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Lunar Prospector Briefing Scheduled for Jan. 13

Douglas Isbell  
Headquarters, Washington, DC                      January 12, 1998
(Phone: 202/358-1753)

Elizabeth Carter  
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
(Phone: 650/604-2742)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N98-3

LUNAR PROSPECTOR BRIEFING SCHEDULED FOR JAN. 13

     The status of NASA's Lunar Prospector mission, now in orbit 
around the Moon, will be the subject of a press briefing at 12 
p.m. EST (9 a.m. PST) on Tuesday, Jan. 13, in the main auditorium 
of NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA.

     Mission managers will discuss the results of the final major 
orbit adjustment maneuver, scheduled for earlier that morning, and 
preview the robotic mission's initial scientific observations, due 
to get underway later that day.  A series of briefings previewing 
activities on the next Space Shuttle mission (STS-89) will be 
broadcast on NASA TV immediately before and after the Lunar 
Prospector briefing.

     The briefing will last a maximum of one hour, and will be 
broadcast live on NASA Television.  

Participants in the press briefing are scheduled to include: 

*  Scott Hubbard, Lunar Prospector Mission Manager, NASA Ames   
   Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
*  Dr. Alan Binder, Lunar Prospector Principal Investigator, 
   Lunar Research Institute, Gilroy, CA
*  Tom Dougherty, Lunar Prospector Program Manager, Lockheed 
   Martin Missiles and Space, Sunnyvale, CA

     The third flight in NASA's Discovery Program of lower-cost, 
highly focused Solar System exploration missions, Lunar Prospector 
was successfully launched at 9:28 p.m. EST on Jan. 6, 1998, from 
Spaceport Florida's new Launch Complex 46 at Cape Canaveral.  The 
small robotic mission is designed to provide the first global maps 
of the Moon's elemental surface composition and the lunar 
gravitational and magnetic fields.

     On Sunday morning, Jan. 11, at 7:17 a.m. EST, it was 
confirmed that Lunar Prospector had successfully entered into the 
lunar orbit via a 32-minute engine firing.   Earlier today, a 
second, 27-minute orbit adjustment engine burn was successfully 
conducted that placed Lunar Prospector into a temporary 3.5-hour 
orbit, on its way to a final two-hour science mapping orbit.

     To reach Ames Research Center, take the Moffett Field exit 
(not Moffett Blvd.) off U.S. Highway 101. Turn right immediately 
before the main gate, and park in the lot to your right. Present 
media credentials and personal identification at the Pass & ID 
Office (to the right of the gate) to receive an entry badge, 
directions and a map to the press briefing site, Bldg. N-201 . 

     NASA Television is available on GE-2, transponder 9C at 85 
degrees West longitude, with vertical polarization.  Frequency is 
on 3880.0 megahertz, with audio on 6.8 megahertz.  Reporters who 
wish to observe and participate remotely in the live broadcast of 
the press conference may do so at participating NASA field 
centers.

     Extensive information on Lunar Prospector is available on the 
Internet at the following address:     

http://lunar.arc.nasa.gov

                           -end-