Author Topic: STS-134 Press releases  (Read 85359 times)

Offline jacqmans

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STS-134 Press releases
« on: 05/04/2010 08:17 am »
Lockheed Martin Delivers Next-to-Last Space Shuttle Flight Tank to NASA

3-May-2010 8:21 PM


NEW ORLEANS, LA, May 3rd, 2010 -- External Tank-137 is scheduled to depart the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility at 8 p.m. CDT today bound for Kennedy Space Center. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) completed the build of ET-137 for NASA on April 30 and rolled the tank into the enclosed barge, Pegasus, on May 1. However, high winds in the New Orleans area delayed earlier plans to depart Michoud.

The voyage to Kennedy Space Center is 900 miles and will take approximately six days. Two tugs will escort Pegasus and ET-137 due east in the Intracoastal Canal to the Port of Gulfport where Solid Rocket Booster retrieval ship Freedom Star is waiting to tow the tank across the Gulf of Mexico, around Key West and up the eastern side of Florida to Kennedy Space Center. Freedom Star is expected to arrive at KSC on May 9.

Lockheed Martin has built 133 flight tanks for the Space Shuttle program, which is scheduled to end later this year after 29 years. ET-137 is the next-to-last flight tank that will be delivered to KSC and is currently scheduled to propel shuttle Endeavour to orbit in mid-November for its flight to the International Space Station  the final shuttle mission.

Lockheed Martin is also building ET-138, which is scheduled to be finished next month and will fly with shuttle Discovery on September 16. In addition, the company is constructing ET-122, a spare launch-on-need tank that was damaged in Hurricane Katrina, but is not scheduled to fly.

High-res and low-res photos of ET-137s rollout to the barge can be viewed at http://www.lockheedmartin.com/ssc/michoud/MichoudImages/ET137.html

Too large to travel by rail or interstate highway, the External Tank stands 15 stories tall (154 feet) and is almost 28 feet in diameter. ET-137 will weigh close to 1.7 million pounds when loaded with 535,000 gallons of propellant prior to launch.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #1 on: 05/25/2010 08:51 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M28-10

NASA INVITES MEDIA TO ARRIVAL OF LAST SHUTTLE BOOSTER SEGMENTS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media will have the opportunity on May 27 to
cover the final train of space shuttle solid rocket booster segments
arriving at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The six railroad cars
will be delivered by Florida East Coast Railway to the interchange
with the NASA Railroad located north of Titusville.

Reporters will be able to cover the arrival of the train, as well as
interview program officials and the astronauts aboard. The event will
occur at NASA's "Jay Jay" railroad yard. Because this is an
industrial location with uneven terrain and heavy equipment, media
should wear flat shoes that fully cover the feet and long pants.

Journalists should plan to arrive at Kennedy's Press Site at 11 a.m.
EDT on May 27 for transportation to the location of the train's
arrival. The date and schedule of the train are subject to change and
are being planned not to conflict with the landing of space shuttle
Atlantis on its current STS-132 mission.

Media should call the Press Site for recorded updates at 321-867-2525,
particularly on the day of the arrival, or call the news center main
number at 321-867-2468.

Badging for international journalists is closed. U.S. journalists
without permanent Kennedy credentials should submit their requests
online by 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 26, at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov 

The segment cars will have travelled across the country, starting
their trip at the ATK solid rocket booster plant in Promontory, Utah.
NASA and ATK senior managers will board the train in Jacksonville,
Fla., for the final leg of the trip to Kennedy. The solid rocket
booster segments will be used for shuttle Atlantis for what is
currently being planned as the "launch on need" or potential rescue
flight for the final shuttle mission, Endeavour's STS-134, which is
targeted to launch no earlier than mid-November.

Video B-roll of the flight hardware arrival will be available on NASA
Television's Video File. For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and
downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the Space Shuttle Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 


-end-
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #2 on: 06/30/2010 05:34 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-098

NASA'S EXTERNAL TANK FOR FINAL SHUTTLE FLIGHT GETS NEW ORLEANS SEND-OFF

NEW ORLEANS -- NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company will
hold a ceremony at 9 a.m. CDT on Thursday, July 8, at the agency's
Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The event will commemorate
37 years of successful tank deliveries and the final external tank's
rollout for the last space shuttle flight.

NASA Television and the agency's website will broadcast the ceremony
live. Coverage begins at 8:45 a.m. NASA and Lockheed Martin senior
managers will participate in the ceremony. Reporters interested in
covering the event or interviewing workers and managers must contact
Harry Wadsworth at 504-257-0094 by Tuesday, July 6.

Journalists should report to the Michoud Main Gate, 13800 Old Gentilly
Road, by 8:30 a.m. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the
gate. Photo identification and proof of car insurance is required.

The last external tank scheduled to fly on a shuttle mission was
completed on June 25 by Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud. The tank,
designated ET-138, will travel on a wheeled transporter one mile to
the Michoud barge dock. It will be accompanied by the Storyville
Stompers, a traditional area brass band, and hundreds of
handkerchief-waving employees in typical New Orleans fashion and
spirit.

The tank will travel on a 900-mile sea journey to NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, where it will support shuttle Endeavour's STS-134
launch.

NASA TV will broadcast the events on its media and high definition
channels. For streaming video, schedules and downlink information,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For more information about the Space Shuttle Program and the STS-134
mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Jacques :-)

Offline brettreds2k

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #3 on: 06/30/2010 07:22 pm »
So does NASA have a 3rd extra tank then for Atlantis and the LON flight? Since this final one is for Endevour?
Brett
www.facebook.com/brett.lowenthal1

Orbiters I have visited in retirement:

[ ] Enterprise
[X] Discovery
[X] Atlantis
[ ] Endeavour

Offline psloss

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #4 on: 06/30/2010 07:37 pm »
So does NASA have a 3rd extra tank then for Atlantis and the LON flight? Since this final one is for Endevour?
Yes, but the LON flight is optional, likely unneeded, and that tank (ET-122) may not need to be transported to Florida.  If another flight is authorized and paid for by Congress and the President, then that tank will be available for use.

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #5 on: 07/01/2010 03:53 pm »
RELEASE: 10-157

NASA UPDATES SHUTTLE TARGET LAUNCH DATES FOR FINAL TWO FLIGHTS

WASHINGTON -- NASA is targeting approximately 4:33 p.m. EDT on Nov. 1
for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission and 4:19
p.m. EST on Feb. 26, 2011, for the liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's
STS-134 flight from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The target dates were adjusted because critical payload hardware for
STS-133 will not be ready in time to support the previously planned
Sept. 16 launch. With STS-133 moving to November, STS-134 cannot fly
as planned, so the next available launch window is in February 2011.

NASA will schedule the official launch date for each mission following
the agency's Flight Readiness Reviews, which typically occur about
two weeks prior to launches. All target launch dates are subject to
change.

For more information about the shuttle missions and their crews,
visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


The shuttle launch manifest is available at:


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest.html 
 
-end-

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #6 on: 07/08/2010 05:39 pm »
RELEASE: 10-159

NASA CEREMONY HONORS SHUTTLE EXTERNAL TANK WORKFORCE

WASHINGTON -- NASA and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company paid
tribute to the workforce who built the external tanks for the space
shuttle fleet on Thursday at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New
Orleans. ET-138, the last newly manufactured tank to roll out of the
assembly building, served as a backdrop for speakers praising the
employees.

"This is a bittersweet moment for everyone who's been part of this
great and dedicated NASA and Lockheed Martin external tank production
team," said John Honeycutt, manager of the External Tank Project
Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala.
"ET-138 is the last in a series of tanks that has provided
increasingly safer launches of space shuttles."

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company of Denver was awarded a contract
in 1973 to build the external tanks. Through almost 30 years of
shuttle flights, Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud have built and
delivered 134 flight tanks to the Space Shuttle Program.

"Today is an emotional one for us," said Mark Bryant, vice president,
Lockheed Martin External Tank Project at Michoud. "We have worked
hard to build safe tanks for NASA, and I think this last one can be
the safest yet. Yes, we've persevered through the challenges of
Return to Flight and Katrina. Those events made us stronger, and as a
result, we've developed better, more efficient ways to build even
safer tanks."

Following the ceremony, a traditional New Orleans brass band and
hundreds of handkerchief-waving employees escorted ET-138 on its
rollout to Michoud Harbor.

The tank was scheduled to depart after the ceremony aboard the Pegasus
barge on a six-day, 900-mile sea journey to NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida. Two tugs will tow Pegasus to the Port of Gulfport
where Freedom Star, NASA's solid rocket booster recovery ship, is
waiting to tow the tank to Kennedy.

At Kennedy, ET-138 will be processed for flight, mated with twin solid
rocket boosters and attached to space shuttle Endeavour in
preparation for the last scheduled orbiter mission. The flight is
designated as STS-134 and targeted to launch on Feb. 26, 2011.

The external tank designated ET-122 will be refurbished at Michoud and
also shipped to Kennedy in late September. It is assigned to the
"launch on need" for STS-134; in the unlikely event a rescue mission
is needed. ET-122 was damaged during Hurricane Katrina in August 2005
and is being restored to flight configuration.

During a launch, the external tank delivers 535,000 gallons of
hydrogen and oxygen liquid propellants to the three main engines,
which power the shuttle to orbit. The tank is covered by
polyurethane-like foam, with an average thickness of about one inch.
The foam insulates the propellants; keeps ice from forming on the
tank's exterior; and protects its aluminum skin from aerodynamic heat
during flight.

The external tank is the largest element of the space shuttle, which
also includes the orbiter, main engines and twin solid rocket
boosters. It measures 27.6 feet wide and 154 feet tall. Despite the
tank's size, its aluminum skin is only one-eighth-inch thick in most
areas. Yet, it withstands more than 7.5 million pounds of thrust
during liftoff and ascent. The tank is the only major shuttle
component that is not reused.

NASA Television's daily Video File will include B-roll of the event.
For streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


For more information about the Space Shuttle Program, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle   


-end-

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #7 on: 07/09/2010 05:35 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M39-10

EXTERNAL FUEL TANK FOR LAST SHUTTLE FLIGHT TO ARRIVE AT KENNEDY

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Media are invited to NASA's Kennedy Space
Center in Florida on Wednesday, July 14 for the arrival of the last
space shuttle external fuel tank scheduled to fly. ET-138 is
designated for Endeavour's STS-134 mission, the last scheduled flight
for the Space Shuttle Program.

NASA will provide video and still images of the arrival.

The tank departed NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in Louisiana aboard
the Pegasus barge on a six-day, 900-mile journey to Kennedy on July
8. Depending on conditions at sea, the barge will arrive at Kennedy
on July 13 or 14, but will not be taken off the barge until July 14.

For a July 13 arrival, the media opportunity will be at 8 a.m. EDT on
July 14. For a July 14 arrival, the media event will be at about 11
a.m. For updates on times, call Kennedy's media information line at
321-867-2525.

Activities include a photo opportunity of the tank being towed off
Pegasus and into Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building and an interview
availability with Kennedy's External Tank/Solid Rocket Booster
Vehicle Manager Alicia Mendoza.

International media accreditation is closed for this event. U.S.
reporters without permanent Kennedy credentials must apply for
accreditation by noon, July 13. Reporters requesting accreditation
must apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Badges for the events may be picked up July 14 starting at 6 a.m. at
the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405.

Video highlights of the move will air on the NASA TV Video File
Wednesday afternoon. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and
links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Images of the event will be posted on Kennedy's Media Gallery at:

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov 

Endeavour's STS-134 mission is targeted to launch to the International
Space Station on Feb. 26, 2011. For more information about the Space
Shuttle Program and missions, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #8 on: 08/10/2010 05:04 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-111

NASA INVITES MEDIA TO ALPHA MAGNETIC SPECTROMETER ARRIVAL

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA will host a media event at 10:30 a.m. EDT
on Thursday, Aug. 26, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
for the arrival of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS). The
state-of-the-art device to further our understanding of the universe
will launch to the International Space Station during the last
scheduled space shuttle flight next year.

The AMS will arrive for processing at Kennedy's Shuttle Landing
Facility at 11 a.m. aboard an Air Force C-5 aircraft. The instrument,
sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is a particle
physics detector constructed, tested and operated by an international
team representing 16 countries.

During the media event, reporters will have an opportunity to speak
with AMS' principal investigator, Nobel Prize-winning physicist
Samuel Ting of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Mark
Sistilli, NASA's program manager for AMS. Other members of the
international AMS team, flight processing project managers, DOE staff
and European Space Agency officials, whose facilities were used in
testing the experiment, also will be available for interviews.

U.S. reporters must apply for credentials by noon, Wednesday, Aug. 25.
International journalists must apply by 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 17.
Reporters without permanent Kennedy credentials should submit their
request online at:



https://media.ksc.nasa.gov


Media planning to attend must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 9:30
a.m. for transportation to the event. Participants must be dressed in
full-length pants, flat shoes that entirely cover the feet and shirts
with sleeves. Because times are subject to change, call Kennedy's
media information line for updates at 321-867-2525.

The AMS will fly aboard shuttle Endeavour's STS-134 mission, targeted
to launch Feb. 26, 2011. The device will be mounted and operated on
the space station. It will use the unique environment of space to
advance knowledge of the universe, leading to a better understanding
of the universe's origin by searching for antimatter, dark matter,
strange matter and measuring cosmic rays. AMS will attempt to answer
such fundamental questions of the origin and nature of the universe
as, is there antimatter in the universe; what is the exact nature of
dark matter; and does strange matter exist. The experiment is
expected to remain active for the duration of the station's life.

For more information about AMS, visit:



http://ams.nasa.gov


For more information about the STS-134 mission, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134


For more information about the space station, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/station


-end-

Jacques :-)

Offline Space Pete

Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #9 on: 08/11/2010 12:57 pm »
Call for Media: Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer arrives at launch site
 
11 August 2010
ESA PR 2010-18 European media are invited to Florida on 26 August to view the next experiment to fly to the Space Station. One of the most exciting scientific instruments ever built, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer will arrive that day at the Kennedy Space Center.
 
The quest for discovering the composition of the Universe is about to take a step further on the International Space Station (ISS).

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is not only the largest scientific instrument to be installed on the Station, and the largest cryogenically cooled superconducting magnet ever used in orbit. It will be delivered to the ISS by NASA's Space Shuttle.

During the unloading of AMS, following arrival at the Space Shuttle Landing Facility, media will have the opportunity to have a look at the hardware and talk to AMS scientists and managers.

Simonetta Di Pippo, ESA Director of Human Spaceflight, and Prof. Sam Ting, the experiment's leader from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be available for interviews. 
 
Understanding our Universe
 
AMS will help us to understand the origin and structure of the Universe by searching for signs of antimatter and dark matter.

As a byproduct, AMS will also gather a host of information on stars and galaxies millions of light years from our home Galaxy.

AMS was built mostly by institutes in Italy, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, together with the participation of China, Russia, Taiwan and US. In all, the experiment's team consists of 56 institutes from 16 countries.

ISS extended operations
 
"Europe contributed to the design and development of AMS to a large extent and the mission will be even more special to Europeans as a ESA astronaut, Roberto Vittori, will be flying on an opportunity provided by the Italian space agency, ASI," says Simonetta Di Pippo.

"We are going through exciting times and we move from one accomplishment to the other - the best way to pave the way to ISS extended operations through 2020 and beyond."

Accreditation
 
Media applying for credentials at Kennedy may submit requests via the Web at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/

The deadline for all media to apply is 17 August 2010.

For further information, contact:
Nadjejda Vicente
Coordination Office
Directorate of Human Spaceflight
[email protected]
T +31 71 565 824

Arrival of Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer
Shuttle Landing Facility
Thursday, August 26, 2010

Expected Timeline

9 AM                  Media arrive at Press Site
                         Security check of equipment
9:30 AM             Bus depart Press Site for SLF
10-10:30 AM       C-5 Aircraft lands at SLF
                          Passengers depart aircraft
10:30-11:30 AM  Media interview opportunities
11:30 AM            Immigration and clearances
12:30 PM            Begin unloading hardware
1:30 PM              Unload AMS
                          (Media photo opportunity)
2:30 PM              Convoy to Space Station Processing Facility


www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM0R65OJCG_index_0.html
« Last Edit: 08/11/2010 12:59 pm by Space Pete »
NASASpaceflight ISS Writer

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #10 on: 08/18/2010 05:19 pm »
AMS experiment takes off for Kennedy Space Center
 
Geneva, 18 August 2010. The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), an experiment that will search for antimatter and dark matter in space, leaves CERN1 next Tuesday on the next leg of its journey to the International Space Station. The AMS detector2 is being transported from CERN to Geneva International Airport in preparation for its planned departure from Switzerland on 26 August, when it will be flown to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on board a US Air Force Galaxy transport aircraft.

A press conference to mark the occasion will be held at the press room of Geneva International Airport at 9:00 CEST on 25 August, and journalists will have the opportunity to visit the AMS detector and the aircraft. Those wishing to attend to the visit should contact the CERN press office by 12:00 CEST on Monday 23 August at the latest, providing their nationality, date of birth and passport or identity card number. This document must also be presented before the visit. Please note that only the people who have registered will be able to go on the apron to visit the AMS detector and the aircraft. Journalists who would like to see the arrival of the AMS detector at Kennedy Space Center on 26 August are invited to apply until 19 August. Details are available from ESA: http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM0R65OJCG_index_0.html.

AMS will examine fundamental issues about matter and the origin and structure of the Universe directly from space. Its main scientific target is the search for dark matter and antimatter, in a programme that is complementary to that of the Large Hadron Collider.

Last February the AMS detector travelled from CERN to the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk (Netherlands) for testing to certify its readiness for travel into space. Following the completion of the testing, the AMS collaboration decided to return the detector to CERN for final modifications. In particular, the detector’s superconducting magnet was replaced by the permanent magnet from the AMS-01 prototype, which had already flown into space in 1998. The reason for the decision was that the operational lifetime of the superconducting magnet would have been limited to three years, because there is no way of refilling the magnet with liquid helium, necessary to maintain the magnet’s superconductivity, on board the space station. The permanent magnet, on the other hand, will now allow the experiment to remain operational for the entire lifetime of the ISS.

Following its return to CERN, the AMS detector was therefore reconfigured with the permanent magnet before being tested with CERN particle beams. The tests were used to validate and calibrate the new configuration before the detector leaves Europe for the last time.

“The entire AMS collaboration is delighted by this departure, because it marks a crucial milestone for the experiment.  We are getting close to the space shuttle launch and the moment when our detector will finally be installed on board the ISS,” explained Professor Sam Ting, Nobel laureate and spokesman for the experiment. “The detector’s construction phase is now finished and we are eager for the data collection phase to begin.”

“The launch of AMS detector is very timely,” added Roberto Petronzio, President of the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics.  “Today we are well aware of our ignorance of Universe’s most abundant constituents and we still challenge the puzzle of matter-antimatter asymmetry. Furthermore, recent results from the Pamela experiment suggest scenarios for important discoveries for AMS.  The experiment stems from a large international collaboration joining the effort of major European funding agencies with the US and China.”

Upon arrival at the Kennedy Space Center, AMS will be installed in a clean room for a few more tests. A few weeks later, the detector will be moved to the space shuttle. NASA is planning the last flight of the space shuttle programme, which will carry AMS into space, for the end of February 2011.

Once docked to the ISS, AMS will search for antimatter and dark matter by measuring cosmic rays. Data collected in space by AMS will be transmitted to Houston (USA) and on to CERN’s Prévessin site, where the detector control centre will be located, and to a number of regional physics analysis centres set up by the collaborating institutes.

"We are proud that this detector, which will play such an important role, will be flown from Geneva International Airport to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida," said Robert Deillon, General Manager of Geneva International Airport.

Contact
CERN Press Office, [email protected]
+41 22 767 34 32
+41 22 767 21 41

 

1.CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, is the world's leading laboratory for particle physics. It has its headquarters in Geneva. At present, its Member States are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. India, Israel, Japan, the Russian Federation, the United States of America, Turkey, the European Commission and UNESCO have Observer status.

2.The AMS detector components were produced by an international team, with substantial contributions from CERN Member States (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland), and from China (Taipei) and the United States. The detector was assembled at CERN, with the assistance of the Laboratory’s technical services.
Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #11 on: 09/20/2010 06:32 pm »
RELEASE: 10-227

NASA TO SHIP FUEL TANK FOR THE LAST PLANNED SHUTTLE FLIGHT

NEW ORLEANS -- The external fuel tank that will power the last planned
space shuttle into orbit will be shipped Tuesday to NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida. The tank has been restored to flight
configuration at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans
after sustaining damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The tank, designated ET-122, will support shuttle Endeavour's flight
targeted for launch in February.

At Michoud, ET-122 was rolled out to an enclosed barge, which will
carry the tank 900 miles to Kennedy Space Center during a five to
six-day sea journey. ET-122 is expected to arrive at Kennedy Sunday,
Sept. 26.

During the hurricane, the roof of the building that housed the tank
was ripped off by high winds. After falling debris damaged the tank,
it was removed from the shuttle flight manifest. Lockheed Martin
engineers assessed the damage, and prepared and executed a tank
restoration plan.

The Shuttle Propulsion Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
in Huntsville, Ala., manages the External Tank Project. Lockheed
Martin Space Systems Co. of Denver is the prime contractor. For more
than 29 years of shuttle flights, Lockheed Martin workers at Michoud
have built and delivered 135 flight tanks to NASA's Space Shuttle
Program.

Standing 15 stories tall and almost 28 feet in diameter, the external
tank is the largest element of the shuttle transportation system,
which also includes the orbiter, main engines and twin solid rocket
boosters. During a shuttle launch, the external tank delivers 535,000
gallons of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants to the
shuttle's three main engines. Despite the tank's size, the aluminum
skin covering it is only one-eighth-inch thick in most areas. Yet, it
withstands more than 6.5 million pounds of thrust during liftoff and
ascent. The tank is the only shuttle component that is not reused.

For more information about the Space Shuttle Program and the last two
planned shuttle flights, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Jacques :-)

Offline jacqmans

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #12 on: 09/25/2010 07:26 am »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-135

NASA INVITES MEDIA TO TWO HISTORIC EVENTS AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Reporters are invited to two historic Space
Shuttle Program events at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on
Tuesday, Sept. 28. The final solid rocket booster (SRB) assembly will
depart the Assembly and Refurbishment Facility, and the external fuel
tank for the last planned shuttle flight will be removed from the
barge that carried the tank from Louisiana.

NASA will provide video and still images of both events. The SRB
event, scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. EDT, consists of a ceremony,
photo opportunity, and media interview opportunities with a booster
project expert. At approximately 10:30 a.m., there will be a photo
opportunity of the tank being towed off the Pegasus barge and into
Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building, and interviews with External
Tank/Solid Rocket Booster Vehicle Manager Alicia Mendoza. Reporters
must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 8 a.m. for transportation to
cover the SRB event. Journalists will be located in the turn basin
parking lot for the tank opportunity.

The final train carrying shuttle solid rocket booster segments arrived
at Kennedy on May 27. The segment cars travelled across the country
after departing the ATK solid rocket booster plant in Promontory,
Utah. ATK Launch Systems manufactures and tests the solid rocket
motors. The assembly would be used in the solid rocket boosters
designated for shuttle Atlantis' STS-335 rescue mission, in the
unlikely event it was needed.

The tank, designated ET-122, will support shuttle Endeavour's STS-134
mission targeted for launch in February. It departed NASA's Michoud
Assembly Facility in Louisiana on Sept. 21, to begin the six-day,
900-mile sea journey. The barge will arrive at Kennedy on Sept. 27.
The tank will be offloaded on Sept. 28.

International media accreditation is closed for these events. U.S.
reporters without permanent Kennedy credentials must apply for
accreditation by noon, Sept. 27.

Reporters requesting accreditation must apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Badges for the events may be picked up Sept. 28 starting at 6 a.m. at
the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Images of the events will be posted on Kennedy's Media Gallery at:

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov 

For more information about the Space Shuttle Program and missions,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 


-end-
Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #13 on: 01/13/2011 06:48 pm »
RELEASE: 11-015

NASA ANNOUNCES BACKUP COMMANDER FOR STS-134 MISSION

WASHINGTON -- NASA announced Thursday that astronaut Rick Sturckow
will serve as a backup commander for the STS-134 space shuttle
mission to facilitate continued training for the crew and support
teams during STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly's absence. Kelly's wife,
Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, was critically wounded in a
shooting on Jan. 8 in Tucson, Ariz.

Kelly remains commander of the mission, which is targeted for launch
on April 19 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

"I recommended to my management that we take steps now to prepare to
complete the mission in my absence, if necessary," Kelly said. "I am
very hopeful that I will be in a position to rejoin my STS-134 crew
members to finish our training."

"Mark is still the commander of STS-134," said Peggy Whitson, chief of
the Astronaut Office. "He is facing many uncertainties now as he
supports Gabrielle, and our goal is to allow him to keep his
undistracted attention on his family while allowing preparations for
the mission to progress. Designating a backup allows the crew and
support team to continue training, and enables Mark to focus on his
wife's care."

Sturckow will begin training next week at NASA's Johnson Space Center
in Houston with the rest of the STS-134 crew, which includes Pilot
Greg H. Johnson, Michael Fincke, Roberto Vittori, Andrew Feustel and
Greg Chamitoff. The 14-day mission to the International Space Station
will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer and spare parts that
include two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank,
additional spare parts for the Dextre robot and micrometeoroid debris
shields.

For more information on the STS-134 mission, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html


For complete biographies of the STS-134 crew, visit:



http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #14 on: 01/13/2011 06:49 pm »
RELEASE: 11-016

NASA UPDATES SHUTTLE TARGET LAUNCH DATES FOR TWO FLIGHTS

WASHINGTON -- NASA is targeting 4:50 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 24,
for the launch of space shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the
International Space Station. The liftoff of shuttle Endeavour's
STS-134 flight is planned for 7:48 p.m. EDT on April 19, from NASA's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The target dates were selected Thursday during the Space Shuttle
Program's weekly Program Requirements Control Board meeting.

NASA sets official launch dates for each shuttle mission following
agency Flight Readiness Reviews, which typically occur about two
weeks prior to launches. All target launch dates are subject to
change.

For more information about the shuttle missions and their crews,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

The shuttle and International Space Station launch manifest is
available at:

http://www.nasa.gov/stationflights


-end-


Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #15 on: 02/04/2011 04:27 am »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-023

NASA TO HOLD BRIEFING ON THE SHUTTLE COMMANDER FOR APRIL FLIGHT

HOUSTON -- NASA will hold a news conference to discuss command of the
STS-134 space shuttle mission at 2 p.m. CST Friday, Feb. 4, at the
agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

The briefing participants are:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate

The news conference will be broadcast on NASA Television and the
agency's website. Reporters may ask questions from Johnson, NASA
Headquarters in Washington and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

U.S. media representatives planning to attend the briefing must
contact the NASA newsroom at one of the three facilities listed above
by 1 p.m.

Because of expected winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed
until noon Friday. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 will
be staffed beginning at 9 a.m. to receive calls from journalists
requesting credentials.

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #16 on: 02/04/2011 03:11 pm »
RELEASE: 11-036

NASA ASTRONAUT MARK KELLY RESUMES TRAINING FOR STS-134 MISSION

HOUSTON -- NASA astronaut Mark Kelly will resume training as commander
of the STS-134 space shuttle mission on Monday, Feb. 7. With the
exception of some proficiency training, Kelly has been on personal
leave since Jan. 8 to care for his wife, congresswoman Gabrielle
Giffords, who was critically wounded in a Tucson, Ariz. shooting.

"I am looking forward to rejoining my STS-134 crew members and
finishing our training for the mission," Kelly said. "We have been
preparing for more than 18 months, and we will be ready to deliver
the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the International Space
Station and complete the other objectives of the flight. I appreciate
the confidence that my NASA management has in me and the rest of my
space shuttle crew."

"We are glad to have Mark back," said Peggy Whitson, chief of the
Astronaut Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "He is a
veteran shuttle commander and knows well the demands of the job. We
are confident in his ability to successfully lead this mission, and I
know I speak for all of NASA in saying 'welcome back'.

A news briefing will be held at 2 p.m. CST today at Johnson to discuss
Kelly's return. The briefing will be broadcast on NASA Television.

Questions will be taken from reporters at Johnson, NASA Headquarters
and the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Participants will include:
-- Mark Kelly, commander, STS-134
-- Peggy Whitson, chief, Astronaut Office
-- Brent Jett, chief, Flight Crew Operations Directorate

Because of winter weather conditions, Johnson will be closed until
noon. However, the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 is staffed to
receive calls from journalists requesting credentials.

On Monday, Feb. 7, NASA TV will broadcast video b-roll of Kelly's
first training session with his crew at 11:30 a.m. CST. Additional
b-roll of his first day of training will air at 3 p.m. The training
sessions will not be available for filming by news media.
Astronaut Rick Sturckow, the backup commander for the mission, will
resume his role as the deputy chief of the Astronaut Office. For more
information about the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:



http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle


Kelly's biography can be found at:



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


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



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv   


-end-

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #17 on: 02/25/2011 05:02 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-037

NASA SETS MEDIA CREDENTIAL DEADLINES FOR NEXT SPACE SHUTTLE FLIGHT

WASHINGTON -- NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for the April
space shuttle flight to the International Space Station. Six
astronauts, including Commander Mark Kelly, are targeted to launch
aboard shuttle Endeavour on April 19 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.

The 14-day mission will be the 36th flight to the space station, and
the 25th and final scheduled flight for Endeavour. The STS-134
mission will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle
physics detector designed to search for various types of unusual
matter by measuring cosmic rays. The STS-134 crew also will deliver
the Express Logistics Carrier 3, a platform that carries spare parts
that will sustain station operations once the shuttles are retired
later this year.

Reporters must apply for 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.

All 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 April 7 for all reporters
requesting credentials.

Endeavour is expected to move from Kennedy's Orbiter Processing
Facility-2 to the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Feb. 28. The
shuttle's move to Launch Pad 39A is planned for March 9. To attend
rollout, international journalists must apply by 5 p.m. EST March 2
to allow time for processing, and U.S. media representatives must
apply by March 7.

The practice launch countdown, known as the Terminal Countdown
Demonstration Test, and related training are scheduled for March 29
through April 1. To cover the activities, international journalists
must apply by 5 p.m. EDT March 22, and U.S. media representatives
must apply by March 25. Reporters with special requests for Kennedy,
such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections
or workspace, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger by April 7 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 Patricia Christian 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-134 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 April 7. International
journalists should contact Johnson before April 7 to ensure all
necessary paperwork and identification are submitted by the deadline.


Journalists covering the mission from Houston using Kennedy
credentials must also contact Johnson's newsroom by April 7 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 March 24
for international journalists and April 27 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-134 mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle 

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #18 on: 02/28/2011 05:20 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-039

MEDIA INVITED TO VIEW SPACE STATION CARGO FOR NEXT SHUTTLE MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA will host a media event at 1 p.m. EST on
Thursday, March 10, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida
to discuss the cargo of the next space shuttle flight.

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a sophisticated science
instrument designed to increase our understanding of the universe. It
will be installed and operated on the International Space Station.
Space shuttle Endeavour will deliver AMS during its final mission,
STS-134, targeted for April 19.

During the media event, reporters at Kennedy's Space Station
Processing Facility will have the opportunity to speak with managers
and team members involved in processing the AMS and other cargo for
the flight. News media representatives planning to attend must arrive
at Kennedy's news center by noon for transportation to the event. For
safety reasons, participants must be dressed in full-length pants,
flat shoes that entirely cover the feet and shirts with sleeves.

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


https://media.ksc.nasa.gov


International journalists must apply for credentials by 4:30 p.m.,
Thursday, March 3; U.S. reporters must apply by noon on March 9.

The AMS, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, is a particle
physics detector constructed, tested and operated by an international
team representing 16 countries. AMS will use the unique environment
of space to gain a better understanding of our universe's origin by
searching for antimatter, dark matter and strange matter. The device
also will measure cosmic rays. The AMS will remain active for the
duration of the station's operating life.

Endeavour also will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier 3, a
platform that carries spare parts for sustaining station operations
after the shuttles are retired.

For more information about the STS-134 mission, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134

       
-end-

Jacques :-)

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Re: STS-134 Press releases
« Reply #19 on: 03/01/2011 06:35 pm »
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-042

NASA'S SPACE SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR SET FOR FINAL TRIP TO LAUNCH PAD

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Journalists are invited to cover space shuttle
Endeavour's move from the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, to
Launch Pad 39A on Wednesday, March 9, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center
in Florida.

Six astronauts are targeted to launch aboard the shuttle on April 19.
The STS-134 mission to the International Space Station is the final
scheduled flight for Endeavour before it is retired.

Endeavour's first motion out of the VAB is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST.
NASA Television will provide live coverage of the rollout. NASA TV's
Video File will broadcast highlights of the move. The shuttle's
3.4-mile journey atop a giant crawler-transporter is expected to take
approximately six hours.

Activities include an 8 p.m. photo opportunity of the move followed by
an interview availability at 8:30 p.m. with Endeavour Flow Director
Dana Hutcherson. 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 March 10, following Endeavour's arrival. Reporters must be at the
news center by 6 a.m. for transportation to the viewing area. Updates
for events are available at 321-867-2525.

To attend rollout and the sunrise pad photo opportunity, U.S. media
representatives must apply by 5 p.m. on Monday, March 7.
Accreditation for international media representatives is closed.
Reporters requesting accreditation must apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Badges for rollout may be picked up starting at 6 a.m. on March 9 at
the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405.

During the 14-day mission to the space station, Endeavour's astronauts
will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle physics
detector designed to search for various types of unusual matter by
measuring cosmic rays.

The crew also will deliver the Express Logistics Carrier 3, a platform
that carries spare parts that will sustain station operations once
the shuttles are retired later this year.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the STS-134 mission and crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts134/index.html

Jacques :-)

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