NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: September  29, 1998
Media Advisory 98-39

TODAY'S SUMMARY:

Tremendous Gamma-Ray Flare Blasts Earth

NASA Video File for Sept. 29, 1998

Upcoming Live Events:
   Undersea Challenge Mission, Sept. 23-30
   Aeronautics Conference, Oct. 9

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Tremendous Gamma-Ray Flare Blasts Earth

     An intense wave of gamma rays, emanating from a catastrophic magnetic flare on a mysterious star 20,000 light years away, struck the Earth's atmosphere on August 27, 1998, providing important clues about some of the most unusual stars in the Universe.  Scientists said the gamma radiation posed no health risk to humans. Contacts: Donald Savage, NASA Headquarters (Phone:  202/358-1547); Tim Tyson, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL  (Phone:  256/544-0994) Full text:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/pressrel/1998/98-172.txt

If any news releases are issued 
later, summaries and Internet URLs will be e-mailed to this 
list.

Index of NASA News Releases:

http://www.nasa.gov/releases/1998/index.html

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Video File for September 29, 1998


ITEM 1:    MAGNETAR ILLUMINATES EARTH
    Animation and images of an intense wave of gamma rays which  emanated from a catastrophic magnetic flare on a mysterious star, known as a magnetar, 20,000 light years away.  These gamma rays struck the Earth's atmosphere on August 27, 1998, providing important clues about some of the most unusual stars in the Universe.  Scientists said the gamma radiation posed no health risk to humans.
Contact at Marshall Space Flight Center:  Tim Tyson 256/544-0994; contact at Headquarters:  Don Savage 202/358-1727.

ITEM 2:    ATLANTIS RETURNS TO KSC
    The Space Shuttle Atlantis returned to Kennedy Space Center on Sunday, September 27, after receiving routine maintenance and a new paint job.
Contact at Kennedy Space Center:  Joel Wells 407/867-2468.

ITEM 3:    HURRICANE GEORGES - 3-D TRMM ANIMATION (replay)
Contact at Goddard Space Flight Center:  Wade Sisler 301/286-
6256; contact at Headquarters:  Dave Steitz 202/358-1730.

ITEM 4:    HURRICANE GEORGES - SEAWIFS (replay)
Contact at Goddard Space Flight Center:  Wade Sisler 301/286-
6256; contact at Headquarters:  Dave Steitz 202/358-1730.

ITEM 5:    HURRICANE GEORGES - GOES-8 IMAGES (replay)
Contact at Goddard Space Flight Center:  Wade Sisler 301/286-
6256; contact at Headquarters:  Dave Steitz 202/358-1730.

ITEM 6:    JOHN GLENN AND STS-95 CREW TRAINING (replay)
Contact at Johnson Space Center:  Eileen Hawley 281/483-5111; 
contact at Headquarters:  Ray Castillo 202/358-4555.

ITEM 7:    JOHN GLENN AND STS-95 CREW TAKE TO THE SKIES (replay)
Contact at Johnson Space Center:  Eileen Hawley 281/483-5111; 
contact at Headquarters:  Ray Castillo 202/358-4555.

The NASA Video File airs at noon, 3, 6, 9 p.m. and midnight 
Eastern time. For further information, please contact Ray 
Castillo, 202/358-4555. 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.

The most recent NASA Video File Advisory can be found at: 

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/tv-advisory/nasa-tv.txt

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Upcoming Live Events

GOING "ALL OUT" UNDER WATER

     NASA's Life Sciences Division is sponsoring the 
Challenge Mission, an eight-day deployment of the Scott 
Carpenter Space Analog Station on the sea floor off Key 
Largo, Sep. 23-30. 

Contact:  Jennifer McCarter, NASA HQ, Washington, DC, 
202/358-1639. 

Full text of Note to Editors:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/note2edt/1998/n98-056.txt

CONFERENCE TO REVIEW PROGRESS OF AERONAUTICS PROGRAM

     NASA will brief industry and the public-at-large on 
progress in meeting its aeronautics goals at the first 
conference of this kind to be held Friday, Oct. 9, 1998, at 
NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH.

Contacts:  Michael Braukus, NASA HQ, 202/358-1979; Lori 
Rachul, NASA Lewis Research Center, 216/433-8806.

For the full text of this Note to Editors:

ftp://ftp.hq.nasa.gov/pub/pao/note2edt/1998/n98-054.txt

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CONTRACT AWARDS

NASA contract awards are posted to:

http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/award.html

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The NASA Daily News Summary is issued at approximately 2 p.m. 
Eastern time on business days when news releases, new Video 
File material or live events are scheduled. Members of the 
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list should send an e-mail message to:

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END OF DAILY NEWS SUMMARY