Release No. 96-043
For Release: Immediately

NASA Langley Story Opportunities - June

Highways In The Sky - An Olympic Challenge. The NASA/FAA/U.S. industry effort to revitalize general aviation is taking a turn to Atlanta this summer when emerging flight systems technologies will be exercised in support of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Electronic "highways in the sky" will be flown by specially-equipped helicopters to help transport high priority goods and provide public safety services. In the process, communications, navigation and surveillance concepts will be proven, advancing the efforts of a 70-some member government-industry consortium called the Advanced General Aviation Transport Experiments (AGATE). Interviews and photos available.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT: Keith Henry (757) 864-6120/4

Software License First For NASA Langley. A Virginia company has become the first to license computer software from NASA Langley as part of the agency's effort to transfer technology to U.S. businesses. The software was originally developed to improve and speed the structural design of future aerospace vehicles. Collier R & D Corp., Hampton, Va. plans to develop and market the software for high technology applications as well as such down-to-earth uses as building construction and the transportation and marine industries. For NASA, the pioneering step represents the emerging recognition of the value of computer software as a potentially licensable technology. Interviews and color computer graphic available.
COLLIER R&D CONTACTS: Ivonne or Craig Collier (757) 825-0000
NASA LANGLEY CONTACT: Keith Henry (757) 864-6120/4

Understanding The Effects of Crew Motions In Space. The Enhanced Dynamic Load Sensors EDLS-Mir experiment is measuring how the movements of the Mir crew members affect the microgravity environment of the station. Everyday activities, such as opening and closing a locker door or moving from one work station to another, cause vibrations on the space station that can affect some of the more sensitive microgravity experiments. Interviews, illustration and video are available.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT: Catherine E. Watson (757) 864-6122

Volunteers Use NASA Solar Data To Help Refugees. Solar Cookers International (SCI), a non-profit, volunteer organization, is using NASA solar data to study the feasibility and design of water purification and cooking equipment for eight refugee camps in Africa, Haiti and Indonesia. Interviews and data images are available.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT: Catherine E. Watson (757) 864-6122

CRAY-2 Supercomputer Moved To Virginia Air and Space Center (VASC). A CRAY-2 supercomputer, used for nearly a decade to simulate flight and contribute to the advancement of aeronautics and space research at NASA Langley Research Center, will now be displayed at the VASC, Hampton, Va. The CRAY-2, one of the most powerful computers in the world when it was installed in 1988, can achieve up to one billion arithmetic operations per second. At that rate, the supercomputer can sum up the Social Security numbers of all U.S. citizens in 1/4 second. NASA Langley has used "Voyager," as it is known, to simulate aerodynamic flow over flight vehicles, predict certain chemical reactions and to predict galactic collisions, among other things. Interviews, photos and video are available.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACT: Ann Gaudreaux (757) 864-8150

Last Research Flight For Super Maneuverable Airplane. After 383 flights over a 9-year period, a highly-modified F-18 airplane has flown its last research flight, but not before dramatically demonstrating concepts for greatly increasing fighter maneuverability. Among concepts proven on the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center airplane is the use of paddles to direct jet engine exhaust in cases of extreme attitudes where conventional control surfaces lose effectiveness. Another concept, developed by NASA Langley Research Center, is a deployable wing-like surface installed on the nose of the aircraft for increased right and left (yaw) control on nose-high flight angles. Interviews, photos and video are available.
NASA DRYDEN CONTACT: Fred Brown (805) 258-2665
NASA LANGLEY CONTACT: Keith Henry (757) 864-6120/4

text-only version of this release