
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 18, 1994                   TAG: 9401180013
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Ray Reed
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ANCESTORS' HOME ON LIST TO BE REBUILT

Q: What has happened to all the pioneer houses that were donated to the Explore project? I'm very interested in one of the houses because it once belonged to my ancestors. How many houses were dismantled, anyway? R.A., Roanoke

A: Two have been reassembled at the Explore site. The Hofauger house and the Wray barn have been opened for a few visitor events.

Six more houses are in storage and will be reassembled as funds become available. The one owned by your ancestors, Preston and Sally Abbott, is on that list for rebuilding this summer.

To be known as the Holstine house for the Presbyterian minister who built it early in the 19th century, the well-crafted log structure will be on display in a complex that will include the Kemps Ford School from Franklin County and the Mount Union Church from Botetourt County.

The school is being reassembled now. Work on the church is expected to begin in a couple of months, said Gary Winkler, an Explore spokesman. The Holstine house, donated by Walton Mitchell of Craig County, is next in line.

\ Solar panel was wrecked

Q: Astronaut Kathryn Thornton was shown on TV releasing a solar panel from the Hubble telescope into outer space. Wouldn't it be worthwhile to return it to the shuttle Endeavour's cargo bay and bring it back to Earth for salvage, or even for public auction to recoup some of the funds? Wouldn't this prevent future problems from space junk in orbit that could damage a future project? N.N.

A: TV showed us the action video of the solar array getting tossed. Hubble had a second solar panel that was rolled up and brought home in Endeavour's cargo bay, just as you suggest.

The kitelike array that's still aloft was damaged earlier in Hubble's troubled mission, and would not retract into a bundle small enough to fit into the cargo bay.

The open array probably will re-enter the atmosphere in about a year and burn up, said NASA spokesman Bruce Buckingham.

The panel that was brought back is the property of the European Space Agency and will be studied for the clues it holds to extended stays in space - whether it has been hit by micrometeorites and whether the solar cells deteriorated.

Some of our space junk will remain in space forever, and other pieces eventually will re-enter the atmosphere and burn, NASA says.

Got a question about something that might affect other people too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a call at 981-3118. Maybe we can find the answer.

by CNB