NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: Dec. 1, 1999
Media Advisory m99-247



SUMMARY:

No News Releases Today


Video File for Dec. 1, 1999

ITEM 1 - NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEPS SPACE 2 ANIMATION - JPL

ITEM 2 - MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS
         MARS LANDING site - JPL

ITEM 3 - MARS SCIENCE OVERVIEW RECAP AND B-ROLL
         (from 1:00 pm briefing)

             ****VIDEO FILE SCHEDULE NOTE****
Due to the Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Briefings today (see
below) the video file will run at 2:00 and 4:00 pm. The briefings
will replay in order immediately following the 4:00 pm video file.



LIVE TELEVISION EVENTS THIS WEEK (UPDATED TODAY):

December 1, Wednesday
Noon - 1:00 - "Mars, the Mysterious Planet" Background Briefing -
JPL
1:00 - 2:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Science Overview Briefing - JPL
*2:00 - 3:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
3:00 - 4:00 pm - "The Search for Water, the Search for Life"
Background Briefing - JPL

December 2, Thursday
1:00 - 2:00 - Mars Polar Lander Prelanding/Descent News Briefing -
JPL
3:00 - 4:00 - Mars Polar Landing Site News Briefing - JPL
*6:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File (updated) -
HQ

December 3, Friday
*11:00 am - Noon - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
Noon - 1:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Prelanding Status Briefing -
JPL
*1:00 - 2:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
(replay)
*3:39 pm - Confirmation of Mars Polar Lander Touchdown - JPL
2:00 - 5:00 pm - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Landing -
JPL
5:00 - 6:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander "First Results" News Briefing -
JPL
*10:30 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL

December 4, Saturday
Midnight - 2:00 am - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL (continued)
2:30 - 3:30 am - Mars Polar Lander and Deep Space 2 "Results" News
Briefing - JPL
*Noon - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
*3:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ (replay)
5:00 - 6:00 pm - "Future Robotic Mars Exploration" Background
Briefing - JPL
7:00 - 8:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 0/Plans for
Sol 1 - JPL
8:30 pm - STS 103 Crew Arrival - KSC
10:00 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL

December 5, Sunday
Midnight - 2:00 am - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL (continued)
2:00 - 3:00 am - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 1/Plans for
Sol 2 - JPL
*Noon - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
1:00 - 2:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 1 - JPL
*3:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander/Deep Space 2 Video File - HQ
(updated)
8:00 - 9:00 pm - Mars Polar Lander Plans for Sol 2 - JPL
10:30 pm - Midnight - Live Coverage and Commentary of Mars Polar
Lander Activities - JPL


Note: For complete schedule of NASA Television coverage of
upcoming launch of Space Shuttle Mission STS-103, Mars Polar
Lander mission and Terra mission, see:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/breaking.html



                       *****SPECIAL NOTE*****
       TO ASSIGNMENT EDITORS AND MORNING AND EVENING PRODUCERS

MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ARRIVE AT MARS - LIVE SATELLITE
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES

NASA's Mars Polar Lander is due to set down under rocket power on
layered, icy terrain near the south pole of Mars on Friday, Dec.
3.  The first opportunity to receive a signal on Earth that
confirms the landing is expected at 12:37 p.m. PST (3:37 p.m.
EST).  The two Deep Space 2 microprobes that are piggybacking on
the lander will impact the planet's surface at about the same
time.

Our talent will have up-to-the-minute information on the progress
of both missions.  We will also feed B-roll animation of both
programs prior to each live cast via NASA TV.

To book an interview please call Ivelisse Gilman, at 757/864-5036
(through Nov. 30) and 757/880-2470 (from Dec.1 through Dec. 6) or
Jack Dawson at 818/354-0040.  Or e-mail us at
i.gilman@larc.nasa.gov
or
Jack.B.Dawson@jpl.nasa.gov.


**Live Satellite Interviews
  from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory**

Thursday, Dec. 2
  1:30-6:30 p.m. PST (4:30-9:30 p.m. EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K19
Talk to David Paige, Principal Investigator for the instruments on
the Mars Polar Lander, and Rich Zurek, Mars Polar Lander Project
Scientist, about what NASA expects to find and why we go to Mars.

Friday, Dec. 3
  2:00 - 7:00 am PST (5:00 - 10:00 am EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K17
On the morning of landing, share in the excitement with Carl
Pilcher, Science Director for all of NASA1s missions to explore
the Solar System, and Rich Zurek, Mars Polar Lander Project
Scientist.

Friday, Dec. 3
  3:00 - 6:00 p.m. PST (6:00 - 9:00 p.m. EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K14
Find out the results of landing from NASA Administrator Dan Goldin
or Ed Weiler, NASA's Associate Administrator for Space Science.

Monday, Dec. 6
  3:00 - 7:30 am PST (6:00 - 10:30 am EST)
    Broadcast on GE3-K17
Hear the latest results from the weekend on Mars from Rick Zurek
and Ed Stone, Director of the Jet Propulsion Lab.

Producer1s line: 626/798-3385, backup 626/798-3950



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If NASA issues any news releases later today, we will e-
mail summaries and Internet URLs to this list.

Index of 1999 NASA News Releases:
http://www.nasa.gov/releases/1999/index.html


*****************************


Video File for Dec. 1, 1999

We will post running times and details about each clip as they
become available.


ITEM 1 - NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEPS SPACE 2 ANIMATION - JPL

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Doug Isbell (Phone
202/358-1753).
Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Mary
Hardin (Phone 818/354-5011).

ITEM 1a - MARS POLAR LANDER ANIMATION---------------------TRT 5:18

Voiced-over narrative explains animated video of the Mars Polar
Lander mission to Mars, detailing its path to the planet and
entry, listing survey instruments, and outlining its photographic
abilities.  The Lander is scheduled to arrive on Mars on Dec. 3,
1999.

ITEM 1b - DS-2 MICROBPROBE MISSION TO MARS----------------TRT 3:08

NASA's Deep Space 2 microprobes, named Amundsen and Scott, are due
to smash into the surface of Mars near the planet's south pole on
December 3.  Narrated and newly refined animation demonstrates the
probe1s deployment, impact on Mars, subsurface operation and data
transmission.



ITEM 2 - MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS
         MARS LANDING site - JPL

Synopsis:  Data from the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA)
played a key role in helping scientists determine the primary
landing site for the Mars Polar Lander.  Engineers are aiming for
a 125 miles long by 12 1/2 miles wide strip of gentle, rolling
plains.  Launched on Jan. 3, 1999, Mars Polar Lander will study
the soil and look for ice beneath the surface of the Martian south
pole.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Doug Isbell (Phone
202/358-1753).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Wade
Sisler (Phone 301/286-6256).


ITEM 2a - LANDING SITE PREVIEW----------------------------TRT  :43

The sequence begins with an image from Viking, then transitions to
a false color image produced by the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter
(MOLA).  All elevations are relative to the mean height of the
equator.  White colors indicate elevations in excess of 9881 feet
(3012 meters), red shows elevations between 8202 - 9881 feet (2500
- 3012 meters), yellow shows elevations 8038 - 8202 feet(2450 -
2500 meters), dark cyan shows elevations 7053 - 8038 feet (2150-
2450 meters), dark violet shows elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet
(320 - 2150 meters). The topography in these images is vertically
exaggerated by a factor of 5.


ITEM 2b - LANDING SITE PREVIEW - CLOSEUP VIEW-------------TRT  :51

First sequence shows primary landing site with image from Viking
draped over 3-D MOLA data.  Second sequence shows primary landing
site with false color data and 3-D data from MOLA.  All elevations
are relative to the mean height of the equator.  White colors
indicate elevations in excess of 9881 feet (3012 meters), red
shows elevations between 8202 - 9881 feet (2500 - 3012 meters),
yellow shows elevations 8038 - 8202 feet(2450 - 2500 meters), dark
cyan shows elevations 7053 - 8038 feet (2150-2450 meters), dark
violet shows elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet (320 - 2150 meters).
The topography in these images is vertically exaggerated by a
factor of 5.


ITEM 2c - MYSTERIOUS SOUTH POLE OF MARS-------------------TRT  :34

Sequence begins with image from Viking of the southern hemisphere
of Mars.  Note that the permanent frozen cap is not located
directly at the south pole.  A false color image is overlayed to
show the mean elevation.  The permanent frozen cap is mostly
composed of carbon dioxide ice. White colors indicate elevations
in excess of 9881 feet (3012 meters) and dark violet shows
elevations from 1050 - 7053 feet (320 - 2150 meters).


ITEM 2d - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TOUR-----------------------TRT 1:29

The first image was created from Viking images. The second, false
color, image came from MOLA data.  Here the color scale shows the
darkest blues as roughly 5 miles (8 km) below the mean equatorial
height, while reds indicate elevations up to 3 miles (5 km) above
the mean equatorial height.


ITEM 2e - SOUTH OF HELLAS IMPACT BASIN-------------------TRT 1:29

The sequence shows an area south of the Hellas Impact Basin.  Note
the relatively crater-free area, possibly resurfaced by polar
glaciation in early Martian history.


ITEM 2f - SOUTH POLAR TOUR-------------------------------TRT 1:11

This southern polar tour, first using Viking images and then MOLA
data, highlights the differences in elevation between the Hellas
Impact Basin and surrounding terrain.  The deepest point in Hellas
is roughly 26,900 feet  or 5 miles (8200 meters) below the
equatorial mean--almost deep enough to hold Earth's Mt. Everest.


ITEM 2g - MOLA and Mars Global Surveyor animation---------TRT  :46

During the ongoing Mars Global Surveyor mission, the MOLA
instrument is collecting about 900,000 measurements of elevation
every day.  MOLA was designed and built by the Laser Remote
Sensing Branch of the Laboratory for Terrestrial Physics at NASA's
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.  The Mars Global
Surveyor mission is managed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, CA.



ITEM 3 - MARS SCIENCE OVERVIEW RECAP AND B-ROLL
         (from 1:00 pm briefing)



-----------------------------


Unless otherwise noted, ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN.

ANY CHANGES TO THE LINE-UP WILL APPEAR ON THE NASA VIDEO FILE
ADVISORY ON
THE WEB AT ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/tv-advisory/nasa-tv.txt
WE UPDATE THE ADVISORY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

The NASA Video File normally airs at noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m., 9 p.m.
and midnight Eastern Time.

NASA Television is available on GE-2, transponder 9C at 85 degrees
West longitude, with vertical polarization. Frequency is on 3880.0
megahertz, with audio on 6.8 megahertz.

Refer general questions about the video file to NASA Headquarters,
Washington, DC: Ray Castillo, 202/358-4555, or Elvia Thompson,
202/358-1696, elvia.thompson@hq.nasa.gov

During Space Shuttle missions, the full NASA TV schedule will
continue to be posted at:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html

For general information about NASA TV see:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/


*****************************


Contract Awards

Contract awards are posted to the NASA Acquisition information
Service Web site: http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/award.html


*****************************


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end of daily news summary