Headline News
Internal Communications Branch (P-2) NASA Headquarters

  Friday, January 4, 1991	Audio Service: 202 / 755-1788

This is NASA Headline News for Friday, January 4, 1991

NASA  has announced that it would jointly develop a spacecraft with the
European Space Agency to study the planet Saturn, its moons, rings,
atmosphere and magnetosphere.  The formal agreement was recently signed
by Administrator Truly and ESA Director-General Jean-Marie Luton.

Named after the 17th century astronomer, Jean Dominique Cassini, the
probe will explore the Saturnian system with a planetary orbiter
provided by NASA and an ESA-provided Titan moon-orbiter.  The Saturnian
mission is expected to last for at least eleven years, seven of which
will be required for the journey to the outer planet.  Enroute, Cassini
will make asteroid observations and a Jupiter fly-by.  NASA expects to
launch the Cassini spacecraft aboard a Titan IV/Centaur booster in
April 1996.

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

Artificial auroras may be created in January night skies  when NASA
conducts experiments releasing metallic vapors from the Combined
Release and Radiation Effects Satellite.  The joint NASA/USAF project
seeks to understand the processes which cause auroras by using
artificial charged-particle clouds to induce them. The release of the
barium and lithium vapors into the Earth's magnetosphere will have no
adverse environmental effect, and is expected to be visible in the
western hemisphere.

Scientists are studying auroral effects, which not only produce
brilliant natural displays, but affect high frequency communications,
power systems, and sensitive terrestrial and space instruments.

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

Kennedy Space Center workers installed the Forward Reaction Control
System on the Space Shuttle Discovery last night, and an interface test
of the system is planned for tomorrow.  Discovery is being prepared for
rollover to the Vehicle Assembly Building at the end of this month.
The orbiter Atlantis is powered up today for routine tests, and new
general purpose computers are being installed.  In the VAB, Columbia's
tile system is being waterproofed.  Technicians removed sleep stations
from the orbiter crew cabin yesterday.  Stacking of the STS-37
(Atlantis) Solid Rocket Boosters continues, and the new 17-inch liquid
hydrogen disconnect is being positioned on the External tank.

	

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