Daily News Summary – Daily News Summary

NASA Daily News Summary

For Release: Dec. 3, 1999

Daily News Summary

SUMMARY:
No News Releases Today
Video File for Dec. 3, 1999
ITEM 1 – IMAGES OF MARS LANDING SITE ELLIPSE & IMAGES OF RETREAT

         OF SEASONAL POLAR ICE CAP ON MARS

         (from 12/02/99 Prelanding/Descent briefing)
ITEM 2 – NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ANIMATION – JPL

         (replay)
ITEM 3 – MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS

         MARS LANDING site – JPL (replay)
ITEM 4 – NASA SPACECRAFT OBSERVES LOWEST OZONE EVER

         IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE- GSFC
             ****VIDEO FILE SCHEDULE NOTE****

Due to the Mars briefings and breaking news events today (see

below) the video file will run at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and

9:00 pm. Please check http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/breaking.html for

changes to the schedule as events warrant.
Due to rescheduling of the Space Shuttle Mission STS-103,

announced yesterday, we are removing references to STS-103

television events until the schedule is reworked.
LIVE TELEVISION EVENTS THIS WEEK (UPDATED TODAY):
December 3, Friday

11:00 am – Noon – NTV Video File – HQ

Noon – 1:00 pm – Mars Polar Lander Prelanding Status Briefing –

JPL

1:00 – 2:00 pm – NTV Video File (updated) – HQ

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

6:00 pm – NTV Video File (updated) – HQ

9:00 pm – NTV Video File (updated) replay- HQ

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 – NTV Video File (updated)- HQ

3:00 pm – NTV 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

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 – NTV Video File – HQ

1:00 – 2:00 pm – Mars Polar Lander Results from Sol 1 – JPL

3:00 pm – NTV Video File – HQ (updated)

6:00 pm – NTV Video File (replay) – HQ

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
*****************************
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. 3, 1999
ITEM 1 – IMAGES OF MARS LANDING SITE ELLIPSE & IMAGES OF RETREAT

         OF SEASONAL POLAR ICE CAP ON MARS

         (from 12/02/99 Prelanding/Descent briefing)
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 LANDING ELLIPSE—————————–TRT

2:05
These new images show pieces of the landing ellipse set before and

after July 1999 for the Mars Polar Lander to set down on Mars

today.  They were first shown by scientists during the Descent

news briefing on Dec. 2, 1999, at NASA1s Jet Propulsion

Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
ITEM 1b –  SEASONAL POLAR CAP ON MARS———————TRT  :32
This data showing the retreat of the seasonal polar cap of Mars

was gathered using the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES)

instrument on the Mars Global Surveyor.  The graph was first shown

by scientists during the Descent news briefing on Dec. 2, 1999, at

NASA1s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA.
ITEM 2 – NEW MARS POLAR LANDER AND DEEP SPACE 2 ANIMATION – JPL

         (replay)
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 2a – 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 2b – 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 3 – MARS ORBITER LASER ALTIMETER (MOLA) PREVIEWS (replay)

         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 3a – 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 3b – 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 3c – 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 3d – 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 3e – 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 3f – 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 3g – 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 4 – NASA SPACECRAFT OBSERVES LOWEST OZONE EVER

         IN NORTHERN HEMISPHERE- GSFC
Contact at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD:  Wade

Sisler (Phone 301/286-6256).

Contact at NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC:  David E. Steitz

(Phone 202/358-1730).
ITEM 4a – LOWEST NORTHERN HEMISPHERE OZONE LEVELS———TRT  :20
A NASA spacecraft has observed the lowest value of ozone ever seen

in the Northern Hemisphere since spacecraft first began ozone

measurements in 1978.  The measurement was obtained on Nov. 30,

1999, using the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) instrument

aboard NASA’s Earth Probe (TOMS-EP) satellite.  The measurement

showed an extremely low level of 165 Dobson Units (DU) over the

North Sea between Scotland and Norway.
ITEM 4b – TOMS EARTH PROBE ANIMATION———————-TRT  :24
Scientists believe a combination of stratospheric and tropospheric

weather systems may be responsible for this extreme low ozone

event.  Scientists and others have a keen interest in polar ozone

depletion.  While this particular record low value results from a

convergence of weather systems, severe depletions of ozone can

result from chemical processes.  Chemically caused Arctic ozone

losses have also been observed, particularly in the Northern

Hemisphere springs of 1996 and 1997.
—————————–
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/
*****************************
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end of daily news summary