Terri Sindelar
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                       May 23, 1994
(Phone:  202/358-1977)

Mike Braukus
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
(Phone:  202/358-1979)


RELEASE:  94-80

NASA AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS ASSOCIATION TO COLLABORATE

   NASA and the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (MSAA) 
today signed an agreement to work collaboratively to advance the 
state of the art and application of cool suit technology for MS 
patients.  

   "This collaboration presents several unique opportunities for 
NASA and, most importantly, for MS patients," said Daniel S. 
Goldin, NASA Administrator.  "The MSAA and NASA hope to advance 
cool suit technology to further relieve symptoms of thousands of 
MS patients nationwide."

   More than 300,000 Americans, the majority of whom are women, 
are afflicted with this progressively disabling neurological 
disease that has no known cause, cure or prevention.  Currently, 
about 1,000 MS patients use the current cool suit for systematic 
relief.

   NASA's liquid cooled suit technology, called microclimate 
cooling, was developed for use as a space suit undergarment for 
cooling astronauts on the surface of the moon or during space 
walks.  

   "The wealth of technology that comes from the exploration of 
air and space is a valuable national resource and an investment in 
America's future.  Technology transfer is a fundamental mission of 
NASA," Goldin continued.  "This collaborative effort is one in a 
series of initiatives to open our door to industry, academia and 
other organizations seeking to tap into NASA's high technology 
network."

   Scientists and engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center, 
Houston, and Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif., will 
work with members of the MSAA to enhance the performance of cool 
suits for this application.  The Office of Life and Microgravity 
Sciences and Applications Extravehicular Activity Working Group, 
comprised of government, industry and academia, will lead the 
effort for NASA.
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Cool Suit

   The liquid cooled suit is a light-weight, head and vest garment 
that helps remove the heat generated by the body and lowers the 
overall temperatures by approximately one degree.  By using this 
suit, certain individuals with MS have reported some improvements 
with speech, vision, the use of arms and legs, and cognitive 
abilities.  

   Madlyn Rhue, actress, artist, native Washingtonian and MS 
patient,  participated in today's event and demonstrated how 
NASA's cool suit technology has relieved her symptoms and improved 
her quality of life.

   Today's ceremony was held at the National Rehabilitation 
Hospital, the Washington, D.C. area's only rehabilitation 
facility.  The hospital conducts research on cool suit technology 
and other advanced technologies to help MS patients reduce 
disabling symptoms.  

   Edward A. Eckenhoff, President and CEO of NRH, led a tour of 
the hospital's unique facilities where doctors and MS patients 
discussed the research and benefits of the technology. 

   NASA's liquid cooled suit technology has found other 
applications in the medical field, including aiding patients who 
are born without sweat glands.  It has also found applications in 
hot environments where body heat dissipation is difficult, such as 
cooling race car drivers and others in the athletic industry, 
patients of post-surgical hypothermia therapy, and soldiers in the 
Persian Gulf War.


National Service and Liaison to Non-profit Community

   "President Clinton is committed to working with the non-profit 
community to forge partnerships," Goldin said.  "One of NASA's 
basic values and operating principles is to be responsible to the 
American public.  This new partnership with MSAA, and the promise 
of helping thousands of MS patients using our technology assets, 
inspires our missions and motivates our workforce."

   President Clinton created a Non-profit Liaison Network, 
comprised of 25 Administration officials from every principal 
department and most agencies, to strengthen partnerships between 
government and the non-profit sector to support the work of 
service groups.

   The main mission of NASA's National Service Office is to use 
the agency's resources to address pressing social needs of the 
Nation, particularly in education public safety and the 
environment.

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