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

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-70 

PRESS KIT 

MAY 1995 

TDRS-G DEPLOYMENT 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 2 

STS-70 INSIGNIA 

STS070-S-001 -- Designed by the crewmembers, the STS-70 insignia depicts the space shuttle Discovery 

orbiting Earth in the vast blackness of space. The primary mission of deploying a NASA Tracking and 

Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) is depicted by three gold stars. They represent the triad composed of 

spacecraft transmitting data to Earth through the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). The 

stylized red, white and blue ribbon represents the American goal of linking space exploration to the 

advancement of all humankind. Surnames of the five astronaut crew members are spaced around the 

periphery of the insignia. 

The NASA insignia design for space shuttle flights is reserved for use by the astronauts and for other 

official use as the NASA Administrator may authorize. Public availability has been approved only in the 

form of illustrations by the various news media. When and if there is any change in this policy, which we 

do not anticipate, it will be publicly announced. 

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

PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS 

For Information on the Space Shuttle 

Ed Campion Policy/Management 202/358-1780 

 Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

 

 

Rob Navias Mission Operations, Astronauts 713/483-5111 

 Johnson Space Center 

 Houston, TX 

 

 

June Malone External Tank/SRBs/SSMEs 205/544-0034 

 Marshall Space Flight Center 

 Huntsville, AL 

 

 

Cam Martin DFRC Landing Information 805/258-3448 

 Dryden Flight Facility 

 Edwards, CA 

 

For Information on STS-70 Experiments & Activities 

Fred Brown 

 Goddard Space Flight Center 

 Greenbelt, MD 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) 301/286-7277 

 

Jerry Berg 

 Marshall Space Flight Center 

 Huntsville, AL 

Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) 205/544-0034 

 

Michael Braukus 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) 

Bioreactor Development System (BDS) 

National Institutes of Health-R-2 (NIH R-2) 

202/358-1979 

 

Dave Hess 

 DOD/Johnson Space Center 

 Houston, TX 

Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Cooperative, 

Real-Time, User-Friendly, Location Targeting 

and Environmental System (HERCULES) 

Microencapsulation in Space-B (MIS-B) 

Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) 

Military Application of Ship Tracks (MAST) 

Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) 

Space Tissue Loss-B (STL-B) 

Window Experiment (WINDEX) 

Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4) 

713/483-3425 

 

Jim Cast 

 NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

Commercial Protein Crystal Growth 202/358-1779 

 

Terri Hudkins 

NASA Headquarters 

 Washington, DC 

Shuttle Amateur Radio EXperiment (SAREX) 202/358-1977 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 4 

CONTENTS 

GENERAL BACKGROUND 

General Release 5 

Media Services Information 7 

STS-70 Quick Look 8 

STS-70 Quick Look UPDATED 9 

Development Test Objective/Detailed Supplementary Objectives 10 

Space Shuttle Abort Modes 11 

STS-70 Summary Timeline 12 

Payload and Vehicle Weights 13 

STS-70 Orbital Events Summary 14 

STS-70 Crew Responsibilities 15 

 

BLOCK 1 SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINES 16 

 

CARGO BAY PAYLOADS & ACTIVITIES 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System 18 

Inertial Upper Stage 26 

 

MIDDECK PAYLOADS 

Biological Research In Canisters 27 

Bioreactor Development System 31 

National Institutes of Health - R-2 32 

Commercial Protein Crystal Growth 34 

Space Tissue Loss-B 35 

 

IN-CABIN PAYLOADS 

Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Cooperative, Real-Time, User-Friendly, 

 Location Targeting and Environmental System 36 

Microencapsulation in Space-B 37 

Midcourse Space Experiment 38 

Military Applications of Ship Tracks 39 

Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III 40 

Window Experiment 41 

Visual Function Tester-4 42 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment 43 

 

STS-70 CREW BIOGRAPHIES 45 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 5 

RELEASE: 95-71 

DISCOVERY LAUNCH TO MARK 100TH HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT 

Thirty-four years after Alan B. Shepard’s historic 15- minute sub-orbital flight into space, America will 

launch its 100th human space mission on June 8 with the flight of the Space Shuttle Discovery. 

Designated STS-70, the mission is scheduled to be launched into a 160-mile circular orbit during a two 

hour 30 minute window that opens at 9:01 a.m. EDT on June 8. The mission is scheduled for seven days, 

22 hours and 10 minutes, but Shuttle officials may shorten the flight to five days depending on when the 

mission actually begins so that the next Shuttle mission - a historic linkup with the Russian space station 

Mir - can be launched about June 23. An eight-day mission would result in a June 16 landing at the 

Kennedy Space Center, FL. A shortened flight would see Discovery touch down on June 13. 

Aboard Discovery will be a five-person crew commanded by two-time Shuttle pilot Terence “Tom” 

Henricks, pilot Kevin Kregel and mission specialists Donald Thomas (second flight), Nancy Currie 

(second flight) and Mary Ellen Weber. This will be Kregel and Weber’s maiden space voyage. 

Discovery’s primary objective is the deployment of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-G, the last in a 

series of a space-based satellite network that provides communications, tracking, telemetry, data 

acquisition and command services essential to Shuttle and low-Earth orbital spacecraft missions. 

Approximately six hours after launch, TDRS-G will be released out of Discovery’s payload bay. It will be 

boosted to geostationary orbit 22,300 miles above the Earth by a powerful 2-stage, 16-ton solid-fueled 

Inertial Upper Stage, positioned at 171 degrees West longitude. 

STS-70 will mark another significant milestone with the first flight of the new Block I Space Shuttle main 

engine. Main Engine #1 - engine 2036 - features improvements that increase the reliability and safety 

margins of the main engines. SSMEs No. 2 and No. 3 are the current design. 

The Block I engine features improvements such as a new liquid oxidizer turbopump produced through a 

casting process that eliminates all but six of the 300 welds that exist in the current pump. A new two-duct 

powerhead improves fluid flows within the engine to decrease pressure and loads. A new single-coil heat 

exchanger in the powerhead eliminates all seven weld joints inside the engine, reducing wear, maintenance 

and post-flight inspections. On STS-73, scheduled for launch in late September 1995, all three of the 

SSMEs will be of the Block I design. 

With TDRS successfully deployed, Discovery’s crew will turn their attention to middeck experiments. 

Among the payloads stowed in Discovery’s middeck is the Commercial Protein Crystal Growth facility in 

which researchers will grow crystals of human alpha interferon protein, a protein pharmaceutical that is 

currently used against human viral hepatitis B and C. The objective is to use these crystals to determine the 

three-dimensional structure of molecules using crystallography to assist in the development of the next 

generation of alpha interferon drugs. 

A University of Arizona researcher will examine the tobacco hornworm to determine how its hormone 

system and muscle formation are affected by zero-gravity in an experiment called Biological Research in 

Canisters-4. Basic information in hormone and muscle development will have a direct impact on basic 

research and development for long duration human space missions, as well as potentially affecting such 

areas as insect development and pest control on Earth. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 6 

BRIC-5, a State University of New York at Stony Brook experiment, will study the effects of spaceflight 

on the cell division of the daylily. This research will contribute to a better understanding of plant 

development and reproduction, which in turn will directly affect the ability to grow plants in space. 

National Institutes of Health-sponsored experiments in the middeck will examine the effects of space flight 

on the behavior, muscle, nerve and bone development and circadian timing of rats. Much of this research is 

directed at developing a greater understanding of basic physiological processes which could provide 

insight into a range of medical challenges on Earth. 

NASA and the Walter Reed Army Institute are collaborating on the space tissue loss-B experiment which 

will investigate the effects of microgravity on embryogenesis, using the Medaka fish egg as its biology 

model. 

Also on board are a bevy of DOD-sponsored experiments including: 

• Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Cooperative, Real-Time, User- Friendly, Location Targeting and 

Environmental System (HERCULES-B), a multispectral video camera-based geolocating system; 

• Military Applications of Ship Tracks (MAST), which will take high resolution photographs of ship 

tracks to assist in an understanding of the effect of man-made aerosols on clouds and the resulting 

impact on the climate system; 

• Microencapsulation in Space (MIS), which will look at a novel approach of encapsulating a drug in a 

biodegradable polymer so that as the polymer degrades the drug is released at a controlled rate; 

• Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX), which will support the DOD’s development of surveillance 

capabilities of ballistic missiles during the midcourse of their flight; 

• Visual Function Tester (VFT), an instrument which could help explain why astronauts lose their 

ability to see clearly at close range when in space; 

• Window Experiment (WINDEX), which will study the dynamics of thruster plumes, Shuttle glow, 

water dumps and flash evaporator system releases, atmospheric night glow and aurora to better 

understand the environment around low- Earth orbit satellites; and 

• Radiation Monitoring Equipment (RME), prototype dosimeter instruments which measure exposure to 

ionizing radiation on the Shuttle. 

Students in the U.S. and Argentina will speak to the astronauts via the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment. 

Among the schools scheduled to have an opportunity to talk to the astronauts are those in Troy and Euclid, 

OH; Farmingdale and Schenectady, NY; Concord, NH; Highland and Grand Rapids, MI; New Port Richey, 

FL, and Fallbrook, CA. 

STS-70 will be the 21st flight of the Orbiter Discovery, and the 69th in the Space Shuttle program. 

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

MEDIA SERVICES INFORMATION 

NASA Television Transmission 

NASA Television is available through Spacenet-2 satellite system, transponder 5, channel 9, at 69 degrees 

West longitude, frequency 3880.0 MHz, audio 6.8 Megahertz. 

The schedule for television transmissions from the Orbiter and for mission briefings will be available 

during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, FL; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL; Dryden 

Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA; Johnson Space Center, Houston; NASA Headquarters, Washington, 

DC. The 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 is updated daily at noon Eastern time. 

Status Reports 

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

produced by the appropriate NASA newscenter. 

Briefings 

A mission press briefing schedule will be issued prior to launch. During the mission, status briefings by a 

Flight Director or Mission Operations representative and when appropriate, representatives from the 

payload team, will occur at least once per day. The updated NASA television schedule will indicate when 

mission briefings are planned. 

Access by Internet 

NASA press releases can be obtained automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to 

domo@hq.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type the words 

“subscribe press- release” (no quotes). The system will reply with a confirmation via E-mail of each 

subscription. A second automatic message will include additional information on the service. 

Informational materials also will be available from a data repository known as an anonymous FTP (File 

Transfer Protocol) server at ftp.pao.hq.nasa.gov under the directory /pub/pao. Users should log on with the 

user name “anonymous” (no quotes), then enter their E-mail address as the password. Within the /pub/pao 

directory there will be a “readme.txt” file explaining the directory structure. 

The NASA public affairs homepage also is available via the Internet. The page contains images, sound and 

text (press releases, press kits, fact sheets) to explain NASA activities. It also has links to many other 

NASA pages. The URL is: http://www.nasa.gov/hqpao/hqpao_home.html

Pre-launch status reports from KSC are found under ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/ksc, and mission 

status reports can be found under ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc. Daily TV schedules can be found 

under ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/statrpt/jsc/tvsked. 

Access by fax 

An additional service known as fax-on-demand will enable users to access NASA informational materials 

from their fax machines. Users calling (202) 358-3976 may follow a series of prompts and will 

automatically be faxed the most recent Headquarters news releases they request. 

Access by Compuserve 

Users with Compuserve accounts can access NASA press releases by typing “GO NASA” (no quotes) and 

making a selection from the categories offered. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 8 

STS-70 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date/Site: June 8, 1995/KSC Pad 39B 

Launch Time: 09:01 a.m. EDT 

Launch Window: 2 hours, 30 minutes 

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103) - 21st flight 

Orbit/Inclination: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees 

Mission Duration: 7 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes 

Landing Date: June 16, 1995 

Landing Time: 8:30 a.m. EDT 

Primary Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, FL 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site - KSC 

 Transoceanic Abort Landing - Banjul, The Gambia 

 Ben Guerir, Morocco 

 Moron, Spain 

 Abort Once Around - Edwards Air Force Base, CA 

 

Crew: Tom Henricks, Commander (CDR) 

 Kevin Kregel, Pilot (PLT) 

 Don Thomas, Mission Specialist 1(MS 1) 

 Nancy Currie, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2) 

 Mary Ellen Weber, Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3) 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite/Inertial Upper Stage 

 

Middeck Payloads: Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) 

 Bioreactor Development Systems (BDS) 

 Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) 

 National Institutes of Health-R-2 (NIH R-2) 

 Space Tissue Loss-B (STL-B) 

 Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) 

 

In-Cabin Payloads: Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Cooperative, Real-Time, User-Friendly, 

 Location Targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES) 

 Microencapsulation in Space-B (MIS-B) 

 Military Application of Ship Tracks (MAST) 

 Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) 

 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 

 Window Experiment (WINDEX) 

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

UPDATED STS-70 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date/Site: July 13, 1995/KSC Pad 39B 

Launch Time: 9:41 a.m. EDT 

Launch Window: 2 hours, 30 minutes 

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103) - 21st flight 

Orbit/Inclination: 160 nautical miles/28.45 degrees 

Mission Duration: 7 days, 22 hours, 10 minutes 

Landing Date: July 21, 1995 

Landing Time: 7:51 a.m. EDT 

Primary Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, FL 

Abort Landing Sites: Return to Launch Site - KSC 

 Transoceanic Abort Landing - Banjul, The Gambia 

 Ben Guerir, Morocco 

 Moron, Spain: 

 Abort Once Around: - Edwards Air Force Base, CA 

 

Crew: Tom Henricks, Commander (CDR) 

 Kevin Kregel, Pilot (PLT) 

 Don Thomas, Mission Specialist 1 (MS 1) 

 Nancy Currie, Mission Specialist 2 (MS 2) 

 Mary Ellen Weber, Mission Specialist 3 (MS 3) 

 

Cargo Bay Payloads: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite/Inertial Upper 

 Stage 

 

Middeck Payloads: Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) 

 Bioreactor Development Systems (BDS) 

 Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) 

 National Institutes of Health-R-2 (NIH R-2) 

 Space Tissue Loss-B (STL-B) 

 Midcourse Space Experiment (MSX) 

 

In-Cabin Payloads: Hand-Held, Earth-Oriented, Cooperative, Real Time, User-Friendly, 

 Location Targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES) 

 Microencapsulation in Space-B (MIS-B) 

 Military Application of Ship Tracks (MAST) 

 Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III) 

 Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 

 Window Experiment (WINDEX) 

 Visual Function Tester-4 (VFT-4) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 10 

DEVELOPMENT TEST OBJECTIVES/ 

DETAILED SUPPLEMENTARY OBJECTIVES 

DTO 301D Ascent Structural Capability Evaluation 

DTO 305D Ascent Compartment Venting Evaluation 

DTO 306D Descent Compartment Venting Evaluation 

DTO 307D Entry Structural Capability Evaluation 

DTO 312 External Tank Thermal Protection System Performance 

DTO 319D Shuttle/Payload Low Frequency Environment 

DTO 414 APU Shutdown Test 

DTO 524 Landing Gear Loads and Brake Stability Evaluation 

DTO 656 PGSC Single Event Upset Monitoring 

DTO 677 Evaluation of Microbial Capture Device, Microgravity 

DTO 779 STS Orbiter Attitude Control Translational Thrusting 

DTO 805 Crosswind Landing Performance 

 

DSO 491 Characterization of Microbial Transfer Among Crewmembers 

DSO 603 Orthostatic Function During Entry, Landing and Egress 

DSO 621 In Flight Use of Florinef to Improve Orthostatic Intolerance 

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

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

DSO 802 Educational Video 

DSO 901 Documentary Television 

DSO 902 Documentary Motion Picture Television 

DSO 903 Documentary Still Photography 

DSO 904 Assessment of Human Factors 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 11 

SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 

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

and its payload. Abort modes for STS-70 include: 

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

105-nautical mile orbit with the orbital maneuvering system engines. 

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

the Earth before landing at the Edwards Air Force Base, CA. 

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

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

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

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

distance of the Shuttle Landing Facility. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 12 

STS-70 SUMMARY TIMELINE 

Flight Day 1 Flight Day 5 

Launch Visual Function Tester Operations 

Orbital Maneuvering System-2 & 3 Burn WINDEX Operations 

Secondary Payload Activation Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations 

TDRS-G/IUS Deploy AMOS Reaction Control System Tests 

IUS Ignition SAREX Operations 

 

Flight Day 2 Flight Day 6 

OMS 4 Burn WINDEX Operations 

Visual Function Tester Setup HERCULES Operations 

CPCG Activation Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations 

SAREX Setup 

HERCULES Setup Flight Day 7 

WINDEX Setup Visual Function Tester Operations 

Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations HERCULES Operations 

 Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations 

Flight Day 3 WINDEX Operations 

HERCULES Operations 

Visual Function Tester Operations Flight Day 8 

Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations Visual Function Tester Operations 

WINDEX Operations Flight Control System Checkout 

SAREX Operations Reaction Control System Hot-Fire 

 Crew News Conference 

Flight Day 4 Cabin Stow 

Bioreactor Demonstration System Operations 

WINDEX Operations Flight Day 9 

SAREX Operations Deorbit Prep 

HERCULES Operations Deorbit Burn 

 Landing 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 13 

PAYLOAD AND VEHICLE WEIGHTS 

Pounds

 

Orbiter (Discovery) empty and 3 SSMEs 173,885 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-G Deployable 4,905 

Inertial Upper Stage - Deployable 32,868 

TDRS-G - Airborne Support Equipment 5,586 

BDS 155 

BRIC 30 

CPCG 116 

HERCULES 161 

MIS 120 

NIH-R-2 133 

SAREX 27 

STL 68 

 

DTOs/DSOs 5 

Shuttle System at SRB Ignition 4,522,790 

Orbiter Weight at Landing 195,195 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 14 

STS-70 ORBITAL EVENTS SUMMARY 

Event MET 

 

Launch 0/00:00 

 

OMS-2 0/00:42 

 

TDRS-G/IUS Deploy 0/06:12 

 

Sep-1 Burn 0/06:13 

 

Sep-2 Burn 0/06:27 

 

IUS Injection Burn 0/07:12 

 

OMS-4 Circ Burn 1/03:45 

 

Deorbit Burn 7:21:08 

 

KSC Landing 7:22:10 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 15 

STS-70 CREW RESPONSIBILITIES 

Primary Payload Responsibility 

 

TDRS-G/IUS Thomas, Weber 

 

Secondary Payloads Responsibility 

 

WINDEX Henricks, Kregel, Currie 

STL Currie, Weber 

RME Kregel, Currie 

NIH-R (PARE) Thomas, Currie 

MIS-B Thomas, Weber 

HERCULES Henricks, Kregel, Currie 

CPCG Currie, Weber 

BRIC Kregel, Currie 

BDS Weber, Thomas 

SAREX Thomas, Currie 

VFT Weber, Henricks 

DTO 656(PGSC) Thomas, Weber 

DTO 779 (Orbiter Control) Henricks, Kregel 

DSO 677(Microgravity) Currie 

DSO 904 (Human Factors) All 

DSO 621 (Orthostatic) Thomas 

DSO 603C (Landing Ortho) Thomas 

DSO 624 (Cardiovascular) All 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 16 

BLOCK 1 SPACE SHUTTLE MAIN ENGINE 

STS-70 will be the first flight for an upgraded version of a Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). On this 

flight, one engine will be of a new configuration known as Block 1, while the remaining two engines will 

be of the current SSME design. 

The first flight planned to use three Block 1 engines is STS-73, currently targeted for late September 1995. 

The Block 1 configuration will greatly increase engine performance, reliability and safety. Together the 

three SSMEs produce the almost 1.5 million pounds of thrust which assist in carrying the Shuttle system 

into orbit. 

One enhancement to the Block 1 engine is the new high pressure liquid oxidizer turbopump built by Pratt 

& Whitney. The pump housing in the new design is produced through a unique casting process, 

eliminating all but six of the 300 welds that exist in the current pump. This increases the safety margins 

and reliability of the main engines. The new turbopumps will not require a detailed inspection until they 

have flown 10 times. The high pressure liquid oxygen pumps used in the current SSME must be removed 

after every flight for inspection. 

Flight certification for the turbopumps, which provide the oxidizer to the engine, was completed in March 

1995. The new pumps underwent a test program equivalent to 40 Space Shuttle flights, a milestone in the 

final certification of the pumps for flight. 

The improved pump design also incorporates new ball bearings of silicon nitride. The ceramic bearings are 

30 percent harder and 40 percent lighter than steel and have an ultra-smooth finish, thus producing less 

friction during pump operation. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 17 

Another enhancement to the Block 1 engine is the new two-duct powerhead. The powerhead contains the 

preburners that generate the gas to drive the turbopump turbines. It collects the hot gases of the turbines 

downstream and ducts them into the main injector. By replacing the three smaller fuel ducts in the current 

design with two enlarged ducts, the new design significantly improves fluid flows within the engine. 

Pressure and loads are decreased, turbulence is reduced, maintenance is eliminated and inspections are 

minimized. The two-duct powerhead is constructed with fewer welds, thus eliminating potential weak 

spots. 

The powerhead also has a single-coil heat exchanger, replacing the current two-coil design. The heat 

exchanger provides pressure to the Shuttle’s external tank, enabling it to provide propellants to the engines. 

The new configuration eliminates all seven weld joints inside the engine. Constructed of a continuous piece 

of stainless steel alloy, this reduces wear on the tube and lessens the chance of damage. Maintenance and 

post-flight inspections also are reduced. 

The SSME project is managed by Marshall Space Flight Center. Pratt and Whitney, West Palm Beach, FL, 

developed and manufactured the new pump. Rocketdyne, Canoga Park, CA, will integrate the pump into 

the main engine. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 18 

TRACKING AND DATA RELAY SATELLITE SYSTEM 

History 

The Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) is a space-based network that provides 

communications, tracking, telemetry, data acquisition and command services essential to Shuttle and lowEarth orbital spacecraft missions. 

The TDRSS was initiated following studies in the early 1970s which showed that a system of 

telecommunications satellites, operated from a single ground station, could meet the needs of NASA’s 

mission better and more cost- effectively than the then existing network of tracking and communications 

ground stations located around the world. 

The TDRSS has delivered on the promise, enabling NASA to cut telecommunications costs while 

increasing data acquisition and communications contact time with spacecraft six-fold. TDRSS can provide 

communications services to orbital spacecraft over 85 percent of each orbit for most satellites, and 

continuous service for some orbital positions. 

In addition to the Shuttle, TDRSS customers include the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), Upper 

Atmosphere Research Satellite, Hubble Space Telescope, Earth Radiation Budget Satellite, Extreme 

Ultraviolet Explorer, TOPEX- POSEIDON, and other non-NASA missions. Among future TDRSSdependent missions are the international Space Station and the Earth Observation System. NASA estimates 

the value of the space missions which will have relied on the TDRSS through the end of this decade is in 

the tens of billions. 

The TDRSS consists of two major elements: A constellation of geosynchronous satellites and a ground 

terminal complex located at White Sands, New Mexico. The original ground terminal, Cacique, is currently 

undergoing rehabilitation. When Cacique is returned to service in 1996, it will be a virtual twin of the new 

Danzante terminal, which became fully operational in March and is providing all operational services. 

Together, these two terminals will eliminate a critical single point of failure and provide the capacity to use 

partially failed Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) spacecraft to meet NASA’s communications 

needs in the future. 

Current Status 

NASA’s latest Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-G, is scheduled for launch on board Discovery. 

TDRS-G is the seventh and final in the first series of communications spacecraft that make up the TDRSS. 

Although TDRS-G will be stored on orbit and not used immediately, it is being launched now to take 

advantage of the experienced crew for the critical launch and deployment sequence. In addition, on-orbit 

storage is less costly than ground storage and extended crew retention. 

After Discovery achieves orbit, the TDRS-G spacecraft and its attached Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) will be 

deployed from the Shuttle cargo bay. The IUS consists of two Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) which will 

inject the TDRS/IUS into geostationary orbit. The IUS SRM-1 will first place the TDRS/IUS into a 

transfer orbit with an apogee near geosynchronous altitude. At the first apogee the IUS SRM-2 will fire to 

place the TDRS/IUS in geostationary orbit. The TDRS/IUS will be maneuvered to the appropriate 

orientation and TDRS-G will separate from the IUS. 

Once it is on orbit, the TDRS-G designation will be changed to TDRS-7. Following the spacecraft bus 

checkout and the On-Orbit Test Phase, TDRS-7 will be ready to provide service. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 19 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 20 

TDRS-1 was launched in April 1983, on board Space Shuttle Challenger, and the second TDRS was lost in 

the Challenger accident in January 1986. TDRS-3 was launched on board Space Shuttle Discovery in 

September 1988, and TDRS-4 was launched on board Discovery in March 1989. TDRS-5 was launched on 

board Space Shuttle Atlantis in August 1991. TDRS-6 was launched on board Space Shuttle Endeavour in 

January 1993. The five orbiting TDRS spacecraft are all functioning, but only three (TDRS-4, TDRS-5, 

and TDRS-6) are fully operational. Because of the flexible capability of the TDRSS, following the 

successful launch and checkout of TDRS- G, the TDRSS constellation will be reconfigured. 

TDRS-1 is presently positioned at 275 degrees West longitude and is operated from New Mexico via the 

remote TDRSS ground terminal located in the Deep Space Network Complex in Canberra, Australia. 

TDRS-1 is used primarily to provide service to the Compton GRO, which has a failed tape recorder. 

Although TDRS-1 sustained significant damage during its launch in 1983, resulting from a failure of the 

launch vehicle upper stage, this spacecraft has provided excellent service for many years and continues to 

serve in a limited capacity well beyond its planned seven year lifetime. 

Present plans call for TDRS-3 to replace TDRS-1 at 275 degrees West longitude, southeast of Sri Lanka, to 

continue support to GRO as well as provide added support for the STS/MIR rendezvous activities, and 

potential support to Space Station. TDRS-1 will be repositioned to 139 degrees West longitude and may be 

used to support science investigations in the South Pole region. TDRS-5 at 174 degrees West longitude, 

southwest of Hawaii, and TDRS-4 at 41 degrees West longitude, East of Brazil, are designated as the prime 

operational spacecraft and provide the bulk of the support to NASA TDRS customers. TDRS-6, now 

located at 46 degrees West longitude, has its user support payload turned off to preserve lifetime and 

serves as an on-orbit reserve spacecraft. After TDRS-G is deployed in geostationary orbit and successfully 

checked out, it will be positioned at 171 degrees West longitude. The successful launch and checkout of 

TDRS-G will give NASA the essential requirement of having two fully operational satellites and two fully 

operational “ready reserve” satellites. Because of NASA’s critical dependence on TDRSS, at least one 

fully-functional spacecraft must be available in reserve to replace a failed operational spacecraft. This will 

assure that NASA communications, telemetry and data acquisition capabilities required by space missions 

will not be jeopardized. 

TDRS-G is the last of a generation of seven spacecraft, built by TRW of Redondo Beach, CA, that make 

up the initial series of communication satellites for NASA. Future system needs will be supported by the 

TDRS-H, I, J spacecraft, the next series of satellites, whose initial launch is planned for 1999. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 21 

TDRS Spacecraft Launch and Operational Status 

Spacecraft Mission Status 

TDRS-1 STS-6 April 5, 1983 Partially operational 

TDRS-2 51-L January 28, 1986 Lost in the Challenger Accident 

TDRS-3 STS-26 September 29, 1988 Partially operational 

TDRS-4 STS-29 March 13, 1989 Fully operational 

TDRS-5 STS-43 August 2, 1991 Fully operational 

TDRS-6 STS-54 January 13, 1993 Fully operational 

Current Position 

TDRS-1 275 degrees West 

TDRS-3 62 degrees West 

TDRS-4 41 degrees West (over the Atlantic Ocean off Brazil) 

TDRS-5 174 degrees West (East of Gilbert Islands and South of Hawaii) 

TDRS-6 46 degrees West 

Reconfigured Position after TDRS-G (7) Checkout 

TDRS-1 139 degrees East 

TDRS-3 275 degrees West 

TDRS-4 44 degrees West 

TDRS-5 174 degrees West 

TDRS-6 46 degrees West 

TDRS-7 171 degrees West 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 22 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 23 

TDRS CONSTELLATION STATUS 

LAUNCHED 

GEOSYNCHRONOUS 

ORBIT 

IN-ORBIT 

CHECKOUT 

COMPLETE UTILIZATION 

 

TDRS-1 APRIL 4, 1983 

STS-6 

(CHALLENGER) 

JUNE 29, 1983 • DECEMBER 28, 1983 

• ONE SATELLITE 

SYSTEM 

• ACCEPTANCE APRIL 

1985 

• CURRENTLY ON ROUTE TO 

138(D) W. (WILL SUPPORT 

NSF SCIENCE MISSIONS 

 

TDRS-3 SEPTEMBER 29, 1988 

STS-26 

(DISCOVERY) 

SEPTEMBER 30, 1988 • JANUARY 15, 1989 

• TWO SATELLITE 

SYSTEM 

• ACCEPTANCE JULY 

1989 

• CURRENTLY AT 85(D) E. & 

BEING USED FOR STS AND 

GRO SUPPORT 

 

TDRS-4 MARCH 13, 1989 

STS-29 

(DISCOVERY) 

MARCH 14, 1989 JUNE 9, 1989 • CURRENTLY DESIGNATED 

AS TDRS EAST AT 41(D) W. 

& PROVIDING USER 

SUPPORT 

 

TDRS-5 AUGUST 2, 1991 

STS-43 

(ATLANTIS) 

AUGUST 3, 1991 OCTOBER 7, 1991 • CURRENTLY DESIGNED AS 

TDRS WEST AT 174(D) W. & 

PROVIDING USER 

SUPPORT 

 

TDRS-6 JANUARY 13, 1993 

STS-54 

(ENDEAVOUR) 

JANUARY 14, 1993 MARCH 4, 1993 • CURRENTLY AT 46(D) W. 

• AVAILABLE AS ONLOCATION BACKUP FOR 

TDRS-E 

 

TDRS-7 JUNE 8, 1995 

STS-70 

DISCOVERY 

JUNE 9, 1995 AUGUST 1995 TO BE LOCATED AT 171(D) W., 

DESIGNED TDRS-SPARE, WILL 

BE A SCHEDULEABLE SPARE, 

ACTIVELY USED FOR STSSUPPORT 

TDRS-2 LOST JANUARY 28, 1996 ABOARD STS-51L (CHALLENGER) 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 24 

Deployment Sequence 

TDRS-G will be deployed from Discovery approximately six hours after launch on orbit five (over the 

Pacific north of Hawaii). Injection burn to geostationary orbit will be initiated at 77 degrees East longitude 

(Indian Ocean, south of India), placing the satellite in orbit at 178 degrees West longitude (over the Pacific 

near the Gilbert Islands). 

The STS-70 crew elevates the IUS/TDRS to 29 degrees in the payload bay for preliminary tests and then 

raises it to 58 degrees for deployment. A spring-loaded ejection system is used for deploying the 

IUS/TDRS. 

The first burn of the IUS booster will take place one hour after deployment, or about seven hours after 

launch. The second and final burn (to circularize the orbit) will take place five and one half hours after the 

first burn, approximately 12 1/2 hours into the mission. Separation of the booster and satellite will occur at 

13 hours after launch. 

Upon reaching geostationary orbit, the deployment of appendages and antennas is started. The deployment 

sequence is: 

1. Deploy solar arrays. 

2. Deploy Space-to-Ground Link (STGL) boom. 

3. Deploy Solar Sail boom. 

4. Separation of IUS and TDRS. 

5. Release Single Access (SA) booms. 

6. Position SA antennas. 

7. Open SA antennas. 

During steps five, six and seven, Earth acquisition is taking place concurrently. 

The TDRS is three-axis stabilized with the Multiple Access (MA) fixed antennas pointing constantly at the 

Earth while the solar arrays track the Sun. 

Communication System 

The TDRS’ do not process customer traffic. Rather, they operate as “bent pipe” repeaters, relaying signals 

and data between the user spacecraft and the ground terminal and vice versa without processing. 

Nominally, the TDRSS is intended to meet the requirements of up to 24-customer spacecraft, including the 

Space Shuttle, simultaneously. It provides two types of service: (1) MA which can relay data from as many 

as 20 low data rate (100 bits per second to 50 kilobits per second) customer satellites simultaneously and 

(2) single access antennas which provide two high data rate channels (300 megabits per second) from both 

the East and West locations. 

The White Sands Complex (WSC), provides a location with a clear line-of-sight to the TDRS’ and a place 

where rain conditions have limited interference with the availability of the Ku-band uplink and downlink 

channels. The WSC is operated for NASA by Allied Signal Technical Services Corporation; Columbia, 

MD, and GTE Government Systems Corp., Needham Heights, MA. 

Other associated facilities located at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) include: the Network 

Control Center, which provides the primary interface with customer satellites to schedule service and act as 

the focal point for NASA user communications with the WSC; the Flight Dynamics Facility, which 

provides antenna pointing information for user spacecraft and the TDRS; and, the NASA Communications 

(NASCOM) Network, a global system which provides operational communications support to all NASA 

projects. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 25 

NASCOM offers voice and data links with the Space Network, the Ground Networks, and the user 

spacecraft control centers and data processing facilities. For TDRSS, NASCOM provides a common carrier 

interface through Earth terminals to link GSFC, White Sands, and the Johnson Space Center in Houston. 

NASA’s Office of Space Communications, Washington, DC, has overall management responsibility of 

these tracking, data acquisition and communications facilities. 

TDRS Components 

The TDRS’ are composed of three distinct modules: An equipment module, a communications payload 

module and an antenna module. The modular design reduces the cost of individual design and construction 

efforts that, in turn, lower the cost of each satellite. 

The equipment module housing the subsystems that operate the satellite is located in the lower hexagon 

portion of the main body of the spacecraft. The attitude control subsystem stabilizes the satellite to provide 

accurate antenna pointing and proper orientation of the solar panels to the Sun. The electrical power 

subsystems consist of two solar panels that provide a ten-year power supply of approximately 1,700 watts. 

The thermal control subsystem consists of surface coatings and controlled electric heaters. 

The payload module, located on the upper hexagon portion of the main body of the spacecraft, is composed 

of the electronic equipment required to provide communications between the user spacecraft and the 

ground. The receivers and transmitters for single access services are mounted in compartments on the back 

of the SA antennas. 

The antenna module is composed of five antenna systems: two SA, the MA arrays, STGL, and the S-band 

omni for satellite health and housekeeping. 

For SA service, each TDRS has two dual-feed S-band, Ku- band parabolic (umbrella-like) antennas. These 

antennas are free to be positioned in two axes, directing the radio beam to orbiting user spacecraft below. 

These antennas are used primarily to relay communications to and from user spacecraft. The high data rate 

provided by these antennas is available to users on a time-shared basis. Each antenna is capable of 

supporting two-user spacecraft services simultaneously--one at S-band and one at Ku-band--provided both 

users are within the beam width of the antenna. 

The MA antenna array, consisting of 30 elements, is hard-mounted on the spacecraft body on the surface of 

the antenna module facing the Earth. 

Another antenna, a 6.5-foot (2-meter) parabolic reflector, provides the prime link for relaying 

transmissions to and from the ground terminal at Ku-band. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 26 

THE INERTIAL UPPER STAGE (IUS) 

The Inertial Upper Stage (IUS) will be used on Space Shuttle mission STS-70 to boost NASA’s TDRS-G 

Tracking and Data Relay Satellite from low-Earth orbit to geosynchronous orbit, some 22,300 statute miles 

(35,000 kilometers) from Earth. 

Background 

The IUS was originally designed as a temporary stand-in for a reusable space tug. The IUS was then 

named the Interim Upper Stage. The word “Inertial” (signifying the guidance technique) later replaced 

“Interim” when it was observed that the IUS would be needed through the 1990s. 

The IUS was developed and built by the Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA, under contract to the Air 

Force Material Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center. The Space and Missile Systems Center is 

executive agent for all Department of Defense activities pertaining to the Space Shuttle system and 

provides the IUS to NASA for Space Shuttle use. For NASA missions, the IUS program is managed by the 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL. 

NASA’s most recent use of an IUS was on the STS-54 mission of the Space Shuttle (launched Jan. 13, 

1993), which successfully transported the TDRS-F satellite to geosynchronous orbit. It also has boosted the 

Galileo probe on a journey to explore Jupiter, the Magellan spacecraft to Venus, and the Ulysses toward a 

polar orbit of the Sun. 

Specifications 

The IUS is a two-stage, solid rocket propelled, three- axis stabilized vehicle for placing spacecraft in a 

high- Earth orbit or on an escape trajectory for an interplanetary mission. 

The IUS is 17 feet (5.18 meters) long and 9.25 feet (2.8 meters) in diameter, with an overall weight of 

approximately 32,500 pounds (14,742 kilograms). The IUS consists of a first stage comprised of a large 

solid rocket motor containing 21,400 pounds (9,707 kilograms) of propellant and generating approximately 

42,000 pounds (188,496 Newtons) of thrust and an interstage. The second stage consists of a solid rocket 

motor with 6,000 pounds (2,722 kilograms) of propellant generating approximately 18,000 pounds (80,784 

Newtons) of thrust, and an equipment support section. 

The large solid rocket motor is the longest thrusting duration solid rocket motor ever developed for space 

application, with the capability to fire for as long as 150 seconds. Mission requirements determine the 

thrust level and burn duration of the solid rocket motors. These factors are controlled by tailoring the solid 

propellant load. 

The equipment support section houses the avionics systems of the IUS. These systems provide guidance, 

navigation, control, telemetry, command and data management, reaction control and electrical power. All 

mission-critical components of the avionics system, along with thrust vector actuators, reaction control 

thrusters, motor igniter and pyrotechnic stage separation equipment are redundant to assure reliability of 

better than 98 percent. 

The IUS employs Airborne Support Equipment for installation in the Space Shuttle as well as operation 

and deployment from the orbiter. The Airborne Support Equipment consists of mechanical, avionics, and 

structural equipment located in the orbiter. The Airborne Support Equipment structurally attaches the IUS 

and the payload to the orbiter payload bay, provides interface for the IUS and payload checkout and 

elevates the IUS/payload for deployment from the Orbiter. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 27 

The TDRS spacecraft is attached to the IUS at eight attachment points provided on the forward surface of 

the forward ring of the Equipment Support Section. The eight- point attachment provides substantial loadcarrying capability while minimizing the transfer of heat across the connecting points. Power, command 

and data transmission between the two are provided by several IUS interface connectors. 

In addition, the IUS provides an insulation blanket of multiple layered, double-aluminized Kapton and 

polyester net spacers across the IUS/TDRS interface. The outer layer of the blanket, facing the TDRS 

spacecraft, is a special Teflon-coated fabric called Beta cloth. The blankets are vented toward and into the 

IUS cavity, which in turn is vented to the orbiter payload bay. There is no gas flow between the spacecraft 

and the IUS. The thermal blankets are grounded to the IUS structure to prevent electrostatic charge 

buildup. 

Flight Sequence 

After the orbiter payload bay doors are opened in orbit, the orbiter will maintain a preselected attitude to 

keep the payload within thermal requirements and constraints. 

On-orbit predeployment checkout begins, followed by an IUS command link check and spacecraft 

communications command check. Orbiter trim maneuvers normally are performed at this time. 

Forward payload restraints will be released and the aft frame of the airborne support equipment will tilt the 

IUS/TDRS to an angle of 29 degrees from the payload bay. This will extend the TDRS into space just 

outside the orbiter payload bay, allowing direct communication with Earth during systems checkout. The 

orbiter will then be maneuvered to the deployment attitude. If a problem has developed at this point within 

the orbiter, the TDRS spacecraft or the IUS, the IUS and spacecraft can be restowed and potentially 

recycled for additional deployment attempts. 

Prior to deployment, the spacecraft electrical power source will be switched from orbiter power to IUS 

internal power by the orbiter flight crew. After verifying that the spacecraft is on IUS internal power and 

that all IUS/TDRS predeployment operations have been successfully completed, a “go/no-go” decision for 

IUS/TDRS deployment will be sent to the crew. 

When the orbiter flight crew is given a “go” decision, they will activate the pyrotechnic devices that 

disconnect the IUS/TDRS umbilical cables. The crew will then command the electromechanical tilt 

actuator to raise the tilt table to a 58-degree deployment position. 

During deployment, the orbiter’s thrusters will be inhibited and a pyrotechnic separation device initiated to 

physically separate the IUS/TDRS spacecraft combination from the tilt table and orbiter. Compressed 

springs provide the force to push the IUS/TDRS from the orbiter payload bay at approximately 4.2 inches 

(0.10 meters) per second. The deployment is normally performed in the shadow of the orbiter or in Earth 

eclipse. 

The tilt table will be lowered to minus six degrees after IUS and its spacecraft are deployed. 

Approximately 19 minutes after IUS/TDRS deployment, the orbiter’s engines will be ignited to move the 

orbiter away from the IUS/TDRS. 

At this point, the IUS/TDRS is controlled by the IUS onboard computers. Approximately 10 minutes after 

the IUS/TDRS is deployed from the orbiter, the IUS onboard computer will send out signals used by the 

IUS and/or TDRS to begin mission sequence events. 

The IUS will maneuver to the required thermal attitude and perform any required spacecraft thermal 

control maneuvers. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 28 

At approximately 45 minutes after deployment from the orbiter, the pyrotechnic inhibits for the solid 

rocket motor will be removed. The belly of the orbiter has been oriented towards the IUS/TDRS 

combination to protect the orbiter windows from the IUS’s plume. 

When the proper transfer orbit opportunity is reached, the IUS computer will send the signal to ignite the 

first- stage motor. This is expected at approximately 60 minutes after deployment (L+7 hours, 13 minutes). 

After firing approximately 146 seconds and prior to reaching the apogee point of its trajectory, the IUS 

first stage will expend its fuel. While coasting, the IUS will perform any maneuvers needed by TDRS for 

thermal protection or communications. When this is completed, the IUS first stage and interstage will be 

separated from the IUS second stage. 

Approximately six hours, 12 minutes after deployment (L+12:30), the second-stage motor will be ignited, 

thrusting for about 108 seconds. After second-stage burn is completed, the IUS stabilizes the TDRS while 

the solar arrays and two antennas are deployed. Once the TDRS has completed its deployment activities, 

the IUS second stage will be separated and then perform a final collision/contamination avoidance 

maneuver before deactivating. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 29 

BIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN CANISTERS (BRIC-4 / BRIC-5) 

Research on plant growth and development, as well as research on the hormone system of insects, is an 

important part of the scientific mission of STS-70. Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) experiments, 

designed to examine the effects of microgravity on a wide range of physiological processes in plants, 

insects, and small invertebrate animals, are part of the Small Payloads Program. Research in the “quick 

turn around” (on average one year or less) BRIC program has provided basic scientific information on a 

range of important topics, from plant metabolism affecting food crops to information on the processes of 

insect development and pest control. 

Previous BRIC experiments have focused on starch metabolism in plant seedlings (BRIC-1 & 3), on 

development in plant tissue culture (BRIC-2), and on ways that hormones affect the development of gypsy 

moths from worm-like juveniles to winged adults (BRIC-1). BRIC payloads are flown in canisters located 

in lockers on the Shuttle’s middeck. These canisters are simple carriers for small biological payloads and 

afford the investigator the opportunity to expose their samples to a microgravity environment for extended 

periods of time. 

BRIC-4 

Dr. Marc E. Tischler of the University of Arizona College of Medicine will examine the tobacco hornworm 

to determine how its hormone system and muscle formation processes are affected by an altered 

gravitational field. In his study entitled “Effects of Microgravity on Tobacco Hornworm During 

Metamorphosis”, Dr. Tischler will examine the hormone system of the tobacco hornworm (Manduca 

sexta). 

Previous studies on the juvenile tobacco hornworm showed alterations in chemical building blocks (amino 

acids), rate of adult development and flight muscle size as a result of exposure to microgravity. All of these 

parameters are dependent on the levels of the hormone Ecdysone. In normally-developing tobacco 

hornworms, Ecdysone release occurs near the outset of adult development. Ground studies indicate that 

altered orientation of the developing insect within the first 96 hours produces significant changes. Dr. 

Tischler’s study also will examine the synthesis of protein necessary to form muscle in the developing 

tobacco hornworm during flight. 

Spaceflight has been shown to affect the hormone systems of humans, animals and insects, as well as 

increasing muscle degeneration of crew members. This study will examine a biological specimen whose 

hormone system and muscle formation appear to be sensitive to an altered gravitational field. This will add 

to the knowledge base of gravitational biology and the space life sciences by shedding light on the 

interactive role of gravity on a variety of biological mechanisms. Basic information in hormone and muscle 

development will have a direct impact on basic research and development for long duration human space 

flight, as well as potentially affecting such areas as insect development and pest control on Earth. 

In addition, there has been a science-educational outreach effort associated with the study of insect 

development. College undergraduates, high school students and elementary schools throughout the Tucson, 

AZ, area are involved in a Manduca outreach project. This outreach program began three years ago with a 

single elementary school which was provided with young caterpillars, and artificial diet and instructions on 

maintaining the insects. To date, hundreds of students in the Tucson area have studied the tobacco 

hornworm in the classroom. This outreach project has proven to be a strong bridge between the University 

and its local public schools and has served to get elementary students excited about science and the space 

program. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 30 

BRIC-5 

In the experiment, “Plant Embryos and Fidelity of Cell Division in Space”, Dr. Abraham D. Krikorian of 

the State University of New York at Stony Brook, will test whether the cell division changes observed in 

the daylily (Hemerocallis cultivar. Autumn Blaze) are the result of the direct effects of microgravity or 

indirect effects such as water availability. 

This research is important because human exploration of space depends on our ability to grow plants in 

microgravity. Long duration space missions require a large supply of food and water. It will not be possible 

to store the necessary volume or mass of food required for extended space missions. As a result, it is 

critical that food production systems be developed for use in flight. Current efforts in a range of 

biotechnologies are dependent on the ability to use and manipulate these systems in space. 

To develop these food production systems, which are dependent on individual plants, plant cells must be 

able to grow normally. Dividing and developing plant cells need to process and pass on accurate genetic 

information to new plants. The extent to which such growth and development will occur in microgravity is 

a key concern for modern plant biotechnologies in space. 

Preliminary results from the Plant Cell Research experiment aboard STS-47 and Proembryogenesis in 

Space experiment aboard STS-65 have shown genetic abnormalities occur to plants during space flight. 

Mechanisms of information transfer or signaling through various parts of the cell do not occur normally in 

space. Because ground based studies indicate that water related activity can impact the integrity of 

chromosomes, it is possible that the results observed in STS-47 and STS-65 are not due to the direct effect 

upon the plants but on the indirect effects mediated by water availability to the plant cells. 

This experiment will use daylily cells as a model system to test the impact of the changes in water 

availability and activity on plant reproduction. Plant development entails an orderly progression of cellular 

events both in terms of time and space. Previous studies have demonstrated that microgravity has adverse 

effects on plant cell function. Work from Cosmos 782 and 1129 indicated that while the broad events of 

plant development proceeded in space, the progression was slowed and there were fewer later stages 

generated in the plant population. 

One of the major indirect effects of microgravity on plant development may be on water. In microgravity 

water does not go to the bottom of a container; it floats, is affected by air currents and stays on the sides of 

containers. This affects the availability of water for plant growth and development. Changes in water 

relations in microgravity affect moisture availability, surface tension, buoyancy driven convection, gas 

diffusion and stratification. 

This research will contribute to our understanding of plant development and reproduction, which in turn, 

will directly affect our ability to grow plants in space. The research also will support a better understanding 

of the basic processes of plant genetics in general, which may provide benefits here on Earth, particularly 

in arid environments. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 31 

BIOREACTOR DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM (BDS) 

Just as gravity affects the manner in which crystals grow and materials are processed, Earth’s pull also can 

alter the development of cells and tissues. Microgravity, however, can provide life science researchers with 

the opportunity to grow cells into three-dimensional tissue pieces that are not achievable using 

conventional tissue culture methods on Earth. 

The Bioreactor Demonstration System is designed to use ground-based and space-bioreactor systems to 

grow individual cells into organized tissue that is morphologically and functionally similar to the original 

tissue or organ. 

The BDS is composed of a device developed at the Johnson Space Center that uses a rotating cylinder to 

suspend cells and tissues in a growth medium, simulating some aspects of microgravity. The system, which 

is already being used extensively in ground-based research, also provides for gas and nutrient exchange. 

The purpose of the flight experiment is to demonstrate the performance of the bioreactor in actual 

microgravity. As such, the primary goal is to assess the fluid dynamic characteristics of the bioreactor in 

microgravity. 

This includes not only the motion of various sizes of small particles in the bioreactor under different 

conditions, but also the ability of the bioreactor to provide the environment and metabolic support required 

to grow and maintain mammalian cell cultures in microgravity. 

The experiment protocol uses colon cancer cells as a test of the bioreactor performance. At specified times 

during the flight, the STS-70 crew members will inject color producing substances to document fluid 

movement in the reactor, and various-sized beads to estimate the tissue size that could be supported in the 

bioreactor. Crew members also will perform off-line measurements of pH, glucose and carbon dioxide 

content within the bioreactor and will record the results of the system’s performance. 

Investigators anticipate the fluid dynamics analysis will show sufficient mixing to support tissue growth 

with minimal cell damage. They also hope the system will allow the colon cancer cells to metabolize 

glucose, producing acid, thereby demonstrating the function of the pH sensor. BDS also will demonstrate 

the bioreactor’s ability to provide oxygen and glucose and remove waste products. 

The BDS Team consists of Stanley J. Kleis, Ph.D., engineering principal investigator; J. Milburn Jessup, 

M.D., cell science principal investigator; Richard Saur, mission manager; and Neal R. Pellis, Ph.D., 

program director. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 32 

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH-R-2 

Space Flight Effects on Mammalian Development 

Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Alberts, Ph.D. 

Department of Psychology 

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 

This project emphasizes features of the rat’s behavior and physiology that are known to contribute to 

successful pregnancy, labor, delivery and the onset of postnatal care - especially lactation. Lacking the 

challenge of working against gravity and disruption of specific behaviors, such as self-grooming, may 

compromise the female’s ability to give birth and provide sufficient milk. Development of vestibular 

(balance) function in all species begins well before birth. The use of pregnant animals exposed to 

microgravity will eliminate the effects of gravity from direct input during the development of this system. 

Examination of the behavior of the offspring after birth is expected to provide information about the 

earliest development of the vestibular system under gravity as compared to microgravity circumstances. 

Neuromuscular Development and Regulation of Myosin Expression 

Sue C. Bodine-Fowler, Ph.D. 

Department of Orthopedics 

University of California, San Diego 

VA Medical Center, La Jolla, CA 

The purpose of this experiment is to determine whether gravity is required prior to birth for the normal 

development of muscles. Prior to birth, muscle cells migrate to the limbs and form specific muscles which 

become innervated by axons whose cell bodies are in the spinal cord. The muscle fibers within the muscle 

go through a series of changes until they reach their adult state. This process of muscle specialization is 

initiated prior to birth and continues through the first month after birth. This study will determine whether 

exposure to microgravity during embryonic development affects the normal development of muscles and 

nerves by examining the innervation of muscles by nerves, the morphological development of muscles and 

the differentiation of muscle fibers into adult types. These experiments will provide valuable information 

regarding how muscles develop. 

Effect of Space flight on the Development of the Circadian Timing System 

Charles A. Fuller, Ph.D. Section of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior 

University of California, Davis, CA 

Development of the neurologic system, particularly the retina and its connections in the brain, and the 

circadian timing system, the internal “clock” which regulates sleep-wake cycles and other daily physiologic 

functions, begins well before birth. The circadian timing system is an important temporal organizer 

controlling both the physiology and behavior of organisms. For example, conditions such as jet-lag, shiftwork and some sleep and mental disorders are frequently associated with dysfunction of the circadian 

timing system. The exposure of developing rat offspring to microgravity may lead to alterations in these 

systems, which may increase our fundamental understanding of the development and operation of these 

systems. 

Effect of Microgravity on Bone Development 

Nicola C. Partridge, Ph.D. 

Saint Louis University Medical Center 

Department of Pharmacological and Physiological Science 

St. Louis, MO 

Under conditions of weightlessness, humans and experimental animals show loss of bone mass 

accompanied by excretion of calcium in urine. The development of skeletal bone also may be affected by 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 33 

exposure to microgravity in utero (before birth). If so, different enzymes and proteins (tissue plasminogen 

activator, plasmin, collagenase, etc.) important for bone development may appear at altered times and at 

altered levels. The present study will investigate the expression of these enzymes in fetal and postnatal rats 

exposed to microgravity in utero. Such findings would shed light on the importance and role of gravity in 

developing skeletal bone. The information gained may help in the therapeutic intervention of bone diseases 

on Earth, such as osteoporosis. 

Histological Effects of Microgravity on Rat Body Wall Musculature 

Richard Wassersug, Ph.D. 

Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology 

Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 

Postural muscles in the hind limbs of rodents deteriorate dramatically (i.e., decondition) under extended 

periods of weightlessness. The muscles of the body wall of rodents and other quadrupeds are themselves 

postural muscles that help elevate the abdomen and flex the spine during locomotion. Additionally, these 

muscles are extremely important in a variety of visceral functions that require large increases in abdominal 

pressure (e.g., coughing, defecation, parturition, etc.). If these muscles deteriorate, as do hind limb postural 

muscles, then this may severely compromise the ability of animals to give normal vaginal birth as a result 

of being exposed to microgravity. Greater understanding of the basic physiological processes involved in 

this research could provide insight into a range of medical challenges from diseases involving severe 

muscle degeneration, to helping accident victims who are immobilized with bedrest for extended periods of 

time, to developing countermeasures for severe muscle degeneration. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 34 

COMMERCIAL PROTEIN CRYSTAL GROWTH 

The Commercial Protein Crystal Growth (CPCG) experiment aboard STS-70 is sponsored by the Center 

for Macromolecular Crystallography (CMC) based at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The CMC 

is one of 11 NASA Centers for the Commercial Development of Space and forms a bridge between NASA 

and private industry by developing methods for the crystallization of macromolecules in microgravity. 

These crystals are used to determine the three-dimensional structure of the molecules by X-Ray 

crystallography. The structural information not only provides a greater understanding of the functions of 

macromolecules in living organisms, but it also provides scientific insight into the development of new 

drugs. 

By the technique of protein crystallography, crystals of purified proteins are grown in the laboratory and 

X-Ray diffraction data are collected on these crystals. The three-dimensional structure is then determined 

by analysis of these data. Unfortunately, crystals grown in the gravity environment of Earth frequently 

have internal defects that make such analysis difficult or impossible. Space-grown crystals often have 

fewer defects and are much better than their Earth-grown counterparts. 

The protein crystal growth experiment on STS-70 will consist of the Protein Crystallization Facility (PCF). 

The objective of the PCF experiment, contained in a thermal control enclosure located in Discovery’s 

middeck, will be to crystallize human alpha interferon protein. Alpha interferon is a protein pharmaceutical 

that currently is used against human viral hepatitis B and C. The objective is to discover the next 

generation alpha interferon pharmaceuticals and formulations. 

For the eight PCF flights to date, seven yielded larger space-grown crystals and five yielded crystals of 

superior X-Ray quality. Two yielded crystals, though larger than their Earth-grown counterparts, that were 

too small for x- ray analysis; thus, their X-Ray diffraction quality could not be assessed. On the 

SPACEHAB 1 and 2 missions with the PCF, the CMC grew crystals of human insulin of exceptional 

quality. These crystals provided the pharmaceutical industry with the most detailed picture ever seen for 

this important protein, the key medication for diabetes. Industry will now use this structural information to 

develop a novel and improved time-release insulin formulation. 

With continued research, the commercial applications developed using protein crystal growth have 

phenomenal potential, and the number of proteins that need study exceeds tens of thousands. Current 

research, with the aid of pharmaceutical companies, may lead to a whole new generation of drugs which 

could help treat diseases such as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease, influenza, septic shock, 

emphysema, aging and AIDS. 

A number of pharmaceutical companies partner with the CMC, including: 

• BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

• Eli Lilly and Co. 

• Schering-Plough 

• DuPont Merck Pharmaceuticals 

• Eastman Kodak 

• Upjohn Co. 

• Smith Kline Beecham Pharmaceuticals 

• Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 

Principal Investigator for the STS-70 Commercial Protein Crystal Growth experiment is Dr. Larry 

DeLucas, Director of the CMC. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 35 

SPACE TISSUE LOSS - B (STL-B) 

The STL-B experiment is a collaborative research project between Walter Reed Army Institute of 

Research, Washington, DC, and the NASA Life & Microgravity Sciences and Applications Div., 

Washington DC. The researchers: Dr. Debra Wolgemuth, Columbia Univ.; Dr. Carey Phillips, Bowdoin 

College; and Dr. William Wiesmann, WRAIR, are investigating the effects of microgravity on 

embryogenesis. Their analysis is centered on the evaluation of a very well described and understood 

biology model, the Medaka fish egg. The study focuses on evaluating the micro-gravity effect at the 

molecular level. Of particular interest is the digital image capture of the (gastrolation) development phase 

via the STL-B on board video microscope and telemetry to the investigators on the ground. This follow-up 

experiment will help validate previous STS-59 findings as well as provide additional definition to the 

model for future space biology experimentation. 

STL-B is a DOD payload and is being flown under the direction of the DOD Space Test Program. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 36 

HAND-HELD, EARTH-ORIENTED, COOPERATIVE, REAL-TIME, 

USER- FRIENDLY, LOCATION TARGETING, 

AND ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEM (HERCULES) 

HERCULES-B is the third generation of a space-based geolocating system. For this configuration, a 

XYBION multispectral video camera has been integrated with the HERCULES geolocation hardware. The 

second generation, HERCULES-A, used NASA’s Electronic Still Camera (ESC) and was flown twice 

(STS-53 and 56). HERCULES-B will allow the system to respond to requirements that exploit 

multispectral techniques. 

The geolocation part of the system, built by the Naval Research Laboratory, calculates and tags every 

frame of video with latitude and longitude with an accuracy of three nautical miles. The multispectral video 

camera is a high resolution (38 line pairs/mm) XYBION IMC-301 image intensifying camera. The 

XYBION was integrated by the Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate. This camera will allow 

multispectral imagery @ 15 meter Ground Sampling Distance (GSD) from the Shuttle in the 500-900 

nanometer spectral region. The camera uses filter wheels that rotate in the optical path at 300 rpm. Several 

filter wheels (each with six filters), suggested by the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan and the 

Office of Naval Research, will be provided to the crew to be changed during the mission. The camera also 

has a ‘panchromatic mode’ that allows high shutter speed imagery to be obtained. In this mode, the high 

shutter speeds (<100 microseconds) will allow the effects of Orbiter and operator motion to be decreased. 

With the longest focal length lens (1800 mm), GSDs of three meters are anticipated based on laboratory 

and field measurements. Various focal length lenses (320-1830 mm) will be used in panchromatic mode 

which will allow a wide variety of fields of view and GSDs. 

This system will be used to locate a wide variety of features on the ground. 

HERCULES is a DOD payload and is being flown under the direction of the DOD Space Test Program. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 37 

MICROENCAPSULATION IN SPACE - B (MIS-B) 

Microencapsulation in Space (MIS) makes its second space flight aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The 

purpose of this project, developed at Southern Research Institute and sponsored by the U.S. Army Dental 

Research Detachment, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, is to produce a novel pharmaceutical 

(microencapsulated antibiotic) in weightless conditions using equipment that has been improved since the 

first MIS flight in 1992 (STS- 53). 

The same experiment will be conducted using newly designed equipment which should improve the yield 

of the microspheres. In the experiment, the drug (ampicillin) is entrapped within a biodegradable polymer, 

so that as the polymer degrades in the body, the drug is released at a controlled rate. In the 1992 Space 

Shuttle experiment, the microcapsules were perfectly shaped, more homogeneous, and free of residual 

solvents, thus purer than those made in gravity, but the yield was small. 

Microencapsulated antibiotics, which are capable of providing precise and predictable sustained drug 

release rates, control wound infections more effectively than systemically administered antibiotics and do 

so in vivo after a single application to infected wounds. The microencapsulated formulations provide high 

antibiotic concentrations in the wound site over a prolonged period of time, during which the polymeric 

carrier biodegrades into carbon dioxide in water. The end result is that all microorganisms in the wound are 

killed by the antibiotic, and the drug carrier (polymer) dissolves in the body leaving no residue. 

According to Dr. Thomas Tice of Southern Research Institute, who is principal investigator, “The space 

environment should result in a greater versatility for microencapsulation methodologies, thereby allowing a 

more successful use of procedures presently used on Earth. Some pharmaceuticals that have failed to 

encapsulate on Earth should successfully encapsulate in space.” 

Dr. Jean Setterstrom, an Army scientist who has worked closely with Southern Research on 

microencapsulated antibiotics for over 15 years, stated that the Army has supported this project because 

they recognize the potential of microencapsulation technology in targeting drugs in newer, more powerful 

ways to get enhanced pharmaceutical efficacy with fewer adverse effects in vivo. This offers dramatically 

improved treatment modalities for deployed soldiers ranging from better therapeutic drugs to prophylactic 

vaccines. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 38 

MIDCOURSE SPACE EXPERIMENT (MSX) 

MSX is a Department of Defense program sponsored by the Ballistic Missile Defense Office, designed to 

support the development of surveillance capabilities of ballistic missiles during the midcourse of their 

flight. The principal instrument of the program is a satellite in a 99 degree inclination, 898 kilometer 

altitude polar orbit. The imaging and spectrographic sensors carried by the MSX satellite cover a broad 

range of spectral regions from the far ultraviolet to the long wave infrared. The MSX Shuttle experiments 

are flown under the direction of the Defense Department’s Space Test Program and involve using the MSX 

satellite to observe the plumes from Shuttle engine burns and the Shuttle body, representative of a resident 

space object (RSO), against Earth and space backgrounds. 

STS-70 will be the first Shuttle mission involving the MSX program. This mission occurs during the MSX 

satellite’s on-orbit checkout phase following its launch. The MSX experiment for this mission involves a 

checkout of the satellite’s ability to acquire, track, and accurately point at the Shuttle against Earth and 

space backgrounds. This capability is critical to the success of follow-on experiments related to plume and 

resident space object (RSO) characterization. 

The MSX Shuttle Plume Observations involve observing the Shuttle while various Reaction Control 

System or Orbital Maneuvering System engines are fired in specified combinations, at various angles to the 

path of the Shuttle, and for specified durations. Images and spectra of the resulting plumes are observed in 

ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelength regions. The data will be used to understand the fundamental 

processes producing plume. The resulting understanding will be incorporated into models to predict what 

can be observed by space-based sensors from a wide variety of missile systems. 

The MSX Shuttle RSO experiments involve acquiring and tracking the Shuttle body against a space, Earth 

limb, or hard Earth background. The data will be used to develop the capability for operational surveillance 

systems to acquire and track objects against a variety of backgrounds. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 39 

MILITARY APPLICATIONS OF SHIP TRACKS (MAST) 

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is sponsoring the Military Applications of Ship Tracks (MAST) 

experiment on STS-70. MAST, which flew for the first time on STS-65 in July 1994, is part of a five-year 

research program developed by ONR to examine the effects of ships on the marine environment. The 

Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, will conduct the experiment at the Johnson Space Center 

during the mission. 

The objective of MAST is to determine how pollutants generated by ships modify the reflective properties 

of clouds. Ship tracks are observed in satellite imagery as long, narrow, curvilinear cloud features that have 

greater brightness than the surrounding clouds. The STS-70 crew will photograph ship tracks using large 

format, handheld cameras. These high-resolution photographs will provide insight into the processes of 

ship track production on a global scale. MAST will help in understanding the effects of man-made aerosols 

on clouds and the resulting impact on the climate system. 

MAST is a DOD payload and is being flown under the direction of the DOD Space Test Program. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 40 

RADIATION MONITORING EQUIPMENT -III (RME-III) 

RME stands for Radiation Monitoring Equipment, the name given to prototype dosimeter instruments 

flown on the Space Shuttle. RME-III has been successfully flown on various Space Shuttle missions since 

STS-31. RME is being integrated and flown on the STS-70 mission under the direction of the Defense 

Department’s Space Test Program. It has been flown in conjunction with other radiation experiments, such 

as the CREAM (Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor) and SAM (Shuttle Activation 

Monitor). 

RME-III is an instrument which measures the exposure to ionizing radiation on the Space Shuttle. It 

displays the dose rate and total accumulated radiation dose to the operator, while simultaneously 

registering the number of radiation interactions and dose accumulated at ten second intervals. This data is 

stored in RME-III’s memory module(s), for follow-up analysis upon return to Earth. The radiation detector 

used in the instrument is a spatial ionization chamber called a tissue equivalent proportional counter 

(TEPC) which effectively simulates a target size of a few microns of tissue, the dimensions of a typical 

human cell. For this reason, TEPC-based instruments such as the RME-III are called micro-dosimeter 

instruments. 

The data obtained from the RME-III are archived and are being used to update and refine models of the 

space radiation environment in low-Earth orbit. This will assist space mission planners to more accurately 

assess risk and safety factors in future long-term space missions, such as the international Space Station. 

RME-III also has been used to measure radiation exposure in high altitude aircraft, such as the Concorde. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 41 

WINDOW EXPERIMENT (WINDEX) 

The objective of WINDEX is to gain an understanding of the chemistry and dynamics near a Low-EarthOrbit (LEO) satellite. This information will prevent misinterpretation of the measurements of the Earth, 

solar system, and stars from LEO platforms. This knowledge also will prevent damage to sensitive systems 

and solar arrays during rendezvous and docking operations. 

WINDEX will record the dynamics of thruster plumes, Shuttle glow, water dumps, atmospheric nightglow, 

aurora, and flash evaporator system (FES) releases. Thruster plumes provide the largest perturbations on 

the LEO environment. Thruster firings can enhance the local densities of gases by several orders of 

magnitude and introduce numerous non- natural elements. These non-natural elements react with the 

atmosphere or with the spacecraft systems in the plume cloud. WINDEX would like to record the high 

speed (< 1⁄4 sec) phenomena associated with the start-up and shut-down transients of the thruster as well as 

observe how these transients affect the Shuttle glow. Shuttle glow can be an indicator of the flow field 

around the Shuttle. Measurements of the Shuttle glow will help us understand the chemistry around the 

Shuttle and obtain a measure of the optical contamination of LEO based sensors. Low-light level spectrally 

resolved images will provide this information. Water dumps, FES releases, and fuel cell purges also are a 

major contributor to the non-natural environment around a LEO satellite. WINDEX will look at water 

dumps to identify particle size and freezing dynamics of liquid water releases in the LEO environment. In 

order to separate the optical emissions of the near-field glow or plume data from the natural background, 

WINDEX must obtain atmospheric nightglow information. WINDEX will accomplish this by obtaining 

spectrally resolved images of limb and nadir night glow. This data will identify the dynamics of the middle 

and upper atmosphere (50 - 300 Km altitude). Information on the aurora will also help define the natural 

background environment of LEO platforms. 

WINDEX is integrated and flown under the direction of the DOD Space Test Program. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 42 

VISUAL FUNCTION TESTER - 4 (VFT-4) 

Since the Gemini space flights three decades ago, some of NASA’s Shuttle astronauts have described a 

loss in their ability to see clearly at close range when in space. Interestingly enough, most of the astronauts 

experiencing this change were in their early forties and could see clearly without reading glasses when they 

were on the ground. Vision scientists at Human Systems Center’s Armstrong Laboratory at WrightPatterson AFB want to know why. 

The next step in seeking the answers begins when the Discovery begins its eight-day mission, carrying 

with it an instrument that measures the range of how close and far away the human eye can see clearly 

while in near zero gravity conditions, often referred to as microgravity. The instrument, called the Vision 

Function Tester - 4 (VFT-4), was invented and patented by two Armstrong Laboratory scientists, Dr. H. 

Lee Task and Colonel Louis Genco. 

Based on astronauts’ accounts, the reasons why eyesight may change in space have been narrowed to two 

possible explanations. VFT-4 gives researchers a chance to get first-hand information and test those ideas. 

One theory put forth by the Principal Investigator, Lt. Col. Gerald Gleason, a vision scientist with the 

Visual Displays Systems Branch, Human Engineering Division, Crew Systems Directorate, is that the eye 

is like a water balloon. Rest it on a table and it gets longer as it flattens out (which is the normal condition 

on Earth). Put that balloon in space and it shortens, becoming more round. The eye could do the same thing 

and when it shortens it becomes far- sighted, causing more difficulty seeing objects up close. In addition to 

taking pre-and post-flight measurements of two astronauts’ eyes using the Vision Function Tester, the 

participating astronauts will use the instrument daily throughout the Shuttle flight. The information 

gathered during these 30-minute sessions will also help Armstrong scientists evaluate how quickly the eye 

adjusts in space and how it is affected over time. 

The results of the Shuttle experiments are relevant to the Department of Defense as the information will be 

used to better simulate a microgravity environment on the ground. In turn, contact lenses or reading glasses 

may be prescribed to compensate for the changes astronauts and military pilots experience in microgravity. 

VFT-4 is integrated and flown aboard the Space Shuttle under the direction of the Department of Defense 

Space Test Program. This program is open to all experiments within the DOD desiring space flight. The 

vision experiments aboard Discovery are the second in a series of a projected five to be conducted aboard 

Space Shuttle missions over the next two years. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 43 

SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT (SAREX) 

Students in the U.S. and Argentina will have a chance to speak via amateur radio with astronauts aboard 

the Discovery. Ground-based amateur radio operators (“hams”) will be able to contact the Shuttle through 

automated computer-to-computer amateur (packet) radio links. There also will be voice contacts with the 

general ham community as time permits. 

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

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

(AMSAT). 

The project, which has flown on 17 previous Shuttle missions, is designed to encourage public 

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

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

amateur radio voice and digital techniques. 

Space Shuttle Mission Specialist Donald Thomas (call sign KC5FVF) will talk with students in 10 schools 

in the U.S. and Argentina using “ham radio.” 

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

approximately 4 to 8 minutes: 

• Hook Elementary School, Troy, OH (KA8CBE) 

• East Memorial Elementary School, Farmingdale, NY (N2PSG) 

• Concord High School, Concord, NH (N1JHJ) 

• Schenectady Museum Amateur Radio Station, Schenectady, NY (WB2CRZ) 

• Euclid High School, Euclid, OH (WA8WKQ) 

• Milford High School, Highland, MI (N8IHO) 

• ITT Technical Institute, Grand Rapids, MI (WJ8F) 

• Gulf Middle School, New Port Richey, FL (KD4SSU) 

• Fallbrook Union High School, Fallbrook, CA (KM6WF) 

• Colegio San Nicolas, Santa Fe, Argentina (LU2FCY) 

Several audio and digital communication services have been developed to disseminate Shuttle and 

SAREX-specific information during the flight. 

The ARRL ham radio station (W1AW) will include SAREX information in its regular voice and teletype 

bulletins. 

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

during the mission, providing SAREX information, retransmitting live Shuttle air-to-ground audio, and 

retransmitting many SAREX school group contacts. 

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

the mission from NASA ARRL (Steve Mansfield, 203/666-1541) and AMSAT (Frank Bauer, 301/286-

8496). AMSAT will provide information bulletins for interested parties on Internet and amateur packet 

radio. 

Current Keplerian elements to track the Shuttle are available from the NASA Spacelink computer 

information system (BBS), (205) 895-0028 or via Internet spacelink.msfc.nasa.gov., and the ARRL BBS 

(203) 666-0578. The latest element sets and mission information also are available via the Johnson Space 

Center (JSC) ARC BBS or the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) BBS. The JSC number is (713) 244-

5625, 9600 Baud or less. The GSFC BBS is available via Internet. The address is wa3nan.gsfc.nasa.gov. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 44 

STS-70 SAREX Frequencies 

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

frequency of 145.55 MHz. 

The voice uplink frequencies are (except Europe): 

144.91 MHz 

144.93 

144.95 

144.97 

144.99 

The voice uplink frequencies for Europe are: 

144.70 

144.75 

144.80 

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

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

The worldwide amateur packet frequencies are: 

Packet downlink 145.55 MHz 

Packet uplink 144.49 MHz 

The GSFC amateur radio club planned HF operating frequencies: 

3.860 MHz 7.185 14.295 21.395 28.650 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 45 

STS-70 CREWMEMBERS 

STS070-S-002 -- These five NASA astronauts are in training for the STS-70 mission aboard the space 

shuttle Discovery. Left to right are astronauts Kevin R. Kregel, Nancy J. Currie, Terence T. (Tom) 

Henricks, Mary Ellen Weber and Donald A. Thomas. Henricks and Kregel are commander and pilot, 

respectively. The other three are mission specialists. Among the tasks they are expected to perform is the 

deployment of another satellite in the network of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS). 

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 46 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

TERENCE (TOM) HENRICKS, COMMANDER 

Air Force Colonel Terence “Tom” Henricks, 42, will serve as commander of Discovery. 

Born in Bryan, OH, Henricks considers Woodville, OH, to be his hometown. Henricks received a 

bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the United States Air Force Academy in 1974, and a master’s 

in public administration from Golden Gate University in 1982. He has logged 747 parachute jumps and 

more than 4,700 hours flying time. 

Henricks completed his pilot training at Craig Air Force Base in Selma, AL, and F-4 conversion training at 

Homestead Air Force Base in Miami, FL. He then flew in F-4 fighter squadrons in England and Iceland. 

He attended the USAF Test Pilot School in 1983 and remained at Edwards AFB, CA, as an F-16C test pilot 

and chief of the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing Operating Location until he was selected as an astronaut in 

1985. 

Since joining NASA, Henricks has re-evaluated Shuttle landing sites around the world; served as assistant 

manager for Engineering Integration in the Shuttle Program Office; worked as lead astronaut of the Shuttle 

Avionics Integration Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center and of the Vehicle Test and Checkout Office 

at the Kennedy Space Center. 

Henricks has served as pilot of two space flights. His first mission was STS-44 in November 1991. The 

primary mission was to deploy the Defense Support Program satellite with an Inertial Upper Stage rocket 

booster. His second mission, STS-55 in April 1993, was a cooperative Spacelab mission with the German 

Space Agency which included 89 different experiments in materials processing, life sciences, robotics, 

technology, astronomy and Earth mapping. 

Henricks has logged over 405 hours in space. 

KEVIN KREGEL, PILOT 

Pilot Kevin Kregel, 38, will be making his first space flight. Kregel, who was born in New York City, 

considers Amityville, NY, to be his hometown. 

Kregel earned a bachelor’s degree in astronautical engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1978 

and a master’s degree in public administration from Troy State University in 1988. 

Kregel earned his pilot’s wings in 1979 at Williams Air Force Base, AZ. From 1980 to 1983, he was 

assigned to F-111 aircraft at RAF Lakenheath. While serving as an exchange officer flying A-6E aircraft 

with the U.S. Navy at NAS Whidbey Island in Seattle, WA, and aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, Kregel made 

66 carrier landings during a cruise of the Western Pacific. His next assignment was another exchange tour 

at the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School at Patuxent River, MD. Upon graduation he was assigned to Eglin 

AFB, FL, conducting weapons and electronic systems testing on the F- 111, F15 and the initial weapons 

certification test of the F15E aircraft. 

Kregel resigned from active duty in 1990 to take a position as an aerospace engineer and instructor pilot at 

JSC’s Ellington Field offices. His primary responsibilities included flying as an instructor pilot in the 

Shuttle Training Aircraft and conducting the initial flight test of the T-38 avionics upgrade. 

Selected as an astronaut in March 1992, Kregel has served as the Astronaut Support Personnel Team at the 

Kennedy Space Center. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 47 

DONALD THOMAS, MISSION SPECIALIST 1 

Cleveland native Donald Thomas, Ph.D., 40, will be making his second flight as Mission Specialist 1. 

Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in physics from Case Western Reserve University in 1977, and master’s 

and doctorate degrees in materials science from Cornell University in 1980 and 1982, respectively. 

Following his graduation, Thomas joined AT&T Bell Laboratories in Princeton, N.J., working as a senior 

member of the technical staff. He also served as an adjunct professor in the Physics Department of Trenton 

State College. He holds two patents and has authored several technical papers. 

Thomas left AT&T in 1987 to work for Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company in Houston, where 

his responsibilities involved reviewing materials used in the Shuttle payloads. In 1988, he joined the 

Johnson Space Center as a materials engineer, working on analysis of advanced composite materials for 

use on the Space Station. He also was principal investigator for the Microgravity Disturbances Experiment 

on STS-32. 

Thomas was selected as an astronaut in January 1990. His first mission, STS-65 in July 1994, was a 15-day 

Spacelab flight which included 80 experiments focusing on materials and life sciences research in space. 

With the completion of that mission, Thomas has logged almost 354 hours in space. 

NANCY CURRIE, MISSION, SPECIALIST 2 

Army Major Nancy Currie, 36, will make her second space flight as Mission Specialist 2 during STS-70. 

Born in Wilmington, DE, Currie considers Troy, OH, to be her hometown. She received a bachelor’s 

degree in biological science from Ohio State University in 1980 and a master’s in safety engineering from 

the University of Southern California in 1985. 

Following her graduation from Ohio State University, Currie served as a neuropathology research assistant 

at the OSU College of Medicine. She was commissioned as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army in July 1981 and 

has served in a variety of leadership positions including helicopter instructor pilot, section leader, platoon 

leader and Brigade flight standardization Officer. As a senior army aviator, Currie has logged over 3,300 

flying hours in a variety of rotary-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. She has instructed in all phases of rotarywing flight, including combat skills and night vision goggle operations. She was assigned to the Johnson 

Space Center in September 1987 as a flight simulation engineer on the Shuttle Training Aircraft and was 

subsequently selected as an astronaut in 1990. Since joining the astronaut corps, she has served as the lead 

for flight crew equipment, the Remote Manipulator System and as a spacecraft communicator. 

Her first space flight occurred in June 1993 on STS-57. The primary objective of the mission was to 

retrieve the European Retrievable Carrier satellite. The mission also featured the first flight of the 

Spacehab module, carrying 22 microgravity experiments and featured a space walk by two crew members.. 

After the one flight, Currie has accumulated 239 hours in space. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 48 

MARY ELLEN WEBER, MISSION SPECIALIST 3 

Rounding out the STS-70 crew will be Mary Ellen Weber, Ph.D., 32, who will serve as Mission Specialist 3. 

Born in Cleveland, OH, Weber considers Bedford Heights, OH, to be her hometown. She holds a bachelor’s 

degree in chemical engineering from Purdue in 1984 and a doctorate in physical chemistry from the 

University of California at Berkeley in 1988. 

During her undergraduate studies at Purdue, Weber held engineering internships at Ohio Edison, Delco 

Electronics and 3M. After her graduation, she joined Texas Instruments to research new techniques in 

microelectronics manufacturing. In 1990, she was assigned to SEMATECH, a U.S. semiconductor 

manufacturing consortium in Austin, TX, to develop novel high-density plasma reactors for silicon etching. 

This work led to a further assignment at Applied Materials and Technology in Santa Clara, CA, to develop a 

world-class plasma etcher. She holds one patent and has published eight technical papers. She also is a 

national competitive sky diver with over 1,900 jumps. 

Weber was selected as an astronaut in March 1992. Since then she has assisted in Shuttle processing and 

launches for the Astronaut Office and has worked in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. 

STS-70 is her first space mission. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 49 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF MAY 1995 

70 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 45 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-63 

02/03/95 - 02/11/95 

STS-64 

09/09/94 - 09/20/94 

 STS-60 

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

STS-65 

07/08/94 0 07/23/94 

STS-51 

09/12/93 - 09/22/93 

STS-62 

03/04/94 - 03/18/94 

STS-56 

04/08/83 - 04/17/93 

STS-58 

10/18/93 - 11/01/93 

STS-53 

12/02/92 - 12/09/92 

STS-55 

04/26/93 - 05/06/93 

STS-42 

01/22/92 - 01/30/92 

STS-71 

06/27/95 - 07/07/95 

STS-52 

10/22/92 - 11/01/92 

STS-48 

09/12/91 - 09/18/91 

STS-66 

11/03/94 - 11/14/94 

STS-50 

06/25/92 - 07/09/92 

STS-39 

04/28/91 - 05/06/91 

STS-46 

07/31/92 - 08/08/92 

STS-40 

06/05/91 - 06/14/91 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-45 

03/24/92 - 04/02/92 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-44 

11/24/91 - 12/01/91 

STS-32 

01/09/90 - 01/20/90 

STS-61A 

10/30/85 - 11/06/85 

STS-33 

11/22/89 - 11/27/89 

STS-43 

08/02/91 - 08/11/91 

STS-69 

09/07/95 - 09/18/95 

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-67 

03/02/95 - 03/18/95 

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-68 

09/30/94 - 10/11/94 

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-59 

04/09/94 - 04/20/94 

STS-5 

11/11/82 - 11/16/82 

STS-41C 

04/06/84 - 04/13/84 

STS-51G 

06/17/85 - 06/24/85 

STS-34 

10/18/89 - 10/23/89 

STS-61 

12/02/93 - 12/13/93 

STS-4 

06/27/82 - 07/04/82 

STS-41B 

02/03/84 - 02/11/84 

STS-51D 

04/12/85 - 04/19/85 

STS-30 

05/04/89 - 05/08/89 

STS-57 

06/21/93 - 07/01/93 

STS-3 

03/22/82 - 03/30/82 

STS-8 

08/30/83 - 09/05/83 

STS-51C 

01/24/85 - 01/27/85 

STS-27 

12/02/88 - 12/06/88 

STS-54 

01/13/93 - 01/19/93 

STS-2 

11/12/81 - 11/14/81 

STS-7 

06/18/83 - 06/24/83 

STS-51A 

11/08/84 - 11/16/84 

STS-61B 

11/26/85 - 12/03/85 

STS-47 

09/12/92 - 09/20/92 

STS-1 

04/12/81 - 04/14/81 

STS-6 

04/04/83 - 04/09/83 

STS-41D 

08/30/84 - 09/05/84 

STS-51J 

10/03/85 - 10/07/85 

STS-49 

05/07/92 - 05/16/92 

 

OV-102 

Columbia 

(17 flights)

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights)

OV-103 

Discovery 

(20 flights)

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(14 flights)

OV-105 

Endeavour 

(9 flights)