WASHINGTON – NASA will host a media teleconference Tuesday, April 10
no earlier than 6 p.m. EDT to discuss the space shuttle Atlantis’
external fuel tank, which was damaged during a Feb. 26 hail storm.
The teleconference follows a meeting to decide whether the tank will
be used for the shuttle’s upcoming mission, STS-117.

The briefing participants are:

— Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, Space Operations

— Wayne Hale, manager, Space Shuttle Program

— John Honeycutt, deputy manager, External Tank Project

To participate, reporters must R.S.V.P. to the newsroom at NASA’s
Johnson Space Center, Houston, at 281-483-5111. The deadline is 4
p.m. EDT Tuesday, April 10. NASA will stream live audio of the event
at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

For STS-117 crew and mission information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle