NASA announces Shuttle return to flight preview

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington March 10, 2005
(Phone 202/358-4769)

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone 281/483-5111)

MEDIA ADVISORY: M05-035

NASA ANNOUNCES SHUTTLE RETURN TO FLIGHT PREVIEW

NASA has scheduled briefings, interview opportunities and
demonstrations at NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) April 4-7. The events
will preview operations to return the Space Shuttle to flight and conduct
the next International Space Station crew exchange.

Activities include news media briefings about safety enhancements and
improvements for the first Space Shuttle flight since the Columbia accident;
an in-flight Space Station crew news conference; a preview of the next
Station crew launch and landing; and opportunities to watch the next Shuttle
crew train and describe its mission, designated STS-114. The Space Shuttle
Discovery launch window is May 15 to June 3.

NASA has scheduled a news conference with the seven astronauts of STS-114:
Commander Eileen Collins; Pilot Jim Kelly; Mission Specialists Soichi
Noguchi of Japan, Steve Robinson, Andy Thomas, Wendy Lawrence and Charlie
Camarda.

Round-robin interview opportunities will be available with individual
astronauts, but direct participation may be limited to networks, wire
services and other major media. Decisions regarding participation in the
interviews will be based on the number of requests received and will be made
about one week before the event. Media must be present at JSC to participate
in the interviews.

International media representatives planning to attend, regardless of
citizenship, must contact the JSC Newsroom at: 281/483-5111 before 6 p.m.
EDT March 21 to arrange credentials. Domestic media must contact the JSC
Newsroom by 6 p.m. EDT March 28. When contacting JSC to arrange credentials,
media should indicate their interest in participating in the round-robin
crew interviews.

All news briefings will be carried live on NASA TV. Questions will be taken
only from media at JSC. The schedule of activities includes (all times
Eastern):
Monday, April 4 -- International Space Station Crew Exchange
1 p.m. International Space Station Crew In-flight News Conference
2 p.m. International Space Station Expedition 11 Preview
3 p.m. International Space Station Expedition 10 Retrospective

Tuesday, April 5 -- Space Shuttle Return to Flight Safety Enhancements
9 a.m. Shuttle, Station Program Overviews/ Flight Management
11 a.m. Managing Hazardous Debris
2 p.m. Verifying No Hazardous Damage
4 p.m. Thermal Protection System Repair Techniques

Wednesday, April 6 -- Crew Training Observation, Demonstrations
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Entry and Landing Simulation
This event includes photo opportunities and spot
interview potential with key flight personnel as they practice
landings in a Shuttle simulator and in Mission Control.

2 p.m.-6 p.m. Hands-On Spacewalk Preview
Using equipment at the large swimming pool, which is the primary spacewalk
training facility, members of the crew, trainers and experts will explain
the three spacewalks scheduled during STS-114.

Thursday, April 7 -- Mission Overview, Crew Press Conference, Interviews
8:30 a.m. STS-114 Mission Overview
10:30 a.m. STS-114 Spacewalk Overview
12:30 p.m. STS-114 Crew News Conference
This news conference will be followed by a brief opportunity
to photograph and film the crew.
3 p.m.-7 p.m. Round Robin Crew Individual Interviews

NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in the continental U.S. on
AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, at 72 degrees west longitude. The frequency
is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7, Transponder 18C,
C-Band, at 137 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 4060.0 MHz.
Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. For
information about NASA's Return to Flight mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight

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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info