May 15 1992
From The Space Library
Space News for this day. (1MB PDF)
Scientists at NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, were investigating the importance of gravity to life on Earth. They also were studying whether intermittent exposure to gravity might help keep future space explorers healthy. Volunteers were confined to their beds for 24-hours a day in the head-down position to induce the physical changes associated with exposure to the microgravity of space. Results of the study indicated that these volunteers could avoid the changes simply by standing quietly for 15 minutes of each hour over a 16-hour period. Standing for two hours a day or walking at three miles per hour were almost as effective, according to Dr. Joan Vernikos, the study's principal investigator and acting chief of Ames' Life Science Division. (NASA Release 92-67)
A spokesman for the International Telecommunications Satellite organization said a 23,000-pound rocket motor clamped to the marooned INTELSAT 6 satellite by the crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour fired flawlessly at 1:25 p.m. EDT while both were orbiting about 230 miles over Africa. The 122-nation consortium, based in Washington, owns and operates the $150-million satellite. (LA Times, May 15/92)
Astronaut Kathryn D. Thornton became the second woman to walk in space when she floated into the on cargo bay of Endeavour and tested techniques for building a Space Station. Thornton was accompanied by Thomas Akers, one of three men who had captured a wayward satellite the day before. (C Trib, May 15/92)
Three American astronauts took a historic spacewalk using their gloved hands to make a last-ditch rescue of a wayward satellite. It was the first time so many astronauts had gone forth into space together and the first time anyone had captured an orbiting satellite with nothing but their hands. All previous salvage operations had mainly used some type of high-technology hardware. At 230 miles above the Earth, the three astronauts of the Space Shuttle Endeavour grabbed the wobbling 4.5 ton, 17 foot satellite and stopped its rotation, holding it motionless for about a minute while sloshing fuel settled down. (NY Times, May 14/92; B Sun, May 14/92; USA Today, May 14/92; W Times, May 14/92; W Post, May 14/92; P Inq, May 14/92; AP, May 14/92)
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