FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GAY CLUBS GO TO OUTER SPACE!!
March 25, 2003

Pasadena, CA -- An engineer working on a new NASA spacecraft has paid the ultimate tribute to two gay and lesbian organizations: launching their logos into outerspace! Mark Legassie, a system test engineer for NASA's Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), decided to include on a commemorative plaque two of the largest non-profit gay and lesbian recreational organizations in the country - California Great Outdoors and New England's Chiltern Mountain Club.

"As an avid camper and outdoor enthusiast, I wanted to give something back to two organizations that have enriched my life over the past several years", Legassie states. "From wilderness training to day hikes and camping trips, these clubs are a great way to meet new friends in a gay-inclusive atmosphere."

The Space Infrared Telescope (SIRTF) is scheduled to be launched August 2003 from Cape Canaveral in an effort to learn more about the origins of the known universe. SIRTF will be the final mission in NASA's Great Observatories Program - a family of four orbiting observatories, each observing the Universe in a different kind of light (visible, gamma rays, X-rays, and infrared). Other missions in this program include the Hubble Space Telescope, Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory, and the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

The spacecraft and the two clubs' logos will remain in a heliocentric earth-trailing orbit for millions of years, possibly long after human civilization has ended on Earth, according to Legassie, a current member of Great Outdoors' Los Angeles chapter. This is one of NASA's first launches since the Columbia disaster.

"Great Outdoors and Chiltern's logos are permanently engraved on a commemorative plaque microchip on the spacecraft in a universal binary format believed any intelligent life form can decipher", Legassie says. Exploring the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, this telescope will be able to peer through the cold, dusty universe and unveil new discoveries about our galaxy and possibly the origins of life itself.

With a combined membership of over 2,100 members, Chiltern and Great Outdoors are members of the International Gay and Lesbian Outdoors Organization (IGLOO), an informal network of clubs throughout North America, Australia, Europe, and Africa. Chiltern Mountain Club's events range from easy garden walks to very strenuous backpacks in the White Mountains. Their monthly newsletter lists a variety of trips, including hiking, biking, canoeing/kayaking, camping, skiing, and many other outdoor-related activities. They welcome people of all abilities and backgrounds. Great Outdoors is the largest gay outdoor recreational organization in Southern California and includes chapters in Los Angeles, Orange County/Long Beach, Palm Springs, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. Their outings including camping, hiking, and local activities such as beach volleyball and game nights. Both groups are all-volunteer organizations and strive to improve the quality of life for all gay and lesbian people.

This year is also the 25th anniversary for both of these clubs, which sprouted up independently in 1978 on opposite sides of the country. As part of a mutual anniversary celebration, Great Outdoors' Legassie and Chiltern Mountain Club's Dan Nelson are planning a week-long camping trip to Yellowstone National Park in August. Featured events include whitewater rafting down the Snake River, hikes to famous geothermal features, nightly campfires, and guided tours around the park.

Launch is scheduled to occur August 2003. Live images of the Expendable Vehicle Launch (ELV) and SIRTF can be found at the Kennedy Space Center's website.

SOURCE Chiltern Mountain Club & California Great Outdoors
Web sites: http://www.chiltern.org, http://www.greatoutdoors.org
CONTACT: George Grana of California Great Outdoors, +1-323-656-4777