WASHINGTON — NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-126 mission, targeted to launch Nov. 16. The 15-day flight will deliver equipment and supplies to the International Space Station in preparation for expansion from a three to six person resident crew aboard the complex. The mission also will include four spacewalks to service the station Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, and repair the starboard joint, which has been in limited use since September 2007.
All U.S. and international media must apply for credentials to attend the liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida or cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, media must work for legitimate, verifiable news-gathering organizations. Reporters may need to submit requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities.
Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries include those with which the United States has no diplomatic relations, on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, are under U.S. sanction or embargo, or which raise proliferation concerns. Please contact the accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm they have been accredited before they travel.
No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility. If the STS-126 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic media may be extended on a day-by-day basis.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Reporters applying for credentials at Kennedy should submit requests via the Web at:
Media must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying. Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail.
Accredited media with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. Application deadlines for mission badges are Nov. 3 for U.S. journalists and Oct. 20 for foreign reporters.
Access requests must be submitted separately for Endeavour’s launch dress rehearsal activities, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, Oct. 27-29. U.S. reporters must apply by Oct. 17 and foreign journalists by Oct. 13.
Media with special logistic requests for the Kennedy Space Center, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or work space, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger at laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov by Oct. 31.
Work space in the News Center and the News Center Annex is provided on a first-come basis – one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media must make arrangements with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Media must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines. To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at patricia.christian-1@nasa.gov. Media must have a public affairs escort to any other area of Kennedy, except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Media may obtain Johnson Space Center credentials by calling the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or presenting Kennedy STS-124 mission credentials. Media planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at Johnson. Deadlines for submitting Johnson accreditation requests are Oct. 20 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and Nov. 5 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens.
Media covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by Nov. 5 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER
Notice for a space shuttle landing at Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., could be short. Domestic media should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden. Deadlines for submitting Dryden Flight Research Center accreditation requests are Oct. 22 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and Nov. 20 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens representing domestic media must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, the last six digits of their social security number and driver’s license number, including the name of the issuing state. Permanent resident aliens must also provide their alien registration number and its expiration date.
In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives, regardless of citizenship, must provide their citizenship, visa or passport number and their expiration dates. Permanent resident aliens representing foreign media must provide their alien registration number and its expiration date.
Media representatives should e-mail requests for credentials as an attachment on their company letterhead to DrydenPAO@nasa.gov or fax requests to 661-276-3566. Requests must include a phone number and business e-mail address for follow-up contact.
NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:
Kennedy Space Center: Candrea Thomas, 321-867-2468, candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
Johnson Space Center: James Hartsfield, 281-483-5111, james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov
Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893, leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov
For information about the STS-126 mission, visit:
http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/oig/hq/audits/reports/FY08/IG-08-032.pdf
