Contact
Jerry Berg
Media Relations Department
(256) 544-0034
jerry.berg@msfc.nasa.gov

Media Advisory: 01-144

Local students to visit NASA Marshall Thursday to help produce Earth-orbiting 'disco ball' satellite

What:		Students from Ed White Middle School in Huntsville, Ala., will visit NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville to help produce some of the mirrors for Starshine 3, a satellite which will eventually resemble a high-tech disco ball and be placed into Earth orbit. The sphere, which will be covered by hundreds of quarter-sized mirrors that will reflect sunlight to observers on the ground, will help students study the effect of solar activity on Earth's atmosphere. Ed White is among 500 schools worldwide whose students helped grind and polish mirrors for Starshine. Thursday, the local students will watch NASA optics experts coat and seal the mirrors which the students are contributing to the project. Set for launch Aug. 31, 2001, from Alaska, Starshine 3 will orbit the Earth for several years. During this time, participating students will visually track the satellite and report their findings on the project's Web site.
Who:		Vince Huegele, NASA Marshall optics physicist Doreen Forsythe, teacher, Ed White Middle School Ed White Middle School students
When:		9:45 a.m. Thursday, April 26
Where:		Optics Lab, Building 4487. News media will be escorted to this area after check-in at Building 4200 on Rideout Road.
To attend:		News media interested in covering the event should contact Jerry Berg of the Marshall Media Relations Department at (256) 544-0034.

NOTE: Effective Jan. 1, all drivers requesting a visitor pass to Redstone Arsenal will be asked at the gate to provide proof of liability insurance on their vehicle if it is registered in Alabama. Failure to provide proof of such insurance will result in denial of a pass, and drivers also may be issued a citation. This is being done in compliance with Alabama's Mandatory Insurance Act.