Jim Cast
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                                                       
June 20, 1991
(Phone:  202/453-8536)

John J. Loughlin II
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
(Phone:  301/286-5565)

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone:  407/867-2468)

Ed Parsons
U.S. Air Force Space Systems Division
Los Angeles AFB, Calif.
(Phone:  213/363-0255)


RELEASE:  91-93

114TH SCOUT ROCKET LAUNCH SET


     NASA is scheduled to launch a U.S. Air Force communications 
experiment into a 450 mile circular orbit aboard a Scout rocket 
June 28, 1991, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.  The 
90-minute launch window extends from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 
EDT. 

     At a cost of $3 million, the U. S. Air Force Radiation 
Experiment (REX) is designed to test sophisticated communications 
in a high-radiation environment.  The knowledge gained from this 
type of experiment is fundamental to designing the communications 
equipment capable of reliable operation in the harsh environment 
of outer space.  REX is managed by the U.S. Air Force Space 
Systems Division in Los Angeles and was built by Defense Systems 
Inc., McLean, Va.

     Scout/REX is the only Scout mission planned for 1991.  
Standing just over 75 feet tall, the four-stage, solid propellant 
vehicle built by LTV Missiles and Electronics Group in Dallas 
develops approximately 125,000 lbs. of thrust at lift-off.  The 
first Scout was launched in July 1960.

                            - more -
                             - 2 -

     The Scout program is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight 
Center, Greenbelt, Md.  NASA's Kennedy Space Center is 
responsible for Scout launch operations at Space Launch Complex 
5.  The NASA Launch Director and the supporting launch team are 
from the Expendable Vehicles Directorate headquartered at Cape 
Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.,  with a resident office at 
Vandenberg AFB.

                            - end -


NOTE TO EDITORS:  Launch of the Scout/REX will be carried live on 
NASA Select television which can be accessed via Satcom F-2R, 
Transponder 13, C-band, located at 72 degrees west longitude, 
frequency 3960.0 MHz, vertical polorization, audio monaural 6.8 
MHz.