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NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-35 

PRESS KIT 

DECEMBER 1990 

(Revised from September, 1990) 

(Revised From May, 1990) 

ASTRO-1 MISSION 
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STS-35 INSIGNIA 

STS035-S-001 -- Designed by the crewmembers, the STS-35 insignia symbolizes the space shuttle flying above 

Earth's atmosphere to better study the many celestial objects of the universe, represented by the constellation 

Orion. The primary payload of STS-35 is ASTRO-1, a group of ultraviolet telescopes and the Broad-Band X ray 

Telescope. 

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 

NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

Mark Hess/Ed Campion 

Office of Space Flight 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 

(Phone: 202/453-8536) 

Paula Cleggett-Haleim/Michael Braukus 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 

(Phone: 202/453-1548) 

Terri Sindelar 

Educational Affairs 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 

(Phone: 202/453-8400) 

Nancy Lovato 

Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA 

(Phone: 805/258-3448) 

Randee Exler 

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 

(Phone: 301/286-7277) 

James Hartsfield 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 

(Phone: 713/483-5111) 

Lisa Malone/Pat Phillips 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 

(Phone: 407/867-2468) 

Jean Drummond Clough 

Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 

(Phone: 804/864-6122) 

David Drachlis/Jerry Berg 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 

(Phone: 205/544-0034) 
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CONTENTS 

GENERAL RELEASE 5 

 

SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 7 

STS-35 CARGO CONFIGURATION 8 

STS-35 QUICK LOOK FACTS 9 

GENERAL INFORMATION 10 

TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 11 

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 12 

PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS 13 

STS-35 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 14 

ASTRO-1 MISSION 15 

ASTRO-1 OBSERVATORY 20 

 Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope 20 

 Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment 23 

 Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope 25 

 

BROAD BAND X-RAY TELESCOPE 28 

ASTRO CARRIER SYSTEMS 31 

ASTRO OPERATIONS 35 

ASTRO GROUND CONTROL 37 

ASTRO-1 HISTORY 39 

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX) 41 

STS-35 COLUMBIA SAREX FREQUENCIES 43 

"SPACE CLASSROOM, ASSIGNMENT: THE STARS" 44 

ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM 45 

STS-35 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 48 

STS-35 MISSION MANAGEMENT 51 
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RELEASE 90-63 

COLUMBIA TO FLY ASTRONOMY MISSION 

Highlighting mission STS-35, the 38th flight of the Space Shuttle and 10th mission of orbiter Columbia, will be 

around-the-clock observations by the seven-member crew using the ultraviolet astronomy observatory (Astro) and 

the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT). Both instruments are located in Columbia's payload bay and will be 

operated during 12-hour shifts by the crew. 

Above Earth's atmospheric interference, Astro-1 will observe and measure ultraviolet radiation from celestial 

objects. Astro-1 is the first in a series of missions that will make precise measurements of objects such as planets, 

stars and galaxies in relatively small fields of view. 

Liftoff of the 10th flight of Columbia is scheduled for the week of Dec. 2, 1990 from launch pad 39B at the 

Kennedy Space Center, FL. Columbia will be placed into a 218 statute (190 nautical) mile circular orbit, inclined 

28.5 degrees to the equator. Nominal mission duration is expected to be 9 days 21 hours 57 minutes. Landing will 

take place at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. 

Astro-1 uses a Spacelab pallet system with an instrument pointing system and a cruciform structure for bearing the 

three ultraviolet instruments mounted in parallel configuration. The three instruments are the Hopkins Ultraviolet 

Telescope (HUT), the Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) and the Ultraviolet Imaging 

Telescope (UIT). The star tracker, which supports the instrument pointing system, also is mounted on the cruciform. 

HUT will study faint astronomical objects such as quasars, active galactic nuclei and supernova remnants in the 

little-explored ultraviolet range below 1200 Angstroms. It consists of a mirror that focuses on an aperture of a prime 

focus spectrograph. Observations of the outer planets of the solar system will be made to investigate aurorae and 

gain insight into the interaction of each planet's magnetosphere with the solar wind. 

WUPPE will measure the polarization of ultraviolet light from celestial objects such as hot stars, galactic nuclei and 

quasars. It uses two-mirror telescope optics in conjunction with a spectropolarimeter. This instrument will measure 

the polarization by splitting a beam of light into two mutually-perpendicular planes of polarization, passing the 

beams through a spectrometer and focusing the beams on two separate array detectors. 

UIT consists of a telescope and two image intensifiers with 70 mm film transports (1000 frames each). It will 

acquire images of faint objects in broad ultraviolet bands in the wavelength range of 1200 to 3200 Angstroms. This 

experiment also will investigate the present stellar content and history of star formation in galaxies, the nature of 

spiral structure and non-thermal sources in galaxies. 

Also in the payload bay is the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope which has two co-aligned imaging telescopes with 

cryogenically cooled lithium- drifted silicon detectors at each focus. Accurate pointing of the instrument is achieved 

by a two-axis pointing system (TAPS). 

BBXRT will study various targets, including active galaxies, clusters of galaxies, supernova remnants and stars. 

BBXRT will directly measure the amount of energy in electron volts of each X-ray detected. 

Astro observations will begin about 23 hours after Columbia has completed its maneuvering burn to circularize its 

orbit at 190 nautical miles. BBXRT will be activated approximately 13 hours after orbital insertion. Astro will be 

deactivated 12 hours before deorbit and BBXRT deactivation will be 4 hours before the deorbit burn. 

Columbia's middeck will carry the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) to communicate with amateur 

radio stations within line-of-sight of the orbiter in voice mode or data mode. This experiment has previously flown 

on STS-9 and STS-51F. Also on this mission, Columbia will function as the subject for ground sensor operations as 

part of the Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) calibration test. 
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Commander of the seven-member crew is Vance Brand. Pilot is Guy Gardner. STS-35 is Brand's fourth trip to 

space. He previously flew on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project mission in 1975. He also commanded Shuttle missions 

STS-5 in November 1982 and STS-41B in February 1984. Gardner previously piloted STS-27 in December 1988. 

Mission Specialists are Mike Lounge, Jeffrey Hoffman and Robert Parker. Lounge previously flew on STS-51I in 

August 1985 and STS-26 in September 1988. Hoffman flew as a Mission Specialist on STS-51D in April 1985. 

Parker's previous spaceflight experience was STS-9 in November 1983. 

Payload Specialists Ronald Parise and Samuel Durrance round out the STS-35 crew. Both are making their first 

space flights. 

(END OF GENERAL RELEASE; BACKGROUND INFORMATION FOLLOWS.) 
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SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 

Flight Day 1 Flight Day 6 

Ascent Astro/BBXRT Observations 

Post-insertion SAREX 

Unstow Cabin 

Astro/BBXRT Activation Flight Day 7 

SAREX Setup Astro/BBXRT Observations 

DSO RCS Hotfire 

 

Flight Day 2 Flight Day 8 

Astro/BBXRT Observations Astro/BBXRT Observations 

SAREX SAREX 

 DTO 

Flight Day 3 FCS checkout 

Astro/BBXRT Observations 

SAREX Flight Day 9 

 Astro/BBXRT Observations 

Flight Day 4 SAREX 

AMOS SAREX stow 

Astro/BBXRT observations Astro/BBXRT deactivation 

SAREX Cabin stow 

 Deorbit burn 

Flight Day 5 Landing at Edwards AFB 

AMOS 

Astro/BBXRT Observations 

SAREX 

Space Classroom 
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STS-35 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date: December 2, 1990 

 

Launch Window: 1:24 a.m. - 3:54 a.m. EST 

 

Launch Site: Kennedy Space Center, FL 

 

Launch Complex 39B 

 

Orbiter: Columbia (OV-102) 

 

Altitude: 218 statute miles (190 nm) 

 

Inclination: 28.45 

 

Duration: 9 days, 21 hours, 57 minutes 

 

Landing Date/Time: Dec. 11, 1990, 8:21 p.m. PST 

 

Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, CA 

 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site -- Kennedy Space Center, FL 

 Trans-Atlantic Abort -- Banjul, The Gambia 

 Abort Once Around -- Edwards AFB, CA 

 

Crew: Vance D. Brand - Commander - Red/Blue Team 

 Guy S. Gardner - Pilot - Red Team 

 Jeffrey A. Hoffman - Mission Specialist 1/EV1 - Blue Team 

 John M. "Mike" Lounge - Mission Specialist 2/EV2 - Blue Team 

 Robert A. R. Parker - Mission Specialist 3 - Red Team 

 Samuel T. Durrance - Payload Specialist 1 - Blue Team 

 Ronald A. Parise - Payload Specialist 2 - Red Team 

 

 Red Team shift is approximately 10:30 p.m. -- 10:30 a.m. EST 

 Blue Team shift is approximately 10:30 a.m. -- 10:30 p.m. EST 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Ultraviolet Astronomy Telescope (Astro) 

 Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) 

 

Middeck Payloads: Air Force Maui Optical Site (AMOS) 

 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 
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GENERAL INFORMATION 

NASA Select Television Transmission 

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

frequency 3960.0 MHz, vertical polarization, audio monaural 6.8 MHz. 

The schedule for TV 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, FL; Marshall Space Flight Center, 

Huntsville, Ala.; Johnson Space Center; Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD and NASA Headquarters, 

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

TV 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. Voice updates of the TV schedule may be obtained by dialing 

202/755-1788. This service is updated daily at noon EDT. 

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-35 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-35 TRAJECTORY SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 

Event 

MET 

(d/h:m:s) 

Relative 

Velocity 

(fps) Mach 

Altitude 

(ft) 

 

Launch 00/00:00:00 

Begin Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:09 162 0.14 613 

End Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:16 340 0.30 2,505 

SSME Throttle Down to 70% 00/00:00:26 608 0.54 6,759 

Max. Dyn. Pressure (Max Q) 00/00:00:54 1,229 1.17 28,976 

SSME Throttle Up to 104% 00/00:01:03 1,473 1.46 39,394 

SRB Staging 00/00:02:05 4,203 3.87 150,267 

Negative Return 00/00:03:58 6,940 7.58 309,526 

Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) 00/00:08:31 24,439 22.99 360,922 

Zero Thrust 00/00:08:37 24,556 22.73 363,937 

ET Separation 00/00:08:49 

OMS 2 Burn 00/00:40:22 

Landing 09/21:57 

Apogee, Perigee at MECO: 185 x 33 

Apogee, Perigee post-OMS 2: 190 x 190 
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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 Edwards Air Force Base, CA; White Sands Space Harbor (Northrup Strip), NM; or the Shuttle 

Landing Facility (SLF) at Kennedy Space Center, FL. 

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

landing at Banjul, The Gambia; Ben Guerir, Morocco; or Moron, Spain. 

• Return-To-Launch-Site (RTLS): Early shutdown of one or more engines and 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-35 contingency landing sites are Edwards AFB, White Sands, Kennedy Space Center, Banjul and Ben Guerir, 

Moron. 
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PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS 

 Pounds

Orbiter Columbia empty 158,905 

 

Ultraviolet Astronomy Telescope (Astro) 

(IPS, igloo and 2 pallets) 

17,276 

 

Astro Support Equipment (middeck equipment) 404 

Broad Band X-Ray Telescope ((BBXRT) 

(including TAPS and support equipment) 

8,650 

 

Detailed Test Objectives (DTO) 274 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 61 

Total vehicle at SRB ignition 4,523,199 

Orbiter and cargo at main engine cutoff 267,513 

Orbiter landing weight 225,886 
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STS-35 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 

Columbia's first launch attempt on May 29 was scrubbed because of higher than allowable concentrations of 

hydrogen near the 17-inch disconnect and in the aft compartment. Since that time, there have been several launch 

attempts and two tanking tests. 

After the first tanking test on June 6, officials decided to replace the 17-inch disconnect assemblies on both the 

orbiter and its external tank. Columbia was rolled back to the Vehicle Assembly Building June 11, demated from 

the external tank and transferred to the Orbiter Processing Facility. A new disconnect from the shuttle Endeavour 

was installed on Columbia and the orbiter and tank were remated. 

Columbia was rolled out to Pad 39-A on Aug. 9 for launch. 

The countdown began and launch was postponed on Aug. 30 to allow the replacement of an electronic box for the 

Broad Band X-Ray Telescope. Launch was scrubbed on Sept. 5 because of higher than allowable concentrations of 

hydrogen in the aft compartment. 

Another attempted launch occurred on Sept. 17, but again hydrogen was detected in the aft compartment. 

A board was appointed to find the cause of the leak. At the board's direction, several main propulsion system seals 

were replaced, many leak tests using gaseous helium were performed and various joints were retorqued. In addition, 

the team completed a thorough analysis of data collected from the tanking tests and reviewed all work performed on 

the orbiter's propulsion system since Columbia's last flight. 

The STS-35 vehicle was moved from Pad 39-A to 39-B on Oct. 8, following the successful launch of Discovery on 

Mission STS-41. The next day, Columbia was transferred back to the Vehicle Assembly Building because adverse 

weather prevented productive work in the aft compartment. On Oct. 14, the vehicle was rolled out to Pad 39-B, and 

specially outfitted for the successful tanking test conducted Oct. 30. 

The successful tanking test paved the way for routine launch preparations leading up to Columbia's planned liftoff. 
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THE ASTRO-1 MISSION 

Since the earliest days of astronomy, humankind has used the light from the stars to test their understanding of the 

universe. Now, an array of telescopes to be flown on the first Spacelab mission since 1985, will extend scientists' 

vision beyond the visible light to view some of the most energetic events in the universe. 

Astro-1 is the first Spacelab mission devoted to a single scientific discipline -- astrophysics. The observatory will 

operate from within the cargo bay of Space Shuttle Columbia on the STS-35 mission. Together, four telescopes will 

dissect ultraviolet light and X-rays from stars and galaxies, revealing the secrets of processes that emitted the 

radiation from thousands to even billions of years ago. Wherever it points, Astro promises to reveal an array of 

information. 

The Astro-1 Spacelab project is managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. 

Seeing the Universe 

Astronomy from the ground always has been hampered by the Earth's atmosphere. Even visible light is distorted and 

blurred by the motion of air masses, and visible light is just a small part of the radiation that virtually all objects in 

the sky emit. Other forms of radiation -- like cooler, low-energy infrared light and hotter, high-energy ultraviolet 

light and X-rays -- are largely absorbed by the atmosphere and never reach the ground. 

Seeing celestial objects in visible light alone is like looking at a painting in only one color. To appreciate fully the 

meaning of the painting, viewers must see it in all of its colors. 

The Astro-1 telescopes were constructed to add some of these "colors" to scientists' view of stars and galaxies. The 

telescopes' perch above the veil of Earth's atmosphere in Columbia's cargo bay will allow scientists to view 

radiation that is invisible on the ground. 

Three of Astro-1's telescopes will operate in the ultraviolet portion of the spectrum and one in the X-ray portion. 

One will take photographs; two will analyze the chemical composition, density and temperature of objects with a 

spectrograph; and the other will study the relative brightness and polarization (the study of light wavelength 

orientation) of celestial objects. Some sources will be among the faintest known, as faint as the glow of sunlight 

reflected back from interplanetary dust. 

By studying ultraviolet and X-rays, astronomers can see emissions from extremely hot gases, intense magnetic 

fields and other high-energy phenomena that are much fainter in visible and infrared light or in radio waves -- and 

which are crucial to a deeper understanding of the universe. 

Several space telescopes -- notably the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory-3 (Copernicus) launched in 1972, the 

International Ultraviolet Explorer launched in 1978 and the second High Energy Astronomy Observatory launched 

in 1979 -- opened the window in these exciting parts of the spectrum. The combined observations by Astro, the 

Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observatories will provide astronomers with a more comprehensive view 

of the cosmos than ever before. 

What Astro-1 Will "See" 

The universe viewed by Astro will look strikingly different from the familiar night sky. Most stars will fade from 

view, too cool to emit significant ultraviolet radiation or X-rays. Yet, very young massive stars, very old stars, 

glowing nebulae, active galaxies and quasars will gleam brightly. 
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Astro will make observations in this solar system. Astro will examine the chemistry of planetary atmospheres and 

the interactions of their magnetic fields. The Astro observatory will study comets as they interact with light and 

particles from the sun to produce bright, streaming tails. 

Stars 

Astro will peer far beyond this solar system to study many types of stars. The sun is only one of an estimated 

several hundred billion stars in the galaxy. Stars like the sun are the most common type: fiery spheres of gas, about 

1 million times larger in volume than Earth, with nuclear furnaces that reach temperatures of millions of degrees. 

Today, current evidence indicates that the sun is a stable, middle- aged star, but some 5 billion years hence it will 

swell and swallow the inner planets including Earth. As a red giant, it may eject a shell of dust and gas, a planetary 

nebula. As the sun fades, it will collapse to an object no bigger than Earth, a dense, hot ember, a white dwarf. 

Astronomers predict that most stars may end their lives as white dwarfs, so it is important to study these stellar 

remains. White dwarfs emit most of their radiation in the ultraviolet, and one of Astro-1's main goals is to locate and 

examine white dwarfs in detail. 

Supernova 

Astro-1 instruments will locate hot, massive stars of all ages so that astronomers can study all phases of stellar 

evolution. Stars with 10 to 100 times more mass than the sun burn hydrogen rapidly until their cores collapse and 

they explode as supernovas, among the most powerful events in the universe. These stars are initially are very hot 

and emit mostly ultraviolet radiation. 

Astro will view the recent explosion, Supernova 1987A, which spewed stellar debris into space. Supernovas forge 

new elements, most of which are swept away in expanding shells of gas and debris heated by the shock waves from 

the blast. Astro-1 will look for supernova remnants which remain visible for thousands of years after a stellar death. 

Astro-1's ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes will provide information on element abundances, the physical conditions 

in the expanding gas and the structure of the interstellar medium. 

Neutron Stars, Pulsars, Black Holes 

After a supernova explosion, the stellar core sometimes collapses into a neutron star, the densest and tiniest of 

known stars, with mass comparable to the sun compacted into an area the size of a large city. Matter can become so 

dense that a sugar cube of neutron star material would weigh 100 million tons. 

Sometimes neutron stars are pulsars that emit beacons of radiation and appear to blink on and off as many as 

hundreds of times per second because they spin so rapidly. Scientists have theorized that some stars may collapse so 

far that they become black holes, objects so dense and gravitationally strong that neither matter nor light escape. 

Astro will look for the ultraviolet radiation and X-rays thought to be produced when hot, whirling matter is drawn 

into a black hole. 

Star Systems 

Few stars live in isolation; most are found in pairs or groups. Some stellar companions orbit each other and often 

pass so close that mass is transferred from one star to the other, producing large amounts of ultraviolet and X-ray 

radiation which Astro-1's four telescopes are designed to study. These binary star systems may consist of various 

combinations of objects including white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 18 

Star Clusters 

Stars may congregate in star clusters with anywhere from a few to millions of members. Often, there are so many 

stars in the core of a cluster, it is impossible to distinguish the visible light from individual stars. Because they shine 

brightly in the ultraviolet, Astro-1 can isolate the hot stars within clusters. 

The clusters are excellent laboratories for studying stellar evolution because the stars residing there formed from the 

same material at nearly the same time. However, within a single cluster, stars of different masses evolve at different 

rates. 

Stellar evolution can be studied by looking at clusters of different ages. Each cluster of a given age provides a 

snapshot of what is happening as a function of stellar mass. By examining young clusters (less than 1 million years 

old) and comparing them to old clusters (1 billion years old), scientists can piece together what happens over a long 

time. 

Interstellar Medium 

The space between stars is filled with dust and gas, some of which will condense to become future stars and planets. 

This interstellar medium is composed chiefly of hydrogen with traces of heavier elements and has a typical density 

of one atom per thimbleful of space. Astro-1 will be able to measure the properties of this material more accurately 

by studying how it affects the light from distant stars. For the most part, the interstellar medium is relatively cool, 

but it includes pockets of hot matter as well. Dense clouds of dust that surround stars and scatter and reflect light are 

called reflection nebulae. These are often illuminated by hot, young stars in stellar nurseries hidden within the 

clouds. Ultraviolet observations will reveal the features of stars hidden by the dust as well as the size and 

composition of the dust grains. 

Other Galaxies 

Beyond the Milky Way are at least a hundred billion more galaxies, many with hundreds of billions of stars. They 

contain most of the visible matter in the universe and are often found in clusters of galaxies that have tens to 

thousands of members. X-ray and ultraviolet emission will allow scientists to study the hottest, most active regions 

of these galaxies as well as the intergalactic medium, the hot gas between the galaxies in a cluster. 

Galaxies have a variety of shapes and sizes: gigantic spirals like the Milky Way, egg-shaped elliptical and irregular 

shapes with no preferred form. Astro will survey the different types of galaxies and study their evolution. The 

nearby galaxies will appear as they were millions of years ago, and Astro will see the most distant ones as they were 

billions of years ago. By comparing these galaxies, scientists can trace the history of the universe. 

Quasars 

Some galaxies are in the process of violent change. Such active galaxies have central regions (nuclei) that emit huge 

amounts of energy; their ultraviolet and X-ray emission may help us identify their source of power. Astro-1's 

ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes will detect quasars, very distant compact objects that radiate more energy than 100 

normal galaxies. 

Quasars may be the nuclei of ancient active galaxies. Strong X-ray and ultraviolet radiation arising in the central 

cores of these powerful objects may help scientists discover what these objects really are. 

This overview is the known universe today, but many of these ideas are only predictions based on theory and a few 

observations. Scientists still lack the definitive observations needed to confirm or refute many of these theories. 

Scientists do not know the exact size of the universe or its age. Scientists have never definitely seen a black hole, 

and they continue to question the nature of quasars. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 19 

To understand these mysteries, scientists need to see the universe in all its splendor. Astro is part of NASA's 

strategy to study the universe across the electromagnetic spectrum, in all wavelengths. 
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THE ASTRO-1 OBSERVATORY 

The Astro-1 observatory is a compliment of four telescopes. Though each instrument is uniquely designed to 

address specific questions in ultraviolet and X-ray astronomy, when used in concert, the capability of each is 

enhanced. The synergistic use of Astro-1's instruments for joint observations serves to make Astro-1 an 

exceptionally powerful facility. The Astro-1 observatory has three ultraviolet-sensitive instruments: 

• Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) uses a spectrograph to examine faint astronomical objects such as 

quasars, active galactic nuclei and normal galaxies in the far ultraviolet. 

• Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE) will study the ultraviolet polarization of 

hot stars, galactic nuclei and quasars. 

• Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) will take wide-field-of-view photographs of objects such as hot stars 

and galaxies in broad ultraviolet wavelength bands. 

These instruments working together will make 200 to 300 observations during the STS-35 mission. The Astro 

ultraviolet telescopes are mounted on a common pointing system in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. The grouped 

telescopes will be pointed in the same direction at the same time, so simultaneous photographs, spectra and 

polarization studies will be available for each object observed. The telescopes will be operated by Columbia's crew. 

A fourth Astro instrument, the Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT), will view high-energy objects such as 

active galaxies, quasars and supernovas. This telescope is mounted on a separate pointing system secured by a 

support structure in the cargo bay. 

For joint observations, BBXRT can be aligned with the ultraviolet telescopes to see the same objects, but it also can 

be pointed independently to view other X-ray sources. BBXRT will be operated remotely by ground controllers. 

Since the ultraviolet telescopes and the X-ray telescope are mounted on different support structures, they can be 

reflown together or separately. 

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope 

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope is the first major telescope capable of studying far ultraviolet (FUV) and 

extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a wide variety of objects in space. HUT's observations will provide new 

information on the evolution of galaxies and quasars, the physical properties of extremely hot stars and the 

characteristics of accretion disks (hot, swirling matter transferred from one star to another) around white dwarfs, 

neutron stars and black holes. 

HUT will make the first observations of a wide variety of astronomical objects in the far ultraviolet region below 

1,200 Angstroms (A) and will pioneer the detailed study of stars in the extreme ultraviolet band. Ultraviolet 

radiation at wavelengths shorter than 912 A is absorbed by hydrogen, the most abundant element in the universe. 

HUT will allow astronomers, in some instances along unobserved lines of sight, to see beyond this cutoff, called the 

Lyman limit, because the radiation from the most distant and rapidly receding objects, such as very bright quasars, 

is shifted toward longer wavelengths. 
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HUT was designed and built by the Center for Astrophysical Sciences and the Applied Physics Laboratory of The 

Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. Its 36-inch mirror is coated with the rare element iridium, a member of 

the platinum family, capable of reflecting far and extreme ultraviolet light. The mirror, located at the aft end of the 

telescope, focuses incoming light from a celestial source back to a spectrograph mounted behind the telescope. 

A grating within the spectrograph separates the light, like a rainbow, into its component wavelengths. The strengths 

of those wavelengths tell scientists how much of certain elements are present. The ratio of the spectral lines reveal a 

source's temperature and density. The shape of the spectrum shows the physical processes occurring in a source. 

The spectrograph is equipped with a variety of light-admitting slits or apertures. The science team will use different 

apertures to accomplish different goals in their observation. The longest slit has a field of view of 2 arc minutes, 

about 1/15th the apparent diameter of the moon. HUT is fitted with an electronic detector system. Its data recordings 

are processed by an onboard computer system and relayed to the ground for later analysis. 

Johns Hopkins scientists conceived HUT to take ultraviolet astronomy beyond the brief studies previously 

conducted with rocket- borne telescopes. A typical rocket flight might gather 300 seconds of data on a single object. 

HUT will collect more than 300,000 seconds of data on nearly 200 objects during the Astro-1 mission, ranging from 

objects in the solar system to quasars billions of light-years distant. 

HUT Vital Statistics 

Sponsoring Institution: The Johns Hopkins University, 

Baltimore, MD 

 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Arthur F. Davidsen 

 

Telescope Optics: 36 in. aperture, f/2 focal ratio, iridium-coated paraboloid mirror 

 

Instrument: Prime Focus Rowland Circle Spectrograph with microchannel plate 

intensifier and electronic diode array detector 

 

Field of View of Guide TV: 10 arc minutes 

 

Spectral Resolution: 3.0 A 

 

Wavelength Range: 850 A to 1,850 A (First Order); 425 A to 925 A (Second Order) 

 

Weight: 1,736 lb. 

 

Size: 44 inches in diameter ; 12.4 ft. in length 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 23 

Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment 

Any star, except for our sun, is so distant that it appears as only a point of light and surface details cannot be seen. If 

the light from objects is polarized, it can tell scientists something about the source's geometry, the physical 

conditions at the source and the reflecting properties of tiny particles in the interstellar medium along the radiation's 

path. 

The Wisconsin Ultraviolet Photo-Polarimeter Experiment (WUPPE), developed by the Space Astronomy Lab at the 

University of Wisconsin- Madison, is designed to measure polarization and intensity of ultraviolet radiation from 

celestial objects. WUPPE is a 20-inch telescope with a 5.5-arc-minute field of view. 

WUPPE is fitted with a spectropolarimeter, an instrument that records both the spectrum and the polarization of the 

ultraviolet light gathered by the telescope. Light will pass through sophisticated filters, akin to Polaroid sunglasses, 

before reaching the detector. Measurements then will be transmitted electronically to the ground. 

Photometry is the measurement of the intensity (brightness) of the light, while polarization is the measurement of 

the orientation (direction) of the oscillating light wave. Usually waves of light move randomly -- up, down, back, 

forward and diagonally. When light is polarized, all the waves oscillate in a single plane. Light that is scattered, like 

sunlight reflecting off water, is often polarized. Astro-1 astronomers expect to learn about ultraviolet light that is 

scattered by dust strewn among stars and galaxies. They also can learn about the geometry of stars and other objects 

by studying their polarization. To date, virtually no observations of polarization of astronomical sources in the 

ultraviolet have been carried out. WUPPE measures the polarization by splitting a beam of radiation into two 

perpendicular planes of polarization, passing the beams through a spectrometer and focusing the beams on two 

separate array detectors. 

In the ultraviolet spectrum, both photometry and polarization are extremely difficult measurements to achieve with 

the high degree of precision required for astronomical studies. To develop an instrument that could make these 

delicate measurements required an unusually innovative and advanced technical effort. Thus, the WUPPE 

investigation is a pioneering foray with a new technique. 

The targets of WUPPE investigations are primarily in the Milky Way galaxy and beyond, for which comparative 

data exist in other wavelengths. Like the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, WUPPE also makes spectroscopic 

observations of hot stars, galactic nuclei and quasars. Operating at ultraviolet wavelengths that are mostly longer 

than those observed by HUT (but with some useful overlap), WUPPE provides chemical composition and physical 

information on celestial targets that give off a significant amount of radiation in the 1,400 to 3,200 A range. 

WUPPE Vital Statistics 

Sponsoring Institution: University of Wisconsin, Madison 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Arthur D. Code 

Telescope Optics: Cassegrain (two-mirror) system, f/10 focal ratio 

Instrument: Spectropolarimeter with dual electronic diode array detectors 

Primary Mirror Size: 20 in. diameter; 279 sq.* in. area 

Field of View: 3.3 x 4.4 arc minutes 

Spectral Resolution: 6 Angstroms 

Wavelength Range: 1,400 to 3,200 Angstroms 

Magnitude Limit: 16 

Weight: 981 lb. 

Size: 28 inches in diameter, 12.4 ft. in length 

* This and subsequent changes were made to avoid confusion since the computer that printed this press kit will not 

create exponents for cm2 or the circle over the A for Angstrom. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 24 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 25 

The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope 

In the 20 years that astronomical observations have been made from space, no high-resolution ultraviolet 

photographs of objects other than the sun have been made. Nonetheless, the brief glimpses of the ultraviolet sky 

have led to important discoveries in spiral galaxies, globular clusters, white dwarf stars and other areas. 

Deep, wide-field imaging is a primary means by which fundamentally new phenomena or important examples of 

known classes of astrophysical objects will be recognized in the ultraviolet. The Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope 

(UIT), developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD, is the key instrument for these 

investigations. 

UIT is a powerful combination of telescope, image intensifier and camera. It is a 15.2-inch Ritchey Chretien 

telescope with two selectable cameras mounted behind the primary mirror. Each camera has a six- position filter 

wheel, a two-stage magnetically focused image tube and a 70-mm film transport, fiber optically coupled to each 

image tube. One camera is designed to operate in the 1200 - 1700 Angstrom region and the other in the 1250-3200 

Angstrom region. 

Unlike data from the other Astro instruments, which will be electronically transmitted to the ground, UIT images 

will be recorded directly onto a very sensitive astronomical film for later development after Columbia lands. UIT 

has enough film to make 2,000 exposures. A series of 11 different filters allows specific regions of the ultraviolet 

spectrum to be isolated for energy-distribution studies. After development, each image frame will be electronically 

digitized to form 2,048 x 2,048 picture elements, or pixels, then analyzed further with computers. 

UIT has a 15-inch diameter mirror with a 40-arc-minute field of view -- about 25 percent wider than the apparent 

diameter of the full moon. UIT has the largest field of view of any sensitive UV imaging instrument planned for 

flight in the 1990s. It will photograph nearby galaxies, large clusters of stars and distant clusters of galaxies. 

A 30-minute exposure (the length of one orbital night) will record a blue star of 25th magnitude, a star about 100 

million times fainter than the faintest star visible to the naked eye on a dark, clear night. Since UIT makes longer 

exposures than previous instruments, fainter objects will be visible in the images. 

The instrument favors the detection of hot objects which emit most of their energy in the ultraviolet. Common 

examples span the evolutionary history of stars -- massive stars and stars in the final stages of stellar evolution 

(white dwarfs). Images of numerous relatively cool stars that do not radiate much in the ultraviolet are suppressed, 

and UV sources stand out clearly. 

The UIT's field of view is wide enough to encompass entire galaxies, star clusters and distant clusters of galaxies. 

This deep survey mode will reveal many new, exciting objects to be studied further by NASA's Hubble Space 

Telescope. Although the Hubble Space Telescope will have a much higher magnification and record much fainter 

stars, the UIT will photograph much larger regions all at once. In addition, the UIT will suffer much less 

interference from visible light, since it is provided with "solar blind" detectors. For certain classes of targets, such as 

diffuse, ultraviolet-emitting or ultraviolet-scattering nebulae, UIT may be a more sensitive imager. 

A wide selection of astronomical objects will be studied in this first deep survey of cosmic phenomena in the 

ultraviolet. The UIT is expected to target hot stars in globular clusters to help explain how stars evolve. Another 

experiment may help astronomers learn whether properties and distribution of interstellar dust are the same in all 

galaxies. High-priority objects are Supernova 1987A and vicinity, star clusters, planetary nebulae and supernova 

remnants, spiral and "normal" galaxies, the interstellar medium of other galaxies and clusters of galaxies. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 26 

UIT Vital Statistics 

Sponsoring Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, MD 

 

Principal Investigator: Theodore P. Stecher (NASA GSFC) 

 

Telescope Optics: Ritchey-Chretien (variation of Cassegrain two-mirror system with correction 

over wide field of view) 

 

Aperture: 15 in. 

 

Focal Ratio: f/9 

 

Field of View: 40 arc minutes 

 

Angular Resolution: 2 arc seconds 

 

Wavelength Range: 1,200 A to 3,200 A 

 

Magnitude Limit: 25 

 

Filters: 2 filter wheels, 6 filters each 

 

Detectors: Two image intensifiers with 70-mm film, 1,000 frames each; IIaO astronomical 

film 

 

Exposure Time: Up to 30 minutes 

 

Weight: 1,043 lb. 

 

Size: 32 inches in diameter; 12.4 ft. in length 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 27 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 28 

THE BROAD BAND X-RAY TELESCOPE 

The Broad Band X-Ray Telescope (BBXRT) will provide astronomers with the first high-quality spectra of many of 

the X-ray sources discovered with the High Energy Astronomy Observatory 2, better known as the Einstein 

Observatory, launched in the late 1970s. BBXRT, developed at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, 

MD, uses mirrors and advanced solid-state detectors as spectrometers to measure the energy of individual X-ray 

photons. These energies produce a spectrum that reveals the chemistry, structure and dynamics of a source. 

BBXRT is actually two 8-inch telescopes each with a 17 arc-minute field of view (more than half the angular width 

of the moon). The two identical telescopes are used to focus X-rays onto solid-state spectrometers which measure 

photon energy in electron volts in the "soft" X-ray region, from 380 to 12,000 eV. The use of two telescopes 

doubles the number of photons that are detected and also provides redundancy in case of a failure. 

X-ray telescopes are difficult to construct because X-ray photons are so energetic that they penetrate mirrors and are 

absorbed. A mirror surface reflects X-rays only if it is very smooth and the photons strike it at a very shallow angle. 

Because such small grazing angles are needed, the reflectors must be very long to intercept many of the incident Xrays. Since even shallower angles are required to detect higher-energy X-rays, telescopes effective at high energies 

need very large reflecting surfaces. 

Traditionally, X-ray telescopes have used massive, finely polished reflectors that were expensive to construct and 

did not efficiently use the available aperture. The mirror technology developed for BBXRT consists of very thin 

pieces of gold-coated aluminum foil that require no polishing and can be nested very closely together to reflect a 

large fraction of the X-rays entering the telescope. 

Because its reflecting surfaces can be made so easily, BBXRT can afford to have mirrors using the very shallow 

grazing angles necessary to reflect high-energy photons. In fact, BBXRT is one of the first telescopes to observe 

astronomical targets that emit X-rays above approximately 4,000 electron volts. 

The telescope will provide information on the chemistry, temperature and structure of some of the most unusual and 

interesting objects in the universe. BBXRT can see fainter and more energetic objects than any yet studied. It will 

look for signs of heavy elements such as iron, oxygen, silicon and calcium. These elements usually are formed in 

exploding stars and during mysterious events occurring at the core of galaxies and other exotic objects. 

BBXRT will be used to study a variety of sources, but a major goal is to increase our understanding of active 

galactic nuclei and quasars. Many astronomers believe that the two are very similar objects that contain an 

extremely luminous source at the nucleus of an otherwise relatively normal galaxy. The central source in quasars is 

so luminous that the host galaxy is difficult to detect. X-rays are expected to be emitted near the central engine of 

these objects, and astronomers will examine X-ray spectra and their variations to understand the phenomena at the 

heart of quasars. 

Investigators are interested in clusters of galaxies, congregations of tens or thousands of galaxies grouped together 

within a few million light- years of each other. When viewed in visible light, emissions from individual galaxies are 

dominant, but X-rays are emitted primarily from hot gas between the galaxies. 

In fact, theories and observations indicate that there should be about as much matter in the hot gas as in the galaxies, 

but all this material has not been seen yet. BBXRT observations will enable scientists to calculate the total mass of a 

cluster and deduce the amount of "dark" matter. 

A star's death, a supernova, heats the region of the galaxy near the explosion so that it glows in X-rays. Scientists 

believe that heavy elements such as iron are manufactured and dispersed into the interstellar medium by supernovas. 

The blast or shock wave may produce energetic cosmic ray particles that travel on endless journeys throughout the 

universe and instigate the formation of new stars. BBXRT detects young supernova remnants (less than 10,000 

years old) which are still relatively hot. Elements will be identified, and the shock wave's movement and structure 

will be examined. 

BBXRT was not part of the originally selected ASTRO payload. It was added to the mission after the appearance of 

Supernova 1987A in February 1987, to obtain vital scientific information about the supernova. In addition, data 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 29 

gathered by BBXRT on other objects will enhance studies that would otherwise be limited to data gathered with the 

three ultraviolet telescopes. 

BBXRT Vital Statistics 

Sponsoring Institution: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 

 

Principal Investigator: Dr. Peter J. Serlemitsos 

 

Telescope Optics: Two co-aligned X-ray telescopes with cooled segmented lithium-drifted silicon 

solid-state detectors in the focal planes 

 

Focal Length: 12.5 ft. each, detection area 0.16 in. diameter pixel 

 

Focal Plane Scale: 0.9 arc minutes per mm 

 

Field of View: 4.5 arc minutes (central element); 17 arc minutes (overall) 

 

Energy Band: 0.3 to 12 keV 

 

Effective Area: 765 cm2 at 1.5 keV, 300 cm2 at 7 keV 

 

Energy Resolution: 0.09 keV at 1 keV, 0.15 keV at 6 keV 

 

Weight: 1,500 lb. (680.4 kg) 

 

Size: 40 inches in diameter; 166 inches in length 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 30 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 31 

ASTRO CARRIER SYSTEMS 

The Astro observatory is made up of three co-aligned ultraviolet telescopes carried by Spacelab and one X-ray 

telescope mounted on the Two-Axis Pointing System (TAPS) and a special structure. 

Each telescope was independently designed, but all work together as elements of a single observatory. The carriers 

provide stable platforms and pointing systems that allow the ultraviolet and X-ray telescopes to observe the same 

target. However, having two separate pointing systems gives investigators the flexibility to point the ultraviolet 

telescopes at one target while the X-ray telescope is aimed at another. 

Spacelab 

The three ultraviolet telescopes are supported by Spacelab hardware. Spacelab is a set of modular components 

developed by the European Space Agency and managed by the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, 

Ala. For each Spacelab payload, specific standardized parts are combined to create a unique design. Elements are 

anchored within the cargo bay, transforming it into a short-term laboratory in space. 

Spacelab elements used to support the Astro observatory include two pallets, a pressurized igloo to house subsystem 

equipment and the Instrument Pointing System. The pressurized Spacelab laboratory module will not be used for 

Astro. Rather, astronauts and payload specialists will operate the payload from the aft flight deck of the orbiter 

Columbia. 

Pallets 

The ultraviolet telescopes and the Instrument Pointing System are mounted on two Spacelab pallets -- large, 

uncovered, unpressurized platforms designed to support scientific instruments that require direct exposure to space. 

Each individual pallet is 10 feet long and 13 feet wide. The basic pallet structure is made up of five parallel Ushaped frames. Twenty-four inner and 24 outer panels, made of aluminum alloy honeycomb, cover the frame. The 

inner panels are equipped with threaded inserts so that payload and subsystem equipment can be attached. Twentyfour standard hard points, made of chromium-plated titanium casting, are provided for payloads which exceed 

acceptable loading of the inner pallets. 

Pallets are more than a platform for mounting instrumentation. With an igloo attached, they also can cool 

equipment, provide electrical power and furnish connections for commanding and acquiring data from experiments. 

Cable ducts and cable support trays can be bolted to the forward and aft frame of each pallet to support and route 

electrical cables to and from the experiments and the subsystem equipment mounted on the pallet. The ducts are 

made of aluminum alloy sheet metal. In addition to basic utilities, some special accommodations are available for 

pallet-mounted experiments. 

For Astro-1, two pallets are connected together to form a single rigid structure called a pallet train. Twelve joints are 

used to connect the two pallets. 

Igloo 

Normally Spacelab subsystem equipment is housed in the core segment of the pressurized laboratory module. 

However, in "pallet only" configurations such as Astro, the subsystems are located in a supply module called the 

igloo. It provides a pressurized compartment in which Spacelab subsystem equipment can be mounted in a dry-air 

environment at normal Earth atmospheric pressure, as required by their design. The subsystems provide such 

services as cooling, electrical power and connections for commanding and acquiring data from the instruments. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 32 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 33 

The igloo is attached vertically to the forward end frame of the first pallet. Its outer dimensions are approximately 

7.9 feet in height and 3.6 feet in diameter. The igloo is a closed cylindrical shell made of aluminum alloy and 

covered with multi-layer insulation. A removable cover allows full access to the interior. 

The igloo consists of two parts. The primary structure -- an exterior canister -- is a cylindrical, locally stiffened shell 

made of forged aluminum alloy rings and closed at one end. The other end has a mounting flange for the cover. A 

seal is inserted when the two structures are joined together mechanically to form a pressure-tight assembly. 

There are external fittings on the canister for fastening it to the pallet, handling and transportation on the ground, 

and thermal control insulation. Two feed-through plates accommodate utility lines and a pressure relief valve. 

Facilities on the inside of the canister are provided for mounting subsystem equipment and the interior igloo 

structure. The cover is also a cylindrical shell, made of welded aluminum alloy and closed at one end. The igloo has 

about 77.7 cubic feet of interior space for subsystems. 

Subsystem equipment is mounted on an interior or secondary structure which also acts as a guide for the removal or 

replacement of the cover. The secondary structure is hinge-fastened to the primary structure, allowing access to the 

bottom of the secondary structure and to equipment mounted within the primary structure. 

Instrument Pointing System 

Telescopes such as those aboard Astro-1 must be pointed with very high accuracy and stability at the objects which 

they are to view. The Spacelab Instrument Pointing System provides precision pointing for a wide range of 

payloads, including large single instruments or clusters of instruments. The pointing mechanism can accommodate 

instruments weighing up to 15,432 pounds and can point them to within 2 arc seconds and hold them on target to 

within 1.2 arc seconds. The combined weight of the ultraviolet telescopes and the structure which holds them 

together is 9,131 pounds. 

The Instrument Pointing System consists of a three-axis gimbal system mounted on a gimbal support structure 

connected to the pallet at one end and the aft end of the payload at the other, a payload clamping system for support 

of the mounted experiment during launch and landing and a control system based on the inertial reference of a 

three-axis gyro package and operated by a gimbal-mounted microcomputer. 

Three bearing-drive units on the gimbal system allow the payload to be pointed on three axes: elevation (back and 

forth), cross-elevation (side to side) and azimuth (roll), allowing it to point in a 22-degree circle around a its 

straight-up position. The pointing system may be maneuvered at a rate of up to one degree per second, which is five 

times as fast as the Shuttle orbiter's maneuvering rate. The operating modes of the different scientific investigations 

vary considerably. Some require manual control capability, others slow scan mapping, still others high angular rates 

and accelerations. Performance in all these modes requires flexibility achieved with computer software. 

The Instrument Pointing System is controlled through the Spacelab subsystem computer and a data-display unit and 

keyboard. It can be operated either automatically or by the Spacelab crew from the module (when used) and also 

from the payload station in the orbiter aft flight deck. 

In addition to the drive units, Instrument Pointing System structural hardware includes a payload/gimbal separation 

mechanism, replaceable extension column, emergency jettisoning device, support structure and rails and a thermal 

control system. The gimbal structure itself is minimal, consisting only of a yoke and inner and outer gimbals to 

which the payload is attached by the payload-mounted integration ring. 

An optical sensor package is used for attitude correction and also for configuring the instrument for solar, stellar or 

Earth viewing. The Astro-1 mission marks the first time the Instrument Pointing System has been used for stellar 

astronomy. Three star trackers locate guide stars. The boresite tracker is in the middle, and two other trackers are 

angled 12 degrees from each side of the boresite. By keeping stars of known locations centered in each tracker, a 

stable position can be maintained. 

The three ultraviolet telescopes are mounted and precisely co- aligned on a common structure, called the cruciform, 

that is attached to the pointing system. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 34 

Image Motion Compensation System 

An image motion compensation system was developed by the Marshall Space Flight Center to provide additional 

pointing stability for two of the ultraviolet instruments. 

When the Shuttle thrusters fire to control orbiter attitude, there is a noticeable disturbance of the pointing system. 

The telescopes are also affected by crew motion in the orbiter. A gyro stabilizer senses the motion of the cruciform 

which could disrupt UIT and WUPPE pointing stability. It sends information to the image motion compensation 

electronics system where pointing commands are computed and sent to the telescopes' secondary mirrors which 

make automatic adjustments to improve stability to less than 1 arc second. 

The Astro-1's star tracker, designed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., fixes on bright stars 

with well-known and sends this information to the electronics system which corrects errors caused by gyro drift and 

sends new commands to the telescopes' mirrors. The mirrors automatically adjust to keep pointed at the target. 

Broad Band X-ray Telescope and the Two-Axis Pointing System (TAPS) 

Developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, these pointing systems were designed to be flown together 

on multiple missions. This payload will be anchored in a support structure placed just behind the ultraviolet 

telescopes in the Shuttle payload bay. BBXRT is attached directly to the TAPS inner gimbal frame. 

The TAPS will move BBXRT in a forward/aft direction (pitch) relative to the cargo bay or from side to side (roll) 

relative to the cargo bay. A star tracker uses bright stars as a reference to position the TAPS for an observation, and 

gyros keep the TAPS on a target. As the gyros drift, the star tracker periodically recalculates and resets the TAPS 

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

ASTRO OPERATIONS 

Operation of the Astro-1 telescopes will be a cooperative effort between the science crew in orbit and their 

colleagues in a control facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center and a support control center at Goddard Space 

Flight Center. Though the crew and the instrument science teams will be separated by many miles, they will interact 

with one another to evaluate observations and solve problems in much the same way as they would when working 

side by side. 

On-Orbit Science Crew Activities 

The Astro science crew will operate the ultraviolet telescopes and Instrument Pointing System from the Shuttle 

orbiter's aft flight deck, located to the rear of the cockpit. Windows overlooking the cargo bay allow the payload 

specialist and mission specialist to keep an eye on the instruments as they command them into precise position. The 

aft flight deck is equipped with two Spacelab keyboard and display units, one for controlling the pointing system 

and the other for operating the scientific instruments. To aid in target identification, this work area also includes two 

closed-circuit television monitors. With the monitors, crew members will be able to see the star fields being viewed 

by HUT and WUPPE and monitor the data being transmitted from the instruments. 

The Astro-1 crew will work around the clock to allow the maximum number of observations to be made during their 

mission. The STS-35 commander will have a flexible schedule, while two teams of crew members will work in 12-

hour shifts. Each team consists of the pilot or flight mission specialist, a science mission specialist and a payload 

specialist. The crew and the ground controllers will follow an observation schedule detailed in a carefully planned 

timeline. 

In a typical Astro-1 ultraviolet observation, the flight crew member on duty maneuvers the Shuttle to point the cargo 

bay in the general direction of the astronomical object to be observed. The mission specialist commands the 

pointing system to aim the telescopes toward the target. He also locks on to guide stars to help the pointing system 

remain stable despite orbiter thruster firings. The payload specialist sets up each instrument for the upcoming 

observation, identifies the celestial target on the guide television and provides any necessary pointing corrections 

for placing the object precisely in the telescope's field of view. He then starts the instrument observation sequences 

and monitors the data being recorded. Because the many observations planned create a heavy workload, the payload 

and mission specialists work together to perform these complicated operations and evaluate the quality of 

observations. Each observation will take between 10 minutes to a little over an hour. 

The X-ray telescope requires little attention from the crew. A crew member will turn on the BBXRT and the TAPS 

at the beginning of operations and then turn them off when the operations conclude. The telescope is controlled 

from the ground. After the telescope is activated, researchers at Goddard can "talk" to the telescope via computer. 

Before science operations begin, stored commands are loaded into the BBXRT computer system. Then, when the 

astronauts position the Shuttle in the general direction of the source, the TAPS automatically points the BBXRT at 

the object. Since the Shuttle can be oriented in only one direction at a time, X-ray observations must be coordinated 

carefully with ultraviolet observations. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 36 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 37 

ASTRO GROUND CONTROL 

Astro-1 science operations will be directed from a new Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility at the Marshall 

Space Flight Center. BBXRT will be controlled by commands from a supporting payload operations control facility 

at Goddard. 

Spacelab Mission Operations Control 

Beginning with the Astro-1 flight, all Spacelab science activities will be controlled from Marshall's Spacelab 

Mission Operations Control Center. It will replace the payload operations control center at the Johnson Space 

Center from which previous Spacelab missions have been operated. The Spacelab Mission Operations Control team 

is under the overall direction of the mission manager. 

The Spacelab Mission Operations Control team will support the science crew in much the same way that Houston 

Mission Control supports the flight crew. Teams of controllers and researchers at the Marshall facility will direct all 

NASA science operations, send commands directly to the spacecraft, receive and analyze data from experiments 

aboard the vehicle, adjust mission schedules to take advantage of unexpected science opportunities or unexpected 

results, and work with crew members to resolve problems with their experiments. 

An air/ground communications channel, in addition to the one used by the Mission Control Center in Houston, will 

be dedicated to communications between the Alabama control facility and the science crew aboard the Space 

Shuttle. "Huntsville" will be the call sign from space that astronauts will use to address their control team at the 

Marshall facility. 

The Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility is located on two floors of Building 4663 at the Marshall Space 

Flight Center. Most of the activity occurs in two work areas: the payload control area on the upper floor from which 

the overall payload is monitored and controlled; and the science operations area on the ground level, where 

scientists for the individual telescopes monitor their instruments and direct observations. 

The payload control area is the hub of payload operations. Communication with the crew, on-orbit and ground 

computer systems monitoring, science activities, and even television camera operations are marshaled from work 

stations in the control room. Console operators in the area are referred to as the payload operations control center 

(POCC) cadre. The cadre is made up of three teams under the leadership of the payload operations director. 

The operations control team is responsible for real-time payload control. They make sure that the pre-planned 

observation schedule is being followed and send commands to the instruments and instructions to the crew. 

Designated team members stay in voice contact with the on-board science crew via an air-to-ground 

communications loop. 

The data management team ensures that the science data needed from the payload is scheduled and received 

properly. The responsibilities range from telling the on-board computer when to send down the information it has 

been storing to scheduling TV transmissions from orbit. 

The payload activities planning team is in charge of replanning the payload crew activity schedule when anything 

from unexpected science opportunities to equipment problems requires a change. After a science operations 

planning group makes rescheduling decisions for upcoming shifts, the planning team determines the many 

adjustments that will allow those changes to be accomplished. 

The POCC cadre also includes the mission scientist, who leads the science operations planning group and acts as a 

liaison between the cadre and the science investigator teams; the alternate payload specialist, a backup crew member 

who helps with air-to-ground communications and assists the mission scientist; and a public affairs commentator. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 38 

The science operations area on the ground floor of the Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility is staffed by 

teams of scientists and engineers who developed the Astro-1 telescopes. The principal investigators and support 

groups for the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope, the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope and the Wisconsin PhotoPolarimeter Experiment, along with the Broad Band X-ray telescope representatives and a team monitoring the 

Marshall Space Flight Center's Image Motion Compensation System share a large room in the science operations 

area. 

The teams monitor the data flowing back from each instrument, evaluate the instruments' performance, and assess 

and analyze the science information revealed by the data. It is possible for the principal investigator to talk directly 

with the crew member operating his instrument if circumstances demand personal interaction. 

Engineers on the science teams provide inputs on instrument performance and if necessary recommend alternate 

methods to maintain optimal performance. Scientists in each group evaluate the quality of data given the scientific 

objectives. They also may do preliminary analysis of their data, though a complete study may take months or even 

years. 

Space astronomy is a fluid process because observations sometimes produce unexpected results that demand more 

study than originally planned during the mission. In addition, hardware contingencies may demand that some 

activities be rescheduled. Any changes in the plan will affect the observations of all four science teams. Therefore, 

representatives from each team participate in the twice-daily, science- operations planning group meetings. The 

science objectives and viewpoints of the various teams are weighed; then the group agrees on changes to the 

original activity plan. 

BBXRT Payload Operations Control Center 

A special team located at a remote payload operations control center at the Goddard Space Flight Center will 

operate the Broad Band X- Ray Telescope and its Two-Axis Pointing System. However, some members of the 

BBXRT team will be stationed at the Marshall control center to participate in science planning, and all commands 

issued to the payload will be coordinated with the mission management team at Marshall. The two payload 

operations control centers will be linked via voice communication so that teams at both places can confer. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 39 

ASTRO-1 HISTORY 

In February 1978, NASA issued an announcement of opportunity for instruments that could travel aboard the Space 

Shuttle and utilize the unique capabilities of Spacelab. Three telescopes -- HUT, UIT, and WUPPE -- evolved as a 

payload manifested as OSS-3 through 7, and these missions were assigned to the Goddard Space Flight Center. 

Because the Instrument Pointing System and other Spacelab facilities were needed for OSS-3, management was 

moved in 1982 to the Marshall Space Flight Center. The payload was renamed Astro. 

The Wide Field Camera was added to the payload in 1984 to make detailed studies of Comet Halley, which was due 

to move through the inner solar system in the spring of 1986. 

The instruments were constructed, and the observatory had completed Spacelab integration and testing by January 

1986. Astro-1, consisting of HUT, UIT, WUPPE and the Wide Field Camera, was ready for orbiter installation 

when the Challenger accident occurred. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 40 

After the accident, the instruments were removed from Spacelab and stored. Periodic checks were made during 

storage. However, because of the long interval, the decision was made to examine and recertify all of the Astro 

instruments. As a part of this process, questions arose in the summer of 1987 about the quality certifications of the 

bolts used in the Astro-1 hardware. Support structures and instrument and electronics attachments were inspected 

for possible faulty bolts. A total of 298 bolts eventually were replaced. 

HUT was kept at Kennedy Space Center, but its spectrograph was returned to The Johns Hopkins University in 

October 1988. Although protected from air and moisture by gaseous nitrogen, HUT's extremely sensitive ultraviolet 

detector had degraded with time. The detector was replaced but failed to pass an acceptance review, and a third 

detector was installed in January 1989. An aging television camera was replaced in May 1989. 

WUPPE's precise instruments also required recalibration after their storage period. Rather than ship the large, 

sensitive telescope back to the University of Wisconsin where it was developed, astronomers there built a portable 

vertical calibration facility and delivered it to the Kennedy Space Center. Calibration was completed in April 1989. 

WUPPE's power supplies for the spectrometer and for the zero order detector were returned to the University of 

Wisconsin, where they were modified to reduce output noise. 

UIT also stayed at Kennedy, where the power supply for its image intensifier was replaced in August 1989. 

Because Comet Halley was no longer in position for detailed observation, the Wide Field Camera was removed 

from the payload in the spring of 1987. In March of 1988, BBXRT was added to the Astro-1 payload. Originally 

proposed in response to the 1978 announcement of opportunity, BBXRT had been developed as one of three X-ray 

instruments in a payload designated OSS-2. This was renamed the Shuttle High-Energy Astrophysics Laboratory 

and proposed for flight in 1992. However, when Supernova 1987A occurred, BBXRT was completed ahead of 

schedule and added to the Astro-1 payload. The addition would allow study of the supernova and other objects in 

X-ray as well as ultraviolet wavelengths. 

The completed payload was tested at 6-month intervals. Level IV testing, in which instruments and command 

software are operated apart from Spacelab pallets, was completed in August 1989. The three ultraviolet telescopes, 

the Instrument Pointing System and the igloo were integrated with the Spacelab pallets for Level III testing, which 

concluded in December 1989. The pallet-mounted ultraviolet telescopes and pointing system, as well as the BBXRT 

and its Two-Axis Pointing System, were moved to the Cargo Integration Test Equipment stand where testing was 

completed at the end of February 1990. 

Astro-1 was installed in Columbia's payload bay March 20, 1990. Final integrated testing in the Orbiter Processing 

Facility between the orbiter, payload, mission centers and satellite relays was completed March 26-28. Payload pad 

activities included installation of Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (UIT) film, removal of telescope covers, final pallet 

cleaning and BBXRT argon servicing. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 41 

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX) 

Conducting short-wave radio transmissions between ground-based amateur radio operators and a Shuttle-based 

amateur radio operator is the basis for the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX). 

SAREX communicates 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 attended mode while SSTV, data or FSTV can be operated in either attended or 

unattended modes. 

During the mission, SAREX will be operated by Payload Specialist Ron Parise, a licensed operator (WA4SIR), 

during periods when he is not scheduled for orbiter or other payload activities. At least four transmissions will be 

made to test each transmission mode. 

The primary pair of frequencies intended for use during the mission is 145.55 MHz as the downlink from Columbia, 

with 144.95 MHz as the uplink. A spacing of 600 kHz was deliberately chosen for this primary pair to 

accommodate those whose split frequency capability is limited to the customary repeater offset. 

SAREX crew-tended operating times will be dictated by the time of launch. As a secondary payload, SAREX will 

be operated by Parise during his pre- and post-sleep activities each day. This means that wherever the Shuttle is 

above Earth during those operating windows, amateur stations can communicate with Columbia. Currently, those 

windows provide coverage for Australia, Japan, South America and South Africa. 

The continental United States has little or no coverage except through a network of ground stations in other parts of 

the world in conjunction with relay links back to the United States. 

Another part of the SAREX is the "robot," providing an automated operation which can proceed with little human 

intervention. The robot will generally be activated during one of the crew-tended windows and deactivated during 

the next one. This gives approximately 12 hours on and 12 hours off for the robot, with the operational period 

chosen to cover all of the U.S. passes. 

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

hardware: a low-power hand-held FM transceiver, a spare battery set, an interface (I/F) module, a headset assembly, 

an equipment assembly cabinet, 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. 

Antenna location does not affect communications and therefore does not require a specific orbiter attitude for 

operations. The equipment is stowed in one middeck locker. 

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

Corporation (AMSAT) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 42 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 43 

STS-35 COLUMBIA SAREX FREQUENCIES 

Shuttle 

Transmit 

Frequency

(MHz) 

Accompanying 

Shuttle 

Receive 

Frequencies 

(MHz) 

 

Group 1 145.55 144.95 

145.55 144.91 

145.55 144.97 

 

Group 2 145.51 144.91 

145.51 144.93 

145.51 144.99 

 

Group 3 145.59 144.99 

145.59 144.95 

 

Group 4 145.55 144.95 

145.55 144.70 

145.55 144.75 

145.55 144.80 

 145.55 144.85 

Note: The 145.55/144.95 combination is in both Groups 1 and 4 because alternate uplink 

frequencies from Group 1 would be used over North and South America while those from 

Group 4 would be used generally in other parts of the world. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 44 

"SPACE CLASSROOM, ASSIGNMENT: THE STARS" 

"Space Classroom" is a new NASA educational effort designed to involve students and teachers in the excitement of 

Space Shuttle science missions. This new program joins more than 160 other educational programs being conducted 

by NASA that use the agency's missions and unique facilities to help educators prepare students to meet the nation's 

growing need for a globally competitive work force of skilled scientists and engineers. 

The first Space Classroom project, called Assignment: The Stars, will capitalize on the December 1990 flight of 

Astro-1, a Space Shuttle astronomy mission. It is designed to spark the interest of middle school students, 

encouraging them to pursue studies in mathematics, science and technology. It will offer educators an alternative 

approach to teaching their students about the electromagnetic spectrum -- a science concept that is required 

instruction in many classrooms in the United States. 

Space Classroom, Assignment: The Stars, involves several educational elements: a lesson on the electromagnetic 

spectrum to be taught live by the Astro-1 crew from the cabin of the Space Shuttle Columbia during the flight; a 

supporting lesson to be taught from the Astro-1 control center in Huntsville, Ala.; an Astro-1 teachers guide; an 

Astro-1 slide presentation; a NASA educational satellite video conference next fall; and post-flight video products 

suitable for classroom use. 

The major component of Assignment: The Stars will be a lesson taught by members of the Astro-1 science crew 

from the Space Shuttle as they orbit the Earth during the mission. This 15-20 minute presentation will focus on the 

electromagnetic spectrum and its relationship to the high-energy astronomy mission. 

The crew presentation will be followed by demonstrations and discussions of the concepts introduced by the crew 

from a classroom in the Astro-1 control center at Marshall Space Flight Center. 

The lesson will conclude with an opportunity for some students participating in the lesson from Marshall and 

students at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, to ask questions of the crew in orbit. Students at both 

centers will participate in additional workshops, tours and laboratory sessions. 

The lesson by the crew, the follow-up lesson from the Astro-1 control center and the question-answer session will 

be carried live on NASA Select TV, Satcom satellite F2R, transponder 13, 3960 megahertz, 72 degrees West 

longitude. NASA Select will carry continuous programming of all mission events as well. The lesson is tentatively 

scheduled for the fifth day of the mission. 

Beginning about 1 week before launch, Astro-1 Update, a recorded bulletin on the status of the Astro-1 mission and 

Space Classroom, will be available by dialing 205/544-8504. 

In the fall of 1991, tapes of the lesson will available for a small fee from NASA CORE, Lorain County Joint 

Vocational School, 15181 Route 58 South, Oberlin, Ohio, 44074 (phone: 216/ 774-1051). 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 45 

ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM 

The advent of operations of the Space Shuttle orbiter provided an opportunity for researchers to perform flight 

experiments on a full-scale, lifting vehicle during atmospheric entry. In 1976, to take advantage of this opportunity, 

NASA's Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology instituted the Orbiter Experiments (OEX) Program. 

Since the program's inception, 13 experiments have been developed for flight. Principal investigators for these 

experiments represent NASA's Langley and Ames Research Centers, Johnson Space Center and Goddard Space 

Flight Center. 

Six OEX experiments will be flown on STS-35. Included among this group will be five experiments which were 

intended to operate together as a complementary set of entry research instrumentation. This flight marks the first 

time since the September 1988 return-to-flight that the Langley experiments will fly as a complementary set. 

Shuttle Entry Air Data System (SEADS) 

The SEADS nosecap on the orbiter Columbia contains 14 penetration assemblies, each containing a small hole 

through which the surface air pressure is sensed. Measurement of the pressure levels and distribution allows postflight determination of vehicle attitude and atmospheric density during entry. SEADS, which has flown on three 

previous flights of Columbia, operates in an altitude range of 300,000 feet to landing. Paul M. Siemers III, Langley, 

is the principal investigator. 

Shuttle Upper Atmosphere Mass Spectrometer (SUMS) 

The SUMS experiment complements SEADS by enabling measurement of atmospheric density above 300,000 feet. 

SUMS samples air through a small hole on the lower surface of the vehicle just aft of the nosecap. It utilizes a mass 

spectrometer operating as a pressure sensing device to measure atmospheric density in the high altitude, rarefied 

flow regime where the pressure is too low for the use of ordinary pressure sensors. The mass spectrometer 

incorporated in the SUMS experiment was spare equipment originally developed for the Viking Mars Lander. This 

is the first opportunity for SUMS to fly since STS-61C in January 1986. Robert C. Blanchard and Roy J. Duckett, 

Langley, are co-principal investigators. 

Both SEADS and SUMS provide entry atmospheric environmental (density) information. These data, when 

combined with vehicle motion data, allow determination of in-flight aerodynamic performance characteristics of the 

orbiter. 

Aerodynamic Coefficient Identification Package (ACIP) 

The ACIP instrumentation includes triaxial sets of linear accelerometers, angular accelerometers and angular rate 

gyros, which sense the orbiter's motions during flight. ACIP provides the vehicle motion data which is used in 

conjunction with the SEADS environmental information for determination of aerodynamic characteristics below 

about 300,000 feet altitude. 

The ACIP has flown on all flights of Challenger and Columbia. David B. Kanipe, Johnson Space Center, is the 

ACIP principal investigator. 

High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP) 

This instrument is a triaxial, orthogonal set of highly sensitive accelerometers which sense vehicle motions during 

the high altitude portion (above 300,000 feet) of entry. This instrument provides the companion vehicle motion data 

to be used with the SUMS results. HiRAP has been flown on 11 previous missions of the orbiters Columbia and 

Challenger. Robert C. Blanchard, Langley, is the HiRAP principal investigator. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 46 

Shuttle Infrared Leeside Temperature Sensing (SILTS) 

This experiment uses a scanning infrared radiometer located atop the vertical tail to collect infrared images of the 

orbiter's leeside (upper) surfaces during entry, for the purpose of measuring the temperature distribution and thereby 

the aerodynamic heating environment. On two previous missions, the experiment obtained images of the left wing. 

For STS-35, the experiment has been reconfigured to obtain images of the upper fuselage. 

SILTS has flown on three Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton and E. Vincent Zoby, Langley, are coprincipal investigators. 

Aerothermal Instrumentation Package (AIP) 

The AIP comprises some 125 measurements of aerodynamic surface temperature and pressure at discrete locations 

on the upper surface of the orbiter's left wing and fuselage, and vertical tail. These sensors originally were part of 

the development flight instrumentation system which flew aboard Columbia during its Orbital Flight Test missions 

(STS-1 through 4). They have been reactivated through the use of an AIP-unique data handling system. Among 

other applications, the AIP data provide "ground-truth" information for the SILTS experiment. 

The AIP has flown on two previous Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton, Langley, is principal investigator. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 47 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 48 

STS-35 CREWMEMBERS 

STS035-S-002 -- The five astronauts and two payload specialists assigned to NASA's STS-35 mission, 

scheduled aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, in the spring of this year, pose for their crew 

portrait. Astronaut Vance D. Brand, center front and holding STS-35 insignia, making his fourth flight in 

space and his third STS flight, will serve as mission commander. He is flanked on the front row by pilot 

Guy S. Gardner and mission specialist John M. Lounge. On the back row (left to right) are mission 

specialists Robert A.R. Parker, payload specialist Ronald A. Parise, mission specialist Jeffrey A. Hoffman, 

and payload specialist Samuel T. Durrance. 

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 49 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

VANCE D. BRAND, 58, will serve as Commander. Selected as an astronaut in 1966, he considers Longmont, CO, 

to be his hometown. STS-35 will be Brand's fourth space flight. 

Brand was Apollo Command Module Pilot on the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) mission, launched on July 15, 

1975. This flight resulted in the historic meeting in space between American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts. The 

three-member U.S. crew spent 9 days in Earth orbit. 

Brand's second flight was as Commander of STS-5 in November 1982, the first fully operational flight of the 

Shuttle Transportation System and first mission with a four person crew. Brand next commanded the 10th Space 

Shuttle mission aboard Challenger. STS-41B with its crew of five was launched Feb. 3, 1984. 

Prior to joining NASA, Brand was a commissioned officer and naval aviator with the U.S. Marine Corps from 1953 

to 1957. Following release from active duty, he continued in Marine Corps Reserve and Air National Guard jet 

fighter squadrons until 1964. Brand was employed as a civilian by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation from 1960 to 

1966. He was an experimental test pilot on Canadian and German F-104 programs and has logged 8,777 flying 

hours, which includes 7,312 hours in jets, 391 hours in helicopters, 531 hours in spacecraft and checkout in more 

than 30 types of military aircraft. 

GUY S. GARDNER, 42, Col. USAF, will serve as Pilot. Selected as an astronaut in 1980, he considers Alexandria, 

VA, to be his hometown. STS-35 will be his second Shuttle flight. 

Gardner was Pilot for STS-27, a 4-day flight of Atlantis launched Dec. 2, 1988. The mission carried a Department 

of Defense payload. The crew completed their mission with a lakebed landing at Edwards on Dec. 6. Gardner 

graduated from George Washington High School in Alexandria in 1965. He received a bachelor of science degree in 

engineering sciences, astronautics and mathematics from the USAF Academy in 1969 and a master of science 

degree in astronautics from Purdue University in 1970. 

After completing pilot training, he flew 177 combat missions in Southeast Asia in 1972 while stationed at Udorn, 

Thailand. In 1973, he flew F-4's and in 1975 attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards. In 1977-78 he was 

an instructor pilot at the USAF Test Pilot School. He has logged over 4,000 hours flying time and 105 hours in 

space. 

JEFFREY A. HOFFMAN, 45, will serve as Mission Specialist 1 (MS1). Selected as an astronaut in 1978, he was 

born in Brooklyn, NY. STS-35 will be his second Shuttle flight. 

Hoffman was a Mission Specialist aboard Discovery on STS-51D, which launched from the Kennedy Space Center 

in April 1985. On this mission, he made the first STS contingency spacewalk, in an attempted rescue of the 

malfunctioning Syncom IV-3 satellite. 

Hoffman graduated from Scarsdale High School, Scarsdale, NY, and received a bachelor of arts degree in 

astronomy from Amherst College in 1966. He received a doctor of philosophy in astrophysics from Harvard 

University in 1971 and a masters degree in materials science from Rice University in 1988. 

At NASA, Hoffman has worked as the astronaut office payload safety representative. He also has worked on 

extravehicular activity (EVA), including the development of a high-pressure space suit. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 50 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

JOHN M. "MIKE" LOUNGE, 43, will be Mission Specialist 2 (MS2). Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Lounge 

considers Burlington, CO,, to be his hometown. He will be making his third Shuttle flight. 

Lounge was a mission specialist on STS-51I conducted in August 1985. During that mission his duties included 

deployment of the Australian AUSSAT communications satellite and operation of the remote manipulator system 

(RMS) arm. The crew deployed two other communications satellites and also performed a successful on-orbit 

rendezvous and repair of the ailing SYNCOM IV-3 satellite. His second flight was aboard Discovery on STS-26 in 

September 1988. 

Lounge graduated from Burlington High School in 1964 and received a bachelor of science degree in physics and 

mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1969 and a master of science degree in astrogeophysics from the 

University of Colorado in 1970. At NASA, Lounge now serves as Chief of the Space Station Support Office which 

works with design and operation of the Freedom space station. 

ROBERT ALAN RIDLEY PARKER, 53, will serve as Mission Specialist 3 (MS3). Selected as an astronaut in 

1967, he grew up in Shrewsbury, Mass., and will be making his second Shuttle flight. 

Parker was a member of the astronaut support crews for Apollo 15 and 17 missions. He served as a mission 

specialist on Columbia's sixth space flight, STS-9, in November 1983 which was the first Spacelab mission. 

Parker attended primary and secondary schools in Shrewsbury, Mass.; received a bachelor of arts degree in 

astronomy and physics from Amherst College in 1958, and a doctorate in astronomy from the California Institute of 

Technology in 1962. 

SAMUEL T. DURRANCE, 46, will serve as a Payload Specialist. Durrance is a research scientist in the 

Department of Physics and Astronomy at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. He considers Tampa, FL, his 

hometown. 

Durrance has made International Ultraviolet Explorer satellite observations of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and 

Uranus. He helped develop special pointing techniques needed to observe solar system objects with that satellite. 

His main astronomical interests are in the origin and evolution of planets, both in this solar system and around other 

stars. 

Durrance received a bachelor of science degree and a master of science degree in physics from California State 

University and a doctor of philosophy degree in astrogeophysics from the University of Colorado. 

RONALD A. PARISE, 38, also will serve as a Payload Specialist. Parise is a senior scientist in the Space 

Observatories Department, Computer Science Corporation in Silver Spring, MD. He is a member of the research 

team for the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope, one of the instruments scheduled for flight as part of the Astro payload. 

He is from Warren, Ohio. 

Parise has participated in flight hardware development, electronic system design and mission planning activities for 

the Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope project. He is pursuing his astronomical research interests with the International 

Ultraviolet Explorer satellite under a NASA grant. Parise also will conduct the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment 

(SAREX) during the STS-35 mission. 

He received a bachelor of science degree in physics, with minors in mathematics, astronomy and geology from 

Youngstown State University, Ohio, and a master of science degree and a doctor of philosophy degree in astronomy 

from the University of Florida. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 51 

STS-35 MISSION MANAGEMENT 

NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON DC 

Office of Space Flight 

Dr. William B. Lenoir Associate Administrator 

Joseph B. Mahon Director, Flight Systems 

Robert L. Crippen Director, Space Shuttle 

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

Brewster Shaw Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Operations) 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

Dr. Lennard A. Fisk Associate Administrator 

Alphonso V. Diaz Deputy Associate Administrator 

Robert Benson Director, Flight Systems Division 

Dr. Charles Pellerin Jr. Director, Astrophysics Division 

William Huddleston Astro Program Manager 

Dr. Edward Weiler Astro Program Scientist 

Dr. David Huenemoerder Deputy Program Scientist 

Office of Space Operations 

Charles T. Force Associate Administrator 

Eugene Ferrick Director, Tracking & Data Relay Satellite Systems Division 

Robert M. Hornstein Director, Ground Networks Division 

AMES RESEARCH CENTER, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA 

Dr. Dale L. Compton Director 

Victor L. Peterson Deputy Director 

AMES-DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH FACILITY, EDWARDS, CA 

Kenneth J. Szalai Site Manager 

Theodore G. Ayers Deputy Site Manager 

Thomas C. McMurtry Chief, Research Aircraft Operations Division 

Larry C. Barnett Chief, Shuttle Support Office 

GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, GREENBELT, MD 

Dr. John Klineberg Director 

Peter T. Burr Director of Flight Projects 

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

Dr. Theodore Gull Astro Mission Scientist 

Frank Volpe BBXRT Manager 

Bruce Thoman BBXRT Operations Manager 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 52 

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TX 

Aaron Cohen Director 

Eugene F. Kranz Director, Mission Operations 

Franklin Brizzolara Payload Integration Manager 

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL 

Forrest S. McCartney Director 

Jay Honeycutt Director, Shuttle Management & Operations 

Robert B. Sieck Launch Director 

John T. Conway Director, Payload Management & Operations 

Joanne H. Morgan Director, Payload Project Management 

Robert Sturm Astro-1 Launch Site Support Manager 

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER, HAMPTON, VA 

Richard H. Petersen Director 

W. Ray Hook Director for Space 

James P. Arrington Chief, Space System Division 

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, HUNTSVILLE, AL 

T. Jack Lee Director 

Jack Jones Astro Mission Manager 

Stuart Clifton Assistant Mission Manager 

Dr. Eugene Urban Deputy Mission Scientist 

Thomas Rankin Payload Operations Director 

Fred Applegate Payload Operations Director 

Steven Noneman Payload Operations Director 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 53 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF DECEMBER 1990 

37 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 12 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

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 

(9 flights) 

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights) 

OV-103 

Discovery 

(11 flights) 

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(7 flights)