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NASA Shuttle Specific Sections => Atlantis (Post STS-135, T&R) => Topic started by: jacqmans on 03/09/2011 03:10 pm

Title: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 03/09/2011 03:10 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-049

NASA HOLDS EVENTS TO PREVIEW FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHTS

HOUSTON -- NASA will preview the final space shuttle missions during
media events on Wednesday, March 23, and Thursday, March 24, at the
agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

On March 23, reporters are invited to a media availability with three
of the four STS-135 crew members who will fly aboard Atlantis on the
final shuttle flight in June. STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot
Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus will demonstrate a
shuttle rendezvous and docking to the International Space Station in
Johnson's domed simulation facility. Reporters can film and
photograph the crew, instructors and engineering support teams, as
well as try the task first-hand.

On March 24, there will be a series of news briefings about shuttle
Endeavour's STS-134 mission targeted to launch on April 19. NASA
Television and the agency's website will broadcast the briefings
live. Reporters will be able to ask questions from participating NASA
locations. The schedule of briefings is (all times CDT):

8 a.m. -- Program Overview
9:30 a.m. -- STS-134 Mission Overview
11:30 a.m. -- STS-134 Spacewalk Overview
12:30 p.m. -- Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer Briefing
2 p.m. -- STS-134 Crew News Conference

The STS-134 crew will be available for interviews at Johnson by phone
or in person after the briefings. To reserve an interview
opportunity, reporters must contact Gayle Frere at 281-483-8645 by 5
p.m. on March 18.

To attend the STS-134 events and the STS-135 availability at Johnson,
reporters must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 by 5 p.m.
on March 14 for credentials. All required paperwork for international
journalists must be submitted to the newsroom by March 14.

STS-134's 14-day mission to the International Space Station will
deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle physics detector
designed to operate from the station and search for various types of
unusual matter. The shuttle crew also will deliver spare parts,
including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas
tank and additional parts for the Dextre robot. The crew also will
transfer Endeavour's orbiter boom sensor system to the station truss
as a permanent fixture to assist spacewalkers, if required.

STS-134 will include four spacewalks. As Endeavour undocks from the
station to return to Earth, Commander Mark Kelly and Pilot Greg H.
Johnson will ease the shuttle back toward the station to test new
sensor technologies that could make it easier for future space
vehicles to dock to the International Space Station.

Kelly and Johnson will be joined by Mission Specialists Michael
Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency
astronaut Roberto Vittori.

The NASA Authorization Act of 2010 directs NASA to conduct the STS-135
mission, and the teams are preparing for the target launch date of
June 28. More information on mission preview briefings, which are
targeted for mid-June, will be forthcoming. Atlantis will carry the
Raffaello multipurpose logistics module to deliver supplies,
logistics and spare parts to the station. The mission also will fly a
system to investigate the potential for remote-controlled robot
refueling of satellites and spacecraft in orbit.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For the latest information about the remaining shuttle missions and
crews, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For more information about the space station and its crew, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/station   

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: Danderman on 03/09/2011 08:43 pm
For those not following closely, does this mean that there will be an STS-135 mission?
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: ChrisGebhardt on 03/09/2011 08:51 pm
For those not following closely, does this mean that there will be an STS-135 mission?


As we've known for about a month now, yes.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/12/2011 02:01 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-095

NASA'S SHUTTLE ATLANTIS MOVES FROM PROCESSING HANGAR TO VAB

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Reporters are invited to cover space shuttle
Atlantis' final planned move from its processing hangar to the
Vehicle Assembly Building, on Tuesday, May 17, at NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida.

The first motion of Atlantis for rollover is scheduled for 8 a.m. EDT.
Inside the Vehicle Assembly Building, Endeavour will be attached to
its external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters, which already
are on a mobile launcher platform.

The date and start time for the move is subject to change depending on
shuttle Endeavour's scheduled launch on Monday, May 16. Call
321-867-2525 for updates about the rollover.

STS-134 media mission badges are valid for this photo opportunity.
Media representatives planning to attend must arrive at Kennedy's
news center by 7 a.m. for transportation to the event. Accreditation
for international journalists is closed. U.S. reporters without
STS-134 mission badges or permanent Kennedy credentials should submit
their requests online at:


https://media.ksc.nasa.gov


Highlights of the move will air on the NASA Television's Video File.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


The STS-135 mission will carry the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics
module with supplies, logistics and spare parts to the International
Space Station to help sustain station operations after the shuttles
are retired later this year.

For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135   


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/20/2011 03:48 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-096

NASA SETS LAUNCH DATE AND MEDIA CREDENTIAL DEADLINES FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

WASHINGTON -- NASA's final space shuttle flight is targeted to launch
July 8 at about 11:40 a.m. EDT from the agency's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida. Four veteran astronauts will fly aboard shuttle Atlantis
to deliver supplies and spare parts to the International Space
Station.

This date was targeted based on NASA's current planning. An official
launch date will be announced following the June 28 Flight Readiness
Review.

There are several non-standard activities, including a tanking test
followed by an X-ray inspection of a section of the external fuel
tank, which may affect Atlantis' processing. The tank consists of
three sections. Mission managers want to X-ray aluminum support
beams, known as stringers, located where the liquid hydrogen tank
meets the intertank. Cracked intertank stringers were identified
during shuttle Discovery's first launch attempt in November 2010 and
delayed its launch until the problem was resolved. X-ray inspection
of the intertank stringers provides additional confidence that there
are no stringer cracks in Atlantis' tank. The stringers located where
the liquid oxygen tank meets the intertank were modified with extra
material to add strength and do not require inspection.

The 12-day mission also will deliver an experiment designed to
demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to
robotically refuel satellites in space -- even satellites not
designed to be serviced. The crew also will return an ammonia pump
that recently failed on the station. Engineers want to understand why
the pump failed and improve designs for future spacecraft.

Chris Ferguson, a veteran of two previous shuttle missions, will
command the flight. Doug Hurley will serve as the pilot, a role he
filled on STS-127 in 2009. Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will be the
mission specialists. Magnus spent 4.5 months aboard the station
beginning in November 2008. Walheim flew on STS-110 in 2002 and
STS-122 in 2008.

STS-135 will be Atlantis' 33rd mission and the 37th shuttle flight
dedicated to station assembly and maintenance. It will be the 135th
and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

Reporters must apply for STS-135 media credentials to attend the
launch or cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be
accredited, reporters must work for verifiable news-gathering
organizations. No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any
NASA facility.

Journalists who are lawful permanent residents, have dual or multiple
U.S. citizenship or are U.S. citizens representing international
media outlets will have their credential applications processed in
the same manner as U.S. citizens who represent domestic media.

Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by
journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries
include those with which the United States has no diplomatic
relations, countries on the State Department's list of state sponsors
of terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo and countries
associated with proliferation concerns. Please contact the
accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm they
have been accredited before traveling.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

Reporters applying for credentials at Kennedy should submit requests
via the Web at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when
applying. After accreditation is approved, applicants will receive
confirmation via e-mail.

Accredited media representatives with mission badges will have access
to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. The
application deadline for mission badges is June 26.

Reporters with special requests for Kennedy, such as space for
satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or workspace, must
contact Laurel Lichtenberger by June 26 at:
[email protected].

Wireless Internet access is available at Kennedy's news center.
However, access may be limited at times due to volume. Reporters
should have alternate wireless resources. Workspace in the news
center and the news center annex is provided on a first-come basis,
limited to one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone,
fax, ISDN or network lines, media representatives must arrange with
BellSouth at 800-213-4988.

Reporters must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to
setting up lines. To obtain an assigned seat, contact Jennifer Horner
at: [email protected].

Journalists must have a public affairs escort to all other areas of
Kennedy except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston by calling the center's newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by
presenting STS-135 mission credentials from Kennedy. Media
representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need
to apply for credentials only at the center.

The application deadline for mission badges is June 26.

Journalists covering the mission from Houston using Kennedy
credentials must also contact Johnson's newsroom by June 26 to
arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is
responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA's
White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White
Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.

DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER

Notice for a shuttle landing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center
in Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short. Media outlets
should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could
travel quickly to Dryden.

Deadlines for submitting Dryden accreditation requests are June 10 for
international journalists and July 13 for U.S. citizens or
journalists who have permanent residency status, regardless of their
media affiliation.

For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens or permanent resident
aliens representing bona fide media outlets must provide their full
name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, driver's
license number with the name of the issuing state and the last six
digits of their social security number.

In addition, international journalists must provide either their
passport or visa number, country of issue and expiration date.

Journalists should e-mail requests to: [email protected]. Requests
must include a phone number and business e-mail address for follow-up
contact.

NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:

Kennedy Space Center: Allard Beutel, 321-867-2468,
[email protected]
Johnson Space Center: Kylie Clem, 281-483-5111, [email protected]
Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893,
[email protected]

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For information about the STS-135 mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/20/2011 10:08 pm
RELEASE: 11-160

NASA ANNOUNCES TWEETUP FOR FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH



WASHINGTON -- NASA will give 150 of its Twitter followers a front-row
seat at the historic final space shuttle launch. The agency's fifth
shuttle launch Tweetup, scheduled July 7-8 at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida.

Shuttle Atlantis is targeted to lift off from Kennedy on its mission
to the International Space Station at about 11:40 a.m. EDT on July 8.
The official launch date will be announced after a Flight Readiness
Review meeting on June 28.

Those selected to participate in the Tweetup will tour the center,
view the shuttle launch and speak with NASA managers, astronauts,
shuttle technicians and engineers from across the agency.

"Inviting people to attend the last shuttle launch and share it with
their friends, family and followers is one way NASA can enable more
people to experience this historic event," said Stephanie Schierholz,
social media manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "While the
Space Shuttle Program is drawing to a close, the NASA Tweetup also
will give our followers a broader view of the agency's diverse
activities."

Tweetup registration opens at noon on Wednesday, June 1, and closes at
noon on June 2. NASA will randomly select the 150 participants. For
more information about the Tweetup and to sign up, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup 

NASA will broadcast a portion of the July 7 event at:


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasatelevision 

Find all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA at:


http://www.nasa.gov/connect 

For more information about shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135 

To learn about other ways to view a shuttle launch, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/view 

       
-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/20/2011 10:08 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-097

NASA'S ATLANTIS MOVES TO LAUNCH PAD MAY 31 FOR FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis will begin moving to
its launch pad at 8 p.m. EDT on May 31, at NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida. The six-hour rollout from Kennedy's Vehicle
Assembly Building is a major milestone as Atlantis is prepared for
the final shuttle launch targeted for July 8.

Journalists are invited to cover the shuttle's 3.4-mile journey atop a
giant crawler-transporter. Activities include an 8 p.m. photo
opportunity, followed by a 9 p.m. interview availability with
Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer. Media representatives must
arrive at Kennedy's news center by 7:30 p.m. for the rollout photo
opportunity.

On June 1, NASA also will provide a sunrise photo opportunity at the
launch pad following Atlantis' arrival. Reporters must arrive at the
news center for transportation to the viewing area by 6 a.m. Updates
for the events will be available at 321-867-2525.

STS-134 mission badges are valid for rollout events. To attend rollout
and the sunrise pad photo opportunity, U.S. media representatives
without credentials must apply by 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 26.
International media representatives must apply by Sunday, May 22. To
request accreditation, apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Credentials for rollout may be picked up starting at 6 a.m. May 31 at
the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405.

During the STS-135 flight to the International Space Station,
Atlantis' four astronauts will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose
logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain
station operations once the shuttles are retired.

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the shuttle's rollout.
Highlights of the move will air on NASA TV's Video File. For downlink
information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/index.html

       
-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/23/2011 06:02 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M19-11

U.S. HONOR FLAG TO BE PRESENTED TO NASA FOR SHUTTLE ATLANTIS FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Members of the news media are invited to
attend a presentation ceremony of the U.S. Honor Flag to NASA on
Thursday, May 26, at 10:30 a.m. at the Astronaut Memorial Mirror at
the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The flag will be presented
by James Loftus, director, Miami-Dade Police Department, to Robert
Cabana, Kennedy Space Center director, to be transferred for
preparation to fly aboard shuttle Atlantis on its final mission.

The U.S. Honor Flag has traveled throughout the world honoring heroes
who lost their lives while serving their community and country to
include police officers, firefighters, members of the Armed Forces
and astronauts. More than 100 honor guard members will travel to the
Space Coast to take part in the ceremony.

Media interested in covering the event should contact Jillian McRae at
321-449-4273 for access to the Visitor Complex.

For more information on the U.S. Honor Flag, visit:

http://www.ushonorflag.org

For information about the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit:

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com

For information on the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, visit:

http://www.amfcse.org

For more information on NASA and Atlantis' final mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 05/27/2011 05:11 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-106

NASA'S STS-135 CREW AVAILABLE TO MEDIA AT FINAL SHUTTLE ROLLOUT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The four astronauts for the final space
shuttle mission, STS-135, will answer reporters' questions at 8:30
p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 31, as shuttle Atlantis is moved to its
launch pad at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The
question-and-answer session will air live on NASA Television and the
agency's website.

STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim will take questions outside
Kennedy's news center while Atlantis moves in the background from the
Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Pad 39A.

Atlantis' first motion out of the VAB is scheduled for 8 p.m. NASA TV
will provide live video of the start of the move, known as rollout,
and then switch to the crew media event. NASA TV's Video File will
broadcast highlights of the entire rollout. For NASA TV downlink
information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


STS-134 mission badges are valid for all rollout activities, including
an 8 p.m. photo opportunity of the move, the STS-135 crew event and
an interview availability with Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer at
about 9 p.m., which will not be shown on NASA TV. News media
representatives must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 7:30 p.m. for
the rollout photo opportunity.

NASA also will provide a sunrise photo opportunity at the launch pad
on June 1, after Atlantis' early morning arrival. Reporters must be
at the news center by 6 a.m. for transportation to the pad viewing
areas. Updates for events are available at 321-867-2525.

Journalists who applied only for STS-135 rollout events, may begin
picking up their badges starting at 6 a.m. on May 31 at the Kennedy
Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405. Journalists who have
been approved for STS-134 mission badges, but have not picked them up
yet, may do so at NASA's Pass and Identification Building on State
Road 3 on May 31 from 4 - 6 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on June
1.

Atlantis' astronauts are targeted to launch to the International Space
Station on July 8. For more information about the mission and crew,
visit:



http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/01/2011 07:49 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-108

NASA'S SHUTTLE ATLANTIS AT LAUNCH PAD, LIFTOFF PRACTICE SET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- After safely reaching its launch pad at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida, space shuttle Atlantis awaits the
next major milestone for its upcoming STS-135 mission to the
International Space Station, the final flight of the Space Shuttle
Program. The mission with four veteran astronauts is targeted to
launch July 8.

Atlantis arrived at the pad early Wednesday morning on top of a giant
crawler-transporter. The crawler-transporter left Kennedy's Vehicle
Assembly Building at 8:42 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 31, and travelled
less than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The shuttle was secured
on the launch pad at 3:29 a.m. Wednesday.

Reporters are invited to cover a launch dress rehearsal, known as the
Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test (TCDT), scheduled at Kennedy
from June 20 to 23. The TCDT provides Atlantis' astronauts and ground
crews with an opportunity to participate in various simulated
countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and
emergency training.

During the TCDT, media will have the opportunity to tour shuttle
Discovery and interview experts from inside the spacecraft on June
21. Discovery currently is being decommissioned and prepared for
display at the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
Center.

The following media events are associated with the TCDT. All times are
Eastern Daylight Time.

-- June 20: STS-135 crew arrival: The astronauts will arrive at
approximately 4:45 p.m. at the Shuttle Landing Facility and make a
statement. NASA Television will broadcast the arrival live.
-- June 21: Discovery Media Day: Interview and photo opportunities
will be held throughout the day in Orbiter Processing Facility-2.
Shuttle experts will be available for interviews from Discovery's
crew compartment. Spaces are limited. To sign up for this
opportunity, contact Candrea Thomas at [email protected].
-- June 22: STS-135 crew media availability: The crew will take media
questions at Launch Pad 39A at 8:40 a.m. NASA TV will carry the
session live.
-- June 23: STS-135 crew walkout photo opportunity: The astronauts
will depart from the Operations and Checkout Building at 7:45 a.m. in
their launch entry suits in preparation for the countdown
demonstration test at the launch pad. The walkout will be part of the
NASA TV Video File, but not covered live.

Updates for all events are available at 321-867-2525. To attend the
TCDT, international journalists must apply by 5 p.m. on June 12, to
allow time for processing. U.S. media representatives must apply by
June 16. Reporters requesting accreditation must apply online at:










https://media.ksc.nasa.gov


To attend crew arrival, reporters must pick up badges between 6 a.m.
and 3 p.m. on June 20, at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on
State Road 405. For information about covering these events,
including proper attire and meeting locations, credentialed media
should visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/news/media.html


During the 12-day flight, Atlantis and its crew will deliver the
Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with supplies and
spare parts to sustain station operations once NASA's shuttle fleet
is retired.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/02/2011 06:13 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-110

LAST FEMALE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUT AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS

HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus, who will fly on the last
space shuttle mission next month, is available for live satellite
interviews from 7 to 9 a.m. CDT on Monday, June 6. Shuttle Atlantis
is targeted to launch July 8 with Magnus, Commander Chris Ferguson,
Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim to deliver
supplies and spare equipment to the International Space Station.

After her first spaceflight in 2002, Magnus became the 34th out of 47
woman to fly aboard the shuttle, which launched the first American
woman into space, Sally Ride, in 1983. With the upcoming STS-135
launch, Magnus will be the last female astronaut to fly on the
storied vehicle.

Magnus is a native of Belleville, Ill. She earned a bachelor's and a
master's from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a doctorate from
the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a veteran of two shuttle
flights and a 4.5-month stay aboard the station as a member of the
Expedition 18 crew. Her first spaceflight was aboard shuttle Atlantis
on the STS-112 mission in October 2002. She later flew to the station
aboard shuttle Endeavour on STS-126 in November 2008 and returned to
Earth aboard shuttle Discovery on STS-119 in March 2009.

To arrange an interview, news media representatives must contact Karen
Svetaka at 281-483-8684, no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, June 3.
Participating media must tune into NASA Television's Live Interview
Media Outlet channel. The channel is a digital satellite C-band
downlink by uplink provider Americom.

It is on satellite AMC 3, transponder 9C, located at 87 degrees west,
downlink frequency 3865.5 MHz based on a standard C-band, horizontal
downlink polarity. FEC is 3/4, data rate is 6.0 Mbps, symbol rate is
4.3404 Msps, transmission DVB-S, 4:2:0. NASA TV will air the Magnus
interviews live. Video b-roll of STS-135 flight preparations will air
June 6 at 6:30 a.m. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and
scheduling information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv   

For Magnus' complete biography, visit:


http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/magnus.html   

To follow Magnus on Twitter, visit:


http://www.twitter.com/astro_sandy   

For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135   


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/03/2011 04:35 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-111

MEDIA EVENTS TO HIGHLIGHT CARGO ON NASA'S LAST SHUTTLE FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will
host two media events to highlight the hardware flying aboard the
final space shuttle mission, targeted to launch July 8.

At 1 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 10, managers and team members involved
in processing the elements for flight will be available for media
interviews at Kennedy's Space Station Processing Facility. During its
STS-135 mission, shuttle Atlantis will carry the multi-purpose
logistics module Raffaello, filled with a variety of spare parts and
supplies for the International Space Station. Atlantis also will
deliver the Robotic Refueling Mission system, which will investigate
the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft in orbit.


At 6 a.m. on Friday, June 17, news media representatives are invited
to attend a sunrise photo opportunity at Launch Pad 39A. Atlantis'
payloads are scheduled to arrive at the launch pad during the evening
on June 16. The rotating service structure, which protects Atlantis
from inclement weather and provides access while at the pad, will be
open to support the lifting of the payload canister for eventual
transfer into the shuttle's payload bay.

Reporters without permanent Kennedy credentials should submit their
requests online at:



https://media.ksc.nasa.gov


For the June 10 event, U.S. reporters must apply by 4:30 p.m. on
Wednesday, June 8. Accreditation for international journalists for
this event is closed. For the June 17 event, international
journalists must apply for credentials by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday,
June 8. U.S. reporters must apply by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 15.


Journalists planning to attend the June 10 event must arrive at
Kennedy's news center by 12:15 p.m. for transportation to the Space
Station Processing Facility. For the June 17 event, journalists must
arrive at Kennedy's news center by 5:30 a.m. for transportation to
the launch pad.

To attend both events, news media representatives must be dressed in
full-length pants, flat shoes that entirely cover the feet and shirts
with sleeves. Wireless microphones and cell phones are not permitted
at the launch pad.

For information about the STS-135 mission, visit:



http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/08/2011 05:24 am
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-115

NASA ANNOUNCES FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION PREVIEW EVENTS

HOUSTON -- NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston has scheduled
briefings, interview opportunities and demonstrations to highlight
the final space shuttle mission, targeted to launch on July 8.

On June 30, NASA will hold news media briefings to preview the STS-135
mission and a news conference with the shuttle crew: Commander Chris
Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and
Rex Walheim. NASA Television and the agency's website will carry the
news briefings live.

Round-robin interview opportunities will be available with each crew
member on June 30, but direct participation may be limited to
networks, wire services and other major news outlets. Decisions
regarding participation in the interviews will be based on the number
of requests received and finalized about one week before the event.
Remote participation in news briefings and round-robin interviews is
permitted; however, priority will be given to reporters in attendance
at Johnson.

On July 1, journalists can tour the shuttle simulators and mockups
that are being used to train the astronauts for the shuttle's final
flight to the International Space Station. Journalists also can tour
a mockup of NASA's Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle, the spacecraft that is
being developed to carry humans into deep space. The deadline to
participate in the June 30 and July 1 events, and to request a
round-robin crew interview, is 5 p.m. June 20. For credentials,
reporters must call the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111.

On June 16 and 17, news outlets can document the shuttle crew and
mission control teams during their training exercises. To attend,
U.S. reporters must apply by 5 p.m. CDT on Monday, June 13.
International journalists must apply for credentials and return all
required paperwork by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8.

The schedule of activities includes (all times CDT):

-- June 16: STS-135 crew and ascent flight control team training
Journalists will have a behind-the-scenes look at the crew and Mission
Control Center team training. There will be a photo opportunity of
the crew getting into the motion-based simulator in launch and entry
suits. Broadcast outlets can film on the floor of mission control for
two launch simulations, with access to air-to-ground and flight
director loop audio feeds. The training will be followed by a
question-and-answer session with the crew, flight director, mission
control team and trainers. Accredited journalists must be at the
badging office, bldg. 110, by 7 a.m. for transportation to the event.
The badging office opens at 6 a.m.

-- June 17: STS-135 crew; shuttle and station flight control team
rendezvous training
Journalists will be allowed into the shuttle flight control room and
the training version of the space station control room during a
simulation of the shuttle's final docking to the International Space
Station. Limited opportunities will be available to film the crew in
the stationary shuttle simulator. Media representatives again will
have access to air-to-ground and flight director loop audio feeds.
Accredited journalists must be at the badging office, bldg. 110, by
11 a.m. for transportation to the event.

-- June 30: Mission overview, crew news conference, interviews
7 a.m. STS-135 video b-roll feed on NASA TV
8 a.m. Shuttle Program Overview
9:30 a.m. STS-135 Mission Overview
12 p.m. STS-135 Spacewalk Overview
1 p.m. STS-135 Crew News Conference
2-6 p.m. Individual crew round robin interviews (not on NASA TV)

-- July 1: Hands-on experience with shuttle mockups
Journalists can tour shuttle mockups and simulators and meet mission
support and training team members. Journalists will have access to
the Space Vehicle Mockup Facility, motion and fixed based trainers at
the Jake Garn Training Facility, Shuttle Engineering Simulator dome,
Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and Virtual Reality Lab.
Activities will be available throughout the day. The Multi-Purpose
Crew Vehicle mockup will again be available for touring.

A switched video and audio feed of the training events, including
video inside the simulator and mission control, will air on NASA TV.
For downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:






http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For more information about the mission and crew, visit:



http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/09/2011 05:33 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-117

THREE MEMBERS OF NASA'S FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE CREW AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS

HOUSTON -- Three NASA astronauts who will fly aboard the last space
shuttle mission in July are available for live satellite interviews
next week. STS-135 mission Commander Chris Ferguson is available from
3 - 4:50 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, June 15. Pilot Doug Hurley is
available from 10 - 11:50 a.m. and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim
from 1 - 2:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 14.

Shuttle Atlantis is targeted for launch July 8 with Ferguson, Hurley,
Walheim, and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus to deliver supplies and
spare equipment to the International Space Station.

This will be Ferguson's third shuttle flight and his second as
commander. He is a native of Philadelphia and earned a Bachelor of
Science in mechanical engineering from Drexel University in 1984 and
a Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the Naval
Postgraduate School in 1991.

A colonel in the Marine Corps, Hurley will make his second trip to
space. In July 2009, he completed his first spaceflight as pilot on
STS-127. Born in Endicott, N.Y., Hurley considers Apalachin, N.Y.,
his hometown. He earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from
Tulane University.

STS-135 will be Walheim's third trip to space. He previously served as
a mission specialist and spacewalker on STS-110 in April 2002 and
STS-122 in 2008. Born in Redwood City, Calif., Walheim considers San
Carlos, Calif., his hometown. He is a retired Air Force colonel and
received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the
University of California, Berkeley, in 1984, and a master's degree in
industrial engineering from the University of Houston in 1989.

To arrange an interview with Ferguson, news media representatives must
contact Stephanie Stoll by sending an email to
[email protected], no later than 3 p.m. on June 14. To
arrange an interview with Hurley or Walheim, news media
representatives must contact Stoll no later than 3 p.m. on Monday,
June 13.

Participating media must tune into NASA Television's Live Interview
Media Outlet channel. The channel is a digital satellite C-band
downlink by uplink provider Americom. It is on satellite AMC 3,
transponder 9C, located at 87 degrees west, downlink frequency 3865.5
MHz based on a standard C-band, horizontal downlink polarity.

FEC is 3/4, data rate is 6.0 Mbps, symbol rate is 4.3404 Msps,
transmission DVB-S, 4:2:0. NASA TV will air the interviews live.
Video b-roll of STS-135 flight preparations will air at 9:30 a.m. and
12:30 p.m. on June 14 and at 2:30 p.m. on June 15. For NASA TV
streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For complete biographies of Ferguson, Hurley and Walheim, visit:


http://www11.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/ferguson.html   



http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/hurley-dg.html   



http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/walheim.html


To follow Ferguson, Hurley and Walheim on Twitter, visit:


http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex


For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135   

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/15/2011 03:48 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-122

NASA GIVES NEWS MEDIA ACCESS TO FINAL SHUTTLE SIMULATIONS

HOUSTON -- As the final space shuttle training simulations take place
at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, the agency is giving
journalists an unprecedented view of the crew and Mission Control
team training for the upcoming STS-135 mission.

On Thursday, June 16, news media representatives can witness one of
the final launch and ascent simulations conducted by the STS-135
crew, flight controllers and simulation and training teams. The
Johnson badging office opens at 6 a.m. CDT and journalists should
arrive early to be ready for transportation to the training site at 7
a.m.

Reporters will be able to photograph the crew getting into the
motion-based shuttle simulator and gather behind-the-scenes
interviews and footage with the teams that train the astronauts
before launch. Flight controllers who oversee the shuttle's
performance from the ground also will be available.

Filming and photographs will be allowed using only available light
inside both the simulation control rooms and the space shuttle flight
control room in the Mission Control Center. Reporters also will be
able to listen to and record conversations between the crew and
mission control, as well as between the flight director and his team
as they work through mock shuttle launches.

Following the simulation, STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug
Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim and
STS-135 Ascent Flight Director Richard Jones will be available for a
question-and-answer session in mission control. NASA Television will
air the event live at 1 p.m. The training team will be available for
interviews afterward.

On Friday, June 17, the space shuttle and space station flight
controllers will practice the shuttle's final rendezvous and docking
with the International Space Station. Reporters should arrive at
Johnson's badging office by 10:30 a.m. for transportation to the
training facility.
Journalists will have access to Johnson's fixed-based shuttle
simulator and can witness the STS-135 crew preparing for a mock
terminal initiation burn and getting the shuttle ready for docking
with the station. At noon, news media representatives will be
escorted to mission control to tour the space shuttle flight control
room and the space station training version. The flight control team
will be practicing the shuttle's backflip as it approaches the
station and the docking. Reporters will have access to the front of
the room and can listen to the flight director's audio and the
air-to-ground transmissions from the shuttle crew. The simulated
docking is expected to begin at 2 p.m.

Both training events will be recorded for broadcast on NASA TV. The
schedule is below.

June 16
1 p.m. - Question-and-answer session with STS-135 crew and flight
control team in space shuttle flight control room
2 p.m. - Replay of STS-135 ascent simulation

June 17
3:30 p.m. - Replay of STS-135 rendezvous simulation with shuttle and
station flight control teams

For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For more information about the mission and crew, visit:



http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/22/2011 04:24 am
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-128

NASA SCHEDULES NEWS CONFERENCE ABOUT FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA managers will hold a news conference on
Tuesday, June 28, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida to
discuss the status of the final space shuttle launch.

The briefing will begin after the Flight Readiness Review, or FRR, a
meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission
to the International Space Station.

Live status updates, including the start time for the news conference,
will be provided during the meeting via the NASA News Twitter feed.
To access the feed, go to the nasa.gov home page or visit:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

NASA expects to announce an official launch date at the conclusion of
the review. Atlantis and four veteran astronauts are targeted to lift
off at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8.

The briefing participants are:
-- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
-- Mike Moses, Space Shuttle Program launch integration manager
-- Mike Leinbach, shuttle launch director

NASA Television and the agency's website will broadcast the briefing
live. Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations,
and should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm
participation. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling
information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For STS-135 crew and mission information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/23/2011 06:42 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-130

NASA TO HIGHLIGHT ROBOTIC REFUELING MISSION PAYLOAD, COMMUNICATION SUPPORT ON FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

GREENBELT, Md. -- NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Md., will host a media event to highlight its role in the final space
shuttle flight, currently targeted for launch on July 8. The media
day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon EDT on Tuesday, June 28.

At 9 a.m., Goddard managers and engineers will give an overview of the
Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) module, which shuttle Atlantis will
deliver to the International Space Station. RRM will use the
station's two-armed robotic system, known as Dextre, to investigate
the potential for robotically refueling existing spacecraft in orbit.
The Canadian Space Agency built the Special Purpose Dexterous
Manipulator, or Dextre, to perform intricate maintenance and
servicing tasks on the station.

Reporters also will visit Goddard's Exploration and Space
Communications area to learn how Goddard provides tracking, data and
voice communications for every shuttle mission. Reporters then will
have the opportunity to see the Network Integration Center and the
Flight Dynamics Facility, which also support shuttle flights.

To attend, reporters must contact Dewayne Washington at 301-286-0040
or [email protected] or Malissa Reyes at 301-286-0918 by
June 27 to reserve space and provide names for security badges.
Reporters should meet at the Goddard Visitor's Center, located off
Greenbelt Road (State Route 193) and ICESat Road no later than 8:45
a.m. on June 28 to allow sufficient time for everyone to receive
badges. A shuttle will take reporters to the various sites.

For information about NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/goddard


For information about RRM, visit:



http://ssco.gsfc.nasa.gov


For information about ESC, visit:



http://esc.gsfc.nasa.gov


For information about the STS-135 mission, visit:



http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/28/2011 04:21 am
RELEASE: 11-207

NASA TWITTER FOLLOWERS WILL FLY SHUTTLE SIMULATOR DURING TWEETUP AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

HOUSTON -- So you think you can pilot the space shuttle? NASA will
give 30 of its Twitter followers a chance to test their skills at
space shuttle ascent, rendezvous or landing aboard the same simulator
astronauts use to train for their missions.

NASA's Johnson Space Center is hosting a daylong Tweetup on July 19,
during space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International
Space Station. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes tour at
Johnson and a hands-on opportunity aboard the shuttle simulator to
take control in a training scenario. The tour includes a look at the
Mission Control Center and astronauts' training facilities. Visitors
also will have the opportunity to speak with flight directors,
trainers, astronauts and managers.

Atlantis is targeted to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida at 10:26 a.m. CDT on July 8. If it launches as planned, the
Tweetup will take place one day before the last orbiter of the
shuttle fleet makes its final landing.

Tweetup registration opens at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 28, and closes
24 hours later at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 29. NASA will select 30
individuals randomly from the online registrants.

Reporters are invited to cover the Tweetup from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Media
representatives planning to attend should contact Tammie
Letroise-Brown at 281-483-4942.

For more information about the Tweetup and to register, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup


To follow NASA programs and astronauts on Twitter, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/connect


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/28/2011 07:11 pm
RELEASE: 11-193

NASA SETS LAUNCH DATE FOR FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis' Commander Chris
Ferguson and his three crewmates are scheduled to begin a 12-day
mission to the International Space Station with a launch at 11:26
a.m. EDT on July 8, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The
STS-135 mission is the final flight of the Space Shuttle Program.

The launch date was announced Tuesday at the conclusion of a flight
readiness review at Kennedy. During the meeting, senior NASA and
contractor managers assessed the risks associated with the mission
and determined the shuttle and station's equipment, support systems
and personnel are ready.

Atlantis' STS-135 mission will deliver the Raffaello multi-purpose
logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain
space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

The mission also will fly the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), an
experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies
and techniques needed to robotically refuel satellites in space -
even satellites not designed to be serviced. The crew also will
return an ammonia pump that recently failed on the station. Engineers
want to understand why the pump failed and improve designs for future
spacecraft.

The crew consists of Commander Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and
Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. They are scheduled
to arrive at Kennedy on Monday, July 4, for final launch
preparations.
STS-135 is the 135th shuttle mission, Atlantis' 33rd flight and the
37th shuttle mission to the station.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For more information about the space station, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station   

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/28/2011 07:13 pm
End of the Shuttle Program Final Flight of Atlantis:

Canada’s Contribution

 
Longueuil, Quebec, June 28, 2011- The final flight of the Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled for July 8, 2011, at 11:26 a.m. EDT. This will be the last mission of the Space Shuttle program.

Atlantis will carry equipment for a new joint NASA-CSA robotic refueling test. The Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) is an external International Space Station (ISS) experiment that will use Dextre, a space robot, to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques engineers on Earth would need to robotically refuel satellites in space—even satellites not designed to be serviced. The test is expected to take place approximately six months after STS-135.


Canadian content aboard Atlantis:

 

Technology

The TriDAR technology will undergo further testing on board the Space Shuttle. The Triangulation and LIDAR Automated Rendezvous and Docking system provides critical guidance information that can be used to position a vehicle during rendezvous and docking operations. Unlike current technologies, TriDAR does not rely on any reference markers, such as reflectors, positioned on the target spacecraft. It counts on a laser-based 3D sensor and a thermal imager. The TriDAR technology is developed by Neptec Design group with funding from the CSA and NASA.


The TriDAR system’s capabilities were successfully demonstrated on previous test flights (STS-128 and STS-131). The third flight of the system is set to continue demonstration of the system’s capabilities.


Science:

The last Canadian science experiment for the Space Shuttle, Hypersole, will determine changes in human skin sensitivity before and after spaceflight, and whether these changes are related to balance control.


Data from Hypersole is expected to make a significant contribution to existing studies of the aging process and reductions in information relayed by skin sensors that lead to a loss of balance control and, among the elderly especially, a greater incidence of falls. The data will also provide knowledge that benefits astronauts as they perform their flight and post-flight duties.


Education:

STS-135 will carry tomato seeds as part of the Tomatosphere project. The seeds, sealed in a plastic bag, will be left on the International Space Station for up to 36 months in order to be exposed to the on-orbit environment. The tomato seeds will then be brought back to Earth and distributed to participating classrooms so that students can plant them and observe their germination rates.


This project has reached 83,285 classrooms, or approximately 2,040,000 Canadian students, since the seeds were first distributed in 2001.

 

Fast Facts

·         STS-134 would have marked the end of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, but Atlantis’s STS-135 flight was added in order to haul cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and definitively close the Program.

·         This will be the 37th shuttle mission to the ISS and the 135th and final scheduled shuttle flight.

·         STS-135 will mark Canadarm2’s 30th shuttle mission since its installation on the ISS, in 2001. By the time STS-135 is over, Canadarm2 will have assisted in 100 spacewalks and unloaded 45 payloads and hundreds of tons of supplies and equipment ferried by the Space Shuttle.

·         Canada has flown nearly 50 science experiments on the Space Shuttle since STS-09 (41A), in 1983, which produced over 220 scientific papers on subjects like: bone loss; back pain; eye-hand coordination; blood pressure; ageing; plant cells development; optics; the ozone layer; machine vision systems; crystal growth; metal diffusion; composite materials resistance and thin film formation.

·         This flight will mark the Canadarm’s 90th mission since it first flew on Shuttle Columbia on STS-2, in 1981.

·         Canadian astronauts have flown 14 times on the Space Shuttle.

·         Chris Hadfield and Steve MacLean are the only Canadian Space Agency Astronauts that have flown on Shuttle Atlantis.

 

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/29/2011 04:27 am
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-133

NASA ANNOUNCES PRELAUNCH EVENTS AND COUNTDOWN DETAILS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- News conferences, events and operating hours
for the news center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., are set for
the final space shuttle launch.

Atlantis is scheduled to liftoff at 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, to begin
the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station.

A NASA blog will provide countdown updates beginning at 6:30 a.m. on
July 8. Originating from Kennedy's Launch Control Center, the blog is
the definitive Internet source for information leading up to liftoff.

During the mission, visitors to NASA's shuttle website can read about
the crew's progress. As Atlantis' flight concludes, the NASA blog
will detail the spacecraft's return to Earth. For NASA's launch blog
and continuous mission updates, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Detailed lists of countdown milestones, news briefing times and
participants, and hours of operation for Kennedy's news center and
media credentialing office are available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/news

The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the shuttle
launch countdown, mission and landing. To follow, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Free wireless Internet access is provided at the Kennedy Press Site
news center and annex. Instructions for wireless access will be
available at the news center. Due to the volume of users,
accessibility may be limited. Reporters should bring a backup.

For NASA TV streaming video, scheduling and downlink information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/29/2011 06:22 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-136

NASA FLIGHT DIRECTORS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS FOR FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION

HOUSTON -- NASA Flight Directors Kwatsi Alibaruho (KWAT-see
Ah-lee-buh-roo-hoe) of Maywood, Ill., and Chris Edelen of
Martinsville, Va., are available for live satellite interviews from 6
to 7:50 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, July 6. Just two days later, they will
support the scheduled launch of space shuttle Atlantis on its STS-135
mission, the final flight of the 30-year Space Shuttle Program.

On July 8, Atlantis and four NASA astronauts are scheduled to lift off
from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. During the 12-day
mission, they will transfer tons of supplies to the station from the
Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module.

Alibaruho, the lead space shuttle flight director for STS-135, and
Edelen, the lead International Space Station flight director, will
discuss their roles and the shuttle mission. To participate in the
interviews, reporters must contact Stephanie Stoll at 281-483-9071 or
at [email protected] before 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 5.

Alibaruho became a NASA flight director in 2005. He will be available
from 6 to 6:50 a.m. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.

Edelen, a NASA flight director since 2007, will be available from 7 to
7:50 a.m. He is a graduate of Virginia Tech and the University of
Houston, Clear Lake.

NASA Television will air b-roll footage of STS-135 mission
preparations beginning at 5:30 a.m.

The NASA Live Interview Media Outlet (LIMO) used for the interviews
and preceding b-roll is a digital satellite C-band downlink by uplink
provider Americom. It is on satellite AMC 3, transponder 9C, located
at 87 degrees west; downlink frequency 3865.5 Mhz based on a standard
C-band, horizontal downlink polarity, FEC is 3/4, data rate is 6.0
Mbps, symbol rate is 4.3404 Msps, transmission DVB-S, 4:2:0.
Alibaruho's interviews will be simulcast on NASA TV's Public and Media
Channels. Edelen's interviews will be simulcast on the Media Channel
only due to other programming on the NASA TV Public Channel at that
time.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/29/2011 07:13 pm

RELEASE: 11-211

NASA INVITES 150 LUCKY TWITTER FOLLOWERS TO FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCH

WASHINGTON -- The final launch of the space shuttle program is
scheduled for 11:26 a.m. EDT on July 8, and NASA has invited 150
followers of the agency's Twitter account to be there. People
selected will have a behind-the-scenes perspective from the press
site at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA randomly selected the participants from more than 5,500 online
registrants during a 24-hour opportunity on June 1-2. Attendees
represent 44 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Australia,
Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain,
Switzerland and the U.K.

Tweetup participants are coming from Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine,
Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri,
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode
Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington,
West Virginia and Wisconsin.

They will share their experiences with their more than 1.5 million
combined followers through the social networking site Twitter.
Beginning at 10:30 a.m. on July 7, NASA will broadcast a portion of
the Tweetup when participants get to talk with Bill Gerstenmaier,
associate administrator for Space Operations, astronaut Mike
Massimino and Angie Brewer, space shuttle Atlantis' flow director at
Kennedy.

Joining them will be a special guest, Sesame Street's Elmo. Sesame
Street will be at Kennedy to film Elmo, as he learns about space
exploration at NASA.

To watch the broadcast, visit:


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nasatelevision


Participants also will tour Kennedy; make an up close visit to the
launch pad, and wave at Atlantis' crew members on their drive to the
launch pad. The Tweetup culminates with the shuttle's lift off.

Reporters credentialed to cover the launch also may cover the NASA
Tweetup at Kennedy's press site. Reporters interested in interviewing
Tweetup attendees in advance should contact Stephanie Schierholz at
202-358-1100 or [email protected].

This is the fifth time NASA has invited Twitter followers to
experience a space shuttle launch. Previously, groups attended lift
offs of Atlantis' STS-129 and STS-132 missions, Discovery's STS-133
mission, and Endeavour's STS-134 mission.

To follow the Tweetup participants on Twitter, as they experience the
prelaunch events and shuttle liftoff, follow the #NASATweetup hashtag
and the list of attendees at:


http://twitter.com/nasatweetup/sts-135-launch


All four of Atlantis' crew members are posting updates to Twitter. You
can follow Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim at:


http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Sandy   



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex   


To connect with NASA on Twitter and other social networking sites,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/connect


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle   


-end-
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 06/30/2011 07:45 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M22-11

AIRSPACE, ROAD, BRIDGE AND WATER CLOSURES FOR FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH

Launch Date: July 8, 2011
Launch Vehicle: Space shuttle Atlantis
Launch Pad: 39A
Launch Window: 11:21 - 11:31 a.m. EDT
Targeted Launch Time: 11:26:46 a.m. EDT

NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA AVIATION FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS

What: Cape Canaveral Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)

When: Friday, July 8, from 4:21 a.m. until no later than 12:06 p.m.
EDT. If postponed 24 hours to Saturday, July 9, from 3:59 a.m. until
no later than 11:40 a.m. EDT.

Where: General aviation and VFR operations are prohibited within a
30-nautical-mile radius (34.5 miles) of Launch Pad 39A from the
surface to, but not including, 18,000 feet located on the Melbourne
VOR/DME 004-degree radial at 30.6 nautical miles. Pilots should
obtain NOTAM information regarding affected airports.

Aeronautical Chart in Use: Orlando Class B terminal area and
Jacksonville sectional

Additional airspace restrictions: Within an airspace radius between 30
to 40 nautical miles (34.5 to 46 miles) of Launch Pad 39A, a discrete
transponder code must be obtained and clearance granted from air
traffic control before entering this airspace. Continuous radio
communications must be maintained. All VFR aircraft are restricted to
180 knots or less unless a variance is granted by air traffic
control. Pilots should obtain NOTAM information to determine the
affected airports within this radius before departure.

NOTAM Information: St. Petersburg Flight Service Station
Telephone: 1-800-992-7433
Radio frequencies: 123.6 MHz (Titusville); 122.6 MHz (Melbourne)

Radio Communications: FAA Orlando Approach Control
Titusville/Cocoa area: 134.950 MHz
Melbourne area: 132.650 MHz
South Volusia County: 125.350 MHz
Space Coast Regional Airport control tower: 118.9 MHz

PUBLIC ACCESS ROAD CLOSURES

- The Cape Canaveral National Seashore (Playalinda Beach) will close
for launch on Monday, July 4, at 8 p.m. and will reopen after launch.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge will close on Wednesday,
July 6, at 6 p.m. and will reopen after launch.

- State Road 406 east to State Road 3, and State Road 3 from the
Haulover Canal bridge south to County Road 402 leading to Titusville
will be open to badged personnel only beginning on Wednesday, July 6,
at 6 p.m. These roads will close to all vehicle traffic on Friday,
July 8, at 9:20 a.m. until after a successful launch is confirmed.

- The A. Max Brewer Causeway bridge on S.R. 406 in Titusville (north
bridge) will be closed to all motor vehicle traffic beginning two
hours prior to launch on July 8 and will remain closed up to two
hours after launch.

- State Road 3 from the Gate 2 News Media Pass and Identification
Building to State Road 405 (NASA Causeway) via Space Commerce Way
will be closed for launch to unauthorized vehicles beginning at 4
a.m. on Friday, July 8. NASA Causeway between the U.S. Astronaut Hall
of Fame and the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will also close
at that time. The roads will reopen two hours after launch.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AREA BOATING RESTRICTIONS

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4, and continuing
through launch, a general exclusion zone will be in effect three
miles offshore from the Haulover Canal, on the northern end of
Kennedy Space Center, and southward to Port Canaveral. Four hours
prior to launch, all ocean-going traffic will be restricted from
entering an area measured from nine statute miles north and south of
the launch pad and extending 64 nautical miles (73.6 miles) east into
the ocean. An additional three-mile-wide exclusion zone will be
extended eastward along the flight path of the space shuttle.

INDIAN RIVER: Restrictions apply from the NASA Causeway north to
Haulover Canal and east of the Indian River's main channel.
Restrictions are in effect beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July 4.

MOSQUITO LAGOON: This area south of Haulover Canal in the Mosquito
Lagoon is off limits to all boats beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday, July
4.

BANANA RIVER: Security limits begin at the Banana River Barge Canal
south of Kennedy Space Center and extends northward, including KARS
Park on Merritt Island. This restriction is effective beginning at 6
p.m. on Monday, July 4.

All boating restrictions will be lifted one hour after launch. Boating
interests should monitor U.S. Coast Guard Radio transmitting on
Marine Channel 16 from Port Canaveral.

For information about Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International
Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: bolun on 07/05/2011 12:04 pm
Tribute to the Space Shuttle
 
4 July 2011

The Space Shuttle will be launched 8 July on its last mission, bringing three decades of flights of this unique spaceplane to a close. ESA’s new website highlights this era and its important role in European space endeavours.

http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEM69J6TLPG_index_0.html

http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/shuttle/
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/07/2011 08:20 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-139

COMPOSER DEBUTS FANFARE HONORING FINAL SHUTTLE MISSION

WASHINGTON -- Emmy-nominated composer Bear McCreary, known for his
television scores, has composed a fanfare specifically to commemorate
the final space shuttle flight. After composing four seasons of music
for a television show set in space, creating music inspired by a
historic NASA mission was a natural fit. The composition will be
played first on Friday morning at the NASA launch TweetUp.

People viewing the launch from some of the other locations at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida will also be able to hear the
composition.

McCreary composed the music for the television series Battlestar
Galactica; The Walking Dead; Eureka; Human Target; and Terminator:
The Sarah Connor Chronicles. He also worked with film music legend
Elmer Bernstein, who composed the music for The Magnificent Seven and
The Ten Commandments.

NASA has worked with artists since 1962, when Administrator James E.
Webb invited a group of artists to illustrate and interpret agency
missions and projects. Artists, songwriters, musicians and
playwrights have offered their unique perspectives on spaceflight
ever since. NASA also has a long and storied connection with pop
culture, frequently working with creators of science fiction films
and television programs to discuss science fact.

For more information about Bear McCreary, visit:



http://www.bearmccreary.com/blog/


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: bolun on 07/08/2011 06:50 pm
Last Space Shuttle mission launched

8 July 2011

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM7D77TLPG_index_0.html
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/08/2011 07:02 pm
RELEASE: 11-216

NASA'S FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION BEGINS WITH ATLANTIS' LAUNCH

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson and his
three crewmates are on their way to the International Space Station
after launching from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 11:29 a.m. EDT
Friday. STS-135 is the final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

"With today's final launch of the space shuttle, we turn the page on a
remarkable period in America's history in space, while beginning the
next chapter in our nation's extraordinary story of exploration,"
Administrator Charles Bolden said. "Tomorrow's destinations will
inspire new generations of explorers, and the shuttle pioneers have
made the next chapter of human spaceflight possible."

The STS-135 crew consists of Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. They will deliver the
Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module filled with more than 8,000
pounds of supplies and spare parts to sustain space station
operations after the shuttles are retired.

"The shuttle's always going to be a reflection to what a great nation
can do when it dares to be bold and commits to follow through,"
Ferguson said shortly before liftoff. "We're not ending the journey
today -- we're completing a chapter of a journey that will never
end."

The mission includes flying the Robotic Refueling Mission, an
experiment designed to demonstrate and test the tools, technologies
and techniques needed for robotic refueling of satellites in space,
even satellites not designed for servicing. The crew also will return
with an ammonia pump that recently failed on the station. Engineers
want to understand why the pump failed and improve designs for future
spacecraft.

Atlantis is on a 12-day mission and scheduled to dock to the station
at 11:06 a.m. on Sunday.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle flight, the 33rd flight for Atlantis and
the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and
maintenance. NASA's Web coverage of STS-135 includes mission
information, a press kit, interactive features, news conference
images, graphics and videos.

Mission coverage, including the latest NASA Television schedule, is
available on the main space shuttle website at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of the
mission. NASA TV features live mission events, daily status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. For NASA TV streaming video,
downlink and schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will host daily news
conferences with STS-135 mission managers. To participate, reporters
must have valid media credentials issued by a NASA center or issued
specifically for the STS-135 mission.

Journalists not on site must contact the Johnson newsroom at
281-483-5111 no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of a
briefing to participate. Newsroom personnel will verify credentials
and transfer reporters to the phone bridge. Phone bridge capacity is
limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the mission and landing. To access the feed, go to the NASA.gov home
page or visit:

http://www.twitter.com/nasa

All four of Atlantis' crew members are posting updates to Twitter. You
can follow them at:

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Sandy

http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex

To connect with NASA on Twitter and other social networking sites,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/connect

For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For more information about the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

       
-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/08/2011 07:03 pm
News Release Issued: July 8, 2011 1:25 PM EDT

ATK Solid Rocket Motors Boost Final Launch of the Space Shuttle Program
Over 250 ATK Solid Rocket Motors Powered Shuttle Launches
ATK Looks to the Future with the Five Segment Solid Rocket Booster
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, July 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- An unprecedented crowd of over one million witnessed the Shuttle program's final liftoff today from the Kennedy Space Center.  Space Shuttle Atlantis had a picture perfect launch at 11:26 a.m. EDT boosted by ATK's (NYSE: ATK) Reusable Solid Rocket Motors (RSRMs). This launch culminates a remarkable, three-decade-long program and marks the beginning of a noble legacy in space exploration.

"As we watched Atlantis lift off for the final time today it was a bittersweet moment for ATK, as well as a tremendous moment of pride," said Blake Larson, ATK Aerospace Systems Group president. "I want to express my gratitude to the ATK workforce, our subcontractors, and the NASA family for their dedication and passion to ensuring this program's success through the final flight."

As a tribute to the final launch, a case from STS-1 was launched on this flight on the left booster. The recovery and reuse of boosters after each flight enables NASA and ATK to collect vital post-flight information and performance data, confirming a safe and robust design. The cases used for today's launch have collectively flown on 59 previous shuttle missions and have been used in 12 ground tests.

Since the inaugural flight of the space shuttle, 270 space shuttle solid rocket motors have been launched and 55 full-scale ground tests performed, enabling ATK and NASA to continually improve safety, techniques and processes.

"Analyzing post-flight and test data allows us to truly understand booster operation and make minor modifications along the way, providing the most reliable solid rocket motor," said Larson. "We can use the knowledge gained from that process as we move forward with the next launch system for America."

The 149-foot-tall solid rocket boosters each produced more than 15 million horsepower, safely launching the shuttle to approximately 28 miles in altitude in just over two minutes. After the flight, the RSRMs were jettisoned from the orbiter and external tank by ATK's 16 Booster Separation Motors (BSMs). Each booster has eight BSMs: four on the forward skirt and four on the aft skirt. The separation motors propelled the RSRMs to a safe distance from the shuttle orbiter, enabling the spent boosters to parachute through the Earth's atmosphere and splash down in the ocean for recovery.

In addition, ATK supplied the titanium hydrazine propellant tanks for the space shuttle Auxiliary Power Unit (APU). Three APU tanks house the hydrazine fuel that generates power for the shuttle's hydraulic system. These tanks have performed perfectly over the shuttle's three decades of operations.

On its 12-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS), Atlantis will carry the Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) that will demonstrate the technology and tools to robotically refuel satellites in orbit. Under contract to Goddard Space Flight Center, ATK engineers designed and built the tools for the project which will even enable the refueling of satellites that were not designed to be serviced in orbit. The four unique RRM tools will enable the remote controlled robot to cut and manipulate protective blankets and wires, unscrew caps and access valves, transfer fluid and leave a new cap in place for future refueling activities.  The robotic refueling has the potential to extend the life of a satellite and result in significant savings for satellite owners and operators.

While continuing to safely fly the space shuttle, ATK is furthering the development of its upgraded five-segment solid rocket motor. ATK is preparing to ground test the third full-scale Development Motor (DM-3) and to complete a 90 percent Design Review this year.

"I flew Atlantis twice, so watching today's launch was even more meaningful, knowing it was her last and that it marks the end of a great era," said Charlie Precourt, ATK vice president and general manager, Space Launch Systems, and four-time shuttle astronaut. "As we move to the next period in human space exploration, we are able to leverage the knowledge and hardware from the shuttle program combined with upgraded materials to provide a higher-performing, cost effective, and even more reliable solid rocket booster to support NASA's heavy lift vehicle."

Modifications to the motor include an added fifth segment, changes to the propellant grain, a larger nozzle opening, and an upgraded liner and insulation material—all designed to meet performance requirements and increase reliability while lowering manufacturing costs.

"As I look forward to what the future holds for the next generation, I want to also salute the thousands of men and women who gave their time, skills and passion to this incredible program," said Precourt. "America owes you all a deep debt of gratitude for your personal sacrifices, for accomplishing the seemingly impossible to complete the mission, and making us the world's leader in space."

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/08/2011 07:03 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-140

NASA RELEASES ADMINISTRATOR'S VIDEO ABOUT FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH

WASHINGTON -- With the successful launch of the final space shuttle
mission, Atlantis' STS-135 mission to the International Space
Station, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden has issued a video
statement about the program and the agency's future.

Bolden salutes the Space Shuttle Program and its many accomplishments
while also highlighting the human spaceflight missions yet to come on
the space station and beyond. NASA is facilitating commercial access
for cargo and crew to low Earth orbit and developing technologies and
capabilities to reach destinations in deep space such as asteroids
and Mars.

To view the administrator's video message, visit:



http://1.usa.gov/nwhEIA


For more information about space shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


To find out more about what's next for NASA, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/next

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/08/2011 09:56 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #01   

HOUSTON – With a cargo carrier packed with supplies and equipment, Atlantis launched Friday morning to the International Space Station on the final space shuttle mission.

The shuttle with its crew of four lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center on its 12-day flight at 10:29 a.m. CDT. Aboard are the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module and the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment, which could help develop ways to refuel satellites in orbit.

Nearly a million people came to the Kennedy area to see Atlantis lift off on a mission marking the end of the space shuttle era. The mission’s focus was to leave the station as well supplied as possible to begin its post-shuttle existence. Atlantis also is scheduled to return a failed ammonia pump to Earth for examination – a task no other spacecraft can do.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, are scheduled to rendezvous and dock with the station on Sunday.

Raffaello is making its fourth trip to the station. On flight day 4 it will be lifted from the cargo bay and attached to the Harmony node. It will be unloaded there and subsequently loaded with station discards before it is returned to the cargo bay on flight day 10 for return to Earth.

The Robotic Refueling Mission experiment will be installed during the only spacewalk, by station crew members, while Atlantis is docked there. The experiment will test concepts, techniques and tools for robotically refueling satellites in orbit. The test will use the station’s robotic capabilities, the first test in space of ways to refuel satellites, including those not designed for such servicing.

Aboard the station waiting to welcome Atlantis and its crew are Expedition 28 Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev, Ron Garan, Sergei Volkov, Mike Fossum and Satoshi Furukawa.

STS-135 is the 135th shuttle flight, the 33rd flight for Atlantis and the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and maintenance.

The next shuttle status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 3 a.m. Saturday.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/09/2011 08:19 am
Report #J11-017

NASA DEBUTS INSPIRATIONAL SPACE STATION MUSIC VIDEO

HOUSTON - NASA today debuts an inspirational video featuring the International Space Station and its crews set to the song "World" by recording artists Five for Fighting.

The video features imagery of both the space station and the space shuttles that have served as the workhorses of space station construction and resupply. It uses selections from orbit as well as Earth-bound training and launch activities to communicate the importance of space exploration and its benefits for future generations. Intermixed are selections of video that show the beauty of planet Earth as seen from the space station and scenes of children inspired by space exploration. The lyrics emphasize that "history starts now" and invite listeners to ask the question, "What kind of world do you want?"

The video ends with a reminder that although STS-135 is the final space shuttle mission, the International Space Station will continue an uninterrupted human presence in space. The video will air on NASA Television at 7:15 p.m. CDT. For NASA TV schedules, downlink information and streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

To watch the video online, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=100242111

NASA also has released a new 26-minute video about the history, research and promise of the International Space Station. During the past decade, 15 nations have come together, setting aside boundaries and differences, to create the largest and longest inhabited object to ever orbit the Earth. To view that video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/multimedia/first10next10.html

For more information about the space shuttle and the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/09/2011 11:12 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #02   

HOUSTON – The final shuttle crew began their first full day in space with a chorus of well wishes from some of the many people who helped put them there.

“Good morning, Atlantis!” NASA employees said in a message recorded before launch. “The Marshall Space Flight Center hopes you enjoyed your ride to orbit. We wish you a successful mission and a safe return home.”

Marshall Space Flight Center, located in Huntsville, Ala., is responsible for the space shuttle’s propulsion system – the shuttle’s three main engines, the twin solid rocket boosters and the external tank.

The message was preceded by the mission’s first wake up song, Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida,” which was played for Pilot Doug Hurley. The wakeup call came at 2:59 a.m.

With that encouragement, space shuttle Atlantis’ crew – Hurley, Commander Chris Ferguson and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim – got to work on their flight day two activities. The main objective of the day will be to get a closer look at the shuttle’s heat shield to verify that it didn’t sustain any damage during Atlantis’ climb into orbit.

To do so, Ferguson, Hurley and Magnus will use the space shuttle’s robotic arm and 50-foot long boom to get a close up look at the shuttle’s wing leading edges and nose cap. A suite of cameras on the end of the boom will capture images of the reinforced carbon carbon that protects the shuttle from the hottest temperatures it experiences. Imagery experts on the ground will comb through the data to make sure that the heat shield is still in good shape.

The survey is scheduled to start at 7:19 a.m., and wrap up about six hours later.

Later in the day, Walheim will work with Hurley to check out the tools that will be used during Atlantis’ rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station on Sunday. Meanwhile, Ferguson and Magnus will install a camera in the window of the shuttle’s hatch for a view that will help them align Atlantis with the space station.

The next shuttle status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6:30 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/10/2011 08:35 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #03   

HOUSTON – Atlantis astronauts inspected the orbiter’s thermal protection system with its robotic arm and attached 50-foot boom Saturday. They also prepared rendezvous tools for arrival at the International Space Station.

Docking with the orbiting laboratory is scheduled for a little after 10 a.m. CDT Sunday.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus spent much of their day gathering visual and electronic data on the reinforced carbon carbon of the wings’ leading edges and the nose cap. Experts on the ground will review the data to ensure they have not been damaged.

No obvious issues were reported. If analysis reveals any indication of damage the crew could be asked to conduct a focused inspection of any suspect area.

While the inspection was under way, the fourth crew member, Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, spent much of his afternoon on Atlantis’ middeck. He worked to prepare items carried into orbit there for transfer to the space station.

In addition to the middeck cargo, Atlantis is bringing to the station the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, packed with supplies and equipment for the station. Raffaello is to be unberthed from the cargo bay and installed on the station’s Harmony node early Monday. After unloading, it will be packed with station discards and other items, and put back in the cargo bay for return to Earth.

After the heat shield survey and the work with the middeck cargo, all four crew members worked to prepare for rendezvous and docking with the station. Hurley and Walheim checked out rendezvous tools while Ferguson and Magnus installed the centerline camera and extended the orbiter docking system ring.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/10/2011 08:36 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #04   

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew began their third day in space at 2:29 a.m., just hours away from the scheduled final docking of a space shuttle with the International Space Station.

The wakeup call for Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim came in the form of “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra. That song was played for Ferguson.

The shuttle has been closing the distance between it and the space station since it reached orbit on Friday, and with the help of a final firing of the shuttle’s jets, scheduled for 7:29 a.m., it will finish closing that distance by 9:06 a.m. At that point, the shuttle will be directly below the International Space Station, and in place for the rendezvous pitch maneuver, a back flip that will expose the tiles on the shuttle’s underbelly to the space station, where station crew members will be standing by with cameras to document its condition.

At the windows in the Russian segment of the space station, Flight Engineer Ron Garan will use a 800 mm camera to gather photos of Atlantis’ heat shield, while Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa will have a 400 mm camera, and Flight Engineer Sergei Volkov will use a 1,000 mm.

The back flip will last about eight minutes. Once it’s complete, Ferguson will move Atlantis to a point 310 feet directly in front of the space station and begin slowing down so that the station can catch up with the shuttle, for a 10:07 a.m. docking. After a series of leak checks, hatches between the two vehicles are scheduled to open at 12:19 p.m.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. Atlantis’ crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6 p.m.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/11/2011 04:10 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #05   

HOUSTON – Atlantis docked with the International Space Station at 10:07 a.m. CDT Sunday with a cargo-carrying module in its payload bay filled with equipment and supplies for the orbiting laboratory.

“Atlantis arriving,” said Flight Engineer Ron Garan after the ceremonial ringing of the station’s bell. “Welcome to the International Space Station for the last time.”

After a pause to let the relative motion between the two spacecraft dampen out and do leak checks, hatches separating crews were opened at 11:47 a.m. Shuttle crew members, Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, entered the station moments later to begin their week-plus stay.

First came the standard safety briefing for the new arrivals. Then work began.

Ferguson and Hurley used the shuttle arm to take its 50-foot extension boom from the station’s Canadarm2 operated by station Flight Engineers Garan and Satoshi Furukawa. The station arm had plucked the boom from its stowage position on the shuttle cargo bay sill. The handoff was to prepare to use the boom for any needed shuttle heat shield inspection later this week. Magnus worked with TV setup and Walheim transferred spacewalk gear.

Docking had gone just as planned. Ferguson and the crew of space shuttle Atlantis began their final approach to the station from about eight miles distance with the terminal initiation burn at 7:29 a.m.

About 600 feet below the station, Atlantis did a backflip to enable station crew members to photograph the shuttle’s heat shield. Flight Engineers Mike Fossum, Satoshi Furukawa and Sergei Volkov used cameras with 1,000 mm, 800 mm and 400 mm lenses, respectively, to take high resolution digital photos of the shuttle’s upper and lower surfaces. The photos were being sent to mission control to be evaluated by experts on the ground to look for any damage.

Flight controllers began monitoring reports from the Department of Defense’s U.S. Strategic Command that a piece of orbital debris may come near the station and shuttle complex about noon on Tuesday. The debris, part of satellite COSMOS 375, is one of more than 500,000 pieces of debris tracked in Earth’s orbit. The team expected updated tracking information following today’s docking to help determine if a maneuver using the shuttle’s thrusters is necessary to avoid the debris.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/11/2011 04:10 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #06   

HOUSTON – Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew will be getting down to the main objective of their mission today, as they temporarily install the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module on the International Space Station and begin unloading its contents.

The crew started their fourth day in space at 2:02 a.m., after being awakened by the Chumbawamba song “Tubthumping.” It was played for Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus.

Magnus, along with Pilot Doug Hurley, will be at the controls of the space station’s robotic arm beginning at 4:09 a.m. to remove the Raffaello module from the shuttle’s cargo bay. They’ll install it on the station’s Harmony node 30 minutes later.

Once that is complete, Magnus will work with Commander Chris Ferguson to prepare the module’s hatch for opening at 12:39 p.m., after which the crew will begin unloading the 9,402 pounds of supplies it carried into space.

In addition, Ferguson and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim will begin moving another 2,281 pounds of cargo brought up on Atlantis’ middeck over to the space station. And later in the day, the entire shuttle crew will come together with station Flight Engineers Ron Garan, Satoshi Furukawa and Mike Fossum to review the procedures for the mission’s spacewalk. Fossum and Garan will perform that spacewalk on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, here on the ground, flight controllers were able to verify that the track of a piece of orbital debris they began watching on Saturday will not be a threat to the shuttle and station. No adjustments to the shuttle and station’s orbit will be necessary to avoid the debris, which is part of satellite COSMOS 375 and one of more than 500,000 pieces of debris tracked in Earth’s orbit.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6 p.m.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/11/2011 06:44 pm
RELEASE: 11-224

NASA INVITES PUBLIC TO "VIRTUAL DINNER" WITH FINAL SHUTTLE CREW

HOUSTON -- The public can share a virtual dinner with the final space
shuttle crew on Thursday, July 14 by preparing grilled chicken,
barbecue brisket, baked beans and southwestern corn at home using
NASA's recipes.

Food scientists at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston prepared the
special "All-American Meal" for the STS-135 shuttle crew, as the
iconic American spacecraft makes its last voyage. The four shuttle
astronauts, and possibly the six International Space Station crew
members, are scheduled to eat the meal on the fifth day of the
STS-135 mission.

"Since the mission is in July, we thought it would be fun to have a
typical summer meal often enjoyed in our backyards with friends and
family," said Michele Perchonok, NASA food scientist and manager of
the shuttle food system.

For the special space recipes or "formulations" as they are called by
NASA food scientists, plus more information, video and imagery,
visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal


The crew's All American menu begins with crackers, brie cheese and
sausage. The main course features grilled chicken, Southwestern corn
and baked beans. The meal concludes with the quintessential American
dessert, apple pie. The shuttle and station crews both have the meal
on their menus, but the station crew has barbecued brisket as the
entree.

The crackers, brie, sausage and apple pie are commercial off-the-shelf
products repackaged for spaceflight. NASA food scientists prepared
the chicken, brisket, corn and beans in a laboratory at Johnson
before the mission.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, including the crew's
full menus, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


NASA's web coverage of STS-135 includes mission information, a press
kit, interactive features, news conference images, graphics and
videos. Mission coverage, including the latest NASA Television
schedule, is available on the main space shuttle website at:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of the
mission. NASA TV features live mission events, daily status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. For NASA TV streaming video,
downlink and schedule information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


Live updates to the NASA News Twitter feed will be added throughout
the mission and landing. To access the feed, go to the NASA.gov
homepage or visit:


http://www.twitter.com/nasa

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/12/2011 05:24 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #07   

HOUSTON – Atlantis astronauts moved the Raffaello cargo carrier from the shuttle’s cargo bay to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony node early Monday.

Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus moved the multi-purpose logistics module using the station’s Canadarm2. The installation of Raffaello was completed a little after 5:45 a.m. CDT.

After leak checks, hatches between Raffaello and the station were opened before noon. Unloading of the more than 9,400 pounds of supplies and equipment aboard Raffaello was scheduled to begin early Tuesday.

The module is to be unloaded, then filled with 5,666 pounds of equipment and discards no longer needed on the station. It is scheduled to be taken from the Harmony node port and reinstalled in Atlantis’ cargo bay on Monday, July 18, several hours before crews of the two spacecraft say goodbye and close hatches. Atlantis is now scheduled to undock from the station that evening at 11:56 p.m.

Mission managers said Monday afternoon Atlantis’ stay at the station would be extended for one day. The first Kennedy Space Center landing opportunity for Atlantis would be at 4:56 a.m. July 21. Landing had been scheduled for July 20, but conservation of power-generating consumables made the extension possible.

Managers also determined that after Saturday’s inspection, further detailed inspections of Atlantis’ heat shield are not required. A customary, final inspection will be completed after Atlantis undocks from the station.

Other activities on the crews’ schedules today included continuing transfer of items between the shuttle’s middeck and the station. Atlantis brought almost 2,300 pounds of experiments, equipment and supplies for the station in the shuttle’s middeck lockers.

Shortly before the end of their workday, the four shuttle crew members and station Flight Engineers Ron Garan, Mike Fossum and Satoshi Furuakawa met for about an hour to review procedures for Tuesday’s spacewalk. Beginning about 7:45 a.m., Garan and Fossum, who did three spacewalks together during STS-124 in June 2008, will leave the Quest airlock for the 6.5-hour outing.

Major spacewalk activities include retrieving a failed 1,400-pound pump module and installing it in the shuttle cargo bay for return to Earth, installing a robotic satellite refueling experiment and setting up a materials experiment.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/12/2011 05:53 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-142

NASA SETS NEWS CONFERENCE WITH SHUTTLE AND SPACE STATION CREWS

HOUSTON -- The 10 crew members aboard space shuttle Atlantis and the
International Space Station will hold a news conference at 8:24 a.m.
CDT on Friday, July 15. Reporters may ask questions in person from
participating NASA centers, including Johnson Space Center in
Houston, Kennedy Space Center in Florida and NASA Headquarters in
Washington.

To participate, U.S. journalists must call the public affairs office
at one of the NASA centers by 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, July 12. 


Reporters at Johnson who do not have STS-135 mission credentials must
request access badges by July 14. Reporters must be in place at least
20 minutes before the news conference begins.

The final shuttle mission is delivering the Raffaello multi-purpose
logistics module filled with supplies and spare parts to sustain
space station operations after the shuttles are retired.

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the 40-minute news
conference. Part of the conference will be for Japanese media outlets
in native language. NASA TV will replay the event with translation at
10 a.m.

For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For information about the STS-135 and the Space Shuttle Program,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about the station's Expedition 28 crew and the station
program, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station   


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/12/2011 05:54 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #08   

HOUSTON – Transfer work will be going on inside and outside of the International Space Station today, as the crew performs the first and only spacewalk of the STS-135 mission.

Space shuttle Atlantis’ crew was awakened at 1:59 a.m. by the song “More” by Matthew West. It was played for Mission Specialist Rex Walheim.

Walheim today will be choreographing from inside the space station the spacewalk being done outside by Expedition 28 Flight Engineers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan. Fossum and Garan will be packing a pump module that failed in 2010 into the shuttle’s cargo bay. It was moved into a temporary storage location on external stowage platform-2 during the STS-133 mission earlier this year. Returning it to Earth will allow engineers to look into what caused its failure and then refurbish it for use as a spare.

Fossum and Garan will also be installing the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment on a platform used by the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to hold spare parts. The Robotic Refueling Mission will demonstrate and test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel and repair satellites in space.

The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 7:44 a.m., and last six and a half hours.

Meanwhile, inside the space station, every member of the shuttle crew and many of the station crew will be working to unload the newly installed Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. It brought up 9,400 pounds of cargo to the space station, all of which must be unloaded and replaced with 5,700 pounds of trash and used equipment to return home.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 6 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/13/2011 05:28 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #09   

HOUSTON – Two International Space Station astronauts completed a six-hour, 31-minute spacewalk at 2:53 p.m. CDT Tuesday, retrieving a failed pump module for return to Earth, installing two experiments and repairing a new base for the station’s robotic arm.

Flight Engineers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan used that arm, Canadarm2, in their first and most lengthy task, retrieval of the failed 1,400-pound pump module from the station’s cooling system that failed last year. Garan rode the arm to the pump module’s stowage rack where he and Fossum removed it.

Still on the arm, operated by Atlantis Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus in the station’s cupola, Garan took the pump module to a carrier in Atlantis’ cargo bay. There Fossum bolted it into place for the ride home.

Coached by intravehicular officer and Atlantis Mission Specialist Rex Walheim, with help from spacewalk capcom and astronaut Steve Bowen in the station flight control room, the spacewalkers moved on to their next task, installation of the Robotic Refueling Mission experiment. The experiment is designed to help in development of ways to robotically refuel satellites in space.

Fossum was making his seventh spacewalk and Garan his fourth (all with Fossum). They removed the refueling experiment from the cargo bay. Fossum, now on the arm, carried the experiment to a platform on Dextre, the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator.

Fossum removed the foot restraint he and Garan had used at the end of the Canadarm2, then moved to the front of the Zarya module. There he freed a wire stuck in one latch door at a data grapple fixture installed during the STS-134 mission in May. The fixture can serve as a base for Canadaram2, considerably extending its range of operation.

Meanwhile, Garan deployed a materials experiment also installed during STS-134, on a carrier on the station’s starboard truss. The eighth in a series of station materials experiments, it focuses on optical reflector materials. It was not deployed during the previous flight because of concerns about outgasing from insulation on the nearby Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer experiment, also installed during the earlier mission.

Back together again, the two spacewalkers moved on to Pressurized Mating Adaptor 3 on the Tranquility node. They installed an insulating cover on the end of the PMA, an area exposed to considerable sunshine.

Inside the shuttle-station complex, transfer of material from the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module began. The work to unload the more than 9,400 pounds of supplies and equipment brought up by Raffaello and then repack it with 5,700 pounds of equipment, supplies and trash to return home will continue for much of Atlantis stay at the station.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/13/2011 03:32 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #10   

HOUSTON – The space shuttle Atlantis crew received a special wakeup call today to kick off flight day 6 of the STS-135 mission.

“Good morning, Atlantis, this is Elton John,” the British singer said in a pre-recorded message. “We wish you much success on your mission. A huge thank you to all the men and women at NASA who worked on the shuttle for the last three decades.”

The message followed the day’s wakeup song, John’s “Rocket Man,” which was played at 1:29 a.m. It was not the first time the song has been played in space – “Rocket Man” has awakened four shuttle crew’s in the shuttle program’s 30-year history, and it was one of NASA’s top 40 wakeup call songs listed for voter selection during a contest to commemorate space shuttles Discovery and Endeavour’s last missions. In that contest, it earned nearly 5,000 votes from the public.

With the mission’s one spacewalk successfully behind them, Atlantis’ crew will return its focus today to unpacking the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. The crew started the day 26 percent through the combined 15,069 pounds of cargo to transfer in or out of Raffaello – 9,403 pounds that launched on Atlantis and 5,666 pounds that it will bring home when it lands.

In addition, the crew will be taking some time out of its work at 11:54 a.m. to talk with reporters from WBNG-TV and WICZ-TV in Binghamton, New York, and KGO-TV of San Francisco.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to bed just before 4:30 p.m.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/14/2011 05:28 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #11   

HOUSTON – Atlantis crew members spent much of Wednesday moving equipment and supplies from the multipurpose logistics module Raffaello to the International Space Station.

They had some help from station Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Sergei Volkov and Satoshi Furukawa in the transfer operations. The bottom line was that the more than 9,400 pounds of material in Raffaello was considerably reduced.

Station lead flight director Chris Edelen said at an afternoon briefing that about half of the cargo had been moved from Raffaello and the shuttle’s middeck to the space station. Almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded equipment and supplies from the station will be packed aboard the module for return to Earth.

The transfer activity can be strenuous. While the cargo bags are weightless, they do have mass. They require effort to be put in motion, effort to change their direction and effort to stop their motion.

Crew members opened Pressurized Mating Adaptor 3, attached to the Tranquility node, and stored some of the material from Raffaello there. On Tuesday spacewalkers had put an insulating cover on the outside of PMA-3 to protect it from temperature extremes.

A little before noon CDT, all four shuttle crew members talked with representatives of WBNG-TV and WICZ-TV in Binghamton, N.Y., near Pilot Doug Hurley’s home town of Apalachin, and KGO-TV of San Francisco. Mission Specialist Rex Walheim is from nearby San Carlos.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/14/2011 04:13 pm
RELEASE: 11-229

FINAL SHUTTLE CREW ANSWERS STUDENT QUESTIONS FROM SPACE

WASHINGTON -- Space shuttle astronauts aboard the International Space
Station will answer videotaped questions from middle school students
participating in NASA's Summer of Innovation initiative. The event is
scheduled to air live on NASA Television at 7:09 a.m. EDT on Sunday,
July 17.

During the broadcast, viewers will see shuttle Atlantis Commander
Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley as they respond to approximately
20 student questions selected from nearly 150 videos. The student
videos also will air during the event.

The Summer of Innovation program seeks to advance excellence in summer
and extended learning programming for underrepresented and
underserved middle school students while inspiring them to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The initiative also is tied closely to the White House's "Educate to
Innovate" campaign.

"Learning about scientific principles and the impact of space on
astronauts' bodies helps spark student curiosity," said Cindy
McArthur, Teaching From Space project manager at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston. "Microgravity is a unique research environment and
hearing directly from astronauts who live and work in it can inspire
students to study STEM disciplines."

The question-and-answer session is part of a series with educational
organizations in the United States and abroad to improve teaching and
learning in STEM subjects. It is an integral component of Teaching
From Space, an agency program promoting learning opportunities, and
builds partnerships with the education community.

For more information about the shuttle mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about NASA's education programs, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/education


For more information about the Summer of Innovation program, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/soi   


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/14/2011 04:14 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #12   

HOUSTON – Flight day 7 of the STS-135 mission started out with a serenade for the crew of space shuttle Atlantis.

In a special message recorded before launch from Venice, Italy, Michael Stipe, lead singer of R.E.M., sang an A capella version of the band’s song “Man on the Moon,” then followed it with a greeting to the astronauts.

“Good morning, Atlantis,” he said. “This is Michael Stipe from R.E.M. We wish you much success on your mission, and thank all the women and men at NASA who have worked on shuttle for three decades. From Earth, a very good morning to you.”

More unpacking of the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module is on tap today for Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. But they’ll also take some time out for a few special events.

At 5:59 a.m., Ferguson and Magnus will be speaking with reporters from Fox News Radio and KTVI-TV and KSDK-TV in St. Louis. Then, at 8:19 a.m., the entire crew will be interviewed by WBBM-TV in Chicago, KTVU-TV in Oakland, Calif., and WTXF-TV in Philadelphia.

In addition, both the shuttle and station crews will have the opportunity to enjoy an “All-American Meal” of barbecue brisket or grilled chicken and baked beans, southwestern corn and apple pie, and the public is invited to share in it, virtually. Visit < a href="http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal">http://go.nasa.gov/AllAmericanMeal for recipes, or “formulations” as they’re called by NASA food scientists, as well as more information, video and imagery.

The shuttle and station crews’ midday meals are scheduled to begin at 7:19 a.m.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 3:30 p.m.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/15/2011 05:27 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #13   

HOUSTON – Continuing cargo transfer, news media interviews and exercise sessions kept Atlantis crew members busy Thursday morning. They enjoyed some welcome off-duty time during their afternoon.

Unloading of the multi-purpose logistics module Raffaello’s 9,400 pounds of cargo was well over half complete. Transfer of its remaining cargo to the International Space Station was expected to be finished Friday or Saturday.

Raffaello is to be reloaded with almost 5,700 pounds of gear from the station, mostly unneeded equipment and trash. It is to be replaced in Atlantis’ cargo bay Monday morning for return to Earth.

A little before their midday meal, about 6 a.m. CDT, shuttle commander Chris Ferguson and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus talked with representatives of FOX News Radio and KTVI-TV and KSDK-TV, both in St. Louis. All four shuttle crew members chatted with WBBM-TV of Chicago, KTVU-TV of Oakland, Calif., and WTXF-TV of Philadelphia at about 8:20 a.m.

Afterward the shuttle crew had most of the afternoon off. Station crew members also had some free time early in their afternoon.

The crew’s supper was special. That All-American Meal was initially scheduled for July 4 but wound up being enjoyed today because of Atlantis’ launch delay. Grilled chicken, corn, baked beans, cheese and more, topped off with apple pie, were on the menu.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken at 11:29 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/15/2011 05:28 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #14   

HOUSTON – Sir Paul McCartney awakened the crew of Atlantis today with a special message and the song "Good Day Sunshine," starting a day for the final shuttle crew that will be highlighted by a call from President Barack H. Obama. "Good morning guys!" McCartney said in a message recorded pre-launch for the final space shuttle crew. "Wake up! And good luck on this, your last mission. Well done!" McCartney’s wakeup call came at 11:59 p.m.
Thursday, 30 minutes later than Atlantis’ crew had been scheduled to wake up. It was delayed to give the crew time to make up sleep they lost over the course of the night due to a failure of one of the shuttle’s five general purpose computers. At 5:07 p.m. on Thursday, a failure alarm rang on board Atlantis, tripped by a problem with general purpose computer 4. Only two of the shuttle’s computer are needed when the shuttle is orbiting the Earth, so the functions that computer had been responsible for were simply transferred to another computer.
But the crew spent 40 minutes of their sleep time working through the procedures to do so, and elected to make that time up by sleeping in for 30 minutes. Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley have an hour set aside this morning to work with the computer and get it back up and running. Much of the rest of the crew’s day will be again be spent transferring cargo to and from the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module. But the crew will take several breaks – at 5:44 a.m., 7:04 a.m. and 8:24 a.m. – to talk with reporters back on Earth. And before they turn in for the night they’ll take one more break to answer a call from the White House – President Obama is scheduled to call and talk with the crews of Atlantis and the International Space Station at 11:29 a.m.
The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 1:30 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/15/2011 06:33 pm
RELEASE: 11-229

FINAL SHUTTLE CREW ANSWERS STUDENT QUESTIONS FROM SPACE EVENT TIME UPDATE

WASHINGTON -- NASA is updating the time for an event on Sunday, July
17, when space shuttle astronauts aboard the International Space
Station will answer videotaped questions from middle school students.
The event now is scheduled to air live on NASA Television at 6:24
a.m. EDT Sunday.

During the broadcast, viewers will see shuttle Atlantis Commander
Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley as they respond to approximately
20 student questions selected from nearly 150 videos. The videos from
students participating in NASA's Summer of Innovation initiative also
will air during the event.

The Summer of Innovation program seeks to advance excellence in summer
and extended learning programming for underrepresented and
underserved middle school students while inspiring them to pursue
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The initiative also is tied closely to the White House's "Educate to
Innovate" campaign.

"Learning about scientific principles and the impact of space on
astronauts' bodies helps spark student curiosity," said Cindy
McArthur, Teaching From Space project manager at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston. "Microgravity is a unique research environment and
hearing directly from astronauts who live and work in it can inspire
students to study STEM disciplines."

The question-and-answer session is part of a series with educational
organizations in the United States and abroad to improve teaching and
learning in STEM subjects. It is an integral component of Teaching
From Space, an agency program promoting learning opportunities, and
builds partnerships with the education community.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/15/2011 08:53 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-144

PRESIDENT OBAMA SPEAKS WITH SHUTTLE AND SPACE STATION CREWS

HOUSTON -- President Barack Obama praised crew members aboard space
shuttle Atlantis and the International Space Station during a call to
the docked ships from the White House on Friday. The president
saluted the final shuttle mission and everyone who made it possible,
and noted it "ushers in an exciting new era to push the frontiers of
space exploration and human spaceflight."

Video of the shuttle and station crews as they speak to the president
is available at:



http://go.nasa.gov/oFXKIV


For a picture of the president during the conversation, visit:



http://twitpic.com/5qm5ew


For information about the STS-135 mission, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about the station, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/station

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/15/2011 08:54 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #15   

HOUSTON – News media interviews, a news conference with reporters at NASA centers and in Japan and a call from President Obama highlighted Atlantis crew activities Friday.

Between those events, it was back to the demanding work of cargo transfer between the shuttle and station. The unloading of the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module’s 9,400 pounds of cargo was about 70 percent complete and packing its 5,700 pounds of homeward-bound material had begun.

At about 11:30 a.m. CDT Obama radioed the combined International Space Station and shuttle crews that he was proud of all the crew members.

“We’re all watching as the 10 of you work together as a team,” Obama said. “Your example means so much not just to your fellow Americans but also your fellow citizens on Earth. The space program has always embodied our sense of adventure and explorations and courage.”

He thanked those who had supported the shuttle program during the past 30 years, and all the men and women of NASA who helped the country lead the space age.

Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson said that all the partners on the station were honored to represent their home countries in this multinational effort.

Station Flight Engineer Sergei Volkov described the station and shuttle crews, from three nations, as “one big family.”

The media interviews began about 5:45 a.m. Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley talked with representatives of CBS Radio, KYW-TV in Philadelphia and Associated Press. Next up was a 7:04 a.m. chat by all Atlantis crew members with WPVI-TV and KYW Radio, both of Philadelphia, and Reuters.

At the 45-minute crew news conference, Atlantis crew members and their six station colleagues gathered in the Japanese Kibo Laboratory to take questions from news media. Reporters at four NASA centers, NASA headquarters and in Japan participated.

This morning Ferguson and Hurley brought General Purpose Computer 4 back on line in a backup role. GPC-4 had unexpectedly shut down a little after 5 p.m. Thursday, about an hour and a half after the crew had gone to bed. Crew members transferred its functions to another computer, and this morning reloaded its software and got it running again.

Atlantis Mission Specialist Rex Walheim and station Flight Engineer Mike Fossum worked to resize U.S. spacesuits to be left on the station.

The next status report will be issued after crew wakeup, or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to awaken just before 10:30 p.m.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: Chris Bergin on 07/15/2011 09:46 pm
Media Alert: Media Opportunity for Those Attending the Landing of Space Shuttle Atlantis
PR Newswire

July 15

Press Conference

Space Coast: The Future

Regional leaders discuss what's to come in

the post-space shuttle era

WHAT:
 As the Space Shuttle Program completes its mission with the landing of Atlantis on July 21, questions remain about what lies ahead for the region known as Florida's Space Coast.   
 
 You're invited to attend a panel discussion featuring representatives from key local entities, as they present insights into their next mission: moving forward without the Space Shuttle Program.
 
 Panelists include:     
 
    -- Brevard County Government - Commissioner Robin Fisher, District 1
 

    -- Economic Development Commission of Florida's Space Coast – Lynda Weatherman,

      President & CEO
 

    -- Brevard County Tourist Development Council/Cocoa Beach Hotel & Lodging Association –

      Tom Williamson, Board Member/President
 

    -- Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – Bill Moore, COO
 
 Moderated by: Christine Michaels, President/CEO, Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida
 
WHEN:
 Wednesday, July 20, 2011
 

 1:30 – 1:45 pm
 Media arrival
 

 2:00 – 2:20 pm
 Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Master Plan/

 
 Atlantis Display Update
 
 2:20 – 3:20 pm   
 Panel Discussion
 
 3:20
 Q&A and one-on-one interviews
 
WHERE:
 Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
 
 Astronaut Encounter Theater
 SR 405
 Kennedy Space Center, Florida
 
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/16/2011 08:15 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #16   

HOUSTON – The crew of the final space shuttle mission woke up today to well wishes from a former neighbor of sorts.

“Good morning, Atlantis!” Houston native Beyonce Knowles said in a prerecorded message for the STS-135 astronauts. “This is Beyonce. Sandy, Chris, Doug and Rex, you inspire all of us to dare to live our dreams, to know that we’re smart enough and strong enough to achieve them.”

The message was preceded by Knowles’ song “Run the World (Girls),” and before the singer wrapped up her greeting, she had a special shout out for the crew’s female member, Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus.

“This song is especially for my girl, Sandy,” she said, “and all the women who’ve taken us to space with them, and the girls who are our future explorers.”

Magnus, along with Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim are scheduled to spend more time today filling the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module up for return to Earth.

But as the list of items left to be packed grows shorter, they’ll be branching out to other activities, picking up some station work and performing spacesuit maintenance and even unpacking some of the cargo they’ve delivered.

Ferguson and Hurley will also spend some time working to repair the door that gives the crew access to the shuttle’s air revitalization system. The latch on the door was reported by the crew to have broken on Friday. The door is located in the floor of the shuttle’s middeck and opened by the crew when they change out the lithium hydroxide canisters that remove carbon dioxide from the shuttle’s atmosphere.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/16/2011 07:09 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #17   

HOUSTON – All four Atlantis crew members worked Saturday to move equipment and supplies between the International Space Station and the multi-purpose logistics module Raffaello.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, with help from their station colleagues, were nearing the home stretch in transfer activities. Most of the 9,400 pounds of equipment brought up in Raffaello is aboard the station, and the loading of 5,700 pounds of return items is well under way. Raffaello is scheduled to be unberthed from the station’s Harmony node and returned to the shuttle’s cargo bay early Monday.

Early Saturday Ferguson and Hurley fixed a latch on a door in the floor of Atlantis’ middeck. The air revitalization system compartment beneath the door houses lithium hydroxide canisters, used to scrub carbon dioxide from the shuttle’s cabin atmosphere.

The system will be needed once hatches between Atlantis and the station are closed about 8:30 a.m. CDT Monday. Atlantis is scheduled to undock from the station about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, and land at Kennedy Space Center just before 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Magnus spent about an hour and a half Saturday morning taking microbial air samples in the station. They will be returned in Atlantis for study and analysis.

Walheim continued his work with spacewalking tools and equipment. Some will be left on the station, and be available for use in upcoming Russian spacewalks from the Pirs docking compartment. It will be about a year before the next scheduled U.S. spacewalk from the station’s Quest airlock takes place.

The astronauts also provided a recorded message as a tribute to Atlantis, the entire Space Shuttle Program and team. In the message, Ferguson spoke about the U.S. flag displayed behind them that was flown on the first space shuttle mission, STS-1. It was flown on this mission to be presented to the space station crew and it will remain displayed onboard the station until the next crew launched from the U.S. retrieves it for return to Earth. It will fly from Earth again, with the next crew that launches from the U.S. on a journey of exploration beyond Earth orbit.

The tribute video is available online at:

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=101615961

The next status report will be issued after the crew’s 9:59 p.m. Saturday wakeup or earlier if warranted.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/17/2011 08:50 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #18   

HOUSTON – After several days of wakeup calls from celebrities, the STS-135 crew kicked off their 10th day in space with a message from some of the stars of the Space Shuttle Program.

“Good morning Atlantis, from your friends at Stennis Space Center,” Stennis employees said in a message recorded before launch. “It’s time to fire up your engines – laissez les bons temps rouler!”

“Laissez les bons temps rouler,” is a Cajun French phrase that translates “Let the good times roll.” Stennis Space Center, located in southern Mississippi, 50 miles from New Orleans, is home to the test stands that verified each of the main engines that helped propel space shuttles into low Earth orbit – including the three used in the STS-135 launch – was in good working order before it was installed.

The message was fittingly preceded by the wakeup song, “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang, which was played for Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus. The wakeup call came at 9:59 p.m.

Flight day 10 will see the wrap up of transfer work inside the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module, before the crew closes its hatch and returns it to the shuttle’s cargo bay on Monday. They started the day with 96 percent of the work inside Raffaello done.

In addition, Commander Chris Ferguson and Pilot Doug Hurley are scheduled at 5:09 a.m. to answer videotaped questions from students at NASA Explorer Schools across the country, in the last interactive educational event with a space shuttle crew.

Following that, the crew will have two hours of off duty time.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. The crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 1:30 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/18/2011 05:19 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #19   

HOUSTON – Moving days aboard the International Space Station are nearing completion for the station and shuttle crews.

The 9,400 pounds of equipment and supplies brought up by the multi-purpose logistics module have been moved to the International Space Station. The loading of Raffaello with almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded station equipment and trash also is almost finished.

The Raffaelo module is scheduled to be unberthed early Monday from the station’s Harmony node and secured in Atlantis’ cargo bay for the ride home. At the controls of the station’s Canadarm2 will be Atlantis Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus, who served as load master for the complex and demanding cargo transfer, and Pilot Doug Hurley.

After their midday meal today, Magnus and Commander Chris Ferguson worked a little over an hour continuing to move experiments and equipment to and from Atlantis’ middeck. That done, the shuttle crew had most of the afternoon off.

Mission control data processing experts declared Atlantis’ General Purpose Computer 4 to be healthy after its Thursday shutdown. It is back in operation in its normal role of shuttle systems management. GPC 1 remains the guidance, navigation and control computer while GPCs 2 and 3 are in standby.

Beginning about 5:10 a.m. CDT, Hurley and Mission Specialist Rex Walheim answered questions from NASA Explorer Schools students. It was the last opportunity for shuttle crew members to respond to students’ questions.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/18/2011 05:20 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #20   

HOUSTON – The STS-135 flight day 11 wakeup call came from Houston, as always, but in a broader sense of the word than usual.

“Good morning, Atlantis, from all of us at the Johnson Space Center!” chorused an auditorium-full of Johnson employees in a message recorded before Atlantis’ launch. “Have a great mission!”

Johnson Space Center is home not only to the astronaut corps, but also Mission Control and the Space Shuttle Program, itself.

The message was preceded in the 9:29 p.m. wakeup call by Keith Urban’s “Days Go By,” which was chosen by Mission Specialist Rex Walheim.

Walheim and his fellow crew members – Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus – are scheduled to close the hatches between the International Space Station and a space shuttle for the last time today, at 8:19 a.m. But before they do that, they’ll pack up the last of the cargo to come home from the station on the shuttle’s middeck and move the Raffaello multipurpose logistics module back into place inside the shuttle’s cargo bay.

The crew finished packing Raffaello on flight day 10, and now it’s just a matter of getting it – with its 5,666 pounds of returning cargo – back in place for the trip home. When it’s unpacked back on Earth, multipurpose logistic modules will have returned 20 tons of supplies and equipment to Earth, and carried another 50 tons into space since their first mission, STS-102 in 2002.

After returning to the space shuttle for the remainder of the mission, the crew will prepare for Tuesday’s undocking from the space station, checking out the tools they’ll use for that activity and setting up a camera inside the shuttle hatch.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/18/2011 04:04 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-146

HOUSTON WELCOMES HOME FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE CREW

HOUSTON -- After space shuttle Atlantis' scheduled landing Thursday,
July 21, a welcome home ceremony for the STS-135 astronauts is
planned for Friday, July 22. Journalists and the public are invited
to attend the 4 p.m. CDT event at Ellington Field's NASA Hangar 990.
Gates to Ellington Field will open at 3:30 p.m.

Reporters planning to attend must contact NASA's Johnson Space Center
in Houston at 281-483-5111 by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20.
Arrangements will be made for live television satellite trucks upon
request. News media representatives planning to set up live TV
equipment should plan to arrive at the event site no later than 3
p.m.

The ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA Television. For NASA TV
downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


Shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission
Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are wrapping up a 13-day
mission to deliver supplies to the International Space Station that
will help sustain its operation in the post-shuttle era.

To follow the status of the landing and for more information on the
STS-135 mission, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov   


Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/19/2011 05:24 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #21   

HOUSTON – Atlantis and International Space Station crew members said their goodbyes and closed hatches between the two spacecraft at 9:28 a.m. CDT, ending seven days, 21 hours, 41 minutes of docked operations.

Shuttle Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are spending their night with Atlantis still docked to the station. They will begin their journey home with undocking, scheduled for about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Aboard the station, Commander Andrey Borisenko and Flight Engineers Alexander Samokutyaev, Ron Garan, Sergei Volkov, Satoshi Furukawa and Mike Fossum will work during the coming days stowing equipment and supplies left by Atlantis. About 9,400 pounds of it came up on Raffaello, the multi-purpose logistics module.

Almost 2,300 pounds of additional cargo, including scientific equipment and experiments, was brought up on Atlantis’ middeck.

Hatches were closed separating Raffaello and the station, beginning at 12:03 a.m. Monday when the hatch on the cargo carrier was closed. It was undocked from the station’s Harmony node and returned to Atlantis’ cargo bay by Magnus and Hurley using the station’s Canadarm2. Raffaello and its return cargo of almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded equipment and trash from the station, was secured in the cargo bay shortly before 7 a.m.

At the farewell ceremony before the shuttle crew returned to Atlantis, Ferguson presented to the station a small U.S. flag that had flown on STS-1. It will remain on the station’s Harmony node until the arrival of an astronaut launched in a U.S. spacecraft returns it to Earth. Ferguson said that later it will fly again, on a spaceflight beyond low Earth orbit.

He also presented a shuttle model signed by program officials and the mission’s lead shuttle and station flight directors. “What you don’t see is the signatures of the tens of thousands who rose to orbit with us over the past 30 years, if only in spirit,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson thanked station commander Andrey Borisenko for the hospitality and his crew’s help in making the mission a success. Borisenko replied by wishing the shuttle crew a safe trip home and happy landings.

Station Flight Engineer Ron Garan said the best thing Atlantis did was bring up Magnus. “Sandy, we can’t thank you enough for all that you did.” Magnus was a previous station resident and Atlantis’ load master, responsible for the major mission activity of moving cargo between the two spacecraft.

Shortly after hatches between the two spacecraft were closed, Atlantis crew members began preparations for undocking. Ferguson and Hurley installed the centerline camera while hatch leak checks were still under way. Subsequently Hurley and Walheim checked out rendezvous tools.

The camera and the tools will provide information as shuttle crew members move Atlantis away from the station. Undocking is scheduled for 1:28 a.m. Tuesday.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/19/2011 05:25 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #22   

HOUSTON – The final space shuttle crew is now just hours away from undocking from the International Space Station, one more time.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim began their day at 8:59 p.m. Their wakeup call came in the form of Coldplay’s “Don’t Panic,” which was played for Hurley.

After 37 space shuttle visits, in which 10 modules, four sets of solar arrays, 354 feet of truss and countless science experiments – not to mention the necessities of day-to-day living in space – have been delivered, space shuttle Atlantis will pull away from the space station for the last time at 1:28 a.m.

Before the crew gets too far away, however, they’ll have one more service to perform for the orbiting laboratory. Hurley will move the shuttle out to a distance of 600 feet away, and then fly half a loop around the station, so that Atlantis’ astronauts can document once more the product of the space shuttle fleet’s efforts.

Although a fly-around has been performed following undocking for most of the shuttle missions to the station, this last half lap should provide some new views. The space station will rotate 90 degrees to give the shuttle crew a view down its long axis, an angle not normally visible.

The fly-around should be complete by 2:50 a.m., at which point Atlantis’ engines will fire in a series of burns to begin moving it further away from the space station. The crew on board will spend the second half of its day inspecting the shuttle’s heat shield for any damage it may have received while in space.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/20/2011 05:16 am
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-151

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO EARTH FOR FINAL TIME THURSDAY

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The final flight of NASA's 30-year-old space
shuttle program is scheduled to end on Thursday, July 21, when
Atlantis and its STS-135 crew return to Earth. The landing at NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida marks the completion of a 13-day
mission to supply the International Space Station for the
post-shuttle era.

Thursday's Kennedy landing opportunities are at 5:56 a.m. and 7:32
a.m. EDT. Atlantis' entry flight control team, led by Flight Director
Tony Ceccacci, will evaluate weather conditions at the landing site
before giving approval to Atlantis to return. If the shuttle is
unable to come home Thursday, additional opportunities are available
on Friday at Kennedy and at the backup landing site, Edwards Air
Force Base in California. Recorded updates about landing are
available at 321-867-2525.

Journalists are invited to cover news briefings and special events to
commemorate the historic event. To cover landing at the Shuttle
Landing Facility (SLF) runway, reporters must sign up at Kennedy's
press site for transportation. NASA will accommodate as many news
media representatives as possible, but the number is limited because
of safety requirements.


At about 7:45 a.m., NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and STS-135
Commander Chris Ferguson will make comments at the shuttle runway.
The remarks will be broadcast live on NASA Television and the
agency's website.

From about 8 - 9 a.m. on Thursday, following the astronaut's departure
from the shuttle runway, a limited number of journalists at the SLF
will be allowed near Atlantis for a photo opportunity and comments
from Bolden and Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. Interested
journalists must e-mail Allard Beutel [email protected] by 5
p.m. Wednesday. Space is limited.

At 10 a.m., NASA officials will hold a briefing at Kennedy's press
site to discuss Atlantis' STS-135 mission. The event will be
broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website. The participants
will be:

- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations,
NASA Headquarters
- Bob Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Mike Moses, space shuttle launch integration manager
- Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director

Also at about 10 a.m., Atlantis will be towed from the runway and
parked outside Orbiter Processing Facility-2 (OPF-2) for several
hours to give employees an opportunity to walk around and photograph
the shuttle. Reporters interested in covering the move must sign up
at the press site for transportation to the photo opportunity
locations. These events will not be carried live on NASA TV.

At 11:45 a.m., Bolden and Cabana will host an employee appreciation
event outside OPF-2. Journalists can cover the event from a
designated media area near the main stage. News media representatives
interested in covering the event must sign up at the press site for
transportation. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the
agency's website.

At about noon, following opening comments at the employee event, the
STS-135 crew is expected to participate in a post-landing news
conference from the press site. The astronauts' availability is
subject to change. Immediately after a 20 minute media
question-and-answer session, the astronauts will go to the employee
appreciation event to talk briefly to the work force. The events will
be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency's website.

The Kennedy press site will open for shuttle Atlantis' landing at 8
a.m. Wednesday and remain open until 6:30 p.m. Thursday. News media
representatives approved for STS-135 mission badges can pick them up
at NASA's Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 on
Wednesday from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. and Thursday from 2 - 4 a.m. The last
bus will depart from the press site for the SLF about one hour before
landing.

If the shuttle landing is diverted to Edwards after Thursday,
reporters should call the public affairs office at NASA's Dryden
Flight Research Center at 661-276-3449 for access. Dryden has limited
facilities available for previously accredited journalists.

If Atlantis lands Thursday, it will have spent 307 days in space and
traveled nearly 126 million miles during its 33 flights. Atlantis
launched on its first mission on Oct. 3, 1985. For the latest
information about the STS-135 mission and accomplishments, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 


The NASA News Twitter feed is updated throughout the shuttle mission
and landing. To follow, visit:



http://www.twitter.com/NASA


For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/20/2011 05:17 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #23   HOUSTON – Atlantis undocked from the International Space Station early Tuesday, marking the end of shuttle visits to the orbiting laboratory that owes much of its existence to the 37 flights they made to help build and maintain it.

The 1:28 a.m. undocking ended an Atlantis stay at the station of eight days, 15 hours and 21 minutes. All in all, Atlantis and its sister shuttles spent a total of 276 days, 11 hours and 23 minutes docked at the station.

After undocking, Atlantis moved slowly away, to a point about 600 feet ahead of the station, Pilot Doug Hurley paused Atlantis before beginning a final fly around that was in some ways a first. Before Atlantis began the half loop around the station, the orbiting laboratory changed its orientation by rotating 90 degrees to the right.

That gave Atlantis video and still cameras a chance to photograph areas of the station not normally documented in previous fly-arounds. The images will be evaluated by experts on the ground to get additional information on the station’s conditions.

Teams in both flight control rooms were working their last shuttle shift. Atlantis Commander Chris Ferguson thanked the orbit 1 team of shuttle flight controllers. He urged them to pause a moment on their way out and “make a memory.”

From the station flight control room, astronaut and Capcom Dan Tani, himself a former station crew member, told Ferguson that it had been “a pleasure and an honor” to support the mission. “We are proud to be the last of a countless line of mission control teams” who have watched while shuttles visited the ISS. “The ISS wouldn’t be here without the shuttle.”

“It’s been an incredible ride”, replied Ferguson. “On behalf of the four of us, we’re really appreciative we had the opportunity to work with you on this pivotal mission.”

After completing the half loop, Atlantis did two separation burns, the second at 3:18 a.m. to move away from the station.

After their midday meal, Ferguson, Hurley and Mission Specialist Sandra Magnus did the late survey of Atlantis’ heat shield, focused on the reinforced carbon carbon of the wing leading edges and the nose cap. They used the shuttle robotic arm and its 50-foot orbiter boom sensor system to look first at the starboard wing, then the nose cap and finally the port wing.

Data from the survey will be transmitted to the ground for evaluation by experts.

Atlantis is scheduled to land at Kennedy Space center just before 5 a.m. on Thursday.

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/20/2011 05:17 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #24   

HOUSTON – The final shuttle crew’s final full day in space began with a fanfare – literally – and fond greetings from Florida.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim woke up at 8:32 p.m. to Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.” It was followed by a prerecorded message from Kennedy Space Center employees.

“Three … two … one … Good morning, Atlantis!” the group said. “Kennedy salutes you. See you back at wheels stop!”

Kennedy is, of course, home to the space shuttle fleet, along with its launch pads and the people who prepared the shuttles for each trip into space. Atlantis is scheduled to land at the Shuttle Landing Facility in Kennedy on Thursday.

Before it does so, however, the STS-135 crew will spend the day checking out the shuttle’s flight control surfaces and hot firing its reaction control system jets, making sure everything is ready for deorbit. They’ll also pause in their work for one last round of interviews with reporters back home – at 3:44 a.m., the crew will be talking with ABC News, CBS News, CNN, FoxNews and NBC News.

Meanwhile, here on the ground, another United States icon will pay its own tribute to Atlantis’ mission. The Empire State Building in New York City – instantly recognizable, just as the NASA space shuttle is – will celebrate the Space Shuttle Program Wednesday night by lighting the way home for Atlantis and its crew.

To honor 30 years of space shuttle flights on 135 missions, the Empire State Building will glow Red, White and Blue throughout the night Wednesday as Atlantis prepares to return home ending the last ever shuttle flight. The ESB lighting schedule can be viewed at http://www.esbnyc.com/.

The next status report will be issued at the end of the crew’s day or earlier if warranted. Atlantis’ crew is scheduled to go to sleep just before 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/21/2011 04:34 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #25   

HOUSTON – Deployment of a small satellite, checkout of Atlantis’ flight flaps and rudder, and packing up for their return home kept shuttle crew members busy Wednesday.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim are scheduled to land Atlantis a little before 5 a.m. CDT Thursday at Kennedy Space Center. Forecasters are calling for good weather.

That last landing of the shuttle program will bring Atlantis to its final home. It is to be displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Complex.

The crew began cabin stowage – packing up in preparation for Thursday’s landing – early in its workday. Ferguson, Hurley and Walheim spent a little over an hour beginning around 1:15 a.m. with a checkout of the flight control surfaces, the rudder and flaps with which they will guide the shuttle through the atmosphere. Subsequently they hot fired reaction control system jets, the thrusters that control Atlantis’ orientation before the flight control surfaces become effective as the shuttle descends into the atmosphere.

Springs pushed the PicoSat from Atlantis’ cargo bay at 2:49 a.m. It is designed to evaluate the performance of a variety of solar cells mounted on it. The eight-pound, 5- by 5- by 10-inch satellite could lead to development of improved solar cells for use in space.

It was the 180th payload deployed by a space shuttle.
Shuttle crew members got one last chance to talk from space with news media representatives on the ground. A little before 4 a.m., the crew answered questions from ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News.

The Empire State Building in New York City – instantly recognizable just as the NASA space shuttle is – will pay tribute to, and celebrate, the Space Shuttle Program Wednesday night by lighting the way home for Atlantis and its crew. To honor 30 years of shuttle flights on 135 missions, the Empire State Building will glow Red, White and Blue throughout the night Wednesday as Atlantis prepares to return home ending the last shuttle flight. The ESB lighting schedule is at:

http://www.esbnyc.com/

A graphic depicting the tribute is available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/multimedia/empire_state.html
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/21/2011 04:34 am
STS-135 MCC Status Report #26   

HOUSTON – The final day of the final space shuttle mission began at 8:29 p.m. with an iconic final wakeup song.

Kate Smith’s rendition of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” woke Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim. But unlike most wakeup songs, which are played in honor of a particular crew member, this one was dedicated to not only the entire crew, but also all “the men and women who put their heart and soul into the shuttle program for all these years,” as Capcom Shannon Lucid told the crew.

Ferguson said it was an appropriate song for their last day in space.

“Thank you, America, for supporting this program,” he said. “We’ll see you on the ground here in a few short hours, hopefully.”

Preparations are now underway for Atlantis’ 33rd and final landing, scheduled for 4:56 a.m., just before dawn in Florida. The teams here on the ground will spend the intervening time taking a close look at weather conditions at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, which are forecast to be favorable, before giving the crew a go or no-go to perform a deorbit burn at 3:49 a.m. to put Atlantis on the path home.

If, for any reason, the first opportunity can’t be taken, a second opportunity would allow Atlantis to land in Florida at 6:32 a.m. To make that touchdown time, the crew would perform a deorbit burn at 5:25 a.m. Additional opportunities are also available on Friday morning.

Assuming Atlantis does land on its first opportunity today, it will be the 19th night landing at Kennedy Space Center, and the 78th landing there at any time of the day. There have been 54 landings at Edwards Air Force Base in California over the course of the program, and one at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico, for a total – including today’s scheduled landing – of 133 space shuttle landings in 30 years.

The next status report will be issued after landing or at the end of the crew’s day if landing is waved off.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: bolun on 07/21/2011 11:24 am
Space Shuttle final landing marks end of an era

21 July 2011

http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMXRSCT5QG_index_0.html
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/21/2011 04:17 pm
RELEASE: 11-241

NASA ADMINISTRATOR COMMEMORATES FINAL SPACE SHUTTLE LANDING

WASHINGTON -- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden today issued this
statement about the final landing of the Space Shuttle Program:

"At today's final landing of the space shuttle, we had the rare
opportunity to witness history. We turned the page on a remarkable
era and began the next chapter in our nation's extraordinary story of
exploration.

The brave astronauts of STS-135 are emblematic of the shuttle program.
Skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds who propelled America
to continued leadership in space with the shuttle's many successes.
It is my great honor today to welcome them home.

I salute them and all of the men and women who have flown shuttle
missions since the very first launch on April 12, 1981.

The shuttle program brought our nation many firsts. Many proud
moments, some of which I was privileged to experience myself as a
shuttle commander. I was proud to be part of the shuttle program and
will carry those experiences with me for the rest of my life.

As we move forward, we stand on the shoulders of these astronauts and
the thousands of people who supported them on the ground - as well as
those who cheered their triumphs and mourned their tragedies.

This final shuttle flight marks the end of an era, but today, we
recommit ourselves to continuing human spaceflight and taking the
necessary-and difficult-steps to ensure America's leadership in human
spaceflight for years to come.

I want to send American astronauts where we've never been before by
focusing our resources on exploration and innovation, while
leveraging private sector support to take Americans to the
International Space Station in low Earth orbit.

With the bold path President Obama and Congress have set us on, we
will continue the grand tradition of exploration.

Children who dream of being astronauts today may not fly on the space
shuttle . . . but, one day, they may walk on Mars. The future belongs
to us. And just like those who came before us, we have an obligation
to set an ambitious course and take an inspired nation along for the
journey.

I'm ready to get on with the next big challenge.

The future is bright for human spaceflight and for NASA. American
ingenuity is alive and well. And it will fire up our economy and help
us win the future, but only if we dream big and imagine endless
possibilities. That future begins today."


-end-

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/21/2011 04:18 pm
RELEASE: 11-240

NASA'S PROUD SPACE SHUTTLE PROGRAM ENDS WITH ATLANTIS LANDING

Agency Ushers In Next Era OF Exploration

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Wrapping up 30 years of unmatched achievements
and blazing a trail for the next era of U.S. human spaceflight,
NASA's storied Space Shuttle Program came to a "wheels stop" on
Thursday at the conclusion of its 135th mission.

Shuttle Atlantis and its four-astronaut crew glided home for the final
time, ending a 13-day journey of more than five million miles with a
landing at 5:57 a.m. EDT at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
It was the 25th night landing (19th night and 78th total landings at
Kennedy) and the 133rd landing in shuttle history.

"The brave astronauts of STS-135 are emblematic of the shuttle program
-- skilled professionals from diverse backgrounds who propelled
America to continued leadership in space with the shuttle's many
successes," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. "This final
shuttle flight marks the end of an era, but today, we recommit
ourselves to continuing human spaceflight and taking the necessary-
and difficult - steps to ensure America's leadership in human
spaceflight for years to come."

Since STS-1 launched on April 12, 1981, 355 individuals from 16
countries flew 852 times aboard the shuttle. The five shuttles
traveled more than 542 million miles and hosted more than 2,000
experiments in the fields of Earth, astronomy, biological and
materials sciences.

The shuttles docked with two space stations, the Russian Mir and the
International Space Station. Shuttles deployed 180 payloads,
including satellites, returned 52 from space and retrieved, repaired
and redeployed seven spacecraft.

The STS-135 crew consisted of Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug
Hurley, Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim. They
delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, spare equipment and
other supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module -
including 2,677 pounds of food - that will sustain space station
operations for the next year. The 21-foot long, 15-foot diameter
Raffaello brought back nearly 5,700 pounds of unneeded materials from
the station.

A welcome home ceremony for the astronauts will be held Friday, July
22, in Houston. The public is invited to attend the 4 p.m. CDT event
at NASA's Hangar 990 at Ellington Field. Gates to Ellington Field
will open at 3:30 p.m. The ceremony will be broadcast live on NASA
Television. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to
streaming video, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv   


STS-135 was the 135th and final shuttle flight, Atlantis' 33rd flight
and the 37th shuttle mission dedicated to station assembly and
maintenance.

For more information about the STS-135 mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


For information about the space station, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station


For information on NASA's future exploration activities, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/next   


Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 07/21/2011 04:22 pm
STS-135 MCC Status Report #27   

HOUSTON – Atlantis landed at 4:57 a.m. CDT Thursday, wrapping up a successful 13-day mission, ending its own 33-flight career and closing out the 30-year, 135-flight Space Shuttle Program.

Kennedy Space Center weather was near perfect with light winds and clear skies. Atlantis glided to a smooth predawn landing under a waning half-moon.

“Mission complete, Houston,” said Commander Chris Ferguson just after wheels stop. “After serving the world for over 30 years, the shuttle has earned its place in history, and it has come to a final stop.”

Entry Capcom Barry Wilmore responded: “We congratulate you, Atlantis, as well as the thousands of passionate individuals across this great spacefaring nation who truly empowered this incredible spacecraft … which has inspired millions around the globe.”

Atlantis crew members, Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim, wound up the successful mission to the International Space Station. It left the station with about 9,400 pounds of equipment and supplies carried aloft in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, and almost 2,300 pounds of experiments, equipment and supplies brought up in its middeck lockers.

Atlantis returned almost 5,700 pounds of unneeded equipment and trash in Raffaello. The shuttle also brought back material, including experiments, in its middeck lockers and a 1,400-pound pump module. Part of the station cooling system, it had failed last year. It will be examined to determine what caused the failure.

During Atlantis’ eight-day, 15-hour stay at the orbiting laboratory, station Flight Engineers Mike Fossum and Ron Garan did a 6.5-hour spacewalk that included placing the pump module in the shuttle cargo bay and installing on the station a satellite refueling experiment called the Robotic Refueling Mission.

On Atlantis’ way home the small PicoSat, designed to evaluate performance of a variety of solar cells, was deployed from the cargo bay.

During STS-135, Atlantis orbited the Earth 200 times, traveling 5,284,862 statute miles. Over its 33 missions, it spent 307 days in space, completing 4,848 orbits and traveling 125,935,769 miles. STS-135 was the 37th visit of a space shuttle to the station.

Shuttles on all 135 missions traveled more than 542 million miles in space.

This was the 78th shuttle landing at Kennedy Space Center. Shuttles landed 54 times at Edwards Air Force Base in California and once, on Columbia’s STS-3 flight in March 1982, at White Sands Space Harbor in New Mexico.

A celebration of Atlantis crew members’ homecoming will be held in Houston at 4 p.m. Friday. Open to the public, the ceremony will be held at Ellington’s Hangar 990. Ellington gates will open at 3:30 p.m.
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 08/10/2011 07:50 pm
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-167

NASA ASTRONAUTS TO VISIT INTREPID SEA, AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

WASHINGTON -- The last crew to fly aboard a space shuttle will visit
New York City's Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum from 10 a.m. to 2:30
p.m. EDT on Thursday, Aug. 18.

Commander Christopher Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley and Mission
Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim completed a 13-day mission
to the International Space Station in July. The STS-135 flight marked
the end of NASA's 30-year-old shuttle program.

The STS-135 crew's events are open to news media representatives.
-- 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Presentation to more than 200 students from
Intrepid's educational programs (ages 7 - 15) inside the museum's
Allison & Howard Lutnick Theater
-- 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.: Meeting with public at two museum exhibits:
- Journey to Tomorrow traveling exhibit, a 53-foot long, walk-through
trailer packed with exciting interactive learning stations on the
museum's pier
- Project Kewl exhibit located in the museum's Exploreum Hall. Project
Kewl is an interactive educational game using the Xbox 360 and Kinect
sensor that allows visitors to explore the space station, walk on
Mars and take control of NASA's coolest robots.

In April, NASA selected the Intrepid as one of four museums to receive
a space shuttle. It will be the new home for the Enterprise,
currently on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space
Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia.

During the STS-135 mission, the crew delivered more than 9,400 pounds
of spare parts, spare equipment and other supplies in the Raffaello
multi-purpose logistics module --including 2,677 pounds of food --
that will sustain station operations for the next year.

For more information about the STS-135 mission and crew, visit:


http://go.nasa.gov/STS-135


For more information about the Intrepid Museum, visit:


http://www.intrepidmuseum.org   

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: Space Pete on 09/19/2011 06:50 pm
QinetiQ North America and NASA Advance Space Travel with First Forward Osmosis Experiments in Microgravity

McLean, VA – September 19, 2011 - QinetiQ North America announced today the results of another successful experiment completed on board the final flight of the space shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) in July 2011. The experiment, the first of its kind in microgravity, tested the novel application in space of a technology modeled on a biological process used by cells on Earth to recover water from their environment. Already engineered for use in applications ranging from desalination plants to treating non-potable water for backpackers, forward osmosis is the natural diffusion of water through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane permits small polar molecules like water to pass through while blocking most other molecules like salts, sugars, starches, or proteins, and stopping all microorganisms like protozoan parasites, bacteria, and viruses. On earth, the process converts undrinkable water to a potable fluid in a few hours; how the process would work in reduced gravity was unknown prior to this experiment.

In testing on the shuttle, the experiment demonstrated the process to be nearly as effective in microgravity as in normal gravity. For the microgravity experiment, scientists from QinetiQ North America and NASA worked with the creators of the X-Pack™, a commercially available product, to develop the Forward Osmosis Bag (FOB), a passive, personal, portable water purification device. The experiment used a combination of indicator dyes and calculated the effect of mechanical mixing – i.e., shaking three of the experiment’s six FOBs for a few minutes – on the rate of water passage across the membrane. Additional ground control experiments for the forward osmosis study will be conducted later this month at the Kennedy Space Center.

“If we discover that manual manipulation helps, then we hope a long-term application would result in a spacesuit which would induce the mechanical mixing as astronauts move around during spacewalks,” said QinetiQ North America project engineer Monica Soler.

Soler added that, unlike reverse osmosis, which requires a significant amount of energy, forward osmosis provides an energy-efficient process that does not increase payload weight or energy needs of the spacecraft. QinetiQ North America developed and administered the forward osmosis experiment, as well as other scientific experiments, on board the final flight of Atlantis, as a part of its Engineering Services Contract (ESC) with NASA.
In the future, the Forward Osmosis Bag may be used for water recovery aboard the International Space Station or in contingency, return-to-earth scenarios where the crew requires emergency potable water. The process could also extend the reach of manned space travel and enable longer space walks by giving astronauts the ability to produce drinkable fluids in space.


http://www.qinetiq-na.com/72c3bd5f-87ab-40b0-8bf7-39c5b6d96120/news-and-events-latest-news-detail.htm
Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 09/23/2011 07:20 pm
RELEASE: 11-324

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE CREW MEMBERS HOST TWEETUP IN WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON -- NASA invites its Twitter followers to a special Tweetup
with Sandy Magnus and Chris Ferguson at 4 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct.
13. The event will be in the James E. Webb Memorial Auditorium at
NASA Headquarters, 300 E St. SW, Washington.

Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, Mission Specialists
Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim were the crew of the space shuttle
Atlantis for the 13-day STS-135 mission. Atlantis launched July 8 and
landed July 21, completing NASA's final space shuttle mission, after
a journey of more than five million miles.

The crew delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipment
and other supplies in the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module --
including 2,677 pounds of food -- that will sustain space station
operations for the next year.

The 21-foot long, 15-foot diameter Raffaello brought back nearly 5,700
pounds of unneeded materials from the station. STS-135 was the 135th
and final shuttle flight.

A Tweetup is an informal meeting of people who use the social
messaging medium Twitter. This NASA Tweetup is an opportunity to meet
and speak with STS-135 crew members, the people behind NASA's Twitter
account and other space-exploration-minded participants.

Registration for the event is open from 10 a.m. EDT, Thursday, Sept.
29, until 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30. NASA randomly will select 150
participants from online registrants. For more NASA Tweetup
information and to sign up, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/tweetup


To connect with NASA on Twitter and other social networking sites,
visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/connect


All four of Atlantis' crew members are posting updates to Twitter. You
can follow Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission
Specialists Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim at:



http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Ferg




http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Doug




http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Sandy




http://www.twitter.com/Astro_Rex


For more information about shuttle Atlantis' STS-135 mission, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135

Title: Re: STS-135 Press releases
Post by: jacqmans on 09/18/2013 03:34 pm
Report #JA13-004

Petaluma Honors NASA Astronaut with ‘Rex Walheim Day’

NASA astronaut and California native Rex Walheim will be honored by the City of Petaluma, Calif., with his own special day, “Rex Walheim Day” on Sept. 21. 

Beginning at 1 p.m. PDT, Saturday, Sept. 21, in downtown Petaluma, a motorcade parade honoring Walheim will proceed from the Sheraton hotel, 745 Baywood Drive, to hanger 18B of the Petaluma Airport, 601 Sky Ranch
Road. A media opportunity is scheduled at 1:45 p.m. 

The opening ceremony, and presentation by Petaluma Mayor David Glass of a city proclamation officially declaring Sept. 21 as &quot;Rex Walheim Day,&quot; begins at 2 p.m. 

At 2:30 p.m., Walheim will deliver a presentation showcasing images and video from his last space shuttle mission, STS-135, the final spaceflight of the U.S. Space Shuttle Program, and discuss what lies ahead for
America's space agency. His presentation also will include an interactive question-and-answer session with the public. The event is free with general admission.

“It is always a pleasure to return home to California,” Walheim said. “I am looking forward to sharing my spaceflight experiences in Petaluma.” 

Walheim grew up in nearby San Carlos, Calif. He was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1996. The veteran of three spaceflights has logged more than 36 days in space, including more than 36 hours during five spacewalks.
Currently, Walheim is chief of the Exploration Branch of the Astronaut Office, where he works as the astronaut representative to the Orion Program, America’s new human spacecraft for space exploration.

For more information about this appearance, contact Brenda Cabaniss, publicist, Astronaut Appearances Office, by email at [email protected] or by phone at 281-244-8860, or Joe Noriel, president, Petaluma
Museum/History Connection at [email protected] or 707-776-7534.

For more information about Walheim, visit:
   
http://1.usa.gov/jzhYmh

For information about Orion, visit:

http://1.usa.gov/ly2urC

For information about Rex Walheim Day, visit:

http://historyconnection.net/