Atlantis: Deservicing and Retirement Updates

[Ronsmytheiii]

an OMS engine nozzle was installed (dont have to worry about it during ferry)

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=9

[Ronsmytheiii]

and payload bay work on mock tv cameras and airlock

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=9

[Ford Mustang]

MEDIA ADVISORY: 52-12

NASA INVITES MEDIA TO SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS TOUR OCT. 3

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- On Oct. 3, media interested in space shuttle
Atlantis are invited to interview and photo opportunities inside
Orbiter Processing Facility-2 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in
Florida. Experts will be available for interviews around the outside
of Atlantis and inside the shuttle's crew compartment.

A limited number of time slots will be available throughout the
morning and mid-afternoon. To accommodate as many journalists as
possible, media organizations will be limited to one person per
organization for a slot, with a maximum of two people, a reporter and
videographer, for television media. NASA intends to first accommodate
media who did not take part in the Discovery or Endeavour tours in
June 2011 and March 2012, respectively.

To participate, international and U.S. media must email Tracy Young at
tracy.g.young@nasa.gov by close of business on Wednesday, Sept. 19.
Media will be contacted about available time slots by close of
business on Sept. 20. Upon confirmation of an available time slot,
media then will need to apply online for Kennedy credentials at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov 

Atlantis' last spaceflight was the STS-135 mission in July 2011. It is
being prepared for public display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex and is scheduled to roll over to the complex on Nov. 2. The
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is targeting a July 2013 grand
opening for Atlantis' new home.

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

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com

For more information about NASA's space shuttle transition and
retirement activities, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/transition

   
-end-

[stuart_wildcat]

I was just out at the Visitor Center and took the VAB tour to see Endeavour on her last day ever in the VAB.  On the way back I was wondering about the route Atlantis might take to rollover to the Visitor Center because the ramp that is the direct route between the two major roads involved tilts quite a bit and I figured there is no way they were going that way.

Looking at the announcement of the Visitor Center event for "Celebrate the Journey" rollover day they mention being stopped in "Exploration Park" for photos.  It looks like this is part of the industrial area so this got me thinking even more about the route they would take.

Attached is my guess of the route she will take to get over there.  Any info on the official route, especially the place they will be parking her for a few hours, would be appreciated.
[EDIT: I removed the attachment so it won't be mistaken for the actual route]

This is the URL of the Google map I used if you want to take your own guess.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Nasa+Pkwy+W&daddr=28.5161828,-80.665698+to:28.5166302,-80.6532966+to:Kennedy+Pkwy+N&hl=en&ll=28.521193,-80.659089&spn=0.023567,0.027595&sll=28.518779,-80.657887&sspn=0.023568,0.027595&geocode=FZZGswEdRO8w-w%3BFVYfswEdniMx-ylFl5wKyK_giDH794HpE_qjTw%3BFRYhswEdEFQx-ymjnX1f6q_giDGbS6Q28pgRlw%3BFVAwtAEdPkcx-w&t=h&mra=dpe&mrsp=2&sz=15&via=1,2&z=15

[psloss]

Attached is my guess of the route she will take to get over there.  Any info on the official route, especially the place they will be parking her for a few hours, would be appreciated.

SFN ran a story already, shouldn't be hard to find.  (Ben Cooper tweeted it, too, IIRC.)
http://mobile.twitter.com/LaunchPhoto/status/243525633945268224

(They're going around on Space Commerce.)

[GBCT#5]

The OTS Crew were told that the orbiter will not turn back north onto SR 3. The path will cut thru Ransom Road or the Facility just north of Ransom to get to Commerce way, then back to the VIC, making a sharp right hand turn into the new display building.

That was last week. This week, who knows?

[robertross]

As a reminder, tickets for the Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey event will be placed on sale tomorrow, September 18, at 9 a.m. ET. Guests will enter a virtual waiting room to be selected at random to purchase tickets. Entry time into the waiting room does not effect the probability of being randomly selected.

 
Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey Ticket Packages

 
Atlantis Adventure Package
Includes Admission, KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour and Exploration Park Event Ticket (including transportation)
Price: $115 plus tax per adult guest

Explorer Package
Admission and Exploration Park Event Ticket (including transportation)
Price: $90 plus tax per adult guest

Lift-off Package
Admission and KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad Tour
Price: $75 plus tax per adult guest

Rollover Package
Admission only
Price: $50 plus tax per adult guest

Astronaut Autograph and Memorabilia Show Option
The "who's who" of space exploration will be ready and waiting to autograph at the Kurt H. Debus Conference Facility, adjacent to the Rocket Garden. Over 50 astronauts are scheduled to attend. Each astronaut will have their own station and charge a fee for their autograph. Guests are invited to bring as much memorabilia as they would like to be signed. This ticket option can be added after selecting a ticket package for the event.
Price: $15 plus tax per adult guest

[Sarah]

Where is Exploration Park at? I'm pretty sure they will bus us there from the KSCVC. Maybe we should start another thread for the Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey event. 

[robertross]

Where is Exploration Park at? I'm pretty sure they will bus us there from the KSCVC. Maybe we should start another thread for the Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey event. 

Had me stumped too.

Some addditional info:
http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/atlantis.aspx

Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey Packages for Nov. 2, 2012:
Level 1: Atlantis Adventure Package - $115 adult/$105 child (ages 3-11), plus tax - SOLD OUT

Includes:

•Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex admission
•Ticket and roundtrip transportation to Exploration Park featuring the opportunity to view and photograph Atlantis in 360 degrees from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
•KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad tour
Additional activities at Exploration Park include interactive exhibits promoting the history and future of spaceflight and displays of spaceflight hardware from past, current and future programs. Exhibitors scheduled to attend include NASA, The Boeing Company, Sierra Nevada Corporation, SpaceX and XCOR Aerospace.


KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad tour. Travel a quarter-mile within the perimeter security fence of Launch Pad 39-A to enjoy close-up views of the 350-foot high launch pad. Tour includes two photo opportunity stops including a new stop in front of the Flame Trench. Other sites on the tour include drive-by views of Launch Pad 39-B, the Vehicle Assembly Building and mobile launcher platforms with the tour culminating at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Tour times will be assigned in advance and you will be notified of the time when your tickets arrive. Tour times will depart between 9:30 and 10:50 a.m. to allow ample time to visit Exploration Park and return to the Visitor Complex to see Atlantis arrive.


Level 2: Explorer Package - $90 adult/$80 child (ages 3-11), plus tax

Includes:

•Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex admission 
•Ticket and roundtrip transportation to Exploration Park featuring the opportunity to view and photograph Atlantis in 360 degrees from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Additional activities include interactive exhibits promoting the history and future of spaceflight and displays of spaceflight hardware from past, current and future programs. Exhibitors scheduled to attend include NASA, The Boeing Company, Sierra Nevada Corporation, SpaceX and XCOR Aerospace.

Level 3: Lift-off Package - $75 adult/$59 child (ages 3-11), plus tax 

Includes:

•Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex admission
•KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad tour
KSC Up-Close: Launch Pad tour. Travel nearly a quarter-mile within the perimeter security fence of Launch Pad  39-A to enjoy close-up views of the 350-foot high launch pad. Tour includes two photo opportunity stops including a new stop in front of the Flame Trench. Other sites on the tour include drive-by views of Launch Pad 39-B, the Vehicle Assembly Building and mobile launcher platforms with the tour culminating at the Apollo/Saturn V Center. Tour times will be assigned in advance and you will be notified of the time when your tickets arrive. Tour times will depart between 9:30 and 10:50 a.m. to allow ample time to visit Exploration Park and return to the Visitor Complex to see Atlantis arrive.

Level 4: Rollover Package - $50 adult/$40 child (ages 3-11), plus tax

Includes: 

•Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex admission with the opportunity to see Atlantis travel along the roadway and enter the orbiter home from 5 to 6 p.m. During the day, enjoy special exhibits as well as the Kennedy Space Center Tour, Shuttle Launch Experience, 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter, Exploration Space: Explorers Wanted and all exhibits. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®.
Astronaut Autograph and Memorabilia Show benefitting the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation: The "who's who" of space exploration will be ready and waiting to sign autographs at the Kurt H. Debus Conference Facility, adjacent to the Rocket Garden. Each astronaut will have their own station and charge a fee for their autograph. Bring as much memorabilia as you'd like to be signed, or choose from a number of high-quality, glossy photos and memorabilia that will be available on-site for purchase. Meet more than 40 astronauts and special guests.

Admission is $15 for adults and children. Tickets will be available on the Astronaut Autograph and Memorabilia Show page, following the Atlantis – Celebrate the Journey ticket package page.

Please note: There will be no arrival to or exit from Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex from 4 to 6 p.m. due to blocked roadways as the orbiter moves from Exploration Park to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

and this sounds like where Atlantis will be parked for the event
http://www.explorationpark.com/index.htm

[psloss]

Where is Exploration Park at? I'm pretty sure they will bus us there from the KSCVC. Maybe we should start another thread for the Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey event. 

Roughly at the intersection of Kennedy Parkway (S.R. 3) and 5th Street, south of S.R. 405 and north of Space Commerce.  It's on the west side of S.R. 3; should be able to find it in a recent satellite map of the area.

[Sarah]

Where is Exploration Park at? I'm pretty sure they will bus us there from the KSCVC. Maybe we should start another thread for the Atlantis - Celebrate the Journey event. 

Roughly at the intersection of Kennedy Parkway (S.R. 3) and 5th Street, south of S.R. 405 and north of Space Commerce.  It's on the west side of S.R. 3; should be able to find it in a recent satellite map of the area.

Looks like they will need to take down stop lights and light poles if they are going to take her into the park.

[danduc]

KSC visitor Centre told me on Monday that ATlantis could be seen in the VAB between 16 october and 2 Novembre. Now, somebody just wrote me saying that the guides at KSC told him that Atlantis will go directly from the OPC to the Museum. Who<s right?

[psloss]

KSC visitor Centre told me on Monday that ATlantis could be seen in the VAB between 16 october and 2 Novembre. Now, somebody just wrote me saying that the guides at KSC told him that Atlantis will go directly from the OPC to the Museum. Who<s right?

I guess it's possible that some discussions are still going on; however, I've heard from Stephanie Stilson twice now -- last month and last Friday -- that Atlantis will go to the VAB first.  She said the current target date was October 17.

[Ronsmytheiii]

Atlantis' payload bay doors were closed, but will be reopened eventually at the KSCVC.

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=9

[nisse]

and payload bay work on mock tv cameras and airlock

Why not donate a real airlock to the museum? There is no use for the shuttle airlocks after r&r?