NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION


SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-89 PRESS KIT
JANUARY 1998

SHUTTLE / MIR MISSION-08 (S/MM-08)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL MISSION INFORMATION

General Press Release                                  2
Media Services Information                             3
STS-89 Quick Look Facts                                5
Crew Responsibilities                                  6
Orbital Events Summary                                 7
Development Test Objectives (DTOs) /
    Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSOs) / 
    Risk Mitigation Experiments (RMEs)                7
Payload and Vehicle Weights                            8
Mission Summary Timeline                               8
Shuttle Abort Modes                                    9

STS-89 MIR RENDEZVOUS, DOCKING & UNDOCKING             9

SHUTTLE-MIR SCIENCE PROGRAM                           11

GET AWAY SPECIAL (GAS) PAYLOADS                       14

CLOSED EQUILIBRATED BIOLOGICAL AQUATIC SYSTEM         17

MICROGRAVITY PLANT NUTRIENT EXPERIMENT                17

EARTHKAM                                              17

MECHANICS OF GRANULAR MATERIALS                       18

ASTROCULTURE                                          19

X-RAY DETECTOR TEST                                   20

DIFFUSION-CONTROLLED CRYSTALLIZATION APPARATUS 
   FOR  MICROGRAVITY (DCAM) EXPERIMENT                21

GASEOUS NITROGEN DEWAR                                22

DSO 334:  INFLIGHT EVALUATION OF THE TELEMEDICINE
     INSTRUMENTATION PACK                             23

STS-89 CREW BIOGRAPHIES                               25


Release:  J98-3

SEVENTH ASTRONAUT TO FLY ON MIR HIGHLIGHTS FIRST SHUTTLE MISSION 
OF 1998

     The continuing cooperative effort in space exploration 
between the United States and Russia and a joint spacewalk will be 
the focus of NASA's first Shuttle mission of 1998 with the launch 
of Space Shuttle Endeavour on Mission STS-89.

     This is the eighth of nine planned missions to Mir and the 
fifth one involving an exchange of U.S. astronauts. Astronaut Dave 
Wolf, who has been on Mir since late September 1997, will be 
replaced by Astronaut Andrew Thomas.  Thomas will spend 
approximately 4 _ months on the orbiting Russian facility before 
returning to Earth when Discovery docks to Mir in late May during 
STS-91.

     The STS-89 crew will be commanded by Terrence W. Wilcutt who 
will be making his third Shuttle flight. The pilot, Joe Frank 
Edwards Jr., will be making his first flight. There are five 
mission specialists assigned to this flight.  James F. Reilly  II, 
serving as Mission Specialist-1, and Mission Specialist-2 Michael 
P. Anderson are both making their first flight.  Bonnie J. Dunbar 
is both Mission Specialist-3 and the STS-89 Payload Commander and 
is making her fifth flight.  Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov, a 
Russian Cosmonaut, will be Mission Specialist-4 and is making his 
first flight.  Mission Specialist-5 Andrew Thomas is making his 
second space flight.  Shortly after docking, Thomas and Wolf will 
conduct their handover with Thomas becoming a member of the Mir 24 
crew and Wolf becoming STS-89 Mission Specialist-6 through the end 
of the flight.

     Endeavour is targeted for launch on Jan. 22,  1998 from 
NASA's Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39-A. The current 
launch time of 9:48 p.m. EST may vary slightly based on 
calculations of Mir's precise location in space at the time of 
liftoff due to Shuttle rendezvous phasing requirements. The STS-89 
mission is scheduled to last 8 days, 19 hours, 48 minutes.  An on-
time launch on Jan. 22 and nominal mission duration would have 
Endeavour landing back at Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 31 at 5:36 
p.m. EST.

     STS-89 will be the first docking of Endeavour with the Mir. 
All the previous docking missions were with Atlantis. This also 
will be Endeavour's first flight since STS-77 in May 1996, after 
which the orbiter went to Palmdale, CA, for refurbishment and 
modifications during its first Orbiter Maintenance Down Period. An 
external airlock was installed in the orbiter as part of the 
modifications it underwent to support International Space Station 
operations.

     Endeavour's rendezvous and docking with the Mir actually 
begin with the precisely timed launch setting the orbiter on a 
course for rendezvous with the orbiting Russian facility. Over the 
next two to three days, periodic firings of Endeavour's small 
thruster engines will gradually bring the Shuttle within closer 
proximity to Mir.

     The STS-89 mission is part of the NASA/Mir program which 
consists of nine Shuttle-Mir dockings and seven long-duration 
flights of U.S. astronauts aboard the Russian space station. The 
U.S. astronauts will launch and land on a Shuttle and serve as Mir 
crew members, while the Mir cosmonauts use their traditional Soyuz 
vehicle for launch and landing. This series of missions will 
expand U.S. research on Mir by providing resupply materials for 
experiments to be performed aboard the station as well as 
returning experiment samples and data to Earth.

     Endeavour will again be carrying the SPACEHAB module in the 
payload bay of the orbiter. The double module configuration will 
house experiments to be performed by Endeavour's crew along with 
logistics equipment to be transferred to Mir.

     The current Mir 24 mission began when cosmonauts Commander 
Anatoly Solovyev and Flight Engineer Pavel Vinogradov were 
launched on Aug. 5, 1997 in a Soyuz vehicle and docked with the 
Mir two days later.  They will return to Earth in mid-February.  
Dave Wolf began his stay on the orbiting Russian facility in late 
September with the docking of STS-86.  Wolf's replacement, Andrew 
Thomas, will become a member of the Mir 25 crew when Commander 
Talgat Musabayev and Flight Engineer Nikolai Budarin relieve 
Solovyev and Vinogradov in mid February.  Thomas will return home 
when Shuttle Discovery docks with Mir in late May. 

     The STS-89 mission and the work performed by Thomas during 
his time on the Mir station will include investigations in the 
fields of advanced technology, Earth sciences, fundamental 
biology, human life sciences, International Space Station risk 
mitigation, microgravity sciences and space sciences.

     STS-89 will be the 12th flight of Endeavour and the 89th 
mission flown since the start of the Space Shuttle program in 
April 1981.


MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION 

NASA Television Transmission 

     NASA Television is available through the GE2 satellite system 
which is located on Transponder 9C, at 85 degrees west longitude, 
frequency 3880.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz.   

     The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter 
and for mission briefings will be available during the mission at 
Kennedy Space Center, FL; Marshall Space Flight Center, 
Huntsville, AL; Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA; 
Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; and NASA Headquarters, 
Washington, DC. The television schedule will be updated to reflect 
changes dictated by mission operations.   

Status Reports 

     Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-orbit 
activities and landing operations will be produced by the 
appropriate NASA newscenter.  

Briefings 

     A mission press briefing schedule will be issued before 
launch.  During the mission, status briefings by a flight director 
or mission operations representative and when appropriate, 
representatives from the payload team, will occur at least once 
each day.  The updated NASA television schedule will indicate when 
mission briefings are planned. 

Internet Information 

     Information on STS-89 is available through several sources on 
the Internet.  The primary source for mission information is the 
NASA Shuttle Web, part of the World Wide Web.  This site contains 
information on the crew and its mission and will be updated 
regularly with status reports, photos and video clips throughout 
the flight.  The NASA Shuttle Web's address is:  

http://shuttle.nasa.gov 

     If that address is busy or unavailable, Shuttle information 
is available through the Office of Space Flight Home Page: 

http://www.osf.hq.nasa.gov/ 

     General information on NASA and its programs is available 
through the NASA Home Page and the NASA Public Affairs Home Page:  

http://www.nasa.gov 
or 
http://www.nasa.gov/newsinfo/index.html  

     Information on other current NASA activities is available 
through the Today@NASA page: 

http://www.nasa.gov/today.html  

     The NASA TV schedule is available from the NTV Home Page:  

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv 

     Status reports, TV schedules and other information also are 
available from the NASA Headquarters FTP (File Transfer Protocol) 
server, ftp.hq.nasa.gov.  Log in as anonymous and go to the 
directory /pub/pao.  Users should log on with the user name 
"anonymous" (no quotes), then enter their E-mail address as the 
password.  Within the /pub/pao directory there will be a 
"readme.txt" file explaining the directory structure: 

     * Pre-launch status reports (KSC):  
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/ksc  
     * Mission status reports(JSC):  
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc  
     * Daily TV schedules:  
ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc/tvsked.  

     NASA Spacelink, a resource for educators, also provides 
mission information via the Internet. Spacelink may be accessed at 
the following address: 

http://spacelink.nasa.gov 

Access by CompuServe 

     Users with CompuServe accounts can access NASA press releases 
by typing "GO NASA" (no quotes) and making a selection from the 
categories offered. 

STS-89 QUICK LOOK


Launch Date/Site:      January 22, 1998/KSC Launch Pad 39-A

Launch Time:           Appx 9:48 P.M. EST

Launch Window:         Approimately 5 minutes

Orbiter:               Endeavour, (OV-105), 12th flight

Orbit Altitude:        160 nautical miles, 213 n.m. for rendezvous

Orbit Inclination:     51.6 degrees 

Mission Duration:      Appx 8 days, 19 hours, 48 minutes

Landing Date:          January 31, 1998

Landing Time:          Appx 5:36 P.M. EST

Primary Landing Site:  Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Abort Landing Sites:      Return to Launch Site - KSC
               Transoceanic Abort Sites - Zaragoza, Spain
                                           Ben Guerir, Morocco
                                          Moron, Spain
               Abort-Once Around - Kennedy Space Center

Crew:  Terrence Wilcutt, Commander (CDR), 3rd flight
       Joe Edwards, Pilot (PLT), 1st flight
       Jim Reilly, Mission Specialist 1 (MS 1), 1st flight
       Mike Anderson, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2), 1st flight
       Bonnie Dunbar, Payload Commander, (MS 3), 5th flight
       Salizhan Sharipov, Mission Specialist 4, (MS 4), 1st flight
       Andy Thomas, Mission Specialist 5 (up), (MS 5), 2nd flight
       Dave Wolf, Mission Specialist 6 (down), (MS 6), 2nd flight
      
EVA Crewmembers:         Jim Reilly (EV 1), Mike Anderson (EV 2)


Cargo Bay Payloads:
   Spacehab Double Module
   Orbiter Docking System
            
In-Cabin Payloads:
   Microgravity Plant Nutrient Experiment MPNE
   Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Local Exhaust 
(SIMPLEX)
   Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System (CEBAS)
   TeleMedicine Instrumentation Pack (TMIP)
   Global Positioning System Development Test Objective (GPS DTO)
   Human Performance (HP)
   MSD
   EarthKAM
   Orbiter Space Vision System(OSVS)
   Shuttle Condensate Collection (RME-1331)
   TEHM
   Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device (DSO 914)
   Co-Culture Experiments (CoCult)
   Biochemistry of 3-D Tissue Engineering (BIO3D)


Spacehab Payloads
   Advanced X-Ray Detector (ADV XDT)
   Advanced Commercial Generic Bioprocessing Apparatus ( ADV CGBA)
   EORF
   Mechanics of Granular Materials (MGM)
   Intra-Vehicular Radiation Environment Measurements by the
   Real-Time Radiation Monitor (RME-1312)
   Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS)
   VOA
   VRA

CREW RESPONSIBILITIES

Payloads                    Prime             Backup

Rendezvous                  Wilcutt            Edwards
Rendezvous Tools            Edwards            Dunbar, Anderson
Spacehab                    Dunbar             Reilly, Anderson
Logistics Transfers         Reilly             Dunbar
EVA                         Reilly (EV 1)      Anderson (EV 2)
Intravehicular Crewmember   Dunbar             ------
Russian Language            Dunbar             Reilly
Orbiter Docking System      Reilly, Anderson   Dunbar, others
EarthKam                    Wilcutt            Dunbar
CEBAS                       Anderson           Edwards
SIMPLEX                     Wilcutt            Anderson
Earth Observations          Reilly             Wilcutt
Ascent Seat on Flight Deck  Reilly              ------
Entry Seat on Flight Deck   Dunbar              ------
SPACEHAB                    Dunbar              Reilly
TMIP                        Wilcutt             Dunbar

STS-89 ORBITAL EVENTS SUMMARY
(based on a January 22, 1998 Launch)
(All times shown are approximate)


EVENT                    MET         TIME OF DAY (EST)

Launch                 0/00:00      9:48 PM, January 22
Mir Docking            1/16:55      2:38 PM, January 24
Crew News Conference   5/16:15      1:58 PM, January 28
Mir Undocking          6/13:37     11:20 AM, January 29
KSC Landing            8/19:48      5:36 PM, January 31

Developmental Test Objectives / 
Detailed Supplementary Objectives/ 
Risk Mitigation Experiments

DTO 258:     Shuttle Proximity Operations with One Nose X Jet
DTO 312:     External Tank TPS Performance
DTO 700-11:  Orbiter Space Vision System Flight Testing
DTO 700-12:  Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation 
                  System Testing
DTO 700-14:  Single String Global Positioning System
DTO 805:     Crosswind Landing Performance
DTO 914:     Space Linear Acceleration Mass Measurement Device
DTO 1118:    Photographic and Video Survey of Mir Space Station

DSO 331:     LES and Sustained Weightlessness on Egress Locomotion
DSO 334:     In-Flight Evaluation of the Telemedicine 
                  Instrumentation Pack
DSO 484C:    Assessment of Sleep Quality and Circadian Rhythms 
                  in Astronauts
DSO 496:     Individual Susceptibility To Post-Spaceflight 
                  Orthostatic Intolerance

RME 1303:    Shuttle/Mir Experiment Kit Transportation
RME 1307:    Optical Properties Monitor (return only)
RME 1312:    Realtime Radiation Monitor Device (RRMD) 
RME 1326:    Volatile Removal Assembly (VRA)
RME 1331:    Shuttle Condensate Collection for ISS

 PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS

Vehicle/Payload                           Pounds

Orbiter (Endeavour) empty and 3 SSME's   182,629

Shuttle System at SRB Ignition         4,512,528

Orbiter Weight at Landing with Cargo     251,612

Orbiter Docking System                     4,016

Spacehab Double Module                    12,917

CEBAS                                         79

MPNE                                          70

MISSION SUMMARY TIMELINE

Flight Day One:
Launch/Ascent
OMS-2 Burn
Payload Bay Door Opening
Spacehab Activation
Rendezvous Maneuver

Flight Day 2:
Rendezvous Tool Checkout
Centerline Camera Installation
Secondary Experiment Activation
Water Bag Fills for Transfer to Mir

Flight Day 3:
Rendezvous and Docking
Hatch Opening/Welcoming Ceremony
Soyuz Seatliner Transfer and Installation
Thomas/Wolf Crew Transfer
Logistics Transfers

Flight Day 4:
Logistics Transfers
Thomas/Wolf Handover

Flight Day 5:
Logistics Transfers
Thomas/Wolf Handover

Flight Day 6:
Logistics Transfers
Thomas/Wolf Handover

Flight Day 7:
Thomas/Wolf Handover
Final Logistics Transfers
Crew News Conference/Farewell Ceremony
Hatch Closure

Flight Day 8:
Undocking and Flyaround
Transfer Item Stowage
Off-Duty Time

Flight Day 9:
Flight Control System Checkout
Reaction Control System Hot-Fire
Cabin Stowage

Flight Day 10:
Payload Bay Door Closing
Deorbit Burn
KSC Landing

SHUTTLE ABORT MODES

     Space Shuttle launch abort philosophy aims toward safe and 
intact recovery of the flight crew, Orbiter and its payload.  
Abort modes for STS-89 include: 

-- Abort-To-Orbit (ATO) -- Partial loss of main engine thrust late 
enough to permit reaching a minimal 105-nautical mile orbit with 
the orbital maneuvering system engines.

-- Abort-Once-Around (AOA) -- Earlier main engine shutdown with 
the capability to allow one orbit of the Earth before landing at 
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

-- Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of one or more main 
engines midway through powered flight would force a landing at 
either Zaragoza or Moron in Spain or Ben Guerir in Morocco.

-- Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS) -- Early shutdown of one or more 
engines, and without enough energy to reach a TAL site, would 
result in a pitch around and thrust back toward Kennedy until 
within gliding distance.

STS-89 MIR RENDEZVOUS, DOCKING & UNDOCKING

     Endeavour's rendezvous and docking with the Russian Space 
Station Mir actually begins with the precisely timed launch of the 
shuttle on a course for the Mir, and, over the next two days, 
periodic small engine firings that will gradually bring Endeavour 
to a point eight nautical miles behind Mir on docking day, the 
starting point for a final approach to the station.

Mir Rendezvous & Docking-- Flight Day 3

     About two hours before the scheduled docking time on Flight 
Day Three of the mission, Endeavour will reach a point about eight 
nautical miles behind the Mir Space Station and conduct a Terminal 
Phase Initiation (TI) burn, beginning the final phase of the 
rendezvous. Endeavour will close the final eight nautical miles to 
Mir during the next orbit. As Endeavour approaches, the shuttle's 
rendezvous radar system will begin tracking Mir and providing 
range and closing rate information to Endeavour.  Endeavour's crew 
also will begin air-to-air communications with the Mir crew using 
a VHF radio.

     As the Shuttle reaches close proximity to Mir, the Trajectory 
Control Sensor, a laser ranging device mounted in the payload bay, 
will supplement the shuttle's onboard navigation information by 
supplying additional data on the range and closing rate. As 
Endeavour closes in on the Mir, the Shuttle will have the 
opportunity for four small successive engine firings to fine-tune 
its approach using its onboard navigation information. Flying a 
slightly modified rendezvous profile for improved efficiency, 
Endeavour will aim for a point directly below Mir, along the Earth 
radius vector (R-Bar), an imaginary line drawn between the Mir 
center of gravity and the center of Earth. Approaching along the 
R-Bar, from directly underneath the Mir, allows natural forces to 
assist in braking Endeavour's approach. During this approach, the 
crew will begin using a hand-held laser ranging device to 
supplement distance and closing-rate measurements made by other 
Shuttle navigational equipment.

     Endeavour will intercept the R-Bar at a point 600 feet below 
Mir. Commander Wilcutt will fly the Shuttle using the aft flight 
deck controls as Endeavour begins moving up toward Mir. Because of 
the approach from underneath Mir, Wilcutt will have to perform 
very few braking firings. However, if such firings are required, 
the shuttle's jets will be used in a mode called "Low-Z," a 
technique that uses slightly offset jets on Endeavour's nose and 
tail to slow the spacecraft rather than firing jets pointed 
directly at Mir. This technique avoids contamination of the space 
station and its solar arrays by exhaust from the Shuttle steering 
jets.

     Using the centerline camera fixed in the center of Endeavour' 
docking mechanism, Wilcutt will center Endeavour's docking 
mechanism with the Docking Module mechanism on Mir, continually 
refining this alignment as he approaches within 300 feet of the 
station.

     When Endeavour is 170 feet from the station, the Shuttle will 
briefly stop and stationkeep.  At that time, a final go or no- go 
decision to proceed with the docking will be made by flight 
control teams in both Houston and Moscow.  

     At a distance of about 30 feet from docking, Wilcutt will 
again stop Endeavour briefly to adjust the docking mechanism 
alignment, if necessary.

     When Endeavour proceeds with docking, the Shuttle crew will 
use ship-to-ship communications with Mir to inform the Mir crew of 
the Shuttle's status and to keep them informed of major events, 
including confirmation of contact, capture and the conclusion of 
damping. Damping, the halt of any relative motion between the two 
spacecraft after docking, is performed by shock absorber-type 
springs within the docking device. Mission Specialist James Reilly 
will oversee the operation of the Orbiter Docking System from 
onboard Endeavour.

Undocking and Separation 

Once Endeavour is ready to undock from Mir, the initial separation 
will be performed by springs that will gently push the Shuttle 
away from the docking module. Both the Mir and Endeavour will be 
in a mode called "free drift" during the undocking, a mode that 
has the steering jets of each spacecraft shut off to avoid any 
inadvertent firings.

     Once the docking mechanism's springs have pushed Endeavour 
away to a distance of about two feet from Mir, where the docking 
devices will be clear of one another, Endeavour's steering jets 
will be turned back on and fired in the Low-Z mode to begin slowly 
moving away from Mir.

     The shuttle will continue to back away through a corridor 
similar to that used during approach until it reaches a distance 
of approximately 240 feet below the Mir.  If propellant margins 
permit, pilot Joe Edwards will then perform a flyaround of the 
station before a final maneuvering burn is performed and Endeavour 
will depart the vicinity of the station.

SHUTTLE-MIR SCIENCE PROGRAM

     Scientific research has always been a major objective of both 
the United States and Russian space programs.  The Phase 1 NASA-
Mir science program is a joint research program between Russia and 
the US that was initiated to conduct long-duration space research 
in the most efficient manner possible, utilizing both countries' 
resources and personnel.  Using the Russian space station Mir as a 
platform for jointly developed hardware and science investigations 
allows US researchers to conduct experiments in microgravity for 
several months at a time.  This currently is not possible to do 
within the US space program, since the average Shuttle mission 
lasts only a few weeks.  

     Long-duration space flight presents a unique opportunity for 
the US, as many human adaptations to spaceflight experiments, 
along with crystal growth, space sciences, and other biological 
investigations cannot be performed within the short timespan of a 
typical Shuttle mission.  In return for the use of facilities on 
their space station, the Russian Space Agency has access to nine 
Shuttle flights that will dock to the station.  These Shuttle 
flights allow additional resupply for both station maintenance and 
science experiments, along with transportation of an American 
crewmember to the Mir.  The American is trained as a Mir 
crewmember to perform routine maintenance on the station, in 
addition to performing joint science activities, and will be a 
permanent resident until his replacement arrives on the next 
Shuttle.  The Shuttle provides a unique opportunity for the 
Russian space program, since large science payloads can now be 
delivered to the Mir, along with providing significant 
refrigerator and freezer space for samples taken to the station or 
returned to Earth.

     Both partners in this program are being given the opportunity 
to do things that they could not do independently.  This 
international cooperation provides a wealth of knowledge about 
space flight, and is the first of its kind of this magnitude.  Not 
since the days of Apollo-Soyuz has an international cooperation 
between space programs returned so much.  These first steps 
coupling both programs to increase their respective yields leads 
directly to the framework for the International Space Station, the 
first element of which is slated for launch in 1998.  

     The American long duration astronauts perform the majority of 
the experiment operations while on orbit, while their Russian 
counterparts primarily concern themselves with station upkeep and 
maintenance.  All are equal contributors to the joint program and 
have dedicated their time during intensive training in both the US 
and Russia, as well as by staying on board the Mir for several 
months. 

     Dr. Norm Thagard was the American who took the first step in 
this era of joint space cooperation by staying onboard the Mir for 
116 days (which set the space duration record for an American).  
He was also the only astronaut to travel to Mir on a Soyuz rocket, 
with his Mir 18 crewmates.  Dr. Thagard was followed by Dr. 
Shannon Lucid, who stayed on the Mir for 188 days, breaking Dr. 
Thagard's record and setting a new record as the longest stay in 
space for a woman.  Colonel John Blaha replaced Shannon Lucid in 
September 1996.   Dr. Jerry Linenger replaced John Blaha in 
January 1997.  Dr. C. Michael Foale replaced Jerry Linenger in May 
1997 and he was replaced by Dr. David Wolf in September 1997.  
These American crewmembers' stays on Mir have demonstrated to the 
world the commitment of both countries to work together for the 
betterment of human kind through scientific advancement.

     STS-89 marks the eighth of nine planned missions to dock an 
American Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station.  This 
mission will deliver Astronaut Andrew Thomas to Mir as the NASA 7 
astronaut and will return Dr. David Wolf to Earth.  Andrew Thomas 
will stay on board until STS-91, the ninth and final US Shuttle 
mission to the Mir space station, returns him to Earth.  In 
addition to the NASA 7 crewmember, the Shuttle will transport 
approximately 6,000 pounds of research equipment and supplies to 
the station.  

     During the docked phase of STS-89, astronauts and cosmonauts 
will transfer from the Mir space station to the Shuttle the 
science samples collected by the Mir 24/NASA 6 crew.  After return 
to Earth, the samples will be analyzed by researchers on the 
ground.   The Shuttle crew will also transfer hardware and 
supplies to Mir in support of the health and well being of the Mir 
25/NASA 7 crew, station maintenance, and future investigations on 
the Mir.  This research will focus on 27 studies in the areas of 
advanced technology, Earth sciences, human life sciences, 
microgravity research, and ISS risk mitigation.

     The commercial initiated research from the advanced 
technology discipline will evaluate new technologies and 
techniques using the Mir space station and the Shuttle as a test 
bed.  Such research in reduced gravity will contribute to an 
enhanced knowledge base for implementation on the International 
Space Station and other space vehicles.

     Earth sciences research in ocean biochemistry, land surface 
hydrology and meteorology will also be performed.  Observation and 
documentation of transient natural and human-induced changes will 
be accomplished with the use of hand-held photography.  Earth 
orbit allows for documentation of atmospheric conditions, 
ecological changes, seasonal changes over long time periods, and 
unpredictable events.

     Human life sciences research consists of investigations that 
focus on the crewmembers' adaptation to weightlessness in terms of 
skeletal muscle and bone changes, immune response,  psychological 
interactions and metabolism. This set of investigations will 
continue the characterization of the integrated human response to 
a prolonged presence in space.

     The International Space Station risk mitigation discipline 
consists of several technology demonstrations associated with 
human factors and maintenance of crew health and safety aboard the 
space station.  In order to improve the design and operation of 
the International Space Station, information is gathered to fully 
evaluate the Mir interior and exterior environments.  This 
discipline includes investigations of radio interference, particle 
impact on the station, docked configuration stability, and 
radiation.

     Microgravity research has the general goal of advancing 
scientific understanding through research in biotechnology, 
crystal growth and materials science. The ambient acceleration and 
vibration environment of Mir will also be characterized to support 
future research programs.

     The success of all the past Shuttle/Mir missions is due to 
the dedication of all the researchers involved in these different 
areas, as well as all the mission support personnel, crew trainers 
and the crew themselves.  The Phase 1 program is a difficult and 
unique program because of its international scope and length of 
mission duration, but it is providing both an excellent scientific 
return, and a training ground for future operations on the 
International Space Station.

STS-89 GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS

     Four different Get Away Special (GAS) payloads will be 
onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during the STS-89 mission.  
Students and scientists from the University of Michigan, Germany 
and China built and designed the scientific projects.
 
     The Get Away Special Program is managed by engineers at the 
Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.  The purpose of the 
program is to provide an opportunity for individuals, 
organizations and countries to send scientific research and 
development experiments into space aboard a NASA Space Shuttle for 
a comparatively modest cost. For more information about the Get 
Away Special Program, consult the following Internet address:  
http://sspp.gsfc.nasa.gov

G-093

     The G-093 payload was designed and built by the students of 
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Also known as the Vortex 
Ring Transit Experiment (VORTEX), G-093 will to attempt to answer 
some basic questions about fluid atomization which is the process 
whereby a liquid is converted into small droplets.  VORTEX will 
investigate the propagation of a vortex ring through a liquid-gas 
interface in microgravity.

     The scientific objective of the experiment  is to conduct 
observations of the liquid drop formation process in the case of 
surface-tension-dominated interface dynamics.  The data returned 
should lead to better methods for atomizing, the effect of a 
liquid being turned into a mist, fuel.  This process is important 
in the operation of internal combustion engines, as well as 
producing powders of desired characteristics and manufacturing 
encapsulated microdroplets for drug delivery.

     The main components of the G-093 experiment are a fluid test 
cell system, a laser-based illumination system, a charge coupled 
device (CCD) digital imaging system, and a computer based 
acquisition and control system.  For each experiment, the fluid 
test cell is partially filled with silicone oil to establish the 
liquid-gas interface.  The vortex ring generator, which is located 
at the bottom of the test cell, consists of a piston moving inside 
the cylinder cavity.  For each test, the piston lowers itself  in 
the cylinder at which point the cylinder is filled with silicone 
oil seeded with silver-coated hollow glass microspheres.  The 
rapid upward motion of the piston generates the vortex ring to the 
liquid/gas interface.  The laser system is used to illuminate a 
cross section of the fluid cell.  The CCD camera captures digital 
images of the fluid motion and the drop formation process which 
are then stored in the computer.  A data acquisition system 
simultaneously records the liquid temperature and the acceleration 
in the fluid test cell.  All data is stored on hard disk for 
analysis after the canister is returned to Earth.

     The principal investigator for G-093 is Sven Bilen from the 
University of Michigan. Susan Olden from Goddard Space Flight 
Center is the mission manager and Lee Shiflett, also from Goddard, 
is the technical manager.

G-141

     The German Aerospace Center, Bonn, Germany, in conjunction 
with the University Giessen, Germany, have designed the G-141 
experiment or the Structure of Marangoni Convection in Floating 
Zones payload.

     Marangoni convection is a gravity independent natural 
convection phenomenon. A liquid with a free surface will show an 
inner (bulk) motion if one applies a temperature differential just 
to the free surface of the liquid.  This effect is called 
Marangoni convection.  Marangoni convection is relevant for melt 
processing (i.e., crystal growth), because it influences the shape 
of the growth and the homogeneity.

     In the commercial production technique for high quality 
silicon crystals (the basic material for electronic chips), 
temperature differences are unavoidable.  For this reason, 
Marangoni convection will influence the crystallization process 
and thereby the quality of the crystals obtained.

     Depending mainly on temperature differences and geometry, the 
inner motion of the liquid will show different flow patterns 
(ranging from regular to chaotic) in a transparent model system.  
Microgravity conditions are needed to eliminate buoyancy 
convection (bulk liquid will rise like a hot air balloon) and 
allows the researchers to study Marangoni convection without 
disturbances.

     D. Schwabe and S. Frank from the University of Giessen are 
the principal investigators for the G-141 payload.  The mission 
manager is Susan Olden at Goddard.  The technical manager is 
Charles Knapp also from Goddard.


G-145

     The experiment to be flown as GAS payload G-145 is entitled 
Glass Fining. G-145 is a collaboration of the German Aerospace 
Center and the Technical University of Claushtal, Federal Republic 
of Germany.  The scientific objective of the experiment is to gain 
further insight into the process of glass fining or the removal of 
all visible gaseous bubbles from a glass melt.  Glass fining is 
one of the most complicated, yet one of the most important 
processes in technical glass melting. 

     Refining is the removal of gas bubbles from the glass melt to 
improve the glass quality, a process that has been largely 
empirical until now.

     A cylindrical sample of a soda-lime-silica melt with an 
artificial oxygen bubble at its center will be heated up to 2,370 
degrees Fahrenheit in a furnace and kept at this temperature for 
about two hours.  The overall duration of the experiment will be 
about 3.5 hours, with about one hour to heat the sample up to the 
desired temperature.  The cooling period will be observed for 
about half an hour.  At 2,370 degrees Fahrenheit, the glass melts 
and oxygen dissolves in the melt causing a shrinkage of the 
bubble.  The process of shrinking will be recorded by taking 
pictures to achieve high resolution.  For continuous observation 
of the shrinking process, a video-camera and a video cassette 
recorder have been added to the existing experimental set-up.   
The principal investigator is G.H. Frischat of the Technical 
University of Clausthal.  The mission manager is Susan Olden of 
Goddard. Charles Knapp, also of Goddard, is the technical manager 
of G-145.

G-432

     Get Away Special experiment 432 was built and designed by the 
Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.  This payload 
consists of five separate experiments. Three out of the five of 
the experiments consist of growing crystals.

     Super Cooling is the first experiment contained within the G-
432 payload. Super Cooling is the temperature difference between 
the melting point and the solidification temperature.  By 
comparison with experimental results on Earth, one can investigate 
the maximum degree of super cooling that can be obtained near pure 
diffusion conditions.

     Experiment two is the Processing of High Critical Test. The 
Chinese are working on superconductors that work at high 
temperatures.  Superconductors are materials that conduct 
electricity very quickly with little loss of heat.  Presently,  
superconductors have to be kept very cold and are expensive.  If 
the experimenters can process superconductors that can perform at 
higher temperatures, computers can be made much faster, as well as 
faster trains that hover off the tracks.

     The Growth of Gallium Animony experiment was designed to grow 
and study crystals.  The scientists hope to grow a more 
homogeneous crystal in space and on Earth. They will look at the 
influence of microgravity on such growths.

     The Liquid Phase Epitaxy experiment will grow a crystal rod 
in space and compare it to a crystal rod grown on Earth.

     Lastly, the Wettabiltiy Test will be performed on different 
materials such as nickel, iron, etc.  The wettabiltiy test shows 
how big a bubble forms, whether the liquid beads up, whether it 
stays together and so on.  A camera has been set up to take 
pictures of the test.  Testing will be done at several 
temperatures.

     The principal investigator is Peiwen Ge of the Chinese 
Academy of Sciences.  The mission manager is Susan Olden at 
Goddard .  Charles Knapp, from Goddard, is the technical manager 
of this payload.

CLOSED EQUILIBRATED BIOLOGICAL AQUATIC SYSTEM
(CEBAS)

     The Closed Equilibrated Biological Aquatic System is a 
secondary middeck payload which fits inside a standard middeck 
locker.  The payload hardware has been developed by the German 
Space Agency (DLR formerly DARA).

     The CEBAS Minimodule, a habitat for aquatic organisms, 
enables scientists to conduct various gravity-related experiments 
in the areas of zoology, botany and developmental biology, as well 
as in interdisciplinary areas such as scientific research on 
artificial ecosystems.  This research will be carried out for the 
most part on biological objects with various research goals and 
emphasis.

     CEBAS provides energy and food for animals (fish and snails) 
as well as plants.  The experiment will support a mission duration 
of up to 3 weeks (including launch delays and contingency days).  
The organisms will return alive, which means that no chemical 
fixation of the samples is foreseen.

MICROGRAVITY PLANT NUTRIENT EXPERIMENT (MPNE)

     The main goal of the Microgravity Plant Nutrient Experiment 
is to test a nutrient delivery technology that will support plant 
growth in space.  Plants are grown in MPNE to validate the use of 
a porous tube delivery system and not specifically for biological 
research.  MPNE is stowed in a standard Space Shuttle middeck 
locker with an internal layer of 1/2 inch pyrell foam.  The MPNE 
hardware includes a plant enclosure, fluid system, light bank, 
Command and Data Management System (CDMS), power converter, 
batteries, instrumentation, fans and payload container.

     MPNE is launched with a dry nutrient delivery system and 
wheat seeds packed on germination paper.  The experiment is 
activated on flight day four, initiating germination of the seeds.  
A closed-loop feedback control system is used during the 
experiment to maintain the proper amount of nutrient solution on 
the surface of the porous tubes.  MPNE contains enough nutrient 
solution to maintain healthy plant growth for 7 continuous days.  
The plant tissue returns to Earth fresh and undergoes post-flight 
analysis.  During the mission, the crew will be available at 
regular intervals to monitor and control the experiment operation.

EarthKAM

     As part of the STS-89 Space Shuttle mission, students from 51 
middle schools in three nations will have the unique opportunity 
to experience the excitement of the space program and investigate 
our planet from their classrooms.  

     An education R&D program called EarthKAM, building on the 
success of KidSat, will allow these students to gain a new 
perspective on planet Earth by operating a digital camera mounted 
in the overhead window of the Space Shuttle.  The students engage 
in selecting sites around the world to be photographed during 
Shuttle flights, participate in solving real-world problems that 
arise, and use tools of modern science, (computers and the 
Internet) to study the images and the Earth Science processes that 
they illustrate.  EarthKAM fosters a cooperative, team environment 
that models both space operations and scientific research, and 
promotes student growth, discovery and achievement.

     EarthKAM's primary sponsors are the University of California 
at San Diego; TERC; Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; Langley 
Research Center, Hampton, VA; Goddard Space Flight Center, 
Greenbelt, MD, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. 
Other NASA Center education offices also are supporting the 
EarthKAM program at various schools in their geographic location.

     EarthKAM is supported by the Office of Human Resources and 
Education, with support from the Offices of Mission to Planet 
Earth and Space Flight.

     Additional information about the EarthKam education program 
can be found at the following URL:

http://www.kidsat.ucsd.edu/kidsat/


MECHANICS OF GRANULAR MATERIALS

Mechanics of Granular Materials
Principal Investigator: Dr. Stein Sture, University of Colorado at 
BoulderProject Scientist and co-investigator: Dr. Nicholas C. 
Costes, MarshallSpace Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.

     The Mechanics of Granular Materials experiment is aimed at 
understanding the behavior of granular materials - such as sand or 
salt - under very low confining pressure.  Confining pressure is 
the force that keeps a granular material "sticking together."

     The experiment has applications in a wide range of fields, 
including earthquake engineering; coastal and off-shore 
engineering; mining; transportation of granular materials; soil 
erosion; the handling of granular materials such as grains and 
powders; off-road vehicles; geology of the Earth; and planetary 
geology and exploration.  Findings from the experiment may lead to 
improved selection and preparation of building sites, better 
management of undeveloped land, and improved handling of materials 
in chemical, agricultural and other industries.

     There are many examples of encounters with granular pressures 
in everyday life:  Expose a vacuum-packed coffee bag to air, and 
the contents suddenly change from a brick-like solidity to 
behaving almost like a liquid.  On Earth, soil can behave much the 
same way:  An earthquake's shock waves can turn compacted, rock-
like earth into liquid as microscopic gaps between soil grains 
expand and contract, forcing water or air in and out of the soil.

     On Earth, researchers have been unable to study the true 
frictional forces between soil grains because Earth's gravity 
triggers the collapse of granular materials when they become 
unstable.  But in studies that began on Space Shuttle Atlantis 
during the STS-79 mission in September 1996, researchers were able 
to simulate and record key moments - moments that occur in a 
fraction of a second during an earthquake - when soil behaves
like liquid as the ground vibrates.

     This investigation continues on the STS-89 mission.  
Researchers will extend their study of the effects of compression 
forces on three granular material specimens under low confining 
pressure in the microgravity environment of space.  Three 
additional specimens will undergo rapid pumping that simulates 
earthquake-type loading.  The experiment is
automated, but requires some participation by the crew during its 
activation and deactivation.  Crew members also will monitor the 
samples during processing.  Scientists on the ground will take 
measurements of the loads, specimen deformations and 
instabilities.  To better understand how soil mechanics is 
influenced by friction, pressure and load, the specimens will 
undergo further analysis following the mission.

     Samples from the first Mechanics of Granular Materials 
experiment, on STS-79, have been analyzed by researchers at Los 
Alamos National Labs in New Mexico.  X-ray computed tomography 
scans, or CT scans, of the samples - allowing a view inside the 
specimens - resulted in valuable findings. Samples returned from 
the STS-89 mission will undergo similar study.

ASTROCULTURE

ASTROCULTURE
Principal Investigator:  Dr. Ray Bula, University of Wisconsin-
Madison,Madison, Wisconsin

     Plants will play an important role in future long-duration 
space flights, providing crews with oxygen, food, pure water and 
assisting in carbon dioxide removal from space habitats.  It is 
therefore important to develop an effective plant growth facility.  
The ASTROCULTURE flight unit is an apparatus that provides a 
controlled environment in which to grow plants in near-zero 
gravity.  It was developed by the Wisconsin Center for Space 
Automation and Robotics, a Commercial Space Center established 
jointly by NASA and the University of Wisconsin in Madison.  The 
ASTROCULTURE hardware is based on commercially available 
components -- significantly reducing the development costs.

     The STS-89 Mir-docking mission will transport the 
ASTROCULTURE flight unit to orbit.  Once the Shuttle has docked 
with Mir, the facility will be transferred to the Russian space 
station to begin an 80-day experiment to determine if wheat plants 
will produce seed in microgravity.

     The ASTROCULTURE unit has flown on five previous Shuttle 
flights -- USML-1, USML-2 and the SPACEHAB 1, 2 and 3 missions -- 
to validate the performance of plant growth technologies in the 
unique environment of space.  Each of the flight experiments has 
involved the incremental addition of important subsystems required 
to provide the necessary environmental control for plant growth.  
During these flights, lighting, temperature, humidity, nutrient 
composition and supply, and carbon dioxide and atmospheric 
contaminant control subsystems were successfully evaluated.  The 
Mir experiment will be the first long-term test of ASTROCULTURE.

     Once the ASTROCULTURE facility has been transferred to Mir, 
crew members will activate the unit.  The fluid delivery systems 
will be among the subsystems to begin operation.  After water is 
introduced into the growth chamber, wheat seeds that were planted 
prior to take-off will germinate.

     As the wheat plants grow, the crew will monitor the growth 
chamber's environment and the plants' development.  On a regular 
basis, the plants' growth cycle will be recorded on video.

     After 80 days, crew members will deactivate the system by 
turning off the water supply.  The mature wheat plants will dry 
out and be returned to Earth in the enclosed chamber on STS-91, 
scheduled for launch in May 1998.  Once back on Earth, the plants 
grown on Mir will be compared with wheat plants grown on Earth.

     The information from the ASTROCULTURE flight experiments will 
become the basis for developing large scale plant-growing units 
required in a life support system.  But, development of the 
ASTROCULTURETM technology has already begun to pay dividends.  
High intensity light emitting diodes -- developed as plant 
lighting for the facility  may soon be used in cancer treatment, 
saving lives on Earth.  A treatment technique called Photodynamic 
Therapy uses tiny, densely packed light emitting diodes to 
activate light-sensitive, tumor-treating drugs.

     The ASTROCULTURE program is part of a cooperative experiment 
with the Secondary Payload Program of NASA's Office of Life and 
Microgravity Sciences and Applications and the Space Product 
Development Office of the Marshall Space Flight Center in 
Huntsville, Ala.

X-RAY DETECTOR TEST

X-ray Detector Test
Principal Investigator:  Dr. Larry DeLucas, Director of the Center 
for Macromolecular Crystallography, University of Alabama at 
Birmingham,Birmingham, Ala.

     One sophisticated piece of laboratory equipment being built 
for the International Space Station is the X-ray Crystallography 
Facility. It will be used to grow and analyze protein crystals in 
space, activities which will benefit from the Space Station's 
permanent presence in orbit and which may lead to the development 
of new and better drugs on Earth.

     The X-ray detector is one of the essential elements for this 
facility. It detects X-rays reflected from protein crystals and 
helps to determine their structure, or makeup. The X-ray Detector 
Test will be conducted during STS-89 to measure the sensitivity of 
the device to background space radiation and determine any 
detrimental effect this radiation may have on the instrument.

     During the STS-89 Shuttle flight to Mir, the crew will take 
initial measurements and collect preliminary data. Once aboard 
Mir, the space station crew will conduct a long-duration test. The 
device will be retrieved from Mir during the STS-91 mission, 
scheduled for June 1998. Researchers will compile information from 
the tests for study once the
device is retrieved.


DIFFUSION-CONTROLLED CRYSTALLIZATION APPARATUS FOR MICROGRAVITY 
(DCAM) EXPERIMENT

Diffusion-Controlled Crystallization Apparatus for Microgravity 
(DCAM) Experiment Principal Investigator:  Dr. Dan Carter, New 
Century Pharmaceuticals, Huntsville, Ala.

     The Diffusion-Controlled Crystallization Apparatus for 
Microgravity (DCAM) experiment which will be carried aboard 
Endeavour is designed to grow protein crystals at slow, controlled 
rates in the microgravity environment of space. Researchers are 
using this apparatus to try to grow larger and purer crystals in 
the pursuit of therapeutic research to counter the Herpes virus, 
fundamental virus mapping and to develop new drug delivery 
systems.

     The low gravity environment in space encourages larger 
crystal growth size, purity and structural integrity.  In many 
cases, the analysis of protein crystals grown in space has 
revealed more about a protein's molecular structure than has been 
possible even after years of effort with crystals grown on Earth.

     Crew members will be placing six experiment trays with a 
total of 162 protein crystal test samples on board Mir.  These 
samples will be removed and returned to Earth for analysis on the 
STS-91 mission at the end of May 1998.  These samples will be used 
in basic biological research, pharmacology and drug development. 
Research teams will analyze the returning samples to discover 
their molecular structure.  By pinpointing a protein's structure, 
researchers can design a drug that will fit into the protein's 
unique shape to block its undesirable characteristics.

     Designed to grow protein crystals in a near-weightless 
environment, each chamber of the crystallization apparatus is a 
little larger than a 35 mm film canister.  The canisters use the 
liquid-to-liquid and dialysis methods of protein crystal growth in 
which a condensing solution mixes or diffuses into a bulk 
solution.  Inside the canister, a "button" covered by a semi-
permeable membrane holds a small protein sample.  Once activated, 
the
membrane allows a condensing solution to pass into the protein 
solution to initiate the crystallization process.  The membrane 
passively controls this process over an extended period of time.

     This same type of device has been used to grow promising 
protein samples on past Space Shuttle missions and during previous 
stays aboard the Russian Mir space station.


GASEOUS NITROGEN DEWAR

Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar
Principal Investigator:  Dr. Alexander McPherson, University of 
California-Irvine.

     Frozen protein samples will be transported to the Russian Mir 
Space Station in a Gaseous Nitrogen Dewar on STS-89.

     This investigation is expected to contribute to the 
understanding of why it is possible for researchers to grow larger 
and more perfectly formed protein crystals in the microgravity 
environment of space than on Earth.

     To accomplish the evaluation of crystal growth techniques, 
investigators will vary the volume and solution concentrations as 
well as the size of sample tubes for the approximately 200 
individual protein samples, comprising 19 different protein 
substances.  Post-flight analysis will be used to reveal the best 
growing conditions for particular samples.

     The dewar is a vacuum-jacketed container with an absorbent 
inner liner saturated with liquid nitrogen.  It will remain frozen 
for approximately two weeks, until the liquid nitrogen has 
completely boiled off.  This provides ample time to transport and 
transfer the dewar to the Mir station.  After the liquid nitrogen 
is completely discharged, the samples will thaw to ambient 
temperature and protein crystals will crystallize and grow over a 
four-month period before being returned to Earth.





DSO 334: INFLIGHT EVALUATION OF THE TELEMEDICINE INSTRUMENTATION 
PACK

Experiment Overview

     Since the beginning of the U.S. space program, NASA has 
applied telemedicine techniques to provide medical care during 
space flight. The current telemedicine capabilities, including 
two-way voice communications, one-way video and data downlink, and 
biomedical and cabin parameter monitoring, have been adequate to 
handle the minor in-flight medical problems which have occurred. 
However, based on current mission planning and risk analyses, it 
is expected that additional capabilities will need to be provided 
during the more demanding space missions of the future.
     Long-duration Space Shuttle flights and International Space 
Station (ISS) missions will require the capability for the Flight 
Surgeons to obtain a more in-depth assessment of crew health so 
that potentially serious medical problems can be handled 
appropriately and expeditiously. Currently, the level of in-flight 
medical care is limited to the medical expertise of the Crew 
Medical Officer (CMO), who is typically not a physician. Two CMOs, 
each of whom receives only 16 to 18 hours of medical training, are 
responsible for providing in-flight medical care and relaying 
symptomatic information to the Flight Surgeon. The Telemedicine 
Instrumentation Pack (TMIP) can create a virtual presence by 
extending the visual and auditory senses of the Flight Surgeon. 
This will enable the Flight Surgeon to more accurately assess an 
astronaut's health, and make recommendations regarding in-flight 
treatment and medically-related mission impacts.

     On three Flight Days the crewmember participants will perform 
a simulated medical examination using the Telemedicine 
Instrumentation Pack (TMIP). The instruments included in the TMIP 
are related to the most common medical complaints observed or 
anticipated during spaceflight. As such, the examination is 
designed to assess the TMIP's ability to resolve the parameters 
(observations, signs, symptoms) related to such conditions. The 
examination will include video assessment of the eye, ear, nose, 
mouth, throat, and skin using the TMIP imaging subsystem. The 
electronic stethoscope will be used to auscultate heart, lung, and 
bowel sounds. Electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure, percent 
oxygen saturation, and pulse rate will be measured via the TMIP's 
biomedical instrumentation. The TMIP  will be controlled by a 
crewmember on board. Ground coordination and data transfer will be 
conducted by a Flight Surgeon and Biomedical Engineer using the 
Telemedicine Workstation in a conference room adjacent to the 
Biomedical Multipurpose Support Room.


The objectives of DSO 334 are to evaluate:  
-- ability of the TMIP to capture medical data aboard the Orbiter, 
and send these data to Mission Control at JSC
-- the quality of these data, from a clinical perspective
-- the usability of the TMIP in the microgravity environment
-- the operational feasibility of using the TMIP for interactive 
(real-time) air-to-ground medical examination
-- the utility of just in time, store and forward medical exams 
using the TMIP

Instrumentation Pack

     In support of the manned space program at the Johnson Space 
Center, a powerful diagnostic system was developed, the 
Telemedicine Instrumentation Pack, or TMIP. The TMIP provides a 
suite of tools to conduct telemedical examinations. This portable 
system, designed to meet the mass, volume, and power constraints 
of space flight, provides robust capabilities in a package about 
the size of a small suitcase. 

     Although the TMIP was designed for use in space, aboard the 
Space Shuttle and Space Station, it can be used on Earth to 
improve the quality of, and access to, medical care. The TMIP can 
be operated by a variety of medical personnel to capture and 
display patient audio, video, and data for telemedicine 
consultations. Physicians, physician's assistants, or nurses can 
use the TMIP in a primary care setting to consult with medical 
specialists in major medical centers. Emergency medical personnel 
can use the TMIP at accident scenes or aboard air and ground 
ambulances to consult with emergency medicine and trauma experts. 
Home health care professionals can use the TMIP for house calls. 
Military medical corpsmen can use the TMIP aboard ship or on the 
battlefield to consult with military medical experts in MASH 
units, field hospitals, hospital ships, or major military medical 
centers. Medical teams responding to natural or manmade disasters 
could use the TMIP and a cellular modem or portable satellite 
uplink terminal to rapidly establish a field hospital to consult 
with secondary or tertiary medical centers. The TMIP, originally 
designed for use in space, has a myriad of applications on Earth.

     The TMIP comprises four subsystems. The imaging subsystem 
includes a central, remote-head, charged-couple device (CCD) video 
camera which attaches via a common interface with all TMIP lens 
systems, including the otoscopic lens system, the ophthalmoscopic 
lens system, and the dermatoscopic/macroscopic lens system. 
Lighting for the imaging subsystem is provided by a single 
fiberoptic light source. Images and video are displayed on the 
TMIP full-color flat panel display. A standard NTSC video output 
port allows the TMIP to be connected to an external monitor or 
communication system.

     The audio subsystem includes an electronic stethoscope for 
remote auscultation of heart, lung, and bowel sounds. Audio signal 
output to an external speaker or communication system is available 
through standard analog audio output ports.

     Electrocardiogram, heart rate, blood pressure, and percent 
oxygen saturation are acquired through the TMIP data acquisition 
and management subsystem. Data storage, forward, and retrieval 
also is provided by this subsystem.

     This computer is central to the TIP's design, acting as the 
primary user interface.  It controls biomedical monitors and  
captures, displays, stores, or forwards biomedical data, using 
virtual instrument software, developed by KRUG. The computer uses 
video/image overlay and capture cards to display live video on the 
VGA flat panel or capture still images. The embedded computer 
system enables the TIP to be used for either real-time or store-
and-forward applications.


STS-89 CREW BIOGRAPHIES

Terrence W. Wilcutt (Lieutenant Colonel, USMC) 
STS-89 Mission Commander

PERSONAL DATA - Born October 31, 1949, in Russellville, Kentucky. 
Enjoys flying, running, weight lifting, woodworking 

EDUCATION - Graduated from Southern High School, Louisville, 
Kentucky in 1967; received a bachelor of arts degree in math from 
Western Kentucky University in 1974.

ORGANIZATIONS - Member of Society of Experimental Test Pilots 
(SETP).

SPECIAL HONORS - Recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, 
NASA Space Flight Medals (2), Navy Commendation Medal, and Sea 
Service Deployment Ribbon. Distinguished Graduate of the United 
States Naval Test Pilot School.

EXPERIENCE - After graduation from college in 1974, Wilcutt taught 
high school math for two years prior to entering the Marine Corps. 
He was commissioned in 1976 and earned his wings in 1978. 
Following initial F-4 Phantom training in VMFAT-101, he reported 
to VMFA-235, Kaneohe, Hawaii. While assigned to VMFA-235, Wilcutt 
attended the Naval Fighter Weapons School (Topgun) and made two 
overseas deployments to Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.

     In 1983, he was selected for F/A-18 conversion training and 
served as an F/A-18 Fighter Weapons and Air Combat Maneuvering 
Instructor in VFA-125, Lemoore, California. In 1986, Wilcutt was 
selected to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School 
(USNTPS),where he earned the title "Distinguished Graduate." 
Following graduation from USNTPS he was assigned as a test 
pilot/project officer for Strike Aircraft Test Directorate (SATD) 
at the Naval Aircraft Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. While 
assigned to SATD, Wilcutt flew the F/A-18 Hornet, the A-7 Corsair 
II, the F-4 Phantom, and various other aircraft to test a wide 
variety of projects and classified programs. He has over 4,400 
flight hours in more than 30 different aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE - Selected by NASA in January 1990, Wilcutt became 
an astronaut in July 1991. Technical assignments to date include: 
working on Space Shuttle Main Engine and External Tank issues; 
serving on the astronaut support personnel team at the Kennedy 
Space Center, Florida, supporting Space Shuttle launches and 
landings, and technical issues for the Astronaut Office Operations 
Development Branch. A veteran of two space flights, he has logged 
over 512 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-68 (September 
30-October 11, 1994) and STS-79 September 16-26, 1996).  Wilcutt 
will command the crew of STS-89, the eighth of nine planned 
missions to dock the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space 
station. STS-89 is scheduled for a January 1998 launch on Space 
Shuttle Endeavour.

     STS-68, Space Radar Lab-2 (SRL-2), launched from the Kennedy 
Space Center, Florida, on September 30, 1994.  As part of NASA's 
Mission to Planet Earth, SRL-2 was the second flight of three 
advanced radars called SIR-C/X-SAR (Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-
Band Synthetic Aperture Radar), and a carbon monoxide pollution 
sensor, MAPS (Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites). SIR-
C/X-SAR and MAPS operated together in Endeavour's cargo bay to 
study Earth's surface and atmosphere, creating radar images of 
Earth's surface environment and mapping global production and 
transport of carbon monoxide pollution. Real-time crew 
observations of environmental conditions, along with over 14,000 
photographs, aided the science team in interpreting the SRL data.

     The SRL-2 mission was a highly successful test of technology 
intended for long-term environmental and geological monitoring of 
planet Earth. Following 183 orbits of the Earth, the eleven-day 
mission ended with Space Shuttle Endeavour landing at Edwards Air 
Force Base, California, on October 11, 1994.

     STS-79, fourth in the joint American-Russian Shuttle-Mir 
series of missions, launched from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), 
Florida, on September 16, 1996. STS-79 rendezvoused with the 
Russian Mir space station and ferried supplies, personnel, and 
scientific equipment to this base 240 miles above the Earth. The 
crew transferred over 3.5 tons of supplies to and from the Mir and 
exchanged U.S. astronauts on Mir for the first time - leaving John 
Blaha and bringing Shannon Lucid home after her record six month 
stay aboard Mir. Following 160 orbits of the Earth, the ten-day 
mission ended with Space Shuttle Atlantis landing at KSC on 
September 26, 1996.




Joe Frank Edwards, Jr., (Commander, USN) 
STS-89 Pilot

PERSONAL DATA - Born February 3, 1958, in Richmond, Virginia. 
Considers Lineville, Alabama, and Roanoke, Alabama, to be his 
hometowns. Married to the former Janet Leigh Ragan of Leonardtown, 
Maryland. He enjoys basketball, running, football and softball. 
His parents, Joe Frank and Jane McMurray Edwards, reside in 
Roanoke, Alabama. 

EDUCATION - Graduated from Lineville High School, Lineville, 
Alabama, in 1976. Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace 
Engineering from the United States Naval Academy, 1980. Master of 
Science degree in Aviation Systems from University of Tennessee, 
Knoxville, 1994. 

ORGANIZATIONS - Society of Experimental Test Pilots, Association 
of Naval Aviation, U.S. Naval Institute. 

SPECIAL HONORS - Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Defense 
Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy 
Achievement Medal. Daedalian Superior Airmanship Award 1992, 
Fighter Squadron 143 Fighter Pilot of the Year, 1984, 1985, 
Fighter Squadron 142 Fighter Pilot of the Year, 1990, 1991, 1992. 
Carrier Airwing Seven Pilot of the Year, 1985, 1990, 1991. 

EXPERIENCE: 
     Designated a Naval Aviator in February 1982. Assigned to 
Fighter Squadron 143 in 1983 after completion of F-14 Tomcat 
training. Flew fighter escort and reconnaissance combat missions 
over Lebanon in 1983 and graduated from U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons 
School in 1984. Graduated from U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 
1986 and subsequently worked as project flight test officer and 
pilot for F-14A(PLUS) and F-14D Full Scale Development. Flew the 
first Navy flight of the F-14D and a high angle of 
attack/departure from controlled flight test program for the F-14 
airframe/F-110 engine integration. Served as Operations and 
Maintenance Officer in Fighter Squadron 142 1989-1992. Worked as 
Operations Officer in the Operations Directorate of the Joint 
Chiefs of Staff, Washington D.C. from 1992-1994. He has flown over 
2600 hours in over 25 different aircraft and logged over 650 
arrested landings. 

NASA EXPERIENCE - Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 
December 1994, Edwards reported to the Johnson Space Center in 
March 1995. He has completed a year of training and evaluation and 
is currently qualified for assignment as a shuttle pilot. Since 
then he has worked technical issues in the Safety Department of 
the Astronaut Office, and served as Technical Assistant to the 
Director, Flight Crew Operations Directorate. Edwards is currently 
assigned as pilot on STS-89. Scheduled for a January 1998 launch 
on Endeavour, STS-89 is the eighth of nine planned missions to 
dock the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station.




James F. Reilly, II (Ph.D.) 
STS-89 Mission Specialist-1 

PERSONAL DATA - Born March 18, 1954, Mountain Home Air Force Base, 
Idaho. Considers Mesquite, Texas, to be his hometown.  Married to 
the former Jo Ann Strange, a native of Dallas, Texas. Three 
children. He enjoys flying, skiing, photography, running, soccer, 
hunting and fishing. His father, James F. Reilly, resides in 
Rockwall, Texas. His mother, Billie N. Ruether, resides in Tyler, 
Texas. Her parents, Robert and Mildred Strange, reside in Dallas, 
Texas. 

EDUCATION - Graduated from Lake Highlands High School, Dallas 
Texas, in 1972. Bachelor of science degree in geosciences from 
University of Texas-Dallas, 1977. Master of science degree in 
geosciences from University of Texas-Dallas, 1987.  Doctorate in 
geosciences from University of Texas-Dallas, in 1995. 

ORGANIZATIONS - Member of the American Association of Petroleum 
Geologists, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, American 
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 

SPECIAL HONORS - Awarded the Antarctic Service Medal, 1978. US 
Navy ROTC scholarship, 1972. 

EXPERIENCE - After receiving his bachelor of science degree in 
1977, Reilly entered graduate school and was selected to 
participate as a research scientist specializing in stable isotope 
geochronology as part of the 1977-1978 scientific expedition to 
Marie Byrd Land, West Antarctica. In 1979, he accepted employment 
as an exploration geologist with Santa Fe Minerals Inc., in 
Dallas, Texas. From 1980 to the time he was selected for the 
astronaut program, Reilly was employed as an oil and gas 
exploration geologist for Enserch Exploration Inc., in Dallas, 
Texas, rising to the position of Chief Geologist of the Offshore 
Region. He has experience in exploration and operation activities 
in both international and domestic regions, primarily in the deep-
water regions of the Gulf of Mexico. Concurrent with his duties as 
an exploration geologist, he was actively involved in the 
application of new imaging technology for industrial applications 
in deep water engineering projects and biological research. As 
part of this work, Reilly has spent approximately 22 days in deep 
submergence vehicles operated by Harbor Branch Oceanographic 
Institution and the US Navy. Concurrent with his employment with 
Enserch, Reilly received his master of science degree in 
geosciences in 1987, and has completed his dissertation on the 
geologic controls on the distribution of chemosynthetic 
communities in the Gulf of Mexico, receiving his doctorate in 
geosciences in 1995. 

NASA EXPERIENCE - Selected by NASA in December 1994, Reilly 
reported to the Johnson Space Center in March 1995, has completed 
a year of training and evaluation, and is qualified for flight 
assignment as a mission specialist. He was initially assigned to 
work technical issues for the Astronaut Office Computer Support 
Branch. Reilly is currently assigned as a mission specialist on 
the crew of STS-89, scheduled for a January 1998 launch on Space 
Shuttle Endeavour. STS-89 is the eighth of nine planned missions 
to dock the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station. 




Michael P. Anderson (Major, USAF) 
STS-89 Mission Specialist-2 

PERSONAL DATA - Born December 25, 1959, in Plattsburgh, New York. 
Considers Spokane, Washington, to be his hometown.  Married. 
Enjoys photography, chess, computers, and tennis. 

EDUCATION - Graduated from Cheney High School in Cheney, 
Washington, in 1977. Bachelor of science degree in 
physics/astronomy from University of Washington, 1981. Master of 
science degree in physics from Creighton University, 1990.

SPECIAL HONORS - Distinguished graduate USAF Communication 
Electronics Officers course. Recipient of the Armed Forces 
Communication Electronics Associations Academic Excellence Award 
1983. Received the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training Academic 
Achievement Award for Class 87-08 Vance AFB. Awarded the USAF 
Meritorious Service Medal, and the USAF Achievement Medal with one 
oak leaf cluster. 

EXPERIENCE - Anderson graduated form the University of Washington 
in 1981 and was commissioned a second lieutenant. After completing 
a year of technical training at Keesler AFB, Mississippi, he was 
assigned to Randolph AFB, Texas. At Randolph he served as Chief of 
Communication Maintenance for the 2015 Communication Squadron and 
later as Director of Information System Maintenance for the 1920 
Information System Group. In 1986 he was selected to attend 
Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. Upon 
graduation he was assigned to the 2nd Airborne Command and Control 
Squadron, Offutt AFB, Nebraska as a EC 135 pilot, flying the 
Strategic Air Commands airborne command post code named "Looking 
Glass". From January 1991 to September 1992 he served as an 
aircraft commander and instructor pilot in the 920th Air Refueling 
Squadron, Wurtsmith AFB, Michigan. From September 1992 to February 
1995 he was assigned as an instructor pilot and tactics officer in 
the 380 Air Refueling Wing, Plattsburgh AFB, New York. Anderson 
has logged over 3000 hours in various models of the KC-135 and the 
T-38A aircraft.

NASA EXPERIENCE: 
     Selected by NASA in December 1994, Anderson reported to the 
Johnson Space Center in March 1995. He completed a year of 
training and evaluation, and is qualified for flight crew 
assignment as a mission specialist. He was initially assigned 
technical duties in the Flight Support Branch of the Astronaut 
Office. Anderson is currently assigned as a mission specialist on 
the crew of STS-89. Scheduled for a January 1998 launch on Space 
Shuttle Endeavour, STS-89 is the eighth of nine planned missions 
to dock the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station. 




Bonnie J. Dunbar (Ph.D.) 
STS-89 Payload Commander / Mission Specialist-3

PERSONAL DATA - Born March 3, 1949, in Sunnyside, Washington.

EDUCATION - Graduated from Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside, 
Washington, in 1967; received bachelor of science and master of 
science degrees in ceramic engineering from the University of 
Washington in 1971 and 1975, respectively; and a doctorate in 
mechanical/biomedical engineering from the University of Houston, 
1983.

ORGANIZATIONS - Member of the American Ceramic Society (ACS), the 
National Institute of Ceramic Engineers (NICE), Keramos Honorary, 
the Society of Biomedical Engineering, American Association for 
the Advancement of Science, Tau Beta Pi, Materials Research 
Society (MRS); Board of Directors, Arnold Air Society and Angel 
Flight, International Academy of Astronautics (IAF), Experimental 
Aircraft Association (EAA), Society of Women Engineers (SWE), 
Association of Space Explorers (ASE).

SPECIAL HONORS - NASA Space Flight Medals, 1985, 1990, 1992, and 
1995. Member, National Scicence Foundation (NSF) Engineering 
Advisory Board, 1993 - present. NASA Outstanding Leadership Award, 
1993. Fellow of American Ceramic Society, 1993. Design News 
Engineering Achievement Award, 1993. IEEE Judith Resnick Award, 
1993. Society of Women Engineers Resnick Challenger Medal, 1993. 
Boeing Corporation Pathfinder Award, 1992. AAES National 
Engineering Award, 1992. NASA Exceptional Service Award, 1991. 
University of Houston Distinguished Engineering Alumna, 1991. 
M.R.S. President's Award, 1990. ACS Schwaltzwalder P.A.C.E. Award, 
1990.  University of Washington Engineering Alumni Achievement, 
1989. NASA Exceptional Service Medal, 1988. ACS Life Membership, 
1986. General Jimmy Doolittle Fellow of the Aerospace Education 
Foundation, 1986. Evergreen Safety Council Public Service in Space 
Award, 1986. American Ceramic Society (ACS) Greaves-Walker Award, 
1985. Rockwell International Engineer of the Year in 1978. 
Graduated Cum Laude from the University of Washington in 1975.

EXPERIENCE - Following graduation in 1971, Dr. Dunbar worked for 
Boeing Computer Services for two years as a systems analyst.  From 
1973 to 1975, she conducted research for her master's thesis in 
the field of mechanisms and kinetics of ionic diffusion in sodium 
beta-alumina. In 1975, she was invited to participate in research 
at Harwell Laboratories in Oxford, England, as a visiting 
scientist. Her work there involved the wetting behavior of liquids 
on solid substrates. Following her work in England, she accepted a 
senior research engineer position with Rockwell International 
Space Division in Downey, California. Her responsibilities there 
included developing equipment and processes for the manufacture of 
the Space Shuttle thermal protection system in Palmdale, 
California. She also represented Rockwell International as a 
member of the Dr. Kraft Ehricke evaluation committee on 
prospective space industrialization concepts. Dr. Dunbar completed 
her doctorate at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. Her 
multi-disciplinary dissertation (materials science and physiology) 
involved evaluating the effects of simulated space flight on bone 
strength and fracture toughness. These results were correlated to 
alterations in hormonal and metabolic activity. She is currently 
an adjunct assistant professor in mechanical engineering at the 
University of Houston.

     She is a private pilot with over 200 hours in single engine 
land aircraft, has logged more than 700 hours flying time in T-38 
jets as co-pilot, and has over 100 hours as co-pilot in a Cessna 
Citation Jet.

NASA EXPERIENCE - Dr. Dunbar accepted a position as a payload 
officer/flight controller at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 
1978.  She served as a guidance and navigation officer/flight 
controller for the Skylab reentry mission in 1979 and was 
subsequently designated project officer/payload officer for the 
integration of several Space Shuttle payloads.

     Dr. Dunbar became a NASA astronaut in August 1981. Her 
technical assignments have included assisting in the verification 
of Shuttle flight software at the Shuttle Avionics Integration 
Laboratory (SAIL), serving as a member of the Flight Crew 
Equipment Control Board, participation as a member of the 
Astronaut Office Science Support Group, supporting operational 
development of the remote manipulator system (RMS). She has served 
as chief of the Mission Development Branch, as the Astronaut 
Office interface for "secondary" payloads, and as lead for the 
Science Support Group. In 1993 Dr. Dunbar served as Deputy 
Associate Administrator, Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences, 
NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In February 1994, she traveled 
to Star City, Russia, where she spent 13-months training as a 
back-up crew member for a 3-month flight on the Russian Space 
Station, Mir. In March 1995, she was certified by the Russian 
Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center as qualified to fly on long 
duration Mir Space Station flights. From October, 1995 to 
November, 1996, she was detailed to the NASA JSC Mission 
Operations Directorate as Assistant Director where she was 
responsible for chairing the International Space Station Training 
Readiness Reviews, and facilitating Russian/American operations 
and training strategies. She is currently assigned as a mission 
specialist on STS-89, scheduled for a January 1998 launch on Space 
Shuttle Endeavour. STS-89 is the eighth of nine planned missions 
to dock the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station.

     A veteran of four space flights, Dr. Dunbar has logged more 
than 996 hours (41.5 days) in space. She was a mission specialist 
on STS 61-A in 1985, STS-32 in 1990, was the Payload Commander on 
STS-50 in 1992, and was a mission specialist on STS-71 in 1995.

     STS 61-A, the West German D-1 Spacelab mission, launched from 
Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on October 30, 1985. The 61-A 
mission was the first to carry eight crew members, the largest to 
fly in space, and was also the first in which payload activities 
were controlled from outside the United States. More than 75 
scientific experiments were completed in the areas of 
physiological sciences, materials science, biology, and 
navigation. During the seven-day mission, Dr. Dunbar was 
responsible for operating Spacelab and its subsystems and 
performing a variety of experiments. Her mission training included 
six months of experiment training in Germany, France, Switzerland, 
and The Netherlands. After completing 111 orbits of the Earth in 
168 hours 44 minutes 51 seconds, Challenger and her crew landed at 
Edwards Air Force Base, California, on November 6, 1985.

     STS-32 launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on 
January 9, 1990. During the ten-day mission, crew members aboard 
Columbia successfully deployed the Syncom IV-F5 satellite, and 
retrieved the 21,400-pound Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) 
using the RMS. They also operated a variety of middeck experiments 
including the Microgravity Disturbance Experiment (MDE) using the 
Fluids Experiment Apparatus (FEA), Protein Crystal Growth (PCG), 
American Flight Echocardiograph (AFE), Latitude/Longitude Locator 
(L3), Mesoscale Lightning Experiment (MLE), Characterization of 
Neurospora Circadian Rhythms (CNCR),and the IMAX Camera. Dr. 
Dunbar was principal investigator for the MDE/FEA Experiment. 
Additionally, numerous medical test objectives, including in-
flight lower body negative pressure (LBNP), in-flight aerobic 
exercise and muscle performance were conducted to evaluate human 
adaptation to extended duration missions. Following 173 orbits of 
the Earth in 261 hours 1 minute 38 seconds, Columbia returned with 
a night landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on January 
20, 1990.

     Dr. Dunbar flew as Payload Commander on STS-50, the United 
States Microgravity Lab-1 mission dedicated to microgravity fluid 
physics and materials science. Over 30 experiments sponsored by 
over 100 investigators were housed in the "Spacelab" in the 
Shuttle's Payload Bay. A payload crew of 4 operated around-the-
clock for 13 days performing experiments in scientific disciplines 
such as protein crystal growth, electronic and infrared detector 
crystal growth, surface tension physics, zeolite crystal growth, 
and human physiology. STS-50 launched from the Kennedy Space 
Center, Florida, on June 25, 1992, and concluded with a landing at 
the Kennedy Space Center on July 9, 1992, following 221 orbits of 
the Earth in 331 hours 30 minutes 4 seconds.

     On STS-71 Dr. Dunbar served as MS-3 on a seven-member crew 
launched June 27, 1995, from the Kennedy Space Center and as a 
member of an eight-member crew which returned there on July 7, 
1995. This was the first Space Shuttle mission to dock with the 
Russian Space Station Mir, and involved an exchange of crews. The 
Atlantis Space Shuttle was modified to carry a docking system 
compatible with the Russian Mir space station. It also carried a 
Spacelab module in the payload bay in which the crew performed 
medical evaluations on the returning Mir crew.  These evaluations 
included ascertaining the effects of weightlessness on the 
cardio/vascular system, the bone /muscle system, the immune 
system, and the cardio/pulmonary system. Mission duration was 235 
hours, 23 minutes




Salizhan Shakirovich Sharipov 
STS-89 Mission Specialist-4

PERSONAL DATA - Born August 24, 1964 in Uzgen, Oshsk region, 
Kirghizia. Married to Nadezhda Mavlyanovna Sharipova. They have 
one daughter and one son. He enjoys football, likes to read books. 
His father, Mr. Shakirzhan Sharipov, resides in Uzgen, Oshsk 
region, Kirghizia.

EDUCATION - Graduated from the Air Force Pilot School in 1987. In 
1994, he graduated from Moscow State University with a degree in 
cartography.

EXPERIENCE - After graduation from the Air Force Pilot School in 
1987, he worked as a pilot-instructor and taught 8 cadets. He has 
logged over 950 hours flying time. He has experience flying on 
MIG-21 and L-39 aircraft.

     Selected by the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) 
Sharipov became a cosmonaut-candidate in 1990. In 1992, he 
completed general space training and became a cosmonaut. As a 
member of the group he has completed a full course of training for 
Mir space flights as a crew commander.

CURRENT ASSIGNMENT - Sharipov is assigned to fly on the crew of 
STS-89, scheduled for a January 1998 launch on Space Shuttle 
Endeavour.  STS-89 is the eighth of nine planned missions to dock 
the Space Shuttle with Russia's Mir space station.



Andrew S. W. Thomas (Ph.D.) 
STS-89 Mission Specialist-5 / Mir 24 & 25 Flight Engineer

PERSONAL DATA - Born December 18, 1951, in Adelaide, South 
Australia. Single. He enjoys horse riding and jumping, mountain 
biking, running, wind surfing, and classical guitar playing. His 
father, Adrian C. Thomas, resides in Hackham, South Australia.  
His mother, Mary E. Thomas, resides in North Adelaide, South 
Australia. 

EDUCATION - Received a bachelor of engineering degree in 
mechanical engineering, with First Class Honors, from the 
University of Adelaide, South Australia, in 1973, and a doctorate 
in mechanical engineering from the University of Adelaide, South 
Australia, in 1978. 

ORGANIZATIONS - Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics 
and Astronautics. 

EXPERIENCE - Dr. Thomas began his professional career as a 
research scientist with the Lockheed Aeronautical Systems Company, 
Marietta, Georgia, in 1977. At that time he was responsible for 
experimental investigations into the control of fluid dynamic 
instabilities and aircraft drag. In 1980, he was appointed 
Principal Aerodynamic Scientist to the company and headed a 
research team examining various problems in advanced aerodynamics 
and aircraft flight test.

     This was followed in 1983 by an appointment as the head of 
the Advanced Flight Sciences Department to lead a research 
department of engineers and scientists engaged in experimental and 
computational studies in fluid dynamics, aerodynamics and 
aeroacoustics. He was also manager of the research laboratory, the 
wind tunnels, and the test facilities used in these studies. In 
1987, Dr. Thomas was named manager of Lockheed's Flight Sciences 
Division and directed the technical efforts in vehicle 
aerodynamics, flight controls and propulsion systems that 
supported the company's fleet of production aircraft.

     In 1989, he moved to Pasadena, California, to join the Jet 
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and, shortly after, was appointed 
leader of the JPL program for microgravity materials processing in 
space. This NASA-sponsored research included scientific 
investigations, conducted in the laboratory and in low gravity on 
NASA's KC-135 aircraft, as well as technology studies to support 
the development of the space flight hardware for future Shuttle 
missions.

NASA EXPERIENCE - Dr. Thomas was selected by NASA in March 1992 
and reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1992. In August 
1993, following one year of training, he was appointed a member of 
the astronaut corp and was qualified for assignment as a mission 
specialist on Space Shuttle flight crews.

     While awaiting space flight assignment, he supported shuttle 
launch and landing operations as an Astronaut Support Person (ASP) 
at the Kennedy Space Center. He also provided technical support to 
the Space Shuttle Main Engine project, the Solid Rocket Motor 
project and the External Tank project at the Marshall Space Flight 
Center.

     In June 1995 he was named as payload commander for STS-77 and 
flew his first flight in space on Endeavour in May 1996. During 
this 10-day mission the crew of STS-77 deployed two satellites, 
tested a large inflatable space structure on orbit and conducted a 
variety of scientific experiments in a Spacehab laboratory module 
carried in Endeavour's payload bay. The flight was launched from 
the Kennedy Space Center on May 19, 1996 and completed 160 orbits 
153 nautical miles above the Earth while traveling 4.1 million 
miles and logging 240 hours and 39 minutes in space.

     Dr. Thomas recently completed his training at the Gagarin 
Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, Russia in preparation for 
a long-duration stay aboard the Russian Space Station. He will 
launch aboard Endeavour as a member of the STS-89 crew in January 
1998 to begin a 4-month stay aboard Mir.




David A. Wolf (M.D.) 
Mir 24 Flight Engineer / STS-89 Mission Specialist-6

PERSONAL DATA - Born August 23, 1956, in Indianapolis, Indiana. 
Single. He enjoys sport aerobatic flying, scuba diving, handball, 
running, and water skiing. His parents, Dr. and Mrs. Harry Wolf, 
reside in Indianapolis.

EDUCATION - Graduated from North Central High School, 
Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1974; received a bachelor of science 
degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 1978, 
and a doctorate of medicine from Indiana University in 1982.  He 
completed his medical internship (1983) at Methodist Hospital in 
Indianapolis, Indiana, and USAF flight surgeon primary training at 
Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

ORGANIZATIONS - Member of the Institute of Electrical and 
Electronics Engineers; the Aerospace Medical Association; the 
Experimental Aircraft Association; the International Aerobatic 
Club; and the Air National Guard.

SPECIAL HONORS - Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Engineering 
Achievement Medal (1990); NASA Inventor of the Year, 1992. Dr. 
Wolf graduated "with distinction" from the honors curriculum in 
electrical engineering at Purdue University and received an 
Academic Achievement Award upon graduation from medical school. He 
received the Carl R. Ruddell scholarship award for research in 
medical ultrasonic signal and image processing. He is a member of 
Eta Kappa Knu and Phi Eta Sigma honorary societies. Dr. Wolf has 
received 11 U.S. patents and over 20 Space Act Awards for 3-
dimensional tissue engineering technologies, earning the Texas 
State Bar Patent of the Year in 1994. He has published over 40 
technical papers.

EXPERIENCE - As a research scientist at the Indianapolis Center 
for Advanced Research from 1980 to 1983, he developed digital 
signal and image processing techniques utilizing matched filter 
detection of high time-bandwidth product transmissions producing 
"state of the art" high resolution medical ultrasonic images to 
the 100 micron level. He also developed new doppler demodulation 
techniques extending the range velocity product limitation of 
conventional pulsed doppler systems. He is a USAF senior flight 
surgeon in the Air National Guard (1982 to present) and is a 
member of the Board of Directors of the National Inventors Hall of 
Fame. He has logged over 2000 hours of flight time including air 
combat training as a weapons systems officer (F4 Phantom jet), T-
38 Talon, and competition aerobatics (PITTS Special and Christen 
Eagle). 

NASA EXPERIENCE - In 1983, Dr. Wolf joined the Medical Sciences 
Division, Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas. He was responsible 
for development of the American Flight Echocardiograph for 
investigating cardiovascular physiology in microgravity.  Upon 
completion he was assigned as chief engineer for design of the 
Space Station medical facility. In 1986 he was assigned to direct 
development of the Space Bioreactor and associated tissue 
engineering and cancer research applications utilizing controlled 
gravitational conditions. This resulted in the state of the art 
NASA rotating tissue culture systems. He has particular expertise 
in the design of real time computer process control systems, 
communications, bioprocessing, physiology, fluid dynamics, and 
aerospace medicine. Dr. Wolf is an active public speaker.

     Selected as a NASA astronaut in January 1990, Dr. Wolf became 
qualified for space flight in July 1991. His technical assignments 
have included Orbiter vehicle processing and test at Kennedy Space 
Center (1991-1992), STS-58 mission specialist (1993), and 
spacecraft communications (CAPCOM) (1994-1995). He is qualified 
for Extravehicular Activity (Spacewalk), Remote Manipulator System 
(Robot Arm), and Rendezvous. He was the CAPCOM for the first and 
third Shuttle-Mir rendezvous. He trained at the Gagarin Cosmonaut 
Training Center in Star City, Russia, in preparation for a long-
duration stay aboard Mir. He has logged over 336 hours in space. 
He was a mission specialist on STS-58 and currently serves as 
Board Engineer 2 aboard the Russian Space Station Mir.

SPACEFLIGHT EXPERIENCE:
     STS-58 Columbia (10/16/93-11/1/93) was a 14-day dedicated 
Spacelab life sciences research mission. During this record length 
shuttle mission the crew conducted neurovestibular, 
cardiovascular, cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and musculoskeletal 
research utilizing microgravity to reveal fundamental physiology 
normally masked by earth gravity. Mission duration was 336 hours, 
13 minutes, 01 seconds. On September 25, 1997, Dr. Wolf launched 
aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis as part of the STS-86 crew. 
Following docking, September 28, 1997 marked the official start of 
his expected 4-month stay aboard Space Station Mir.

NASA PAO CONTACTS

Shuttle Program Contacts

Debra Rahn/Mike Braukus     Space Shuttle Mission,    202/358-1639
  Headquarters              International Cooperation
  Washington, D.C.          Policy/Mgmt

Eileen Hawley / Ed Campion  Mission Operations /      281/483-5111
  Johnson Space Center      Astronauts
  Houston, TX 

Bruce Buckingham            Launch Processing         407/867-2468
  Kennedy Space Center, FL  KSC Landing Info.

Fred Brown                  DFRC Landing Info         805/258-2663
  Dryden Flight Research Center
  Edwards, CA

June Malone                 External Tank / Solid     205/544-7061
  Marshall Space Flight Center   Rocket Boosters /
  Huntsville, AL                 Shuttle Main Engines



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