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Mon Sep 28 12:42:07 1998

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 1 - 13:36:44 ]
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[ Linda/NASAQuest - 9 - 11:33:59 ]
We're ready to begin chatting here. If our Experts would identify themselves, letting us know they're on, we'll proceed with your questions.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 10 - 11:34:40 ]
RE: [peter-peter/husband] hi, Rose and Alyssa
Hi Peter, If you'd checked the live video streaming from the station just moments ago, Alyssa was the star test model!

[ DavidTomko - 14 - 11:37:22 ]
Hello, this is David Tomko from NASA headquarters. Currently, I am the lead scientist for the Biomedical Research and Countermeasures Program here. I joined the "headquarters team" in July, after spending 14 years at NASA's Ames Research Center as a scientist working in the area of sensory physiology. My research area is the study of the balance organs and equilibrium.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 15 - 11:37:26 ]
RE: [peter-peter/husband] how do I get to the live video
There's nothing there right now, but at 4:30 today, our time/ 1:30 yours, we'll be sending video from the station. If I can get ahold of Alyssa, I'll try to see that she's in there again. Check: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/challenge/events/9-28.html for access.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 17 - 11:39:05 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Hello from COSI in Columbus!
Hello again, COSI, so nice to have you on board again. Do you have any questions from our NASA people involved in STS-95 or Sebastian O'Kelly, Senator Glenn's Aide?

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 19 - 11:39:31 ]
RE: [Tom/KSC-Tom/KSC] Hello again from KSC. Tom
Hi Tom, Glad to have you online again also!

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 20 - 11:40:11 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Do we have live video streaming? If so, what's the url for it?
The video streaming will be going out at 4:30 today. Hope you can join us!

[ SebastianOKelly - 21 - 11:40:18 ]
RE: [SebastianOKelly] Hello, I'm here and ready.
Sorry, perhaps I should give greater detail on who I am. I work for John Glenn in the Senate as an aide/advisor on a number of issues, including space.

[ DavidLiskowsky - 22 - 11:40:48 ]
Hi. This is David Liskowsky at NASA HQ.

[ SebastianOKelly - 27 - 11:44:22 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Hi Sebastian - are you online in Washington or Key Largo?
Welcome COSI. I'm in Washington. I was going to go down to the Keys over the weekend and visit the the Station but Georges got in the way.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 29 - 11:45:18 ]
RE: [Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] Are you actually in the underwater space station right now?
Hi Jenny, That group is logging on right now. Station. Say hello when you're with us.

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 31 - 11:46:03 ]
I'm here in the station ready to answer your questions

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 35 - 11:47:39 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Hello from the Indiana School for the Deaf. Are you in the Scott Carpenter Station?
Hi, sorry we missed the other students, but maybe I can answer your questions sufficiently

[ SebastianOKelly - 37 - 11:48:15 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] What is John Glenn doing this week as part of his final training and preparation for the mission? How is he coping with the excitement of this adventure?
This week he is back in the Senate. He spent all of August and the first week in Sept training primarily at the Johnson Space Center. He will be heading back down there shortly and will spend Oct in further training until the launch which is scheduled for Oct. 29.

[ DavidLiskowsky - 38 - 11:48:44 ]
RE: [Tom/KSC-Tom/KSC] Thanks, Linda. I'm anxious to hear how Sen. Glenn is preparing for his mission and whether David thinks there will be added impacts to Sen. Glenn due to his age.
Tom, The Senator is training with the other crew members. They are preparing to carry-out the various experiments that are going to be done on the mission, as well as going over all the safety protocols that all Shuttle crews have to master. As to the impacts of age - that is why we are we are doing the studies that are planned for the mission. The data from the Senator will provide information on the interaction of space flight and aging.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 39 - 11:49:45 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] My students would like to know how you are enjoying the Challenge Mission, and if you enjoyed it as much as they did on the day before evacuation from the hurricane.
Hi Teresa, As you well know, the hurricane certainly added excitement to our time here and then up the state while we waited it out. Are you folks back home now? Will we be seeing journals of your experiences here with us and then at KSC?

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 40 - 11:49:56 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] My students would like to know how you are enjoying the Challenge Mission, and if you enjoyed it as much as they did on the day before evacuation from the hurricane.
HI, I just flew in yesterday, and yes I am enjoying my stay. Also to answer another question, I'm in the station underwater right now

[ DavidLiskowsky - 42 - 11:51:50 ]
RE: [Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] David L.- Can you describe one of the Life Science experiments that they will do on the STS-95?
Jenny, One of the experiments will be looking at how space flight affects the sleep of the astronauts. They will be recording the quality of sleep during the mission and studying whether the hormone, melatonin is an effective sleep aid.

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 43 - 11:52:20 ]
RE: [Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] Alyssa- What do you do in the station?
Hey Jenny, In the station and outside underwater we perform experiments and do webcasts and chats.

[ SebastianOKelly - 44 - 11:53:37 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Exactly, what are the biomedical experiments that John Glenn will be participating in? Can you explain briefly?
David, feel free to add to this one. In flight, Senator Glenn will be involved with two specific experiments. One will involve his wearing of a "braincap" which will monitor his brain waves and sleep activity (astronauts -- like many older people -- often don't sleep well or for long periods). The second experiment will measure the rate of protein turnover in his muscles (astronauts -- again like many older people -- tend to lose muscle mass in the microgravity environment of space). A slew of other tests -- pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight -- will be conducted on his body and then be compared with similar tests done on the younger astronauts and also on a control groups of older people on the ground.

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 46 - 11:54:41 ]
RE: [Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] How did the storm effect the space station?
I believe you mean the hurricane and the Scott Carpenter Station, not the space station

[ Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool - 47 - 11:54:44 ]
David L.- Are you actually doing the experiments on Sen. John Glenn himself or on other objects?

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 48 - 11:55:54 ]
RE: [Jenny-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] How did the storm effect the space station?
We were very fortunate. This area was not nearly as severly hit as was Key West. The evidence is everywhere, but the station was untouched. I was down there this morning, and it looks like business as usual - no glitches.

[ peter-peter/husband - 49 - 11:56:17 ]
hi, alyssa, Sammy and I miss you

[ DavidLiskowsky - 50 - 11:57:03 ]
RE: [SebastianOKelly] David, feel free to add to this one. In flight, Senator Glenn will be involved with two specific experiments. One will involve his wearing of a "braincap" which will monitor his brain waves and sleep activity (astronauts -- like many older people -- often don't sleep well or for long periods). The second experiment will measure the rate of protein turnover in his muscles (astronauts -- again like many older people -- tend to lose muscle mass in the microgravity environment of space). A slew of other tests -- pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight -- will be conducted on his body and then be compared with similar tests done on the younger astronauts and also on a control groups of older people on the ground.
The other experiments include protocols that look at how muscle atrophies as a result of space flight; how blood pressure regulation changes; how balance is disturbed; and how the funtioning of the immune system is depressed. All of these changes have, parrallels in aging.

[ SebastianOKelly - 51 - 11:57:40 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Sebastian - How computer literate is Senator Glenn? Many of our seniors here at COSI are not and wonder if this may be a problem for him.
He is fairly computer literate, although he wasn't until recently. He uses e-mail and does do searches on the Web (not surprisingly he has a lot of NASA sites bookmarked). He will be operating 2 laptop computers during the flight as part of the aging experiments being done and I know he has spent a lot of time getting up to speed on how to work them.

[ Allie-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool - 53 - 11:57:53 ]
Alyssa- We meant to ask: How did Hurricane George effect the underwater station?

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 54 - 11:57:55 ]
Hi Dad, Peter, Mom is in the station right now, ask some questions

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 59 - 12:01:11 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Alyssa, My students are jealous. They did an underwater activity outside the Scott Carpenter Station, but did not go inside. Instead, they went inside the Marine Research and Development Foundation Lab, which is bigger inside. My students would like to know if you did the activity of assembling structures underwater and if you did, how your times compared to building them on land (instead of under water)???
Hi Teresa, yes we did do the experiments. Underwater I did better on the structure building, and worse on the distance and visual experiments. I hope your stay was as fun as mine

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 60 - 12:02:04 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Linda, We are all home in Indianapolis now. How can we get our journals to you? FAX?? or e-mail????
Email is always my preference! That way I don't have to type them out! I certainly enjoyed meeting you all! Give those kids a big hello from us.

[ Rose/SCSAS - 61 - 12:02:28 ]
Underwater Alyssa did DISMALLY on the dist Quiet mom

[ SebastianOKelly - 62 - 12:03:51 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Many of our seniors can relate to sleeplessness. We are wondering how his muscle mass will be measured?
David hopefully can give more detail on the specifics. He will be wearing various types of monitors to measure mass and activity and will also be taking a number of injections. Without gravity, muscles in astronauts diminish quite quickly, a "rapid aging" if you will, and scientists are interested in how the muscle rebuilds itself once an astronaut returns to earth. If they can learn what triggers that rejunevation, then perhaps they can develop treatments for those who suffer from aging-related muscle diseases like sarcopenia.

[ Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry - 63 - 12:04:25 ]
Alyssa, Yes, we had so much fun, we will be talking about it the whole school year!! An experience we will never forget!!

[ Dennis/SCSAS - 64 - 12:04:26 ]
RE: [Allie-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] How does the underwater station mimik a space station?
Wwe have to bring in our own atmosphere, and power, and conditioning of air, and food, and al things that we need just like any other 'space' station. We also have to remove our wastes from our environment, such as carbon dioxide and garbage. Outside, there is an apparent lack of gravity, depending on the bouyant condition of the aquanuat.

[ DavidLiskowsky - 67 - 12:06:03 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] Many of our seniors can relate to sleeplessness. We are wondering how his muscle mass will be measured?
Muscle mass will be measured in a couple of ways. One study will use magnetic resonance imaging, pre- and post-flight, to measure changes in muscle volume. Another measure will be made using a DEXA scan (Duel X-ray Absorbtometry) which gives quantified information on total lean body mass. And finally, another protocol will be measuring muscle strength.

[ Dennis/SCSAS - 68 - 12:06:41 ]
RE: [peter-peter/husband] Hi, Alyssa, this is Martha. Just wanted to say "hello". I hope that things are going well.
HI Mrs. Morrison, I am having Fun and I love being underwater, tell Carrie hi, Chris to

[ Dennis/SCSAS - 70 - 12:08:04 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Rose, Are you in the Carpenter Station???? Sorry we did not get to see you last week. Is Bonnie still there????
Teresa, yes I'm in the Carpenter Station right now. I'm real sorry I missed your group, too! Bonnie IS still here, topside.

[ SebastianOKelly - 71 - 12:10:41 ]
RE: [Dennis/SCSAS] Wwe have to bring in our own atmosphere, and power, and conditioning of air, and food, and al things that we need just like any other 'space' station. We also have to remove our wastes from our environment, such as carbon dioxide and garbage. Outside, there is an apparent lack of gravity, depending on the bouyant condition of the aquanuat.
Dennis, I was impressed that the Station was built for something like $74,000 (or was it $71,000). In Congress, we usually see requests from NASA that carry a few more zeroes!

[ Rose/SCSAS - 72 - 12:11:32 ]
The sun seems to be directly overhead now, streaming through the water. Visibility is not too great, te hurricane and all the divers have kicked up a bunch of stuff. It's remarkable to consider how like exploration this is. It's a small, confined habitat, and you've got to get along with your co-habitants. The view around is 'alien' and beautiful, and the rest of the world's concerns seem remote.

[ Dennis/SCSAS - 73 - 12:13:00 ]
RE: [SebastianOKelly] Dennis, I was impressed that the Station was built for something like $74,000 (or was it $71,000). In Congress, we usually see requests from NASA that carry a few more zeroes!
We thouht it was very important that the taxpayer got their money's worth, and we cut every conceivable corner while keeping in mind that safety and reliability was our most important objective.

[ DavidLiskowsky - 75 - 12:13:29 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] So, it sounds like important tests will actually happen AFTER Senator Glenn returns to Earth from the mission. How long will he be monitored - days, weeks, months, years?
It depends on which change is being measured. For example, the muscle changes that occur in space could linger for a period of time, so the MRI measurments will be done as late as 180 days after the mission. The changes in balance reverse relatively quickly, so those measures will be done up to 8 days after the mission.

[ SebastianOKelly - 76 - 12:13:58 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] So, it sounds like important tests will actually happen AFTER Senator Glenn returns to Earth from the mission. How long will he be monitored - days, weeks, months, years?
Yes. He is due to remain in Houston for follow up testing for 3-4 weeks after his flight. He gets a rigorous annual physical, although I do not know if follow up testing will need to be carried over into it.

[ Rose/SCSAS - 77 - 12:14:57 ]
Some of the activities we have planned here at the Station demonstrate physical fitness--using exercise as a countermeasure for the deconditioning experienced in spaceflight, as the body adapts to microgravity. Exercise is also an excellent defense against the 'downhill' stage of our battle with gravity as we age.

[ COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus - 79 - 12:17:45 ]
Harold at COSI wants to know what John Glenn is planning to do after he finishes with his mission?

[ Rose/SCSAS - 80 - 12:18:10 ]
RE: [Kathy-Mrs.B/KiewitMiddleSchool] Thank you for taking our questions today. The two of my students who were "chatting" with me had to go on to another class. We will look at your responses tomorrow in class. Thanks again! I did have one more question....perhaps for Alyssa?? What are some of the experiments that you do in the SCSAS? Bye.....I'm off to teach another class.
In the station we are growing wheat plants and fast plants, in a box just like the one used in classrooms, like a crate

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 81 - 12:19:34 ]
We have only 10 minutes left to this chat, so please get your questions asked now. I will have to relinquish this line right on time, so if I disappear...

[ Rose/SCSAS - 82 - 12:20:12 ]
RE: [Rose/SCSAS] In the station we are growing wheat plants and fast plants, in a box just like the one used in classrooms, like a crate
INstructions on how to do this demosntration, caled Farming in Space, are at the Chalenge website. The classroom lesson was created by the Wisconsin FastPlants Office, and is also available at their website. Fast plants are a variant of Arabidopsis, which is related kale and cabbage. They mature very rapidly, and so are ideal for short term experimentation, such as in the Shuttle.

[ Rose/SCSAS - 85 - 12:22:10 ]
RE: [peter-peter/husband] were most of the original participants able to reschedule?
Yes, most have rescheduled, and so we are juggling the remaining time and t;rying to give them all a unique experinece,k and to use their presences will in our internet events.

[ SebastianOKelly - 88 - 12:23:13 ]
RE: [Rose/SCSAS] Some of the activities we have planned here at the Station demonstrate physical fitness--using exercise as a countermeasure for the deconditioning experienced in spaceflight, as the body adapts to microgravity. Exercise is also an excellent defense against the 'downhill' stage of our battle with gravity as we age.
That's good. I know that on the Mir (and I believe on the Shuttle too) astronauts exercised on a treadmill and a stationary bike. I heard Shannon Lucid say that she thought exercise played a big part in her being able to recover fairly quickly from her stay on the Mir. I've also seen pictures of a cosmonaut being wheeled off in a wheelchair. I don't remember his name but apparently he didn't do his exercises. So the parallel of exercise on earth and in space is an appropriate one.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 89 - 12:23:52 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Linda, We will start e-mail our journals to you with scanned photos beginning tomorrow. :-)
Sounds great to me! I will look forward to them.

[ Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry - 90 - 12:24:33 ]
Dennis, Hello, I am sure you did not recognize us, but we did wave hello to you while we were in the water last Tuesday!!

[ DavidLiskowsky - 91 - 12:24:49 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] We're wondering how you plan to test the depressed immune system response on Senator Glenn in his mission?
There are 2 studies that will be analyzing the blood of the crew members before and after the mission. One study will be looking at how activity of cells that make up the immune system has changed as a result of space flight. The other will be looking for evidence of activation of latent viruses. We all have latent viruses in our systems that are not active; if immune funtion is compromised these latent viruses can become active, and thus give a measure of immune system integrity.

[ SebastianOKelly - 92 - 12:24:55 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Sebastian, My students are here, the ones who participated last week. All of us would like for you to relay our wishes to John Glenn, hoping he has a tremendous ride into space, and that he carries the hopes and dreams of all us into space. We got to see Discovery on the launch pad, waiting just for Oct. 29th. WE all wish him the best. Ask him to give us a "thumbs up" sign from space! We will be watching.
Thank you Teresa and to your students. I'll pass it along to him. The response that we have been from schools has been overwhelming.

[ COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus - 93 - 12:25:53 ]
We, too, in Ohio wish Senator Glenn smooth sailing and will stay tuned to his mission. You may know that we are scheduled to talk with Senator Glenn in space on October 31 with some middle and high school students. We're proud that he's an Ohioan and representing our great state. Go Bucks!

[ Rose/SCSAS - 94 - 12:26:47 ]
RE: [Tom/KSC-Tom/KSC] My two cents. Fast Plants are of the Genus Brassica, species rapa-also known as Chinese Cabbage. The Fast Plants typically flower in about 2 weeks and produce seed in about 35 days. An interesting and fun plant to grow.
Mea culpa, mea maxia culpa. And I even asked Dennis before I typed the answer. You are absopositively lutely right. I have heard about both those types of plants so often, my brains transposed them. Fast plants are Brassica rapa, but indeed I was right about the relatedness to kale and cabbage. Tom, we are keeping the plants under light 24 hours a day for a couple of days to try to recover from the 2 days that the lights were off due to the hurricane. The nutrient solution looks fine.

[ Dennis/SCSAS - 95 - 12:28:28 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] Dennis, Hello, I am sure you did not recognize us, but we did wave hello to you while we were in the water last Tuesday!!
On the contrary, I did recognize you. YOu all looked great

[ SebastianOKelly - 97 - 12:29:18 ]
RE: [COSISeniors-StephMartin/COSIColumbus] We, too, in Ohio wish Senator Glenn smooth sailing and will stay tuned to his mission. You may know that we are scheduled to talk with Senator Glenn in space on October 31 with some middle and high school students. We're proud that he's an Ohioan and representing our great state. Go Bucks!
Thanks. I heard NASA was searching for a slot where Sen Glenn could communicate with folks on Earth while in orbit. I'm glad they found a slot. Tell Harvey that he will be retiring from the Senate but plans to stay active. As you know, he is a big COSI supporter and will be involved with COSI and OSU in a number of areas. Thanks again for the good wishes.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 98 - 12:29:52 ]
Thank you for joining us for this very informative chat about Sen. Glenn's return to space on STS-95. And thank you to our experts who were willing to answer question. We hope to see you online for the webcast at 4:30 our time here in Florida - 1:30 Pacific time.

[ Alyssa/SCSAS - 99 - 12:30:46 ]
RE: [Tom/KSC-Tom/KSC] The added light should help and the plants will do well if the lights stay on all the time. I'm glad that your "mascots" survived the hurricane! Best regards.
Thanks for talking to us , Best Regards to you too@!!!!!!!

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 102 - 12:32:44 ]
RE: [DavidLiskowsky] Thanks for the opportunity to chat with everyone. I hope folks found it informative.
Thanks David. I know I learned from this chat. I really appreciate your participation!

[ DavidLiskowsky - 103 - 12:33:17 ]
RE: [Linda/NASAQuest] Thanks David. I know I learned from this chat. I really appreciate your participation!
Glad to participate.

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 105 - 12:33:37 ]
RE: [Alyssa/SCSAS] Thanx for chatting with us
Thanks Alyssa, your underwater perspective is great. Will we see you (literally) at 4:30?

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 107 - 12:34:04 ]
RE: [Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry] David, Alyssa, Rose, Tom, Linda, Sebastian: Thanks for letting all of us participate
We're glad you could join us!

[ Teresa-TeresaHuckleberry - 108 - 12:34:32 ]
Oops, Thanks to you too, Dennis!

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 109 - 12:35:45 ]
RE: [SebastianOKelly] Thanks for the invite and I hope people found the chat informative. Linda, does the webcast resume at 4:30 and should I return then?
What a treat to be able to get your insights on Sen. Glenn's point of view. We will be in a different chat room at 4:30. If you'll chec the bottom of the schedule for today: http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/challenge/events/9-28.html you'll have all you need to get in. Join us!

[ Linda/NASAQuest - 110 - 12:36:26 ]
Bye all!