Note to Editors/News Directors:
QUIKSCAT/TITAN II ROCKET READY FOR LAUNCH JUNE 18

The launch of the Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) mission for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory aboard a U.S. Air Force Titan II rocket is scheduled to occur on Friday, June 18 from Space Launch Complex 4W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. The 10-minute launch window extends from 7:15 - 7:25 p.m. PDT.

The primary instrument on the QuikSCAT spacecraft is "Sea Winds," a specialized microwave radar to collect frequent, high-resolution measurements about the speed and direction of winds near the ocean surface. It is part of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) which is designed to address global environmental changes, regional weather patterns and climate.

News media desiring accreditation for the launch of QuikSCAT/Titan II should fax their request on news organization letterhead to:

1st Lt. Thomas Knowles
30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA
FAX: 805/606-8303

For further information on launch accreditation, the USAF Public Affairs Office can be reached at 805/606-3595.

The prelaunch news conference will be held on Thursday, June 17 from 11 a.m. to noon PDT in the main conference room of the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office, Building 840, Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA. Participants will be:

Lt. Col. Joe Hogler, Titan II Launch Director, 30th Space Wing
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

Ray Lugo, NASA Mission Director
Kennedy Space Center, FL

James Graf, QuikSCAT Project Manager
Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Captain Eric Barella, Launch Weather Officer, 30th Weather Squadron
Vandenberg Air Force Base, CA

A question and answer capability will be available from other NASA centers.

Media desiring to cover the prelaunch news conference should meet at the south gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base on California State Road 246 at 10:30 a.m. They will be escorted to the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office.

Media desiring to establish sound-activated remote cameras at the launch pad will depart from the south gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base at 1:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 17, for SLC-4.

On launch day, June 18, media covering the QuikSCAT/Titan II launch should be at the main gate located on California State Road 1 at 6 p.m. to be escorted to the press site located on north Vandenberg Air Force Base. After launch, media will be escorted back to the main gate. A post-launch news conference will not be held.

NASA Television will carry the prelaunch news conference starting at 11 a.m. PDT on Thursday, June 17. On launch day, June 18, NASA TV coverage of the countdown will begin at 5:30 p.m. PDT and conclude after spacecraft separation that occurs at 58 minutes into flight.

NASA Television is carried on GE-2, transponder 9C located at 85 degrees West longitude. Audio only will be available on the "V" circuits that may be reached by dialing 407/867-1220, 1240, 1260, 7135, 4003, and 4920.

A Webcast of the QuikSCAT launch will also be available on http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/rr.pl?kscnasa.rm It is also available on the NASA-KSC Home Page by choosing KSC Live Video Feeds followed by NASA Select Coverage.

The QuikSCAT News Center at the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office will be staffed beginning Tuesday, June 15 and may be reached at 805/605-3051. A recorded status report will also be available starting at that time by dialing 805/734-2693.

For automatic e-mail subscriptions to this daily Shuttle status report or KSC-originated press releases, send an Internet electronic mail message to domo@news.ksc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) type the words "subscribe shuttle-status", or "subscribe ksc-press-release" (do not use quotation marks). The system will reply with a confirmation via e-mail of each subscription.