News conferences, events and operating hours for NASA Kennedy Space Center’s (KSC) News Center are set for the July 13 launch of the Return to Flight (RTF) mission STS-114. The news conferences and events are scheduled to be carried live on NASA Television unless otherwise indicated.
The seven STS-114 crew members, lead by Commander Eileen Collins, are scheduled to arrive at KSC on Sunday, July 10, no earlier than 11 a.m. EDT. This event will be carried live on NASA TV. News media representatives planning to cover the event must be at the News Center by 10 a.m. Sunday for transportation to the Shuttle Landing Facility.
Beginning Sunday, July 10, news media representatives who have been accredited for this mission may pick up their mission credentials from KARS Park on Hall Road (off State Road 3, south of KSC) during published times. (Credential and badging hours are listed below.)
On the days before launch, daily countdown status briefings, media workshops and briefings, and pre-launch press conferences have been scheduled. Also, KSC orientation tours will be offered of limited KSC facilities. (A listing of available briefings and tours is attached.)
— end of general release —
STS-114 BRIEFING & EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times are EDT)
(All briefings are held inside the KSC Press Site TV auditorium. Briefings and events will be carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted.)
L-3 Days – Sunday, July 10
9 a.m. —- Countdown Status Briefing
- Jeff Spaulding , NASA test director
- Scott Higginbotham, STS-114 payload manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle weather officer
11 a.m. (no earlier than) — STS-114 Flight Crew Arrival
noon – Japan Space Agency (JAXA) briefing (local only)
2 p.m. —– Propulsion Systems Modification Briefing
- Neil Otte, chief engineer for external tank
- Sandy Coleman, external tank project manager
- Tom Williams, solid rocket booster dept. project manager
3 p.m. —- RTF Imagery Briefing
- Bob Page, NASA intercenter photo working group
4 p.m. —- Langley Engineers Analysis Briefing
- Robert S. Barnes, manager, LaRC Shuttle RTF Project
- Harry L. Belvin, deputy manager, LaRC Shuttle RTF Project
(NOTE: Launch countdown officially begins at 6 p.m.)
L-2 Days – Monday, July 11
10 a.m. —- Countdown Status Briefing
- Pete Nickolenko, NASA test director
- Scott Higginbotham, STS-114 payload manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle weather officer
11 a.m. (local only) —- International Space Station Processing Overview
- Scott Higgenbotham, STS-114 payload manager
noon – Japan Space Agency (JAXA) briefing (local only)
2 p.m. —- Shuttle Processing Overview
- Jon Cowart, manager, JSC resident office
3 p.m. —- Discovery Processing Overview
- Stephanie Stilson, Discovery vehicle manager
NET 4:30 p.m. —– STS-114 Launch Readiness Press Conference
- Wayne Hale, Space Shuttle deputy program manager, JSC
- Mike Wetmore, director, Shuttle Processing, KSC
- Dr. Kuniaki Shiraki, Space Station program manager, JAXA
- 1st Lt. Mindy Chavez, launch weather officer, USAF 45th Weather Squadron
L-1 Day – Tuesday, July 12
10 a.m. —- Countdown Status Briefing
- Jeff Spaulding, NASA test director
- Scott Higginbotham, STS-114 payload manager
- Kathy Winters, Shuttle weather officer
2 p.m. —- NASA Administrator’s Briefing
Mike Griffin, NASA administrator
Launch Day – Wednesday, July 13
5:30 a.m. — NASA Television live launch programming begins
5:30 a.m. – Live tanking activities commentary
10 a.m. – Live Launch commentary begins
Launch Day Crew activities:
5:45 a.m. — Crew wake up
*10:15 a.m. — Crew photo
11:30 a.m. – Weather briefing and suit up
*11:40 a.m. – Suit up
*12:01 p.m. – Walkout
*12:30 p.m. – Arrive at pad
*1:45 p.m. – Close hatch
*3:51 p.m. —– Launch of Discovery
(*live on NASA TV)
Launch+1 hour — Post-launch Press Conference
- Mike Griffin, NASA administrator
- William Readdy, associate administrator for space operations
- Bill Parsons, Space Shuttle program manager
- Mike Leinbach, Shuttle launch director
KSC News Center office hours for STS-114
(hours may be adjusted for in-flight events)
Saturday, July 9 —— (Launch minus 4 days)—- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 10 —— (Launch minus 3 days)—- 7 a.m. – RTC
Monday, July 11 —— (Launch minus 2 days)—- 24-hours
Tuesday, July 12 —– (Launch minus 1 day)—— 24-hours
Wednesday, July 13 – (Launch) Flight day 1 —— 24-hours
Thursday, July 14 —- Flight day 2 —————– RTC – 8 p.m.
July 15 – July 23 —— Flight days 3 – 11———- 5 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, July 24 ——-Flight Day 12 ————– 5 a.m. – RTC
Monday, July 25 —— (Landing) Flight day 13 — RTC – 11 p.m.
(Times may be adjusted in real time depending on mission events and timelines.)
News media may obtain STS-114 mission credentials from KARS Park located on Hall Road which is a turn off of State Road 3, about five miles south of the KSC entrance. Badging times are:
KARS Park Hours (Media Badging Schedule)
Saturday, July 9 ——– 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, July 10 ——– 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Monday, July 11 ——— 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, July 12 ——- 6:30 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, July 13 — 2 a.m. – 11 a.m.
MEDIA ARE REMINDED THEY MUST CAR POOL OR RIDE A BUS FROM KARS PARK WHEN TRAVELING TO THE PRESS SITE BEGINNING L-3 DAYS. FOREIGN NATIONAL MEDIA MAY NOT CAR POOL BUT ARE REQUIRED TO RIDE A BUS.
NEWS MEDIA ARE REQUIRED TO BE UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS ESCORT AT ALL TIMES WHILE AT KSC EXCEPT WHEN AT THE NEWS CENTER OR THE COMPLEX 39 CAFETERIA.
NEWS MEDIA ARE ALLOWED AT THE PRESS SITE ONLY WHEN PUBLIC AFFAIRS PERSONNEL ARE ON DUTY AND THE NASA NEWS CENTER IS OPEN.
NASA TV is 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. For NASA TV information and schedules on the Web, visit: www.nasa.gov/ntv
List of KSC Media Tours and Events for Launch of STS-114
(Please sign up at the Press Site for all events)
Date / Time / Event
July 10 – Sunday – L-3
11 a.m. – (Depart Press Site at 10 a.m.)
Astronaut arrival at SLF: The entire crew of Shuttle mission STS-114 will arrive in T-38 training aircraft from their homes in Houston, TX. Commander Eileen Collins will make a brief statement to the media following arrival at the Shuttle Landing Facility. This event will be covered live on NASA TV.
2 – 4 p.m.
KSC Orientation Tour: Media tour of various locations at KSC, including Launch Complex 39 area locations and the Space Station Processing Facility (current location of ISS hardware).
July 11 – Monday – L-2
6:30 a.m. – (Depart Press Site at 5:30 a.m.)
STA Departure (suited): Commander Eileen Collins and Pilot Jim Kelly are scheduled to depart the Shuttle Landing Facility to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). They will be dressed in their orange Shuttle launch and entry suits.
2 – 4 p.m.
KSC Orientation Tour: Media tour of various locations at KSC, including Launch Complex 39 area locations and the Space Station Processing Facility (current location of ISS hardware).
July 12 – Tuesday – L-1
6:30 a.m. – (Depart Press Site at 5:30 a.m.)
STA Departure: Commander Eileen Collins and Pilot Jim Kelly are scheduled to depart the Shuttle Landing Facility to fly in the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA). They will be dressed in their typical astronaut blue suits, not the orange Shuttle launch and entry suits.
7 p.m. – (Media will depart Press Site at 6 p.m.)
RSS Rollback at Pad and Sunset at Pad Photo Opportunity: Media will be taken to the pad for a photo opportunity of the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) being retracted from around the Shuttle, and remain for the sunset photo opportunity. (Sunset will occur at 8:23 p.m.) A photo location will be selected that places the sun setting behind the launch pad. Once the RSS is back, the Xenon pad lights will illuminate the Shuttle in white light.
July 13 – Wednesday – Launch Day
noon – (Media will depart Press Site at 11 a.m.)
Crew walkout at O&C: All seven astronauts depart their crew quarters and enter the Astronaut Van for the drive to the launch pad. This event is generally recommended for photographers only since no dialog with the crew will occur and they are only visible for a few moments. Space is limited.
For the latest information on NASA’s Return to Flight efforts on the Internet, visit:
