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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-37 

PRESS KIT 

APRIL 1991 

GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY (GRO) 
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STS-37 INSIGNIA 

STS037-S-001 -- The principal theme of the STS-37 insignia, designed by astronaut crewmembers, is the 

primary payload -- Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) -- and its relationship to the space shuttle. The Shuttle 

and the GRO are both depicted on the insignia and are connected by a large gamma. The gamma 

symbolizes both the quest for gamma rays by GRO as well as the importance of the relationship between the 

manned and unmanned elements of the United States space program. The Earth background shows the 

southern portion of the United States under a partial cloud cover while the two fields of three and seven 

stars, respectively, refer to the STS-37 mission designation. 

The NASA insignia design for Shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other official use 

as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the form of 

illustration by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which is not 

anticipated, it will be publicly announced. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 3 

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

Mark Hess/Jim Cast/Ed Campion 

Office of Space Flight 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 

(Phone: 202/453-8536) 

Michael Braukus 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 

(Phone: 202/453-1547) 

Lisa Malone 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 

(Phone: 407/867-2468) 

Jerry Berg 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 

(Phone: 205/544-0034) 

James Hartsfield 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 

(Phone: 713/483-5111) 

John Loughlin 

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 

(Phone: 301/286-5565) 

Myron Webb 

Stennis Space Center, MS 

(Phone: 601/688-3341) 

Nancy Lovato 

Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA 

(Phone: 805/258-3448) 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 

GENERAL RELEASE 5 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION 6 

STS-37 QUICK LOOK 7 

SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 8 

VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 9 

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 10 

TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 11 

STS-37 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 12 

GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY 13 

GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY SUBSYSTEMS 15 

GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS 19 

 

PAYLOAD OPERATION AND CONTROL CENTER (POCC) 20 

GREAT OBSERVATORIES 21 

MID-RANGE TARGETED STATIONKEEPING 22 

EVA DEVELOPMENTAL FLIGHT EXPERIMENT 23 

BIOSERVE ITA MATERIALS DISPERSION APPARATUS 31 

PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH EXPERIMENT 35 

SPACE STATION HEAT PIPE ADVANCED RADIATOR ELEMENT 37 

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT 38 

ADVANCED SHUTTLE GENERAL PURPOSE COMPUTERS 39 

RADIATION MONITORING EQUIPMENT-III 40 

ASCENT PARTICLE MONITOR 43 

STS-37 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 46 

STS-37 MISSION MANAGEMENT 49 
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RELEASE: 91-41 April 1990 

GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY, SPACEWALK HIGHLIGHT STS-37 

Shuttle mission STS-37, the 39th flight of the Space Shuttle and the eighth flight of Atlantis, will be 

highlighted by deployment of the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), the second of NASA's four great space 

observatories, and the first American spacewalk in more than 5 years. 

The launch of Atlantis is currently scheduled for no earlier than 9:18 a.m. EST on April 5. GRO, to be 

placed into a 243-nautical-mile high orbit on the 3rd day of the flight, will complement the Hubble Space 

Telescope (HST) and attempt to unravel the mysteries of the universe through observations of gamma rays, 

among the highest frequency wavelengths of the spectrum. GRO is the second in four planned great 

observatories, including HST, the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility and the Space Infrared Telescope 

Facility. 

On the 4th day of the flight, the Extravehicular Activity Development Flight Experiments (EDFE) will 

require the first spacewalk by American astronauts since Shuttle mission STS-61B in November 1985. The 

spacewalk will test the Crew and Equipment Translation Aids, three prototype cart designs that are part of 

an effort to develop a transportation device for use on the exterior of Space Station Freedom. Other 

spacewalk experiments include tests of the Shuttle's robot arm as a work platform for astronauts and 

instrumented evaluations of astronauts' ability to work with tools in weightlessness. 

On the middeck, Atlantis will carry several secondary experiments including the Bioserve ITA Materials 

Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA), a study in biomedical materials processing; Protein Crystal Growth-III 

(PCG-III), another in a sequence of Shuttle experiments that grow crystals in weightlessness; the Shuttle 

Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II), an experiment that will allow the crew to contact amateur radio 

operators around the world who are within range of the Shuttle's flight path; the Space Station Heat Pipe 

Advanced Radiator Element-II (SHARE-II), a study of an evolving design of cooling radiators for Space 

Station Freedom; and the Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III), a monitor of the amount of 

radiation penetrating the Shuttle's crew compartment during the flight. 

In addition Atlantis will have the Ascent Particle Monitoring Experiment in the payload bay, a package of 

instruments that measure contamination in the cargo bay during launch. The orbiter also will participate in 

the Air Force Maui Optical System (AMOS), a continuing series of observations of Shuttle orbital engine 

firings by ground Air Force instruments. 

The mission is planned to last 5 days and 12 minutes, concluding with a landing at Edwards Air Force 

Base, Calif., at 9:30 a.m. EDT, April 10th. Commanding Atlantis will be Air Force Col. Steven R. Nagel. 

Marine Corps Lt. Col. Kenneth D. Cameron will serve as pilot. Mission specialists will be Air Force Lt. 

Col. Jerry L. Ross; Dr. Linda M. Godwin; and Dr. Jay Apt. Mission specialists Ross and Apt will perform 

the spacewalk on the 4th day of the flight. 

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.) 
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GENERAL INFORMATION 

NASA Select Television Transmission 

NASA Select television is available on Satcom F-2R, Transponder 13, located at 72 degrees west 

longitude; frequency 3960.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz. 

The schedule for television transmissions from the orbiter and for the change-of-shift briefings from 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, will be available during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; Johnson Space Center; and NASA Headquarters, 

Washington, D.C. The TV schedule will be updated daily to reflect changes dictated by mission operations. 

Television schedules also may be obtained by calling COMSTOR, 713/483-5817. COMSTOR is a 

computer data base service requiring the use of a telephone modem. A voice update of the TV schedule 

may be obtained by dialing 202/755-1788. This service is updated daily at noon EST. 

Status Reports 

Status reports on countdown and mission progress, on-orbit activities and landing operations will be 

produced by the appropriate NASA news center. 

Briefings 

An STS-39 mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior to launch. During the mission, flight 

control personnel will be on 8-hour shifts. Change-of-shift briefings by the off-going flight director will 

occur at approximately 8-hour intervals. 
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STS-37 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date: No earlier than April 5, 1991 

 

Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Pad 39B 

 

Launch Window: 9:18 a.m. to 1:56 p.m. EST (4 hours, 38 minutes) 

 

Orbiter: Atlantis (OV-104) 

 

Orbit: 243 x 243 nautical miles 

 

Inclination: 28.45 degrees 

 

Landing Date/Time: April 10, 1991, 9:30 a.m. EDT 

 

Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. 

 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site - KSC, Fla. 

 Transoceanic Abort Landing - Banjul, The Gambia 

 Abort Once Around - Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. 

 

Crew: Steven R. Nagel, Commander 

 Kenneth D. Cameron, Pilot 

 Linda Godwin, Mission Specialist 1 

 Jerry L. Ross, Mission Specialist 2 

 Jay Apt, Mission Specialist 3 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) 

 EVA Development Flight Experiments (EDFE) 

 Ascent Particle Monitor (APM) 

 

Middeck Payloads: Bioserve ITA Materials Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA) 

 Protein Crystal Growth-III (PCG-III) 

 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-I (SAREX-II) 

 Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) 

 Air Force Maui Optical System (AMOS) 

 Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Element-II (SHARE-II) 
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SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 

Flight Day 1

Ascent 

OMS 2 

PCG activation 

RMS checkout 

SAREX activation 

BIMDA 

DSOs 

Flight Day 2

GRO in-bay checkout 

Depressurize cabin to 10.2 psi 

EMU checkout 

SHARE-II 

AMOS 

Flight Day 3

GRO deploy 

Flight Day 4 

EDFE EVA 

Flight Day 5

FCS checkout 

Mid-Range Targeted Station Keeping (DTO 822) 

Middeck payloads deactivation 

Cabin stow 

Flight Day 6

Deorbit 

Landing 
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VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 

 Pounds

 

Orbiter (Atlantis) empty and 3 SSMEs 71,785 

Remote Manipulator System (robot arm) 1,258 

Gamma Ray Observatory 34,643 

GRO Middeck Equipment 99 

Airborne Electrical Support Equipment 523 

Ascent Particle Monitor (APM) 22 

BioServe ITA Materials Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA) 72 

Crew and Equipment Translation Aids Cart Assembly 215 

CETA Hardware 588 

Detailed Test Objectives (DTO) 106 

Detailed Supplementary Objectives (DSO) 47 

Portable Data Acquisition Package 200 

Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) 63 

Radiation Monitoring Experiment (RME) 7 

SHARE II Middeck Priming Experiment 40 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 66 

Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,523,759 

Orbiter Landing Weight 191,029 
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SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 

Space Shuttle launch abort philosophy aims toward safe and intact recovery of the flight crew, orbiter and 

its payload. Abort modes include: 

• Abort-To-Orbit (ATO): Partial loss of main engine thrust late enough to permit reaching a minimal 

105-nautical mile orbit with orbital maneuvering system engines. 

• Abort-Once-Around (AOA): Earlier main engine shutdown with the capability to allow one orbit 

around before landing at either Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.; the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at 

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; or White Sands Space Harbor (Northrup Strip), NM. 

• Trans-Atlantic Abort Landing (TAL): Loss of two main engines midway through powered flight 

would force a landing at either Banjul, The Gambia; Ben Guerir, Morocco; or Moron, Spain. 

• Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS): Early shutdown of one or more engines, without enough energy to 

reach Banjul, would result in a pitch around and thrust back toward KSC until within gliding distance 

of the SLF. 

STS-37 contingency landing sites are Edwards AFB, Kennedy Space Center, White Sands, Banjul, Ben 

Guerir or Moron. 
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TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 

Event 

MET 

(d/h:m:s) 

Relative 

Velocity 

(fps) Mach 

Altitude 

(ft) 

 

Launch 00/00:00:00 

Begin Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:09 160 600 

End Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:16 340 2500 

Throttle to 89% 00/00:00:18 390 3180 

Throttle to 67% 00/00:00:28 650 7790 

Max. Dyn. Pressure 00/00:00:52 1,170 1.09 26,580 

Throttle to 104% 00/00:00:59 1,320 1.25 33,380 

SRB Staging 00/00:02:05 4,090 3.73 156,440 

Main Engine Cutoff 00/00:08:33 24,600 23.13 363,660 

Zero Thrust 00/00:08:39 24,646 22.85 370,550 

ET Separation 00/00:08:51 

OMS 2 Burn 00/00:41:44 

GRO Release 02/03:35:00 

Deorbit Burn (orb 77) 04/23:12:00 

Landing (orb 78) 05/00:12:00 

Apogee, Perigee at MECO: 238 x 32 nautical miles 

Apogee, Perigee post-OMS 2: 243 x 243 nautical miles 
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STS-37 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 

Kennedy Space Center workers began preparing Atlantis for its eighth flight into space when the vehicle 

was towed into the Orbiter Processing Facility on Nov. 21 following its previous mission, STS-38. 

About 31 modifications were made to the orbiter Atlantis during its 15-week stay in the Orbiter Processing 

Facility. A significant modification was the installation of the five new general purpose computers. The 

new carbon brake system also was installed and many upgrades were made to the thermal protection 

system. All of Atlantis' systems were fully tested while in the OPF. Both orbital maneuvering system pods 

and the forward reaction control system were removed and transferred to the Hypergolic Maintenance 

Facility for required testing. 
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GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY 

GRO, which weighs just over 35,000 pounds (15,876 kilograms), will be the heaviest NASA science 

satellite ever deployed by the Space Shuttle into low-Earth orbit. 

GRO is a space-based observatory designed to study the universe in an invisible, high-energy form of light 

known as gamma rays. Although a variety of smaller satellites and high-altitude balloons have carried 

instruments to study the universe in gamma-ray light during the past 30 years, GRO represents a dramatic 

improvement in sensitivity, spectral range and resolution. 

Gamma-rays, which cannot penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere, are of interest to scientists because these rays 

provide a reliable record of cosmic change and evolution. Their study will yield unprecedented answers 

about the structure and dynamics of the Milky Way Galaxy, the nature of pulsars, quasars, black holes and 

neutron stars, as well as clues about the origin and history of the universe itself. 

The four instruments on GRO were selected by NASA to provide the first comprehensive, coordinated 

observations of a broad gamma-ray energy range with much better sensitivity than any previous mission. 

The instruments include: the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE), the Oriented Scintillation 

Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE), the Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) and the Energetic 

Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET). During the first 15 months of the mission, an all-sky survey 

is planned. The observing program that follows will be guided by the results of this survey. 

The instruments onboard GRO, with sensitivities 10 times greater than that of earlier instruments, will scan 

active galaxies for new information on celestial objects. GRO also can detect the very high temperature 

emissions from the vicinity of stellar black holes, thereby providing evidence for the existence of these 

exotic objects. GRO observations of diffuse radiation will not only help resolve questions relating to the 

large scale distribution of matter in the universe, but also about the processes that may have taken place 

shortly after the universe began in the theoretical energetic explosion or "Big Bang.” 

GRO is a NASA cooperative program. The Federal Republic of Germany, with co-investigator support 

from The Netherlands, the European Space Agency, the United Kingdom and the United States, has 

principal investigator responsibility for COMPTEL. The Federal Republic of Germany also is furnishing 

hardware elements and co-principal investigator support for EGRET. 
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GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY SUBSYSTEMS 

The Gamma Ray Observatory is the first scientific payload with a refuelable onboard propulsion system. In 

addition, GRO provides the support and protection necessary for the observatory to complete its mission. 

The spacecraft’s subsystems include propulsion, power, controls, electronics, communications and thermal. 

Propulsion 

The Gamma Ray Observatory has a self-contained propulsion system that will allow controllers on the 

ground to keep the GRO spacecraft at the proper altitude. The propulsion system provides thrust for orbit 

altitude change, orbit maintenance, attitude control and if necessary, controlled reentry. GRO's four 

propellant tanks hold 4,200 pounds (1900-kilograms) of hydrazine fuel. The spacecraft has four 100-pound 

(45-kilogram) thrusters and isolation valves. GRO also has four dual thruster modules, each consisting of 

two 5-pound (2.2-kilogram) thrusters for attitude control. The fuel tanks are designed to be refueled by a 

future Space Shuttle mission, although no mission is currently planned for this purpose. 

Attitude Control and Determination System 

The primary purpose of the Attitude Control and Determination (ACAD) subsystem is to point the GRO 

instruments to selected celestial gamma-ray sources and to supply attitude information for data processing. 

The ACAD subsystem is a three-axis system made up of many NASA standard components and other 

flight-proven hardware. The system contains sensors that tell GRO where it's pointed and actuators for 

vehicle orientation. The primary sensors are the Fixed-Head Star Trackers and the Inertial Reference Unit. 

The star trackers relay information to GRO's onboard computers about the location of the spacecraft based 

on the known positions of pre-programmed guide stars. The Inertial Reference Unit relays attitude and 

position information based on the forces of inertia working in much the same manner as a gyroscope. The 

primary actuators are the four Reaction Wheel Assemblies. They rely on the principle of the spinning 

flywheel to maintain spacecraft attitude. 

Communications and Data Handling 

The Communications and Data Handling (CADH) system is based on the standard NASA modular design 

used with great success on the Solar Maximum Mission and Landsats 4 and 5. By using modules, repair of 

damaged or defective components is vastly simplified. The CADH subsystem consists of the CADH 

module, a 60-inch (152 centimeter) high-gain antenna, two omnidirectional low-gain antennas and a radio 

frequency combiner to interface the module with the antennas. 

The CADH includes two second generation Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) 

transponders for both incoming and outgoing transmissions to TDRSS and for command and telemetry 

transmissions to the Shuttle during in-bay and deployment sequences. Two NASA standard tape recorders 

are included for data storage. They will be used to record data for later playback to scientists on the 

ground. These playbacks, or data dumps, take place every other orbit at a rate of 512 kilobytes per second 

via the high-gain antenna system and the TDRSS S-band. 

GRO also has a sophisticated clock that converts spacecraft time into universal time and distributes it to 

each instrument. Remote Interface Units are distributed throughout the spacecraft to interface the 

instruments with other onboard subsystems. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 16 

Electrical Power 

The Observatory’s solar arrays are accordion style, multi-panel, rigid arrays, deployed by motor-driven 

rigid booms. The total power available for the observatory from the solar arrays is approximately 2000 

watts. Two Modular Power System (MPS) modules condition, regulate and control solar-array power 

during sunlight portions of the orbit to satisfy load demands and battery charging. During eclipse periods, 

NiCad batteries supply the spacecraft power. The batteries also supplement solar-array power during 

periods of peak power. Each MPS can receive power from external sources during ground operations and 

while in the Shuttle payload bay. 

Thermal Subsystems 

The thermal control of the observatory’s subsystems and instruments is accomplished by coatings, 

blankets, louvers, radiators and heaters. The instruments are thermally isolated from each other and the 

spacecraft structure to reduce temperature. 

The COMPTEL instrument uses a heat pipe system that transfers heat to a remote radiator providing active 

cooling for the instrument. The other instruments have passive thermal designs. 

GRO uses three types of heaters, each having redundant thermostats and heater elements. Operational 

heater circuits are adequate for normal orbital operations. Make-up heaters replace the power of an 

instrument or component when it is turned off in orbit. Space Shuttle auxiliary heaters are used to maintain 

temperatures while GRO is in the payload bay. 
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GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY SCIENCE INSTRUMENTS 

Gamma rays are a form of light that cannot penetrate the Earth's atmosphere or be seen by the human eye. 

Gamma rays have the highest energies of any type of light radiation. Since high-energy processes tend to 

produce high-energy radiation, gamma rays are emitted by some of the most exotic structures in our 

universe -- supernovae, neutron stars, black holes and quasars. The study of gamma rays offers a window 

into the inner workings of these and other fascinating objects, providing insights unattainable from the 

study of any other form of radiation. 

Although the four instruments on GRO are essentially telescopes for seeing gamma-ray light, they do not 

look like ordinary telescopes. Instead, the GRO instruments observe gamma rays indirectly, by monitoring 

flashes of visible light, called scintillations, that occur when gamma rays strike the detectors (made of 

liquid or crystal materials) built into the instruments. 

GRO's instruments are much larger and much more sensitive than any gamma-ray instrument ever flown in 

space. Size is crucial for gamma-ray astronomy. Because gamma rays are detected when they interact with 

matter, the number of gamma-ray events recorded is directly related to the mass of the detector. With the 

small number of gamma rays emanating from celestial sources, large instruments are needed to detect a 

significant number of photons in a reasonable amount of time. 

The gamma rays emitted from celestial objects span a wide range of energies. The most energetic gamma 

rays to be studied by GRO have energies some 1 million times greater than the weakest. This is a far 

greater range in energy than that spanned by visible light, and no single instrument yet devised can detect 

gamma rays throughout this range. GRO's four instruments together span the gamma-ray range from about 

20,000 to 30 billion electron volts (eV). Each of the four instruments has a unique design and is specialized 

for particular types of observations. 

Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) 

The Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) was developed by scientists and engineers at 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., to continuously monitor a large segment of the sky for 

detection and measurement of short, intense bursts and other transient sources of gamma rays. BATSE 

consists of 8 identical detectors, with one detector located at each corner of the spacecraft to give it a very 

wide field of view. BATSE works in the low-energy part of the gamma-ray range (20,000 to 2 million eV) 

in which bursts are expected. Once BATSE discovers a burst of gamma rays, it can signal the other three 

instruments to study the source in more detail. Dr. Gerald Fishman of Marshall is the principal investigator. 

Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) 

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Washington, D.C., designed the Oriented Scintillation 

Spectrometer Experiment (OSSE) to detect nuclear-line radiation and emissions associated with low energy 

gamma-ray sources (100,000 to 10 million eV). OSSE is sensitive to the spectral signature of radioactive 

elements. This enables OSSE to study supernovae and novae which are believed to be the sites where the 

heavy elements are created. These elements are the basis for life as we know it. OSSE also will provide 

insight into various types of science targets, such as neutron stars, black holes, pulsars and quasars. Dr. 

James Kurfess of the NRL is the principal investigator. 

Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) 

The Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL), developed as a cooperative effort by the Federal Republic 

of Germany, The Netherlands, the European Space Agency and the United States, is designed for 

observations at moderate gamma-ray energies (1 to 30 million eV). Because COMPTEL has a wide field of 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 20 

view (though not as wide as BATSE) and can locate gamma ray sources, one of its primary functions will 

be to produce a detailed map of the sky as seen in moderate gamma rays. Dr. Volker Schoenfelder of the 

Max Planck Institute, Germany, is the principal investigator. 

Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) 

The Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) is between 10 and 20 times larger and more 

sensitive than any high energy, gamma-ray telescope previously flown in space. The mission of EGRET, a 

joint effort by scientists and engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, Md.; 

Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; Max Planck Institute, Germany; and Grumman Aerospace Corp., 

Bethpage, NY, is to search the cosmos for high energy gamma-rays. One of its primary missions will be to 

generate a map of the sky as seen in high-energy gamma rays, complementing the map produced by 

COMPTEL. Another will be to discover and monitor gamma-ray emissions from pulsars. Goddard’s Dr. 

Carl Fichtel is the principal investigator. 
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PAYLOAD OPERATION AND CONTROL CENTER (POCC) 

Instructions sent to GRO during its science mission begin with the controllers located in the GRO Payload 

Operations Control Center (POCC) at GSFC. The focal point for all pre-mission preparations and on-orbit 

operations, the POCC is part of the Multisatellite Operations Control Center (MSOCC) at Goddard that 

provides mission scheduling, tracking, telemetry data acquisition, command and processing required for 

down-linked data. 

Data Processing Systems 

GRO engineering and experiment data will be processed in the POCC and the Packet Processor (PACOR) 

Data Capture Facility. The POCC will receive real time and playback telemetry data via TDRSS. The 

PACOR will receive real time and playback data in parallel with the POCC. The PACOR will record, time 

order, quality check and transmit sets of science data packets to the four instrument sites via a computer 

electronic mail system or by magnetic computer tape. The instrument sites are: Burst and Transient Source 

Experiment, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala; Oriented Scintillation Spectrometer 

Experiment, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C.; Imaging Compton Telescope, U. S. interface, 

University of New Hampshire, Durham, N.H.; and the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope, 

GSFC. 

The Mission Operations Room, an integral part of the POCC, is responsible for all aspects of mission 

control, including spacecraft health and safety, and is operated on a 24-hour basis. This arrangement will 

provide command management, flight dynamics and communications support through the use of an 

extensive array of interactive terminals, color graphic microprocessors, recorders and close circuit 

television. Science Support Center 

GSFC is the site of the Science Support Center (SSC) for the Gamma Ray Observatory. The SSC supports 

guest investigators through proposal preparation assistance, support of the proposal selection process and 

data archive search activities. In addition, the SSC will assist NASA's Office of Space Science and 

Applications, Astrophysics Division, in managing the review and evaluation of proposals for specific 

observations and theoretical investigations in the gamma-ray portion of the spectrum. 

The SSC is developing software that will provide a common link for data from each of the instruments for 

investigators whose studies involve more than one of GRO's diverse capabilities. 

The SSC also is developing and instituting the software systems that will allow data from the observatory 

to be archived by the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) also located at Goddard. Cataloging 

methods will be developed to allow future guest investigators the opportunity to easily access data for 

scientific study either at Goddard's facilities or at their home laboratories. 

Data archived by the SSC and the NSSDC generally will become available one year after it has been 

processed into usable form. The SSC provides a uniform interface with all of the principal investigator 

teams and publishes a newsletter with items of interest to the scientific community. 
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GREAT OBSERVATORIES 

The GRO is the second of four "Great Observatories" being built by NASA to study the universe across the 

electromagnetic spectrum. The first, the Hubble Space Telescope, was launched in April 1990. HST 

primarily conducts studies using visible and ultraviolet light. The other Great Observatories are the 

Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility, expected to be launched in 1998, and the Space Infrared Telescope 

Facility, scheduled for launch at the end of the decade. 

The GRO program is managed by GSFC for NASA’s Office of Space Science and Applications. The 

spacecraft was built by TRW, Redondo Beach, Calif. 
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MID-RANGE TARGETED STATIONKEEPING 

Mid-Range Targeted Stationkeeping, designated as a Detailed Test Objective (DTO 822) for STS-37, will 

be a rendezvous experiment to help determine the precision with which the Shuttle can intercept a point 

behind an orbiting target and maintain the position without onboard radar. The orbiting target for the test 

will be the previously deployed Gamma Ray Observatory. 

Following completion of EVA activities on flight day 4, a phase adjustment burn will be performed to 

begin closing the distance between Atlantis and GRO. While the crew sleeps, Atlantis will close from 

about 100 miles to within 50 miles behind the target. 

An additional phasing maneuver will be made, early on flight day 5, to move Atlantis to within 20 miles. 

The crew then will conduct a final interception maneuver, using star trackers and optical alignment sights 

to identify and close in on the test point 8 miles behind GRO. 

Stationkeeping 8 miles behind GRO, the crew will maneuver Atlantis around the test point, using RCS jets 

to conduct out-of-plane translations and attitude changes. Following those, the crew will use the star 

trackers and optical alignment sights to locate and maneuver back to the stationkeeping point. 

Acquired data will be used to assess manual stationkeeping tools and techniques for potential rendezvous 

cases in which orbiter radar systems are not available. 
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EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY DEVELOPMENTAL FLIGHT EXPERIMENT 

On STS-37, astronauts will venture into the payload bay for the 14th time in the 10-year history of the 

Shuttle program, when mission specialists Jerry Ross and Jay Apt perform a 6-hour extravehicular activity 

(EVA) during flight day 4. When Ross opens the airlock hatch, he will be the first astronaut to do so since 

he closed it Dec. 1, 1985, during STS-61B. 

During the spacewalk, Apt and Ross will test several different translation devices which could be the 

predecessors of devices to be used on Space Station Freedom. The flight tests will answer questions 

including the speed of translation, complexity of equipment required, ease of translation and crew loads 

applied to tools and equipment for future EVA experiences. 

Ross is designated as extravehicular crew member 1 (EV1) and will have red stripes on his spacesuit, while 

Apt is EV2. Pilot Ken Cameron will perform the functions of the intravehicular crewmember (IV1), 

monitoring the progress of the spacewalk from inside Atlantis. 

The EVA Developmental Flight Experiment (EDFE) is composed of three sets of evaluations: the Crew 

and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA); the Crew Loads Instruments Pallet Experiment (CLIP), also 

known as Detailed Test Objective (DTO) 1203; and the EVA Translation Evaluation, DTOs 1202 and 

1205. 

Portable Data Acquisition Package 

EDFE experiments require the use of a data recording system, called the Portable Data Acquisition 

Package (PDAP), that will collect information on stresses imparted to the track and cart by the astronauts. 

The system also will measure forces and torque imparted to the tools the astronauts use during the CLIP 

experiment. 

The PDAP will record 32 channels of analog data with each channel being sampled 150 times per second. 

The analog signals will be digitized to 12-bit resolution, time tagged and recorded on a hard disk for 

retrieval after landing. 

The three PDAPs flown on Atlantis will be stored inside the crew compartment and mounted on the EDFE 

experiments by Ross and Apt after the spacewalk begins. They will be brought back into the crew 

compartment at the completion of the EVA. 

Crew and Equipment Translation Aid (CETA) 

CETA consists of three carts and a tether Shuttle that move down a 46.8 foot track mounted on the port 

side of the payload bay. While the Gamma Ray Observatory is in the payload bay, the track is stored in two 

23.4-foot sections in the forward part of the bay. Crew members will extend the track to the test position at 

the onset of the EVA and stow it after the evaluations are complete. 

The tether Shuttle is a small translation aid to which astronauts clip their safety tethers. It also is equipped 

with a small handhold for translations and rides on the CETA track. 

For each evaluation, the three CETA carts are mounted to a common truck attached to the translation track. 

The truck is an approximately 20-inch square assembly with four roller clusters that ride on the track. The 

individual carts are fixed to the truck for each evaluation and each has its own brake. 

The first cart to be tested will be the manual configuration. Once positioned in the foot restraints, the 

astronaut will propel himself, hand over hand, down the rail. Both the tether Shuttle and the manual cart 

configuration are baselined for Space Station Freedom. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 25 

The mechanical version resembles a railroad car mechanism with which the astronaut pumps a T-handle to 

move. This motion is converted by a gear train into the continuous motion of two wheel drives. A leg 

restraint connects to the CETA truck and the tether Shuttle to keep the astronaut in a nearly prone position 

while pumping the cart. 

The final CETA cart uses electrical currents, generated by the astronaut, to move the truck down the rail. 

The astronaut places himself in foot restraints and pumps two handles in a bicycle-like motion to create a 

maximum of 24 volts to drive two small motors. The motors then propel the truck down the track. 

Maximum speed for all three carts is 6 feet per second. Apt and Ross both will evaluate all three vehicles, 

at times carrying each other to simulate transporting cargo to a work station. Following the CETA 

evaluation, Ross and Apt will begin working with the scheduled DTOs. 

Detailed Test Objectives 

CLIP consists of three force torque sensor plates, a soft stowage assembly and a foot restraint system. The 

CLIP assembly is stowed on the forward port side of the payload bay. Crew members will perform specific 

tasks that represent those used during normal EVAs, such as tightening a bolt or turning a knob. The foot 

restraint and work site are instrumented with sensors that measure the crew induced loads to force and 

moment signals recorded on the PDAP. Most of the tasks required for the CLIP evaluations will be 

repeated twice by both EVA astronauts, for a total of about 80 tasks each. 

ETE will obtain crew translation data for EVA systems requirements definition, technique development 

and equipment design. The ETE uses Shuttle hardware such as a manipulator foot restraint and an EVA 

force measurement tool with various standard orbiter hardware such as the remote manipulator system and 

the RMS rope reel to evaluate translation rates and techniques. 

Astronauts inside Atlantis' crew compartment will maneuver EVA crew members positioned in the MFR 

on the end of the RMS. The arm will move the astronaut at speeds up to 1.3 feet per second at a distance no 

closer than 10 feet from the orbiter to gauge maximum comfortable velocity rates and acceleration. 

Ross also will manually maneuver the RMS while it is configured in "limp mode" to evaluate its ease of 

positioning by an EVA astronaut. Going from the very complex systems of the RMS to the very simple, the 

final evaluation if time permits, will consist of astronauts crossing a rope strung across the payload bay. 

EDFE is sponsored by the Space Station Freedom and managed by the Crew and Thermal Systems 

Division in the Engineering Directorate at the Johnson Space Center. 
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BIOSERVE ITA MATERIALS DISPERSION APPARATUS (BIMDA) 

The BioServe ITA Materials Dispersion Apparatus (BIMDA) payload has been jointly developed by 

BioServe Space Technologies, a NASA Center for Commercial Development of Space (CCDS) located at 

the University of Colorado, Boulder, and its industrial affiliate, Instrumentation Technology Associates, 

Inc. (ITA), Exton, Penn. Also collaborating in the BIMDA activity are researchers from NASA's Johnson 

Space Center, Houston, and Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. 

Sponsored by NASA's Office of Commercial Programs, the objective of the BIMDA experiment is to 

obtain data on scientific methods and potential commercial applications of biomedical and fluid science 

processing and activities in the microgravity environment of space. 

The BIMDA primary elements, developed by ITA, are the Materials Dispersion Apparatus (MDA) 

minilabs and their controller with a self-contained power supply. The MDA minilab is a compact device 

capable of mixing as many as 150 samples, using liquid-to-liquid processes using two or three fluids, and 

can grow crystals, cast thin-film membranes and conduct biomedical and fluid science experiments. The 

MDA experiments include the study of protein crystal growth in space, collagen polymerization, fibrin clot 

formation, liquid-solid diffusion and the formation of thin film membranes. 

Another primary element of the BIMDA payload is the bioprocessing testbed, designed and developed by 

BioServe. The test bed contains the hardware for six bioprocessing modules and six cell syringes. The 

bioprocessing testbed elements will be used to mix cells with various activation fluids followed by 

extended periods of metabolic activity and subsequent sampling into a fixative solution. The bioprocessing 

module and cell experiments are to determine the response of live cells to various hormones and 

stimulating agents under microgravity conditions. 

On this first of three planned flights of BIMDA aboard the Space Shuttle, 17 principal investigators will 

use the MDA to explore the commercial potential of 61 different experiments in the biomedical, 

manufacturing processes and fluid sciences fields. 

BIMDA Hardware 

The BIMDA payload includes three elements of hardware: cell syringes, bioprocessing modules (contained 

in a bioprocessing testbed) and the Materials Dispersion Apparatus (MDA) minilab units. All are contained 

within a temperature-controlled environment provided by a NASA Refrigerator/Incubator Module (R/IM) 

in a Shuttle middeck locker position. 

At the beginning of BIMDA activation, the testbed housing the cell syringes and bioprocessing modules, 

will be removed from the R\IM and attached with Velcro to an available surface within the middeck. The 

testbed will remain outside the R/IM until BIMDA reconfiguration prior to reentry. The MDA minilabs 

will remain within R/IM. 

The cell syringe apparatus consists of six two-chambered syringes containing biological cells, needle/valve 

adapters and sample vials. When the plunger is depressed, the payload is activated, thus the fluids in the 

two chambers are mixed and permitted to react. Periodic samples are taken during the flight, using the 

needle/valve adapters and sample vials. 

The six bioprocessing module units each consist of three syringes connected via tubing and a three-position 

valve. The valve controls the flow of biological cells/fluids between various syringes, allowing different 

types of mixing and sampling from one syringe to another. The valve apparatus provides options for 

variations in the mixing of fluids. 
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The MDA minilabs will remain in the thermally controlled environment of the R/IM during the entire 

flight. Each MDA minilab unit consists of a number of sample blocks having self-aligning reservoirs or 

reaction chambers in both top and bottom portions of the device. By sliding one block in relation to the 

other, the reservoirs align to allow the dispersion to occur between substances contained within each 

reservoir. The process of sliding the blocks can be repeated to achieve time-dependent dispersion (or 

mixing) of different substances. A prism window in each MDA unit allows the crew member to determine 

the alignment of the blocks on each unit. 

Lead investigator for the BIMDA payload is Dr. Marvin Luttges, Director of BioServe Space 

Technologies. 
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PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH EXPERIMENT 

The Protein Crystal Growth (PCG) payload aboard STS-37 is a continuing series of experiments leading 

toward major benefits in biomedical technology. The experiments on this Space Shuttle mission could 

improve pharmaceutical agents such as insulin for treatment of diabetes. 

Protein crystals like inorganic crystals such as quartz, are structured in a regular pattern. With a good 

crystal, roughly the size of a grain of table salt, scientists are able to study the protein's molecular 

architecture. 

Determining a protein crystal's molecular shape is an essential step in several phases of medical research. 

Once the three-dimensional structure of a protein is known, it may be possible to design drugs that will 

either block or enhance the protein's normal function within the body or other organisms. Though 

crystallographic techniques can be used to determine a protein's structure, this powerful technique has been 

limited by problems encountered in obtaining high-quality crystals, well ordered and large enough to yield 

precise structural information. 

Protein crystals grown on Earth often are small and flawed. The problem associated with growing these 

crystals is analogous to filling a sports stadium with fans who all have reserved seats. Once the gate opens, 

people flock to their seats and in the confusion, often sit in someone else's place. On Earth, gravity-driven 

convection keeps the molecules crowded around the "seats" as they attempt to order themselves. 

Unfortunately, protein molecules are not as particular as many of the smaller molecules and often are 

content to take the wrong places in the structure. 

As would happen if you let the fans in slowly, microgravity allows the scientists to slow the rate at which 

molecules arrive at their seats. Since the molecules have more time to find their spot, fewer mistakes are 

made, creating better and larger crystals. 

During the STS-37 flight, experiments will be conducted using bovine insulin. Though there are four 

processes used to grow crystals on Earth -- vapor diffusion, liquid diffusion, dialysis and batch process -- 

only batch process will be used in this set of experiments. Shortly after achieving orbit, a crewmember will 

activate the experiment to grow insulin crystals. 

Protein crystal growth experiments were first carried out by the investigating team during Spacelab 3 in 

April 1985. The experiments have flown a total of 8 times, with the first 4 primarily designed to develop 

space crystal growth techniques and hardware. 

The STS-26, -29, -32 and -31 experiments were the first opportunities for scientific attempts to grow useful 

crystals at controlled temperatures by vapor diffusion in microgravity. The STS-37 set of PCG experiments 

will use the batch process and fly in a new hardware configuration, the Protein Crystallization Facility, 

developed by the PCG investigators. 

The PCG program is sponsored by NASA's Office of Commercial Programs and the Office of Space 

Science and Applications, with management provided through Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, 

Ala. Richard E. Valentine is Mission Manager, Blair Herron is PCG experiment manager and Dr. Daniel 

Carter is project scientist for Marshall. 

Dr. Charles E. Bugg, director, Center for Macromolecular Crystallography (CMC), a NASA Center for the 

Commercial Development of Space located at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, is lead investigator 

for the PCG experiment. Dr. Lawrence J. DeLucas, associate director and chief scientist, and Dr. Marianna 

Long, associate director for commercial development, also are PCG investigators for CMC. 
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SPACE STATION HEAT PIPE ADVANCED RADIATOR ELEMENT 

The Space Station Heat Pipe Advanced Radiator Element-II (SHARE-II) is a small middeck experiment 

that follows up the evolving design of a full-scale heat pipe experiment carried in the payload bay on STS29. 

On STS-29, a flight test of a 43-foot long heat pipe, a proposed heat-dissipating radiator, found design 

flaws in the manifold. The manifold is a portion of the radiator that takes ammonia vaporized in an 

evaporator and moves it through several pitchfork-oriented pipes that converge into one, long single pipe 

that runs the length of the radiator. The manifold on the original SHARE was designed in a T-shape, with 

sharp angles that were discovered to block the vapor, thus preventing the radiator from functioning. 

On STS-37, two small, transparent test articles will be flown in a single middeck locker. One test article, 

representing about a 1.5-foot long section of heat pipe, will simulate the actual size of the manifold section. 

The redesigned manifold features more of a Y-shape convergence of pipes, in theory allowing for easier 

transportation of the fluid. 

A second test article, about 1-foot long, will simulate a screen inserted into a portion of the heat pipe to 

trap and reduce bubbles in the fluid, thus preventing blockages in the heat pipe. 

SHARE-II has no power requirements. For the test of the new manifold design, a crew member will open 

two valves that will allow an ethanol and water mixture to flow through the pipes. Information on the test 

will be recorded by videotaping the flow with an onboard camcorder. The walls and structure of both test 

articles are Plexiglas, allowing complete visibility into the pipes. Recordings of the flow in the manifold 

test article will be repeated three times, expected to take about 1 hour in total. 

On the second article, testing a bubble-screening portion of pipe, the crew will inject bubbles into one end 

of the test article with a syringe. Then, using another syringe, the crew will pull fluid from the opposite end 

of the article to force the fluid and bubbles through the screened section of pipe. 

A third SHARE experiment is scheduled to fly on STS-43 featuring a redesigned 22-foot long radiator now 

planned for use with Space Station Freedom. 
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SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT 

Conducting short-wave radio transmissions between ground-based amateur radio operators and a Shuttlebased amateur radio operator is the basis for the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) to fly 

aboard STS-37. 

SAREX will communicate with amateur stations in line-of-sight of the orbiter in one of four transmission 

modes: voice, slow scan television (SSTV), data or (uplink only) fast scan television (FSTV). The voice 

mode is operated in the crew-attended mode while SSTV, data or FSTV can be operated in either an 

attended or automatic mode. 

During STS-37, Pilot Ken Cameron, a licensed operator (KB5AWP), will operate SAREX when he is not 

scheduled for orbiter or other payload activities. Cameron will make at least four transmissions to test each 

transmission mode. The remaining members of the STS-37 crew -- Commander Steve Nagel (N5RAW) 

and mission specialists Linda Godwin (N5RAX), Jay Apt (N5QWL) and Jerry Ross (KB5OHL) -- also are 

licensed ham operators. 

SAREX crew tended operating times will be dictated by the time of launch. Cameron will operate SAREX, 

a secondary payload, during his pre- and post-sleep activities each day. Cameron and his crewmates also 

may operate SAREX throughout their work day as their schedules permit. This means that amateur stations 

below the Shuttle during SAREX operating times can communicate with the Atlantis crew. Crew members 

also will attempt to contact the Soviet space station Mir, but any such contact will depend on each of the 

spacecraft's orbital paths. 

The robotic mode of SAREX will provide automated operation with little human intervention. The robot is 

used when the crew is not directly involved in the system's operations and is expected to cover most of the 

U.S. passes. 

SAREX previously has flown on missions STS-9, STS-51F and STS-35 in different configurations, 

including the following hardware: a low-power hand-held FM transceiver; a spare battery set; an interface 

module; a headset assembly and an equipment assembly cabinet that has been redesigned since its last 

flight on STS-51F. The cabinet now includes the packet system and can hold the camera and monitors. 

Additional hardware includes: a television camera and monitor; a payload general support computer 

(PGSC); and an antenna which will be mounted in a forward flight window with a fast scan television 

(FSTV) module added to the assembly. 

SAREX is a joint effort of NASA, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)/Amateur Radio Satellite 

Corporation (AMSAT) and the JSC Amateur Radio Club. 

STS-37 SAREX Frequencies 

 Shuttle Transmitting 

Frequency 

Accompanying Shuttle 

Receiving Frequencies 

 

Group 1 145.55 MHz 144.95 MHz 

 145.55 144.91 

 145.55 144.97 

 

Group 2 145.51 144.91 

 145.51 144.93 

 145.51 144.99 

Group 1 includes voice and slow scan operations. Group 2 includes digital and packet operations. 
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The 10 U.S. educational groups scheduled to contact Atlantis are: Clear Creek Independent School District 

of Houston; The University School in Shaker Heights, Ohio; Discovery Center Museum in Rockford, Ill.; 

Potter Junior High School in Fallbrook, Calif.; Hanover Elementary School in Bethlehem, Pa.; several 

schools in Southwest Oklahoma with operations based in Lawton; Lyman High School in Longwood, Fla.; 

Monroe Central School in Parker City, Ind.; Beaver Creek Elementary School in Downington, Pa.; and 

Reizenstein Middle School in Pittsburgh, Pa. 
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ADVANCED SHUTTLE GENERAL PURPOSE COMPUTERS 

On STS-37, Atlantis' avionics system will feature the first set of five upgraded general purpose computers 

(GPCs), plus a spare, to fly aboard the Shuttle. 

The updated computers have more than twice the memory and three times the processing speed of their 

predecessors. Officially designated the IBM AP-101S, built by IBM, Inc., they are half the size, about half 

the weight and require less electricity than the first-generation GPCs. The central processor unit and 

input/output processor, previously installed as two separate boxes, are now a single unit. 

The new GPCs use the existing Shuttle software with only subtle changes. However, the increases in 

memory and processing speed allow for future innovations in the Shuttle's data processing system. 

Although there is no real difference in the way the crew will operate with the new computers, the upgrade 

increases the reliability and efficiency in commanding the Shuttle systems. The predicted "mean time 

between failures" (MTBF) for the advanced GPCs is 6,000 hours, and it is hoped to reach 10,000 hours. 

The MTBF for the original GPCs is 5,200 hours. 

Specifications 

Dimensions: 19.55" x 7.62" x 10.2" 

Weight: 64 lbs 

Memory capacity: 262,000 words (32-bits each) 

Processing rate: 1 million instructions per second 

Power requirements: 550 watts 
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RADIATION MONITORING EXPERIMENT-III 

Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) measures the rate and dosage of ionizing radiation to the 

crew at different locations throughout the orbiter cabin. The hand-held instrument measures gamma ray, 

electron, neutron and proton radiation and calculates the amount of exposure. The information is stored in 

memory modules for post-flight analysis. 

RME-III will be stored in a middeck locker during flight except for when it is turned on and when memory 

modules are replaced every 2 days. It will be activated as soon as possible after achieving orbit and will 

operate throughout the flight. To activate the instrument, a crew member will enter the correct mission 

elapsed time. 

The instrument contains a liquid crystal display for real-time data readings and a keyboard for function 

control. It has four zinc-air batteries and five AA batteries in each replaceable memory module and two 

zinc-air batteries in the main module. 

RME-III, which has flown on STS-31 and STS-41, is the current configuration, replacing the earlier RMEI and RME-II units. The Department of Defense, in cooperation with NASA, sponsors the data gathering 

instrument. 

The instrument contains a liquid crystal display for real-time data readings and a keyboard for function 

control. It has four zinc-air batteries and five AA batteries in each replaceable memory module and two 

zinc-air batteries in the main module. 

RME-III, which has flown on STS-31 and STS-41, is the current configuration, replacing the earlier RMEI and RME-II units. The Department of Defense, in cooperation with NASA, sponsors the data gathering 

instrument. 
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ASCENT PARTICLE MONITOR 

The Ascent Particle Monitor (APM) instruments will be mounted in Atlantis' payload bay during STS-37 

to measure contaminants in the bay during launch and ascent. 

The APM is a completely automatic system consisting of a small aluminum sample box with doors that 

will open immediately prior to liftoff. When the doors are opened, 12 sample collection coupons are 

exposed to gather particles in the environment. The doors close following ascent to protect the samples for 

analysis after Atlantis has landed. The APM has flown previously on several Shuttle missions and is part of 

an ongoing effort to better characterize the cargo bay environment during launch. 
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STS-37 CREWMEMBERS

STS037-S-002 -- STS-37 Atlantis, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 104, official crew portrait includes pilot Kenneth D. 

Cameron (left), commander Steven R. Nagel (center), and mission specialist Linda M. Godwin (right) seated in 

front and wearing crew t-shirts and Jerome Apt (left) and Jerry L. Ross (right) standing and wearing 

extravehicular mobility units (EMUs). Apt and Ross will participate in extravehicular activity (EVA) during the 

mission. The United States flag and the mission insignia are displayed in the background. 

No copyright is asserted for this photograph. If a recognizable person appears in the photo, use for commercial 

purposes may infringe a right of privacy or publicity. It may not be used to state or imply the endorsement by 

NASA or by any NASA employee of a commercial product, process or service, or used in any other manner that 

might mislead. Accordingly, it is requested that if this photograph is used in advertising and other commercial 

promotion, layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 47 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

STEVEN R. NAGEL, 44, Col., USAF, will serve as Commander of STS-37. Selected as an astronaut in 

August 1979, Nagel considers Canton, Ill., his hometown. Nagel first flew as a mission specialist on STS51G, launched in June 1985 to deploy three communications satellites. Nagel next served as Pilot for STS61A, the West German D-1 Spacelab mission, launched in October 1985. 

Nagel graduated from Canton Senior High School in 1964; received a bachelor of science in aeronautical 

and astronautical engineering from the University of Illinois in 1969; and received a master of science in 

mechanical engineering from California State University, Fresno, in 1978. 

Nagel received his commission in 1969 through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at 

the University of Illinois. He completed undergraduate pilot training at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, in 

February 1970, and subsequently reported to Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, for F-100 checkout training. 

He served as an F-100 pilot with the 68th Tactical Fighter Squadron from October 1970 to July 1971, and 

then served a 1-year tour of duty as a T-28 instructor for the Laotian Air Force at Udorn RTAFB, Udorn, 

Thailand. In 1975, he attended the USAF Test Pilot School and was assigned to the 6512th Test Squadron 

located at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., upon graduation. He worked as a test pilot on various projects, 

including flying the F-4 and A-7D. Nagel has logged more than 6,300 hours flying time, 4,000 hours in jet 

aircraft. 

KENNETH D. CAMERON, 41, Lt. Col., USMC, will serve as Pilot. Cameron was selected as an 

astronaut in June 1985, considers Cleveland his hometown and will be making his first space flight. 

Cameron graduated from Rocky River High School, Ohio, in 1967. He received bachelor and master of 

science degrees in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 at Paris Island, N. C., and was assigned in Vietnam for 1 year as a 

platoon commander with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and later, with the Marine Security 

Guards at the U.S. Embassy, Saigon. Cameron received his wings in 1973 at Pensacola, Fla., and was 

assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 223, flying A-4M Skyhawks. 

He graduated from the Navy Test Pilot School in 1983 and was assigned as project officer and test pilot in 

the F/A-18, A-4 and OV-10 airplanes with the Systems Engineering Test Directorate at the Naval Air Test 

Center. Cameron has logged more than 3,000 hours flying time in 46 different aircraft. 

LINDA M. GODWIN, 38, will serve as Mission Specialist 1 (MS1). Selected as an astronaut in 1985, 

Godwin was born in Cape Girardeau, Mo. Godwin graduated from Jackson High School, Mo., in 1970; 

received a bachelor of science in mathematics and physics from Southeast Missouri State in 1974; and 

received a master of science and doctorate in physics from the University of Missouri in 1976 and 1980, 

respectively. 

Godwin joined NASA in 1980, working in the Payload Operations Division at the Johnson Space Center as 

a flight controller and payloads officer. Godwin is an instrument rated private pilot. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 48 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

JERRY L. ROSS, 43, Lt. Col., USAF, will serve as Mission Specialist 2 (MS2). Selected as an astronaut 

in May 1980, Ross considers Crown Point, Ind., his hometown and will be making his third space flight. 

Ross first flew as a mission specialist on STS 61-B, launched in November 1985 to deploy three 

communications satellites. During the flight, Ross performed two 6-hour spacewalks to demonstrate space 

construction techniques. Ross next flew on STS-27, launched in December 1988, a Department of 

Defense-dedicated flight. 

Ross graduated from Crown Point High School in 1966. He received a bachelor of science and master of 

science in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in 1970 and 1972, respectively. Ross has logged 

207 hours in space, including 12 hours of spacewalk time. 

JAY APT, 41, will serve as mission specialist 3 (MS3). Selected as an astronaut in June 1985, Apt 

considers Pittsburgh, Pa., his hometown and will be making his first space flight. 

He graduated from Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh in 1967; received a bachelor of arts in physics from 

Harvard College in 1971; and received a doctorate in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology in 1976. 

Apt joined NASA in 1980 and worked in the Earth and Space Sciences Division of the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, doing planetary research as part of the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Infrared Team. In 1981, he 

became the Manager of JPL's Table Mountain Observatory. 

From the fifth Shuttle mission in 1982 through the 16th in 1985, he served as a flight controller and 

payloads officer. Apt has logged more than 2,200 hours flying time in 25 different types of airplanes, 

sailplanes and human-powered aircraft. 
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STS-37 MISSION MANAGEMENT 

NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, DC 

Richard H. Truly Administrator 

J.R. Thompson Deputy Administrator 

Dr. William B. Lenoir Associate Administrator, Office of Space Flight 

Robert L. Crippen Director, Space Shuttle 

Leonard S. Nicholson Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Program) 

Brewster Shaw Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Operations) 

Dr. Lennard A. Fisk Associate Administrator, Space Science and Applications 

Alphonso V. Diaz Deputy Associate Administrator, Space Science and Applications 

Dr. Charles J. Pellerin Jr. Director, Astrophysics Division 

Douglas R. Broome GRO Program Manager 

Dr. Alan N. Bunner GRO Program Scientist 

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, GREENBELT, MD 

Dr. John M. Klineberg GSFC Director 

Peter Burr GSFC Deputy Director 

Dr. Dale W. Harris Acting Director, Flight Projects Directorate 

Dale L. Fahnestock Director, Mission Operations and Data Systems Directorate 

John Hrastar GRO Project Manager 

Thomas LaVigna GRO Deputy Project Manager 

Karl Schauer GRO Mission Operations Manager 

Robert Ross GRO Systems Manager 

Martin Davis GRO Observatory Manager 

Jimmy Cooley GRO Instrument Manager 

Dr. Donald Kniffen GRO Project Scientist 

Dr. Carl Fichtel Co-Principal Investigator, EGRET 

Dr. Eric Chipman Director, GRO Science Support Center 

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL 

Forrest S. McCartney Director 

Jay Honeycutt Director, Shuttle Management and Operations 

Robert B. Sieck Launch Director 

John T. Conway Director, Payload Management and Operations 

Joanne H. Morgan Director, Payload Project Management 

Robert Webster STS-37 Payload Manager 
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MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, HUNTSVILLE, AL 

Thomas J. Lee Director 

Dr. J. Wayne Littles Deputy Director 

G. Porter Bridwell Manager, Shuttle Projects Office 

Dr. George F. McDonough Director, Science and Engineering 

Alexander A. McCool Director, Safety and Mission Assurance 

Victor Keith Henson Manager, Solid Rocket Motor Project 

Cary H. Rutland Manager, Solid Rocket Booster Project 

Jerry W. Smelser Manager, Space Shuttle Main Engine Project 

Gerald C. Ladner Manager, External Tank Project 

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TX 

Aaron Cohen Director 

Paul J. Weitz Deputy Director 

Daniel Germany Manager, Orbiter and GFE Projects 

P.J. Weitz Acting Director, Flight Crew Operations 

Eugene F. Kranz Director, Mission Operations 

Henry O. Pohl Director, Engineering 

Charles S. Harlan Director, Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance 

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS 

Roy S. Estess Director 

Gerald W. Smith Deputy Director 

J. Harry Guin Director, Propulsion Test Operations 

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH FACILITY, EDWARDS, CA 

Kenneth J. Szalai Director 

T. G. Ayers Deputy Director 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 51 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF APRIL 1991 

38 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 13 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-32 

01/09/90 - 01/20/90 

STS-61A 

10/30/85 - 11/06/85 

STS-33 

11/22/89 - 11/27/89 

STS-28 

08/08/89 - 08/13/89 

STS-51F 

07/29/85 - 08/06/85 

STS-29 

03/13/89 - 03/18/89 

STS-61C 

01/12/86 - 01/18/86 

STS-51B 

04/29/85 - 05/06/85 

STS-26 

09/29/88 - 10/03/88 

STS-38 

11/15/90 - 11/20/90 

STS-9 

11/28/83 - 12/08/83 

STS-41G 

10/05/84 - 10/13/84 

STS-51-I 

08/27/85 - 09/03/85 

STS-36 

02/28/90 - 03/04/90 

STS-5 

11/11/82 - 11/16/82 

STS-41C 

04/06/84 - 04/13/84 

STS-51G 

06/17/85 - 06/24/85 

STS-34 

10/18/89 - 10/23/89 

STS-4 

06/27/82 - 07/04/82 

STS-41B 

02/03/84 - 02/11/84 

STS-51D 

04/12/85 - 04/19/85 

STS-30 

05/04/89 - 05/08/89 

STS-3 

03/22/82 - 03/30/82 

STS-8 

08/30/83 - 09/05/83 

STS-51C 

01/24/85 - 01/27/85 

STS-27 

12/02/88 - 12/06/88 

STS-2 

11/12/81 - 11/14/81 

STS-7 

06/18/83 - 06/24/83 

STS-51A 

11/08/84 - 11/16/84 

STS-61B 

11/26/85 - 12/03/85 

STS-1 

04/12/81 - 04/14/81 

STS-6 

04/04/83 - 04/09/83 

STS-41D 

08/30/84 - 09/05/84 

STS-51J 

10/03/85 - 10/07/85 

 

OV-102 

Columbia 

(10 flights) 

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights) 

OV-103 

Discovery 

(11 flights) 

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(7 flights)