News Room

For immediate release

Leonid Meteor Shower

PRINCETON, NJ, November 9, 1999 The 1998 Leonid Meteor Showers are just two weeks away expected between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on November 17, 1998. In preparation, the GE Americom Leonid event team composed of scientists, engineers and analysts have continued to review its estimates based on the scientific models presented at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Leonid Meteoroid Conference. Our latest analysis continues to indicate that the risk of a significant outage or interruption in services with any one of our satellites is minimal, about 100,000 to 1. However, we encourage our customers to review their back-up contingency plans for adequacy in light of their own assessment of this event.

As precautions, the event team has for some time been refining contingency procedures and simulating monitoring of the spacecraft with repositioned solar arrays. In addition, between now and the day of the event we will: complete preparations to monitor critical spacecraft telemetry data; reschedule spacecraft maneuvers so no operations occur on the 17^th; schedule personnel to cover all control sites and headquarters facilities; and rehearse appropriate contingency procedures.

On November 17 the day of the event, we will inhibit automatic commands for all spacecraft, power off non-critical spacecraft units and position fleet solar arrays to minimize exposed areas. These actions should not cause any interruptions of service. Personnel from our Space Systems and Operations areas both in Princeton and in our field Telemetry, Tracking & Control facilities will monitor each satellite and its major systems throughout the Shower. Throughout the event over 40 professionals will be analyzing the constant flow of data from each satellite and reporting it into our central Leonid desk in Princeton.

So that customers can easily receive updates we will post status reports on our web site (geamericom.com) approximately every 30 minutes during the Shower. Should customers experience a technical problem during the event please report the problem as you would normally by calling 1-800-255-6122 to reach the GE Americom Technical Facility at Vernon Valley, NJ or 1-800-772-2362 to reach the Woodbine, MD facility. Should you have any further questions regarding the Leonid Meteor Shower please contact your Account Executive directly or call us at 1-800-273-0329

Leonid Meteor Showers Information Sheet

The GE Americom Space Systems team has been collecting and analyzing various data in an effort to calculate the probabilities and potential ramifications of the predicted November meteor shower known as "The Leonids". The information provided below represents our estimates using certain scientific models presented by speakers at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics ("AIAA") Leonid Meteoroid Threat Conference. This document will be periodically updated as we receive additional information. We encourage our clients to review their back-up contingency plans for adequacy in light of their own assessment of this issue.

The Leonids are an annual meteor shower that occurs each November. It is one of the 11 annual major meteor showers. The shower is caused by the remnant particles (ejecta) of the comet Temple-Tuttle. The majority of these particles are expected to be approximately the size of a grain of sand. The shower is termed "Leonids" because the meteoroids appear to be emanating from the constellation of Leo, as viewed from Earth. The comet has just recently reached its closest point to the sun (perihelion) during its 33.25-year orbit. This point is just inside the earths orbit. This means that the earth will pass through significantly higher particle densities in mid-November for the next 4 to 5 years, with the highest particle densities predicted for this November. This years "shower" is predicted to occur between 1800 and 2100 GMT (1pm-4pm EST) on Tuesday, November 17, 1998.

Orbiting spacecraft are exposed throughout the year to micrometeoroids, which impinge upon the earth at all times. However, during the "shower" it is estimated that the fleet will be exposed to the equivalent of a months worth of particles. Additionally, the Leonids move at higher velocities than ordinary micrometeoroids.

Risk mitigation techniques are now being evaluated. For example, analysis of the relative geometries of the particle stream and our satellites reveals that we can reposition our solar arrays to be parallel to the particle stream thereby reducing cross-sectional area of the spacecraft while at the same time maintaining full power for communications services. This avoidance technique has been used by satellite operators during past meteor showers, such as the Perseids. GE Americom engineers have estimated that such repositioning should reduce the probability of a particle collision with any one of our satellites to approximately 1 in 100,000. The effect of any such particle collision, however, would vary depending on the actual size and velocity of the particle and the point of impact on the satellite.

GE Americom will continue to review and analyze additional relevant data as it becomes available. We will advise our customers as we update and refine our contingency plans.

Contact: Monica Morgan
609-987-4143

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