WASHINGTON — News briefings, photo opportunities, and other media events at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, Calif., are set for the upcoming landing of NASA’s Curiosity rover on Mars.
NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory mission will deliver the 1-ton, car-size robotic roving laboratory to the surface of Mars at 1:31 a.m. EDT Aug. 6 (10:31 p.m. PDT Aug. 5). Curiosity’s landing will mark the start of a two-year prime mission to investigate whether one of the most intriguing places on Mars ever has offered an environment favorable for microbial life.
ACCREDITATION AND PARKING PASSES
News media representatives who wish to cover the rover landing and Mars surface operations from JPL must have accreditation in advance from the JPL Media Relations Office. The application period has been open since June 5 and some deadlines have passed. For more information, visit the credentialing website at: http://media-credentials.jpl.nasa.gov/
Media who have completed applications and received confirmation their applications have been approved may pick up credentials at JPL Visitor Reception during newsroom operating hours. Credentials must be picked up in person and valid photo identification must be shown. Non-U.S. citizens must bring their passport and visa or a permanent resident alien registration card. JPL is located at 4800 Oak Grove Dr. in Pasadena. Parking passes also will be distributed with credentials and will be essential for parking Aug. 5. The following times are all PDT.
The JPL Newsroom will open at 9 a.m. Aug. 1. Newsroom operating hours, subject to change, are:
Wednesday, Aug. 1 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 2 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 3 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 4 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 5 8:30 a.m. to round-the-clock
Monday, Aug. 6 round-the-clock to 7 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 7 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 8 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 9 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 10 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The JPL Newsroom telephone number is 818-354-5011.
NEWS BRIEFING AND TELEVISED EVENT SCHEDULE
News briefings will be held at JPL beginning Thursday, Aug. 2, and carried live on NASA Television. Additional events, including a NASA Social Media event Aug. 1 and landing commentary Aug. 5 will be televised. A full schedule of live news briefings is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntvnews and http://www.nasa.gov/msl
Updated schedules also will be available in the JPL Newsroom. Two-way question-and-answer capability will be available for some of the news briefings from participating NASA locations.
The schedule of events below is subject to change.
Thursday, Aug. 2
— 10 a.m. Mission Science Overview News Briefing
— 11 a.m. Mission Engineering Overview News Briefing
Friday, Aug. 3
— 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. NASA Social
Saturday, Aug. 4
— 9:30 a.m. Prelanding Update and Entry, Descent and Landing
(EDL) Overview News Briefing
Sunday, Aug. 5
— 9:30 a.m. Final Prelanding Update News Briefing
— 3 p.m. NASA Science News Briefing
— 8:30 p.m. to about 11 p.m. Landing Commentary No. 1
— No earlier than 11:15 p.m. Post-landing News Briefing
Monday, Aug. 6
— 12:30 to 1:30 a.m. Landing Commentary No. 2
— 9 a.m. Landing Recap News Briefing
— 4 p.m. Possible New Images News Briefing
Tuesday, Aug. 7
— 10 a.m. News Briefing
Wednesday, Aug. 8
— 10 a.m. News Briefing
Thursday, Aug. 9
— 10 a.m. News Briefing
Friday, Aug. 10
— 10 a.m. (tentative): News Briefing
NASA Television is available in continental North America, Alaska and Hawaii by C-band signal via Satellite AMC-18C, at 105 degrees west longitude, transponder 3C, 3760 MHz, vertical polarization. A Digital Video Broadcast-compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder is needed for reception. Transmission format is DVB-S, 4:2:0. Data rate is 38.80 Mbps; symbol rate 28.0681, modulation QPSK/DVB-S, FEC 3/4.
NASA-TV Multichannel Broadcast includes: Public Channel (Channel 101) in high definition; Education Channel (Channel 102) in standard definition; and Media Channel (Channel 103) in high definition.
For digital downlink information for each NASA TV channel, access to all three channels online, and to access audio-only feeds, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
The televised events will also be streamed live online at: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv and http://www.Ustream.tv/nasa
NASA TELEVISION COMMENTARY FEEDS
Two live feeds during key landing activities from mission control at JPL will be carried on NASA TV and on the Web from 8:30 to 11 p.m. Aug. 5, and from 12:30 to 1:30 a.m. Aug. 6. The NASA TV Public Channel and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl will carry a feed including commentary and interviews.
The NASA TV Media Channel and http://www.ustream.tv/nasajpl2 will carry an uninterrupted, clean feed with only mission audio. Both feeds will be available to media crews on site.
VIDEO RESOURCES
B-roll for the Mars Science Laboratory mission is available through JPL’s Vimeo account. Included is footage of various tests, construction, animations and interview excerpts with key project personnel. For more information, visit:
MISSION SUPPORT AREA PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Media tours to the Mars landing mission control area will be offered Thursday Aug. 2, from 1 to 2 p.m., Friday, Aug. 3 from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 4, from 1 to 2 p.m. Each tour is identical and will last one hour. Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. This will be the last time media will be allowed to photograph or videotape mission control before the landing. News media wishing to join a tour must have a JPL credential and must make a reservation with the JPL Media Relations Office at 818-354-5011 or sign up in person at the JPL Newsroom.
ONLINE MEDIA INFORMATION
Extensive information on the Mars Science Laboratory mission, including an electronic copy of the press kit, news releases, fact sheets, status reports, briefing schedule and images, is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/msl
For more information about NASA’s Mars program, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mars
The public can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter at: http://www.facebook.com/marscuriosity and http://www.twitter.com/marscuriosity
