HOUSTON – NASA will hold four media briefings next week to discuss International Space Station activities and provide a status of launch preparations for space shuttle mission STS-122. NASA Television also will provide live coverage of a Jan. 30 space station spacewalk, featuring Expedition 16 Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Dan Tani.
The first briefing at 1 p.m. CST on Monday, Jan. 28, will preview the spacewalk. NASA TV coverage of the spacewalk will begin at 3 a.m. on Jan. 30 and after its completion, a briefing will be held at approximately 1 p.m. During the spacewalk astronauts will replace a motor that enables one of the station’s solar arrays to pivot toward the sun. The motor experienced electrical failures in early December 2007.
Also on Jan. 30, space shuttle managers will hold a briefing no earlier than 2 p.m., following a meeting that will set an official launch date for shuttle Atlantis’ STS-122 flight. Liftoff currently is targeted for Feb. 7.
On Thursday, Jan. 31, officials from NASA and the European Space Agency will preview the maiden launch and docking of the new European “Jules Verne” Automated Transfer Vehicle. The ATV is an unmanned cargo ship for the space station. It is scheduled to lift off on an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana, no earlier than Feb. 22. The Jan. 31 briefing will follow an ATV readiness review by officials gathered at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The ATV will augment the Russian Progress ships that deliver supplies to the space station.
All of the space station briefings will originate from Johnson. The space shuttle status briefing on Jan. 30 will originate from NASA Headquarters in Washington. Questions will be taken from media at participating NASA locations.
Briefing schedule, all times CST:
Monday, Jan. 28: 1 p.m. Spacewalk preview briefing
- Kirk Shireman, International Space Station deputy program manager
- Holly Ridings, Expedition 16 lead flight director
- Kieth Johnson, International Space Station spacewalk officer
Wednesday, Jan. 30: 3 a.m. Expedition 16 spacewalk coverage begins
1 p.m. Post-spacewalk briefing
- Kwatsi Alibaruho, International Space Station flight director
- Kieth Johnson, International Space Station spacewalk officer
2 p.m. Space shuttle status briefing
- Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for Space Operations
- Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle Program manager
Thursday, Jan. 31: 3 p.m. Automated Transfer Vehicle preflight briefing
- Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager
- Alan Thirkettle, ESA International Space Station Program manager
- John Ellwood, ESA ATV mission manager
- Bob Chesson, head, ESA Human Spaceflight and Exploration Operations
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules, and downlink information, visit:
For information about the upcoming STS-122 mission and its crew, visit:
For information about the space station and the Expedition 16 crew, visit:
