Cassini Mission

["Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe@ucdavis.edu>]

Dear Radsafers:

Earlier this week the President received hundreds of anti-Cassini calls. As
specialists in radiation safety, we need to make our opinions known as
well. The President has the authority to stop the launch scheduled for
mid-October. He needs to hear from all of us!

Here's What to Do:

1)  Call the White House Comment Office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST
on Friday, September 19, and/or

2)  Send an e-mail message to the President any time on Friday. A phone
call is better, but e-mail if you do not have an opportunity to call.

*  Steps for Calling the White House:
On Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST, please call the White House
Comment Office at (202) 456-1111 to record your brief comment concerning
your opinion about whether Cassini should launch on schedule and about your
position relative to this issue as covered in the media. The President
needs to hear from us.

When you dial the phone number, you will be prompted to touch "1" for a
touch-tone phone, then touch "1" to "leave your opinion."  You will then be
prompted to dial "0" to speak with a White House Comment Operator (otherwise,
you will then begin to hear a prerecorded survey).  When you get the
Operator, give her or him your:
* Name and State;
* Say that you are an expert on radiation safety (and a member HPS or CHP
if appropriate);
* Tell your personal position on the Cassini Mission (Pu-239 batteries in
space) with a very brief explanation of your position. If you favor the
launch on schedule, be sure to specifically and clearly say so;
* give your address and phone number (Say that you "certainly don't expect
a phone call in return, but that you offer the information in case someone
needed to reach you."  Because you volunteer this information and are not
an anonymous voice, your comments will be given more "weight".)
* thank the operator for recording your comment

** Steps for E-Mailing the White House

If you have e-mail access, send a message with the same information to:
<president@whitehouse.gov>

If you called, send an e-mail, too.

** Background on Cassini

If you would like more information on why the National Space Society supports
Cassini, and about the mission in general, please visit
<http://www.nss.org/cyberspace/>.
-------------------------------------

			** note new area code 650 **
		  phone 650-604-6343; fax 650-604-6779

I hope this information is helpful to you. If we who work in the radiation
safety field don't offer our opinions, less informed people will influence
the course of our government.

Otto
		*****************************************************
		Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
                [President, Health Physics Society, 1997-1998]
		Institute of Toxicology & Environmental Health (ITEH)
		     (Street address: Old Davis Road)
		University of California, Davis, CA 95616
		Phone: 916-752-7754     FAX: 916-758-6140
		E-Mail: ograabe@ucdavis.edu
		******************************************************