NASA, HQ, Acquisition Division, Washington, DC 20546

A -- SMALL EXPLORER MISSION (SMEX) SOL SOL SMEX-1 DUE 010697 POC POC: Dr. Hashima Hasan, Code SR, Phone 202-358-0377 or Dr. David Gilman, Code SD, 202-358-1514 The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Office of Space Science (OSS), is releasing for community review and comment a DRAFT Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for the next missions in the Small Explorer Program. Selections of proposals through the final AO, once released, are intended to provide mission launches in 2000 and 2001. Participation in this program is open to all categories of organizations, domestic or foreign, including educational institutions, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, NASA Centers, and other Government agencies. The science objectives covered by this AO include those in the currently defined OSS science themes of the Astronomical Search for Origins and Planetary Systems, the Sun-Earth Connection; and the Structure and Evolution of the Universe. Refer to the OSS World-Wide Web homepage at http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oss for further information about these themes. NASA welcomes critical review and comment of this DRAFT AO, which will be available from December 6, 1996, through January 6, 1997, via the World-Wide Web URL address http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oss/osshome.htm. Paper copies may be obtained by written request to the address below. Comments must be submitted by written request to the address below. Comments must be submitted no later than January 6, 1997, to Mr. John Lintott, Space Science Support Office, Mail Stop 160, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA 23681-0001; facsimile (804)864-8894; or e-mail: j.a.lintott@larc.nasa.gov. The identity of those submitting comments will be held in confidence. (0334)

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