Friday, January 28, 2000
Glenn mission results in
Scientists begin rehashing '98 flight
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Science — not joy riding or publicity — was what prompted NASA to send John Glenn back to space, the agency steadfastly said during 1998's high-profile shuttle voyage.
And science — tests on plants, proteins and tumor cells performed by the former senator and his colleagues on the shuttle Discovery — took center stage Thursday as the scientists behind the experiments enthusiastically described the findings.
The results of Mission STS-95 in October and November 1998 were being presented over two days, beginning with those operated by Mr. Glenn and his six crew mates.
Mr. Glenn himself served as a geriatric test subject for studies of bones, muscles and sleep patterns. But those results were not to be released until today.
The flight contained more scientific experiments — 88 — than any previous shuttle mission, said NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Arnauld Nicogossian.
“The mission was packed, really packed,” he said. “By one of those good fortunes we had, all of the experiments worked except one.”
NASA scientist Dennis Morrison described one successful experiment — compressing a tumor-fighting drug into a special miniature balloon and directing the drug into the tumor.
NASA expanded its experiment itineracy after Mr. Glenn was added to the crew, with the stated purpose of exploring the similarities between what happens to humans in the zero-gravity environment of space and what happens naturally on Earth dur ing the aging process.
He was 77 when he became the world's oldest spaceman.
He said he has been briefed about what happened to his bones and muscles during the voyage aboard Discovery but wanted to let scientists release details.
Mr. Glenn participated in 10 experiments studying space- and age-related problems. He spent four nights in a wired-up sleep suit, provided 17 blood samples and wore a mini data recorder for 24 hours to monitor his heart rate. He also swallowed a capsule holding a tiny radio transmitter and temperature sensor.
Mr. Glenn, one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, was the first American to orbit the Earth, accomplishing the feat in 1962. He represented Ohio in the U.S. Senate for 24 years, retiring in 1998.
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