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NSS And Creators Of 'Deep Impact' Announce Campaign To Collect 1 Million Names For Comet Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 1998

Contact:  Karen Rugg
National Space Society
202-543-1900, ext. 77

Warren Betts
Paramount Pictures
310-479-1305

NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY AND CREATORS OF "DEEP IMPACT" ANNOUNCE CAMPAIGN TO
COLLECT ONE MILLION NAMES FOR COMET MISSION
Public invited to go to <http://www.nss.org/impact> to "Make an IMPACT"

(Washington, DC) -- May 7 -- The National Space Society, along with Paramount
Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures, today announce a joint online campaign to
collect one million names to be placed on board a spacecraft that will
intercept an actual comet.  The campaign, "Make an IMPACT," is being launched
in time for tomorrow's nationwide release of the film, "DEEP IMPACT," and will
continue through the summer or until the one million mark is met.

The spacecraft, STARDUST, is being prepared for launch by NASA and the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory to intercept Comet Wild-2, collect samples and return to
Earth.  The names will be printed onto a microchip to be placed aboard the
craft later this year.  Already on the chip are the names of every member of
the National Space Society, and the names of the cast and crew of "DEEP
IMPACT."  Names can be submitted by going to the National Space Society
website at nss.org/impact or to the film's website at deep-impact.com.

"We are firm believers in the idea that, today, fact can be as spellbinding as
fiction," said Ms. Pat Dasch, executive director for the National Space
Society.  "In this case, a film tells a fictional story of an impending comet
collision while, in fact, NASA and JPL are preparing a craft to intercept a
comet and learn more about it.  We are very pleased to be partnering with
Paramount on this project; with a one million name goal, we're committed to
making a real 'impact.'" 

The National Space Society is also producing a slide set for educators on
comets and asteroids, featuring text prepared by leading scientists.  The set
will include several images from "DEEP IMPACT."

The National Space Society, founded in 1974, is an independent, nonprofit
space advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC.  Its 23,000
members and 90 chapters around the world actively promote a spacefaring
civilization.  Information on NSS and space exploration is available at
<http://www.nss.org/>.

"DEEP IMPACT" is a contemporary action thriller about the chaos that ensues
when it is discovered that a comet is on a deadly collision course with the
Earth.  DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures present "DEEP IMPACT," a
Zanuck/Brown production, directed by Mimi Leder.  The executive producers are
Oscar-winner Steven Spielberg, Joan Bradshaw and Walter Parkes.  The film is
written by Michael Tolkin and Bruce Joel Rubin.  DreamWorks SKG is a multi-
faceted entertainment studio formed in October 1994 by Steven Spielberg,
Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen.  Paramount Pictures is part of the
entertainment operations of Viacom Inc.

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