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

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-40 

PRESS KIT 

MAY 1991 

SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES-1 (SLS-1) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 2 

STS-40 CREW INSIGNIA 

STS040-S-001 -- The STS-40 insignia makes a contemporary statement focusing on human beings living and 

working in space. Against a background of the universe, each of the seven Shuttle crew members is represented by 

one of seven silver starts interspersed about the orbital path of the Space Shuttle Columbia. The orbiter's flight path 

forms a double-helix designed to represent the DNA molecule common to all living creatures. It affirms the 

ceaseless expansion of human life and American involvement in space while simultaneously emphasizing the 

medical and biological studies to which this flight is dedicated. Above Columbia, the phrase "Spacelab Life Sciences 

1" defines both the shuttle mission and its payload. In the upper center portion of the patch, silhouetted against the 

blue darkness of the heavens, stands Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian man. With one foot on Earth and arms extended 

to touch the shuttle's orbit, he serves as a powerful embodiment of the extension of human inquiry from the 

boundaries of Earth to the limitless laboratory of space. Studily poised amid the stars, he serves to link scientists on 

Earth to the scientists in space asserting the harmony of efforts which produce meaningful scientific space flight 

missions. At the center of the patch is a brilliant red and yellow Earth-limb linking Earth to space and radiating 

from a native American symbol for the sun. At the frontier of space, this traditional symbol for the sun vividly links 

America's past to America's future. Beneath the orbiting shuttle, darkness of night rests peacefully over the United 

States. Drawn by artist Sean Collins, the STS-40 space shuttle insignia was designed by the crew members for the 

flight. 

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 

SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES 1 INSIGNIA 

S86-27614 -- The Space Shuttle Columbia is at the center of the Spacelab Life Sciences 1 insignia. The various 

elements serve to deliver the message of the dedication of this mission to medical and biological studies, a first for 

manned spaceflight. A crew of five NASA astronauts and the payload specialists will be split into shifts to maximize 

the exposure to space environment for variegated and thorough biological and medical experiments during the 

scheduled ten-day mission. The crew will maintain a constant communications link with scientists on Earth, 

considered by the flight crew to be an integral part of the overall mission, as well. NOTE: After this patch was 

designed, the SLS-1 mission was assigned to fly as NASA's STS-40 flight, scheduled for May 1991. 

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 4 

NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

Mark Hess/Jim Cast/Ed Campion 

Office of Space Flight 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 

(Phone: 202/453-1134 or 202/453-8536) 

Paula Cleggett-Haleim 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 

(Phone: 202/453-1547) 

Lisa Malone 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 

(Phone: 407/867-2468) 

Mike Simmons 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 

(Phone: 205/544-6537) 

James Hartsfield 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 

(Phone: 713/483-5111) 

Jean Drummond Clough 

Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 

(Phone: 804/864-6122) 

Dolores Beasley 

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 

(Phone: 301/286-2806) 

Myron Webb 

Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, MS 

(Phone: 601/688-3341) 

Nancy Lovato 

Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA 

(Phone: 805/258-3448) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 5 

CONTENTS 

GENERAL RELEASE 6 

 

MEDIA SERVICES 7 

STS-40 QUICK LOOK 8 

SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 9 

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 10 

VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 11 

FLIGHT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 12 

STS-40 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 13 

SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES (SLS-1) 14 

VESTIBULAR EXPERIMENTS IN SPACELAB 17 

AMES RESEARCH CENTER EXPERIMENTS 25 

GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS 29 

ORBITER EXPERIMENTS PROGRAM 33 

STS-40 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 35 

STS-40 MISSION MANAGEMENT 38 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 6 

RELEASE: 91-69 May 1991 

FIRST SPACELAB DEDICATED TO LIFE SCIENCES HIGHLIGHTS STS-40 

Shuttle mission STS-40, the 41st flight of the Space Shuttle and the 11th flight of Columbia, will conduct the 

Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS-1) mission, the first Spacelab dedicated to life sciences research. 

The launch of the SLS-1 mission is currently scheduled for no earlier than 9:20 a.m. EDT on May 24. The mission 

will be flown at an altitude of 160 by 150 nautical miles and at an inclination of 39 degrees to the Equator. 

During the SLS-1 mission, the STS-40 crew will perform experiments which will explore how the heart, blood 

vessels, lungs, kidneys and hormone-secreting glands respond to microgravity, the causes of space sickness and 

changes in muscles, bones and cells during the microgravity environment of space flight and in the readjustment to 

gravity upon returning to Earth. The experiments performed on Columbia's crew and on laboratory animals will 

provide the most detailed and interrelated physiological measurements acquired in the space flight environment 

since the Skylab program flights in 1973 and 1974. 

Other payloads on the SLS-1 mission include 12 experiments being flown under NASA's Get Away Special 

program. The experiments, enclosed in canisters on a bridge in the Shuttle's cargo bay, will investigate such topics 

as materials science, plant biology and cosmic radiation. 

The NASA Orbiter Experiments Program will fly 7 experiments on the STS-40 orbiter that will provide an 

opportunity for researchers to gather data on a full-scale lifting vehicle, the STS-40 orbiter, during atmospheric 

entry. 

The mission is planned to last 9 days, 3 hours and 30 minutes, concluding with a landing at Edwards Air Force 

Base, Calif., at 12:50 p.m. EDT, June 2. The Commander for this flight of Columbia will be Marine Corps Col. 

Bryan D. O'Connor. Air Force Lt. Col. Sidney M. Gutierrez will serve as Pilot. Mission specialists for STS-40 are 

James P. Bagian, MD; Tamara E. Jernigan, Ph.D.; and Margaret Rhea Seddon, MD. The payload specialists are 

Francis Andrew Gaffney, MD, and Millie Hughes-Fulford, Ph.D.. 

Following the STS-40 mission, Columbia will return to Kennedy Space Center, Fla., where the Spacelab will be 

removed. The orbiter will then go to Palmdale, Calif., for nearly 6 months to undergo major modifications and 

inspections at Rockwell International Corp. Columbia is next scheduled to fly on STS- 50, the U. S. Microgravity 

Laboratory mission, in June 1992. 

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

MEDIA SERVICES 

NASA Select Television Transmissions 

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

longitude; frequency 3960.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz. 

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

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

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

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

operations. 

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

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

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

Status Reports 

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

produced by the appropriate NASA news center. 

Briefings 

A mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior to launch. During the mission, change-of-shift 

briefings by the off-going flight director will occur at approximately 8-hour intervals. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 8 

STS-40 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date: May 24, 1991 

 

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

 

Launch Window: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. EDT 

 

Orbiter: Columbia (OV-102) 

 

Orbit: 160 by 150 nautical miles 

 

Inclination: 39 degrees 

 

Landing Date/Time: 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. PDT, June 2, 1991 

 

Primary Landing Site: Edwards Air Force Base, CA 

 

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

 Transoceanic Abort Landing - Ben Guerir, Morocco 

 Abort Once Around - White Sands Space Harbor, NM 

 

Crew: Bryan D. O'Connor, Commander 

 Sidney M. Gutierrez, Pilot 

 James P. Bagian, Mission Specialist 1 

 Tamara E. Jernigan, Mission Specialist 2 

 M. Rhea Seddon, Mission Specialist 3 

 Francis A. (Drew) Gaffney, Payload Specialist 1 

 Millie Hughes-Fulford, Payload Specialist 2 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1) 

 Get Away Special (GAS) Bridge experiments 

 

Middeck Payloads: Physiological Monitoring System (PMS) 

 Urine Monitoring System (UMS) 

 Animal Enclosure Modules (AEM) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 9 

SUMMARY OF MAJOR ACTIVITIES 

Flight Day 1 

Ascent 

OMS 2 engine firing 

Spacelab activation 

Metabolic experiment operations 

Echocardiograph operations 

Flight Day 2 

Baroreflex tests 

Pulmonary function tests 

Echocardiograph activities 

Cardiovascular operations 

Ames Research Center operations 

Flight Day 3 

Ames Research Center operations 

Rotating dome operations 

Echocardiograph activities 

DTOs 

Flight Day 4 

Baroreflex/Pulmonary function tests 

Ames Research Center operations 

Flight Day 5 

Pulmonary function tests 

Cardiovascular operations 

Echocardiograph activities 

Flight Day 6 

Rotating dome operations 

Echocardiograph activities 

Cardiovascular operations 

Ames Research Center operations 

Flight Day 7 

DTOs 

Ames Research Center operations 

Flight Day 8 

Baroreflex tests 

Echocardiograph 

Cardiovascular operations 

Flight Day 9 

Pulmonary function tests 

Flight control systems checkout 

Echocardiograph tests 

Cardiovascular operations 

Cabin stow 

Partial Spacelab deactivation 

Flight Day Ten 

Spacelab deactivation 

Deorbit preparation 

Deorbit burn 

Landing 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 10 

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 

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

its payload. Abort modes include: 

• Abort-To-Orbit (ATO) -- Partial loss of main engine thrust late enough to permit reaching a minimal 105-

nautical mile orbit with orbital maneuvering system engines. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben Guerir would result in a pitch around and thrust back toward Kennedy Space Center, Fla., until within 

gliding distance of the SLF. 

STS-40 contingency landing sites are Edwards AFB, Kennedy Space Center, White Sands, Ben Guerir, Moron and 

Zaragoza. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 11 

VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 

Pounds

 

Orbiter (Columbia), empty and 3 SSMEs 172,482 

Spacelab Life Sciences-1 Module 21,271 

GAS Bridge Assembly 4,885 

Spacelab Support Equipment 750 

Space Acceleration Measurement System 250 

Detailed Test Objectives 88 

Detailed Supplementary Objectives 35 

Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,519,081 

Orbiter Landing Weight 225,492 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 12 

FLIGHT SEQUENCE OF EVENTS 

Event 

MET 

(d/h:m:s) 

Relative 

Velocity (fps) Mach 

Altitude 

(ft) 

 

Launch 00/00:00.00 

Begin Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:10 189 0.17 799 

End Roll Maneuver 00/00:00:18 403 0.36 3,286 

SSME Throttle Down to 67% 00/00:00:33 784 0.71 11,283 

Max. Dyn. Pressure (Max Q) 00/00:00:52 1,183 1.14 27,829 

SSME Throttle Up to 104% 00/00:01:04 1,504 1.54 41,579 

SRB Staging 00/00:02:05 4,136 3.85 155,954 

Main Engine Cutoff (MECO) 00/00:08:33 24,644 22.27 367,999 

Zero Thrust 00/00:08:40 24,673 22.3 370,235 

ET Separation 00/00:08:50 

OMS 2 Burn 00/00:42:20 

Deorbit Burn (orbit 146) 09/02:31:00 

Landing (orbit 147) 09/03:30:00 

Apogee, Perigee at MECO: 155 x 40 nautical miles 

Apogee, Perigee post-OMS 2: 160 x 150 nautical miles 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 13 

STS-40 PRELAUNCH PROCESSING 

Processing the orbiter Columbia for the STS-40 mission at Kennedy Space Center began Feb. 9, following its last 

mission - STS-35/Astro I. 

About 40 modifications were made to Columbia during its 10 and a half-week stay in the OPF. These modifications 

enhance the performance and efficiency of the orbiter's complex systems. While in the OPF, four modified external 

tank door bellcrank housings were installed. Small cracks previously were found in three of the housings. 

Space Shuttle main engine locations for this flight are as follows: engine 2015 in the No. 1 position, engine 2022 in 

the No. 2 position and engine 2027 in the No. 3 position. These engines were installed in March. 

The Crew Equipment Interface Test with the STS-40 flight crew was conducted on April 7 in the OPF. This test 

provided an opportunity for the crew to become familiar with the configuration of the orbiter and anything that is 

unique to the STS-40 mission. 

Technicians installed the Spacelab module on March 24 and successfully conducted the required tests. The Spacelab 

tunnel, leading from the orbiter's airlock to the module, was installed April 3. 

Booster stacking operations on mobile launcher platform 3 began March 16 with the left and right aft boosters. 

These segments later were destacked to allow a realignment of the launch platform holddown posts. Restacking 

began on March 23 with the left aft booster. Stacking of all booster segments was completed by April 11. The 

external tank was mated to the boosters on April 17 and Columbia was transferred to the Vehicle Assembly Building 

on April 26 where it was mated to the external tank and solid rocket boosters. 

The STS-40 vehicle was rolled out to Launch Pad 39-B on May 2. A launch countdown dress rehearsal was 

scheduled for May 6-7 at Kennedy Space Center. 

A standard 43-hour launch countdown is scheduled to begin three days prior to launch. During the countdown, the 

orbiter's onboard fuel and oxidizer storage tanks will be loaded and all orbiter systems will be prepared for flight. 

About 9 hours before launch, the external tank will be filled with its flight load of a half a million gallons of liquid 

oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants. About two and one-half hours before liftoff, the flight crew will begin 

taking their assigned seats in the crew cabin. 

KSC's recovery teams will prepare the orbiter Columbia for the return trip to Florida following the end-of- mission 

landing at Edwards AFB, Calif. Orbiter turnaround operations at Dryden Flight Research Facility typically take 

about five days. A 2-day ferry flight is planned because of the additional weight of the orbiter returning with the 

Spacelab. The extra weight will require several refueling stops during the ferry flight. 

Following post-flight deservicing and removal of the Spacelab payload and major orbiter components at Kennedy 

Space Center, Columbia will be readied for ferry flight to Palmdale, Calif. The orbiter is scheduled to undergo 

extensive modifications, including changes to accommodate an extended duration mission, at the Rockwell 

manufacturing plant during a 6-month period from August 1991 to January 1992. Columbia's next scheduled flight 

is STS-50, a planned extended duration mission with the U.S. Microgravity Laboratory payload targeted for launch 

in June 1992. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 14 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 15 

SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES (SLS-1 

Many volumes of research remain to be recorded and studied regarding adaptation of humans to the weightless 

environment of space flight. The blanks, however, will begin to be filled following the broad range of experiments 

to be conducted on the Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1). 

With the help of the STS-40 crew, investigators from across the nation will conduct tests on the cardiovascular, 

cardiopulmonary, metabolic, musculoskeletal and neurovestibular systems. 

There are 18 primary experiments chosen for SLS-1. Those using human subjects are managed by the Lyndon B. 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, and those using animals are managed by the Ames Research Center, Moffett 

Field, Calif. Organized by the managing NASA center, this section of the press kit will summarize the 18 

experiments, identify the principal investigators and list flight hardware used to support the experiments. 

Johnson Space Center 

Spacelab Life Sciences-1 Experiments 

Activities involved with the human experiments on-board Columbia are managed by the Lyndon B. Johnson Space 

Center, Houston, Texas. Preflight baseline data collection will be performed primarily at Johnson Space Center with 

several tests scheduled at the Kennedy Space Center just prior to launch. Investigators will perform post-flight tests 

at the Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif. 

A broad range of instruments -- some, unique hardware and others, standard equipment -- will be used by the human 

subjects throughout the mission. Equipment will include a neck chamber, cardiopulmonary rebreathing unit, gas 

analyzer mass spectrometer, rotating dome, inflight blood collection system, urine monitoring system, bag-in-box 

assembly, strip chart recorders, physiological monitoring system, incubators, low-gravity centrifuge, 

echocardiograph and venous occlusion cuff controller. 

In total, the 10 experiments will explore the capabilities of the human body in space. A brief description of these 

experiments follows: 

Influence Of Weightlessness Upon Human Autonomic Cardiovascular Controls 

Principal investigator: 

Dwain L. Eckberg, MD 

Medical College of Virginia Richmond, VA 

This experiment will investigate the theory that lightheadedness and a reduction in blood pressures in astronauts 

upon standing after landing may arise because the normal reflex system regulating blood pressure behaves 

differently after having adapted to a microgravity environment. 

For this experiment, some SLS-1 crewmembers will wear neck chambers that resemble whip-lash collars to detect 

blood pressure in the neck. Investigators will take blood pressure measurements both before and after the flight for 

comparison. Astronauts will take the same measurements themselves on orbit to map changes that occur during 

spaceflight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 16 

Inflight Study Of Cardiovascular Deconditioning 

Principal investigator: 

Leon E. Farhi, MD 

State University of New York at Buffalo 

Buffalo, NY 

Just how rapidly astronauts become accustomed to microgravity and then readjust to the normal gravitational forces 

on Earth is the focus of this study. By analyzing the gas composition of a mixture which the STS-40 astronauts 

"rebreathe," investigators will calculate how much blood is being delivered by the heart to the body during space 

flight. 

This experiment uses a non-invasive technique of prolonged expiration and rebreathing -- inhaling in previously 

exhaled gases -- to measure the cardiovascular and respiratory changes. The technique furnishes information on 

functions including the amount of blood pumped out of the heart, oxygen usage and carbon dioxide released by the 

body, heart contractions, blood pressure and lung functioning. 

Astronauts will perform the rebreathing technique while resting and while pedaling on an exercise bike to provide a 

look at the heart's ability to cope with added physical stress. On the first and last days of the STS-40 mission, only 

resting measurements will be taken. Rest and graded exercise measurements are made on most other days. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 17 

VESTIBULAR EXPERIMENTS IN SPACELAB 

Principal investigator: 

Laurence R. Young, Sc. D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

Cambridge, MA 

A joint U.S./Canadian research program has been developed to perform a set of closely related experiments to 

investigate space motion sickness, any associated changes in inner ear vestibular function during weightlessness and 

the impact of those changes postflight. Parts of this experiment will be carried out inflight, other parts on the ground 

both pre- and post-flight. 

As part of the inflight activities, the team will study the interaction between conflicting visual, vestibular and tactile 

information. Investigators expect crew members to become increasingly dependent on visual and tactile cues for 

spatial orientation. The test calls for a crew member to place his/her head in a rotating dome hemispherical display 

to induce a sensation of self-rotation in the direction opposite to the dome rotation. The astronaut will then move a 

joy stick to indicate his/her perception of self-motion. 

Awareness of position by astronauts is important for reaching tasks especially during landing operations. The 

objective of several tests during the flight will document the loss of sense of orientation and limb position in the 

absence of visual cues and will determine what mechanisms underlie the phenomenon. 

During the presleep period, crewmembers will view several targets placed about the interior of Spacelab. They then 

will be blindfolded and asked to describe the position of their limbs in reference to their torso and to point to the 

targets. In post sleep, crew members upon waking and while blindfolded perceive their posture, position of their 

limbs and location of familiar orbiter structures, recording the accuracy of their perceptions. 

The next two parts of this experiment will be performed as time permits on the SLS-1 mission or continued on a 

later Spacelab mission. Both experiments have been previously performed by crewmembers in space. 

The next part looks at the causes and treatment of space motion sickness (SMS) and evaluates the success of Earthbased tests to predict SMS susceptibility. Two crew members will wear an acceleration recording unit (ARU) to 

measure all head movement and to provide detailed commentary regarding the time, course and signs of SMS. 

Subjects wearing the ARU will wear the collar for several hours during the mission and if desired, when symptoms 

occur. The influence of the collar on the resulting head movement pattern and SMS symptoms will be monitored. 

Another battery of tests performed preflight will attempt to determine which test or combination of tests could aid in 

predicting SMS. 

Protein Metabolism During Space Flight 

Principal investigator: 

T. Peter Stein, Ph.D. University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey 

Camden, NJ 

This study involves several tests looking at the mechanisms involved in protein metabolism including changes in 

protein synthesis rates, muscle breakdown rates and use of dietary nitrogen in a weightless environment. 

This experiment will examine whole body protein metabolism by measuring the concentration of 15N- glycine, an 

amino acid in protein, in saliva and urine samples from crew members and ground control subjects preflight, inflight 

and postflight. 

Crew members will collect urine samples throughout the flight. On the second and eighth flight days, astronauts also 

will take oral doses of 15N-glycine. Crew members will collect and freeze a urine sample 10 hours after the 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 18 

ingestion of the glycine for postflight analyses. Urinary 3-methyl histidine, a marker for muscle protein breakdown 

also will be monitored. 

Fluid-Electrolyte Regulation During Spaceflight 

Principal investigator: 

Carolyn Leach-Huntoon, Ph.D. Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center 

Houston, TX 

Adaptation to the weightless environment is known to change fluid, electrolyte, renal and circulatory processes in 

humans. A shift of body fluids from the lower limbs to the upper body occurs to all astronauts while in space. 

This experiment makes detailed measurements before, during and after flight to determine immediate and long-term 

changes in kidney function; changes in water, salt and mineral balance; shifts in body fluids from cells and tissues; 

and immediate and long-term changes in levels of hormones which affect kidney function and circulation. 

Test protocol requires that crew members collect urine samples throughout the flight. Body mass is measured daily 

and a log is kept of all food, fluids and medication taken in flight. Fasting blood samples are collected from the crew 

members as soon as possible inflight and at specified intervals on selected flight days thereafter. 

Tests will determine the amount of certain tracers that can be released from a given volume of blood or plasma into 

urine in a specified amount of time, measuring the rate and loss of body water and determining changes in blood 

plasma volume and extracellular fluid. Measurements will be made two times inflight by collecting blood samples at 

timed intervals after each subject has received a precalculated dose of a tracer, a chemical which allows the 

compound to be tracked as it moves through the body. Total body water is measured during flight using water 

labeled with a heavy isotope of oxygen. 

Each subject drinks a premeasured dose of the tracer and subsequently collects urine samples at timed intervals. 

Plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume are measured by collecting blood samples at timed intervals after 

tracer injections. Hormonal changes are investigated by sensitive assays of both plasma and urine. 

Pulmonary Function During Weightlessness 

Principal investigator: 

John B. West, MD/Ph.D. University of California 

San Diego, CA 

This experiment provides an opportunity for study of the properties of the human lung without the influence of 

gravity. In the microgravity Spacelab, a model of lung function will be developed to serve as a basis for comparison 

for the normal and diseased lung. Also, investigators will glean information about the lung for planning longer space 

missions. 

There will be a series of eight breath tests conducted with measurements taken at rest and after breathing various test 

bag mixtures. The test assembly allows the subject to switch from breathing cabin air to inhaling premixed gases in 

separate breathing bags. Breathing exercises involve the inhalation of specially prepared gas mixtures. 

The tests are designed to examine the distribution and movement of blood and gas within the pulmonary system and 

how these measurements compare to normal respiration. By measuring gas concentrations, the flow of gas through 

the lungs into the blood stream and rate of blood flow into the lungs, investigators hope to better understand the 

human pulmonary function here on Earth and learn how gravity plays a part in influencing lung function. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 19 

Lymphocyte Proliferation In Weightlessness 

Principal investigator: 

Augusto Cogoli, Ph.D. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology 

Zurich, Switzerland 

Following investigations carried out during Spacelab 1 and the German D-1 shuttle missions, this experiment will 

investigate the effect of weightlessness on the activation of lymphocyte reproduction. The study also will test 

whether there is a possible alteration of the cells responsible for part of the immune defense system during space 

flight. 

STS-40 will repeat the basic Spacelab-1 experiment. Lymphocytes will be purified from human blood collected 12 

hours before launch. The cells will be resuspended in a culture medium, sealed in culture blocks and stowed on 

Columbia's middeck. Inflight, the samples will be exposed to a mitogen (a substance that promotes cell division) and 

allowed to grow in the weightless environment. Some of the samples also will be exposed to varying gravity levels 

on the low-gravity centrifuge. These samples will serve as a control group as they will experience the same 

environmental conditions with the exception of micro- gravity. 

The stimulation of the lymphocytes to reproduce is determined by monitoring the incorporation of a chemical 

isotope tracer into the cells' DNA. Investigators will gather further information on lymphocytes from blood samples 

taken from the crew inflight. 

Influence Of Space Flight On Erythrokinetics In Man 

Principal investigator: 

Clarence Alfrey, MD Baylor College of Medicine 

Houston, TX 

The most consistent finding from space flight is the decrease in circulating red blood cells or erythrocytes and 

subsequent reduction in the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. This experiment studies the mechanisms which 

may be responsible for this decrease, including the effect of space flight on red blood cell production rate and the 

role of changes in body weight and plasma volume on red blood cell production. 

Blood samples taken pre-, post- and inflight will trace the life of astronauts' red blood cells. By measuring the 

volume of red blood cells and plasma, researchers will check the rate of production and destruction of blood in both 

normal and microgravity conditions. 

On flight day two, crew members will receive an injection of a tracer that will measure the amount of new red blood 

cells. Tracers (chemicals that will attach to the red blood cell to allowing them to be tracked) injected before launch 

will measure the destruction rate of red blood cells. Crew members will draw blood samples on the second, third, 

fourth, eighth and ninth days of flight. 

Cardiovascular Adaptation To Microgravity 

Principal investigator: 

C. Gunnar Blomqvist, MD University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center 

Dallas, TX 

This experiment will focus on the acute changes in cardiovascular function, heart dimensions and function at rest, 

response to maximal exercise and control mechanisms. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 20 

The experiment seeks to increase the understanding of microgravity-induced changes in the cardiovascular structure 

and function responsible for a common problem during return to normal gravity of orthostatic hypotension or the 

inability to maintain normal blood pressure and flow while in an upright position. 

Central venous pressure -- measurements of changes in the blood pressure in the great veins near the heart -- will be 

observed in one crew member. A cardiologist will insert a catheter into a vein in the arm and position it near the 

heart prior to flight. Measurements then will be recorded for 24 hours beginning prior to launch and extending for at 

least 4 hours into space flight, at which time the catheter is removed. The catheter data will indicate the degree of 

body fluid redistribution and the speed at which the redistribution occurs. 

Echocardiograph measurements, a method of sending high frequency sound into the body to provide a view of the 

heart, will be performed on crew members each day. 

Leg flow and compliance measurements will gather information on leg blood flow and leg vein pressure- volume 

relationships. During flow measurements, blood in the veins of the leg will be stopped for a short period of time by 

inflating a cuff above the knee. Compliance measurements, the amount of blood that pools for a given increased 

pressure in the veins will be obtained by inflating and incrementally deflating the cuff over different pressures and 

holding that pressure until the volume of the leg reaches an equilibrium. 

Pathophysiology Of Mineral Loss During Space Flight 

Principal investigator: 

Claude D. Arnaud, MD University of California 

San Francisco, CA 

Changes in calcium balance during space flight is an area of concern for researchers since the changes appear to be 

similar to those observed in humans with osteoporosis, a condition in which bone mass decreases and the bones 

become porous and brittle and are prone to fracturing or breaking. Because of potential health problems for 

astronauts returning to Earth after long space flights, the mechanisms which cause these changes are of great interest 

in space medicine. 

This experiment will measure the changes which occur during space flight in circulating levels of calcium 

metabolizing hormones and to directly measure the uptake and release of calcium in the body. Investigators believe 

there may be significant changes in the amount of these hormones produced due to an increase in the breakdown and 

reassimilation of bone tissue and that these changes begin to occur within hours after entering the weightless 

environment. 

Each crew member will be weighed daily and will keep a log of all food, fluids and medications ingested. They also 

will draw blood samples on selected days to determine the role of calcium regulating hormones on the observed 

changes in calcium balance. The experiment is repeated on selected days preflight and postflight. A simultaneous 

ground experiment is performed using non-crew member subjects. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 21 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 22 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 23 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 24 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 25 

AMES RESEARCH CENTER SPACELAB LIFE SCIENCES-1 EXPERIMENTS 

The Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., as the developer of nonhuman life sciences experiments, will 

supply eight investigations to the SLS-1 mission. They are designed to increase our knowledge about the functioning 

of basic life processes during exposure to microgravity. 

These experiments will examine three systems: musculoskeletal, neurovestibular and hematopoietic. Seven of the 

investigations will use laboratory rats as subjects. A gravitational biology experiment will study jellyfish 

development and behavior. Ames Research Center also has developed several pieces of flight hardware to support 

these experiments. 

The Ames payload consists of a research animal holding facility (RAHF), two animal enclosure modules (AEMs), a 

general purpose work station and associated general purpose transfer unit, a refrigerator/incubator module, a small 

mass measuring instrument and eight animal experiments. A brief description of each of those experiments follows. 

Regulation Of Erythropoiesis During Space Flight 

Principal investigator: 

Robert D. Lange, MD University of Tennessee Medical Center 

Knoxville, TN 

Regulation Of Blood Volume During Space Flight 

Principal investigator: 

Clarence Alfrey, MD Baylor College of Medicine 

Houston, TX 

This combined investigation will explore the mechanisms for changes seen in red blood cell mass and blood volume 

in crews on previous space flights. Several factors known to affect erythropoiesis will be examined. It also will 

determine whether comparable changes occur in the rat and if the rat is a satisfactory model for studying 

microgravity-induced changes in human blood. 

Previous space flight crews have consistently exhibited decreased red blood cell mass and plasma volume. The 

mechanisms responsible for these changes are not known, although a decrease in red blood cell production may play 

a role in altered red cell mass. 

The SLS-1 hematology experiments will study two parts of the blood system: the liquid portion (plasma), which 

contains water, proteins, nutrients, electrolytes, hormones and metabolic wastes and a cellular portion, which 

contains red and white blood cells and platelets. 

Bone, Calcium And Space Flight 

Principal investigator: 

Emily Morey-Holton, Ph.D. NASA Ames Research Center 

Moffett Field, CA 

Weightlessness causes a slow loss of calcium and phosphorus from the bones during and immediately following 

space flight. Negative calcium balance, decreased bone density and inhibition of bone formation have been reported. 

Most of the loss is thought to occur in the leg bones and the spine, which are responsible for movement and erect 

posture. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 26 

Previous studies of rodents exposed to microgravity have shown decreased skeletal growth early in the mission; 

reduced concentrations of a protein secreted by bone-forming cells, suggesting a reduction in the activity of these 

cells; and reduced leg bone breaking strength and reduced bone mass in the spine. 

Formation of bone probably does not cease abruptly, but more likely decreases gradually as the number and/or 

activity of bone- forming cells decreases. This experiment will allow more precise calculation of the length of flight 

time required to significantly inhibit bone formation in rats. 

Dr. Morey-Holton's experiment focuses on growth that occurs in a number of specific bones such as the leg, spine 

and jaw. The study also will document alterations in bone growth patterns and bone-breaking strength in rodents 

exposed to weightlessness and it will determine whether bone formation returns to normal levels after space flight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 27 

A Study Of The Effects Of Space Travel On Mammalian Gravity Receptors 

Principal investigator: 

Muriel Ross, Ph.D. NASA Ames Research Center 

Moffett Field, CA 

The neurovestibular system, which helps animals orient their bodies, is very sensitive to gravity. In space, gravity no 

longer influences the tiny otolith crystals, which are small, calcified gravity receptors in the inner ear. In microgravity, information sent to the brain from the inner ear and other sensory organs may conflict with cues anticipated 

from past experiences in Earth's normal gravity field. This conflict results in disorientation. 

Previous flight experience has shown that vestibular symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and dizziness and 

instability when standing, occur in more than half of the astronauts during the first few days of flight, with some 

symptoms lasting for up to 10 days post-flight. 

This study investigates structural changes that may occur within the inner ear in response to the microgravity of 

space. It seeks to define the effects of prolonged weightlessness on the otoliths. Scientists suspect that otolith 

degeneration may occur as a result of changes in the body's calcium levels, carbohydrate and protein metabolism, 

body fluid distribution and hormone secretions. 

The study also will examine the degree to which any changes noted remain static, progress or recover during a 7-day 

period post-flight. 

Effects Of Microgravity-Induced Weightlessness On Aurelia Ephyra Differentiation And Statolith Synthesis 

Principal investigator: 

Dorothy B. Spangenberg, Ph.D. Eastern Virginia Medical School 

Norfolk, VA 

Jellyfish are among the simplest organisms possessing a nervous system. They use structures called rhophalia to 

maintain their correct orientation in water. Rhophalia have statoliths that are analogous to mammalian otoliths, the 

gravity-sensing organs of the inner ear that help mammals maintain balance. 

The purpose of this investigation is to determine the role microgravity plays in the development and function of 

gravity- receptor structures of Aurelia (a type of jellyfish). Ephyrae are a tiny form of the jellyfish. This experiment 

will study the gravity receptors of ephyrae to determine how microgravity influences their development and 

function, as well as the animals' swimming behavior. 

Skeletal Myosin Isoenzymes In Rats Exposed To Microgravity 

Principal investigator: 

Joseph Foon Yoong Hoh, Ph.D. University of Sydney 

Sydney, Australia 

Skeletal muscle fibers exist in two forms, classified as slow- twitch or fast-twitch, depending on how fast they 

contract. The two forms develop similar forces when contracting but they contract at different speeds. The speed of 

contraction is directly related to the amount of the protein myosin in muscle fibers. Myosin is made up of five 

isoenzymes, which differ in structure and in enzyme activity. 

In Earth's gravity, a low-firing frequency stimulates the slow- twitch fibers, which support a body against gravity. 

The fast- twitch fibers, which are related to body movement, contract in response to high- frequency nerve impulses. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 28 

This study will examine how microgravity affects the speed of muscle contractions. Because stimuli to the slowtwitch anti- gravity muscles should be greatly reduced in microgravity, the concentration of myosin isoenzymes in 

these fibers should be lower. This experiment should provide additional data to help explain how microgravity 

affects the speed of muscle contractions and the growth and proliferation of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle 

fibers. 

Effects Of Microgravity On Biochemical And Metabolic Properties Of Skeletal Muscle In Rats 

Principal investigator: 

Kenneth M. Baldwin, Ph.D. University of California 

Irvine, CA 

It has been proposed that a loss of muscle mass in astronauts during weightlessness produces the observed loss of 

strength and endurance, particularly in the anti-gravity muscles. One explanation is that exposure to microgravity 

results in the removal of sufficient stress or tension on the muscles to maintain adequate levels of certain proteins 

and enzymes. 

These proteins and enzymes enable cells to use oxygen to convert nutrients into energy. When gravitational stress is 

reduced, protein activity also decreases and muscles become more dependent on glycogen stored in the liver and 

muscles for energy. As the body metabolizes glycogen, muscle endurance decreases. 

Radioactive carbon compounds will be used to evaluate energy metabolism in the hind leg muscles of the rats 

exposed to microgravity. The concentration of the enzymes reflects the kind of metabolic activity occurring in 

muscles during periods of reduced gravitational stress. In addition, skeletal muscle cells of flight and ground-control 

animals will be compared to assess any changes in the concentration of enzymes that break down glycogen. 

The Effects Of Microgravity On The Electron Microscopy, Histochemistry And Protease Activities Of Rat 

Hindlimb Muscles 

Principal investigator: 

Danny A. Riley, Ph.D. Medical College of Wisconsin 

Milwaukee, WI 

The anti-gravity skeletal muscles of astronauts exposed to microgravity for extended periods exhibit progressive 

weakness. Studies of rodents flown in space for 7 days on a previous mission have shown a 40 percent loss of mass 

in the anti-gravity leg muscles. Other studies indicate the loss of strength may result from simple muscle fiber 

shrinkage, death of muscle cells and/or degeneration of motor innervation. In addition, the biochemical process that 

generates energy in muscle cells was almost totally absent. The progressive atrophy of certain muscles in 

microgravity is the focus of this study, which compares the atrophy rates of muscles used primarily to oppose 

gravity with those muscles used for movement. 

Investigators will examine muscle tissues of flight and ground- control rodents to look for the shrinkage or death of 

muscle cells, breakdown of muscle fibers or degeneration of motor nerves. Scientists also hope to discover the 

chemical basis for atrophy by analyzing the concentration of enzymes that facilitate the breakdown of proteins 

within cells. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 29 

GET AWAY SPECIAL EXPERIMENTS 

NASA's Get Away Special (GAS) program's goal is to provide access to space to everyone by offering an 

inexpensive way for individuals and organizations, both private and public of all countries, to send scientific 

research and development experiments on board a Space Shuttle for a modest fee on a space- available basis. 

The GAS bridge, capable of holding a maximum of 12 canisters (or cans), fits across the payload bay of the orbiter 

and offers a convenient and economic way of flying several canisters simultaneously. 

To date, 55 GAS cans have flown on 15 missions. The GAS program began in 1982 and is managed by Goddard 

Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. Clarke Prouty is GAS project manager and Larry Thomas is Technical liaison 

officer. The 12 GAS experiments on STS-40 are: 

(G-021) Solid State Microaccelerometer Experiment 

This experiment, sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA), is part of ESA's In-Orbit Technology 

Demonstration Program, which makes use of flight opportunities available on European and American carriers to fly 

technology experiments. 

The objective of the experiment is to test a new kind of very sensitive, highly miniaturized accelerometers, intended 

for applications on a number of ESA space missions. Using a block of silicon material etched to create a frame with 

a mass suspended on two beams, the experiment was devised to subject accelerometers to known vibration stimuli 

while in the microgravity environment of the Shuttle orbit. 

As a result of the extreme sensitivity of the accelerometers, noise created by the crew or Shuttle systems could 

reduced the quality of the measurements. Because of this, the crew will switch on the experiment prior to a sleep 

period. The experiment will work autonomously and will last about 3 hours. After the sleep period, the crew will 

switch it off again. 

The payload was designed and built by two Swiss companies, Compagnie Industrielle Radioelectrique S.A. and 

Centre Suisse D'Elecronique et de Microtechnique S.A. The NASA technical manager (NTM) is Richard Hoffman. 

(G-052) Experiment In Crystal Growth 

This experiment was designed to grow crystals of gallium arsenide (GaAs). GaAs is a versatile electronic material 

used in high speed electronics and opto-electronics. 

The payload will grow two selenium-doped GaAs crystals. The crystals will be 1 inch in diameter by 3.5 inches long 

and will be grown using a gradient freeze growth technique. Growth of the two crystals in space is part of a 

comprehensive research program to systematically investigate the effect of gravity-driven fluid flow on GaAs 

crystal growth. 

The payload was designed and constructed at GTE Laboratories in Waltham, Mass., and is jointly sponsored by 

GTE, NASA's Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio, and the U.S. Air Force Wright Research and Development 

Center Materials Laboratory, Dayton, Ohio. Scientists from each research institution will contribute to 

characterization of the space-grown crystals. The NTM is Dave Peters. 

(G-091) Orbital Ball Bearing Experiment 

A team of researchers from California State University, Northridge (CSUN) have built an experiment apparatus 

called the Orbital Ball Bearing Experiment (OBBEX) to test the effects of melting cylindrical metal pellets in 

microgravity. If successful, this experiment may produce a type of ball bearing which has never before been built. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 30 

One of the goals of the OBBEX experiment is to create the world's first seamless, hollow ball bearing. The hollow 

characteristic of the ball can improve the service life rating of a ball bearing. This permits higher speeds and higher 

load applications and may reduce the friction encountered in normal operation. 

With faculty support, the OBBEX was designed and built as part of a senior year design project at California State 

University, Northridge. Funding for the experiment was provided by two Southern California companies: Moore 

Industries Inc., a manufacturer of industrial control systems, and Industrial Tektonics, Inc., a specialty bearing 

manufacturer. Additional funding was supplied by the Aerospace Corporation, The CSUN Foundation and several 

individuals. The NTM is Don Carson. 

(G-105) In-Space Commercial Processing 

Scientists at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) will use five experiments to study possible commercial 

in-space processing opportunities. Those experiments and another in cosmic ray research are co-sponsored by 

UAH's Consortium for Materials Development in Space and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville. 

While Columbia is in orbit, two experiment packages in the canister will process organic films and crystals that 

might be used in optical communications and computers. Another will electroplate metals to study special catalytic 

or reactory properties, or resistance to corrosion. A fourth experiment will study technology used to refine and 

process organic materials, such as medical samples. 

The fifth UAH experiment will collect cosmic ray interactions on film emulsion while also helping scientists assess 

materials that may be used in future massive cosmic ray detectors to be flown aboard the Shuttle or Space Station 

Freedom or to determine exposure to energetic particles on Earth. 

The sixth experiment is provided by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, a state-owned, space science museum. It will 

study the effects of cosmic radiation on the chromosomes and genes of a common yeast. The NTM is Larry Thomas. 

(G-286) Foamed Ultralight Metals 

The scientific aim of this payload is to demonstrate the feasibility of producing, in orbit, foams of ultralight metals 

for possible application as shock-absorbing panel-backing to improve the shielding of both manned and unmanned 

vehicles and satellites, including Space Station Freedom, against hypervelocity impacts either from micrometeoroids 

or orbiting debris. 

The concept of using ultralight, reactive alloys in the space environment, where their reactivity is not an issue, offers 

many advantages in the engineering of large-scale space structures. Similarly, the idea of using metal foams made 

from such alloys as shock-absorbing backing to improve the effectiveness of satellite armor may offer substantial 

benefits in the design of Space Station Freedom. 

The payload was built at Duke University in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. The 

project was supported by Omni Magazine, which offered the canister as part of a national contest in 1983, and by 

the School of Engineering in subsequent years. The NTM is Don Carson. 

(G-405) Chemical Precipitate Formation 

This payload will return data concerning the formation of six insoluble inorganic chemical precipitates. The 

experiment will investigate the rate of formation and terminal size of precipitate particles when the growth is not 

impaired by settling due to gravity. 

The experiment is sponsored by the Frontiers of Science Foundation of Oklahoma, a private, non-profit organization 

established to promote science education within Oklahoma, in conjunction with Louisiana Tech University. In 1983, 

the foundation sponsored a contest among high school students to conceptualize an experiment which would fly 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 31 

aboard the Shuttle. The revisions for the payload were performed at the Louisiana Tech University, where the 

payload manager currently serves on the faculty in mechanical engineering. 

After flight and analysis of data the payload will be donated and displayed at the Oklahoma Air and Space Museum 

in Oklahoma City. The NTM is Larry Thomas. 

(G-408) Five Microgravity Experiments 

Five student experiments from the Worcester Polytechnic Institute are included in one GAS can. One will attempt to 

grow large zeolite crystals. Another will study the behavior of fluids in microgravity. A third, the Environmental 

Data Acquisition System, will record information about sound, light, temperature and pressure within the GAS can. 

The fourth will measure the acceleration of the Shuttle along three axes with a high degree of precision. A fifth 

experiment will study the fogging of film in space. 

The experimental packages are sponsored by the MITRE Corp. Bedford, Mass. The NTM is Don Carson. 

(G-451) Flower And Vegetable Seeds Exposure To Space 

Sakana Seeds Corporation in Yokohama, Japan, and the Nissho Iwai American Corporation in New York, NY, will 

jointly send 19 varieties of flower and vegetable seeds into space to determine how the unknown variables of 

microgravity will affect seed growth. After the Shuttle lands and the seeds are recovered, the companies plan to 

distribute the seeds widely to amateur growers. The NTM is Herbert Foster. 

(G-455) Semiconductor Crystal Growth Experiment 

This payload was developed to investigate the potential advantages of crystal growth under microgravity. There are 

two experiments -- PbSnTe crystal growth from vapor and GaAs crystal growth from metallic solution. The payload 

is sponsored by Fujitsu Limited in Kawasaki, Japan, and Nissho Iwai Corporation in Tokyo. The NTM is David 

Shrewsberry. 

(G-507) Orbiter Stability Experiment 

This experiment, developed at Goddard Space Flight Center, will measure the Space Shuttle's spectrum of small 

angular motions (or "jitter") produced by the operation of mechanical systems, thruster firings and human motions 

during normal crew activity. 

In addition to the vibration measurements that will be made, Goddard's GAS can also carries a passive experiment to 

test the effects of radiation on photographic film. The experiment was developed and provided by Dr. Ernest 

Hammond of Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD. The NTM is Neal Barthleme. 

(G-616) The Effect Of Cosmic Radiation On Floppy Disks & Plant Seeds Exposure To Microgravity 

This payload consists of two experiments. The first will investigate static computer memory (floppy disks) to 

determine if cosmically charged particles will produce changes in data integrity or structure. The second will look 

for changes in the physiology or growth of 38 different types of plant seeds. Each cultivator will be examined postflight in comparison with samples from the same seed lot, that remained on the Earth, for a wide variety of possible 

effects or changes. 

Several of the floppy disks contain programs developed by elementary school students. In addition, a large number 

of plant seeds will be distributed to every elementary and junior high school student in the Redlands, Calif., Unified 

School District, the sponsor of the experiment. The NTM is Charles Kim. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 32 

(G-486) Six Active Soldering Experiments 

No information on this payload was provided by the sponsor, EDSYN, Inc. of Van Nuys, Calif. The NTM is 

Bernard Karmilowicz. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 33 

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. To take advantage of this opportunity, NASA's 

Office of Aeronautics, Exploration and Technology instituted the orbiter experiments (OEX) program in 1976. 

The OEX program provides a mechanism for flight research experiments to be developed and flown aboard a Space 

Shuttle orbiter. 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. 

Seven OEX experiments will be flown on STS-40. Included among this group will be six experiments conceived by 

Langley researchers and one experiment developed by Johnson. 

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 nosecap surface air pressure is sensed. Measurement of the pressure levels and distribution allows 

post-flight determination of vehicle attitude and atmospheric density during entry. SEADS, which has flown on four 

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

Research Center, Hampton, Va., 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 uses 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. 

SUMS was previously flown on STS-61C and STS-35. Robert C. Blanchard and Roy J. Duckett of Langley 

Research Center are co-principal investigators. 

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

combined with vehicle motion data, are used to determine in-flight aerodynamic performance characteristics of the 

orbiter. 

Aerodynamic Coefficient Identification Package (ACIP) 

The ACIP instrumentation includes three-axis 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 orbiters Columbia and Challenger. David B. 

Kanipe, Johnson Space Center, Houston, is the ACIP principal investigator. 

High Resolution Accelerometer Package (HiRAP) 

This instrument is a three-axis set of highly sensitive accelerometers which measure 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 12 previous missions of the orbiters Columbia and 

Challenger. Robert C. Blanchard, Langley Research Center, is the HiRAP principal investigator. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 34 

Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) 

The Orbital Acceleration Research Experiment (OARE) complements the ACIP and HiRAP instruments by 

extending the altitude range over which vehicle acceleration data can be obtained to orbital altitudes. Like the 

HiRAP, the OARE instrument comprises a three- axis set of extremely sensitive linear accelerometers. The OARE 

sensors are substantially more sensitive than the HiRAP sensors. 

Because of their extreme measurement sensitivity, the OARE sensors cannot be adequately calibrated on the ground 

(in a 1-g environment). Consequently, the sensors are mounted on a rotary calibration table which enables an 

accurate instrument calibration to be performed on orbit. 

The OARE instrument is installed for flight on a special mounting plate within the orbiter's payload bay. OARE data 

are recorded on the mission payload recorder. This is the first flight for the OARE instrument. Principal investigator 

is Robert C. Blanchard of Langley Research Center. 

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 the 

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

STS-35 and STS-40, the experiment has been configured to obtain images of the upper fuselage. SILTS has flown 

on four Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton and E. Vincent Zoby of Langley Research Center are co-principal 

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 the vertical tail. These sensors were originally part of 

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

(STS-1 through 5). 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 three previous Columbia flights. David A. Throckmorton, Langley Research Center, is principal investigator. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 35 

STS-40 CREWMEMBERS 

STS040-S-002 -- Five NASA astronauts and two scientists serving as payload specialists have been named to fly 

aboard Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, for NASA's STS-40 mission. Astronaut Bryan D. O'Connor (rear left) 

is the mission commander, and Sidney M. Gutierrez (rear right) is the pilot. Others are (front, left to right) payload 

specialists F. Drew Gaffney and Millie Hughes-Fulford; mission specialists M. Rhea Seddon, James P. Bagian, and 

Tamara E. Jernigan (rear center). The primary payload for this flight is Spacelab Life Sciences 1 (SLS-1) (note the 

model of the shuttle with the Spacelab module and related hardware depicted). The crewmembers are wearing 

launch and entry suits (LESs). The crew insignia and the United States flag are displayed in the background. 

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

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

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

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

layout and copy be submitted to NASA prior to release. 

PHOTO CREDIT: NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 36 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

MARINE CORPS COL. BRYAN D. O'CONNOR, 44, will serve as Commander of STS-40 and will be making 

his second space flight. O'Connor, from Twentynine Palms, Calif., was selected as an astronaut in May 1980. 

He graduated from Twentynine Palms High School in 1964, received a bachelor of science degree in engineering 

from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1968 and received a master of science in aeronautical engineering from the 

University of West Florida in 1970. 

He was commissioned in the Marine Corps in 1968 and following several overseas assignments, graduated from the 

Navy Test Pilot School and began duty as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Center's Strike Test Directorate. He 

served as project pilot for various very short take off and landing (VSTOL) research aircraft, including preliminary 

evaluation of the YAV-88 advanced Harrier prototype. 

After selection as an astronaut, he served as a T-38 chase pilot for STS-3 and as spacecraft communicator for STS-5 

through STS-9. He then served as pilot of Atlantis on STS-61B from Nov. 26 through Dec. 3, 1985, during which 

the crew deployed three communications satellites and conducted two Space Station assembly test spacewalks. 

O'Connor has logged more than 165 hours in space and more than 4,100 hours flying time in jet aircraft. 

AIR FORCE LT. COL. SIDNEY M. GUTIERREZ, 39, will serve as Pilot. Selected as an astronaut in 1984, 

Gutierrez, from Albuquerque, NM, will be making his first space flight. 

Gutierrez graduated from Valley High School, Albuquerque, in 1969, received a bachelor of science in aeronautical 

engineering from the Air Force Academy in 1973 and received a master of arts in management from Webster 

College in 1977. 

He was a member of the Air Force Academy collegiate parachute team while in college with a master parachutist 

rating and over 550 jumps. After graduating from the Air Force Academy, he was assigned as a T-38 instructor pilot 

from 1975-1977 at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, Texas. He attended the Air Force Test Pilot School in 1981 

and was assigned to the F-16 Falcon Combined Test Force upon graduation, where he stayed until joining NASA. 

At NASA, his duties have included work in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and as the lead astronaut for 

Shuttle software development, verification and future requirements definition. He has logged more than 3,000 hours 

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

JAMES P. BAGIAN, MD, 39, will serve as Mission Specialist 1 (MS1). Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Bagian is 

from Philadelphia, Pa., and will be making his second space flight. 

Bagian graduated from Central High School, Philadelphia, in 1969, received a bachelor of science in mechanical 

engineering from Drexel University in 1973 and received a doctorate of medicine from Thomas Jefferson University 

in 1977. 

Bagian worked as a mechanical engineer at the Naval Air Test Center while pursuing his doctorate. Upon 

graduation, he served a 1-year residency with the Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pa. Subsequently, he joined 

NASA as a flight surgeon, concurrently completing studies at the Air Force Flight Surgeons School and School of 

Aerospace Medicine, San Antonio, Texas. Bagian is a Lt. Col. in the Air Force Reserve. 

After selection as an astronaut, Bagian worked in planning and providing emergency medical and rescue support for 

the first six Shuttle flights. Bagian served as a mission specialist aboard Discovery on STS-29, March 13-18, 1989, 

on which the crew deployed a tracking and data relay satellite, conducted a Space Station heat pipe radiator 

experiment, two student experiments and a chromosome and plant cell division experiment. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 37 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

TAMARA E. JERNIGAN, Ph.D., 32, will serve as Mission Specialist 2 (MS2). Selected as an astronaut in 1985, 

Jernigan is from Santa Fe Springs, Calif., and will be making her first space flight. 

Jernigan graduated from Santa Fe High School in 1977, received a bachelor of science in physics and a master of 

science in engineering science from Stanford University in 1981 and 1983, respectively, received a master of 

science in astronomy from the University of California-Berkley in 1985 and received a doctorate in space physics 

and astronomy from Rice University, Houston, Texas, in 1988. After selection as an astronaut, Jernigan worked as a 

spacecraft communicator in Mission Control for five Shuttle flights. 

MARGARET RHEA SEDDON, MD, 43, will serve as Mission Specialist 3 (MS3). Selected as an astronaut in 

1978, Seddon is from Murfreesboro, TN, and will be making her second space flight. 

Seddon graduated from Central High School, Murfreesboro, in 1965, received a bachelor of arts in physiology from 

the University of California-Berkley in 1970 and received a doctorate of medicine from the University of Tennessee 

College of Medicine in 1973. She completed a surgical internship and 3 years of general surgery residency in 

Memphis following graduation. 

Seddon served as a Mission Specialist aboard Discovery on STS-51D, April 12-19, 1985. During the flight, the crew 

deployed three communications satellites and conducted the first unscheduled Shuttle spacewalk to correct a 

malfunction of one satellite. Seddon has logged 168 hours of space flight. 

FRANCIS ANDREW GAFFNEY, MD, 44, will serve as Payload Specialist 1 (PS1). Gaffney will be making his 

first space flight and his hometown is Carlsbad, NM. 

Gaffney graduated from Carlsbad High School in 1964, received a bachelor of arts from the University of 

California-Berkley in 1968, received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of New Mexico in 1972 and 

received a fellowship in cardiology from the University of Texas in 1975. 

He completed a 3-year medical internship and residency at Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital, Cleveland, 

Ohio, in 1975, and went on to receive a fellowship in cardiology at the University of Texas' Southwestern Medical 

Center in Dallas, becoming a faculty associate and an assistant professor of medicine there in 1979. From 1979-

1987, he served as assistant director of echocardiography at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas. 

Gaffney served as a visiting senior scientist with NASA from 1987-1989. He is a co-investigator on an experiment 

aboard STS-40 that studies human cardiovascular adaptation to space flight. 

MILLIE HUGHES-FULFORD, Ph.D., 46, will serve as Payload Specialist 2 (PS2). Hughes-Fulford, from 

Mineral Wells, Texas, will be making her first space flight. 

Hughes-Fulford graduated from Mineral Wells High School in 1972, received a bachelor of science in chemistry 

from Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas and received a doctorate in chemistry from Texas Woman's 

University, Denton, in 1972. 

Since 1973, she has worked at the University of California and the Veterans Administration Medical Center, doing 

extensive research on cholesterol metabolism, cell differentiation, DNA synthesis and cell growth. After assignment 

by NASA, she has continued her research, concentrating on a study of cellular and molecular mechanisms for bone 

formation as it relates to space flight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 38 

STS-40 MISSION MANAGEMENT 

NASA HEADQUARTERS, WASHINGTON, DC 

Richard H. Truly Administrator 

J. R. Thompson Deputy Administrator 

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

Robert L. Crippen Director, Space Shuttle 

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

Brewster Shaw Deputy Director, Space Shuttle (Operations) 

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

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

Dr. Arnauld Nicogossian Director, Life Sciences Division 

Dr. Ronald J. White Program Scientist 

Robert Benson Director, Flight Systems Division 

Gary McCollum Program Manager, SLS Mission 

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL 

Forrest S. McCartney Director 

Jay Honeycutt Director, Shuttle Management and Operations 

Robert B. Sieck Launch Director 

John T. Conway Director, Payload Management and Operations 

JoAnn H. Morgan Director, Payload Project Management 

Mike Kinnan STS-40 Payload Manager 

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, HUNTSVILLE, AL 

Thomas J. Lee Director 

Dr. J. Wayne Littles Deputy Director 

G. Porter Bridwell Manager, Shuttle Projects Office 

Dr. George F. McDonough Director, Science and Engineering 

Alexander A. McCool Director, Safety and Mission Assurance 

Victor Keith Henson Manager, Solid Rocket Motor Project 

Cary H. Rutland Manager, Solid Rocket Booster Project 

Jerry W. Smelser Manager, Space Shuttle Main Engine Project 

Gerald C. Ladner Manager, External Tank Project 

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, BAY ST. LOUIS, MS 

Roy S. Estess Director 

Gerald W. Smith Deputy Director 

J. Harry Guin Director, Propulsion Test Operations 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 39 

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER, HOUSTON, TX 

Aaron Cohen Director 

Paul J. Weitz Deputy Director 

Daniel Germany Manager, Orbiter and GFE Projects 

Paul J. Weitz Acting Director, Flight Crew Operations 

Eugene F. Kranz Director, Mission Operations 

Henry O. Pohl Director, Engineering 

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

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER, HAMPTON, VA 

Richard H. Petersen Director 

W. Ray Hook Director for Space 

William H. Piland Chief, Space Systems Division 

Delma C. Freeman Jr. Assistant Chief, Space Systems Division 

AMES RESEARCH CENTER, MOFFETT FIELD, CA 

Dr. Dale L. Compton Director 

Victor L. Peterson Deputy Director 

Dr. Steven A. Hawley Associate Director 

Dr. Joseph C. Sharp Director, Space Research 

AMES DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH FACILITY, EDWARDS, CA 

Kenneth J. Szalai Director 

T. G. Ayers Deputy Director 

James R. Phelps Chief, Shuttle Support Office 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 40 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF MAY 1991 

40 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 15 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-39 

04/28/91 - 05/06/91 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-32 

01/09/90 - 01/20/90 

STS-61A 

10/30/85 - 11/06/85 

STS-33 

11/22/89 - 11/27/89 

STS-28 

08/08/89 - 08/13/89 

STS-51F 

07/29/85 - 08/06/85 

STS-29 

03/13/89 - 03/18/89 

STS-37 

04/05/91 - 04/11/91 

STS-61C 

01/12/86 - 01/18/86 

STS-51B 

04/29/85 - 05/06/85 

STS-26 

09/29/88 - 10/03/88 

STS-38 

11/15/90 - 11/20/90 

STS-9 

11/28/83 - 12/08/83 

STS-41G 

10/05/84 - 10/13/84 

STS-51-I 

08/27/85 - 09/03/85 

STS-36 

02/28/90 - 03/04/90 

STS-5 

11/11/82 - 11/16/82 

STS-41C 

04/06/84 - 04/13/84 

STS-51G 

06/17/85 - 06/24/85 

STS-34 

10/18/89 - 10/23/89 

STS-4 

06/27/82 - 07/04/82 

STS-41B 

02/03/84 - 02/11/84 

STS-51D 

04/12/85 - 04/19/85 

STS-30 

05/04/89 - 05/08/89 

STS-3 

03/22/82 - 03/30/82 

STS-8 

08/30/83 - 09/05/83 

STS-51C 

01/24/85 - 01/27/85 

STS-27 

12/02/88 - 12/06/88 

STS-2 

11/12/81 - 11/14/81 

STS-7 

06/18/83 - 06/24/83 

STS-51A 

11/08/84 - 11/16/84 

STS-61B 

11/26/85 - 12/03/85 

STS-1 

04/12/81 - 04/14/81 

STS-6 

04/04/83 - 04/09/83 

STS-41D 

08/30/84 - 09/05/84 

STS-51J 

10/03/85 - 10/07/85 

 OV-102 

Columbia 

(10 flights) 

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights) 

OV-103 

Discovery 

(12 flights) 

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(8 flights)