"He looked a little tired when he got off (the spacecraft)," said John Logsdon, director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University. But, "the experiments done on him didn't show any things that were particularly relevant to older people."

"Thank heaven I didn't have to pay that,'' Glenn said to laughter from the audience at the Maine Center for the Arts. Joking aside, Glenn said he believes only researchers should go into space.

Editor's note: Hmmmm - how curious. Senator Glenn used political influence to get a ride on a Space Shuttle at taxpayer's expense, did no research himself (in reality he was a partially-qualified research specimen) and then wrote a book and didn't bother to share the proceeds with those who paid for his trip. Now he thinks only researchers should go into space. Meanwhile, Senator Bill Nelson (who also flew on a space junket while he was a Congressman and did nothing of value during his flight) was on MSNBC the other night saying that we should "leave space to the professionals."

Isn't it curious that these fellows take this stance after they got their joyrides?

"John Glenn's 77-year-old heart, bones and muscles handled space flight as well as younger astronauts, and returned to normal just as quickly after the mission ended, NASA scientists report. "We all probably would have predicted that an older individual would have taken longer to adapt here on Earth,'' said Dr. David Williams. "It allows us to ask new questions that may shape the research to come.'' Experiments don't show whether Glenn, now 78, recuperated so well because he was blessed with good genes, was in such good physical condition or some other reason, Williams and other scientists said Friday."

"For a year and a half prior to Glenn's selection, the [former] astronaut told UPI, a parade of veteran astronaut doctors and NASA medical experts had visited Glenn in order "to convince the elderly senator that his claims of the benefits of his proposed shuttle flight were not medically viable." Reportedly, Glenn's response to the briefings was always the same: "I don't care about that. I'm going to fly anyway."

"More than 30 researchers will present the latest findings from the 1998 STS-95 Space Shuttle mission at a symposium on January 27 and 28, sponsored by NASA and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The nine-day mission focused on more than 80 experiments ranging from understanding the Sun to human adaptation to space. "

"John Glenn suggests in his new autobiography that a dressing-down he once gave his fellow Mercury astronauts about their skirt-chasing ways may have prevented him from becoming the first American in space."

"Eastwood, Jones and Garner will play former distinguished Air Force pilots who, decades past their prime, are recruited by NASA to fly a crucial space shuttle mission. The space agency reluctantly calls them into action after a satellite launched in the '60s malfunctions and is headed back to Earth."

Editor's note: This must be John Glenn media aftershocks. Either that, or this film promises to be "Armageddon" meets "The Sunshine Boys" - perhaps even "The Revenge of the Pale, Stale, Males from Space"?

Editor's note: Yet another example of NASA PAO shamelessly invoking John Glenn's name one more time so as to draw attention to something wholly unrelated. None of the otherwise important findings about the sun have any relevance whatsoever to John Glenn, or his presence on STS-95. Indeed, the science involved was solicited, proposed, selected, and implemented long before the White House "asked" Dan Goldin to fly John Glenn.

Or is there some relevance to aging research in this solar science, Dan?

NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin today officially changed the name of the Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, OH, to the John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field.

Editor's note: And what initials will be used to replace LeRC? The answer is "GRC". But this can't be all that will happen - since there are no longer two centers who could use the abbreviation "LRC" (there's no longer a "LeRC") will "LaRC" become now LRC? And how much will THAT cost?

Editor's note: Gee, I sure hope one of the reporters who read NASA Watch everyday starts filing FOIAs to see just how much this name change actually costs. Imagine the sheer confusion that will result when website addresses and email addresses start to change - but not completely ....

"Although the terms of Glenn's deal were not disclosed, it was assumed in publishing circles that he agreed to a generous seven-figure sum. Glenn signed with a New York literary agent shortly after NASA agreed to let him join a shuttle mission as the test subject of experiments on how weightlessness affects elderly humans.

During the flight, Glenn kept a tape recorder near his bunk to remind him to make entries in his oral diary about the experience. He also had kept it close by during the nine months he spent training for the flight at the Johnson Space Center in Houston."

Editor's note: Given the fact that this P.R. stunt, done in the name (only) of science, cost the taxpayers a few million dollars, one would hope that Senator Glenn donates a hefy portion of his fee to some educational organization or cause - especially since he embarked on this mission knowing (in advance) that he'd already signed a deal wherein he'd be paid millions of dollars for his STS-95 memoirs.

Remember how "other" astronauts were chastised - and often punished on previous missions - for knowingly trying to use their space flights (in advance) for personal financial gain? Remember the Apollo crew who took a few measly envelopes with stamps on their mission - and what happened to them?

There are laws prohibiting "insider trading". Shouldn't that apply here as well? Just wondering.

" The renaming of the Center will require many changes. We have initiated an impact assessment on the name change and are developing a proposed implementation timeline. This will be a great opportunity for you to become involved in the many tasks necessary to effect this change. I know you will join in as we prepare the Center for transition and the upcoming celebration events."

Editor's note: it's rather curious how the name change was noted here at NASA Watch, within HQ budget documents, and elsewhere before LeRC management bothered to officially tell their employees.

Meanwhile, I wonder just how much this Lewis to Glenn name change will cost NASA. Given Dan's obsession with worm logo eradication, one would expect that no expense will be spared to hoist John Glenn's name around LeRC as fast as possible so as to capitalize on its fading PR value.

["Discover Editor Ousted", an article in Science Magazine, Vol 282, page 1965 - Note: subscription fee required for access].

Science magazine is reporting that the Editor-in-Chief of Discover magazine, Marc Zabludoff, found himself out of a job when he disagreed with Disney Senior Vice President Steve Murphy (Disney owns Discover magazine). It seems that Murphy wanted to have John Glenn's face on the cover of the year end science issue (now on sale). The magazine's staff seemed to feel that Glenn's flight did not seem to rate as being one of the year's top science stories.

From: HARRIS, HELEN C. (JSC-AH)
Sent: Monday, December 07, 1998 8:18 AM
Subject: Corrected STS-95 presentation Info.

The STS-95 presentation for 12/9/98 has been slipped 30 minutes and will start at 2:30p.m. Immediately following the STS-95 crew's presentation, we'll show live narrated downlink from STS-88 of the EVA and the audience is invited to stay and watch. The venue for the evening presentation for 12/14 has been changed from SCH and will now be in the Teague. Time remains the same at 7 p.m. Both events are open to employees, their families and the public. Mr. Abbey wants no empty seats !! Please help spread the NEW word. Thanks. HH

p.s. The IMAX movie will obviously not be shown in Teague.

Editor's note: Everyone please go. We wouldn't want George to be disappointed.

From someone@jsc.nasa.gov:

"The city of Webster is selling the 300 "John Glenn Parkway" banners which decorated NASA Rd 1 during the STS-95 mission. These banners are 4' X 6' in size. Each has stars, a picture of Glenn, a City of Webster patch, and is embroidered with STS-95. Very nice looking.

They are selling them for $31.30 each. A bargain for space memorabilia. Visit the Webster City Hall and ask for one of the "extras" available. There is a list about 4 pages long for pre-orders, but there are "extras".

p.s. I got one, had it autographed, and donated it to my daughter's school."

Editor's note: This transcript is hardly worth the bother of reading. Tim Russert only asked Glenn happy questions. Glenn babbled on about all of the important science he did. No news. This reads more like a PAO scripted interview for "Entertainment Tonight" than one you'd expect on a news show.

Editor's note: According to Dan we can expect to hear something about the results of the "science of aging" on this mission -- in 2 to 3 years.

"Let's be honest about the Glenn trip. The attempt to sell it as science, though entirely understandable, is entirely laughable. This enormous expense--and considerable risk--to pick up a datum or two about geriatrics? How our horizons have shrunk. Space flight was once about destiny, not telemetry. Three decades ago, Kennedy spoke for the nation when he ringingly declared, "We choose to go to the moon." What have we to say now? "We choose to study Metamucil digestion in microgravity?"

Editor's note: No doubt you have all gotten this by email 19 times today. This is the best variant I've seen thus far:

IMPORTANT:

When John Glenn returns from space, everybody dress in Ape Suits.

Pass it on.

We have 2 days in which to bury the Statue of Liberty up to her head.

Editor's Note: Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday morning, Goldin was asked why Glenn was picked over other astronauts including Story Musgrave. Goldin replied "John Glenn was picked because he proposed this aging science. He went out and worked with the National Institutes on Aging to correlate human space flight with people aging on the ground. It's meritorious peer review."

Later on CNN's "Late Edition", Goldin said "....it is peer-reviewed, good, meritorious science. The scientific community supports it. Most of the science was selected before we selected John Glenn. "

In the space of an hour Goldin flip flopped from saying Glenn proposed the science to saying it was in place when it was decided that Glenn would fly. Which is it Dan? Perhaps a sanity check with the Director of the NIA is in order:

"This was never designed as a flight to study a 77-year-old astronaut,'' said Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute of Aging, a partner with NASA in the medical studies of the space mission set to begin Thursday.

"The scientific studies for this flight were approved long before there was any crew selection,'' he said."

Editor's note:Tony: to disagree about the motivations behind sending John Glenn into space is one thing. But your attempt at humor wherein you question Glenn's mental facilities and other physiological functions in a fashion suggesting that he and others his age are bumbling fools is demeaning and insulting to all elderly people everywhere.

"[Mercury Astronaut Wally] Schirra told a reporter, "NASA's never been able to sell itself. They finally picked an old pro to do a sales job. John Glenn by no means is doing anything of scientific value."

"This Administration remains committed to NASA as an important investment in America's long-term scientific and technological future, providing down to earth benefits for all Americans. "

Editor's note: Well Neal, the feel-good, rosy glow from John Glenn's flight will fade all too soon and reality will return. You can help protect this "investment" by urging the President to give NASA the additional funding, and freedom to alter Russia's role in the ISS program, so as to get Russia out of the criticial path once and for all.

Otherwise all you have said in your press release rings hollow - and our space program will hobble along with the burden of foreign policy retarding it from achieving all that it could otherwise achieve.

This administration's space policy is one which seeks to confine humans to low Earth orbit while only robots get to have all the fun.

Show some vision. Send us with our robots - out there.

Your boss sent John Glenn on a trip above the sky to view the Earth and the universe in all their splendor. In so doing the envelope of human participation in space exploration expanded greatly. The rest of us wish to go as well. Make a difference, Neal, and prod your boss into making this happen - and provide NASA with the resources required to do it the way it needs to be done.

"I think the American people should know that the decision to send him was made strictly by the book. I had no role in it. He had to pass strenuous physical exams, and for each experiment he's going through, he had to prove that he was qualified and able to do that,'' Clinton said."

Editor's note: Of course, Mr. President, this depends upon your definition of the word "role".

Interviews with the editor of NASA Watch:

"DAN GOLDIN: I invite the critics to go through the ten peer-reviewed science projects Sen. Glenn is going to perform. He is performing 10 experiments -- depressed immune system, muscle loss, bone loss - sleep disorders. He's doing two of the three sleep disorder experiments. The next largest number of experiments will be done by Steve Robinson, six. So they're focusing on one element of one experiment. But there's a broad range. Think about immune system suppression. When you get older, stresses bring viruses in your body that have been suppressed for years out. Same thing may happen in space.We're going to study what happens to the Herpes virus, and maybe we'll learn a little bit more about what stress-induced activities do to the virus activity in the body. This is important. This is important. "

Editor's note: Dan, these proposals were indeed peer reviewed, approved, and funded - but this happened BEFORE Senator Glenn harassed you into letting him fly. Your staff then scrambled to find some science to justify his presence on a Shuttle mission. Stop the charade, Dan. Your colleague in this endeavor, the Director of the National Institute of Aging, doesn't even agree with your version of reality - see below.

"This was never designed as a flight to study a 77-year-old astronaut,'' said Dr. Richard Hodes, director of the National Institute of Aging, a partner with NASA in the medical studies of the space mission set to begin Thursday.

"The scientific studies for this flight were approved long before there was any crew selection,'' he said."

Editor's note: Assuming that the director of the National Institute of Aging knows what he is talking about, this statement would seem to be at odds with what Dan Goldin and John Glenn would have you think is the purpose behind Glenn's flight. Of particular note is the repeated insistence during interviews by Glenn and Goldin that Glenn's participation in these studies (and this flight) was approved only after it had "passed NASA peer review". It would seem that the Senator, and the NASA Administrator, have the sequence of events somewhat confused - and that they show no interest in having their interpretation of the facts revised to match reality.

"John Glenn may be a 77-year-old medical marvel to NASA and just about everybody else on the planet, but he still may need help making all systems go."

Webster police are asking for help in locating some of the missing signs along the John Glenn Parkway. It seems that at least four of the signs have been removed. The Webster Police Department is hoping to discourage any further theft.

"NASA introduces this popular dairy product into the training program long before take off. The cafeteria at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas regularly features cheese with a variety of sandwiches and salads offered daily. According to Harry Conran, NASA cafeteria manager, astronauts' favorite cheeses include mozzarella, American and Swiss."

Editor's Note: Won't eating all of this fatty food affect the scientific results of Sen. Glenn's flight?

Editor's Note: A taped interview I gave "CBS This Morning" is airing on today's show. (23 October). Former Astronaut Story Musgrave and Newsday reporter Earl Lane also appear. [Transcript]

Editor's note: This article includes a link to an audio clip from an interview I gave to AP Radio on 22 October.

"Usually the space agency conceals the true identity of astronauts when medical data is published as part of scientific experiments. But in the case of Glenn there is only one elderly test subject.

"It may be a little difficult to disguise,'' the 77-year old Senator told Reuters in an interview last week. "I don't know how we are going to handle that."

"Back in August or September, though, Glenn was quietly removed from a planned experiment to test the hypnotic effects of a natural hormone, melatonin, on people in orbit. The doctor in charge of the sleep study was forced to drop Glenn from the melatonin sampling test because of Food and Drug Administration regulations, NASA scientist John Charles said today."

Editor's note: Flying John Glenn has been hailed as being done principally for scientific reasons. Now we learn that Glenn was removed from a key experiment way back in August - one of the key experiments cited as justification for his flight in the first place. Isn't this a situation where flying his back-up should be considered? - -Oops, there is no back-up.

You would think that NASA should have established a research protocol designed to allow a pre-selected elderly research specimen (Glenn) to participate or, preferably, that the research specimens should be selected with a requirement that they be capable of participating in the experiments.

In reality, the experiment was already in place with pre-selected protocols when Glenn made his interests known to NASA. When it came time to match research specimen Glenn up with pre-selected science they found one experiment that wouldn't accomodate Glenn. But NASA is going to use him in part of the experiment anyway.

This is not how science is done elsewhere folks. Moreover, it reflects poorly on all of the otherwise stellar research done by this researcher, his team, and the rest of NASA's cadre of scientists.

"John Glenn is a national hero," Cowing says. "I have no problem whatsoever flying him on a shuttle mission as a lifetime achievement award or as an effort to link the past with the future . . . But to justify this flight as being done principally for scientific reasons, and to imply that it has endured the same peer review rigors all of NASA's other scientific proposals have passed, is to do a grand disservice to the meaningful science NASA has done for the past 40 years."

The main thoroughfare to Johnson Space Center, NASA Road 1, was renamed "John Glenn Parkway" yesterday - apparently with no prior notice to the general public. The change out of street signs yesterday was apparently the Clear Lake area's first notification. We have also heard of banners draped across the road which say "Welcome to John Glenn Parkway".

According to someone@jsc.nasa.gov: "According to the local news, this is only a temporary name change to brown-nose (errrr, I mean commemorate) John Glenn because of the things he has done for the space industry. Also, there is a new exhibit at Space Center Houston called "God's Speed Again John Glenn". The people at Space Center Houston dug through closets, boxes, and the attic of John Glenn's house to find things to display (in plain English, "The Smithsonian got all of the good stuff and we are showing the leftovers)."

From someone.else@jsc.nasa.gov: "The City of Webster decorated NASA Rd 1 with "Godspeed Again, John Glenn" banners. I found they cost about $33 each for 220 of them. Each banner has a picture of John Glenn in his Shuttle space suit."

"I'm not back as a legislative passenger,'' [Glenn] stressed. "I'm back as a science passenger.''

Editor's note: You may be there to do science, John - but you got that slot to do science because of your legislative position. Be honest. Fess up.

Glenn hopes NASA will continue the research he begins during his nine-day journey. "I think this can trigger off a whole area of research that we have not gotten into before," he said. "This can be a very fruitful area of research."

Editor's note: So far this area of research (flying politicians in space - for political reasons) has yielded questionable results. Jake Garn and Bill Nelson flew in the 1980's to understand NASA and hopefully improve NASA/Congress relations. The result today: relations have never been worse.

"Glenn talked NASA into launching him into orbit as the perfect guinea pig for studies of similarities between the symptoms of aging and the effects of weightlessness on young astronauts. While a number of scientists and others, including some former astronauts, have questioned the validity of this argument, almost no one doubts that Glenn believes in it."

From the CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 4194, DEPARTMENTS OF VETERANS AFFAIRSS AND HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND INDEPENDENT AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 1999 (House of Representatives - October 05, 1998) National Aeronautics and Space Administration:

"Sec. 434. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, shall be redesignated as the `National Aeronautics and Space Administration John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field'. Any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Lewis Research Center in Ohio shall be deemed to be a reference to the `National Aeronautics and Space Administration John H.Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field'."

Editor's note: I had just heard Dan Goldin tell the NASA Advisory Council that everyone at NASA needed to be reminded about safety when I looked at the "NASA at 40" exhibit in the "great hall" next to the library at NASA HQ. I noticed that this exhibit makes no mention whatsoever of Apollo 1 or Challenger. To be quite honest, I am utterly amazed and apalled that any of my former co-workers could so easily disregard these two tragic events- ones which had such an effect on NASA, America, and the world.

Not to adjust this exhibit is to totally belittle the sacrifice these people made to our collective exploration of space. A month or so ago, mention was made on NASA Watch of the same glaring omission on the Defining Events page at the "NASA at 40" website - and it was adjusted rather quickly. The excuse given to me by the NASA History office at the time this was pointed out was that it was an oversight.

That explanation only works once with an issue like this.  You need to fix the exhibit, Dan.

"The miniature senator is wearing a navy suit and red tie. Another figurine wears Glenn's shuttle suit and a third wears his famous space suit from 1962, when he became the first American to orbit the Earth"

Editor's note: I can easily accept the concept of an astronaut "action" figure, but a Senator-action figure? Gee, I thought they were commonly refered to as "statues". The term "inaction" figure might be more appropriate.

"In a few weeks time, barring bad weather, a coup d'État stemming from Monica Lewinsky's manifest failure to inhale, or (most likely) death from natural causes, the American public will be punished with the most-hyped intergalactic voyage since Josie and the Pussycats blasted off for outer space 20 years ago."

"NASA is justifying Glenn's ride as geriatric research. But if such research is needed, you would think NASA would have selected more senior citizens or a doctor of geriatric studies for the latest astronaut class. A "one data point" Glenn mission doesn't sound like good science. "

"Sen. Mike DeWine, a freshman Republican, said Wednesday he will offer legislation to rename NASA's Lewis Research Center after Glenn, a Democrat who is retiring after 24 years in the Senate. "

Editor's note: Anyone who's surprised to hear this raise your hand.

Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden isn't as subtle, or charitable. "Geriatric study, give me a break!" Worden, 66, grumbles, roaring with laughter. "If I had been in the Senate for 24 years and had the political clout that John Glenn had, I'd probably be bugging NASA to go, too."

Grissom's widow sees Glenn's flight as a political reward and publicity stunt, nothing more. "He's getting payback for whatever it is, the Senate campaign, whatever it is," fumes Betty Grissom. "He's just going to go. He likes the press to follow him around and he likes to separate himself." "They're spending taxpayers' money, and I think they should be more frugal with it," she adds. "I just can't see it at all."

"The senator became aware of such similarities several years ago while reading a book on astronaut physiology. After consulting experts two years ago, he asked NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin to consider including geriatric studies on a shuttle mission, with Glenn on board.

While NASA sought experts' advice, organized scientific conferences and held the proposal up for peer review, Glenn kept in touch with Goldin. Frequently. "

"John Glenn is a national hero, indeed, he is an icon worth emulating. I have no problem whatsoever flying him on a shuttle mission as a lifetime achievement award or as an effort to link the past with the future .... But to justify this flight as being done principally for scientific reasons, and to imply that it has endured the same peer review rigors all of NASA's other scientific proposals have passed, is to do a grand disservice to the meaningful science NASA has done for the past 40 years and that which it will certainly do in the next 40 years."

"[STS-95 astronaut John] Glenn has no backup. He alone is preparing for his special experiments. If for some reason he cannot make the launch, the research program would be canceled. It probably couldn't be rescheduled for years. NASA insists that this is no big deal and is far from rare. "

"...Walter Cronkite is headed back to the anchor desk -- but not for CBS. The veteran broadcast journalist has signed to helm CNN's coverage of Sen. John Glenn's return to space Oct. 29. Cronkite will work extensively with CNN regular John Holliman, who will be covering Glenn's nine-day shuttle mission from NASA mission control in Houston.

"There will be no real statistical validity (to Glenn's experiments), but the study wasn't written that way." - Dr. Richard Hodes, Director, The National Institute of Aging "

Editor's Note: as I've said before, this is a lifetime achievement award for Sen. Glenn. Whatever science will be done on his flight was concocted only after Glenn made it clear he wanted to fly. Before Glenn's interest became known, NASA had no plans to fly elderly people in space. Indeed, a number of astronauts have retired because NASA felt they were too old to fly.

Draw your own conclusions.

"In NASA Watch on 15 July you posted "John Glenn's flight: "Whatever science will be done on his flight was concocted only after Glenn made it clear he wanted to fly." - That is not literally true; it's misleading, and tars the "non-John Glenn" research on the flight. The Spacehab research single research module flight was added, and microgravity science, commercial microgravity, and life and biomedical science investigations identified, a long time before Glenn was mentioned; it was conceived, along with the "STS-107/108 Research Mission", as a way to do some life and microgravity science while waiting for ISS to be open for research. When Glenn was added (for whatever reason), some good science came off the flight to get Glenn and the "Glenn-oriented" stuff on. The same thing happened when Japanese PS Chakai Mukia was added. I don't know much about the aging studies, but most of what's in STS-95 for research has zippo to do with John Glenn."

"Thirty-eight years after becoming NASA's first female astronaut candidate, [Jerrie] Cobb has emerged from the jungle to crusade for the space shot she was promised."

Editor's note: Er, sorry Jerrie - you'll have to be elected a U.S. Senator before you'll get a chance to fly as a "research subject".

"We have cosmonauts who have reached their 70s, but none is in good health,'' the Russian Space Agency's chief, Yuri Koptev, said after meeting Glenn. ``We envy you for having older people in such condition.''

"Following today's announcement by NASA that the crew of STS-95--which is scheduled to carry Senator John Glenn into orbit--will include a heart surgeon and an astronaut specially trained in emergency medical services, there has been press speculation that NASA is taking extraordinary precautions to ensure the Senator's health during the stresses of spaceflight. If it is determined that these astronauts were selected because NASA has concerns about the Senator's health during the mission or that NASA has concerns about his ability to complete the mission successfully, then NASA should reconsider sending the Senator into space. I am requesting NASA provide the Science Committee with copies of all relevant documents, meeting notes, transcripts, and internal memos used to determine the crew roster for STS-95 so these issues can be addressed."

''No, no, no,'' NASA spokeswoman Jennifer McCarter said when asked Friday if thedoctors were assigned for the benefit of Glenn, who will be 77 at the time of the space shuttle flight. ``It's coincidence.''

Editor's Note: I would be extremely surprised to discover that NASA has altered the crew selection process to the significant degree suggested by Rep. Sensebrenner to accommodate Sen. Glenn on STS-95. The two individuals who are apparently referred to by Rep. Sensenbrenner (NASA Astronaut Scott Parazynski, M.D. and NASDA Astronaut Chiaki Mukai, M.D., Ph.D.) are typical examples of the multi-disciplined individuals space agencies routinely select for their Astronaut Corps. Indeed, with an unusually diverse payload mix such as is manifested on this flight, you tend to see more of these sort of individuals assigned to this type of mission. Also, there is always someone on a shuttle mission - M.D. or otherwise - who is proficient in the emergency medicine skills needed to deal with injury and illness in space.

Did you hear NASA wanted to study the effects on the moon of an aging individual, so they decided to resend Armstrong.

Unfortunately, they canceled this because they were afraid the first words from the moon in 30 years would be:

"Houston? I have fallen, and I can't get up."

"Glenn said, "The fact that I'm a senator didn't have anything to do with it (the decision to let Glenn fly). It was done on a scientific basis and I passed the physical. "

Dan Goldin will pull out all the stops tomorrow and then head off for Europe. We have learned that Sen. Glenn had hoped to wait until the entire STS-95 crew had been named and to then have the annoucmeent made in their presence, but this breaking story seems to have taken on a life of its own.

Brian Welch
Headquarters, Washington, DC                     January 15, 1998
(Phone:  202/358-1600)

NOTE TO EDITORS:  N98-5

NASA TO MAKE MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT TOMORROW

     NASA will make a major announcement at a news conference 
tomorrow at noon EST in the NASA Headquarters auditorium, 300 E 
St., SW, Washington, DC.  Participants will include NASA 
Administrator Daniel S. Goldin.

     The news conference will be broadcast on NASA Television with 
two-way question and answer capability for reporters at 
participating NASA centers.

     NASA Television is carried on GE-2, Transponder 9C, 85 
degrees West longitude, vertical polarization, with a frequency of 
3880 Mhz, and audio of 6.8 Mhz.

                      -end-

"Sources said that the space agency is preparing to fly schoolteacher Barbara Morgan to orbit at long last. "

"Pat Dasch, executive director of the National Space Society, said the way NASA handles the Glenn announcement will be closely watched.

"They wouldn't just be giving a reflight to one space hero. If they seem to be opening the floodgates to non-current astronauts, then what?'' she said. "What about Barbara Morgan, the teacher-in-space in waiting? Does this mean she gets an opportunity?"

"Restarting NASA's Civilians in Space program would make it possible for experts in different areas, who are not career astronauts, to accelerate development of a true spacefaring civilization. If giving Glenn the green light is an exception to the rule, we want to know why."

" [SFF President Rick] Tumlimson pointed out that it was Senator Glenn who spoke out after the Challenger accident and said it was too dangerous to fly civilians in space. "Has he changed his mind? This is a slap in the face to dozens of much more deserving people who have worked their whole lives for such an opportunity, people who can do a far better job of communicating the space experience to the rest of us, from teachers to reporters. Yet over the years NASA has told them all: No, No, No! NASA should open this frontier to everyone, rather than using our Space Shuttle to give a Senator a gold watch."

As we first reported this story last Summer on NASA Watch.

"I was glad to be back, although it was such a fascinating personal experience and opportunity to do research that it would be great to go on a mission every day."

"Since Glenn is leaving the Senate and can't use the "legislative oversight" excuse anymore, NASA is "spinning" the flight of the 76-year old White House favorite as "part of a study on the impact of weightlessness on the aging process."

That's a laugh. NASA has given the push to virtually every astronaut who has reached the age of 60 - and has never shown any interest in weightlessness and the aging process before. If it had, NASA could fly its own old astronauts as part of a coherent, long-term medical study."

For what it's worth, the scientist in me is infuriated when people try and reverse-justify a flight on the Space Shuttle as being in the name of science when, in reality, it is a mixture of PR and politics with science thrown in as seasoning - and as an excuse. On the other hand, the 7-year-old child in me, now 42, and all of my fellow baby boomers, will see this flight as an ironic moment which causes many events of the past half century to come full circle - and then leave us all poised to move on into the next millenium.

The light of enhanced public awareness will shine on NASA for a few moments as John Glenn gets to make those orbits he missed back in 1962 - (4, 5, and 6) - plus many more. With an ever-increasing number of senior citizens looming before us in the next century, perhaps this one event will make the space program relevant once again.

I fervently hope all involved know what to do with this heightened visibility. But let's be honest about what this flight really is: a politician, and national hero, wants to fly in space - and a grateful nation choses to honor him for a lifetime of public service.

This space flight ain't peer-reviewed science folks. It's a lifetime achievement award.

"NASA Administrator Daniel S. Goldin has been pondering the decision for months and, sources say, likes the idea but will not give the go-ahead without a solid rationale. "

"A White House science official said the decision to allow Glenn back into space is Goldin's alone."

"The senior senator from Ohio has said he wants to fly aboard the shuttle to conduct experiments on the effect of weightlessness on the aging process. "