CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – NASA managers will hold a news conference on Wednesday, May 5, at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch. The briefing will begin after the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Atlantis’ STS-132 mission to the International Space Station.

Live status updates, including the start time for the news conference, will be provided during the meeting via the NASA News Twitter feed. To access the feed, go to the nasa.gov homepage or visit: http://www.twitter.com/nasa

The review is expected to include the selection of an official launch date. Atlantis and six NASA astronauts are targeted to lift off at 2:20 p.m. EDT on Friday, May 14.

The briefing participants are:

– Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
– John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager
– Mike Leinbach, space shuttle launch director

NASA Television and the agency’s website will broadcast the briefing live. Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations, and should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm participation. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For STS-132 crew and mission information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle