Space Shuttle to Carry Lecturer's Experiments

Next week's space shuttle launch will make headlines because of the return to space of 77-year-old John H. Glenn Jr., but the crew will also do research for Harvard Lecturer on Astronomy John L. Kohl.

The crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery, scheduled for a week from now Oct. 29, will perform experiments to measure the temperature of particles at the sun's surface, an area that Kohl has researched since 1974. They will also conduct research exploring using the link between space flight and aging, Glenn as a subject.

Kohl's project will begin Nov. 1, when the shuttle deploys his equipment for the 45-hour experiment.

"Unlike an ordinary gas, the [outer atmosphere] of the sun that you see during a natural solar eclipse has a high degree of nonequilibrium," he said. "So every particle has its own temperature."

Kohl's experiments initially focused on the electron, a relatively light subatomic particle, determining its temperature to be about 1 million degrees Celsius.

But recent evidence that shows the sun's energy is used to accelerate heavier particles motivated the group to target the more massive proton on this mission, Kohl said.

It was more than a decade after Kohl first began his research that his techniques were honed enough to win NASA's approval, he said.

The experiment was originally scheduled for the ill-fated 1986 Challenger mission but was bumped from the flight plan.

Kohl's experiments did go to space in 1993, 1994 and 1995, but this experiment will use a different procedure in order to collaborate with satellites in space.

A trial run of the experiment failed last November, and the project's scientists are now in Florida doing final checks to make sure there is no reoccurrence.

"It was a big disappointment," said Larry D. Gardner, a physicist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "The astronauts lost control and had to go back and get the instrument later."

But the scientists say they are confident.

"We did fly three times and all those worked absolutely perfectly," Gardner said.

Kohl added that the problems proved to be procedural and therefore should not recur.

Both Glenn and Kohl hail from Muskingham College in New Concord, Ohio. Kohl was a student there during Glenn's historic flight in 1962, and he said the excitement of attending the same college as the famous alum greatly influenced him.

During the mission, Kohl met Glenn's father and gained an appreciation for NASA's work, he said.

Preparation for the launch have provided the two a chance for a meeting.

Preparation for the launch have provided thetwo a chance for a meeting.

"He was very interested to find out mybackground. Once he established that I was born inhis hometown, we were able to spend hourstalking," Kohl said.

Glenn's active presence in the launchpreparations belies some of the criticism that hispresence on the mission has received.

Critics have alleged that the research on agingis a shield for a NASA publicity effort thatrewards Glenn for his political support ofPresident Clinton.

But Kohl says Glenn's presence makes sense.

"He wants to be treated just like one of theastronauts," Kohl said. "He is taking his missionseriously and clearly feels that it is asignificant piece of work.

Preparation for the launch have provided thetwo a chance for a meeting.

"He was very interested to find out mybackground. Once he established that I was born inhis hometown, we were able to spend hourstalking," Kohl said.

Glenn's active presence in the launchpreparations belies some of the criticism that hispresence on the mission has received.

Critics have alleged that the research on agingis a shield for a NASA publicity effort thatrewards Glenn for his political support ofPresident Clinton.

But Kohl says Glenn's presence makes sense.

"He wants to be treated just like one of theastronauts," Kohl said. "He is taking his missionseriously and clearly feels that it is asignificant piece of work.