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

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

SPACE SHUTTLE 

MISSION 

STS-56 

PRESS KIT 

APRIL 1993 

ATLAS 2 MISSION 

Atmospheric Laboratory For Science And Applications 
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STS-56 INSIGNIA 

STS056-S-001 – The STS-56 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, mission insignia is a pictorial 

representation of the STS-56 Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science 2 (ATLAS-2) mission 

as seen from the crew's viewpoint. The payload bay (PLB) is depicted with the ATLAS-2 pallet, Shuttle 

Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) experiment, and Spartan -- the two primary scientific payloads on 

the flight. With ATLAS-2 serving as part of the "Mission to Planet Earth" project, the crew has depicted 

the planet prominently in the artwork. Two primary areas of study are the atmosphere and the sun. To 

highlight this, Earth's atmosphere is depicted as a stylized visible spectrum and the sunrise is represented 

with an enlarged two-colored corona. Surnames of the mission commander and pilot are inscribed in the 

Earth field, with the surnames of the mission specialists appearing in the space background. They are 

mission commander Kenneth Cameron, pilot Stephen S. Oswald, and mission specialists Michael Foale, 

Kenneth D. Cockrell, and Ellen Ochoa. Each crewmember contributed to the design 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 

NASA Headquarters 

Office of Space Flight/Office of Space Systems Development 

Mark Hess/Jim Cast/Ed Campion 

(Phone: 202/358-1778) 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

Paula Cleggett-Haleim/Mike Braukus/Brian Dunbar 

(Phone: 202/358-1547) 

Office of Space Communications/Office of Safety & Mission Quality 

Dwayne Brown 

(Phone: 202/358-0547) 

Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology 

Charles Redmond 

(Phone: 703/358-1757) 

Office of Aeronautics 

Drucella Andersen/Les Dorr 

(Phone: 202/453-2754) 

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Langley Research Center 

Jane Hutchison Catharine Schauer 

(Phone: 415/604-4968) (Phone: 804/864-6122) 

 

Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA Lewis Research Center 

Nancy Lovato Mary Ann Peto 

(Phone: 805/258-3448) (Phone: 216/433-2899) 

 

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD Marshall Space Flight Center 

Randee Exler June Malone 

(Phone: 301/286-7277) (Phone: 205/544-0034) 

 

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Stennis Space Center 

James Wilson Myron Webb 

(Phone: 818/354-5011) (Phone: 601/688-3341) 

 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX Wallops Flight Center 

James Hartsfield Keith Koehler 

(Phone: 713/483-5111) (Phone: 804/824-1579) 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 

George Diller 

(Phone: 407/867-2468) 

Department of Defense 

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs 

Maj. Dave Thurston 

(Phone: 703/695-5766) 

USAF Space and Missile Systems Center Public Affairs 

Betty Ciotti Dave Hess 

(Phone: 310/363-6836) (Phone: 713/483-3498 
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CONTENTS 

GENERAL BACKGROUND 

General Release 5 

Media Services Information 7 

Quick-Look-Facts 8 

Space Shuttle Abort Modes 9 

Summary of Major Activities 10 

Payload and Vehicle Weights 11 

 

CARGO BAY PAYLOADS & ACTIVITIES 

Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications & Science 2 12 

Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy-201 25 

Solar Ultraviolet Experiment (SUVE) 26 

 

MIDDECK PAYLOADS 

STS-56 Education Activities 28 

Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User-friendly, 

 Location-targeting and Environmental System (HERCULES) 29 

Radiation Monitoring Experiment-III (RME-III) 31 

Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM) 31 

Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) 31 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX) 33 

Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus ITA Experiment 34 

Space Tissue Loss (STL) 43 

Physiological & Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE.03) 45 

 

CREW BIOGRAPHIES & MISSION MANAGEMENT 

STS-56 Crew Biographies 49 

Mission Management for STS-56 52 
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RELEASE 93-34 March 1993 

STS-56 MISSION CONTINUES NASA'S MISSION TO PLANET EARTH 

A variety of scientific questions will be addressed when NASA conducts Shuttle mission STS-56 in late 

March 1993. The crew on Space Shuttle Discovery will gather data on the relationship between sun's 

energy output and Earth's middle-atmosphere chemical make-up and how these factors affect the Earth's 

ozone level. 

The crew will use the Atmospheric Laboratory for Science and Applications (ATLAS 2) and Shuttle 

Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) payloads aboard Discovery to gather this information. 

The source of solar wind and the possible applications a microgravity environment can provide for 

research in drug development and the changes which occur in muscles and bones in a weightless condition 

are some of the other areas to be investigated during the STS-56 mission. 

The STS-56 crew will be commanded by Kenneth D. Cameron who will be making his second Shuttle 

flight. Stephen S. Oswald will serve as Pilot and will be making his second flight. Rounding out the 

ATLAS 2 crew will be three mission specialists - Michael Foale, making his second space flight and 

Kenneth D. Cockrell and Ellen Ochoa who will be making their first flight. 

Launch of Discovery is currently targeted for late March from Kennedy Space Center's (KSC) Launch 

Complex 39-B. After launch, the STS- 56 crew will work in two teams, each on 12 hour shifts, making 

observations and collecting data with the experiments and instruments being carried on the mission. The 

mission is scheduled to last 8 days and conclude with a landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility. 

ATLAS 2 is the primary payload for the STS-56 mission, the second in a series of missions which will 

track subtle, year-to-year variations in solar activity and in atmospheric composition. The ATLAS series is 

a vital part of NASA's "Mission to Planet Earth," a long-term effort to study the Earth as a global 

environmental system. The SSBUV experiment which is co-manifested with ATLAS 2, provides calibrated 

ozone data contributing to the Mission to Planet Earth data set. 

The Space Shuttle is the ideal platform for NASA's remote- sensing atmospheric laboratory. The flight 

crew can maneuver the orbiter so the instruments in the bay point precisely toward the atmosphere, the sun 

or the Earth's surface as necessary for scheduled observations. 

The Shuttle's generous payload capacity and power supply allow a diverse assembly of large instruments to 

make simultaneous remote observations. The Shuttle-borne ATLAS 2/SSBUV instruments make more 

detailed measurements than similar instruments now flying aboard satellites. France, Belgium and 

Germany are providing three of the ATLAS 2 instruments. 

Also flying in Discovery's payload bay will be the Spartan-201, a free- flying payload to study the velocity 

and acceleration of the solar wind and to observe aspects of the sun's corona. Results should help scientists 

understand the physics of the sun's corona and the solar wind. When the Shuttle's payload bay doors are 

open, a crew member will use the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to lift the Spartan from its rack and 

release it over the side of the Shuttle. 

Spartan is deployed from the Shuttle so that Spartan can operate independently, turning and pointing at the 

sun, while leaving the orbiter free for other activities. After completing its observations, Spartan- 201 will 

be retrieved using the RMS and will be stowed back in the cargo bay to be returned to Earth. 

NASA's long standing educational outreach efforts will be highlighted in two STS-56 experiments - the 

Solar Ultraviolet Experiment (SUVE) and the Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment (SAREX). 
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SUVE will be carried in a Get-Away-Special (GAS) canister in Discovery's cargo bay. The SUVE 

experiment will study the extreme ultraviolet solar radiation as it affects the Earth's ionosphere. SUVE was 

developed by students at the Colorado Space Grant Consortium, a group of 14 colleges and universities 

with funding from NASA. NASA's GAS program provides low- cost access to space for high school and 

college students as well as other small research groups. 

The Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) provides public participation in the space program, 

supports educational initiatives and demonstrates the effectiveness of making contact between the Space 

Shuttle and low-cost amateur "ham" radio stations on the ground. On STS- 56, crew members Ken 

Cameron, Ken Cockrell, Mike Foale and Ellen Ochoa will use SAREX-II as a secondary payload. 

Operating times for school contacts are planned into the crew's activities. The school contacts generate 

interest in science as students talk directly with the astronauts. 

Several experiments, previously flown on Shuttle missions, are aboard Discovery on the STS-56 mission. 

The Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, User- friendly, Location-targeting and 

Environmental System (HERCULES) experiment, which flew on STS-53 in December 1992, again will 

test a system developed to allow a Shuttle astronaut in space to point a camera at an interesting feature on 

Earth, record the image and determine the latitude and longitude of the feature. 

The Air Force Maui Optical Station (AMOS) experiment, which has been a part of numerous Shuttle 

missions, will fly on the STS-56 mission. The AMOS is an electro-optical facility located on the Hawaiian 

island of Maui. The facility tracks the orbiter as it flies over the area and records signatures from thruster 

firings, water dumps or the phenomenon of "shuttle glow." 

Two other experiments which have flown before, Space Tissue Loss-3 and Physiological and Anatomical 

Rodent Experiment (PARE.03) will use different methods to address the issue -- why bones and muscles 

change when they experience a weightless condition. 

The Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III (RME-III), flown on several missions, and the Cosmic Radiation 

Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM), which last flew on STS-44 in November 1991, will be a part of 

the STS-56 mission. 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 astronaut operator. The 

CREAM experiment is designed to collect data on cosmic ray energy loss spectra, neutron fluxes and 

induced radioactivity. The data will be collected by active and passive monitors placed at specific locations 

throughout the orbiter's cabin. 

The STS-56 mission will be the 16th flight of Space Shuttle Discovery and the 55th flight of the Space 

Shuttle. 

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

NASA Select Television Transmission 

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

longitude; frequency 3960.0 MHz, audio 6.8 MHz. 

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

during the mission at Kennedy Space Center, FL; Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.; AmesDryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, Calif.; Johnson Space Center, Houston and NASA 

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

mission operations. 

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

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

schedule is updated daily at noon EST. 

Status Reports 

Status reports on countdown and launch, 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, mission status 

briefings by a flight director or mission operations representative and representatives from the science team 

will occur at least once per day. The updated NASA Select television schedule will indicate when mission 

briefings are planned. 
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STS-56 QUICK LOOK 

Launch Date/Site: Late March, 1993/Kennedy Space Center - Pad 39B 

Launch Time: 12:50 a.m. EST 

Orbiter: Discovery (OV-103) - 16th Flight 

Orbit/Inclination: 160 nautical miles/57 degrees 

Mission Duration: 8 days, 6 hours, 6 minutes 

Landing Time/Date: TBD 

Primary Landing Site: Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 

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

 Trans-Atlantic Abort landing - Zaragoza, Spain; Ben Guerir, Morocco; 

 Moron, Spain 

 Abort Once Around - White Sands, N.M. 

Crew: Kenneth D. Cameron, Commander (CDR) 

 Stephen S. Oswald, Pilot (PLT) 

 Michael C. Foale, Mission Specialist 1 (MS1) 

 Kenneth D. Cockrell, Mission Specialist 2 (MS2) 

 Ellen Ochoa., Mission Specialist 3 (MS3) 

Blue Team: Cameron, Oswald, Ochoa 

Red Team: Cockrell, Foale 

Cargo Bay Payloads: ATLAS 2 (Atmospheric Lab for Applications and Science-2) 

 SSBUV-A (Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet-A) 

 SPARTAN-201 (Solar Wind Generation Experiment) 

 SUVE (Solar Ultraviolet Experiment) 

In-cabin Payloads: CMIX (Commercial Materials Dispersion Apparatus) 

 PARE (Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment) 

 HERCULES (Hand-held, Earth-oriented, Real-time, Cooperative, 

 User-friendly, Location-targeting and Environmental System) 

 SAREX-II (Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II) 

 STL (Space Tissue Loss) 

 AMOS (Air Force Maui Optical System) 

 CREAM (Cosmic Ray Effects and Activation Monitor) 

 RME-III (Radiation Monitoring Equipment-III) 
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SPACE SHUTTLE ABORT MODES 

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

its payload. Abort modes include: 

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

105-nautical mile orbit with orbital maneuvering system engines. 

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

around before landing at White Sands Space Harbor. 

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

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

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

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

gliding distance of the Shuttle Landing Facility. 

STS-56 contingency landing sites are the Kennedy Space Center, White Sands Space Harbor, Zaragoza, 

Ben Guerir and Moron. 
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STS-56 SUMMARY TIMELINE 

Blue/Red - Flight Day 1 Blue Flight Day 5 

Ascent SPARTAN-201 stationkeeping 

OMS-2 ATLAS 2 operations 

Remote Manipulator System checkout SUVE operations 

Remote Manipulator System payload bay survey 

Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment set-up Red - Flight Day 6 

HERCULES set-up ATLAS 2 operations 

RME activation SUVE operations 

Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet activation 

Blue - Flight Day 6 

Red - Flight Day 2 SPARTAN-201 rendezvous 

Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and 

Science activation 

SPARTAN-201 grapple 

SPARTAN-201 berth 

Commercial Materials Dispersion activation 

Solar Ultraviolet Experiment activation 

Red - Flight Day 7 

Blue - Flight Day 2 ATLAS 2 operations 

ATLAS 2 operations SUVE operations 

SUVE operations 

Blue - Flight Day 7 

Red - Flight Day 3 Flight Control Systems checkout 

ATLAS 2 operations ATLAS 2 operations 

SUVE operations SUVE operations 

Laser range finder checkout 

HERCULES operations Red - Flight Day 8 

 Orbital Debris Radar Calibration System deploy 

Blue - Flight Day 3 ATLAS 2 operations 

ATLAS 2 operations HERCULES operations 

SUVE operations 

Blue - Flight Day 8 

Red - Flight Day 4 ATLAS 2 operations 

ATLAS 2 operations SUVE operations 

SUVE operations RMS power down and berth 

SPARTAN-201 checkout RME deactivation 

 SAREX deactivation 

Blue - Flight Day 4 

SPARTAN-201 deploy Red/Blue - Flight Day 9 

Separation burns ATLAS 2 deactivation 

ATLAS 2 operations SSBUV deactivation 

 SUVE deactivation 

Red Flight Day 5 Cabin stow 

ATLAS 2 operations De-orbit preparations 

SUVE operations De-orbit burn 

 Landing 
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STS-56 VEHICLE AND PAYLOAD WEIGHTS 

Pounds

 

Orbiter Landing Weight 206,532 

Orbiter (Discovery) empty and 3 SSMEs 173,227 

ATLAS 2 8,360 

SPARTAN-201 (deployable) 2,842 

SPARTAN-201 (support equipment) 2,425 

SSBUV 733 

SUVE 593 

PARE 170 

HERCULES 126 

CMIX 71 

SAREX-II 67 

STL 58 

CREAM 37 

RME-III 7 

Total Vehicle at SRB Ignition 4,500,837 
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ATLAS 2 

ATLAS 2, the second in NASA's series of Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science Spacelab 

missions, is the primary payload for the STS-56 flight. The Space Shuttle-borne remote sensing laboratory 

studies the sun's energy output and Earth's middle-atmosphere chemical makeup, and how these factors 

affect levels of ozone, which prevents much of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation from reaching the 

Earth's surface. 

Ozone depletion has been a serious environmental concern since the 1970s. In the mid-1980s, British 

scientists observed significant ozone depletion of the Antarctic. Visual images of the concentrated, welldefined areas of depletion gave rise to the term "ozone hole," which has appeared over the Antarctic since 

at least 1979. Satellite observations since then have shown long-term ozone depletion occurring in the 

Southern and Northern Hemispheres. 

Concerns over the possible effects of ozone depletion, increases in cataracts and skin cancer and possible 

damage to food crops, led to an international treaty to phase out the use of ozone-depleting chemicals. 

However, many questions about the exact mechanisms of ozone depletion remain unanswered. To help 

answer those questions, the ATLAS missions will gather data on atmospheric chemistry and on the sun's 

energy - key ingredients in the ozone cycle. 

Ozone is created and destroyed by complex reactions involving ultraviolet radiation from the sun and gases 

in the middle atmosphere, between 10 and 50 miles (15 and 80 kilometers) above the Earth's surface. 

ATLAS 1, which flew in March 1992, established a voluminous baseline of atmospheric and solar data 

against which to measure future global change. 

ATLAS 2 and subsequent missions will track subtle, year-to-year variations in solar activity and in 

atmospheric composition. ATLAS instruments are precisely calibrated before and after flight, so they also 

provide a valuable cross-check for data being gathered on a continuous basis by similar instruments aboard 

free-flying satellites. 

The ATLAS series is a vital part of NASA's "Mission to Planet Earth," a long-term effort to study the Earth 

as a global environmental system. Mission to Planet Earth will observe and monitor the interaction of large 

environmental components (land, oceans/water/ice, atmosphere and the biosphere). Data gathered will be 

distributed to global change researchers worldwide, allowing them to better understand natural changes in 

the Earth and to differentiate natural change from human-induced change. Mission to Planet Earth research 

will help humans make informed decisions about protecting their environment. 

Scientists from six nations are participating directly in the ATLAS 2 mission, underscoring the worldwide 

importance of atmospheric and solar research. In addition to the United States, investigators represent 

Belgium, Germany, France, The Netherlands and Switzerland. 

ATLAS 2 Instruments 

The Space Shuttle Discovery will carry the ATLAS 2 Spacelab into orbit for 8 days of remote sensing 

experiments. Six instruments are mounted in the orbiter's payload bay on a Spacelab pallet. The seventh is 

mounted in two canisters on the walls of the payload bay. 

The open, U-shaped pallet is reusable Spacelab equipment provided by the European Space Agency in 

1981 as its contribution to the Space Shuttle program. The instruments' power supply, command and datahandling system and temperature control system are housed in a pressurized container called an igloo (also 

standard Spacelab equipment) located in front of the pallet. These seven instruments form the core ATLAS 

payload which will fly aboard ATLAS 2 as well as ATLAS 3 scheduled for late 1994. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 13 

Atmospheric Science 

• The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment identifies the distribution, by 

altitude, of 30 to 40 different gases between 6 and 85 miles (10 and 140 kilometers) above the Earth's 

surface. 

• The Millimeter Wave Atmospheric Sounder (MAS) measures water vapor, ozone and chlorine 

monoxide (a key compound that contributes to ozone loss), as well as temperature and pressure in the 

middle atmosphere. 

• The Shuttle Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet (SSBUV) spectrometer, mounted on the walls of the payload 

bay, measures ozone concentrations by comparing solar ultraviolet radiation with that scattered back 

from the Earth's atmosphere. 

Solar Science 

• The Solar Spectrum Measurement (SOLSPEC) instrument studies the distribution of solar energy by 

wavelength, from infrared through ultraviolet. 

• The Solar Ultraviolet Irradiance Monitor (SUSIM) concentrates on the sun's ultraviolet radiation, 

which undergoes wider variations than other wavelengths. 

• The Active Cavity Radiometer (ACR) and the Solar Constant (SOLCON) experiments each make 

extremely precise, independent measurements of the total energy Earth receives from the sun. 

The steep, 57-degree Shuttle's orbit inclination will take it over points as far north as Juneau, Alaska, and 

as far south as Tierra del Fuego, Argentina -- allowing readings to be made over virtually the entire globe. 

On ATLAS 2, the Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy experiment, which made most of its 

measurements in the Southern Hemisphere during ATLAS 1, will focus on the Northern Hemisphere. To 

view orbital "sunrises" at high latitudes, a night launch is required. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 14 

ATLAS 2 Investigations 

Investigation 

Spectral 

Range 

Selected 

Objectives 

Principal 

Investigator 

 

Atmospheric 

Science: 

 

ATMOS Infrared Water vapor, ozone, methane, 

chlorine and nitrogen compounds, 

chlorofluorocarbons, others 

M. Gunson, NASA Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory, United 

States 

 

MAS Microwave Temperature, pressure, ozone, 

chlorine monoxide, water vapor 

G. Hartmann, Max Planck 

Institute for Aeronomy, 

Germany 

 

SSBUV Near 

Ultraviolet 

Ozone $e. Hilsenrath, NASA Goddard 

Space Flight Center, United 

States 

 

Solar Science: 

ACRIM Total Energy Solar constant R. Willson, NASA Jet 

Propulsion Laboratory, United 

States 

 

SOLCON Total Energy Solar constant D. Crommelynck, Belgian 

Royal Institute for 

Meteorology, Belgium 

 

SOLSPEC Infrared to 

Ultraviolet 

Solar spectrum G. Thuillier, Aeronomy Service 

for the National Center for 

Scientific Research, France 

 

SUSIM Ultraviolet Solar spectrum G. Brueckner, Naval Research 

Laboratory, United States 
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ATLAS Missions and the Shuttle 

The Space Shuttle is the ideal platform for NASA's remote- sensing atmospheric laboratory. The flight 

crew can maneuver the orbiter so the instruments in the bay point precisely toward the atmosphere, the sun 

or the Earth's surface as necessary for scheduled observations. The Shuttle's generous payload capacity and 

power supply allow a diverse assembly of large instruments to make simultaneous remote observations. 

The Shuttle-borne ATLAS instruments make more detailed measurements than similar instruments now 

flying aboard satellites. 

Because the Shuttle returns the laboratory to Earth after each flight, it also has the advantage of assured 

calibration. ATLAS instruments are calibrated to a high level of accuracy prior to launch and shortly after 

the Shuttle lands, they are recalibrated to ensure their sensitive measurements remain accurate. 

ATLAS missions take a "snapshot" of the atmosphere for about a week at a time. However, atmospheric 

and solar measurements are being made continuously by instruments aboard free-flying satellites, such as 

the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite launched in September 1991 and various National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites. 

Extended exposure to the harsh environment of space, especially to ultraviolet radiation, can degrade the 

accuracy of those instruments. By comparing data from the ATLAS instruments to their sister experiments 

aboard the free-flyers, scientists can correct for drift in the satellite instruments and have a high level of 

confidence in the accuracy of their measurements. 

Science Operations Plan 

The ATLAS 2 science operations plan calls for periods of atmospheric data gathering interspersed with 

orbits dedicated to solar observations. 

During their designated orbits, the instruments investigating middle atmospheric phenomena will operate 

almost continuously. ATMOS will take solar radiation absorption readings during each orbital sunrise and 

sunset. (An orbital "day," with a sunrise and sunset, occurs approximately every 90 minutes during flight.) 

MAS will measure microwave emissions from Earth's limb throughout each orbit, and SSBUV will make 

its measurements of backscattered ultraviolet radiation in the daylight portion of these orbits. The ATMOS 

and MAS instruments will be inactive during solar observation periods. 

Solar observations are scheduled early in the flight, on two occasions in the middle of the mission and 

during the last full day of science operations. At these times, ACRIM and SOLCON will measure total 

solar irradiance. SUSIM and SOLSPEC will make solar spectral measurements, and SSBUV will gather its 

data on solar ultraviolet radiation. The Shuttle orbit allows numerous correlative measurements with UARS 

and the NOAA satellites. Similar instruments aboard these spacecraft will make independent measurements 

of the same regions of the atmosphere at about the same time. Data gathered during these opportunities will 

be compared to check the accuracy of readings by the satellite instruments. 

The ATLAS experiments will gather data from about 4 hours after launch until approximately 12 hours 

before landing. ATLAS operations will be suspended temporarily during deployment and retrieval of the 

Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy (SPARTAN) free flyer, since Shuttle 

maneuvers required for those activities will prevent proper pointing of the ATLAS instruments. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 24 

The ATLAS 2 Team 

The ATLAS program is sponsored by NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications and is directed by 

the Earth Science and Applications Division and the Flight Systems Division, located in Washington, DC. 

The mission management and control of each ATLAS flight is the responsibility of NASA's Marshall 

Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. The mission manager directs a civil service and contractor team effort 

to match science objectives with Shuttle-Spacelab resources so each flight is fine- tuned to gather the 

maximum amount of science information. This effort includes preparing a minute-by-minute schedule, 

called a timeline, that combines crew activities, experiment requirements, Spacelab resources and Shuttle 

maneuvers into an efficient operating plan. 

Principal investigators of the individual experiments form an Investigator Working Group that meets 

regularly before the mission to advise the mission manager's team on science-related issues and payload 

operations. The working group is chaired by the mission scientist, a member of the mission manager's 

team. 

During the mission, the management and science teams control the ATLAS instruments around the clock 

from NASA's Spacelab Mission Operations Control facility at the Marshall center. The facility contains 

banks of computers, monitors and communication consoles which enable the ground team to monitor the 

payload, collect data, send direct commands to the experiments and communicate with the Shuttle crew. 

During the mission the science teams meet twice daily as a Science Operations Planning Group to evaluate 

science activities, solve problems and recommend ways to take full advantage of any unplanned 

opportunities. 

The two European solar experiments, SOLCON and SOLSPEC, will be jointly operated from the NASA 

control center in Huntsville and from a control center at the Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique, 

Brussels, Belgium, during portions of the ATLAS 2 mission. 

Most of the ATLAS instruments operate automatically, commanded by the Spacelab computers or by the 

science teams in Huntsville. However, crew members can use keyboards to enter observation sequences or 

commands if necessary. Another crew member on each team is part of the orbiter crew and is responsible 

for maneuvering the Shuttle when an instrument requires precise pointing or must be operated in a specific 

attitude. 
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SHUTTLE POINT AUTONOMOUS RESEARCH TOOL 

FOR ASTRONOMY-201 (SPARTAN-201) 

Spartan-201 is a free-flying payload that will study the velocity and acceleration of the solar wind and 

observe aspects of the sun's corona. Results will help scientists understand the physics of the sun's corona 

and the solar wind. 

Spartan is deployed by the Shuttle and retrieved on the same mission. While overboard it is completely 

autonomous, providing its own battery power, pointing system and data recorder as it executes a preprogrammed science mission. The Spartan carrier can support a variety of scientific studies and serve as a 

test bed for technology development. 

The Space Shuttle offers easy access to a variety of systems that can conduct scientific investigations from 

above the Earth's atmosphere. Spartan is one of those systems, providing a capability between small 

attached payloads and the large, long duration, free-flying satellites. 

Spartan has evolved using sounding rocket class instruments to perform the scientific studies. This system 

provides a significant increase in observing time compared to sounding rockets. The simple and efficient 

Spartan carriers are reusable and can accommodate a variety of scientific instruments for a relatively low 

cost-per-flight. 

Spartan-201 Science 

Spartan-201 will look for evidence to explain how the solar wind is generated by the sun. Electrons, heavy 

protons and heavy ions are constantly ejected from the outer layers of the solar atmosphere. The Earth 

encounters this material continually as it orbits the sun. The solar wind fills interplanetary space and 

sweeps by the Earth at almost 1 million miles per hour (400 km/sec). It often blows in gusts and frequently 

disrupts navigation, communications and electric power distribution systems on Earth. 

The solar wind originates in the corona, the outermost atmosphere of the sun. Two telescopes for studying 

the corona comprise the science payload of Spartan 201. One telescope, the White Light Coronagraph 

(WLC), will measure the density distribution of electrons making up the corona. The other telescope, the 

Ultraviolet Coronal Spectrometer (UVCS), will investigate the temperatures and distributions of protons 

and hydrogen atoms through the same layers of the corona. Ultraviolet radiation, which is absorbed by the 

Earth's atmosphere, cannot be observed from the ground. 

A comparison of the white light and ultraviolet data sets will, for the first time, allow scientists to measure 

the electron and proton temperatures and densities in the solar corona This also will yield new evidence on 

large flows of material in the corona and allow scientists to test specific theories on how the corona is 

heated to its million-degree temperature. 

The UVCS was built by scientists from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Harvard University, 

Cambridge, Mass. The WLC was developed by the High Altitude Observatory of the National Center for 

Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo., and has been transferred to NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center 

(GSFC), Greenbelt, Md. 

Deployment 

The dual-telescope payload is mounted on the Spartan carrier. On orbit, a crew member will use the 

Remote Manipulator System to lift the Spartan from its rack and release it over the side of the Shuttle. 

Spartan will operate independently, turning and pointing at the sun, leaving the orbiter free for other 

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

Additionally, by maintaining its distance from the Shuttle, the Spartan is able to stay clear of any 

contamination which might be generated by Shuttle thruster firings. 

Spartan-201 will be deployed on the third day of STS-56. Discovery will perform a series of engine firings 

that will put Discovery at a point about 20 nautical miles (37 km) behind the satellite. 

For between 6 and 40 hours, Spartan-201's instruments will observe the sun. At about 4 hours prior to the 

scheduled retrieval time, Discovery will close on Spartan-201, eventually passing directly below it before 

Commander Steve Oswald manually flies Discovery the final few hundred feet to allow the satellite to be 

grasped by the robot arm. Once caught by the arm, Spartan-201 will be stowed back in the cargo bay to be 

returned to Earth. 

Spartan is designed to be self-operating as much as possible, and the crew will have no interaction with the 

satellite other than releasing it and recapturing it. 

History 

The Spartan Program was conceived in the mid-1970s and developed by GSFC and the U.S. Naval 

Research Laboratory to extend the capabilities of sounding rocket class science experiments by making use 

of the Space Shuttle. 

The telescopes on Spartan-201 have flown previously on sounding rockets. In June 1985, a Spartan 

mission carried an X-Ray telescope. Another mission, Spartan Halley, was on board STS-51L and was 

destroyed in the Challenger accident. 

The Spartan program is managed by GSFC for the Office of Space Science and Applications, Washington, 

DC. The Spartan Project Manager is Frank Collins and the Mission Manager is Jack Pownell, both of 

Goddard's Special Payloads Division. The Principal Investigator is Dick Fisher, also of GSFC. 
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SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET EXPERIMENT (SUVE) 

SUVE is a Colorado Space Grant Consortium project that will study the extreme ultraviolet solar radiation 

as it affects the Earth's ionosphere. The payload is housed in a single Get-Away Special (GAS) canister, 

developed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to provide low-cost access to space for high school 

and college students as well as other small research groups. 

The SUVE payload is designed, managed and built entirely by students at the University of Colorado. 

Graduate and undergraduate students from aerospace, mechanical and electrical engineering as well as 

physics and other scientific disciplines have been involved since the project's inception. From project 

management to detailed performance analyses, the SUVE project is entirely student run. 

The Colorado Space Grant Consortium is a group of 14 Colorado colleges and universities funded by 

NASA for the express purpose of educating students in the science and engineering aspects of exploring 

and working in outer space. The programs range from introductory education for K-12 students, to design 

and development of actual space projects for undergraduate and graduate students. 
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STS-56 EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 

Atmospheric Detectives, ATLAS 2 Teacher's Guide 

A teacher's guide entitled, Atmospheric Detectives, has been developed for use with middle school students 

to complement and teach the science objectives of the ATLAS 2 mission. 

Atmospheric Detectives blends lessons in mathematics, chemistry, physics and Earth sciences with 

problem solving exercises in an attempt to nurture students' natural curiosity and excitement about science 

and technology. The ATLAS 2 teacher's guide probes the connection between the activities of scientists 

and researchers and the observable world of weather and climate. 

Students briefly will examine the findings of the ATLAS-1 flight linking that mission with the science 

goals of ATLAS 2 and future flights. As scientists, students will explore how solar and atmospheric 

changes might affect climate, specifically looking at solar output, wind patterns and water vapor. 

Students will explore how ATLAS 2 investigators measure the effects on climate using remote-sensing 

techniques of spectrometry and limb sounding as well as ground truth studies and exercises emphasizing 

the importance of mathematics and precise measurement. 
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HAND-HELD, EARTH-ORIENTED, REAL-TIME, COOPERATIVE, 

USER- FRIENDLY, LOCATION-TARGETING AND ENVIRONMENTAL 

SYSTEM (HERCULES) 

Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) scientists will again test a system developed to allow a Shuttle astronaut in 

space to point a camera at an interesting feature on Earth, record the image and determine the latitude and 

longitude of the feature. 

Called HERCULES, the system includes a modified Nikon camera and a geolocation device which determines in 

real-time the latitude and longitude of Earth images. 

HERCULES will provide a valuable Earth observation system for military, environmental, oceanographic and 

meteorological applications. HERCULES, flown once before in December 1992 on Space Shuttle flight STS-53, 

is being integrated and flown on the Space Shuttle under the direction of the Department of Defense's Space Test 

Program. 

Images and geolocation data taken during the STS-53 mission still are being analyzed, but geolocation accuracies 

are about 3 nautical miles. An additional system feature that will be used during STS-56 is the ability to transmit 

images and geolocation data to the Mission Control Center for analysis while the mission is in progress. 

The project is a joint Navy, Army, NASA effort. Scientists at NRL's Naval Center for Space Technology 

developed the HERCULES Attitude Processor (HAP) and the alignment, geolocation and human interface 

software to perform the geolocation. The other components in the system are a NASA- built Electronic Still 

Camera (ESC) that stores images in a digital form and a modified Nikon F-4 and Honeywell ring-laser gyro. 

On board the Shuttle, the astronaut will start up the system by pointing the camera, with the attached gyro, at two 

known stars to obtain a bearing. The astronaut then "shoots" images by pointing the camera at the Earth and 

snapping the shutter. 

The camera communicates with HAP, which processes the data from the gyro and determines its absolute 

orientation in space. Then, the HAP passes this pointing information to the NRL software running on a NASAmodified GRID portable computer. The computer then determines the longitude and latitude of the image. 

The geolocation information is sent back to the camera by the HAP, where it is appended to the image data. The 

astronaut can view the image on the Shuttle and downlink it to Earth. The image and geolocation data are also 

stored in the ESC system for post-mission analysis." 

The system is a significant improvement over its predecessor called L- cubed. Under the L-cubed system, the 

astronauts had to take multiple images of the same target while simultaneously keeping the edge of the Earth in 

view, which limited image magnification. 

With HERCULES, the astronaut only needs to look at the point of interest, allowing the use of many different 

camera lenses. In the daytime, the system uses any Nikon-compatible lens. At night, it operates with an image 

intensifier developed by the Army's Night Vision Laboratory. At any magnification, images with no 

distinguishing demographic features can be captured and geolocated. HERCULES captures images digitally, 

which allows computer analysis and data dissemination, an improvement over the film-based L-cubed system. 

NRL scientists already are exploring enhancements to HERCULES. Incorporating Global Positioning 

System (GPS) hardware into HERCULES would provide a geolocation accuracy better than 1 nautical 

mile, and adding a gimbal system would allow the system to automatically track points on Earth. One 

modification to HERCULES being considered is providing orbiter power to the ESC components rather 

than using the battery packs utilized on STS-53. By not having to replace the battery packs, the astronaut 

will have more opportunities to test the system. 
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RADIATION MONITORING EQUIPMENT-III (RME-III) 

The RME-III instrument measures the exposure of ionizing radiation on the Space Shuttle. RME-III 

displays the dose rate and total accumulated radiation dose to the astronaut operator. Simultaneously RMEIII registers the number of radiation interactions and dose accumulated at 10 second intervals and stores the 

data in an internal memory for follow-up analysis upon return to Earth. 

The radiation detector used in RME-III is a spatial ionization chamber called a tissue equivalent 

proportional counter (TEPC). It 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. 

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

flown on the Space Shuttle prior to 1986. The RME-III has successfully flown on 13 Space Shuttle 

missions since STS- 26. 

RME is being integrated and flown on this 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 Cosmic 

Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor and Shuttle Activation Monitor. It is anticipated that RME will 

be flown on several future Space Shuttle missions. 

The data obtained from RME-III is archived and is 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 Space Station Freedom. 

Next generation instruments similar to the RME-III will be flown on Space Station Freedom and on future 

manned and unmanned missions to the Moon, Mars and beyond. RME-III also is being used to measure 

radiation exposure in high altitude aircraft, such as the Concorde. 

COSMIC RADIATION EFFECTS AND ACTIVATION MONITOR (CREAM) 

The Cosmic Radiation Effects and Activation Monitor (CREAM) experiment on STS-56 is designed to 

collect data on cosmic ray energy loss spectra, neutron fluxes and induced radioactivity. The data will be 

collected by active and passive monitors placed at specific locations throughout the orbiter's cabin. 

The active monitor will obtain real-time spectral data while the passive monitors will obtain data during the 

entire mission to be analyzed after the flight. The flight hardware contains the active cosmic ray monitor, a 

passive sodium iodide detector and up to five passive detector packages. All hardware fits in one locker on 

Discovery's middeck. 

Once in orbit, a crew member will be available at regular intervals to monitor the payload/experiment. 

CREAM is a Department of Defense experiment and is flown under the direction of DOD's Space Test 

Program. 

AIR FORCE MAUI OPTICAL SITE (AMOS) 

The AMOS is an electro-optical facility located on the Hawaiian island of Maui. The facility tracks the 

orbiter as it flies over the area and records signatures from thruster firings, water dumps or the 

phenomenon of "shuttle glow." 

The Shuttle glow phenomenon around the orbiter is a well- documented glowing effect caused by the 

interaction of atomic oxygen with the spacecraft. The information obtained is used to calibrate the infrared 

and optical sensors at the facility. No hardware onboard the Shuttle is needed for this experiment. 
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SHUTTLE AMATEUR RADIO EXPERIMENT-II 

The Shuttle Amateur Radio Experiment-II (SAREX-II) provides public participation in the space program, supports 

educational initiatives and demonstrates the effectiveness of making contact between the Space Shuttle and amateur 

"ham" radio stations on the ground. 

SAREX-II was last flown aboard STS-55 and during that flight, there were dozens of voice contacts with ham stations 

at schools around the world and hundreds of contacts with individual ham operators. On STS-56, crew members Ken 

Cameron, call sign N5AWP, Ken Cockrell, call sign KB5UAH, Mike Foale, call sign KB5UAC, and Ellen Ochoa, call 

sign KB5TZZ, will use SAREX-II as a secondary payload. 

Operating times for school contacts are planned into the crew's activities. The school contacts generate interest in 

science as students talk directly with the astronauts. There will be voice contacts with the general ham community as 

time permits. Short-wave listeners worldwide also may listen in. When the crew is not available, SAREX-II will be in 

an automated digital response mode. 

SAREX-II will include VHF FM voice, VHF packet, VHF slow scan television and UHF fast scan television. The 

Space Shuttle has the built-in ability to downlink television on any mission, but only SAREX-II has the ability to 

uplink television to the crew. During STS-50, fast scan television uplink was used to send home videos of the crew 

members' families to the spacecraft, a specially recorded message from Jay Leno and a specially recorded Houston 

television sportscast. 

The primary voice and packet frequencies that SAREX-II uses are 145.55 MHz downlink and 144.95 MHz uplink. The 

600 kHz spacing in the transmit and receive frequency pair is compatible with amateur VHF equipment. Since STS-56 

is a high inclination flight, SAREX-II may be heard from northern Canada to southern Australia and all points in 

between when the Shuttle is crossing overhead. 

SAREX has previously flown on STS-9, STS-51F, STS-35, STS-37, STS- 45, STS-50, STS-47 and STS-55. SAREX is 

a joint effort of NASA, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the Amateur Radio Satellite Corp. (AMSAT), and 

the Johnson Space Center's Amateur Radio Club. Information about orbital elements, contact times, frequencies and 

crew operating schedules will be made available during the mission by these agencies and by amateur radio clubs at 

some other NASA centers. 

Hams from the Johnson Space Center club, W5RRR, will be operating on amateur short-wave frequencies, and the 

ARRL station, W1AW, will include SAREX information in its regular voice and teletype bulletins. The amateur radio 

station at the Goddard Space Flight Center, WA3NAN, in Greenbelt, Md., will operate around the clock during the 

mission, providing information and re-transmitting live Shuttle air-to-ground audio. 

The Johnson Space Center Public Affairs Office man a SAREX information desk during the mission, and mission 

information also will be available on the dial-up computer bulletin board (BBS) at JSC. 

SAREX 

Frequencies 

Shuttle 

Transmitting 

Frequency 

Shuttle 

Receiving 

Frequency 

U.S., Africa, 145.55 MHz 144.95 MHz 

South America, and Asia 145.55 144.97 

 145.55 144.91 

Europe 145.55 144.95 

 145.55 144.75 

 145.55 144.70 

GSFC Amateur Radio Club 

(WA3NAN) planned HF operating frequencies 

3.860 MHz 7.185 MHz 

14.295 MHz 21.395 MHz 

28.395 MHz 

To connect to the JSC Computer Bulletin Board, BBS, (8 N 1 1200 baud): dial 713/483-2500 then type 62511. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 34 

COMMERCIAL MDA ITA EXPERIMENTS 

More than 30 investigations will be conducted aboard Space Shuttle Discovery to obtain information on 

how microgravity can aid research in drug development and delivery, biotechnology, basic cell biology, 

protein and inorganic crystal growth, bone and invertebrate development, immune deficiencies, 

manufacturing processes and fluid sciences. 

The experiments represent the second flight of the Commercial MDA ITA Experiments (CMIX-2) payload 

and should provide scientists and engineers with some 400 data points from which they can focus and 

expand their research in microgravity. 

NASA's Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology is sponsoring CMIX- 2, with program management 

provided by the Consortium for Materials Development in Space (CMDS), a NASA Center for the 

Commercial Development of Space (CCDS), based at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). 

CMIX-2 is part of an innovative program between the UAH CMDS and ITA, Inc., Exton, Penn., to provide 

the CCDS community with increased access to space. The program will use ITA-developed hardware on a 

total of five Shuttle missions. In exchange for the flight opportunities, ITA is providing 50 percent of its 

hardware capacity to the UAH CMDS. 

The CMIX-2 hardware consists of four Materials Dispersion Apparatus (MDA) Minilabs, two of which 

will contain experiments developed by the UAH CMDS and its industry affiliates. The other two, 

commercially marketed by ITA, will contain experiments developed by ITA's customers, which include 

U.S. biomedical technology and biomaterials companies, international users and university research 

institutions. 

A percentage of ITA's MDA capacity will include high school student experiments as part of the 

company's Student Space Education Program to increase awareness and interest in science and space 

technology. 

The MDA Minilab is a brick-sized, automated device capable of bringing into contact and mixing up to 

100 separate samples of multiple fluids and/or solids at precisely timed intervals. The MDA, which is 

housed in a Commercial Refrigerator/Incubator Module (CRIM), uses four techniques for sample 

contact/mixing, including liquid-to-liquid diffusion, vapor diffusion, magnetic mixing and reverse gradient 

diffusion. 

In addition, live cell investigations will be conducted in ten Bioprocessing Modules (BPM), which contain 

60 to 100 times more fluid volume than the MDAs. The BPMs will be flown "piggy back" using available 

space in the CRIM, between the MDAs. 

The MDAs and BPMs each have a specific advantage to the research being conducted on this flight. The 

MDAs can process a number of experiments using small volumes (0.2-0.5 milliliters) of sample materials. On 

the other hand each BPM can process only one or two experiments using a large volume (4-6 milliliters) of 

sample materials. 

Experiment Descriptions 

Experiments developed by the UAH CMDS and its affiliates include: 

• Bone Cell Differentiation (MDA): Mouse bone cells will be evaluated on how well they grow and 

produce collagen in microgravity. Information from this experiment will contribute to a database on 

potential areas for drug treatment of osteoporosis. Potential commercial applications (3-10 years) include 

developing ways to enhance bone cell growth and prevent bone deterioration in astronauts and the 

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

• Immune Cell Response (MDA): This experiment will obtain information on why some cells are more 

sensitive to microgravity than others. Once this is understood, techniques may be developed to stimulate 

immune system cells for use in treating immune suppressed patients and in developing and testing drugs 

to reduce some of the undesirable effects of microgravity. 

• Diatoms (MDA): Minute plant cells (diatoms) encased in a silicone coating can be used to generate 

oxygen. This experiment will collect information on how microgravity affects these one-celled plants to 

determine if they can be used commercially to regenerate oxygen. 

• Mouse Bone Marrow Cells (MDA): This experiment will obtain information on whether microgravity 

can enhance expansion of desirable cells by manipulating them with growth factors. Potential 

applications include bone marrow transplants and reconstituting the immune system after radiation 

therapy and chemotherapy treatments for leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancers. 

• Nerve/Muscle Cell Interactions: Using frog cells, this experiment will study how microgravity affects the 

development of nerve cell communication which is essential for brain function. Results from this 

experiment may be relevant to the ability of higher organisms to undergo normal brain development in 

space. Information from this experiment will increase a database on nerve cell development in space, 

which will help to identify future potential commercial applications. 

• Phagocytosis (MDA): To fight infection, one of the body's defenses is to rid itself of invading organisms, 

such as bacteria, by the process of phagocytosis (a means by which certain cells engulf and destroy 

foreign materials). This experiment will evaluate the phagocytic function of certain cells in microgravity. 

The expected long-range benefit is a better understanding of the behavior of these disease-fighting cells. 

• Other experiments conducted in the MDA will evaluate fluids mixing, invertebrate and bone 

development, virus sub-unit assembly and collagen self-assembly, and formation of drug encapsulated 

liposomes. Commercial applications of these experiments include developing a database for potential 

commercial processes and services, which use individual cells to determine the effects of microgravity 

and to develop and test drugs in space. As the database on cell response and control is enlarged, growth 

of commercial applications can be expected. 

• Live Cell Investigations (BPMs): Experiments conducted in the BPMs are designed to gain information 

on how cells of the human immune system may be induced to grow when exposed to certain compounds. 

Once scientists discover how cells respond to these compounds in microgravity, techniques may be 

developed to select for certain desirable cell types. These cells types produce factors (e.g., interferons) 

that stimulate other cells to grow and are used to treat certain types of cancer. 
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Experiments developed by ITA and its affiliates include: 

• Collagen Reconstitution (MDA): This experiment will study collagen fibril growth in microgravity to 

develop unique and complex products that mimic natural tissue structures. Potential applications 

include corneal and intraocular implants, bone repair materials and tendon/ligament grafts. 

• Microencapsulation (MDA): Drug microencapsulation techniques will be studied to improve 

chemotherapy drug delivery, to encapsulate inhalant medications and to enhance radiographic (X-Ray) 

procedures. 

• Urokinase Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): Urokinase will be used to grow crystals to help determine 

the enzyme's three-dimensional (3- D) structure for use in developing a blocking or therapeutic drug 

that prevents the spread of breast cancer. 

• Bacterial Aldolase and Rabbit Muscle Aldolase Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): Two types of aldolase 

will be used to grow crystals to determine the enzymes' 3-D structures for use in research on genetic 

illnesses. 

• HIV Reverse Transcriptase (MDA): Reverse Transcriptase will be used to grow crystals to determine 

the enzyme's 3-D structure for use in AIDS research. 

• RNA Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): Ribonucleic acid (RNA) will be used to grow crystals to 

determine the enzyme's 3-D structure for use in cell pharmacology and in designing continuous 

catalytic reactors. 

• Methylase Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): This experiment will grow crystals to study the interaction 

between methylase and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) for use in identifying potential 

biomedical/biotechnology applications. 

• Lysozyme Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): Lysozyme will be used to grow crystals to confirm the 

quality of flight conditions and to extend on- going studies of lysozyme crystallization for biomedical 

applications. 

• DNA-Heme Protein Crystal Growth (MDA): This experiment will grow crystals to study their 3-D 

structure for use in identifying potential biomedical/biotechnology applications. 

• Brine Shrimp Development (MDA): Brine shrimp development will involve hatching tiny Artemia 

Salina shrimp eggs in space to determine how microgravity affects early development. The shrimp are 

being studied as a potential space food source. 

• Cell Research (MDA): This experiment will explore fluids and cell mixing for cell culturing on Space 

Station Freedom. 

Other commercial MDA experiments include inorganic assembly (proprietary), myoglobin protein crystal 

growth, dye and yeast cell diffusion, and engineering tests. Potential commercial applications are expected 

in areas such as environmental sciences, drug research and development and cell pharmacology. 

Engineering tests will be performed to obtain data on liquid-to-liquid diffusion and magnetic mixing rates 

to verify normal MDA operations and provide "baseline" diffusion data. 

• Mustard Seed Germination (MDA-student): Seeds and newly developing reproductive tissue of 

Brassica Rapa will be flown. The seeds will be dry and the tissue will be immersed in an inert culture 

medium. The materials returned will be used to propagate successive generations of the plant to assess 

any long-term effects on heredity patterns. This is a follow- on to an STS-52 experiment. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 42 

• Fish Egg Hatching (MDA-student): Using fish eggs, this experiment will study how microgravity 

affects the hatching process of the annual killifish of Zanzibar, Africa. 

• Heart Cells In Culture (MDA-student): Using heart cells, this experiment will attempt to determine the 

effect(s) of microgravity upon the morphology and rate of heart "beats" of heart muscle cells. 

• Mushroom Spore Generation (MDA-student): Using a selected strain of Agaricus bisporus (the 

cultivated mushroom), this experiment will attempt to determine the effect(s) of microgravity on the 

development of mushroom spores. The spores then will be used as a comparison and later, lead to the 

eventual growth of new and improved mushrooms. 

• Mustard-Spinach Seed Germination (MDA-student): This experiment will attempt to determine the 

effects of microgravity on the mustard- spinach seed germination process. The germinated seeds will 

be compared with Earth-grown sprouts. 

On-orbit Operations 

The MDA minilabs each consist of an upper and lower block that contain a matching number of "wells" 

(holes) filled with different substances. The blocks are aligned at launch so that the holes do not "line up" 

and the materials in the wells do not touch each other. When the proper microgravity level is reached, the 

upper blocks will be moved in relation to the lower blocks so the materials in matching wells come into 

contact to allow dispersion (or mixing) of the different substance. 

To complete microgravity operations, the blocks again will be moved to bring a third set of reservoirs to 

mix additional fluids or to fix the process for selected reservoirs. A prism window in each MDA allows the 

crew member to determine the alignment of the blocks. 

To activate the MDAs, the crew will open the CRIM door to access the MDAs and the MDA Controller 

and Power Supply. Activation will occur simultaneously and is required as early as possible in the mission, 

followed by minimum microgravity disturbances for a period of at least 8 hours. The crew will operate 

switches to activate each MDA, and once all the MDAs are activated, the CRIM door will be closed. 

Deactivation of each MDA will occur automatically at different intervals. For example, one MDA will 

automatically deactivate within minutes of being activated, whereas one will not deactivate at all. 

Deactivation of the other two MDAs will occur later in the mission. Once the Shuttle lands, the MDA 

minilabs will be deintegrated and the samples will be returned to the researchers for post-flight analyses. 

The crew also will activate the BPMs, which consist of four plastic syringes. The syringes are 

interconnected by tubing to a four-way valve attached to an aluminum tray. The first syringe of each BPM 

will contain live cells. The second syringe will contain a mediator of cell growth or function (e.g., an 

activator), and the remaining two syringes will contain a chemical fixative. 

To activate the BPMs, the crew will open the BPM valve to mix the cells with growth mediator. After 

specified times, the crew will terminate each BPM test by turning the valve to mix cells with fixative to 

preserve cellular structures in space before returning to Earth. Post-flight analyses will evaluate cell growth 

and production of materials, including interferons. 

Principal Investigator for the CMIX-2 payload is Dr. Marian Lewis of the UAH CMDS. John Cassanto, 

President, ITA, is Program Manager for the commercial MDAs. 
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SPACE TISSUE LOSS-3 (STL-3) 

Bone and Muscle Cell Culture Experiments 

NASA Principal Investigator: 

Emily R. Morey-Holton, Ph.D. 

Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif. 

U. S. Army Principal Investigator: 

George Kearney, Ph.D. 

Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC 

The musculoskeletal system is subjected to constant load by the gravitational acceleration of the Earth. The 

structure and function of bone and muscle tissue has been shaped throughout evolution by this constant 

stress. The impact of diminution of this acceleration is not understood but may have profound influence on 

the function of these gravity- related systems. 

Muscle tissue in space-flown animals and humans has been shown to respond to exposure to the orbital 

environment by loss of contractile protein, alteration in the energy provision mechanisms within the cells 

and changes in the structure of nerve/muscle interfaces. When growing bones are unloaded in space, bone 

growth is slowed; bones show delayed maturation which translates to an increase in mass and mineral 

content without the anticipated increase in bone strength. 

The changes in the musculoskeletal system are most pronounced in, but not limited to the weight-bearing 

limbs. These changes hinder one's capability to function when returning to Earth. The bone changes 

coupled with the decrease in the mass of the gravity-dependent muscles make movement difficult, and the 

individual may be prone to accidents because of this instability. 

The working hypothesis of the STL project is that the influence of gravity is active at the level of 

individual cells and that totally defined cellular models of the changes noted in whole animal preparations 

can be developed to study the process at the molecular level. The ultimate aim of the project is to delineate 

the biochemical pathways and mechanisms responsible for the noted changes and test the feasibility of 

pharmaceutical intervention to slow, arrest or reverse the progress of the tissue loss. 

The current mission will be used to reproduce and verify the changes in cell function observed in the two 

previous deployments on the Shuttle. Changes in protein levels, enzyme activities and gene functions will 

be monitored. Alteration in the morphology and nature maturation of the cells will be determined upon 

return and followed for an extended period of recovery. These results will be compared to changes noted in 

space- flown whole animal function to establish the validity and applicability of the cellular model. 

The significance of the current muscle cell experiments is threefold. First, previous results have indicated 

that the process of development and differentiation in cultured muscle satellite cells is impaired by an 

apparent disruption of the ability of the precursor cells to fuse to form muscle fibers. These cells function 

in the normal repair process for muscle so impact on the ability of the cells to fuse is considered clinically 

significant. Recovery of muscle mass and strength following spaceflight might be hastened if these cells 

are fully functional during the repair process in the muscle following return to normal gravity. 

The second area of significance is the apparent stability of the changes noted. Space flown cells were 

unable to fuse for some 40 cell cycles following return (35 days). Ground control cells were 100 percent 

fused within 12 days. Most reported alterations in cell function only have been shown to persist for hours 

to days following return to normal gravity conditions. Changes in the function of the muscle cells are the 

most stable reported thus far. If initial observations are verified in the current experiment, these cells would 

allow extensive ground-based study of the affects of space flight without the need for constantly 

replenished supplies of experimental material that are changing while the experiments are in process. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 44 

A third area for potential application of data from this project is satellite call therapy. Disorders impacting 

muscle tissues such as the muscular dystrophies are logical targets for gene replacement therapy. The gene 

involved in Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the largest known and delivery with viral carriers is probably 

not feasible. Generically altered satellite cells currently are being studied for use as carriers for replacement 

genes. This uses the natural reparative system of the muscle to effect restoration of function. The 

impairment of natural fusion potentially allows production of therapeutically significant numbers of 

satellite cells from clones known to express the desired genetic properties but without foreign surface 

antigens which would necessitate immunosuppression of the transplant recipients. 

The significance of the bone cells experiment also is threefold. Previous results from STL have indicated 

that the metabolism of bone forming cells may change during space flight and that mineralization of the 

bone fibers (matrix) may be impaired. Such changes at the whole bone level would cause decreased bone 

strength. The results will be repeated and expanded. For example, the type and amount of bone-specific 

products that the cells contain at the end of this 8-day flight will be studied. In addition, cells will be 

cultured upon return to Earth to determine if the spaceflight induced changed can be reversed after return 

to Earth. 

Finally, the amount and type of product found in the cell culture will be compared to similar data being 

obtained in the whole rat (experiment PARE.03 below) to determine if spaceflight changes in bone cell 

cultures are similar to those found in the animal. Decrease in the activity of the bone forming cells can alter 

the amount and type of bone formed and contribute to the changes in bone strength. Focusing on the initial 

event in the bone adaptation process by analyzing cell changes during flight will help us determine if the 

changes at the cellular level trigger the changes in bone strength. Understanding what gives bone its 

strength would be of great value in treating individuals at risk for bone fracture or for better understanding 

why some people have weak bones. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 45 

PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL RODENT EXPERIMENT.03 

The third Physiological and Anatomical Rodent Experiment (PARE.03) on STS-56 is a secondary payload 

that will fly in a locker in the Space Shuttle's mid-deck. 

PARE.03 consists of two experiments (PARE.03A and PARE.03B) with different goals and different 

principal investigators. Both will share the same group of rats. The goals of each experiment are fully 

compatible with the procedures and goals of the other. Both experiments endeavor to get new data that will 

provide a cohesive view of bone biology during and following spaceflight. 

Acute Adaptation of Bone to Spaceflight (PARE.03A) 

Principal Investigator: 

Emily R. Morey-Holton, Ph.D. 

Life Science Division 

NASA-Ames Research Center 

Mountain View, Calif. 

Co-Investigator: Russell T. Turner, Ph.D. 

Department of Orthopaedics 

Mayo Clinic 

Rochester, Minn. 

The load imposed by Earth's environment throughout evolution has determined the size, shape and strength 

of the skeletal system. When growing bones are unloaded on Earth or in space, bone growth is slowed. (In 

unloading, the rat is placed in tail traction so its hind legs no longer bear weight. The rat can move freely 

using its front paws. This technique simulates many, but not all, of the effects of microgravity on rat 

bones.) Bones show delayed maturation, which translates to an increase in mass and mineral content 

without the expected increase in bone strength. 

The major hypothesis of this project is that gravity is necessary for normal development of bone structure. 

Another part of the hypothesis is that decreased gravity or skeletal unloading causes defective skeletal 

growth. This defective growth is characterized by delayed maturation and increased bone mass without 

increased bone strength. 

The proposed flight experiment is designed to confirm the bone defects measured in past flight 

experiments. These measurements include bone mass, mineralization rates and strength at multiple 

sampling sites. The experiment also will focus on sites and molecular mechanisms of the growth defect. 

In addition, scientists will observe recovery from spaceflight to determine if the defects are corrected by 

return to Earth after either 36 or 72 hours. During the Space Shuttle mission, scientists on the ground will 

perform the same experiment, using a ground-based rat model that simulates certain aspects of spaceflight. 

This will help determine the validity of this system for predicting spaceflight responses in bone. 

PARE.03A is important for two reasons. When individuals are exposed to the microgravity of space or 

unloading on Earth, there appears to be a change in bone structure. In unloading, the rat is placed in tail 

traction so its hind legs no longer bear weight, but the rat can move freely using its front paws. This 

technique simulates many of the effects of microgravity on rat bones. 

Perhaps muscle no longer exerts enough force or bone, by itself, is not stimulated to combine bone cell 

activity, cell products and mineral into a bone structure that is as strong as a bone produced on Earth. 

Regardless of the cause, the changes in bone structure hinder one's capability to function when returning to 

Earth. Movement patterns are difficult, and the individual may be prone to bone fractures because of this 

instability. We need to find out what parts of the bone structure are changed. We also need to determine the 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 46 

extent to which they change, the impact of the changes on bone strength and how to prevent the changes 

from occurring. 

Second, unloading of the bones on Earth causes changes in the production of various bone cell products. 

Suggestions of similar changes have been reported in rapidly growing rats during short-duration 

spaceflights. The altered products cause an imbalance of the normal ordered array of bone structure, 

resulting in a weaker bone. However, the imbalance may be different during spaceflight than during 

unloading on Earth. If the imbalance is different, then the mechanisms responsible for the weaker bone 

may be different in space than on Earth. This would require different treatments to prevent the changes. 

Thus, one part of this flight experiment is an Earth-based experiment on rats of the same age unloaded on 

Earth. 

The PARE.03A project will examine the extent to which the bone- forming cells change their activity after 

exposure to microgravity for 8 days. It also will investigate whether these changes are reversed within 3 

days of return to Earth. 

Cell Kinetic and Histomorphometric Analysis of Microgravitational Osteopenia (PARE.03B) 

Principal Investigator: 

W. Eugene Roberts, D. D. S., Ph.D. 

Co-Investigator: 

Lawrence Garetto, Ph.D. 

Departments of Orthodontics and Physiology/Biophysics 

Indiana University Schools of Dentistry and Medicine, Indianapolis, Ind. 

The influence of gravity on the development and function of bone- forming cells (osteoblasts) is a basic 

biological question that may be common to many gravity-sensing organisms. Because the production of 

bone-forming cells is mechanically sensitive, the force exerted by gravity is an important experimental 

variable for understanding mechanisms underlying osteoblast production. 

Gravity is a ubiquitous force that is inescapable on Earth. As such, all Earth-bound organisms have 

evolved under the presence of this force. Data from both human and animal experiments suggest that 

exposure to the microgravity environment of space may alter the normal "turnover" or renewal processes of 

the skeletal bones. Under normal conditions in Earth's gravity field, the turnover process is the result of a 

balance between bone removal and bone formation. However, during spaceflight, bone formation is 

inhibited. As a result, the turnover of bone is unbalanced, resulting in a net loss. 

Previous experiments on both American and Russian missions have shown that a lack of gravity appears to 

interfere with production of osteoblasts in animals subjected to spaceflight. This, in turn, ultimately may 

result in reduced or altered capability to form bone mass in these animals. Mechanical force is known to 

influence the formation of preosteoblast cells. The main hypothesis of this experiment is that osteoblast 

production is blocked during spaceflight but rapidly recovers within hours to days after return to Earth's 1-

g environment. 

As mentioned previously, the process of normal osteoblast production may have evolved with gravity as an 

essential co-factor. This important question is most effectively addressed by studying the effects of the 

removal of gravity on different types of bone tissue. 

The PARE.03B experiment will examine how the lack of gravity encountered during spaceflight affects the 

production of osteoblasts. One goal is to use a specific marker for DNA synthesis to examine preosteoblast 

cell proliferation. This has not been done previously following spaceflight and will provide new and 

unique data on the mechanism of osteoblast production. 

A second goal is to confirm previous data suggesting that preosteoblast production is inhibited immediately 

following spaceflight. The third goal of this study is to determine if the block in osteoblast formation 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 47 

occurs throughout the skeleton or if it is localized in specific types of bones. This will be measured by 

examining the process in different bones. These include the bones of the upper and lower jaw, which are 

non-weight-bearing but mechanically loaded in function; the shin bone (tibia), which is weight-bearing and 

the bones of the lower back. 

These vertebral bones differ from other bones in the rat in that they are continuously undergoing a 

balanced turnover or renewal process. In other words, they undergo both removal by osteoclasts and new 

bone formation at other sites by osteoblasts. 

Finally, a fourth goal is to determine how soon osteoblast production recovers after return to Earth. 

Measurements made immediately following return to Earth will be compared in animals allowed to recover 

for 36 and 72 hours. 

The PARE.03B experiment will provide basic insights into the cellular mechanisms of the mechanical 

control of osteoblast production and function in bone. This kind of detailed knowledge at the cellular level 

may provide biological insights into mechanisms underlying bone diseases in humans on Earth. Bone 

diseases such as osteoporosis affect a large segment of society. They result in billions of dollars in yearly 

health care and related costs due to lost productivity. Successful treatment of diseases such as these 

requires a sufficient understanding of the basic biology of osteoblast production to adequately and 

accurately develop treatment regimens. 

PARE.03B will provide additional short-term flight data to that already collected on previous missions. It 

will provide new information on preosteoblast cell proliferation following spaceflight. In addition, it will 

extend our understanding of the recovery process of osteoblast production following return to a 1g 

environment. These experiments will yield answers to basic biological questions about the ability of Earthevolved animals to adapt outside of their original evolutionary environment. This will better enable us to 

understand the role that mechanical force plays on Earth in maintaining our skeleton. 

During spaceflight, changes have been noted in both the forelimbs and hindlimbs of growing male rats. 

Studies on the humerus and tibia have shown a decrease in the amount of bone formed during flight. In the 

cross sectional area of bone depicted under "Bone Structure", a bone marker was given to the animals prior 

to flight. The marker forms the line inside the bone section. The amount of bone formed during flight is the 

area between the marker and the outer bone surface. 

During the same period of time, the ground animals form about 45 percent more bone at the surface of the 

bone shaft. If a similar area from each section (boxes) is enlarged, further differences between the flight 

and ground control rats can be seen. 

In the flight bone, surface blood vessels appear to be blocked with debris and lipid deposits, the mineral 

may aggregate in smaller crystals and the collagen may be some what disorganized in a convoluted pattern. 

These changes may be responsible for the changes in bone strength. Data from the humerus, femur and 

tibia suggest that the flight bone is about the same size as the ground control bone, yet the amount of force 

required to break the bone is significantly less in the flight animals (see "Bone Strength"). In fact, the 

strength of the bone does not appear to increase as the bone increases in size, suggesting that bone 

deposited during flight does not contribute to bone strength. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 48 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 49 

STS-56 CREWMEMBERS 

STS056-S-002 -- STS-56 Discovery, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 103, crewmembers, wearing launch and entry suits (LESs), 

pose for their official portrait. These five astronauts are assigned to the STS-56 Atmospheric Laboratory for 

Applications and Science 2 (ATLAS-2) mission. Left to right are mission specialist Kenneth D. Cockrell, plot Stephen S. 

Oswald, mission specialist Michael Foale, mission commander Kenneth Cameron, and mission specialist Ellen Ochoa. 

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 50 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

KENNETH D. CAMERON, 43, Col., USMC, is Commander of the second Atmospheric Laboratory for 

Applications and Science (ATLAS) mission. Selected to be an astronaut in 1984, Cameron, from 

Cleveland, Ohio, is making his second Shuttle flight. 

Cameron served as Pilot on Atlantis' STS-37 mission in April 1991 which featured the deployment of the 

Gamma Ray Observatory. 

A graduate of Rocky River High School in Rocky River, Ohio, in 1967, Cameron received bachelor and 

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

in 1978 and 1979, respectively. 

Cameron enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1969 and earned a commission in 1970 at Officer's Candidate 

School in Quantico, Va. He received his naval aviator wings in 1973 and has logged over 3,400 hours 

flying time in 46 different types of aircraft. 

STEPHEN S. OSWALD, 41, is the Pilot of STS-56. Selected as an astronaut in 1985, he was born in 

Seattle, Wash., but considers Bellingham, Wash., his hometown. He made his first flight as the Pilot 

aboard Discovery on STS-42 in January 1992, an international microgravity laboratory mission. 

Oswald graduated from Bellingham High School, Bellingham, Wash., in 1969 and received a bachelor's 

degree in aerospace engineering from the Naval Academy in 1973. He was designated a naval aviator in 

September 1974 and flew the Corsair II aboard the USS Midway in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans 

from 1975 through 1977. In 1978, Oswald attended the Naval Test Pilot School. 

After leaving the Navy, he joined Westinghouse Electric Corp. as a test pilot in developmental flight 

testing of various airborne weapons systems, including the F-16C and B-1B radars. Oswald remains active 

in the U.S. Naval Reserve, currently assigned as Commanding Officer of the Naval Space Command 

Reserve Unit, Dahlgren, Va. Oswald has logged more than 5,400 hours in 40 different aircraft and has 

logged over 193 hours in space. 

MICHAEL FOALE, Ph.D., 36, will serve as Mission Specialist 1 (MS1), making his second space flight. 

Selected as an astronaut in 1987, Foale considers Cambridge, England, his hometown. 

Foale graduated from Kings School, Canterbury, England, in 1975. He attended the University of 

Cambridge, Queens' College, receiving a bachelor of arts degree in physics in 1978. He completed a 

doctorate in laboratory astrophysics at Cambridge University in 1982. 

Prior to his selection as an astronaut in 1987, Foale worked for NASA as a payloads officer in Mission 

Control at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. He made his first space flight on STS-45, the first 

Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science flight. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 51 

BIOGRAPHICAL DATA 

KENNETH D. COCKRELL, 42, will serve as Mission Specialist 2 (MS2) and will be making his first 

space flight. Selected as an astronaut in 1990, Cockrell considers Austin, Texas, his hometown. 

Cockrell graduated from Rockdale High School, Rockdale, Texas, in 1968, received a bachelor of science 

degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas in 1972 and a master of science degree in 

aeronautical systems from the University of West Florida in 1974. 

Cockrell received a commission through the Naval Aviation Reserve Officer Candidate program at the 

Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Fla., in 1972 and was designated a naval aviator in 1974. He has flown 

various types of aircraft and has logged over 4,900 flying hours, including 650 aircraft carrier landings. 

ELLEN OCHOA, Ph.D., 34, will serve as Mission Specialist 3 (MS3) on STS- 56. She was born in Los 

Angeles, Calif., but considers La Mesa, Calif., her hometown. Selected as an astronaut in 1990, Ochoa will 

be making her first space flight. 

Ochoa graduated from Grossmont High School in La Mesa in 1975. She received a bachelor of science 

degree in physics from San Diego State University in 1980 and received a master of science degree and a 

doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 1981 and 1985, respectively. 

Upon graduation from Stanford, Ochoa served on a research staff position at Sandia National Laboratories, 

Livermore, Calif., specializing in work with optical processing. In 1988, she joined NASA's Ames 

Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., to work with optical recognition systems for space automation. At 

the time of her selection as an astronaut, Ochoa was serving as Chief of the Intelligent Systems Technology 

Branch at Ames. 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 52 

MISSION MANAGEMENT FOR STS-56 

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS & SPACE ADMINISTRATION 

NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC 

Office of Space Flight 

Jeremiah W. Pearson III Associate Administrator 

Bryan O'Connor Deputy Associate Administrator 

Tom Utsman Space Shuttle Program Director 

Leonard Nicholson Space Shuttle Program Manager (JSC) 

Col. Brewster Shaw Deputy Space Shuttle Program Manager (KSC) 

Office of Space Science and Applications 

Dr. Lennard A. Fisk Associate Administrator 

Mr. Alphonso V. Diaz Deputy Associate Administrator 

Mr. Robert Benson Director, Flight Systems Division 

Dr. Shelby G. Tilford Director, Earth Science and Applications Division 

Dr. George Withbroe Director, Space Physics Division 

Mr. Paul DeMinco Spartan-201 Program Manager 

Mr. George Esenwein ATLAS 2 Payload Manager 

Dr. Jack Kaye ATLAS 2 Program Scientist 

Mr. Earl Montoya ATLAS 2 Program Manager 

Dr. William Wagner Spartan-201 Program Scientist 

Office of Safety and Mission Quality 

Col. Frederick Gregory Associate Administrator 

Charles Mertz (Acting) Deputy Associate Administrator 

Richard Perry Director, Programs Assurance 

Kennedy Space Center, FL 

Robert L. Crippen Director 

James A. "Gene" Thomas Deputy Director 

Jay F. Honeycutt Director, Shuttle Management and Operations 

Robert B. Sieck Launch Director 

Dave King Discovery Flow Director 

J. Robert Lang Director, Vehicle Engineering 

Al J. Parrish Director of Safety Reliability and Quality Assurance 

John T. Conway Director, Payload Management and Operations 

P. Thomas Breakfield Director, Shuttle Payload Operations 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 53 

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL 

Thomas J. Lee Director 

Dr. J. Wayne Littles Deputy Director 

Harry G. Craft Jr. Manager, Payload Projects Office 

Teresa Vanhooser Mission Manager, Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and 

 Science 2 

Dr. Timothy Miller Mission Scientist, Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and 

 Science 2 

Alexander A. McCool Manager, Shuttle Projects Office 

Dr. George McDonough Director, Science and Engineering 

James H. Ehl Director, Safety and Mission Assurance 

Otto Goetz Manager, Space Shuttle Main Engine Project 

Victor Keith Henson Manager, Redesigned Solid Rocket Motor Project 

Cary H. Rutland Manager, Solid Rocket Booster Project 

Parker Counts Manager, External Tank Project 

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 

Aaron Cohen Director 

Paul J. Weitz Deputy Director 

Daniel Germany Manager, Orbiter and GFE Projects 

David Leestma Director, Flight Crew Operations 

Eugene F. Kranz Director, Mission Operations 

Henry O. Pohl Director, Engineering 

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

Stennis Space Center, Bay St. Louis, MS 

Roy S. Estess Director 

Gerald Smith Deputy Director 

J. Harry Guin Director, Propulsion Test Operations 

Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards, CA 

Kenneth J. Szalai Director 

Robert R. Meyers Jr. Assistant Director 

James R. Phelps Chief, Shuttle Support Office. 

Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 

Dr. John Klineberg Center Director 

Thomas E. Huber Director, Engineering Directorate 

Robert Weaver Chief, Special Payloads Division 

David Shrewsberry Associate Chief, Special Payloads Division 

Jack Pownell Spartan Mission Manager 

Frank Collins Spartan Project Manager 

Richard Fisher Spartan Principal Investigator 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 54 

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE SECONDARY PAYLOAD MANAGEMENT 

Key Management Participants 

Mission Director: Lieutenant General Edward P. Barry Jr., USAF, 

Commander, HQ Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB 

Deputy Mission Director: Colonel Robert H. Ballard, Program Manager, Space Test and Small Launch 

Vehicles Program, Hq, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB 

Assistant Deputy Mission Director: Lt. Colonel James McLeroy, Executive Director, Operating Location 

AW (HQ Space and Missile Systems Center), at Johnson Space Center, Houston 

USAF Secondary Payload Managers (JSC/OL-AW): 

Capt. David Goldstein 

Capt. Richard Martinez 

Capt. Reid Maier 

Capt. John Hennessey 
Edited by Richard W. Orloff, 01/2001/Page 55 

SHUTTLE FLIGHTS AS OF APRIL 1993 

53 TOTAL FLIGHTS OF THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM -- 28 SINCE RETURN TO FLIGHT 

STS-53 

12/02/92 - 12/09/92 

STS-42 

01/22/92 - 01/30/92 

STS-52 

10/22/92 - 11/01/92 

STS-48 

09/12/91 - 09/18/91 

STS-50 

06/25/92 - 07/09/92 

STS-39 

04/28/91 - 05/06/91 

STS-46 

07/31/92 - 08/08/92 

STS-40 

06/05/91 - 06/14/91 

STS-41 

10/06/90 - 10/10/90 

STS-45 

03/24/92 - 04/02/92 

STS-35 

12/02/90 - 12/10/90 

STS-51L 

01/28/86 

STS-31 

04/24/90 - 04/29/90 

STS-44 

11/24/91 - 12/01/91 

STS-32 

01/09/90 - 01/20/90 

STS-61A 

10/30/85 - 11/06/85 

STS-33 

11/22/89 - 11/27/89 

STS-43 

08/02/91 - 08/11/91 

STS-28 

08/08/89 - 08/13/89 

STS-51F 

07/29/85 - 08/06/85 

STS-29 

03/13/89 - 03/18/89 

STS-37 

04/05/91 - 04/11/91 

STS-61C 

01/12/86 - 01/18/86 

STS-51B 

04/29/85 - 05/06/85 

STS-26 

09/29/88 - 10/03/88 

STS-38 

11/15/90 - 11/20/90 

STS-9 

11/28/83 - 12/08/83 

STS-41G 

10/05/84 - 10/13/84 

STS-51-I 

08/27/85 - 09/03/85 

STS-36 

02/28/90 - 03/04/90 

STS-5 

11/11/82 - 11/16/82 

STS-41C 

04/06/84 - 04/13/84 

STS-51G 

06/17/85 - 06/24/85 

STS-34 

10/18/89 - 10/23/89 

STS-4 

06/27/82 - 07/04/82 

STS-41B 

02/03/84 - 02/11/84 

STS-51D 

04/12/85 - 04/19/85 

STS-30 

05/04/89 - 05/08/89 

STS-3 

03/22/82 - 03/30/82 

STS-8 

08/30/83 - 09/05/83 

STS-51C 

01/24/85 - 01/27/85 

STS-27 

12/02/88 - 12/06/88 

STS-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 

(13 flights) 

OV-099 

Challenger 

(10 flights) 

OV-103 

Discovery 

(15 flights) 

OV-104 

Atlantis 

(12 flights) 

OV-105 

Endeavour 

(3 flights)