The launch of Aqua, NASA’s latest Earth Science
satellite, is scheduled for Thursday, May 2, from Vandenberg
Air Force Base, Calif. The primary role of Aqua, as the name
implies, is to gather information about water in the Earth’s
system. Equipped with six state-of-the-art instruments, Aqua
will collect data on global precipitation, evaporation and
the cycling of water — information vital to better
understand and protect the Earth.
In preparation for the launch, NASA will hold a mission media
briefing at 1 p.m. EDT Monday, April 22, in the James Webb
Memorial Auditorium, NASA Headquarters, 300
E Street SW, Washington.
Speakers for the Aqua mission briefing will be:
* Ghassem R. Asrar, Associate Administrator for Earth
Science, NASA Headquarters, Washington
* Claire Parkinson, Aqua project scientist, Goddard Space
Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
* Phil Sabelhaus, Aqua project manager, Goddard Space Flight
Center
The briefing will be carried live on NASA Television with
two-way question-and-answer capability for reporters covering
the briefing from participating NASA centers. Reporters must
coordinate in advance with NASA Center Newsrooms to
participate remotely. NASA TV is broadcast on satellite GE-2,
transponder 9C, at 85 degrees West longitude, vertical
polarization, frequency 3880 MHz, audio of 6.8 MHz. The
briefing also will available on the Internet at:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv/ntvweb.html
More information about Aqua can be found at:
http://aqua.nasa.gov
