NASA Daily News Summary
For Release: August 3, 1999
Media Advisory m99-158


Summary:

No press releases today.

Video File for August 3, 1999

Item 1 - NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Uses Infrared Technology  to Show
         the Public Heat Generation of World's Most Smelly Flower

Note:  Today,  1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
       Deep Space 1 Asteroid Fly-By Results Space Science Update 
       from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

       At 12:50 p.m., just prior to Space Science Update, a short
       video of the Asteroid Fly-By will be shown. This will 
       repeat with the video file throughout the day.

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If NASA issues any news releases later today, we will 
e-mail summaries and Internet URLs to this list.

Index of 1999 NASA News Releases:

     http://www.nasa.gov/releases/1999/index.html

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Video File for August 3, 1999

Item 1:  NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Uses Infrared Technology  to Show
         the Public Heat Generation of World's Most Smelly Flower

Note:  Today,  1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
       Deep Space 1 Asteroid Fly-By Results Space Science Update 
       from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

       At 12:50 p.m., just prior to Space Science Update, a short
       video of the Asteroid Fly-By will be shown. This will 
       repeat with the video file throughout the day.


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Video File for August 3, 1999

Item 1 - NASA Jet Propulsion Lab Uses Infrared Technology  to Show
         the Public Heat Generation of World's Most Smelly Flower

Astronomers at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory are using an infrared 
camera to monitor the infrared heat fluctuations of a six-foot 
high specimen of the Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the 
"corpse flower," the largest and most odorous in the world. As 
many visitors flock to the Huntington Botanical Gardens to see the 
bloom and take in its odor--similar to rotting flesh--they learn 
about infrared research in space. The camera's monitoring of the 
flower also gives visitors information about NASA's Space Infrared 
Telescope Facility (SIRTF), an orbiting observatory scheduled for 
launch in 2001 on a mission to study the early universe and hunt 
for planets hidden in dust debris around nearby stars; heat 
emitted by dust-shrouded planets can be seen in the infrared. 

To see press release:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/releases/99/stinkyflower.html

Contact at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA:  Jane 
Platt 818/354-0880.


Item 1a - Interview With Dr. Michelle Thaller,          TRT:   :51
Astrophysicist with the Space Infrared Telescope Facility

Item 1b - Corpse Flower                                 TRT:  1:49
Visible light and infrared views of the "Corpse Flower," the 
world's largest, smelliest flower on display at the Huntington 
Gardens. A JPL infrared camera monitors temperature changes as the 
flower blooms.

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Headquarters, Washington, DC: Ray Castillo, 202/358-4555, 
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During Space Shuttle missions, you can access the full NASA 
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For general information about NASA TV see:  

     http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/

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information Service Web site:

     http://procurement.nasa.gov/EPS/award.html

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end of daily news summary