[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Briefing Set For NEAR Spacecraft Flyby of Asteroid Mathilde

Don Savage
Headquarters, Washington, DC                                      June 18, 1997
(Phone:  202/358-1547)

Helen Worth
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD
(Phone:  301/953-5113)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N97-42

BRIEFING SET FOR NEAR SPACECRAFT FLYBY OF ASTEROID MATHILDE

       The Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) spacecraft's planned 
flyby of the asteroid 253 Mathilde on June 27 is the topic of a media 
briefing scheduled for Monday, June 23, at 1 p.m. EDT.  The briefing will 
preview planned mission activities and science objectives for the first 
flyby of this type of dark and primitive main-belt asteroid.  

       The briefing will originate from NASA Headquarters Auditorium, 300 
E St., S.W., Washington, DC, and will be carried live on NASA TV with 
two-way question-and-answer capability for reporters covering the event 
from participating NASA centers.

        Panelists will be:

--  Dr. Wesley T. Huntress, Jr, Associate Administrator,
        Office of Space Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington, DC
--  Robert W. Farquhar, NEAR Mission Director, The Johns Hopkins University
        Applied Physics Laboratory (JHUAPL), Laurel, MD
--  Dr. Donald K. Yeomans, NEAR Science Team, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 
        Pasadena, CA
--  Dr. Peter C. Thomas, NEAR Imaging Team, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
--  Dr. Andrew F. Cheng, NEAR Project Scientist, JHUAPL

       NASA Television is broadcast on Spacenet 2, transponder 5, 
channel 9, C-Band, located at 69 degrees West longitude, with 
horizontal polarization.  Frequency will be on 3880.0 megahertz, with 
audio on 6.8 megahertz.  Audio of the broadcast will be available on 
voice circuit via the Kennedy Space Center, FL, on 407/867-1220.

				- end -