What: International Space Station Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez- Alegria and Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams, who spent a combined one year in space, will visit NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., Thursday, Nov. 29. Lopez-Alegria spent six months in space on Expedition 14 — the 14th research mission to the station from October 2006 to April 2007. Williams joined Lopez-Alegria on the station in December 2006, as part of the crew on the space shuttle STS-116 mission. Williams remained on the station as part of the Expedition 15 crew and returned home with the crew of the STS-117 mission in June 2007. Both astronauts set U.S. records for a single, long-duration mission. Lopez-Alegria set the men’s record with more than 215 days in space, while Williams set a new record by a woman with 195 days on orbit.
Who: Michael Lopez-Alegria, Expedition 14 space station astronaut and Sunita Williams, Expedition 15 space station astronaut
When: Thursday, Nov. 29, 11:30 — 11:50 a.m. CST
Where: Lopez-Alegria and Williams will be available for news media interviews in the Payload Operations Center — the command post for all U.S. science activities on the space station — where the astronauts communicated daily with flight controllers to complete their science objectives. News media should meet Marshall public affairs escorts at the Joint Visitor Control Center at Redstone Arsenal Gate 9, and then proceed to the Payload Operations Center.
To Attend: News media interested in covering the event should contact Steve Roy at the Marshall Public & Employee Communications Office at 256-544-0034 no later than 3 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 28. Media must report to the Redstone Arsenal Joint Visitor Control Center at Gate 9, Interstate 565 interchange at Rideout Road/Research Park Boulevard. Vehicles are subject to a security search at the gate. News media will need two photo identifications and proof of car insurance. Visitor parking is available in front of Bldg. 4200 on the southwest side.
