OT - a B5 fyi: JPL to assist B5 producers in "Crusade"

Sorry this is a bit off-topic. A friend of mine just forwarded this news
to me, and I thought a good many of you would find it of interest. Feel
free to pass this on to whomever you think might be interested.  -  Mk

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109 TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Contact: John G. Watson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE			      August 17, 1998

PRODUCERS OF 'BABYLON 5' TAP JPL'S BRAIN POWER FOR NEW SERIES

     Through a unique technology transfer program, space 
scientists and engineers have begun sharing their brain power 
with producers and writers at Babylonian Productions, producers 
of  "Babylon 5" and the new science-fiction television series 
"Crusade."

     NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory will provide "Crusade" 
producers with new visions of technology and will assist them in 
portraying science and astronomy as accurately as possible, 
forecasting science and technology issues circa the year 2250.

     The producers, whose "Crusade" debuts on Turner Network 
Television (TNT) in January, were able to tap JPL's expertise by 
participating in the lab's Technology Affiliates Program, through 
which businesses form strategic alliances with JPL either to 
license intellectual property or to gain access to JPL's 
engineers and scientists to help solve technological problems.	
To date, more than 120 companies, large and small, have utilized 
the program to solve upwards of 200 specific technology 
challenges. 

     "It's exciting for us to be able to share knowledge from the 
space program in order to help ensure the realism and accuracy of 
popular science-fiction programming," said Joan Horvath, a 
business alliance manager with the Technology Affiliates Program. 

     "We have a very challenging task before us on the production 
side, visualizing and creating different planets and planetary 
bodies complete with civilizations, flora and fauna," said 
"Crusade" producer John Copeland.  "The scientists and engineers 
at JPL will be advising us on how to depict the future."

     Copeland became aware of JPL's capabilities in large part 
through his acceptance of an invitation by the Caltech Management 
Association (CMA) to speak about "Babylon 5" to JPL employees 
last spring.  JPL engineer Michael Eastwood, a CMA events co-
chair, explained, "As a thank-you, we gave the 'Babylon 5' team a 
lab tour. John Copeland was excited and impressed with what he 
saw and called me two days later asking how we might all work 
together more closely.	The Technology Affiliates Program was a 
perfect fit."

     "Crusade" and "Babylon 5" are produced in association with 
J. Michael Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd. and Netter 
Digital Entertainment, Inc. under Babylonian Productions.  JPL is 
a division of the California Institute of Technology.  More 
information about JPL's Technology Affiliates Program is 
available at the Commercial Technology Program web site at 
http://techtrans.jpl.nasa.gov/tu.html .