Pre-Flight Press Conference Video Page

Orbiter: Columbia
Shuttle Mission: STS-109
Date: March 1, 2002

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -– During the Preflight Press Conference, members of the launch team brief the media on the status of Space Shuttle Columbia, the payloads, and weather concerns. The 11-day mission will provide maintenance and upgrade to the Hubble Space Telescope, replacing Solar Array 2 with Solar Array 3, replacing the Power Control Unit, installing the ACS (after removing the Faint Object Camera), the Near Infrared Camera, the Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) Cooling System, and the New Outer Blanket Layer insulation.

STS-109 photos are online. (Note: This is a graphic-intensive site and may be difficult to view with low speed modems or when this web site receives heavy traffic loads).

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Pre-Launch Video Table of Contents

Pre-launch Video Coverage
Pre-flight Press Conference
February 26, 2002

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Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore discusses Shuttle Columbia's recent upgrades and long history of spaceflight. He also explains issues facing the launch team, including possible problems with landing gear and cold weather.

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Part 1 - 282Kb
Part 2 - 192Kb
Part 3 - 263Kb

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Part 2 - 816Kb
Part 3 - 1.1Mb

Dave King, director of Shuttle Processing, echoes Dittemore's comments regarding Columbia's record of accomplishments and modifications. He adds that this is the first flight in several months that will not go to the International Space Station.

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Part 1 - 195Kb

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Hubble Space Telescope Program Manager Preston Burch gives an overview of the new equipment to be installed on the telescope during the course of the mission.

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Part 1 - 231Kb
Part 2 - 289Kb
Part 3 - 148Kb

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Part 2 - 1.2Mb
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Launch Weather Officer Lt. Tom Crenshaw of the 45th Space Wing reviews upcoming weather forecasts and how they might impact STS-109 launch attempts.

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Part 1 - 205Kb
Part 2 - 279Kb
Part 3 - 300Kb

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Part 1 - 999Kb
Part 2 - 1.2Mb
Part 3 - 1.1Mb

Page Last Revised	Page & Curator Information
March 14, 2002	Online coverage by: Dennis Armstrong (NASA), Anna Heiney (IDI) Web Development: Lynda Warnock & Debbie Barton (FDC) Video Production: Chris Chamberland (Photobition) Countdown Clock by: Jim Fitzgerald (FDC) NASA Official: Dennis Armstrong (Dennis.Armstrong-1@ksc.nasa.gov) A Service of the NASA/Kennedy Space Center Roy D. Bridges, Director