Mission Control Center
STS-59 Status Report #18


Friday, April 15, 1994, 11:30 a.m. CDT

As Endeavour's seventh day of around-the-clock observations of Earth winds 
down, scientists on the ground are elated with the view already afforded them by 
the radar observations completed.

One of the instruments aboard, the Measure of Atmospheric Pollution from 
Satelllites, or MAPS, has exhausted its supply of infrared film, and a preliminary 
composite of the distribution of carbon monoxide in Earth's atmosphere it 
measured is being developed.  MAPS' information may assist scientists as they 
study the amounts of "greenhouse gases" in the atmosphere, gases that could lead 
to a general warming of the planet.

Other notable images in work on the ground include views of the Mt. Pinatubo 
volcano in the Phillipines and a composite image of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano using 
all three radar frequencies aboard Endeavour.  In addition, views of the Galapagos 
Islands and a stereo view of the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, are being prepared. 
Still, the vast majority of information obtained by the Space Radar Lab remains 
stored on data-recording tapes aboard Endeavour and will not be available for 
processing until after landing.

The Red Team -- Sid Gutierrez, Kevin Chilton and Linda Godwin -- are now in 
their seventh    12-hour work shift onboard, continuing to supplement the radar 
data with still photography as Endeavour crosses above the various sites.  More 
than 14,000 still photographs are expected by the end of the flight as a bonus to 
the radar information.

Later today, at about 1:05 p.m. central, Chilton will explain to ground controllers 
how a vast network of ground scientists and students camped in the field at many 
of the worldwide sites assist with the radar observations.  At about 3:32 p.m. 
central, Godwin will take a brief work break to talk with the Cable News Network 
and answer questions from viewers.

Endeavour continues to be in excellent shape in a 116 by 113 nautical mile orbit.

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