KSC Contact: Bruce Buckingham

KSC Release No. 12-00

News conferences, events and operating hours for KSC’s News Center have been set for the Jan. 31 launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on Mission STS-99, the 97th launch in the Shuttle program. Launch on Jan. 31 is set for 12:47 p.m. at the opening of a 2-hour, 2-minute window. The conferences and events will be carried live on NASA Television unless otherwise noted, and originate from the KSC Press Site.

The six-member STS-99 crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC on Thursday, Jan. 27 at about 12 noon EST. News media representatives planning to cover the event must be at the News Center by 11 a.m. (in the event of a possible early crew arrival) for transportation to the Shuttle Landing Facility.

News media representatives with proper authorization may obtain STS-99 mission credentials at the Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 (south of KSC) on Merritt Island during published times. (Credential and badging hours are listed below.)

In addition to daily 9 a.m. countdown status briefings, the pre-launch press conference will be held two days before launch and a Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) science briefing will be held the day prior to liftoff.

— end of general release —

STS-99 BRIEFING & EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times are EST)
(All briefings are held inside the KSC Press Site auditorium and will be carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted)

12 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27 —– STS-99 Flight Crew Arrival (Live on NASA TV)

L-3 Days – Friday, Jan. 28
(Launch countdown begins at 5:30 p.m.)

9 a.m. —– Countdown Status Briefing

  • Doug Lyons, NASA Test Director
  • Scott Higginbotham, STS-99 Payload Manager
  • Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer

L-2 Days – Saturday, Jan. 29

9 a.m. —– Countdown Status Briefing

  • Doug Lyons, NASA Test Director
  • Scott Higginbotham, STS-99 Payload Manager
  • Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer

4 p.m. —– Pre-launch News Conference

  • Ron Dittemore, Shuttle Program Manager, JSC
  • Dave King, Director of Shuttle Operations, NASA, Kennedy Space Center
  • European Space Agency representative TBD
  • NASDA representative TBD
  • Captain Clif Stargardt, Staff Meteorologist, 45th Weather Squadron, USAF

L-1 Day – Sunday, Jan. 30

9 a.m. —– Countdown Status Briefing

  • Jeff Spaulding, NASA Test Director
  • Scott Higginbotham, STS-99 Payload Manager
  • Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer

9:30 a.m. —– Shuttle Radar Topography Mission Briefing

  • Dr. Ghassem Asrar, Associate Administrator for Earth Science, NASA HQ
  • Lt. General James C. King, director of National Imagery and Mapping Agency
  • Professor Achim Bachem, Member of the Executive Board of DLR

L-0 Day – Monday, Jan. 31

(Tanking begins at about 4:30 a.m. Monday)

7 a.m. —– NASA Television live launch programming begins

Launch Day Crew activities:
12:30 a.m. —– Wake up (Blue team)
7:30 a.m. —— Wake up (Red team)
*8:22 a.m. ——Breakfast/Lunch (Crew Photo)
8:52 a.m. —— Weather briefing
*9:15 a.m. —– Suit up photo
*9:32 a.m. —– Walkout
*10:02 a.m. — Arrive at pad
*11:17 a.m. — Close hatch
*12:47 p.m. — Launch of Endeavour
(* Carried live on NASA TV)

Launch + 1 hour —– Post-launch Press Conference

  • Bill Gerstenmaier, Shuttle Program Integration Manager, JSC
  • Dave King, Director of Shuttle Operations, KSC

(STS-199 MISSION STATUS BRIEFINGS WILL BE HELD DAILY THROUGHOUT THE MISSION. TIMES OF THESE BRIEFINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE NASA TV SCHEDULE AT: http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html)

KSC News Center office hours for STS-99
(Times may be adjusted in real time depending on mission events and timelines.)

Friday, Jan. 28 (Launch minus 3 days) —– 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 29 (Launch minus 2 days) —– 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 30 (Launch minus 1 day) —– 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Monday, Jan. 31 (Launch Day) Flight day 1 —– 12 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Tues.- Fri., Feb.1-4 – Flight days 2-5 —– 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Sat./Sun., Feb. 5-6 – Flight days 6-7 —– Office Closed
Mon.-Thurs., Feb. 7-10 – Flight days 8-11 —– 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Feb. 11 (Landing day) Flight day 12 —– 8 a.m. – 12 midnight

News media may obtain STS-99 mission credentials at the Pass and Identification Building at Gate 2 on State Road 3, Merritt Island, during the following times:

Pass and Identification Hours

L-4 / Thursday, Jan. 27 ———- 8 – 10:30 a.m.
L-3 / Friday, Jan. 28 —— 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
L-2 / Saturday, Jan. 29 ——— 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
L-1 / Sunday, Jan. 30 ———- 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
L-0 / Monday, Jan. 31 ———- 5 – 11:30 a.m.

News media with annual Shuttle credentials are reminded to sign the logbook at the query counter in the News Center.

NEWS MEDIA ARE REQUIRED TO BE UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS ESCORT AT ALL TIMES WHILE AT KSC EXCEPT WHEN DRIVING TO THE NEWS CENTER OR THE COMPLEX 39 CAFETERIA.

NEWS MEDIA ARE ALLOWED AT THE PRESS SITE ONLY WHEN PUBLIC AFFAIRS PERSONNEL ARE ON DUTY AND THE NASA NEWS CENTER IS OPEN.