October

Cronkite to Speak at Von Braun Memorial Forum-- Renowned broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite will be the guest speaker for the 9th Annual Dr. Wernher von Braun Memorial Forum at 7:00 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Ala. Sponsored by the Marshall Space Flight Center and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, the forum honors people who have made outstanding contributions to the space program. The event will also feature the world premiere of the Discovery Channel film, "He Conquered Space," celebrating von Braun’s life, with special guest John Hendricks, founder, chairman and CEO of Discovery Communications. In addition to their participation in the Von Braun Forum, Cronkite and Hendricks will address employees at 2:45 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Marshall Space Flight Center. They will discuss "Communicating Exploration and Discovery." Interviews with John Hendricks are available Friday afternoon; call to schedule.

Public Affairs Contact: Lynne Lowery, (205) 544-5549

NASA Begins Environmental Impact Statement Process-- NASA has published a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and conduct public scoping meetings for the development and testing of the X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator. The 273,000 pound, wedge-shaped prototype launch vehicle is part of NASA’s Reusable Launch Vehicle program. As many as 15 flight tests of the X-33 are planned to originate from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and land at sites in Southern California, Utah, and Montana or Washington beginning in early 1999. Proposed short-range landing sites under study are Silurian Lake, Calif., and China Lake Naval Weapons Center, Calif. The midrange landing site under study is Michael Air Field at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Long-range landing sites under study are Moses Lake, Wash., and Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. A news release is available on the Notice of Intent. For more information on the X-33 program, visit the program’s Web site at http://rlv.msfc.nasa.gov.

Public Affairs Contact: Dom Amatore, (205) 544-0031

X-33 Video and Audio Track-- A video and an audio track about the X-33 program are available. The X-33 Advanced Technology Demonstrator is a half-scale prototype launch vehicle being developed under a partnership between NASA and Lockheed Martin. The video and audio track feature T.K. Mattingly, former Apollo and Space Shuttle astronaut and Lockheed Martin’s vice-president for reusable launch vehicles, and Gene Austin, NASA’s X-33 program manager, discussing the X-33 program. Included in the video is computer animation depicting how a full-scale reusable launch vehicle built with technologies developed from the X-33 program may operate in the future.

Public Affairs Contact: Dom Amatore, (205) 544-0031

This Month in Marshall Space Flight Center History

Redstone Test Stand Named to Historic Register 20 Years Ago

October 1996 marks the 20th anniversary of the Redstone Test Stand’s official recognition by the National Register of Historic Places. The stand’s long and varied history began in 1953. It was built by the Army on Redstone Arsenal, Ala. to test fire moderate-range Redstone rockets. On Jan. 31, 1958, a modified Redstone rocket named Jupiter-C launched into orbit the first U.S. satellite, Explorer I. The Redstone stand was later modified to test the Mercury-Redstone rocket which powered the first U.S. manned space flight in May 1961. For more information, visit the history Web site at http://www.msfc.nasa.gov/general/history.html.

Public Affairs Contact: Jerry Berg (205) 544-0034

Marshall Space Flight Center on the World Wide Web: http://www.msfc.nasa.gov

News Tips prepared by: Kelly McFalls