The NASA Comet Nucleus Tour (CONTOUR) spacecraft, to be launched in early
July, will be featured in a news media opportunity on Wednesday, June 5, at
9:30 a.m.

CONTOUR is our first detailed look into the heart of a comet – it’s nucleus.
The spacecraft will fly as close as 60 miles (100 kilometers) of at least
two comets, taking the sharpest pictures yet of the nucleus while analyzing
the gas and dust that surround these rocky, icy building blocks of the solar
system. For the first time, CONTOUR will help us assess the diversity of
comets and unravel the mysteries of how they evolve. CONTOUR has been built
and will be controlled after launch by the Applied Physics Laboratory of
Johns Hopkins University located in Baltimore, Md.

For this event, standard clean room protocol will be observed. Those
planning to attend are requested to wear long pants. Shorts or tank tops are
not permitted. Closed-toe shoes are also required. Clean room attire (bunny
suits) will be furnished. Quality control personnel may request cleaning of
photographic equipment with alcohol wipes that will be provided. No suede,
leather or vinyl attire or accessories are permitted. Please do not wear
perfume, cologne or makeup. No graphite pencils, food, tobacco, lighters,
matches, or pocket knives will be permitted inside the clean room.
Electronic flash photography is permitted. The lighting in the facility is
mercury vapor.

The spacecraft’s science instruments are sensitive to radio frequency (RF)
transmissions. Therefore, for this spacecraft showing, no cellular
telephones, pagers, wireless microphones, or two-way radios can be allowed
inside SAEF-2.

Spokespeople from the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University
will be available to discuss the CONTOUR spacecraft, answer questions and be
available for interviews.

Those needing accreditation should contact the NASA News Center at
321/867-2468 by the close of business Tuesday, June 4.

Media currently accredited for Shuttle mission STS-111 do not need
additional accreditation.

On Wednesday, June 5, the press bus will depart from the KSC News Center for
SAEF-2 promptly at 9:30 a.m. Media will be returned to the press site by
11:30 a.m.

CONTOUR is scheduled for launch on July 1 at 2:56 a.m. EDT at the opening of
a 6-second launch window. Liftoff will be aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket
from Pad 17-A on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. There is a 25-day science
window beginning July 1.