NASA’s International Space Station missions are the subject of news conferences at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST, Wednesday, March 22. The briefings air live on NASA TV with questions also from reporters at participating agency locations.

Briefing participants:

Expedition 13 Preflight Briefing – 2 p.m. EST

  • Kirk Shireman, space station deputy program manager
  • Merri Sanchez, increment 13 manager
  • Cathy Koerner, Expedition 13 lead flight director

Expedition 12 Mission Status Briefing – 3 p.m. EST

  • Pete Hasbrook, increment 12 manager
  • Sally Davis, Expedition 12 lead flight director
  • Julie Robinson, station deputy program scientist
  • Dr. Ed Powers, Expedition 12 lead flight surgeon

NASA TV’s Public, Education and Media channels are available on an MPEG-2 digital C-band signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. In Alaska and Hawaii, they’re on AMC-7 at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization. For digital downlink information on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Expedition 12 is nearing conclusion. Commander Bill McArthur and Flight Engineer Valery Tokarev wrap up six months in space with a return to Earth April 8. The next crew, Expedition 13 Commander Pavel Vinogradov and Flight Engineer Jeff Williams, is preparing for launch on March 29. Brazilian Space Agency astronaut Marcos Pontes joins them on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Pontes will spend about a week on the station before returning to Earth with McArthur and Tokarev.

The result of a 16-nation partnership led by the United States, the station is the largest international space project in history. The first station crew arrived on Nov. 2, 2000. Twelve crews have lived on the station conducting assembly and research work. For information about the station, its missions and crews, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/station

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home