NASA Direct, Kennedy Space Center’s Internet broadcasting network, is featuring a prelaunch webcast and launch day coverage of the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) mission. The launch is set for Wednesday, Aug. 10, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, with a launch opportunity from 7:54 to 9:39 a.m. EDT. All coverage can be viewed through the NASA portal Web site at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html.

Web coverage begins Tuesday, Aug. 9, with a prelaunch webcast overview of the MRO’s mission at 10:30 a.m. EDT. The webcast includes informative interviews and a question-and-answer session with experts highlighting the spacecraft, science of the mission, and what they hope to learn from the orbiter’s observations above, on and below the Martian surface.

Live launch coverage begins Aug. 10 at 6 a.m. EDT from the Virtual Launch Control Center, with constant updates throughout the launch countdown.

MRO Prelaunch Webcast Participants

Tiffany Nail, Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Services support specialist, hosts the program on the MRO’s mission, science and technology.

Jim Kennedy, Kennedy Space Center director, opens the program with an introduction to the MRO mission.

Clay Flinn, Atlas launch weather officer, gives a forecast of the latest weather conditions for launch day.

Chuck Dovale, NASA launch manager, describes the preparation of the Atlas V rocket and provides a launch countdown overview.

Sue Smrekar, the MRO’s deputy project scientist, discusses the mission and answers questions submitted via the Web.

MRO Web Coverage Schedule (All times are subject to change.)

Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 10:30 a.m. EDT

NASA Direct webcast from Kennedy Space Center: “Mission, Spacecraft, Science and Technology Webcast” at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/launch/event-MRO.html.

The NASA Direct Question Board closes at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5. During the webcast, program guests will answer some of the questions submitted by the public. The questions can be viewed online at http://webcast.ksc.nasa.gov/vidapp/?event=52.

Launch Day, Wednesday, Aug. 10 beginning at 6 a.m. EDT Live countdown coverage from the Virtual Launch Control Center, located at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/launch/vlcc.html. Coverage features real-time updates as milestones occur, as well as streaming video clips during countdown and launch.

For the latest information on this mission, go to NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Web site at http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/MRO/main/index.html.

For more information about the MRO Web events, contact Dennis Armstrong at 321/867-2468.