For Release: Oct. 12, 1999 Jerry Berg Media Relations Department (256) 544-0034 Jerry.Berg@msfc.nasa.gov /centers/msfc/NEWSROOM/ Media Advisory: 99-264

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Space Shuttle Crew That Launched Chandra X-ray Observatory
To Visit Marshall Center Thursday

Members of the STS-93 Space Shuttle crew, who launched NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in July, will visit the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Thursday, Oct. 14. The astronauts will be available to answer questions from news media representatives at 1:30 p.m. CDT in the press room in Building 4200.

The crew, led by NASA’s first female commander, Eileen M. Collins, will speak to Marshall Center employees and contractor employees about the mission. Media may attend this event at 12:30 p.m. CDT in Morris Auditorium, Building 4200. The crew also will present "Silver Snoopy" awards to employees in recognition of individual contributions to the success of the Space Shuttle program.

Media planning to attend these events must contact Jerry Berg or Judy Pettus at (256) 544-0034, for access into Redstone Arsenal.

The STS-93 mission lifted off on July 23, carrying the world’s most powerful X-ray telescope, Chandra, a project managed by the Marshall Center. Chandra was also the heaviest payload ever carried into space by a Shuttle. The telescope is already sending back images which astronomers are hailing as "fantastic" and of great benefit in understanding the mysteries of exploding stars, black holes, and other celestial phenomena.

STS-93 crew members, in addition to Collins, are pilot Jeffery S. Ashby, and mission specialists Catherine "Cady" Coleman, Steven A. Hawley and Michel Tognini.

For more information about the STS-93 crew or Chandra, visit:

http://chandra.nasa.gov

Members of the media: To receive Marshall releases by e-mail instead of fax, please e-mail judy.pettus@msfc.nasa.gov. Include the name of your media outlet, your title, mailing address, phone and fax numbers, and the headline of this news release.