For Release: November 20, 1996

Kathryn Cataldo
Office of Media Services
(205) 544-2188
(205) 544-1183 (pin number: 0546)

NOTE TO ASSIGNMENT EDITORS/PRODUCERS: 96-183

SATELLITE INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE ON SPACE TECHNOLOGY THAT COULD RESULT IN SAFER HIGHWAYS ON EARTH

A cheaper, faster and better way to resurface highway bridges may lead to safer driving conditions for motorists thanks to NASA space technology.

NASA’s Vernotto McMillan is available Friday, 5:00 to 7:00 a.m. CST for satellite interviews to talk about how this high-flying Space Shuttle technology may make driving safer here on earth. B-roll of the bridge resurfacing will also be made available.

In a recent test, a team from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., and USBI Co., in cooperation with the Alabama Department of Transportation, resurfaced a highway bridge using a sprayer tool system developed and used to apply heat resistant coatings to the Shuttle’s Solid Rocket Boosters.

Using environmentallly friendly materials that are erosion resistant and provide better tire traction, the team resurfaced a bridge on Interstate 65 south of Huntsville in a fraction of the time it would normally take to do the job.

The sprayer tool has also demonstrated its potential for roofing flat-top buildings, and a snack food company is even exploring the possibility of using the tool to spray toppings on foods.

To schedule an interview, please contact Kathryn Cataldo at (205) 544-2188. Interviews will be conducted on NASA TV, located on C-band, Spacenet 2, Transponder 5, at 69 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880 MHz and the audio is 6.8 Mhz.