NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard an Air Force Titan IV rocket on October 15, 1997, will arrive at the planet Saturn on June 30.
To assist reporters in preparing for local coverage of the planetary encounter, members of the Cassini launch team from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center will be available for an informal interview opportunity at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, June 24 at the KSC News Center. Team members will recall the challenge and experience of preparing Cassini for launch, integrating it with the Titan IV rocket, and the countdown events of launch day.
Participants, and their positions at KSC at the time of the Cassini launch, will be:
- Ray Lugo, NASA Launch Manager
- Omar Baez, Mechanical and Propulsion Systems Engineer
- Darin Skelly, Cassini Launch Site Support Manager
- Ken Carr, Cassini Assistant Launch Site Support Manager
- Pat Hanan, Launch Vehicle Electrical Engineer
- George Haddad, Integration and Ground Systems Mechanical Engineer
- Ron Gillett, NASA Safety and Lead Federal Agency Official
This is an informal opportunity for local team members to comment on their thoughts and feelings now that Cassini is arriving at Saturn, and to discuss their experiences and the challenges that faced them. This is not a formal press conference and is expected to last approximately an hour.
