Jan. 12, 2001
Bruce Buckingham
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)
KSC Release No. 9-01
Note to Editors/News Directors:
MISSION STS-98 EVENTS, NEWS CENTER OPERATING HOURS SET
News conferences, events and operating hours for KSC's News Center have been set for the Jan. 19 launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on Mission STS-98, the 102nd launch in the Shuttle program. Launch on Jan. 19 is set for about 2:11 a.m. EST at the opening of a window that extends for about 2 ½ - 5 minutes. The news conferences and events listed below will be carried live on NASA Television (unless otherwise noted) and originate from the KSC Press Site.
The five-member STS-98 crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC on Monday, Jan. 15 at about 7:15 p.m. EST. News media representatives planning to cover the event must be at the KSC News Center by 6:15 p.m. (in the event of a possible early crew arrival) for transportation to the Shuttle Landing Facility. On launch day, the crew will depart their KSC living quarters and be driven to the launch pad at about 10:20 p.m. Media interested in attending this event should be at the News Center no later than 9:20 p.m.
In addition to daily 9 a.m. countdown status briefings, a prelaunch press conference will be held two days before launch. The full briefing schedule is listed below.
News media representatives with proper authorization may obtain STS-98 mission credentials at the Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 (south of KSC) on Merritt Island during published times. (Credential and badging hours are listed below.)
Media with annual badges are reminded to submit their requests for year 2001 annual badges as soon as possible. Year 2000 annual badges will be honored through the end of January 2001.
-- end of general release --
STS-98 BRIEFINGS & EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times are EDT)
(All briefings are held inside the KSC Press Site auditorium and will be carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted)
L-4 Days - Monday, Jan. 15
7:15 p.m. ----- STS-98 Flight Crew Arrival (Live on NASA TV)
L-3 Days - Tuesday, Jan. 16
Launch countdown begins at 5:30 a.m. Codaphone will be updated with status (321/867-2525).
9 a.m. ------ Countdown Status Briefing
Steve Altemus, NASA Test Director
Jon Cowart, U.S. Laboratory payload manager
Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer
L-2 Days - Wednesday, Jan. 17
9 a.m. ------ Countdown Status Briefing
Pete Nickolenko, NASA Test Director
Jon Cowart, U.S. Laboratory payload manager
Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer
4 p.m. ----- Prelaunch News Conference
Ron Dittemore, Shuttle Program Manager, NASA, JSC
Bill Gerstenmaier, ISS Deputy Program Manager, NASA, JSC
Dave King, Director of Shuttle Processing, NASA, KSC
Captain Clif Stargardt, Staff Meteorologist, 45th Weather Squadron, USAF
L-1 Day - Thursday, Jan. 18
(Tanking begins at about 5:15 p.m.)
9 p.m. ----- NASA Television live launch programming begins
Launch Day Crew activities:
2:30 p.m. ---------Wake up
3:00 p.m. ---------Breakfast
8:00 p.m. ---------Lunch
*9:10 p.m. --------Snack (Crew Photo)
9:40 p.m. ---------Weather briefing
*10:05 p.m. ------Suit up photo
*10:20 p.m. ----- Walkout/depart for pad
*10:50 p.m. ----- Arrive at pad
L-0 Day - Friday, Nov. 19
*12:05 a.m. ------Close hatch
*2:11 a.m. --------Launch of Atlantis
*3:15 a.m. ----- Post-launch Press Conference
Jim Halsell, Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager, KSC
Mike Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director, KSC
KSC News Center office hours for STS-98
(Times may be adjusted in real time depending on mission events and timelines.)
Monday, Jan. 15 (Holiday) (Launch minus 4 days) - 4 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Jan. 16 (Launch minus 3 days) - 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 17 (Launch minus 2 days) - 8 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 18 (Launch minus 1 day) - 8 a.m. - around-the-clock
Friday, Jan. 19 (Launch day) - ----- 4:30 p.m.
[FOR MISSION DAY SCHEDULES SEE NOTE BELOW]
Monday, Jan. 29 (Landing day) -- TBD
NOTE: The KSC News Center will support media questions for overnight and weekend STS-98 Mission Status Briefings and the in-flight crew news conference. Media interested in attending the briefings that occur after normal office hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday), MUST make their intentions known to the KSC News Room at least 24-hours in advance, in order to secure proper access to the press site. Times of these briefings are available in the NASA TV schedule at: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html
Pass and Identification Hours
L-4 Monday, Jan. 15 --- closed
L-3 Tuesday, Jan. 16 --- 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
L-2 Wednesday, Jan. 17 --- 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
L-1 Thursday, Jan. 18 --- 8 a.m. - 1 a.m. (Friday)
News media may obtain STS-98 mission credentials at the Pass and Identification Building at Gate 2 on State Road 3, Merritt Island, during the above published times.
News media with annual Shuttle credentials are reminded to sign the logbook at the query counter in the News Center.
NEWS MEDIA ARE REQUIRED TO BE UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS ESCORT AT ALL TIMES WHILE AT KSC EXCEPT WHEN DRIVING TO THE NEWS CENTER OR THE COMPLEX 39 CAFETERIA.
NEWS MEDIA ARE ALLOWED AT THE PRESS SITE ONLY WHEN THE KSC NEWS CENTER IS OPEN.
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