Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 1 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-59 

PRESS KIT 

APRIL 1994 

SPACE RADAR LABORATORY-1 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 2 

STS-59 INSIGNIA 

STS059-S-001 -- Designed by the crew members, the STS-59 insignia is dominated by Earth, reflecting the 

focus of the first Space Radar Laboratory (SRL-1) mission upon our planet's surface and atmosphere. The 

golden symbol of the astronaut corps emblem sweeps over Earth's surface from the space shuttle 

Endeavour, representing the operation of the SIR-C/Synthetic Aperture Radar (X-SAR) and the 

Measurement of Air Pollution from Space (MAPS) sensors. The astronaut emblem also signals the 

importance of the human element in space exploration and in the study of our planet. Using the unique 

vantage point of space, Endeavour and its crew -- along with scientists from around the world -- will study 

Earth and its environment. The star field visible below Earth represents the many talents and skills of the 

international (SRL-1) team in working to make this "Mission to Planet Earth" a scientific and operational 

success. 

The NASA insignia design for space 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 illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we 

do not anticipate, 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 

Ed Campion 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

Policy/Management 202/358-1778 

 

James Hartsfield 

 Johnson Space Center 

 Houston, TX 

Mission Operations 

Astronauts 

713/483-5111 

 

Bruce Buckingham 

 Kennedy Space Center, Fl 

Launch Processing 

KSC Landing Information 

407/867-2468 

 

June Malone 

 Marshall Space Flight Center 

 Huntsville, AL 

External Tank/SRBs/SSMEs 205/544-0034 

 

Nancy Lovato 

 Dryden Flight Research Center 

 Edwards, CA 

DFRC Landing Information 805/258-3448 

For Information on NASA-Sponsored STS-59 Experiments 

Brian Dunbar 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

SRL-1 202/358-1547 

 

Mike Braukus 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

STL Experiments 202/358-1979 

 

Debra Rahn 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

International Cooperation 202/358-1639 

 

Terri Sindelar 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

SAREX Payload 202/358-1977 

 

Tammy Jones 

 Goddard Space Flight Center 

 Greenbelt, MD 

GAS Experiments 301/286-5566 

 

Jane Hutchinson 

 Ames Research Center 

 Mountain View, Calif. 

TUFI Experiment 415/604-4968 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 4 

CONTENTS 

GENERAL BACKGROUND 

General Release 5 

Media Services Information 7 

Quick-Look Facts 8 

Shuttle Abort Modes 10 

Summary Timeline 11 

Payload and Vehicle Weights 12 

Orbital Events Summary 13 

Crew Responsibilities 14 

CARGO BAY PAYLOADS & ACTIVITIES 

Space Radar Laboratory-1 (SRL-1) 15 

X-SAR Instrument 23 

Get Away Special (GAS) Experiments 28 

Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellites (MAPS) 25 

Consortium for Materials Development in Space Complex Autonomous 

 Payload -IV (CONCAP-IV) 30 

IN-CABIN PAYLOADS 

Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4) 31 

Space Tissue Loss (STL) 32 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) 35 

OTHER PAYLOADS AND ACTIVITIES 

Toughened Uni-Piece Fibrous Insulation (TUFI) 37 

STS-59 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 38 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 5 

RELEASE: 94-38 

SPACE RADAR HIGHLIGHTS SHUTTLE MISSION STS-59 

In April 1994, scientists around the world will be provided a unique vantage point for studying how the 

Earth’s global environment is changing when Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on Shuttle mission 

STS-59. During the 9-day mission, the Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) payload in Endeavour’s cargo bay 

will give scientists highly detailed information that will help them distinguish human-induced 

environmental changes from other natural forms of change. 

NASA will distribute the data to the international scientific community so that this essential research is 

available worldwide to assist people in making informed decisions about protecting the environment. 

Leading the STS-59 crew will be Mission Commander Sidney M. Gutierrez who will be making his second 

flight. Pilot for the mission is Kevin P. Chilton who is making his second flight. The four mission 

specialists aboard Endeavour are Linda M. Godwin, the STS-59 Payload Commander, who will be making 

her second flight; Jerome Apt who will be making his third flight; Michael R. “Rich” Clifford who will be 

making his second flight; and Thomas D. Jones who will be making his first flight. 

Launch of Endeavour on the STS-59 mission currently is scheduled for no earlier than April 7, 1994, at 

8:07 a.m. EDT. The planned mission duration is 9 days, 5 hours, 7 minutes. An on-time launch on April 7 

would produce a landing at 1:14 p.m. EDT on April 16 at the Kennedy Space Center’s Shuttle Landing 

Facility. 

The Space Radar Laboratory (SRL) payload is comprised of the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band 

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) and the Measurement of Air Pollution from Satellite (MAPS). 

The German Space Agency (DARA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) are providing the X-SAR 

instrument. 

The imaging radar of the SIR-C/X-SAR instruments have the ability to make measurements over virtually 

any region at any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. The radar waves can penetrate clouds, 

and under certain conditions, can also “see” through vegetation, ice and extremely dry sand. In many cases, 

radar is the only way scientists can explore inaccessible regions of the Earth’s surface. 

An international team of 49 science investigators and three associates will conduct the SIR-C/X-SAR 

experiments. Thirteen nations are represented: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, the United 

Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

The MAPS experiment will measure the global distribution of carbon monoxide in the troposphere, or 

lower atmosphere. Measurements of carbon monoxide, an important element in several chemical cycles, 

provide scientists with indications of how well the atmosphere can clean itself of “greenhouse gases,” 

chemicals that can increase the atmosphere’s temperature. 

STS-59 will see the continuation of NASA’s Get Away Special (GAS) experiments program. The project 

gives the average person a chance to perform experiments in space on a Shuttle mission. There are three 

GAS payloads on this flight: a New Mexico State University experiment to examine the freezing and 

crystallization process of water in space; an experiment to explore thermal conductivity measurements on 

liquids in microgravity sponsored by the Matra Marconi Space of Paris, France; and the Society of 

Japanese Aerospace Companies, Inc., experiment to find out whether small fruiting bodies can be obtained 

in microgravity. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 6 

The STS-59 mission will fly the first cooperative initiative with the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

The joint initiative in cell biology will use a special cell culture system developed by the Walter Reed 

Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. The system known as Space Tissue Loss-4/National 

Institutes of Health-1 will examine the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone cells. Preliminary flight 

tests using this cell culture system have indicated there may be effects in the rate in which new muscle and 

bone cells are formed in microgravity. This research will help understand what is happening on the cellular 

level of astronauts who suffer from bone loss and muscle deterioration during spaceflight. This research 

also should contribute to scientists understanding of the mechanisms involved in bone loss and muscle 

atrophy here on Earth . 

An advanced cell culture device known as STL-5 will be flown on STS-59. This is the first flight test of 

this hardware developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research. This new system includes a 

video-microscope that will allow scientists on the ground to see real-time video images of their 

experiments in space. The instrument is designed to be controlled by either astronauts in space or 

individuals on the ground. This telescience from the middeck opens up the possibility for scientists to 

monitor and control their space experiments from the ground. The objective of this flight is to test the 

operation of the equipment in microgravity. Fish eggs will be used to test the imaging capability of the 

system. 

The Endeavour crew will take on the role of teacher as they educate students in the United States, Finland 

and Australia about STS-59 mission objectives and what it is like to live and work in space through the 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II). Shuttle mission specialists Linda Godwin and Jay Apt 

will operate the SAREX equipment. 

STS-59 will be the 6th flight of Space Shuttle Endeavour and the 62nd flight of the Space Shuttle system. 

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 7 

MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION 

NASA Select Television Transmission 

NASA Select television is available through Spacenet-2, Transponder 5, located at 69 Degrees West 

Longitude with horizontal polarization. Frequency is 3880.0 MHz, audio is 6.8 MHz. 

The schedule for television transmissions from the Shuttle orbiter and for mission briefings will be 

available during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, 

Ala.; Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.; Johnson Space Center, Houston, and NASA 

Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The television schedule will be updated to reflect changes dictated by 

mission operations. 

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

computer data base service requiring the use of a telephone modem. A voice report of the television 

schedule is updated daily at noon Eastern time. 

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 briefing schedule will be issued prior to 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 per day. The updated NASA Select television schedule will indicate when mission 

briefings are planned. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 8 

STS-59 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date/Site: April 7, 1994/Kennedy Space Center, FL - Pad 39A 

Launch Time: 8:07 a.m. EDT 

Orbiter: Endeavour (OV-105) - 6th Flight 

Orbit/Inclination: 120 nautical miles/57 degrees 

Mission Duration: 9 days, 5 hours, 7 minutes 

Landing Time/Date: 01:14 p.m. EDT April 16, 1994 

Primary Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site: KSC, FL 

 Transatlantic Abort Landing - Zaragoza, Spain 

 Moron, Spain 

 Ben Guerir, Morocco 

 

Crew: Sidney M. Gutierrez, Commander (CDR) 

 Kevin P. Chilton, Pilot (PLT) 

 Jerome Apt, Mission Specialist 1 (MS1) 

 Michael R. Clifford, Mission Specialist 2 (MS2) 

 Linda M. Godwin, Payload Commander (MS3) 

 Thomas D. Jones, Mission Specialist 4 (MS4) 

 

 Red shift: Gutierrez, Chilton, Godwin 

 Blue shift: Apt, Clifford, Jones 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Space Radar Laboratory-1 (SRL-1) 

 Consortium for Materials Development in Space Complex Autonomous 

Payload IV (CONCAP-IV) 

 Get-Away Special Bridge Assembly/Canisters (GAS Bridge/Cans: G-203, G300, G-458 

 

Middeck Payloads: Space Tissue Loss (STL) 

 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) 

 Toughened Uni-Piece Fibrous Insulation (TUFI) 

 Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 9 

Detailed Test Objectives/Detailed Supplementary Objectives 

DTO 301D Ascent Wing Structural Capability 

DTO 305D Ascent Compartment Venting Evaluation 

DTO 306D Descent Compartment Venting Evaluation 

DTO 307D Entry Structural Capability 

DTO 312 External Tank Thermal Protection System Performance 

DTO 414 Auxiliary Power Unit Shutdown Test 

DTO 521 Orbiter Drag Chute System 

DTO 653 Evaluation of the MK 1 Rowing Machine 

DTO 656 Payload and General Purpose Support Computer Single Event Upset Monitoring 

DTO 663 Acoustical Noise Dosimeter Data 

DTO 664 Cabin Temperature Survey 

DTO 665 Acoustical Noise Sound Level Data 

DTO 674 Thermo-electric Liquid Cooling System Evaluation 

DTO 700-8 Global Positioning System Development Flight Test 

DTO 805 Crosswind Landing Performance 

DSO 326 Window Impact Observations 

DSO 483 Back Pain in Microgravity 

DSO 487 Immunological Assessment of Crewmembers 

DSO 488 Measurement of Formaldehyde Using Passive Dosimetry 

DSO 603B Orthostatic Function During Entry, Landing and Egress 

DSO 604 Visual-Vestibular Integration as a Function of Adaptation 

DSO 608 Effects of Space Flight on Aerobic and Anaerobic Metabolism During Exercise 

DSO 611 Air Monitoring Instrument Evaluation and Atmosphere Characterization 

DSO 621 In-Flight Use of Florinef to Improve Orthostatic Intolerance Postflight 

DSO 624 Pre-and Postflight Measurement of Cardiorespiratory Responses to Submaximal Exercise 

DSO 626 Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Responses to Standing Before and After Space Flight 

DSO 802 Educational Activities 

DSO 901 Documentary Television 

DSO 902 Documentary Motion Picture Photography 

DSO 903 Documentary Still Photography 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 10 

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 White Sands Space Harbor, N. M. 

• Transatlantic Abort Landing (TAL) -- Loss of one or more main engines midway through powered 

flight would force a landing at either Zaragoza, Spain; Moron, Spain; or Ben Guerir, Morocco. 

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

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

distance of the Shuttle Landing Facility. 

STS-59 contingency landing sites are the Kennedy Space Center, White Sands Space Harbor, Zaragoza, 

Moron and Ben Guerir. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 11 

STS-59 SUMMARY TIMELINE 

Flight Day 1 

Ascent OMS-2 burn (120 n.m. x 119 n.m.) 

SRL-1 activation/operations GAS activities 

 

Blue Flight Day 2 Red Flight Day 2

SRL operations SRL operations 

SAREX-II setup 

 

Blue Flight Day 3 Red Flight Day 3 

SRL operations SRL operations 

VFT-4 activities 

 

Blue Flight Day 4 Red Flight Day 4 

SRL operations SRL operations 

VFT activities GAS activities 

MS-4 off duty (half-day) 

 

Blue Flight Day 5 Red Flight Day 5 

SRL operations SRL operations 

STL activities MS-3 off duty (half-day) 

MS-2 off duty (half-day) VFT activities 

 

Blue Flight Day 6 Red Flight Day 6 

SRL operations SRL operations 

MS-1 off duty (half-day) VFT activities 

VFT activities PLT off duty (half-day) 

 

Blue Flight Day 7 Red Flight Day 7 

SRL operations SRL operations 

VFT activities VFT activities 

 CDR off duty (half-day) 

 

Blue Flight Day 8 Red Flight Day 8 

SRL operations SRL operations 

VFT activities VFT activities 

 

Blue Flight Day 9 Red Flight Day 9 

SRL operations Flight Control Systems checkout 

VFT activities Reaction Control System hot-fire 

 SRL operations 

 STL deactivation 

 GAS deactivation 

 SRL deactivation 

 Cabin stow 

 

Blue/Red Flight Day Ten 

Final payload deactivation 

Cabin stow 

Deorbit preparation 

Deorbit burn 

Entry 

Landing 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 12 

STS-59 VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 

 Pounds

 

Orbiter (Endeavour) empty and 3 SSMEs 173,669 

Space Radar Lab-1 21,379 

Space Radar Lab-1 support equipment 2,417 

CONCAP-IV 512 

Get-Away Specials and support equipment 1,702 

Space Tissue Loss 132 

Visual Function Tester 32 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment 34 

Detailed Supplementary/Test Objectives 113 

Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,510,987 

Orbiter Landing Weight 221,708 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 13 

STS-59 ORBITAL EVENTS SUMMARY 

Event 

Start Time 

(dd/hh:mm:ss

) 

Velocit

y 

Change 

(fps) 

Orbit 

n.m. 

 

OMS-2 00/00:33:00 164 fps 120 x 

121 

 

Deorbit 09/04:04:12 294 fps N/A 

Touchdow

n 

09/05:07:00 N/A N/A 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 14 

STS-59 CREW RESPONSIBILITIES 

Task/Payload Primary Backups/Others 

 

Shift CDR Gutierrez (red) Apt (blue) 

SRL-1 Godwin (red) Jones (blue) 

CONCAP Chilton Apt GAS cans 

Gas Cans Chilton Apt 

 

Middeck Payloads: 

SAREX Apt Godwin 

STL Chilton Clifford 

VFT Gutierrez Apt 

 

Detailed Test Objectives: 

DTO 301D Chilton 

DTO 305D Chilton 

DTO 306D Chilton 

DTO 307D Chilton 

DTO 312 Apt 

DTO 414 Chilton 

DTO 521 Chilton 

DTO 653 Gutierrez 

DTO 656 Godwin Jones 

DTO 663 Gutierrez Apt 

DTO 664 Gutierrez Apt 

DTO 665 Gutierrez Apt 

DTO 700-8 Jones 

 

Detailed Supplementary Objectives: 

DSO 326 Chilton, Clifford 

DSO 483 Gutierrez, Apt, Clifford, 

Godwin 

DSO 487 All 

DSO 488 Gutierrez, Clifford 

DSO 603B Godwin 

DSO 604-1 Chilton, Clifford 

DSO 604-3 Chilton, Godwin 

DSO 608 Chilton 

DSO 611 Chilton, Apt 

DSO 621 Godwin 

DSO 624 Gutierrez, Apt, Clifford, 

Jones 

DSO 626 Chilton, Godwin 

DSO 802 Apt 

DSO 901 Apt Chilton 

DSO 902 Apt Chilton 

DSO 903 Apt Chilton 

 

Other: 

Photography/TV Apt Chilton 

In-Flight Maintenance Gutierrez, Chilton (red) Apt, Clifford (blue) 

EVA Godwin (EV1) Jones (EV2), Chilton 

Earth Observations (SRL) Jones Godwin 

Earth Observations (other) Apt 

Medical Gutierrez Clifford 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 15 

SPACE RADAR LABORATORY-1 

The Space Radar Laboratory-1 (SRL-1) comprises two elements: a suite of radar instruments called 

Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) jointly developed by 

NASA with DARA of Germany and ASI of Italy, and an atmospheric instrument called Measurement of 

Air Pollution from Satellite (MAPS). SRL is part of NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth, the agency’s 

program that is studying how our global environment is changing. SRL is scheduled to fly twice in 1994 

aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. 

From the unique vantage point of space, Mission to Planet Earth flights will observe, monitor and assess 

large- scale environmental processes with a focus on global change. The spacecraft data, complemented by 

aircraft and ground studies, will give scientists highly detailed information that will help them distinguish 

human-induced environmental changes from other natural forms of change. NASA will distribute the 

Mission to Planet Earth data to the international scientific community so that this essential research is 

available worldwide to assist people in making informed decisions about protecting their environment. 

Why Radar? 

The most useful feature of imaging radar is its ability to make measurements over virtually any region at 

any time, regardless of weather or sunlight conditions. The radar waves can penetrate clouds and under 

certain conditions, can also “see” through vegetation, ice and extremely dry sand. In many cases, radar is 

the only way scientists can explore inaccessible regions of Earth’s surface. 

The SIR-C/X-SAR is a synthetic aperture radar that transmits pulses of microwave energy from the Shuttle 

toward Earth and measures the strength and time delay of the energy that is scattered back to the SIR-C/XSAR antenna. The motion of the Shuttle between the transmission of the beam and the receipt of the 

backscattered radiation is used to “synthesize” or create an antenna (the aperture) much longer than the 

actual antenna hardware. The effect of the longer antenna is to produce images of finer resolution. 

Conditions on the Earth’s surface influence how much radar energy is reflected back to the antenna. An 

area with a variety of surface types, such as hills, trees and large rocks, generally will reflect more energy 

back to the radar than a less complex area such as a desert. The resulting radar image of the varied terrain 

will appear brighter overall than the image of the simpler area. The three frequencies of SIR-C/X-SAR will 

enable scientists to view three different scales of features in the images. 

Science Objectives 

The SIR-C/X-SAR radar data will provide information about how elements of the complex “Earth system” 

Q particularly land surfaces, water and life Q work together to create Earth’s livable environment. The 

science team is particularly interested in studying vegetation coverage, the extent of snow packs, wetland 

areas, geologic features such as rock types and their distribution, volcanic processes, ocean wave heights 

and wind speeds. 

There are more than 400 sites on Earth where data will be taken during the mission. Nineteen of these have 

been designated as “supersites,” making them the highest priority targets and the focal point for many of 

the scientific investigators. There are an additional 15 backup supersites. 

The supersites were chosen to represent different environments within each scientific discipline, and they 

are areas where intensive field work will occur before, during and after the flight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 16 

During the mission, “ground truth” teams at different sites will make ground- or sea-based measurements 

of vegetation, soil moisture, sea state, snow and weather conditions as the Shuttle passes over their sites. 

These data will be supplemented with information taken from aircraft and ships to ensure an accurate 

interpretation of the data taken from space. In addition, the STS-59 astronauts will record their personal 

observations of weather and environmental conditions in coordination with SIR-C/X-SAR operations. 

The following are the areas of investigations and supersites for the SRL mission: 

Ecology: Manaus, Brazil; Raco, Mich.; Duke Forest, N.C.; Central Europe 

Ecologists study life on Earth and how different species of animals and plants interact with one another and 

their local environment. SIR-C/X-SAR will collect ecological data over the tropical forests of the Amazon 

basin in South America and over the temperate forests of North America and Central Europe. 

The radar images will be used to study land use, the volume, types and extent of vegetation and the effects 

of fires, floods and clear-cutting. SIR-C/X-SAR’s three radar frequencies interact with the vegetation on 

different scales, providing three independent views of the forest. 

The radar’s multi-polarization ability allows scientists to look beneath the thick vegetation canopy of the 

forest in cloud-covered regions of the world to study the trunks of the trees, which have stronger reflection 

of vertically-oriented waves as well as the tree branches, which reflect the horizontal waves more strongly. 

These data give scientists a more complete picture of the conditions on the ground. 

In some cases, SIR-C/X-SAR data will be used to test or validate existing computer models of these areas 

that identify different kinds of trees, classify crop types and determine the amount of soil moisture 

available in certain areas. 

Seasonal changes in the forest will be studied by comparing data from the two SIR-C/X-SAR flights in 

April and August. SIR-C/X-SAR data will be used along with ground truth data to understand the impact 

of the loss of forests on local ecology. Scientists also will use the data to understand the impact on animals. 

By studying the short-term and long-term changes in forests, scientists can determine what effects 

changing environmental conditions and land use have on the forests and in turn, on global climate change. 

Hydrology: Chickasha, Okla.; Otztal, Austria; Bebedouro, Brazil; Montespertoli, Italy 

SIR-C/X-SAR hydrology investigations, which study how water circulates on land, will be focused on 

determining soil moisture patterns. These studies will help scientists develop ways to estimate soil moisture 

Q the “hidden” water that plays a major role in determining whether a region is wet or dry and influences 

the global distribution of energy. Combined with information on evaporation rates over large areas, this 

data ultimately will be incorporated into computer models to help predict a region’s water cycle. 

The radars also will acquire snow cover data over Mammoth Lakes, Calif., the Austrian Alps and the 

Patagonian district in southern Chile. The shorter wavelength X-band data will be useful to scientists for 

determining snow type, while the longer wavelengths of L-band and C-band will help them estimate snow 

volume. 

Snow data will help communities determine how much water will be available for human and agricultural 

use. For many areas, long-term or ground-based snow cover data do not exist, and using radar data is the 

only way to collect this information. 
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SIR-C/X-SAR also will study wetlands -- delicate ecosystems especially vulnerable to changes introduced 

by humans. Wetlands are the source of many trace gases that play an important part in the global 

atmospheric cycle. SIR- C/X-SAR will be able to determine the extent and limits of selected wetland areas 

because radar is extremely sensitive to the presence of standing water, even hidden under vegetation cover. 

Data from the multiple flights of SIR-C/X- SAR will help scientists observe changes in wetlands over time. 

Oceanography: The Gulf Stream (mid-Atlantic region); Northeast Atlantic Ocean, Southern Ocean. 

SIR-C/X-SAR will observe surface and internal waves, wind motion at the sea surface and ocean currents. 

These data will help scientists study how the Earth’s climate is moderated by the ocean, particularly heattransporting currents like the U.S. Gulf Stream. 

Geology: Galapagos Islands; Sahara Desert; Death Valley, Calif.; Andes Mountains, Chile; Mount 

Pinatubo 

SIR-C/X-SAR will map geologic structures and variations in rock types over large areas, including areas of 

volcanic activity and erosion. These data will be especially useful in areas of heavy vegetation and 

continuous cloud cover, where field work is often difficult. 

The longer L-band radar wavelengths are particularly useful for looking beneath surfaces, and SIR-C/XSAR will continue the radar penetration studies that began with SIR-A. SIR-A demonstrated the ability of 

imaging radar to penetrate extremely dry surfaces and discovered ancient river channels in portions of the 

Sahara, which have evolved from areas of flowing streams to what is now an arid desert. SIR-C/X-SAR 

will study such paleoclimatic sites in the Sahara Desert and Saudi Arabia. 

SIR-C/X-SAR also will study other geologic features that record past climate changes. In Death Valley, 

Calif., western China and the southern Andes, the radar will map gravel deposits that wash down from the 

mountains to form alluvial fans. The fans are found throughout the semi-arid deserts of the world in areas 

where there is a significant amount of geologic activity. Gravel builds up at the base of the mountains 

during periods of relatively wet climate. 

The radar is sensitive to these rocky and rough surfaces, allowing scientists to study climate history and the 

relative ages of surfaces. As an area ages, it is exposed to weathering. This changes its roughness 

characteristics. Mapping areas of past climate change will give scientists a stronger base from which to 

monitor and predict future climate changes. 

SIR-C/X-SAR will image volcanoes, including Mount Pinatubo and the volcanoes of the Galapagos 

Islands. Volcanic eruptions can have a significant impact on Earth’s atmosphere, and SIR-C/X-SAR may 

obtain radar images of erupting volcanoes and fresh lava flows which would help scientists understand 

volcanic evolution. The likelihood of finding an active volcano during the flight is very good since active 

volcanoes are observed on nearly 50 percent of Shuttle flights. 

Calibration: Flevoland, The Netherlands; Kerang, Australia; Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany; Western Pacific 

Ocean 

Ground equipment will be set up in southern Germany, The Netherlands, Australia and Death Valley, 

Calif., to measure the amount of SIR-C/X-SAR radar energy received at the ground during the flight. This 

information will be used after the mission when the radar data are being processed to help scientists 

calibrate the radar data. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 21 

Rain Experiments 

There are two SIR-C/X-SAR experiments planned to image rain over the Western Pacific Ocean, an area 

scientists call the “rainiest place on Earth.” 

Although radar can penetrate clouds, it is important to understand how rain can change conditions on the 

ground and thus, change the radar image. At the shorter wavelengths of X-band and C-band, rain may 

reduce the strength of the radar or scatter the signals significantly. 

The rain experiments offer a unique challenge to the operation of the radar during flight. All the other 

experiments can be reasonably tied to a specific area, while the rain experiments only require that a “deep” 

rainstorm be in progress. Weather targets are transitory in both space and time and cannot be scheduled, so 

finding a good target of opportunity presents challenges. Scientists chose the Western Pacific because there 

is a high probability that it will be raining there when the Shuttle passes over it. 

SIR-C Instrument 

Built by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., and the Ball Communications Systems 

Division, SIR-C is a two-frequency radar including L-band (23-cm wavelength) and C-band (6-cm 

wavelength). 

SIR-C represents a technological advance from previous imaging radar. Just as color pictures contain more 

information than do black and white pictures, SIR-C’s multi- frequency, multi-polarization radar imagery 

provide more information about Earth’s surface features than do single- frequency, single-polarization 

images. 

SIR-C is the first spaceborne radar with the ability to transmit and receive horizontally (H) and vertically 

(V) polarized waves at both frequencies. Polarization describes how the radar wave travels in space. The 

interaction between the transmitted waves and the Earth’s surface determines the polarization of the waves 

received by the antenna. For example, when data are acquired with HH (horizontal- horizontal) 

polarization, the wave is transmitted from the antenna in the horizontal plane and the antenna receives the 

backscattered radiation in the horizontal plane. The other polarizations are HV (horizontally transmitted, 

vertically received), VH (vertical-horizontal) and VV (vertical- vertical). 

Multi-polarization data are particularly useful to scientists studying vegetation because the data allow them 

to see different types of crops and to estimate the volume of trees contained under the canopy of a forest. 

The multi- frequency, multi-polarization capability creates a new and more powerful tool for studying the 

environment. 

Unlike previous SIR missions, the SIR-C radar beam is formed from hundreds of small transmitters 

embedded in the surface of the radar antenna. By properly adjusting the energy from these transmitters, the 

beam can be electronically steered without physically moving the large radar antenna. This feature, 

combined with maneuvers by the Shuttle, will allow images to be acquired from many directions, allowing 

the study of how surface features’ reflections characteristically vary as the angle between the surface and 

the incident radar wave (the incident angle) varies. 

The SIR-C antenna is the most massive piece of flight hardware ever built at JPL. Its mass is 23,100 

pounds (10,500 kilograms) and it measures approximately 39 feet by 13 feet (12 meters by 4 meters). The 

instrument is composed of several subsystems: the antenna array, transmitter, receivers, data-handling 

subsystem and the ground processor. The antenna consists of three leaves, each divided into four 

subpanels. 
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X-SAR INSTRUMENT 

X-SAR was built by the Dornier and Alenia Spazio companies for the German Space Agency, Deutsche 

Agentur fur Raumfahrtangelegenheiten (DARA), and the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana 

(ASI), respectively. The scientific processing progress is managed by DARA. It is a single-polarization 

radar operating at X- band (3-cm wavelength). 

X-SAR uses a slotted-waveguide antenna, which is finely tuned to produce a narrow, pencil-thin beam of 

energy. The X-SAR antenna is mounted on a supporting structure that is tilted mechanically to align the Xband beam with the L-band and C-band beams. X-SAR will provide VV polarization images. 

The SIR-C and X-SAR instruments can be operated individually or in conjunction. The width of the 

ground swath varies from 9 to 56 miles (15 to 90 kilometers), depending on the orientation of the antenna 

beams. The resolution of the radars Q the size of the smallest objects they can distinguish Q can be varied 

from 33 to 656 feet (10 to 200 meters). 

Previous Radar Missions 

Since the late 1970s a variety of NASA satellite missions have used imaging radar to study Earth and its 

planetary neighbors. Perhaps the most familiar example of NASA’s success using imaging radar is the 

Magellan mission to Venus. Magellan’s radar pierced the dense clouds covering Venus to map the entire 

surface of the planet, revealing a world that had previously been hidden to humans. 

SIR-C is the latest technological advance in a series of Earth-observing imaging radar missions that began 

in June 1978 with the launch of Seasat, an L-band SAR and continued with SIR-A in November 1981. 

Both of those radars observed the Earth from fixed angles. SIR-B was flown aboard the Space Shuttle in 

October 1984. 

The X-SAR antenna is a follow-on to Germany’s Microwave Remote Sensing Experiment (MRSE), flown 

aboard the first Shuttle Spacelab mission in 1983. 

Technological Advances in NASA Earth-Observing Radars 

Mission Date 

Available Angle 

of Incidence Frequencies 

Available 

Polarizations 

 

Seasat June 1978 23 degrees L-band HH 

SIR-A Nov. 1981 50 degrees L-band HH 

SIR-B Oct. 1984 Variable L-band HH 

SIR-C April 1994 15-55 degrees L-band HH 

 Aug. 1994 C-band HV, VH, HH 

Data Collection, Processing and Image Releases 

SIR-C/X-SAR is designed to collect 50 hours of data, covering approximately 18 million square miles (50 

million square kilometers). All data will be stored onboard the Shuttle using a new generation of highdensity, digital, rotary-head tape recorders. There will be 180 digital tape cartridges (similar to VCR tape 

cassettes) carried aboard the Shuttle to record the data. Portions of data also will be downlinked to the 

ground via NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 24 

Ultimately, the mission will return 32 terabits (32 trillion bits) of data, the equivalent of 20,000 

encyclopedia volumes. To think of it another way, the radars together can produce 225 million bits of data 

per second, or the equivalent of 45 simultaneously operating television stations. 

The raw data will be processed into images using digital SAR processors at JPL (Pasadena, Calif.) 

DARA/DLR (Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany) and ASI/CGS (Matera, Italy) Historically, processing SAR 

data has required a great deal of computer time on special-purpose computer systems. SIR- C/X-SAR 

scientists will benefit, however, from rapid advances in computer technology that make it possible to 

process the images with a standard super mini-class computer. 

Even with these advances, it still will take 5 months to produce a complete set of survey images from the 

large volume of data acquired. Detailed processing will take another 9 months to complete. Data will be 

exchanged among Italy, Germany and the United States to meet the needs of the science investigators. 

NASA, DARA and ASI will attempt to release some radar images to the press during the Shuttle flight. If 

this proves feasible, the images will be processed at JPL and sent electronically via Internet to the Johnson 

Space Center, where the image will be released on NASA Select Television. Hard copy prints will be 

released simultaneously to the wire services at JPL. In Germany, the images will be processed in high 

resolution by DLR. 

Science Team 

An international team of 49 science investigators and three associates will conduct the SIR-C/X-SAR 

experiments. Thirteen nations are represented: Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, China, the United 

Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

Dr. Diane Evans of the JPL is the U.S. Project Scientist. Dr. Herwig Ottl of DLR is the German Project 

Scientist and Prof. Mario Calamia of the University of Florence is the Italian Project Scientist. Dr. Miriam 

Baltuck of NASA Headquarters is the Program Scientist. 

Management 

The SIR-C mission is managed by JPL for NASA Headquarters Office of Mission to Planet Earth. Michael 

Sander is the JPL Project Manager. Richard Monson of the Office of Mission to Planet Earth is the SIR-C 

Program Manager; Jim McGuire of NASA Headquarters is the SRL Program Manager. 

X-SAR is managed by the Joint Project Office located near Bonn, Germany. Dr. Manfred Wahl of DARA 

is the Project Manager and Dr. Paolo Ammendola of ASI is the Deputy Project Manager. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 25 

MEASUREMENT OF AIR POLLUTION FROM SATELLITE (MAPS) 

The MAPS experiment measures the global distribution of carbon monoxide in the troposphere, or lower 

atmosphere. Measurements of carbon monoxide, an important element in several chemical cycles, provide 

scientists with indications of how well the atmosphere can clean itself of “greenhouse gases,” chemicals 

that can increase the atmosphere’s temperature. 

Why do we measure carbon monoxide? 

Today, humanity’s technological and agricultural activities are generating carbon monoxide in large and 

increasing quantities. This colorless, odorless gas is produced whenever most fuels are burned, most 

abundantly by automobile engines and as a result of the burning forests and grasslands. 

Once carbon monoxide enters the atmosphere, it is transported over long distances and ultimately, is 

converted to carbon dioxide by a chemical called the hydroxyl, “OH,” radical. The OH radical is the key 

participant in the breakdown and removal of greenhouse gases such as methane, which in turn is important 

in the chemistry of stratospheric ozone. 

It appears that as carbon monoxide emissions increase and react with the OH radical, the amount of OH 

available to convert other gases in the atmosphere will decrease. If concentrations of OH are reduced, the 

breakdown and removal of greenhouse gases also will be reduced. Reduction of the OH radical thus will 

have long-term influence on stratospheric ozone, the destruction of greenhouse gases and potentially, on 

climate. 

The actual size of sources of carbon monoxide, the way that they change over the course of the year and 

the patterns of the movement of the gas away from the sources are not now well known. The MAPS data 

are very useful in the study of these factors. 

Data collection and processing 

MAPS’ primary goal is to measure the distribution of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere between the 

altitudes of 2 and 10 miles (4 and 15 kilometers). The data 

are recorded on a tape recorder and transmitted directly to the ground using the Space Shuttle telemetry 

system. The signals will be processed at the Payload Operations Control Center to produce “quick look” 

maps of the carbon monoxide distribution. These “quick look” data will be used to plan the exact periods 

of data acquisition during the flight. 

Following the flight, the recorded data will be processed using more refined techniques, and the data will 

be combined with ground- and aircraft-based data obtained by collaborating scientists from several 

countries. This will present a more detailed description of the distribution of the gas than can be obtained 

by any single technique. 
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Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 27 

Results from previous flights 

The MAPS instrument first flew on the second flight of the Space Shuttle in November 1981. It obtained 

12 hours of data that showed that most of the carbon monoxide in the atmosphere at the altitudes measured 

by MAPS was located in the Earth’s tropical regions rather than in the Northern Hemisphere. Further, the 

amount of carbon monoxide changed much more rapidly east to west than had been expected. The results 

implied that forest and grassland burning in the tropics is more important as a source of carbon monoxide 

than had been thought. 

The MAPS experiment again flew on the Space Shuttle during early October 1984. About 80 hours of data 

were obtained. That clearly confirmed that burning in South America and southern Africa was a major 

source of carbon monoxide. 

Because of MAPS’ previous flights on board the Space Shuttle, scientists now know that carbon monoxide 

concentrations in the troposphere are highly variable around the planet, and that widespread burning in the 

South American Amazon region and the African savannahs is a major global source of carbon monoxide in 

the troposphere. 

MAPS instrument 

The MAPS hardware consists of an optical box, an electronics box, a tape recorder and a camera, all 

mounted to a single base plate. This assembly is mounted to a Multi- purpose Experiment Support 

Structure near the forward end of the cargo bay. The instrument is about 36 inches long, 30 inches wide 

and 23 inches high. It weighs 203 pounds and consumes about 125 watts of electrical power. 

The Program Manager is Louis Caudill, and Dr. Michael Kurylo is the Program Scientist, both at NASA 

Headquarters, Washington, D.C. The Principal Investigator for MAPS is Dr. Henry G. Reichle Jr., and the 

Project Manager is John Fedors, both from the NASA Langley Research Center. The experiment is guided 

by a science team whose members are Dr. V. Connors, NASA Langley Research Center; W. Hesketh, 

SpaceTec, Inc.; Dr. P. Kasibhatla, Georgia Institute of Technology; Dr. V. Kirchhoff, INPE, Brazil; Dr. J. 

Logan, Harvard University; Dr. R. Newell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Dr. R. Nicholls, York 

University, Canada; Dr. L. Peters, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; Dr. W. Seiler, IFU, 

Germany; and H. Wallio, NASA Langley Research Center. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 28 

GET AWAY SPECIAL PAYLOADS 

The Get Away Special (GAS) project is managed by the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, 

Md. NASA began flying these small self-contained payloads in 1982. The project gives the average person 

a chance to perform experiments in space on a Shuttle mission. Students, individuals and people from the 

private industry have taken advantage of this unique project. In February, STS-60 flew the 100th GAS 

payload. This milestone demonstrates that the program is still viable and thriving. Space is available for 

upcoming flights, and GAS presents an educational opportunity for students. 

There are three GAS payloads on this flight: G-203, New Mexico State University; G-300, Matra Marconi 

Space; and G-458, The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies, Inc. Following is a brief description of 

each. 

G-203 

Customer: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, N.M. 

Customer: Dr. Harold Daw 

NASA Technical Manager: Charlie Knapp 

The purpose of this experiment is to examine the freezing and crystallization process of water in 

spaceflight. Experimenters will study growth patterns of ice crystals in a microgravity condition. Growth 

pattern data will be captured by a video recorder. A vapor valve is opened to initiate the experiment 

allowing the water vapor in the chamber to be adsorbed rapidly (the adhesion of extremely thin layers of 

molecules to the surface of solid bodies or liquids with which they are in contact) into the pores of the dry 

zeolite contained in the chamber. The rapid adsorption of the water vapor causes the water temperature to 

drop to a point of freezing. Other water freezing experiments have flown on Shuttle flights but this 

experiment is unique in its freezing technique and is predicted to produce very different ice crystal growth 

patterns. 

G-300 

Customer: Matra Marconi Space, Paris, France 

Customer: Daniel Kaplan 

NASA Technical Manager: Rick Scott 

The objective of this experiment is to explore thermal conductivity measurements on liquids in 

microgravity. Measurements will be performed on three silicone oils having different viscosities. The 

experimenters will use a modified “hot plate” method with a simplified guard ring to reduce heat losses. 

The experimental cells are assembled in three tandems: Each tandem includes two cells filled with the 

same liquid but of different thicknesses. The convective motions are expected to be strongly reduced in 

orbit unless large gravitational variations occur. 

The three modes of heat transfer in liquids (conduction, radiation and convection) are inherently linked in a 

1g environment and are empirically difficult to perform on fluids because of thermal motions induced by 

convection. In orbit, assuming a near-zero gravity, the convection, due to buoyancy, must disappear and 

the accuracy of the thermal conductivity data will be improved, especially with low viscosity liquids. 

Furthermore, the convection effects can be determined by comparing results from spaceflight and on Earth. 

This is the first GAS payload from France. It had flown previously on STS-47 but an unforeseen event 

caused the experiment to be turned on before flight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 29 

G-458 

Customer: The Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies, Inc., Tokyo, Japan 

Customer: Dr. S. Hosaka 

NASA Technical Manager: Charlie Knapp 

The objective of this experiment is to determine whether small fruiting bodies can be obtained in 

microgravity. The information will be obtained by taking a culture of Dictysotelium Discoideum in 

microgravity. The cellular slime mold is one of the most interesting organisms, due to its characteristic 

properties. It assumes unicellular, multicellular, plant-like and animal-like properties during its life cycle. 

Still, it is a very simple organism because it is composed of only two kinds of cells, even when it is fully 

developed. Because of this, its response to altered gravity can be regarded as a typical representative of 

gravi-response of organisms. 

The cellular slime mold is a small organism with a body length of several millimeters and is rather resistant 

to a wide variety of environmental conditions. Ground experiments proved that the height of fruiting 

bodies of Dictysotelium Discoideum was gravity-dependent. The height decreased as the gravity 

decreased. This contradicts the prediction that microgravity favors the growth of organisms resulting in 

larger height. It is believed that this experiment will conclude that in some cases more gravity is favorable 

and microgravity is unfavorable for vertical growth. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 30 

CONSORTIUM FOR MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IN SPACE 

COMPLEX AUTONOMOUS PAYLOAD 

The Consortium for Materials Development in Space - Complex Autonomous Payload (CONCAP-IV) will 

be carried in Get Away Special hardware in Endeavour’s cargo bay. CONCAP-IV is contained in a 5-

cubic-foot GAS canister mounted to an adapter beam. The Autonomous Payload Control System allows a 

crew member to control the payload with a small, hand-held controller. 

CONCAP-IV produces crystals and thin films through physical vapor transportation. Non-Linear Optical 

(NLO) organic materials are used in the CONCAP experimentation. The payload takes advantage of the 

free-fall environment of low-Earth orbit to grow the NLO crystals. It is expected that the lack of significant 

gravity-driven convection will result in more highly ordered films and crystals. 

CONCAP-IV was developed by the University of Alabama- Huntsville. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 31 

VISUAL FUNCTION TESTER-4 

The Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4) is designed to measure near and far points of clear vision as well as 

the ability to change focus within the range of clear vision. VFT-4 will provide data to evaluate on orbit 

refractive and accommodative changes in vision over a period of several days. 

The VFT-4 payload consists of the experiment unit, a cable connecting VFT-4 to a computer serial port, 2 

self- booting floppy disks containing a software program and serving as a data storage medium, a payload 

and general support computer with power and data cables and a standard 28-volt power cable. 

Prelaunch, three sessions are required with crew as test subjects. The sessions occur at L-14 days, L-7 days 

and as close to launch as possible. On orbit, VFT-4 is unstowed by the crew for test sessions lasting up to 

30 minutes each. The first test session is early in the payload operation period. Subsequent tests are 

separated by 24 hours. Preferably, these tests are conducted soon after post-sleep. The VFT-4 hardware 

will be restowed between sessions. Crew members who participate in VFT-4 sessions on orbit will be 

retested post-flight. 

VFT-4 is operated by NASA and the U. S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 32 

SPACE TISSUE LOSS-4/NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH-1 

STS-59 will fly the first cooperative initiative with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sponsored by 

NASA’s Office of Life and Microgravity Sciences and Applications Small Payloads Program. The joint 

initiative in cell biology will use a special cell culture system developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute 

of Research, Washington, D.C. The system, known as Space Tissue Loss-4 (STL-4), is fully automated and 

provides fluid replenishment, oxygen/carbon dioxide and temperature controls to provide for cell growth in 

microgravity. The cells will be analyzed post-flight. The experiments on this first NIH/NASA cooperative 

flight will examine the effects of microgravity on muscle and bone cells. Preliminary flight tests using this 

cell culture system have indicated there may be effects in the rate in which new muscle and bone cells are 

formed in microgravity. This research will help understand what is happening on the cellular level to 

astronauts who suffer from bone loss and muscle deterioration in spaceflight. This research also should 

contribute to understanding of the mechanisms involved in bone loss and muscle atrophy on Earth. The 

STL-4 experiments are being managed by the Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. 

Space Tissue Loss - 5 

An advanced cell culture device known as STL-5 will be flown on STS-59. This is the first flight test of 

this hardware developed by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, D.C. This new 

system includes a video- microscope that will allow scientists on the ground to see real-time video images 

of their experiments in space. The instrument is designed to be controlled by either astronauts in space or 

individuals on the ground. This telescience from the middeck opens up the possibility for scientists to 

monitor and control their space experiments from the ground. The objective of this flight is to test the 

operation of the equipment in microgravity. Fish eggs will be used to test the imaging capability of the 

system. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 33 
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Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 35 

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX) 

Students in the United States, Finland and Australia will have a chance to speak via amateur radio with 

astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour during STS-59. Ground- based amateur radio operators 

(“hams”) will be able to contact the Shuttle through automated computer-to-computer amateur (packet) 

radio links. There also will be voice contacts with the general ham community as time permits. 

Shuttle mission specialists Linda Godwin (call sign N5RAX) and Jay Apt (N5QWL) will talk with students 

in 9 schools in the United States, Finland and Australia using “ham radio.” 

Students in the following schools will have the opportunity to talk directly with orbiting astronauts for 

approximately 4 to 8 minutes: 

• Ealy Elementary School, West Bloomfield, Mich. (W8JXU) 

• Kanawha Elementary School, Davisville, W.V. (KD8YY) 

• Alcatel Amateur Radio Associates and Circle Ten Council, BSA, Richardson, Texas (K2BSA/5) 

• Anthony Elementary School, Anthony, Kan. (KB0HH) 

• St. Bernard High School, Playa Del Rey, Calif. (AB6UI) 

• Country Club School, San Ramon, Calif. (KE6YD) 

• Deep Creek Middle School, Baltimore, Md. (WA3Z) 

• Paltamo Senior High School, Paltamo, Finland (OH8AK) 

• Ogilvie School, Western Australia (VK6IU) 

The radio contacts are part of the SAREX (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment) project, a joint effort by 

NASA, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation 

(AMSAT). 

The project, which has flown on 12 previous Shuttle missions, is designed to encourage public 

participation in the space program and support the conduct of educational initiatives through a program to 

demonstrate the effectiveness of communications between the Shuttle and low- cost ground stations using 

amateur radio voice and digital techniques. 

Information about orbital elements, contact times, frequencies and crew operating schedules will be 

available during the mission from NASA, ARRL (Steve Mansfield, 203/666- 1541) and AMSAT (Frank 

Bauer, 301/ 286-8496). AMSAT will provide information bulletins for interested parties on INTERNET 

and amateur packet radio. 

The ham radio club at the Johnson Space Center, (W5RRR), will be operating on amateur short wave 

frequencies, and the ARRL station (W1AW) will include SAREX information in its regular voice and 

teletype bulletins. 

There will be a SAREX information desk during the mission in the Johnson Space Center newsroom. 

Mission information will be available on the computer bulletin board (BBS). To reach the bulletin board, 

use JSC BBS (8 N 1 1200 baud): dial 713-483-2500, then type 62511. 

The amateur radio station at the Goddard Space Flight Center, (WA3NAN), will operate around the clock 

during the mission, providing SAREX information and retransmitting live Shuttle air-to-ground audio. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 36 

STS-59 SAREX Frequencies 

Routine SAREX transmissions from the Space Shuttle may be monitored on a worldwide downlink 

frequency of 145.55 MHz. 

The voice uplink frequencies are (except Europe): 144.91 MHz 

 144.93 

 144.95 

 144.97 

 144.99 

The voice uplink frequencies for Europe only are: 144.70 

 144.75 

 144.80 

Note: The astronauts will not favor any one of the above frequencies. Therefore, the ability to talk with an 

astronaut depends on selecting one of the above frequencies chosen by the astronaut. 

The worldwide amateur packet frequencies are: 

Packet downlink 145.55 MHz 

Packet uplink 144.49 MHz 

The Goddard Space Flight Center amateur radio club planned HF operating frequencies: 

3.860 MHz 7.185 14.295 21.395 28.650 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 37 

TOUGHENED UNI-PIECE FIBROUS INSULATION 

NASA will test an improved thermal protection tile on the STS-59 mission. Known as Toughened UniPiece Fibrous Insulation (TUFI), the new tile material is an advanced version of the material that protects 

the Space Shuttles from the intense heat that builds up as they re-enter Earth’s atmosphere. The tiles were 

processed by Rockwell International, Downey, Calif., which built and maintains the orbiters. TUFI was 

developed at NASA’s Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. 

During preparations for this mission, Rockwell technicians at Kennedy Space Center placed several TUFI 

tiles on Endeavour’s base heat shield, between the three main engines. At the end of the mission, NASA 

and Rockwell technicians will examine the tiles and compare the damage with that seen on previous 

missions using the originally designed tile material. 

The current tiles are a rigid glass fiber composite with a thin, fully dense glass coating that sits on top. 

When it gets hit with a rock or other debris, the coating cracks or chips. This requires either patching or 

replacement, depending on the extent of damage. 

Because TUFI permeates the pores nearer the surface of the insulation material, providing reinforcement to 

the composite surface, it is less subject to impact damage. The porous surface also stops cracks from 

spreading, which limits damage to the tile. Because there is less damage, repair is easier and faster, and 

fewer tiles should need replacement. This should result in lower repair costs. 

TUFI has been certified for six Shuttle flights, on all four orbiters. If the tests are successful, TUFI may be 

used to replace tiles in specific, limited areas of the orbiter susceptible to significant impact damage. These 

might include the base heat shield between the engines, near the landing gear doors and near the thrusters 

used for orbital maneuvering. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 38 

STS-62 CREWMEMBERS 

STS059-S-002 -- This is the official STS-59 preflight crew portrait. Sidney M. Gutierrez, mission 

commander is standing (right) along with Kevin P. Chilton, pilot. Others, left to right are Linda M. 

Godwin, payload commander; and Thomas D. Jones, Jerome (Jay) Apt and Michael R. (Rich) Clifford, all 

mission specialists. All are wearing orange launch and entry suits. 

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 39 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

SIDNEY M. GUTIERREZ, 42, Col., USAF, will be commander (CDR) of STS-59. He was selected to be 

an astronaut in 1984 and will be making his second flight aboard the Space Shuttle. 

Gutierrez was born in Albuquerque, N.M. He graduated from Valley High School, Albuquerque, in 1969; 

received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Air Force Academy in 1973; and 

received a master’s degree in management from Webster College in 1977. 

Following graduation from the Air Force Academy, where he was a member of the National Championship 

USAFA Parachute Team and completed more than 550 jumps, Gutierrez completed pilot training at 

Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Tex. He then served as an instructor pilot in T-38 aircraft at Laughlin 

from 1975-77, and in 1978, was assigned to the 7th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Holloman Air Force Base, 

Alamogordo, N.M., flying the F-15 Eagle aircraft. Gutierrez attended the Air Force Test Pilot School in 

1981, and after graduating, served as the primary test pilot for airframe and propulsion testing on the F-16 

aircraft. 

Gutierrez’ first Shuttle flight was as pilot of STS-40, the first Spacelab Life Sciences flight, aboard 

Columbia in June 1991. Gutierrez has logged more than 218 hours in space and more than 4,000 hours in 

flying time in 30 different types of aircraft, sailplanes, rockets and balloons. 

KEVIN P. CHILTON, 39, Col., USAF, will serve as pilot (PLT). He was selected to be an astronaut in 

1988 and will be making his second space flight. 

Chilton was born in Los Angeles, Calif. He graduated from St. Bernard High School, Playa del Rey, Calif., 

in 1972; received a bachelor’s degree in engineering sciences from the Air Force Academy in 1976; and 

received a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Columbia University in 1977. 

Chilton received his wings at Williams Air Force Base, Ariz., in 1978, and was assigned to the 15th 

Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, flying the RF4 Phantom II aircraft. In 1981, 

he was assigned to the 67th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base flying the F-15 Eagle aircraft. 

Chilton attended the Air Force Squadron Officer School in 1982 and served as an F-15 weapons officer, 

instructor pilot and flight commander until 1984 at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. He completed the Air 

Force Test Pilot School in 1984 and later served as weapons and systems test pilot in the F-15 and F-4. 

Chilton’s first space flight was as pilot of Endeavour’s maiden flight on STS-49, a mission that repaired a 

stranded INTELSAT communications satellite, in May 1992. He has logged more than 213 hours in space. 

LINDA M. GODWIN, 41, is payload commander and mission specialist 3 (MS-3). She is a member of the 

astronaut class of 1985 and will be making her second Shuttle flight. 

Godwin was born in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and considers Jackson, Mo., her hometown. She graduated 

from Jackson High School in 1970 and received a bachelor of science degree in mathematics and physics 

from Southeast Missouri State in 1974. In 1976 and 1980 she earned master of science and doctorate 

degrees in physics from the University of Missouri. 

She joined NASA in 1980 working in the payload integration office of the Mission Operations Directorate. 

Before being selected an astronaut, Godwin served in Mission Control as a flight controller and payloads 

officer on several Shuttle missions. Her first Shuttle mission was aboard Atlantis on the STS-37 mission in 

April 1991. The primary task of the crew during the flight was to deploy the Compton Gamma Ray 

Observatory and to evaluate translation techniques during two spacewalks. Godwin has logged more than 

143 hours in space. She also has logged approximately 500 hours in light aircraft. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 40 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

JAY APT, 44, will be mission specialist 1 (MS-1) and the commander of the blue shift on STS-59. He was 

chosen to be an astronaut in 1985 and will be making his third Space Shuttle flight. 

Apt was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, but considers Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his hometown. He 

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

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

Technology in 1976. 

He joined NASA in 1980 and worked in the Earth and Space Sciences Division at 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. He served as a flight controller and payloads 

officer in Mission Control from 1982 through 1985. 

Apt flew on the Shuttle first as a mission specialist on Atlantis’ eighth mission, STS-37 in April 1991, to 

deploy the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. During that mission, he conducted two spacewalks to 

release a stuck antenna on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and to evaluate translation techniques for 

possible use during future spacewalks and spacecraft assembly in orbit. 

His second flight, also as a mission specialist, was aboard Endeavour in September 1992. This mission was 

a cooperative effort between the U.S. and Japan to perform life sciences and materials processing 

experiments in the Spacelab pressurized module housed in the payload bay. He was the flight engineer and 

commanded the blue shift during the mission. 

In addition to his two Shuttle missions totaling 334 hours, Apt has logged more than 3,000 hours in 25 

different types of aircraft. 

MICHAEL R. “RICH” CLIFFORD, 41, Lt. Col., USAF, is mission specialist 2 (MS-2). Selected as an 

astronaut in 1990, he will be making his second flight aboard the Space Shuttle. 

Clifford was born in San Bernardino, Calif., but considers Ogden, Utah, his hometown. He graduated from 

Ben Lomond High School in Ogden in 1970. In 1974, Clifford received his bachelor of science degree 

from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, N. Y. He earned a master of science degree in aerospace 

engineering in 1982 from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

After graduation from the Naval Test Pilot School in 1986, he was designated an experimental test pilot. 

He was assigned to the Johnson Space Center in 1987 as a military officer and served as a Space Shuttle 

vehicle integration engineer. He was involved in design certification and integration of the Shuttle crew 

escape system. 

Clifford’s first Shuttle mission aboard Discovery, STS- 53, was a Department of Defense flight in 

December 1992 giving him more than 175 hours in space. He has logged more than 2,900 flying hours in a 

wide variety of fixed and rotary winged aircraft. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 41 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

THOMAS D. JONES, 39, will serve as mission specialist 4 (MS-4). He was selected to be a member of 

the astronaut corps in 1990 and will be making his first flight aboard the Space Shuttle. 

Jones was born in Baltimore, Md. He graduated from Kenwood Senior High School, Essex, Md., in 1973. 

He received a bachelor of science degree in basic sciences from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado 

Springs in 1977, and a doctorate in planetary science from the University of Arizona, Tucson, in 1988. 

He served on active duty as an Air Force officer for six years flying strategic bombers at Carswell AFB, 

Texas. While serving as a pilot and commander of a B-52D Stratofortress, he led a combat crew of six, 

accumulating more than 2,000 hours of jet experience. He resigned his commission in 1983 with the rank 

of captain. 

Prior to his selection as an astronaut, Jones was a program management engineer in the Office of 

Development and Engineering, CIA, and a senior scientist with Science Applications International Corp. 

(SAIC), Washington, D.C. At SAIC, his tasks included advanced program planning for the Solar System 

Exploration Division at NASA Headquarters, concentrating on future robotic missions to Mars, asteroids, 

and the outer solar system. 

In addition to the STS-59 mission, Jones is training as the payload commander for the second Space Radar 

Laboratory mission (SRL-2) scheduled for launch in August 1994 (STS-68). 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 42 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF APRIL 1994 

61 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 36 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-60 

02/03/94 - -2/11/94 

STS-51 

09/12/93 - 09/22/93 

STS-62 

03/04/94 - 03/18/94 

STS-56 

04/08/83 - 04/17/93 

STS-58 

10/18/93 - 11/01/93 

STS-53 

12/02/92 - 12/09/92 

STS-55 

04/26/93 - 05/06/93 

STS-42 

01/22/92 - 01/30/92 

STS-52 

10/22/92 - 11/01/92 

STS-48 

09/12/91 - 09/18/91 

STS-50 

06/25/92 - 07/09/92 

STS-39 

04/28/91 - 05/06/91 

STS-46 

07/31/92 - 08/08/92 

STS-40 

06/05/91 - 06/14/91 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-45 

03/24/92 - 04/02/92 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-44 

11/24/91 - 12/01/91 

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-43 

08/02/91 - 08/11/91 

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-37 

04/05/91 - 04/11/91 

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-61 

12/02/93 - 12/13/93 

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-57 

06/21/93 - 07/01/93 

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-54 

01/13/93 - 01/19/93 

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-47 

09/12/92 - 09/20/92 

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 

STS-49 

05/07/92 - 05/16/92 

 

OV-102 

Columbia 

(16 flights) 

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights) 

OV-103 

Discovery 

(18 flights) 

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(12 flights) 

OV-105 

Endeavour 

(5 flights)