay in the OPF. These modifications enhance the
performance and efficiency of the orbiter's complex systems.
While in the OPF, four modified external tank door bellcrank
housings were installed. Small cracks previously were found in
three of the housings.
Space Shuttle main engine locations for this flight are as
follows: engine 2015 in the No. 1 position, engine 2022 in the
No. 2 position and engine 2027 in the No. 3 position. These
engines were installed in March.
The Crew Equipment Interface Test with the STS-40 flight crew
was conducted on April 7 in the OPF. This test provided an
opportunity for the crew to become familiar with the configuration
of the orbiter and anything that is unique to the STS-40 mission.
Technicians installed the Spacelab module on March 24 and
successfully conducted the required tests. The Spacelab tunnel,
leading from the orbiter's airlock to the module, was installed
April 3.
Booster stacking operations on mobile launcher platform 3 began
March 16 with the left and right aft boosters. These segments
later were destacked to allow a realignment of the launch platform
holddown posts. Restacking began on March 23 with the left aft
booster. Stacking of all booster segments was completed by April
11. The external tank was mated to the boosters on April 17 and
Columbia was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building on April
26 where it was mated to the external tank and solid rocket
boosters.
The STS-40 vehicle was rolled out to Launch Pad 39-B on May 2.
A launch countdown dress rehearsal was scheduled for May 6-7 at
Kennedy Space Center.
A standard 43-hour launch countdown is scheduled to begin three
days prior to launch. During the countdown, the orbiter's onboard
fuel and oxidizer storage tanks will be loaded and all orbiter
systems will be prepared for flight.
About 9 hours before launch, the external tank will be filled
with its flight load of a half a million gallons of liquid oxygen
and liquid hydrogen propellants. About two and one-half hours
before liftoff, the flight crew will begin taking their assigned
seats in the crew cabin.
KSC's recovery teams will prepare the orbiter Columbia for the
return trip to Florida following the end-of-mission landing at
Edwards AFB, Calif. Orbiter turnaround operations at Dryden
Flight Research Facility typically take about five days. A 2-day
ferry flight is planned because of the additional weight of the
orbiter returning with the Spacelab. The extra weight will
require several refueling stops during the ferry flight.
Following post-flight deservicing and removal of the Spacelab
payload and major orbiter components at Kennedy Space Center,
Columbia will be readied for ferry flight to Palmdale, Calif. The
orbiter is scheduled to undergo extensive modifications, including
changes to accommodate an extended duration mission, at the
Rockwell manufacturing plant during a 6-month period from August
1991 to January 1992. Columbia's next scheduled flight is STS-50,
a planned extended duration mission with the U.S. Microgravity
Laboratory payload targeted for launch in June 1992.
SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES (SLS-1)
Many volumes of research remain to be recorded and studied
regarding adaptation of humans to the weightless environment of
space flight. The blanks, however, will begin to be filled
following the broad range of experiments to be conducted on the
Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1).
With the help of the STS-40 crew, investigators from across the
nation will conduct tests on the cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary,
metabolic, musculoskeletal and neurovestibular systems.
There are 18 primary experiments chosen for SLS-1. Those using
human subjects are managed by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center,
Houston, Texas, and those using animals are managed by the Ames
Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. Organized by the managing
NASA center, this section of the press kit will summarize the 18
experiments, identify the principal investigators and list flight
hardware used to support the experiments.
Johnson Space Center
Spacelab Life Sciences-1 Experiments
Activities involved with the human experiments on-board Columbia
are managed by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas.
Preflight baseline data collection will be performed primarily at
Johnson Space Center with several tests scheduled at the Kennedy
Space Center just prior to launch. Investigators will perform
post-flight tests at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility,
Edwards, Calif.
A broad range of instruments -- some, unique hardware and
others, standard equipment -- will be used by the human subjects
throughout the mission. Equipment will include a neck chamber,
cardiopulmonary rebreathing unit, gas analyzer mass spectrometer,
rotating dome, inflight blood collection system, urine monitoring
system, bag-in-box assembly, strip chart recorders,
physiological monitoring system, incubators, low-gravity
centrifuge, echocardiograph and venous occlusion cuff controller.
In total, the 10 experiments will explore the capabilities of
the human body in space. A brief description of these experiments
follows:
Influence of Weightlessness Upon Human Autonomic
Cardiovascular Controls
Principal investigator:
Dwain L. Eckberg, M.D.
Medical College of Virginia
Richmond, Va.
This experiment will investigate the theory that lightheadedness
and a reduction in blood pressures in astronauts upon standing
after landing may arise because the normal reflex system
regulating blood pressure behaves differently after having adapted
to a microgravity environment.
For this experiment, some SLS-1 crewmembers will wear neck
chambers that resemble whip-lash collars to detect blood pressure
in the neck. Investigators will take blood pressure measurements
both before and after the flight for comparison. Astronauts will
take the same measurements themselves on orbit to map changes that
occur during spaceflight.
Inflight Study of Cardiovascular Deconditioning
Principal investigator:
Leon E. Farhi, M.D.
State University of New York at Buffalo
Buffalo, N.Y.
Just how rapidly astronauts become accustomed to microgravity
and then readjust to the normal gravitational forces on Earth is
the focus of this study. By analyzing the gas composition of a
mixture which the STS-40 astronauts "rebreathe," investigators
will calculate how much blood is being delivered by the heart to
the body during space flight.
This experiment uses a non-invasive technique of prolonged
expiration and rebreathing -- inhaling in previously exhaled gases
-- to measure the cardiovascular and respiratory changes. The
technique furnishes information on functions including the amount
of blood pumped out of the heart, oxygen usage and carbon dioxide
released by the body, heart contractions, blood pressure and lung
functioning.
Astronauts will perform the rebreathing technique while resting
and while pedaling on an exercise bike to provide a look at the
heart's ability to cope with added physical stress. On the first
and last days of the STS-40 mission, only resting measurements
will be taken. Rest and graded exercise measurements are made on
most other days.
Vestibular Experiments in Spacelab
Principal investigator:
Laurence R. Young, Sc.D.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Mass.
A joint U.S./Canadian research program has been developed to
perform a set of closely related experiments to investigate space
motion sickness, any associated changes in inner ear vestibular
function during weightlessness and the impact of those changes
postflight. Parts of this experiment will be carried out
inflight, other parts on the ground both pre- and post-flight.
As part of the inflight activities, the team will study the
interaction between conflicting visual, vestibular and tactile
information. Investigators expect crew members to become
increasingly dependent on visual and tactile cues for spatial
orientation. The test calls for a crew member to place his/her
head in a rotating dome hemispherical display to induce a
sensation of self-rotation in the direction opposite to the dome
rotation. The astronaut will then move a joy stick to indicate
his/her perception of self-motion.
Awareness of position by astronauts is important for reaching
tasks especially during landing operations. The objective of
several tests during the flight will document the loss of sense of
orientation and limb position in the absence of visual cues and
will determine what mechanisms underlie the phenomenon.
During the presleep period, crewmembers will view several
targets placed about the interior of Spacelab. They then will be
blindfolded and asked to describe the position of their limbs in
reference to their torso and to point to the targets. In post
sleep, crew members upon waking and while blindfolded perceive
their posture, position of their limbs and location of familiar
orbiter structures, recording the accuracy of their perceptions.
The next two parts of this experiment will be performed as time
permits on the SLS-1 mission or continued on a later Spacelab
mission. Both experiments have been previously performed by
crewmembers in space.
The next part looks at the causes and treatment of space motion
sickness (SMS) and evaluates the success of Earth-based tests to
predict SMS susceptibility. Two crew members will wear an
acceleration recording unit (ARU) to measure all head movement and
to provide detailed commentary regarding the time, course and and
signs of SMS. Subjects wearing the ARU will wear the collar for
several hours during the mission and if desired, when symptoms
occur. The influence of the collar on the resulting head movement
pattern and SMS symptoms will be monitored.
Another battery of tests performed preflight will attempt to
determine which test or combination of tests could aid in
predicting SMS.
Protein Metabolism During Space Flight
Principal investigator:
T. Peter Stein, Ph.D.
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey
Camden, N.J.
This study involves several tests looking at the mechanisms
involved in protein metabolism including changes in protein
synthesis rates, muscle breakdown rates and use of dietary
nitrogen in a weightless environment.
This experiment will examine whole body protein metabolism by
measuring the concentration of 15N-glycine, an amino acid in
protein, in saliva and urine samples from crew members and ground
control subjects preflight, inflight and postflight.
Crew members will collect urine samples throughout the flight.
On the second and eighth flight days, astronauts also will take
oral doses of 15N-glycine. Crew members will collect and freeze a
urine sample 10 hours after the ingestion of the glycine for
postflight analyses. Urinary 3-methyl histidine, a marker for
muscle protein breakdown also will be monitored.
Fluid-Electrolyte Regulation During Spaceflight
Principal investigator:
Carolyn Leach-Huntoon, Ph.D.
Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas
Adaptation to the weightless environment is known to change
fluid, electrolyte, renal and circulatory processes in humans. A
shift of body fluids from the lower limbs to the upper body occurs
to all astronauts while in space.
This experiment makes detailed measurements before, during and
after flight to determine immediate and long-term changes in
kidney function; changes in water, salt and mineral balance;
shifts in body fluids from cells and tissues; and immediate and
long-term changes in levels of hormones which affect kidney
function and circulation.
Test protocol requires that crew members collect urine samples
throughout the flight. Body mass is measured daily and a log is
kept of all food, fluids and medication taken in flight. Fasting
blood samples are collected from the crew members as soon as
possible inflight and at specified intervals on selected
flight days thereafter.
Tests will determine the amount of certain tracers that can be
released from a given volume of blood or plasma into urine in a
specified amount of time, measuring the rate and loss of body
water and determining changes in blood plasma volume and
extracellular fluid. Measurements will be made two times inflight
by collecting blood samples at timed intervals after each subject
has received a precalculated dose of a tracer, a chemical which
allows the compound to be tracked as it moves through the body.
Total body water is measured during flight using water labeled
with a heavy isotope of oxygen.
Each subject drinks a premeasured dose of the tracer and
subsequently collects urine samples at timed intervals. Plasma
volume and extracellular fluid volume are measured by collecting
blood samples at timed intervals after tracer injections.
Hormonal changes are investigated by sensitive assays of both
plasma and urine.
Pulmonary Function During Weightlessness
Principal investigator:
John B. West, M.D., Ph.D.
University of California
San Diego, Calif.
This experiment provides an opportunity for study of the
properties of the human lung without the influence of gravity. In
the microgravity Spacelab, a model of lung function will be
developed to serve as a basis for comparison for the normal and
diseased lung. Also, investigators will glean information about
the lung for planning longer space missions.
There will be a series of eight breath tests conducted with
measurements taken at rest and after breathing various test bag
mixtures. The test assembly allows the subject to switch from
breathing cabin air to inhaling premixed gases in separate
breathing bags. Breathing exercises involve the inhalation of
specially prepared gas mixtures.
The tests are designed to examine the distribution and movement
of blood and gas within the pulmonary system and how these
measurements compare to normal respiration. By measuring gas
concentrations, the flow of gas through the lungs into the blood
stream and rate of blood flow into the lungs, investigators hope
to better understand the human pulmonary function here on Earth
and learn how gravity plays a part in influencing lung function.
Lymphocyte Proliferation in Weightlessness
Principal investigator:
Augusto Cogoli, Ph.D.
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
Zurich, Switzerland
Following investigations carried out during Spacelab 1 and the
German D-1 shuttle missions, this experiment will investigate the
effect of weightlessness on the activation of lymphocyte
reproduction. The study also will test whether there is a
possible alteration of the cells responsible for part of the
immune defense system during space flight.
STS-40 will repeat the basic Spacelab-1 experiment. Lymphocytes
will be purified from human blood collected 12 hours before
launch. The cells will be resuspended in a culture medium, sealed
in culture blocks and stowed on Columbia's middeck. Inflight, the
samples will be exposed to a mitogen (a substance that promotes
cell division) and allowed to grow in the weightless environment.
Some of the samples also will be exposed to varying gravity levels
on the low-gravity centrifuge. These samples will serve as a
control group as they will experience the same environmental
conditions with the exception of micro-gravity.
The stimulation of the lymphocytes to reproduce is determined by
monitoring the incorporation of a chemical isotope tracer into the
cells' DNA. Investigators will gather further information on
lymphocytes from blood samples taken from the crew inflight.
Influence of Space Flight on Erythrokinetics in Man
Principal investigator:
Clarence Alfrey, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
The most consistent finding from space flight is the decrease in
circulating red blood cells or erythrocytes and subsequent
reduction in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This
experiment studies the mechanisms which may be responsible for
this decrease, including the effect of space flight on red blood
cell production rate and the role of changes in body weight and
plasma volume on red blood cell production.
Blood samples taken pre-, post- and inflight will trace the life
of astronauts' red blood cells. By measuring the volume of red
blood cells and plasma, researchers will check the rate of
production and destruction of blood in both normal and
microgravity conditions.
On flight day two, crew members will receive an injection of a
tracer that will measure the amount of new red blood cells.
Tracers (chemicals that will attach to the red blood cell to
allowing them to be tracked) injected before launch will measure
the destruction rate of red blood cells. Crew members will draw
blood samples on the second, third, fourth, eighth and ninth days
of flight.
Cardiovascular Adaptation to Microgravity
Principal investigator:
C. Gunnar Blomqvist, M.D.
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, Texas
This experiment will focus on the acute changes in
cardiovascular function, heart dimensions and function at rest,
response to maximal exercise and control mechanisms.
The experiment seeks to increase the understanding of
microgravity-induced changes in the cardiovascular structure and
function responsible for a common problem during return to normal
gravity of orthostatic hypotension or the inability to maintain
normal blood pressure and flow while in an upright position.
Central venous pressure -- measurements of changes in the blood
pressure in the great veins near the heart -- will be observed in
one crew member. A cardiologist will insert a catheter into a
vein in the arm and position it near the heart prior to flight.
Measurements then will be recorded for 24 hours beginning prior to
launch and extending for at least 4 hours into space flight, at
which time the catheter is removed. The catheter data will
indicate the degree of body fluid redistribution and the speed at
which the redistribution occurs.
Echocardiograph measurements, a method of sending high frequency
sound into the body to provide a view of the heart, will be
performed on crew members each day.
Leg flow and compliance measurements will gather information on
leg blood flow and leg vein pressure-volume relationships. During
flow measurements, blood in the veins of the leg will be stopped
for a short period of time by inflating a cuff above the knee.
Compliance measurements, the amount of blood that pools for a
given increased pressure in the veins will be obtained by
inflating and incrementally deflating the cuff over different
pressures and holding that pressure until the volume of the leg
reaches an equilibrium.
Pathophysiology of Mineral Loss During Space Flight
Principal investigator:
Claude D. Arnaud, M.D.
University of California
San Francisco, Calif.
Changes in calcium balance during space flight is an area of
concern for researchers since the changes appear to be similar to
those observed in humans with osteoporosis, a condition in which
bone mass decreases and the bones become porous and brittle and
are prone to fracturing or breaking. Because of potential health
problems for astronauts returning to Earth after long space
flights, the mechanisms which cause these changes are of great
interest in space medicine.
This experiment will measure the changes which occur during
space flight in circulating levels of calcium metabolizing
hormones and to directly measure the uptake and release of calcium
in the body. Investigators believe there may be significant
changes in the amount of these hormones produced due to an
increase in the breakdown and reassimilation of bone tissue and
that these changes begin to occur within hours after entering the
weightless environment.
Each crew member will be weighed daily and will keep a log of
all food, fluids and medications ingested. They also will draw
blood samples on selected days to determine the role of calcium
regulating hormones on the observed changes in calcium balance.
The experiment is repeated on selected days preflight and
postflight. A simultaneous ground experiment is performed using
non-crew member subjects.
Ames Research Center
Spacelab Life Sciences-1 Experiments
The Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., as the
developer of nonhuman life sciences experiments, will supply eight
investigations to the SLS-1 mission. They are designed to
increase our knowledge about the functioning of basic life
processes during exposure to microgravity.
These experiments will examine three systems: musculoskeletal,
neurovestibular and hematopoietic. Seven of the investigations
will use laboratory rats as subjects. A gravitational biology
experiment will study jellyfish development and behavior. Ames
Research Center also has developed several pieces of flight
hardware to support these experiments.
The Ames payload consists of a research animal holding facility
(RAHF), two animal enclosure modules (AEMs), a general purpose
work station and associated general purpose transfer unit, a
refrigerator/incubator module, a small mass measuring instrument
and eight animal experiments. A brief description of each of
those experiments follows.
Regulation of Erythropoiesis During Space Flight
Principal Investigator:
Robert D. Lange, M.D.
University of Tennessee Medical Center
Knoxville, Tenn.
Regulation of Blood Volume During Space Flight
Principal Investigator:
Clarence Alfrey, M.D.
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas
This combined investigation will explore the mechanisms for
changes seen in red blood cell mass and blood volume in crews on
previous space flights. Several factors known to affect
erythropoiesis will be examined. It also will determine whether
comparable changes occur in the rat and if the rat is a
satisfactory model for studying microgravity-induced changes in
human blood.
Previous space flight crews have consistently exhibited
decreased red blood cell mass and plasma volume. The mechanisms
responsible for these changes are not known, although a decrease
in red blood cell production may play a role in altered red cell
mass.
The SLS-1 hematology experiments will study two parts of the
blood system: the liquid portion (plasma), which contains water,
proteins, nutrients, electrolytes, hormones and metabolic wastes
and a cellular portion, which contains red and white blood cells
and platelets.
Bone, Calcium and Space Flight
Principal Investigator:
Emily Morey-Holton, Ph.D.
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, Calif.
Weightlessness causes a slow loss of calcium and phosphorus
from the bones during and immediately following space flight. Negative
calcium balance, decreased bone density and inhibition of bone
formation have been reported. Most of the loss is thought to occur in
the leg bones and the spine, which are responsible for movement and
erect posture.
Previous studies of rodents exposed to microgravity have shown
decreased skeletal growth early in the mission; reduced
concentrations of a protein secreted by bone-forming cells,
suggesting a reduction in the activity of these cells; and reduced
leg bone breaking strength and reduced bone mass in the spine.
Formation of bone probably does not cease abruptly, but more
likely decreases gradually as the number and/or activity of bone-
forming cells decreases. This experiment will allow more precise
calculation of the length of flight time required to significantly
inhibit bone formation in rats.
Dr. Morey-Holton's experiment focuses on growth that occurs in a
number of specific bones such as the leg, spine and jaw. The
study also will document alterations in bone growth patterns and
bone-breaking strength in rodents exposed to weightlessness and it
will determine whether bone formation returns to normal levels
after space flight.
A Study of the Effects of Space Travel on Mammalian
Gravity Receptors
Principal Investigator:
Muriel Ross, Ph.D.
NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, Calif.
The neurovestibular system, which helps animals orient their
bodies, is very sensitive to gravity. In space, gravity no longer
influences the tiny otolith crystals, which are small, calcified
gravity receptors in the inner ear. In micro-gravity, information
sent to the brain from the inner ear and other sensory organs may
conflict with cues anticipated from past experiences in Earth's
normal gravity field. This conflict results in disorientation.
Previous flight experience has shown that vestibular symptoms,
including nausea, vomiting and dizziness and instability when
standing, occur in more than half of the astronauts during the
first few days of flight, with some symptoms lasting for up to 10
days post-flight.
This study investigates structural changes that may occur within
the inner ear in response to the microgravity of space. It seeks
to define the effects of prolonged weightlessness on the otoliths.
Scientists suspect that otolith degeneration may occur as a result
of changes in the body's calcium levels, carbohydrate and protein
metabolism, body fluid distribution and hormone secretions.
The study also will examine the degree to which any changes
noted remain static, progress or recover during a 7-day period
post-flight.
Effects of Microgravity-Induced Weightlessness on Aurelia
Ephyra Differentiation and Statolith Synthesis
Principal Investigator:
Dorothy B. Spangenberg, Ph.D.
Eastern Virginia Medical School
Norfolk, Va.
Jellyfish are among the simplest organisms possessing a nervous
system. They use structures called rhopalia to maintain their
correct orientation in water. Rhopalia have statoliths that are
analogous to mammalian otoliths, the gravity-sensing organs of the
inner ear that help mammals maintain balance.
The purpose of this investigation is to determine the role
microgravity plays in the development and function of gravity-
receptor structures of Aurelia (a type of jellyfish). Ephyrae are
a tiny form of the jellyfish. This experiment will study the
gravity receptors of ephyrae to determine how microgravity
influences their development and function, as well as the animals'
swimming behavior.
Skeletal Myosin Isoenzymes in Rats Exposed to Microgravity
Principal Investigator:
Joseph Foon Yoong Hoh, Ph.D.
University of Sydney
Sydney, Australia
Skeletal muscle fibers exist in two forms, classified as slow-
twitch or fast-twitch, depending on how fast they contract. The
two forms develop similar forces when contracting but they
contract at different speeds. The speed of contraction is
directly related to the amount of the protein myosin in muscle
fibers. Myosin is made up of five isoenzymes, which differ in
structure and in enzyme activity.
In Earth's gravity, a low-firing frequency stimulates the slow-
twitch fibers, which support a body against gravity. The fast-
twitch fibers, which are related to body movement, contract in
response to high-frequency nerve impulses.
This study will examine how microgravity affects the speed of
muscle contractions. Because stimuli to the slow-twitch anti-
gravity muscles should be greatly reduced in microgravity, the
concentration of myosin isoenzymes in these fibers should be
lower. This experiment should provide additional data to help
explain how microgravity affects the speed of muscle contractions
and the growth and proliferation of slow-twitch and fast-twitch
muscle fibers.
Effects of Microgravity on Biochemical and Metabolic
Properties of Skeletal Muscle in Rats
Principal Investigator:
Kenneth M. Baldwin, Ph.D.
University of California
Irvine, Calif.
It has been proposed that a loss of muscle mass in astronauts
during weightlessness produces the observed loss of strength and
endurance, particularly in the anti-gravity muscles. One
explanation is that exposure to microgravity results in the
removal of sufficient stress or tension on the muscles to maintain
adequate levels of certain proteins and enzymes.
These proteins and enzymes enable cells to use oxygen to convert
nutrients into energy. When gravitational stress is reduced,
protein activity also decreases and muscles become more dependent
on glycogen stored in the liver and muscles for energy. As the
body metabolizes glycogen, muscle endurance decreases.
Radioactive carbon compounds will be used to evaluate energy
metabolism in the hind leg muscles of the rats exposed to
microgravity. The concentration of the enzymes reflects the kind
of metabolic activity occurring in muscles during periods of
reduced gravitational stress. In addition, skeletal muscle cells
of flight and ground-control animals will be compared to assess
any changes in the concentration of enzymes that break down
glycogen.
The Effects of Microgravity on the Electron Microscopy,
Histochemistry and Protease Activities of Rat Hindlimb
Muscles
Principal Investigator:
Danny A. Riley, Ph.D.
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wis.
The anti-gravity skeletal muscles of astronauts exposed to
microgravity for extended periods exhibit progressive weakness.
Studies of rodents flown in space for 7 days on a previous mission
have shown a 40 percent loss of mass in the anti-gravity leg
muscles. Other studies indicate the loss of strength may result
from simple muscle fiber shrinkage, death of muscle cells and/or
degeneration of motor innervation. In addition, the biochemical
process that generates energy in muscle cells was almost totally
absent. The progressive atrophy of certain muscles in
microgravity is the focus of this study, which compares the
atrophy rates of muscles used primarily to oppose gravity with
those muscles used for movement.
Investigators will examine muscle tissues of flight and ground-
control rodents to look for the shrinkage or death of muscle
cells, breakdown of muscle fibers or degeneration of motor nerves.
Scientists also hope to discover the chemical basis for atrophy by
analyzing the concentration of enzymes that facilitate the
breakdown of proteins within cells.
GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS
NASA's Get Away Special (GAS) program's goal is to provide
access to space to everyone by offering an inexpensive way for
individuals and organizations, both private and public of all
countries, to send scientific research and development experiments
on board a Space Shuttle for a modest fee on a space-available
basis.
The GAS bridge, capable of holding a maximum of 12 canisters (or
cans), fits across the payload bay of the orbiter and offers a
convenient and economic way of flying several canisters
simultaneously.
To date, 55 GAS cans have flown on 15 missions. The GAS program
began in 1982 and is managed by Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md. Clarke Prouty is GAS project manager and Larry
Thomas is Technical liaison officer.
The 12 GAS experiments on STS-40 are:
(G-021) Solid State Microaccelerometer Experiment
This experiment, sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA),
is part of ESA's In-Orbit Technology Demonstration Program, which
makes use of flight opportunities available on European and
American carriers to fly technology experiments.
The objective of the experiment is to test a new kind of very
sensitive, highly miniaturized accelerometers, intended for
applications on a number of ESA space missions. Using a block of
silicon material etched to create a frame with a mass suspended on
two beams, the experiment was devised to subject accelerometers to
known vibration stimuli while in the microgravity environment of
the Shuttle orbit.
As a result of the extreme sensitivity of the accelerometers,
noise created by the crew or Shuttle systems could reduced the
quality of the measurements. Because of this, the crew will switch
on the experiment prior to a sleep period. The experiment will
work autonomously and will last about 3 hours. After the sleep
period, the crew will switch it off again.
The payload was designed and built by two Swiss companies,
Compagnie Industrielle Radioelectrique S.A. and Centre Suisse
D'Elecronique et de Microtechnique S.A. The NASA technical
manager (NTM) is Richard Hoffman.
(G-052) Experiment in Crystal Growth
This experiment was designed to grow crystals of gallium
arsenide (GaAs). GaAs is a versatile electronic material used in
high speed electronics and opto-electronics.
The payload will grow two selenium-doped GaAs crystals. The
crystals will be 1 inch in diameter by 3.5 inches long and will be
grown using a gradient freeze growth technique. Growth of the two
crystals in space is part of a comprehensive research program to
systematically investigate the effect of gravity-driven fluid flow
on GaAs crystal growth.
The payload was designed and constructed at GTE Laboratories in
Waltham, Mass., and is jointly sponsored by GTE, NASA's Lewis
Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, and the U.S. Air Force Wright
Research and Development Center Materials Laboratory, Dayton,
Ohio. Scientists from each research institution will contribute
to characterization of the space-grown crystals. The
NTM is Dave Peters.
(G-091) Orbital Ball Bearing Experiment
A team of researchers from California State University,
Northridge (CSUN) have built an experiment apparatus called the
Orbital Ball Bearing Experiment (OBBFX) to test the effects of
melting cylindrical metal pellets in microgravity. If successful,
this experiment may produce a type of ball bearing which has never
before been built.
One of the goals of the OBBEX experiment is to create the
world's first seamless, hollow ball bearing. The hollow
characteristic of the ball can improve the service life rating of
a ball bearing. This permits higher speeds and higher load
applications and may reduce the friction encountered in normal
operation.
With faculty support, the OBBFX was designed and built as part
of a senior year design project at California State University,
Northridge. Funding for the experiment was provided by two
Southern California companies: Moore Industries Inc., a
manufacturer of industrial control systems, and Industrial
Tektonics, Inc., a specialty bearing manufacturer. Additional
funding was supplied by the Aerospace Corporation, The CSUN
Foundation and several individuals. The NTM is Don Carson.
(G-105) In-Space Commercial Processing
Scientists at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will
use five experiments to study possible commercial in-space
processing opportunities. Those experiments and another in cosmic
ray research are co-sponsored by UAH's Consortium for Materials
Development in Space and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in
Huntsville.
While Columbia is in orbit, two experiment packages in the
canister will process organic films and crystals that might be
used in optical communications and computers. Another will
electroplate metals to study special catalytic or reactory
properties, or resistance to corrosion. A fourth experiment will
study technology used to refine and process organic materials,
such as medical samples.
The fifth UAH experiment will collect cosmic ray interactions on
film emulsion while also helping scientists assess materials that
may be used in future massive cosmic ray detectors to be flown
aboard the Shuttle or Space Station Freedom or to determine
exposure to energetic particles on Earth.
The sixth experiment is provided by the U.S. Space and Rocket
Center, a state-owned, space science museum. It will study the
effects of cosmic radiation on the chromosomes and genes of a
common yeast. The NTM is Larry Thomas.
(G-286) Foamed Ultralight Metals
The scientific aim of this payload is to demonstrate the
feasibility of producing, in orbit, foams of ultralight metals for
possible application as shock-absorbing panel-backing to improve
the shielding of both manned and unmanned vehicles and satellites,
including Space Station Freedom, against hypervelocity impacts
either from micrometeroids or orbiting debris.
The concept of using ultralight, reactive alloys in the space
environment, where their reactivity is not an issue, offers many
advantages in the engineering of large-scale space structures.
Similarly, the idea of using metal foams made from such alloys as
shock-absorbing backing to improve the effectiveness of satellite
armor may offer substantial benefits in the design of Space
Station Freedom.
The payload was built at Duke University in the Department of
Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. The project was
supported by Omni Magazine, which offered the canister as part of
a national contest in 1983, and by the School of Engineering in
subsequent years. The NTM is Don Carson.
(G-405) Chemical Precipitate Formation
This payload will return data concerning the formation of six
insoluble inorganic chemical precipitates. The experiment will
investigate the rate of formation and terminal size of precipitate
particles when the growth is not impaired by settling due to
gravity.
The experiment is sponsored by the Frontiers of Science
Foundation of Oklahoma, a private, non-profit organization
established to promote science education within Oklahoma, in
conjunction with Louisiana Tech University. In 1983, the
foundation sponsored a contest among high school students to
conceptualize an experiment which would fly aboard the Shuttle. The
revisions for the payload were performed at the Louisiana Tech
University, where the payload manager currently serves on the faculty
in mechanical engineering.
After flight and analysis of data the payload will be donated
and displayed at the Oklahoma Air and Space Museum in Oklahoma
City. The NTM is Larry Thomas.
G-408) Five Microgravity Experiments
Five student experiments from the Worcester Polytechnic
Institute are included in one GAS can. One will attempt to grow
large zeolite crystals. Another will study the behavior of fluids
in microgravity. A third, the Environmental Data Acquisition
System, will record information about sound, light, temperature
and pressure within the GAS can. The fourth will measure the
acceleration of the Shuttle along three axes with a high degree of
precision. A fifth experiment will study the fogging of film in
space.
The experimental packages are sponsored by the MITRE Corp.
Bedford, Mass. The NTM is Don Carson.
(G-451) Flower and Vegetable Seeds Exposure to Space
Sakana Seeds Corporation in Yokohama, Japan, and the Nissho Iwai
American Corporation in New York, N.Y., will jointly send 19
varieties of flower and vegetable seeds into space to determine
how the unknown variables of microgravity will affect seed growth.
After the Shuttle lands and the seeds are recovered, the companies
plan to distribute the seeds widely to amateur growers. The NTM is
Herbert Foster.
(G-455) Semiconductor Crystal Growth Experiment
This payload was developed to investigate the potential
advantages of crystal growth under microgravity. There are two
experiments -- PbSnTe crystal growth from vapor and GaAs crystal
growth from metallic solution. The payload is sponsored by
Fujitsu Limited in Kawasaki, Japan, and Nissho Iwai Corporation in
Tokyo. The NTM is David Shrewsberry.
(G-507) Orbiter Stability Experiment
This experiment, developed at Goddard Space Flight Center, will
measure the Space Shuttle's spectrum of small angular motions (or
"jitter") produced by the operation of mechanical systems,
thruster firings and human motions during normal crew activity.
In addition to the vibration measurements that will be made,
Goddard's GAS can also carries a passive experiment to test the
effects of radiation on photographic film. The experiment was
developed and provided by Dr. Ernest Hammond of Morgan State
University, Baltimore, Md. The NTM is Neal Barthleme.
(G-616) The Effect of Cosmic Radiation on Floppy Disks &
Plant Seeds Exposure to Microgravity
This payload consists of two experiments. The first will
investigate static computer memory (floppy disks) to determine if
cosmically charged particles will produce changes in data
integrity or structure. The second will look for changes in the
physiology or growth of 38 different types of plant seeds. Each
cultivator will be examined post-flight in comparison with samples
from the same seed lot, that remained on the Earth, for a wide
variety of possible effects or changes.
Several of the floppy disks contain programs developed by
elementary school students. In addition, a large number of plant
seeds will be distributed to every elementary and junior high
school student in the Redlands, Calif., Unified School District,
the sponsor of the experiment. The NTM is Charles Kim.
(G-486) Six Active Soldering Experiments
No information on this payload was provided by the sponsor,
EDSYN, Inc. of Van Nuys, Calif. The NTM is Bernard Karmilowicz.
ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM
The advent of operations of the Space Shuttle orbiter provided
an opportunity for researchers to perform flight experiments on a
full-scale, lifting vehicle during atmospheric entry. To take
advantage of this opportunity, NASA's Office of Aeronautics,
Exploration and Technology instituted the orbiter experiments
(OEX) program in 1976.
The OEX program provides a mechanism for flight research
experiments to be developed and flown aboard a Space Shuttle
orbiter. Since the program's inception, 13 experiments have been
developed for flight. Principal investigators for these
experiments represent NASA's Langley and Ames Research Centers,
Johnson Space Center and Goddard Space Flight Center.
Seven OEX experiments will be flown on STS-40. Included among
this group will be six experiments conceived by Langley
researchers and one experiment developed by Johnson.
Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS)
The SEADS nosecap on the orbiter Columbia contains 14
penetration assemblies, each containing a small hole through which the
nosecap surface air pressure is sensed. Measurement of the pressure
levels and distribution allows post-flight determination of vehicle
attitude and atmospheric density during entry. SEADS, which has flown
on four previous flights of Columbia, operates in an altitude range of
300,000 feet to landing. Paul M. Siemers III, Langley Research Center,
Hampton, Va., is the principal investigator.
Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS)
The SUMS experiment complements SEADS by enabling measurement of
atmospheric density above 300,000 feet. SUMS samples air through
a small hole on the lower surface of the vehicle just aft of the
nosecap. It uses a mass spectrometer operating as a pressure
sensing device to measure atmospheric density in the high
altitude, rarefied flow regime where the pressure is too low for
the use of ordinary pressure sensors. The mass spectrometer,
incorprated in the SUMS experiment, was spare equipment originally
developed for the Viking Mars Lander. SUMS was previously flown
on STS-61C and STS-35. Robert C. Blanchard and Roy J. Duckett of
Langley Research Center are co-principal investigators.
Both SEADS and SUMS provide entry atmospheric environmental
(density) information. These data, when combined with vehicle
motion data, are used to determine in-flight aerodynamic
performance characteristics of the orbiter.
Aerodynamic Coefficient Identification Package (ACIP)
The ACIP instrumentation includes three-axis sets of linear
accelerometers, angular accelerometers and angular rate gyros,
which sense the orbiter's motions during flight. ACIP provides
the vehicle motion data which is used in conjunction with the
SEADS environmental information for determination of aerodynamic
characteristics below about 300,000 feet altitude. The ACIP has
flown on all flights of orbiters Columbia and Challenger. David
B. Kanipe, Johnson Space Center, Houston, is the ACIP principal
investigator.
High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP)
This instrument is a three-axis set of highly sensitive
accelerometers which measure vehicle motions during the high
altitude portion (above 300,000 feet) of entry. This instrument
provides the companion vehicle motion data to be used with the
SUMS results. HiRAP has been flown on 12 previous missions of the
orbiters Columbia and Challenger. Robert C. Blanchard, Langley
Research Center, is the HiRAP principal investigator.
Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE)
The Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) complements
the ACIP and HiRAP instruments by extending the altitude range
over which vehicle acceleration data can be obtained to orbital
altitudes. Like the HiRAP, the OARE instrument comprises a three-
axis set of extremely sensitive linear accelerometers. The OARE
sensors are substantially more sensitive than the HiRAP sensors.
Because of their extreme measurement sensitivity, the OARE
sensors cannot be adequately calibrated on the ground (in a 1-g
environment). Consequently, the sensors are mounted on a rotary
calibration table which enables an accurate instrument calibration
to be performed on orbit.
The OARE instrument is installed for flight on a special
mounting plate within the orbiter's payload bay. OARE data are
recorded on the mission payload recorder. This is the first
flight for the OARE instrument. Principal investigator is Robert
C. Blanchard of Langley Research Center.
Shuttle Infrared Leeside Temperature Sensing (SILTS)
This experiment uses a scanning infrared radiometer located atop
the vertical tail to collect infrared images of the orbiter's
leeside (upper) surfaces during entry, for the purpose of
measuring the temperature distribution and the aerodynamic heating
environment. On two previous missions, the experiment obtained
images of the left wing. For STS-35 and STS-40, the experiment
has been configured to obtain images of the upper fuselage. SILTS
has flown on four Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton and E.
Vincent Zoby of Langley Research Center are co-principal
investigators.
Aerothermal Instrumentation Package (AIP)
The AIP comprises some 125 measurements of aerodynamic surface
temperature and pressure at discrete locations on the upper
surface of the orbiter's left wing and fuselage and the vertical
tail. These sensors were originally part of the development
flight instrumentation system that flew aboard Columbia during its
Orbital Flight Test missions (STS-1 through 5). They have been
reactivated through the use of an AIP-unique data handling system.
Among other applications, the AIP data provide "ground-truth"
information for the SILTS experiment. The AIP has flown on three
previous Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton, Langley
Research Center, is principal investigator.
STS-40 CREW BIOGRAPHIES
Marine Corps Col. Bryan D. O'Connor, 44, will serve as
Commander of STS-40 and will be making his second space flight.
O'Connor, from Twentynine Palms, Calif., was selected as an
astronaut in May 1980.
He graduated from Twentynine Palms High School in 1964, received
a bachelor of science degree in engineering from the U.S. Naval
Academy in 1968 and received a master of science in aeronautical
engineering from the University of West Florida in 1970.
He was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1968 and following
several overseas assignments, graduated from the Navy Test Pilot
School and began duty as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test
Center's Strike Test Directorate. He served as project pilot for
various very short take off and landing (VSTOL) research aircraft,
including preliminary evaluation of the YAV-88 advanced Harrier
prototype.
After selection as an astronaut, he served as a T-38 chase pilot
for STS-3 and as spacecraft communicator for STS-5 through STS-9.
He then served as pilot of Atlantis on STS-61B from Nov. 26
through Dec. 3, 1985, during which the crew deployed three
communications satellites and conducted two Space Station assembly
test spacewalks. O'Connor has logged more than 165 hours in space
and more than 4,100 hours flying time in jet aircraft.
Air Force Lt. Col. Sidney M. Gutierrez, 39, will serve as
Pilot. Selected as an astronaut in 1984, Gutierrez, from
Albuquerque, N.M., will be making his first space flight.
Gutierrez graduated from Valley High School, Albuquerque, in
1969, received a bachelor of science in aeronautical engineering
from the Air Force Academy in 1973 and received a master of arts
in management from Webster College in 1977.
He was a member of the Air Force Academy collegiate parachute
team while in college with a master parachutist rating and over
550 jumps. After graduating from the Air Force Academy, he was
assigned as a T-38 instructor pilot from 1975-1977 at Laughlin Air
Force Base, Del Rio, Texas. He attended the Air Force Test Pilot
School in 1981 and was assigned to the F-16 Falcon Combined Test
Force upon graduation, where he stayed until joining NASA.
At NASA, his duties have included work in the Shuttle Avionics
Integration Laboaratory and as the lead astronaut for Shuttle
software development, verification and future requirements
definition. He has logged more than 3,000 hours flying time in 30
different types of aircraft, sailplanes and balloons.
James P. Bagian, M.D., 39, will serve as Mission Specialist 1
(MS1). Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Bagian is from
Philadelphia, Pa., and will be making his second space flight.
Bagian graduated from Central High School, Philadelphia, in
1969, received a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering
from Drexel University in 1973 and received a doctorate of
medicine from Thomas Jefferson University in 1977.
Bagian worked as a mechanical engineer at the Naval Air Test
Center while pursuing his doctorate. Upon graduation, he served a
1-year residency with the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa.
Subsequently, he joined NASA as a flight surgeon, concurrently
completing studies at the Air Force Flight Surgeons School and
School of Aerospace Medicine, San Antonio, Texas. Bagian is a Lt.
Col. in the Air Force Reserve.
After selection as an astronaut, Bagian worked in planning and
providing emergency medical and rescue support for the first six
Shuttle flights. Bagian served as a mission specialist aboard
Discovery on STS-29, March 13-18, 1989, on which the crew deployed
a tracking and data relay satellite, conducted a Space Station
heat pipe radiator experiment, two student experiments and a
chromosome and plant cell division experiment.
Tamara E. Jernigan, Ph.D., 32, will serve as Mission
Specialist 2 (MS2). Selected as an astronaut in 1985, Jernigan is
from Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and will be making her first space
flight.
Jernigan graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1977, received a
bachelor of science in physics and a master of science in
engineering science from Stanford University in 1981 and 1983,
respectively, received a master of science in astronomy from the
University of California-Berkley in 1985 and received a doctorate
in space physics and astronomy from Rice University, Houston,
Texas, in 1988. After selection as an astronaut, Jernigan worked
as a spacecraft communicator in Mission Control for five Shuttle
flights.
Margaret Rhea Seddon, M.D., 43, will serve as Mission
Specialist 3 (MS3). Selected as an astronaut in 1978, Seddon is
from Murfreesboro, Tenn., and will be making her second space
flight.
Seddon graduated from Central High School, Murfreesboro, in
1965, received a bachelor of arts in physiology from the
University of California-Berkley in 1970 and received a doctorate
of medicine from the University of Tennessee College of Medicine
in 1973. She completed a surgical internship and 3 years of
general surgery residency in Memphis following graduation.
Seddon served as a Mission Specialist aboard Discovery on STS-
51D, April 12-19, 1985. During the flight, the crew deployed
three communications satellites and conducted the first
unscheduled Shuttle spacewalk to correct a malfunction of one
satellite. Seddon has logged 168 hours of space flight.
Francis Andrew Gaffney, M.D., 44, will serve as Payload
Specialist 1 (PS1). Gaffney will be making his first space flight
and his hometown is Carlsbad, N.M.
Gaffney graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1964, received a
bachelor of arts from the University of California-Berkley in
1968, received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of
New Mexico in 1972 and received a fellowship in cardiology from
the University of Texas in 1975.
He completed a 3-year medical internship and residency at
Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, Cleveland, Ohio, in 1975,
and went on to receive a fellowship in cardiology at the
University of Texas' Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas,
becoming a faculty associate and an assistant professor of
medicine there in 1979. From 1979-1987, he served as assistant
director of echocardiography at Parkland Memorial Hospital,
Dallas.
Gaffney served as a visiting senior scientist with NASA from
1987-1989. He is a co-investigator on an experiment aboard STS-40
that studies human cardiovascular adaptation to space flight.
Millie Hughes-Fulford, Ph.D., 46, will serve as Payload
Specialist 2 (PS2). Hughes-Fulford, from Mineral Wells, Texas,
will be making her first space flight.
Hughes-Fulford graduated from Mineral Wells High School in 1972,
received a bachelor of science in chemistry from Tarleton State
University, Stephenville, Texas and received a doctorate in
chemistry from Texas Woman's University, Denton, in 1972.
Since 1973, she has worked at the University of California and
the Veterans Administration Medical Center, doing extensive
research on cholesterol metabolism, cell differentation, DNA
synthesis and cell growth. After assignment by NASA, she has
continued her research, concentrating on a study of cellular and
molecular mechanisms for bone formation as it relates to space
flight.
STS-40 MISSION MANAGEMENT
NASA Headquarters
Washington, D.C.
Richard H. Truly Administrator
J. R. Thompson Deputy Administrator
Dr. William B. Lenoir Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight
Robert L. Crippen Director, Space Shuttle
Leonard S. Nicholson Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Program)
Brewster Shaw Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Operations)
Dr. Lennard A. Fisk Associate Administrator, Space Science and
Applications
Alphonso V. Diaz Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Science
and Applications
Dr. Arnauld Nicogossian Director, Life Sciences Division
Dr. Ronald J. White Program Scientist
Robert Benson Director, Flight Systems Division
Gary McCollum Program Manager, SLS Mission
Kennedy Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Forrest S. McCartney Director
Jay Honeycutt Director, Shuttle Management and Operations
Robert B. Sieck Launch Director
John T. Conway Director, Payload Management and Operations
JoAnn H. Morgan Director, Payload Project Management
Mike Kinnan STS-40 Payload Manager
Marshall Space Flight Center
Huntsville, Ala.
Thomas J. Lee Director
Dr. J. Wayne Littles Deputy Director
G. Porter Bridwell Manager, Shuttle Projects Office
Dr. George F. McDonough Director, Science and Engineering
Alexander A. McCool Director, Safety and Mission Assurance
Victor Keith Henson Manager, Solid Rocket Motor Project
Cary H. Rutland Manager, Solid Rocket Booster Project
Jerry W. Smelser Manager, Space Shuttle Main Engine Project
Gerald C. Ladner Manager, External Tank Project
Stennis Space Center
Bay St. Louis, Miss.
Roy S. Estess Director
Gerald W. Smith Deputy Director
J. Harry Guin Director, Propulsion Test Operations
Johnson Space Center
Houston, Texas
Aaron Cohen Director
Paul J. Weitz Deputy Director
Daniel Germany Manager, Orbiter and GFE Projects
Paul J. Weitz Acting Director, Flight Crew Operations
Eugene F. Kranz Director, Mission Operations
Henry O. Pohl Director, Engineering
Charles S. Harlan Director, Safety, Reliability and Quality
Assurance
Ames Research Center
Moffett Field, Calif.
Dr. Dale L. Compton Director
Victor L. Peterson Deputy Director
Dr. Steven A. Hawley Associate Director
Dr. Joseph C. Sharp Director, Space Research
Langley Research Center
Hampton, Va.
Richard H. Petersen Langley Director
W. Ray Hook Director for Space
William H. Piland Chief, Space Systems Division
Delma C. Freeman, Jr. Assistant Chief, Space Systems Division
Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility
Edwards, Calif.
Kenneth J. Szalai Director
T. G. Ayers Deputy Director
James R. Phelps Chief, Shuttle Support Office
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