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To MARS with MER - Interact

LIVE FROM MARS Broadcasts

Countdown program script - part 3 of 3


Here is the draft script of the television program. It is continued from Part 2.


13.0 WAYNE LEE Q&A (30:50)
LIVE & VTR / 06:00
LIVE Q&A Worcester
LIVE Q&A from kids at KSC
LIVE e-mail questions relayed by kids at KSC
VTR pre-taped VIDEO questions

CAMILLE: now back in regular clothes, standing beside viewing window outside SAEF 2: AS YOU CAN SEE, THESE ARE PRETTY AMAZING MISSIONS... NOW IT'S TIME FOR QUESTIONS TO "MARS GLOBAL SURVEYOR" MISSION PLANNER WAYNE LEE, WHO'S DOWN HERE AT THE CAPE, IN THE MISSION DIRECTOR'S CENTER... WAYNE, WHAT GOES ON THERE DURING A LAUNCH?

super: WAYNE LEE Mars Global Surveyor Mission Planner
WAYNE:
quick answer...

CAMILLE:
OK, QUESTIONS! FIRST, STUDENT #1 HERE AT THE CAPE...

STUDENT #1 question:
HI, I'M... AND WHAT... WHY... ?

WAYNE:
short, pithy answers, so we have room for lots of interaction...

STUDENT #2 question:
HI, I'M... AND WHAT... WHY... ?

WAYNE answers:

NEIL IN WORCESTER:
NOW WE'VE GOT A QUESTION FROM UP HERE IN WORCESTER...

WORC. STUDENT #1

MATT answers:

CAMILLE:
NOW ANOTHER ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME IN BY E- MAIL...

Map graphic with e-mail place-name text super:
KSC STUDENT #2 asks the e-mail question, giving the name of the respondent...

WAYNE answers:

Map graphic and VTR flies out of it
CAMILLE:
AND WE'VE RECEIVED SOME QUESTIONS ON TAPE: THIS IS FROM WHERE I LIVE AND WORK, IN NEVADA!

VTR STUDENT #1

WAYNE answers:


14.0 MGS LAUNCH (31:50)
VTR / 02:00 / CAMILLE v.o.
this is how it began... scenes from Nov 6 (or soon after!)... GLENN CUNNINGHAM in the Mission Director's seat... kids from McNair watch the launch... and this is what it's going to be like December 2, 1996... and every 26 months for the coming decade!

DOCUMENTARY SCRIPT: TO COME AFTER RECEIPT OF FOOTAGE!


15.0 DONNA SHIRLEY ON THE FUTURE OF MARS EXPLORATION (33:50)
VTR / 02:00

GLENN AND TONY SPEAR ARE THE TWO MISSION MANAGERS, BUT THEY REPORT TO DONNA SHIRLEY, WHO'S THE MANAGER FOR JPL'S MARS EXPLORATION DIRECTORATE. ONE YEAR AGO, SHE WAS ABLE TO SHOW US PATHFINDER WHEN IT WAS STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION BACK IN PASADENA'S OWN CLEAN ROOM...

DONNA sync from JPL stock footage


16.0 TONY SPEAR Q&A: KSC SAEF 2 (39:50)
LIVE & VTR / 06:00
CAMILLE leads to
LIVE Q&A Worcester
LIVE Q&A from kids at KSC
LIVE e-mail questions relayed by kids at KSC
VTR pre-taped VIDEO questions

CAMILLE:
WELL THAT WAS THEN, THIS IS NOW, AND TONY'S THE MAN WHO HAS TO GET THINGS 100% READY FOR LAUNCH... BUT LIKE ALL THE MARS EXPLORATION DIRECTORATE, WE'RE PLEASED TO SAY HE'SMADE TIME IN HIS INCREDIBLY PRESSURED SCHEDULE FOR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH... SORRY, CAN'T RESIST ASKING JUST ONE QUICK QUESTION: TODAY, ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE LAUNCH... HOW'S IT GOIN?

TONY:
snappy answer...

CAMILLE:
OK, STUDENT NAME, YOUR FIRST QUESTION...

KSC STUDENT #1:
question...

TONY answers

NEIL:
HERE IN ROBERT GODDARD'S OLD HOME TOWN, WE'VE GOT A QUESTION FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT GODDARD ONLY DREAMED OF DOING... STUDENT NAME?

WORC. STUDENT #1 question...

TONY answers:

Right to second WORC. student:
WORC. STUDENT #2

Map graphic with place name
CAMILLE:
TONY, THIS QUESTION CAME IN BY E-MAIL...

KSC STUDENT reads e-mail question, citing name and location...

TONY answers:

Map graphic with VTR box
CAMILLE:
NOW ANOTHER QUESTION THAT CAME IN ON TAPE FROM...


17.0 PATHFINDER LANDER, ARES VALLIS, SOJOURNER ROVER (41:20)
LIVE / GRAPHIC STILL FRAMES / VTR / 01:30
KSC and WORC.

TONY and CAMILLE on how "Sojourner" got its name... Story of Valerie Amboise (need picture!) postage stamp slide

CAMILLE:
NOW WE'RE PLEASED TO BE BRINGING STUDENTS CLOSE TO PATHFINDER AND ITS ROVER... BUT KIDS HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONNECTED TO THIS MISSION BEFORE... TONY, TELL US ABOUT HOW YOUR ROVER GOT ITS NAME...

dissolve to Valerie getting her award... and stamp picture (or better) of Sojourner Truth TONY tells story of then-12 years old Valerie Amboise, and how her winning essay suggested the rover be called Sojourner, after Sojourner Truth

NEIL and MATT on why Pathfinder will be landing where it is...
need full disc image, plus landing site oval

NEIL:
THANKS, TONY... NOW HOW ABOUT "ARES VALLIS" WHERE SOJOURNER WILL BE DOING ITS THING, AND PATHFINDER WILLBE LOOKING AROUND... WHAT KIND OF A TARGET IS THAT, AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE IT?

MATT answers...

NEIL:
AND WHEN WE SAY "YOU CHOSE IT" THAT'S LITERALLY TRUE... THIS SITE WAS YOUR BABY MATT? HOW DO YOU PERSONALLY FEEL, 2 WEEKS SHORT OF LAUNCH?

MATT replies...


18.0 "FOLLOW THE WATER" (44:20)
LIVE lead, then VTR / 03:00 / NEIL v.o.
stream table activity from the LFM Guide brought to life by North High School students from Worcester, showing how water can sculpt the characteristic patterns seen on Mars

NEIL to camera
WELL AS WE'VE SAID, THE SEARCH FOR LIFE ON MARS AND CLUES TO HOW AND WHY THE MARTIAN CLIMATE CHANGED BOTH DEPEND ON UNDERSTANDING WATER -- HOW MUCH THERE ONCE WAS... HOW IT FLOWED ACROSS THE SURFACE, HOW LONG IT MIGHT HAVE LASTED BEFORE DISSIPATING/EVAPORATING/SUBLIMATING (???) TO SPACE, OR BEING FROZEN UNDERGROUND.

(holds up Teacher's Guide, the Activity page, and the image set)
THOSE CLUES CAN BE FOUND IN SURFACE FEATURES WHICH CAN BE SEEN FROM ORBIT...

AND AS THE "LIVE FROM MARS" TEACHER'S GUIDE SUGGESTS IN ACTIVITY 1.3, STUDENTS CAN SIMULATE SOME OF THE PLANETARY PROCESSES THEMSELVES, BY USING STREAM TABLES BUILT OF SIMPLE MATERIALS... WALL-PAPER TRAYS FILLED WITH SAND.

NEIL throws to tape, and continues voice over tape: THESE STUDENTS FROM NORTH HIGH, HERE IN WORCESTER, WORKED WITH TEACHER, BOB DAVIS.

DIFFERENT TEAMS USED STREAM TABLES SET AT DIFFERENT ANGLES, TO SIMULATE DIFFERENT AMOUNTS AND RATES OF WATER FLOW.

GENTLE FLOWS CREATED MEANDERING RIVER CHANNELS.

MORE VIOLENT "FLOODS" CARVED OUT DEEPER VALLEYS, WITH STEEPER WALLS...

OR WASHED OUT WIDE PLAINS.

BURIED OBJECTS -- STONES OR BOTTLE CAPS SET IN THE SAND TO SIMULATE CRATER RIMS -- CREATED THE DISTINCTIVE TEAR-DROP SHAPES WHICH VIKING SAW FROM ORBIT.

EARTH SCIENTISTS USE STREAM TABLES TO MODEL THE PROCESSES WHICH SCULPT OUR OWN PLANET... AND THESE STUDENTS COULD NOW TURN TO STUDY IMAGES OF MARS WITH "EDUCATED EYES" -- AWARE THROUGH DIRECT HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE OF SOME OF THE FORCES WHICH HAVE MARKED BOTH OUR NEIGHBORING WORLDS.

"THE COMMON THREAD RUNNING THROUGH ALL (NASA'S MISSIONS) IS WATER... SAID NASA ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR SCIENCE, WES HUNTRESS... "WATER'S THE KEY TO ANY LIFE MARS MAY HAVE OR ONCE HAD."


19.0 MATT, TONY, WAYNE ROUND-ROBIN Q&A: WORCESTER AND KSC (50:20)
LIVE & VTR / 06:00
NEIL leads to...
LIVE Q&A Worcester
LIVE Q&A from kids at KSC
LIVE e-mail questions relayed by kids at KSC
VTR pre-taped VIDEO questions

NEIL:
STUDENT #1 HERE IN WORCESTER, YOU HAD A QUESTION ABOUT WATER FOR MATT...

STUDENT #1:

super MATT
MATT answers...

NEIL:
STUDENT #2, YOU SAID YOU WERE INTERESTED IN SOMETHING TONY SAID...?

STUDENT #2

TONY / KSC
answers...

CAMILLE:
WE'VE GOT ANOTHER E-MAIL QUESTION FROM PLACENAME...

map graphic with placename
KSC STUDENT reads e-mail question

TONY answers

CAMILLE
AND HERE'S A FINAL TAPED QUESTION FROM CANADA FOR WAYNE...

super WAYNE
WAYNE answers


20.0 CAMILLE ON P.E.T ACTIVITY, JOURNALS, CHALLENGE QUESTIONS, etc. (51:20)
LIVE / GRAPHICS / 01:00
LFM housekeeping

CAMILLE:
WELL, AS YOU CAN SEE, MARS IS A FASCIANTING PLACE, AND THESE ARE TWO EXCITING, AMBITIOUS AND >VERY< CHALLENGING MISSIONS, AND GLOBAL SURVEYOR SHOULD BE RETURNING DATA WELL INTO 1999... AND THERE ARE WAYS YOU CAN KEEP IN TOUCH LONG AFTER THIS VIDEOS OVER...

WE'VE ONLY BEEN ABLE TO TAKE E-MAIL QUESTIONS FROM A FEW OF YOU DURING THIS PROGRAM... BUT IF YOU RE-SUBMIT ALL THE QUESTIONS THAT DIDN'T GET ANSWERED LIVE TO: questions-lfm@quest.arc.nasa.gov YOU WILL EACH AND ALL RECEIVE AN ANSWER.

TEACHERS, YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE ABOUT "RESEARCHER Q&A" ON THE LIVE FROM MARS WEB SITE AT

VTR downloaded from online showing the LFM Web Site, some BIOS and FIELD JOURNALS and the accompanying photos BUT PARTICIPATING IN LIVE FROM MARS ISN'T ONLY ABOUT ASKING QUESTIONS. YOU'VE MET SOME OF NASA'S "MARS MISSION TEAM" TODAY, BUT YOU CAN MEET MANY MORE ONLINE, BY READING THEIR BIOGRAPHIES, CHECKING OUT THEIR PHOTOS, AND THEIR "FIELD JOURNALS"... PERSONAL DIARIES WHICH TELL YOU WHAT IT'S LIKE BEHIND THE SCENES AT PLACES LIKE THE CAPE, WHERE WE'VE BEEN TODAY, OR AT NASA'S JET PROPULSION LABORATORY IN PASADENA, FROM WHERE WE'LL BE COMING LIVE ON APRIL 24TH 1997.

BUT YOU STUDENTS CAN ALSO "JOIN THE TEAM" AND BECOME MISSION PLANNERS YOURSELVES.

VTR from the various classes, with teacher, school and place names supered:
"LIVE FROM MARS" HAS INITIATED AN ACTIVITY CALLED THE "PLANET EXPLORER TOOLKIT", OR "P.E.T.", AS AN ONLINE, COLLABORATIVE PROJECT. THESE ARE SCENES FROM SOME OF THE CLASSES WHICH HAVE BEEN PARTICIPATING AROUND THE NATION...

THE IDEA IS TO SIMULATE WHAT SPACE SCIENTISTS DO WHEN THEY PLAN A MISSION TO AN ALIEN PLANET. THEY HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO KNOW, WHAT INSTRUMENTS TO SEND, AND HOW MUCH THEY CAN PACK ABOARD THE SPACECRAFT IN TERMS OF WEIGHT AND COST.

WE INVITED STUDENTS TO DISCUSS WHAT INSTRUMENTS >THEY< WOULD WANT TO PACK IN A REGULAR SHOE-BOX, TO BEST DOCUMENT A CHARACTERISTIC SITE IN >THEIR< REGION.

THERE'S A SIZE, WEIGHT AND COST LIMIT, JUST AS THERE WAS FOR MATT, TONY AND THE "PATHFINDER" TEAM. THESE STUDENTS ARE BECOMING MISSION PLANNERS, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO RECORD THE MOST IMPORTANT DATA ON THE PLANET THEY CAN MOST EASILY DOCUMENT... EARTH!

graphic with multiple date and task supers: SOON IT WILL BE TIME FOR CLASSES AROUND THE NATION TO SHARE THEIR BEST IDEAS... AND DEBATE, ONLINE, THE CONTENTS OF THE FINAL STANDARD "PLANET EXPLORER TOOLKIT."

THEN STUDENTS WILL EACH DOCUMENT THEIR CHOSEN SITES, ALL USING THE SAME INSTRUMENTS, AND PLACING THE RESULTS ONLINE... STUDENTS WILL SEE THEIR HARD WORK HEADLINED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB...

THEN "LIVE FROM MARS" WILL POSE A CHALLENGE... PRESENTING DATA FROM 5 "MYSTERY SITES".

THE CLASSES THAT MOST SUCCESSFULLY USE TEMPERATURE OR RAINFALL OR OTHER DATA TO FIGURE OUT THE EXACT LOCATIONS WILL WIN A SPECIAL PRIZE CONNECTED TO OUR LIVE APRIL BROADCAST!

live Pad 17 cameras: live switch between views online PHEW... LOT'S GOING ON, AND SOON PATHFINDER WILL LAUNCH. DECEMBER 2 IF ALL GOES WELL...

TONY... FINAL WORDS?!?


21.0 "BYES" (52:20)
LIVE / 01:00
TONY
WE'RE KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED... AND EVERYONE'S WORKING HARD...

MATT:
I JUST WANTED TO REMIND TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF THE "MARSWATCH" ACTIVITY WHICH THEY CAN READ ABOUT ONLINE AT
http://JPL'S ADDRESS...
WHICH INVITES AMATEUR ASTRONOMERS TO HELP US MONITOR MARS THIS COMING SPRING... AND FINE TUNE OUR DESCENT! TEACHERS, FIND OUT IF ANY AMATEUR OR PROFESSIONAL ASTRONOMERS ARE WORKING ON THIS IN YOUR AREA, AND INVITE THEM TO COME ON DOWN TO YOUR CLASS!

NEIL
AND THAT DESCENT SHOULD CLIMAX WITH A LANDING ON JULY 4 1997... WE HOPE YOU'LL BE JOINING US FROM SCIENCE MUSEUMS AND PLANETARIUMS ACROSS THE NATION... EVEN THOUGH IT'S THE SUMMER VACATION, THE FIRST IMAGES TRULY "LIVE FROM MARS" SHOULD SURELY BE TOO MUCH TO MISS!

SO, BYE, ALL FROM ALL OF US UP HERE WORCESTER!

WAYNE
AND FAREWELL ALSO FROM US HERE AT THE CAPE... GLOBAL SURVEYOR MAY HAVE LAUNCHED FIRST, BUT IT WILL GET TO MARS SECOND... BUT THEN BEGIN 2 YEARS OF WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE REALLY DETAILED MAPPING OF THE MARTIAN SURFACE, FINDING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME WHAT THAT RED WORLD IS REALLY MADE OF! CHECK OUT OUR WEB SITE AT: http://MGS JPL ETC.

CAMILLE:
BYE FROM ALL OF US AT "LIVE FROM MARS"... REMEMBER, YOU CAN FOLLOW THE MISSIONS ONLINE... AND THE TEACHER'S GUIDE PROVIDES LOTS OF IDEAS FOR HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES WHICH >YOU< CAN DO IN YOUR CLASSROOMS.

THIS FIRST PROGRAM MAY BE OVER, BUT THE MISSIONS ARE JUST BEGINNING... SO, ONWARDS AND UPWARDS... TO MARS!


22.0 END CREDITS (53:20)
VTR / 01:00

name supers for scads of people, ending at about 00:40,
then 20 seconds of project information

supers with appropriate voice overs

C. UNDERWRITER ANNOUNCE (53:35)
VTR / 00:15
Live from Mars is made possible by the National Science Foundation, NASA and PBS Teacher Resource Services

TRT must equal NO MORE than 59:30!!!


TO BE DONE:

we have not included any factoids, or the answer to any CHALLENGE QUESTION

Factoids suggested are:
Olympus Mons
Vallis Marineris
Mars mythology
July 20th on the Moon and Mars

CHALLENGE QUESTIONS on Martian baseball, Vallis Marineris, wind pressure, etc.