What: Search and Rescue Media Day

Where: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Md.

Date and Time: Monday, May 24, 2010 at 9:30 a.m. EDT

RSVP: Edward Campion at 301-286-0697

As Memorial Day weekend approaches, and the boating, hiking and outdoor season begins, the number of folks requiring rescue increases. News representatives in the Washington and Baltimore area are invited to go inside NASA’s Search and Rescue Lab to see how new technology may more quickly identify the locations of people in distress and reduce the risk to rescuers.

NASA Goddard engineers pioneered the technology used for the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking System, or COSPAS-SARSAT. With the aid of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellites, the system is credited with saving 27,000 lives worldwide, including more than 6,330 in the U.S. and its surrounding waters since its inception nearly three decades ago. Reporters will learn how NASA, NOAA, the Coast Guard, Air Force and other international partners are working together to reduce search times from hoursto seconds. Representatives from each partner organization will be available for interviews.

Reporters wishing to attend the media day at Goddard should contact Edward Campion at 301-286-0697 no later than Friday, May 21. Media must arrive at Goddard Visitor Center by 9:30 a.m. EDT.

NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center is located at 8800 Greenbelt Rd., Greenbelt, Md., 20771. The Goddard Visitor Center is located off ICESat Road (formerly Soil Conservation Road). Once on ICESat Road, turn left into the Visitor Center prior to the security checkpoint.

Directions: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/visitor/directions/index.html

The media day schedule (all times are EDT) includes:

  • 9:30 a.m. Press arrive at Goddard Visitor’s Center
  • 9:45 a.m. Press board bus to Search and Rescue Lab
  • 10:00 a.m. Press briefing
  • 10:30 a.m. Question and answers with reporters
  • 11:00 a.m. Demo of new search and rescue technology
  • 11:15 a.m. One-on-one interviews (will continue until all interviews are complete)

High-definition b-roll footage and other information will be available on May 24 at the media day event and online at noon at:

http://www.nasa.gov/topcis/technology/features/search-rescue-media.html

CONTACT: Edward Campion, edward.s.campion@nasa.gov; or Rani Gran, rani.c.gran@nasa.gov; both of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., +1-301-286-0697 or +1-301-286-2483