1.
GV: Radio telescope at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre.
0.08

2.
SV: Model of satellite.
0.14

3.
SV: Pictures of star formations. (4 SHOTS)
0.26

4.
SV: Operators at controls in observatory. (5 SHOTS)
0.45

5.
CU: Display screen.
0.54

6.
CU: Dr. Blair Savage (guest astronomer). (2 SHOTS)
1.04

7.
CU: Dr. Savage speaking in English ..(4 SHOTS OF STARS AND SATELLITE MODEL)
1.54


"I.E.U. is a co-operative programme with the European Space Agency and the United Kingdom's Science Research Council. The newly-orbited satellite is making it possible for astronomers to study distant stars in detail. Supernovas, black holes, quasars, galaxies and planets: all can be examined closely and for long periods of time; important because many stars vary with time. Scientists from around the world have begun making astronomical observations here at Goddard's I.E.U. observatory. Once the scientist identifies the particular star or object to be studied, the telescope operator aims the satellite and locks it into a new position in the sky. In as little as 30 to 45 minutes, visual representations of the stars come back, displayed on a TV screen for the scientist to study and analyse. We asked guest astronomer, Doctor Blair Savage from the University of Wisconsin, how I.E.U observations compare to traditional viewing methods."



DR. SAVAGE: "With a satellite like the International Ultraviolet Explorer, one can do things that are totally impossible to do from the surface of the earth because of the presence of the atmosphere that blocks out much of the radiation coming from celestial objects. This particular satellite is working in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum. It's that part of the spectrum that produces sunburn, for those people that stay out in the sun a little too long -- but with I.E.U., since the telescope is above the atmosphere, we can examine all of the information that is being conveyed to us from these celestial objects....the information, in this case, that's contained in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum."




Initials JS/1600



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: The United States, and Europe have jointly launched a revolutionary satellite, which uses ultra-violet rays to examine stars deep in the universe. This report comes from the national Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Centre in Maryland, in the United States. It's there that the satellite-the I.U.E., or International Ultraviolet Explorer -- is being monitored.