NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: Dec. 3, 1999
Media Advisory m99-249



SUMMARY:

No News Releases Today


Video File for Dec. 3, 1999

ITEM 1 - IMAGES OF MARS LANDING SITE ELLIPSE & IMAGES OF RETREAT
         OF SEASONAL POLAR ICE CAP ON MARS
         (from 12/02/99 Prelanding/Descent briefing)

ITEM 2 - NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ANIMATION - JPL 
         (replay)

ITEM 3 - MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS 
         MARS LANDING site - JPL (replay)

ITEM 4 - NASA SPACECRAFT OBSERVES LOWEST OZONE EVER 
         IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE- GSFC


             ****VIDEO FILE SCHEDULE NOTE**** 
Due to the Mars briefings and breaking news events today (see 
below) the video file will run at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 
9:00 pm. Please check http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/breaking.html for 
changes to the schedule as events warrant.

Due to rescheduling of the Space Shuttle Mission STS-103, 
announced yesterday, we are removing references to STS-103 
television events until the schedule is reworked.


LIVE TELEVISION EVENTS THIS WEEK (UPDATED TODAY):

December 3, Friday 
11:00 am - Noon - NTV Video File - HQ 
Noon - 1:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Prelanding Status Briefing - 
JPL 
1:00 - 2:00 pm - NTV Video File (updated) - HQ 
3:39 pm - Confirmation of Mars Polar Lander Touchdown - JPL 
2:00 - 5:00 pm - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Landing - 
JPL 
5:00 - 6:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander "First Results" News Briefing - 
JPL 
6:00 pm - NTV Video File (updated) - HQ
9:00 pm - NTV Video File (updated) replay- HQ
10:30 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL 

December 4, Saturday 
Midnight - 2:00 am - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar 
Lander Activities - JPL (continued) 
2:30 - 3:30 am - Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 "Results" News
Briefing - JPL 
Noon - NTV Video File (updated)- HQ 
3:00 pm - NTV Video File - HQ (replay) 
5:00 - 6:00 pm - "Future Robotic Mars Exploration" Background 
Briefing - JPL 
7:00 - 8:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 0/Plans for 
Sol 1 - JPL
10:00 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL 

December 5, Sunday 
Midnight - 2:00 am - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar 
Lander Activities - JPL (continued) 
2:00 - 3:00 am - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 1/Plans for 
Sol 2 - JPL
Noon - NTV Video File - HQ
1:00 - 2:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 1 - JPL 
3:00 pm - NTV Video File - HQ (updated) 
6:00 pm - NTV Video File (replay) - HQ
8:00 - 9:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Plans for Sol 2 - JPL 
10:30 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL 


Note: For complete schedule of NASA Television coverage of 
upcoming launch of Space Shuttle Mission STS-103, Mars Polar 
Lander mission and Terra mission, see: 
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/breaking.html



                       *****SPECIAL NOTE*****
       TO ASSIGNMENT EDITORS AND MORNING AND EVENING PRODUCERS

MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ARRIVE AT MARS - LIVE SATELLITE 
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES

NASA's Mars Polar Lander is due to set down under rocket power on 
layered, icy terrain near the south pole of Mars on Friday, Dec. 
3.  The first opportunity to receive a signal on Earth that 
confirms the landing is expected at 12:37 p.m. PST (3:37 p.m. 
EST).  The two Deep Space 2 microprobes that are piggybacking on 
the lander will impact the planet's surface at about the same 
time.

Our talent will have up-to-the-minute information on the progress 
of both missions.  We will also feed B-roll animation of both 
programs prior to each live cast via NASA TV.

To book an interview please call Ivelisse Gilman, at 757/864-5036 
(through Nov. 30) and 757/880-2470 (from Dec.1 through Dec. 6) or 
Jack Dawson at 818/354-0040.  Or e-mail us at 
i.gilman@larc.nasa.gov 
or 
Jack.B.Dawson@jpl.nasa.gov. 


**Live Satellite Interviews 
  from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory**

Thursday, Dec. 2
  1:30-6:30 p.m. PST (4:30-9:30 p.m. EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K19
Talk to David Paige, Principal Investigator for the instruments on 
the Mars Polar Lander, and Rich Zurek, Mars Polar Lander Project 
Scientist, about what NASA expects to find and why we go to Mars.

Friday, Dec. 3
  2:00 - 7:00 am PST (5:00 - 10:00 am EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K17
On the morning of landing, share in the excitement with Carl 
Pilcher, Science Director for all of NASAs missions to explore 
the Solar System, and Rich Zurek, Mars Polar Lander Project 
Scientist. 

Friday, Dec. 3
  3:00 - 6:00 p.m. PST (6:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K14
Find out the results of landing from NASA Administrator Dan Goldin 
or Ed Weiler, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Science.

Monday, Dec. 6
  3:00 - 7:30 am PST (6:00 - 10:30 am EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K17
Hear the latest results from the weekend on Mars from Rick Zurek 
and Ed Stone, Director of the Jet Propulsion Lab.

Producers line: 626/798-3385, backup 626/798-3950



*****************************

If NASA issues any 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


*****************************


Video File for Dec. 3, 1999


ITEM 1 - IMAGES OF MARS LANDING SITE ELLIPSE & IMAGES OF RETREAT
         OF SEASONAL POLAR ICE CAP ON MARS
         (from 12/02/99 Prelanding/Descent briefing)

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Doug Isbell (Phone 
202/358-1753).
Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Mary 
Hardin (Phone 818/354-5011).

ITEM 1a - MARS LANDING ELLIPSE-----------------------------TRT 
2:05

These new images show pieces of the landing ellipse set before and 
after July 1999 for the Mars Polar Lander to set down on Mars 
today.  They were first shown by scientists during the Descent 
news briefing on Dec. 2, 1999, at NASAs Jet Propulsion 
Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.


ITEM 1b -  SEASONAL POLAR CAP ON MARS---------------------TRT  :32

This data showing the retreat of the seasonal polar cap of Mars 
was gathered using the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) 
instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor.  The graph was first shown 
by scientists during the Descent news briefing on Dec. 2, 1999, at 
NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.



ITEM 2 - NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ANIMATION - JPL 
         (replay)

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Doug Isbell (Phone 
202/358-1753).
Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Mary 
Hardin (Phone 818/354-5011).

ITEM 2a - MARS POLAR LANDER ANIMATION---------------------TRT 5:18

Voiced-over narrative explains animated video of the Mars Polar 
Lander mission to Mars, detailing its path to the planet and 
entry, listing survey instruments, and outlining its photographic 
abilities.  The Lander is scheduled to arrive on Mars on Dec. 3, 
1999.

ITEM 2b - DS-2 MICROBPROBE MISSION TO MARS----------------TRT 3:08

NASA's Deep Space 2 microprobes, named Amundsen and Scott, are due 
to smash into the surface of Mars near the planet's south pole on 
December 3.  Narrated and newly refined animation demonstrates the 
probes deployment, impact on Mars, subsurface operation and data 
transmission. 



ITEM 3 - MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS (replay)
         MARS LANDING site - JPL

Synopsis:  Data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) 
played a key role in helping scientists determine the primary 
landing site for the Mars Polar Lander.  Engineers are aiming for 
a 125 miles long by 12 1/2 miles wide strip of gentle, rolling 
plains.  Launched on Jan. 3, 1999, Mars Polar Lander will study 
the soil and look for ice beneath the surface of the Martian south 
pole.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Doug Isbell (Phone 
202/358-1753).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Wade 
Sisler (Phone 301/286-6256).


ITEM 3a - LANDING SITE PREVIEW----------------------------TRT  :43

The sequence begins with an image from Viking, then transitions to 
a false color image produced by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter 
(MOLA).  All elevations are relative to the mean height of the 
equator.  White colors indicate elevations in excess of 9881 feet 
(3012 meters), red shows elevations between 8202 - 9881 feet (2500 
- 3012 meters), yellow shows elevations 8038 - 8202 feet(2450 - 
2500 meters), dark cyan shows elevations 7053 - 8038 feet (2150-
2450 meters), dark violet shows elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet 
(320 - 2150 meters). The topography in these images is vertically 
exaggerated by a factor of 5.


ITEM 3b - LANDING SITE PREVIEW - CLOSEUP VIEW-------------TRT  :51

First sequence shows primary landing site with image from Viking 
draped over 3-D MOLA data.  Second sequence shows primary landing 
site with false color data and 3-D data from MOLA.  All elevations 
are relative to the mean height of the equator.  White colors 
indicate elevations in excess of 9881 feet (3012 meters), red 
shows elevations between 8202 - 9881 feet (2500 - 3012 meters), 
yellow shows elevations 8038 - 8202 feet(2450 - 2500 meters), dark 
cyan shows elevations 7053 - 8038 feet (2150-2450 meters), dark 
violet shows elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet (320 - 2150 meters). 
The topography in these images is vertically exaggerated by a 
factor of 5.


ITEM 3c - MYSTERIOUS SOUTH POLE OF MARS-------------------TRT  :34

Sequence begins with image from Viking of the southern hemisphere 
of Mars.  Note that the permanent frozen cap is not located 
directly at the south pole.  A false color image is overlayed to 
show the mean elevation.  The permanent frozen cap is mostly 
composed of carbon dioxide ice. White colors indicate elevations 
in excess of 9881 feet (3012 meters) and dark violet shows 
elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet (320 - 2150 meters).


ITEM 3d - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TOUR-----------------------TRT 1:29

The first image was created from Viking images. The second, false 
color, image came from MOLA data.  Here the color scale shows the 
darkest blues as roughly 5 miles (8 km) below the mean equatorial 
height, while reds indicate elevations up to 3 miles (5 km) above 
the mean equatorial height.


ITEM 3e - SOUTH OF HELLAS IMPACT BASIN-------------------TRT 1:29

The sequence shows an area south of the Hellas Impact Basin.  Note 
the relatively crater-free area, possibly resurfaced by polar 
glaciation in early Martian history.


ITEM 3f - SOUTH POLAR TOUR-------------------------------TRT 1:11

This southern polar tour, first using Viking images and then MOLA 
data, highlights the differences in elevation between the Hellas 
Impact Basin and surrounding terrain.  The deepest point in Hellas 
is roughly 26,900 feet  or 5 miles (8200 meters) below the 
equatorial mean--almost deep enough to hold Earth's Mt. Everest.


ITEM 3g - MOLA and Mars Global Surveyor animation---------TRT  :46

During the ongoing Mars Global Surveyor mission, the MOLA 
instrument is collecting about 900,000 measurements of elevation 
every day.  MOLA was designed and built by the Laser Remote 
Sensing Branch of the Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics at NASA's 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.  The Mars Global 
Surveyor mission is managed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
Pasadena, CA.



ITEM 4 - NASA SPACECRAFT OBSERVES LOWEST OZONE EVER 
         IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE- GSFC

Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Wade 
Sisler (Phone 301/286-6256).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz 
(Phone 202/358-1730).

ITEM 4a - LOWEST NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OZONE LEVELS---------TRT  :20

A NASA spacecraft has observed the lowest value of ozone ever seen 
in the Northern Hemisphere since spacecraft first began ozone 
measurements in 1978.  The measurement was obtained on Nov. 30, 
1999, using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument 
aboard NASA's Earth Probe (TOMS-EP) satellite.  The measurement 
showed an extremely low level of 165 Dobson Units (DU) over the 
North Sea between Scotland and Norway.


ITEM 4b - TOMS EARTH PROBE ANIMATION----------------------TRT  :24

Scientists believe a combination of stratospheric and tropospheric 
weather systems may be responsible for this extreme low ozone 
event.  Scientists and others have a keen interest in polar ozone 
depletion.  While this particular record low value results from a 
convergence of weather systems, severe depletions of ozone can 
result from chemical processes.  Chemically caused Arctic ozone 
losses have also been observed, particularly in the Northern 
Hemisphere springs of 1996 and 1997.



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


Unless otherwise noted, ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN.

ANY CHANGES TO THE LINE-UP WILL APPEAR ON THE NASA VIDEO FILE 
ADVISORY ON
THE WEB AT ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/tv-advisory/nasa-tv.txt
WE UPDATE THE ADVISORY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

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

Refer general questions about the video file to NASA Headquarters,
Washington, DC: Ray Castillo, 202/358-4555, or Elvia Thompson, 
202/358-1696, elvia.thompson@hq.nasa.gov

During Space Shuttle missions, the full NASA TV schedule will 
continue to be posted at: 
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html

For general information about NASA TV see: 
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/


*****************************


Contract Awards

Contract awards are posted to the NASA Acquisition information 
Service Web site: http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/award.html


*****************************


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*****************************

end of daily news summary