NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: Nov. 24, 1999
Media Advisory m99-243



SUMMARY:

No news releases today.


ITEM 1 - GAMMA RAY MYSTERY SOLVED - GSFC (replay)

ITEM 2 - TERRA MISSION - GSFC (replay)

ITEM 3 - MARS MISSIONS CLIP REEL (file footage)



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


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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


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Video File for Nov. 24, 1999

ITEM 1 - GAMMA RAY MYSTERY SOLVED - GSFC (replay)

Gamma ray bursts, the most powerful explosions known, can now be
used to explore the remotest reaches of space and time.
Scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center used the data to
uncover a pattern in the burst's behavior that determines the
bursts' true brightness and distance.  The bursts' extreme
brightness will let them be used as cosmic beacons to locate where
and when star-birth regions formed, even if the newly born stars
and galaxies can't yet be seen with current    telescopes.

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  Donald Savage
(Phone 202/358-1547).
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Bill
Steigerwald (Phone 301/286-5017).


ITEM 1a - GAMMA RAY BURST EXPLOSION-----------------------TRT  :37

One of many explanations for gamma ray bursts is a hypernova, an
exploding star a hundred times more powerful that a typical
exploding star, called a supernova.  After a massive red-giant
star exhausts its fuel, its heart of iron is crushed under its own
until it becomes black hole.  The middle layers of the star spiral
into the black hole, heating up and causing a tremendous
explosion.  Jets of material are ejected at almost the speed of
light.  The explosion then rips through the outer layers of the
star, blasting them into space.


ITEM 1b - GAMMA RAY BURSTS IN THE SKY---------------------TRT  :20

Gamma ray bursts occur several times a day without warning, and
release more energy than any event in the Universe.  NASA
scientists recently discovered a way to determine the true
brightness and distance for any gamma-ray burst.  With the
distance information, the bursts' extreme brightness will let them
be used as cosmic beacons to locate where and when star-birth
regions formed, even if the newly born stars and galaxies can't
yet be seen with present    telescopes.


ITEM 1c - COMPTON GAMMA RAY OBSERVATORY-------------------TRT  :50

The new analysis was performed using data from NASA's Compton
Gamma Ray Observatory and several optical    telescopes.



ITEM 2 - TERRA MISSION - GSFC (replay)

Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Allen
Kenitzer (Phone 301/286-2806).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).

URL:  http://pao.gsfc.nasa.gov/gsfc/earth/terra/terra.htm


ITEM 2a - TERRA, THE EOS FLAGSHIP-------------------------TRT 2:00

NASA will launch and deploy the "flagship" to the Earth Observing
System (EOS) series of satellites, part of a precedent setting
program designed to provide daily information on the health of the
Planet.  Terra will be the most comprehensive tool ever launched
for scientific studies of our home planet.


ITEM 2b - TERRA INSTRUMENT SYNERGY------------------------TRT  :40

Terra is uniquely designed to be an Earth-observing laboratory
with onboard research instruments that can be used both
independently and cooperatively.


ITEM 2c - TERRA LOOKS CLOSELY AT EARTH--------------------TRT  :43

Montage of instrument swaths and key science objectives for each
of the five instruments on Terra.  The instruments (in order) are
ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer), CERES (Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System),
MISR (Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer), MODIS (MODerate-
resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), and MOPITT (Measurements of
Pollution in the Troposphere).


ITEM 2d - TERRA LAUNCH AND DEPLOY ANIMATION---------------TRT 1:23

An Atlas II rocket will hoist the Terra satellite into orbit from
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA.


ITEM 2e - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES------------------------TRT  :52

Terra begins a new generation of Earth science--one that studies
the Earth's land, oceans, air, ice and life as a total global
system.  Terra will help us to understand how the complex coupled
Earth system of air, land water and life is linked.


ITEM 2f - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES------------------------TRT  :28

Terra will simultaneously study clouds, water vapor aerosol
particles, trace gases terrestrial and ocean properties, the
interaction between them, and their effect on atmospheric
radiation and climate.  Data sets in visualization:  Earth as seen
by Galileo spacecraft, radiant energy, vegetation anomalies,
temperature, fires, aerosols, clouds, methane, water vapor, and
global biosphere.


ITEM 2g - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES------------------------TRT  :32

Terra will help scientists to examine the Earth as one integrated
system by looking closely and examining the major spheres of its
environment--the biosphere, aerosols, radiant energy, air
pollution, temperature, and water vapor.


ITEM 2h - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES--VEGETATION------------TRT  :58

Terra will help monitor biospheric productivity and will detect
subtle changes in forest and ocean ecosystems.

     1. Global Biosphere
     2. Changes in Vegetation Index


ITEM 2i - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES--AEROSOLS--------------TRT 1:01

Terra carries sensors that will measure aerosol amounts over land
and ocean, as well as particle size and composition.  Aerosols
come from dust storms, forest and grassland fires, volcanoes,
living vegetation, and sea spray.  Human activities, such as the
burning of fuels and changing the land's surface cover, also
generate aerosols.

     1. Aerosols Maps
     2. Global Fires


ITEM 2j - TERRA SCIENCE OBJECTIVES--HEAT FLOW & CLIMATE---TRT 2:26

The Earth's climate is governed by a balance between sunlight that
reaches the Earth and heat that is radiated back into space.
Terra will help scientists monitor this delicate balance and
better understand the relationship between greenhouse gases, cloud
cover and long-term climate change.

     1. Radiation Budget
     2. Water Vapor
     3. Methane
     4. Global Temperatures
     5. 1997-98 El Nino


ITEM 2k - TERRA SATELLITE B-ROLL--------------------------TRT  :30

Engineers work on Terra in the clean room at Lockheed-Martin,
Valley Forge, PA.


ITEM 2l - EARTH SCIENTISTS AT WORK------------------------TRT  :35

B-Roll of Earth Scientists


ITEM 2m - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT  :54

Yoram Kaufman, Terra Project Scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight
Center, Greenbelt, MD.


ITEM 2n - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT 1:35

Jon Ransom, Terra Deputy Project Scientist, NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.


ITEM 2o - TERRA INSTRUMENTS--ASTER-----------------------TRT  1:27

ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer) will measure snow and ice distribution, vegetation
types, rock and soil properties, surface temperatures, and cloud
properties.

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2p - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT  :24

Simon Hook, ASTER Project Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, CA.

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2q - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT 1:49

Ann Kahle, ASTER U.S. Science Team Leader, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2r - TERRA INSTRUMENTS--CERES-----------------------TRT  1:08

CERES (Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System) will study the
radiation balance on Earth; how much heat is absorbed and
reflected from the Earth's surface to the top of the atmosphere.
By collecting data on how different cloud formations absorb or
reflect various amounts of energy, scientists can develop new
predictive models about weather systems and how the Earth
maintains its delicate balance in temperature.

Contact at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA:  H.
Keith Henry (Phone 757/864-6120/24).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2s - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT  :22

Bruce Wielicki, CERES Principal Scientist, NASA Langley Research
Center, Hampton, VA.

Contact at NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA:  H.
Keith Henry (Phone 757/864-6120/24).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2t - TERRA INSTRUMENTS--MISR-------------------------TRT 1:45

MISR's (Multi-Angled Spectroradiometer) cameras will allow
scientists to produce stereoscopic (3-D) images of clouds and
aerosol structures.  The detailed analysis will help determine how
sunlight behaves and how it interacts as it passes through Earth's
environment.  MISR will also monitor long term trends in
pollution, aerosols, cloud heights, and distribution of land
surface cover.

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2u - MISER B-ROLL------------------------------------TRT  :33

B-Roll of MISR (Multi-Angled Spectroradiometer).

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2v - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT  :33

David Diner, MISER Principal Investigator, Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Diane
Ainsworth (Phone 818/354-5011).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2w - TERRA INSTRUMENTS--MODIS------------------------TRT  :53

MODIS (MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) will measure
cloud cover and aerosol concentrations on a global scale so that,
with CERES and MISR data, scientists can gauge the effects on the
Earth's radiation budget.  MODIS will study surface temperatures
(including fire detection), ocean sediment, phytoplankton
concentrations, vegetation maps, land cover changes, pollution,
and snow cover.

Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Allen
Kenitzer (Phone 301/286-2806).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2x - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT 1:09

Jim Collatz, Terra Associate Project Scientist, NASA Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD.

Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Allen
Kenitzer (Phone 301/286-2806).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2y - TERRA INSTRUMENTS--MOPITT-----------------------TRT 1:03

MOPITT (Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere) will measure
carbon monoxide and methane levels in the lower atmosphere.  By
studying where these atmospheric gases are concentrated, how they
circulate through the atmosphere, and how they form, scientists
hope to gain a more complete picture about how atmosphere
pollution interacts and affects our environment.

Contact in Canada: Marion Neiman (Phone 613/990-8622).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).


ITEM 2z - INTERVIEW EXCERPTS------------------------------TRT  :24

James Drummond, Professor, University of Toronto, Canada

Contact in Canada: Marion Neiman (Phone 613/990-8622).
Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz
(Phone 202/358-1730).



ITEM 3 - MARS MISSIONS CLIP REEL (file footage)--approx. TRT 35:00

Mars missions resource reel (file footage) features various
missions, images from Hubble Space Telescope, 3-D mapping, etc.


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Unless otherwise noted, ALL TIMES ARE EASTERN.

ANY CHANGES TO THE LINE-UP WILL APPEAR ON THE NASA VIDEO FILE
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WE UPDATE THE ADVISORY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

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Refer general questions about the video file to NASA Headquarters,
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202/358-1696, elvia.thompson@hq.nasa.gov

During Space Shuttle missions, the full NASA TV schedule will
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For general information about NASA TV see:
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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