Sounding Rockets (Continued From Page 2) "We’re nere to serve the customer," Gurldn says with a ring of southern hospitality. "If the customer isn’t happy, then we’re not doing a go^ job." Tliat customer most often is a university scientist. "We can put the instrument in space where and when it needs to be there." The average mission, Gurkin continues, costs somewhere around $2(X),(XX) per year, and may include seven or eight Oights over a period of years. "That’s not a lot of money in space science these days." All space-science disciplines are included in NASA’s sounding rocket program, such as research in high-energy strophysics, galactic [ronomy, solar physics and upper atmospheric research. Typically, Gurkin says, researchers look at large, bright, easily tracked objects like the .sun and the planets, and their observations do not require long .flight times. "On average, there’s about six minutes for the experiment to ^0 its thing," Gurkin says. The ■e»!on; Sounding rot..et flights iu-st a maximum of 20 minutes. The near-vertical flights with ..he largest sounding rockets can exceed 800 miles in altitude; however, all of the flights are guborbital. In general, the rockets range from one to four stages, each filled with propellant, depending on the size of the payload and how high they are to be boosted into space. Surplus rocket motors are often used for the program, Gurkin says, which contributes to cost efficiency. The Smithsonian’s Golub regan his research program in .986. To date, his experiment las flown five times, and he plans one flight a year for the remainder of the current solar cycle, v/hich began in 1986. The solar cycle is a period of about 11 years between "solar minimums" when sunspot activity is lowest The payload sent up on each flight is the "Normal Incidence X-ray Telescope," or NIXT, built for Golub’s research by engineers at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and scientists at the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y. At the heart of the telescope is a special mirror — built by IBM scientist Dr. Eberhard Spiller — that allows very high-resolution X-ray images of the sun’s corona to be focused on fdm without contamination by other wavelengths of energy radiated by the sun. "Basically, our goal is just to see it [the corona] better," Golub says. The most recent launch of the CROSSWORD ACROSS L Inquires t». Door fsstenlng 9. Brush away 1C. Assign 12. Wary (Scot) 5. Celerity 6. German river 7. Pillowcase 8. Food fish (W.L) 9. Crust on a wound 13. Viscous mud 11. Seesaw 14. Cunning 18. Russian plain 18. Shortest route 15. Scoffed 17. Cut of lamb 18. Hostelry 21.Jargon 34. Bee shelter 37. Undressed telescope was during the July 1991 solar eclipse. The path of totality — when the moor completely blocks light coming from the sun — for this eclipse covered Mauna Kea in Hawaii, which also happens to be the site of a major astronomical observatory. Golub and his colleagues took advantage of this coincidence, the first in modem memory. At the very moment totality began in Hawaii, the NIXT was launched in New Mexico. The five-minute rocket flight nearly matched the duration of totality' in Hawaii, during which time Golub’s experiment recorded the seething corona as seen over the face of the uneclipsed sun. At the same time, scientists from the University of Hawaii’s Institute foi Astronomy observed and photographed the corona extending beyond the sun, a phenomenon which can best be seen in visible light from Earth during an eclipse. In the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa — again, at the same moment in time-other researchers looked at the uneclipsed sun in white light to complement Golub’s X-ray images of the solar disk. The observations in multiple wavelengths will help create an improved three-dimensional model of the sun’s corona. Such a model will help solar researchers better understand thermal dynamics in the corona as well as magnetic fields and how they are linked to sunspots and solar flares. In addition, the model may help discover what heats this thin atmospheric layer to such high temperatures. During the most recent launch at White Sands, Golub seemed happy with the success of his Subscribe To The Carolina Time, Call Today!!! 682-2913 Smithsonian News Service Photo by William Schulz This Terrier Black Brant sounding rocket recently carried aloft a telescope to photograph the sun. The telescope was built by IBM and Smithsonian scientists. mission, at least with what he could tell of real-time images beamed from the telescope to a video screen at the launch site. When the screen went blank, he walked outside to wait for a helicopter that would take him to recover the telescope and film. "What do you think, Leon?" «asked an observer there to witness the launch. Golub smiled, hel .i cigar in his teeth and gave tl ictory sign. ASTRO-DES >NY ARIES Mar. 21 - Apr, 19 Jealousy can wreck a valued relationship. The clock will be agoinst you. You work hord and still cannot keep up. TAURUS Apr. 20 - May 20 Watch exjt for an overly emotional state in o relation who is close to you. A firm hand is needed. GEMINI May 21 - June 20 CANCER June 21 - July 22 Your Imoginotion con play havoc with you. Brooding will get you nowhere. Think positively! Frivolity seems to be utmost this week. Take time and really enjoy yourself. The serious things will be LEO July 23 - Auff. 22 Vour moods vary so much this week that you will not be the easiest person to live with. It’s a good time to seek solitude. VIRGO Auff. 23 Sept. 22 Distractions me many this week. Don’t be deterred from your main purpose. Perseverance pays off. LIBRA Sept. 23 - Oct. 22 You unbend In your feelings for others, and it is a great improvement towards family relotionships. SCORPIO Oct. 23 - Nov. 21 Relying on one's self is not the only answer. Others are only to eager to assist you. SAGITTARIUS Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 Don't try to run the whole show. Not only is it im possible, but it could be hazardous to your health. Your good deeds ore mounting ond the benefits ore shored v)rlth older folks. Helping others is in reality helping yourself. AQUARIUS Jen. 20 - Feb. 18 PISCES Feb. 19- Mar. 20 ®TML74 You must piece emphosis ( you and your fomlly. 1 the long range plans for Now is the time to give o great deol of thought to your future. Ypu con succeed if you ore'.wiliirte to moke sacrifices. . T

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