Release No. 97-110

FINAL U.S. TRMM PHOTO OPPORTUNITY TUESDAY, AUG. 19

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, to be lofted into orbit by a Japanese HII rocket Oct. 31, will be the subject of a news media photo opportunity on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The event will be held at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., starting at 8:30 a.m.

TRMM is the first Earth science satellite dedicated to studying the properties of tropical and subtropical rainfall. TRMM carries microwave and visible/infrared sensors, and the first spaceborne rain radar.

The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is providing the Precipitation Radar for TRMM and an H-II rocket to launch the observatory on a three-year mission from the Tanegashima Space Center in Japan.

The photo opportunity will consist of the on-loading of the observatory to a U.S. Air Force C-5 cargo plane. TRMM is scheduled for shipment to Japan on Aug. 20. Launch is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 31, 1997, at 3:40 p.m. EST, with an approximate two-hour launch window daily for a 40-day period.

EDITORS NOTE: On Tuesday, media may proceed directly to the Andrews Air Force base media press center (Building 1220). Media should arrive no earlier than 7 a.m. and definitely before 8 a.m. Media will be bused to the spot where the aircraft is going to be loaded. An Air Force Public Affairs representative will be at the press center. A NASA spokesperson will be available on-site to answer questions. For directions to Andrews, please contact Alexa Faulkner.

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