May 2 1996
From The Space Library
Joseph B. Gurman of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center announced the pathbreaking discoveries of a team of scientists monitoring the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spacecraft. According to Gurman, SOHO had revealed unexpected activity on the Sun, as well as the best images yet of the plume-like structures, extending from the Sun. SOHO's scientists were excited and surprised to find that "movies made from SOHO ultraviolet data show that there is continuous motion and action everywhere on the Sun." The scientists observed that the Sun's plumes extend more than 13 million miles (21 million kilometers) into space. NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA) collaborated on the SOHO project.
Former U.S. Representative Norman Y. Mineta received NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, the highest civilian honor awarded by NASA. Mineta had served 21 years in the U.S. Congress, representing California's Silicon Valley in the House of Representatives. As chairperson of the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation, he had played a vital role in bolstering the nation's transportation infrastructure and fostering technological research. Mineta remarked that serving over the long term as the senior member of the House Committee on Science and Technology had given him the opportunity to see firsthand NASA's significant achievements. When he accepted the award at a private ceremony, Mineta said, "I'm deeply honored to be recognized by NASA for any contributions I made furthering the mission of our nation's space operations."
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