At 1:52 a.m. EDT on July 4, NASA’s Deep Impact mission will provide scientists with the first-ever opportunity to view the pristine material beneath the surface of a comet.
At 1:52 a.m. EDT on July 3, the Deep Impact spacecraft will deploy a 39- inch-wide impactor into the path of comet Tempel 1. Mission team members 83 million miles away at JPL will steer the impactor and flyby spacecraft toward the comet. The flyby craft will pass within 310 miles to record the event and send results to Earth on July 4.
By observing the impact crater and how it develops, scientists hope to learn the basic structure and density of the comet. Material beneath the surface of the comet, relatively unchanged since the solar system’s formation, may answer questions about its birth.
Coverage of the mission originates from JPL. It will be carried on NASA TV and on the Web. The JPL newsroom will be open to provide news media with the latest information.
JPL NEWSROOM HOURS
JPL newsroom phone: 818/354-5011.
- June 30 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT
- July 1 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT
- July 2 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. July 3 EDT
- July 3 10 a.m. EDT (will remain open overnight)
- July 4 through 8 p.m. EDT
- July 5 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EDT
PRESS CONFERENCES (ALL AT JPL)
News briefings will be carried on the Web and NASA TV. The schedule is subject to change.
Friday, July 1 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT, Deep Impact overview:
1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. EDT, Engineering Overview 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EDT, Science Overview
Sunday, July 3
— 2 p.m. EDT, Pre-encounter news briefing
Monday, July 4
— 4 a.m. EDT, Post-impact news briefing
— 2 p.m. EDT, Post-impact update briefing
ACCREDITATION
To cover the mission from JPL, news media must be accredited through the Media Relations Office. Media with completed applications may pick up credentials at the JPL Visitor Reception building beginning at 8 a.m. PDT, Thursday. Credentials must be picked up in person with valid I.D. To apply for credentials call the JPL Media Relations office at: 818/354-5011.
NASA TV COVERAGE The schedule for mission TV coverage is available on the Web at:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/MM_NTV_Breaking.html
Live commentary of the mission will air on NASA TV on July 3 beginning at 11:30 p.m. EDT. Commentary will conclude at approximately 3 a.m. EDT on July 4.
As of July 1, 2005, NASA TV will be carried on the Web and on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. It’s available in Alaska and Hawaii on AMC-7 at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization. A Digital Video Broadcast compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder is required for reception. Audio only of NASA TV news conference and commentary coverage is available at: 321/867- 1220/1240/1260/7135. For NASA TV information and schedules on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
Deep Impact Images of Tempel 1 will be posted daily starting today. Beginning at 1:52 a.m. EDT, July 3, images may be posted at one per hour. From 11:30 p.m. EDT, July 3 until impact at 1:52 a.m. EDT, July 4, images may post every 15 minutes. For information about the mission, including the press kit, releases, status reports, briefing schedule and images on the Web, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/deepimpact
For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit:
