News media and the public are invited to celebrate Ames Research Center’s numerous contributions to NASAs Space Shuttle Program with a viewing event of the planned space shuttle Endeavour flyover at Ames on the morning of Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012. The event is free and open to the public.

The centers gates will open at 6 a.m. PDT, and the event program is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m., with a welcome from Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden. Also featured in the program are presentations highlighting Ames work on the space shuttle, including heat shield and wind tunnel testing, shuttle astronaut training, computational modeling and more. Ames subject matter experts, including a former shuttle astronaut, will mingle with the crowd and be available to answer questions about the shuttle and the significant role Ames played in the program.

On Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, news media also are invited to tour Ames Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS), which was used to train shuttle astronauts to land the space shuttle. News media will be able to fly the space shuttle in the fixed-base cab simulator during 30-minute flights offered from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Reporters interested in participating in the VMS tour and flight opportunity on Tuesday, Sept. 18, must register with Jessica Culler, jessica.culler@nasa.gov or call 650-604-4789 by noon on Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, as space is limited.

In the mid-morning Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012, the celebration will culminate with the planned flyover of the space shuttle. Reporters interested in attending the flyover event on Thursday need to register with Jessica Culler, jessica.culler@nasa.gov or call 650-604-4789 by noon on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012.

Because the event occurs during regular commuting hours, it is anticipated that it will increase traffic on nearby surface streets, as well as major highways including U.S.101, Highways 85 and 237. Attendees are encouraged to take mass transit or carpool. If driving, enter the center using the Ellis Gate by taking 101 to the Ellis exit and drive east on Ellis towards the Ellis Gate.

Space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to perform low-level flyovers at about 1,500 feet above locations along the planned flight path over Northern California, passing near Ames and various landmarks in multiple cities en route to its permanent home at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Endeavour is mounted atop NASA’s modified 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft.

A resource video highlighting Ames contributions to the shuttle program is available for broadcast media upon request by calling 650-604-4789. Additional information about Ames contributions to the shuttle program and a digital press kit is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2012/shuttle-flyover-presskit.html

The exact timing and path of the ferry flight depends on weather conditions and operational constraints. Some planned flyovers or stopovers could be delayed or cancelled. If the ferry flight must be postponed for any reason, additional information will be made available at: http://www.twitter.com/ames

Social media users are encouraged to share their Endeavour sightings using the hashtags #spottheshuttle and #OV105, Endeavours orbiter vehicle designation.

More detailed information will be published as the event program is finalized. For the full schedule, visit the Ames events page: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/ames/events/2012/9.20.12_Shuttle_Endeavour.html .

Ames also plans to webcast the program and flyover on its UStream channel from 8-10 a.m: http://www.ustream.tv/user/nasaames

For more about NASA missions and programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov