The seven-member crew of NASA’s next space shuttle flight and Space Shuttle Program managers will participate in a series of media briefings June 8 at the Johnson Space Center, Houston. The briefings begin at 8 a.m. CDT and will be broadcast live on NASA TV. Reporters at participating NASA locations may ask questions.
Space Shuttle Discovery’s launch is targeted for July 1 in a launch window that extends to July 19. The mission, designated STS-121, will continue evaluating new shuttle safety improvements, many of which first flew on Discovery’s July 2005 mission. The improvements include a redesign of the shuttle external fuel tank’s foam insulation, in-flight inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield, improved imagery during launch and the ability to launch a shuttle rescue mission if needed.
Discovery will carry supplies and a third crew member to the International Space Station. At least two spacewalks are planned during the 12-day mission, which also includes repair work to the station.
Planned briefings:
Program Overview, 8 a.m. CDT
- Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager
- Kirk Shireman, International Space Station Program deputy manager
Mission Overview, 9 a.m. CDT
- Tony Ceccacci, Lead STS-121 space shuttle flight director
- Rick LaBrode, Lead STS-121/ULF1.1 International Space Station flight director
Space Shuttle Safety Improvements, 10 a.m. CDT
- Steve Poulos, Space Shuttle Orbiter Projects Office manager
- John Chapman, Space Shuttle External Tank Project manager
- Terri Murphy, Space Shuttle Imagery integration manager
NASA TV Video File, 11 a.m. CDT
Spacewalk Overview, 12 p.m. CDT
- Tomas Gonzalez-Torres, Lead STS-121 extravehicular activities officer
Crew News Conference, 1 p.m. CDT
- Steve Lindsey, commander
- Mark Kelly, pilot
- Mike Fossum, mission specialist
- Lisa Nowak, mission specialist
- Stephanie Wilson, mission specialist
- Piers Sellers, mission specialist
- Thomas Reiter, mission specialist, station Expedition 13 flight engineer 2
Round-robin interviews with the astronauts are available to media in person or by phone. United States media planning to attend or participate in round-robins should contact the Johnson newsroom at (281) 483-5111 by 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday, June 6. Foreign national media planning to attend must contact the same number by 5 p.m. CDT Tuesday, May 23, to arrange credentials.
NASA’s Video File airs on the Media Channel (Program 103) at 5-7 and 8-10 a.m.; 11-1 and 3-6 p.m.; and 9 -11 p.m.
NASA TV’s Public, Education and Media channels are available on an MPEG-2 digital C-band signal accessed via satellite AMC-6; 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz, vertical polarization. In Alaska and Hawaii, they’re on AMC-7; 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at 4060 MHz, horizontal polarization. For digital downlink and links to streaming video, visit:
For more information on STS-121 and its crew, visit:
