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For Release: 10 a.m. CST, Wednesday, Nov. 4,1998 Steve Roy UPDATE 98-226 |
Glenn Experiments with Space Rose for Development of New Flavors and Fragrances |
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During the sixth day of Discovery's STS-95 mission, John Glenn is experimenting with plants grown in the near-weightlessness of space that may lead to new flavors and fragrances for commercial products. Working with the AstrocultureTM facility onboard Discovery today at 1:15 p.m. CST, Glenn is collecting measurements of chemical compounds found in miniature roses by inserting a special fiber needle into the flowers' blooms. According to the New York City-based Fragrance Foundation, the commercial uses of fragrance are valued at more than $5 billion annually in the United States. The principal investigator for AstrocultureTM -- a controlled environment for plant growth -- is Dr. Norman Draeger of the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Draeger is available for interviews during the mission. Last night, Glenn changed out sample cartridges in the Advanced Separation Commercial Payload. This facility accurately separates different cells and cell components from one another and is a valuable tool for development of new technologies and innovative medical treatments. During the STS-95 mission, the crew is conducting 54 experiments managed by NASA's Microgravity Research Program at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. The principal investigators for each of the 54 experiments are available for telephone interviews and in-person at either NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and at NASA's Marshall Center. What's Ahead: The next scheduled update on John Glenn's microgravity experiment activities will be issued at approximately 10 a.m. CST, Thursday, Nov. 5. In the next 24 hours, Glenn is set to work again with the Advanced Separation Commercial Payload. His work with this facility may help researchers to develop new technologies for fighting colon cancer and controlling diabetes. For More Information: Please contact the Marshall Center Media Relations Office at (256) 544-0034. For daily news tips and background information about NASA's Microgravity Research Program experiments on the STS-95 mission, visit our Website: /centers/msfc/NEWSROOM/ |
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