The 1998 Leonid multi-instrument aircraft campaign - an early review

The 1998 return of the Leonid shower was the target of the Leonid multi-ins trument aircraft campaign (Leonid MAC), an unusual two-aircraft astronomica l research mission executed near Okinawa, Japan. The prospect of a meteor s torm brought 28 researchers of 7 nationalities together in a concerted effo rt to observe the shower by imaging, spectroscopic, and ranging techniques. This paper is a review of the major science issues that are behind the dep loyment of each of the present array of instruments and describes the inter connection of the various experiments. This was NASA's first astrobiology m ission. The mission also aimed to study contemporary issues in planetary as tronomy, in atmospheric sciences, and concerning the satellite impact hazar d. First results of the participating observers are discussed and put in co ntext, in preparation for the deployment of a planned second mission in Nov ember of 1999.