Mode VII orbiter emergency egress landing exercise Feb. 18

John F. Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899

AC 321 867-2468

__________________________________________________ __________________________
_____________________________

George H. Diller

Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
February 13, 2004

(Phone: 321-867-2468)



NOTE TO EDITORS:



MODE VII ORBITER EMERGENCY EGRESS LANDING EXERCISE FEB. 18



A "Mode VII" emergency landing simulation is occurring at Kennedy Space
Center on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The purpose is to exercise emergency
preparedness personnel, equipment and facilities in rescuing the astronauts
from a downed orbiter and provide immediate medical attention. The last
Mode VII was conducted at KSC in 2002.



In the simulation, the orbiter is short on terminal energy and crashes short
of the Shuttle Landing Facility in a wooded area 2 ½ miles south of Runway
33. Emergency crews will respond to rescue team members who are simulating
injured astronauts inside an orbiter crew compartment mock-up. They will
remove the crew, provide triage (emergency on-site treatment) and then
transport them by ambulance or helicopter to one of three hospitals,
depending on the nature of their injury.



To assure the drill is as authentic as possible for responding emergency
rescue crews, they will not be told in advance about the exact circumstances
they will encounter.



News media can view the emergency rescue exercise. Spokespersons available
to speak to the media on location will be:



* Butch Wilmore, NASA Astronaut

* Lt. Col. John Bickett, commander, Department of Defense Management

for Space Shuttle Support (DDMS)

* Norb Kuhman, Fire Chief and Rescue Operations Commander, SGS







At the conclusion of the on-site portion of the exercise, media are being
taken briefly to the Launch Control Center, where the exercise is being
managed and directed. Media may speak to:



* Robert Holl, Landing Recovery Director, NASA-KSC



Media planning to observe the Mode VII should contact the NASA-KSC News
Center at 321-867-2468 no later than noon Tuesday, Feb. 17. News media
should be at the NASA-KSC Press Site at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 18 to be taken to the
remote wooded area where the orbiter crew compartment mock-up will be
located for the simulated rescue.



-end-



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Jacques :-)

Editor: www.spacepatches.info

A "Mode VII" emergency landing simulation is occurring at Kennedy Space
Center on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The purpose is to exercise emergency
preparedness personnel, equipment and facilities in rescuing the astronauts
from a downed orbiter and provide immediate medical attention. The last
Mode VII was conducted at KSC in 2002.



In the simulation, the orbiter is short on terminal energy and crashes short
of the Shuttle Landing Facility in a wooded area 2 ½ miles south of Runway
33. Emergency crews will respond to rescue team members who are simulating
injured astronauts inside an orbiter crew compartment mock-up. They will
remove the crew, provide triage (emergency on-site treatment) and then
transport them by ambulance or helicopter to one of three hospitals,
depending on the nature of their injury.



To assure the drill is as authentic as possible for responding emergency
rescue crews, they will not be told in advance about the exact circumstances
they will encounter.



News media can view the emergency rescue exercise. Spokespersons available
to speak to the media on location will be:



* Butch Wilmore, NASA Astronaut

* Lt. Col. John Bickett, commander, Department of Defense Management

for Space Shuttle Support (DDMS)

* Norb Kuhman, Fire Chief and Rescue Operations Commander, SGS







At the conclusion of the on-site portion of the exercise, media are being
taken briefly to the Launch Control Center, where the exercise is being
managed and directed. Media may speak to:



* Robert Holl, Landing Recovery Director, NASA-KSC



Media planning to observe the Mode VII should contact the NASA-KSC News
Center at 321-867-2468 no later than noon Tuesday, Feb. 17. News media
should be at the NASA-KSC Press Site at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 18 to be taken to the
remote wooded area where the orbiter crew compartment mock-up will be
located for the simulated rescue.


Just how realistic is survuing such a situation With the hazardous fuels and
such on board I assume the crew would not survive unless they bail out