CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA is updating its media accreditation deadlines for the next space shuttle flight to the International Space Station. Shuttle Endeavour is targeted to launch July 11 to begin mission STS-127.
The 16-day flight will deliver a new station crew member and complete construction of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory. Astronauts also will attach a platform to the outside of the Japanese module.
NASA postponed Endeavour’s first two June launch attempts because of a leak associated with the gaseous hydrogen venting system outside the shuttle’s external fuel tank. The system is used to carry excess hydrogen safely away from the launch pad.
Journalists must apply for credentials to attend launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida or to cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, reporters must work for verifiable news-gathering organizations. Journalists may need to submit requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities as early as June 24.
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, countries on the State Department’s list of state sponsors of terrorism, those under U.S. sanction or embargo, and countries associated with 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-127 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic journalists may be extended on a day-by-day basis.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
STS-127 media accreditation badges already issued are still valid. Reporters applying for new or updated credentials at Kennedy should submit requests via the Web at:
Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying. After accreditation is approved, applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail.
Accredited media representatives with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. Application deadlines for mission badges are June 24 for foreign reporters and July 2 for U.S. journalists.
Reporters with special logistic requests for NASA’s 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 July 1. Free wireless Internet access is no longer available at Kennedy’s news center.
Work space in the news center and the news center annex is provided on a first-come basis, limited to one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media representatives must make arrangements with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Reporters 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. Journalists must have a public affairs escort to all other areas of Kennedy except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston by calling the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by presenting STS-127 mission credentials from Kennedy. Media representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at Johnson. Previously submitted accreditation requests will remain valid for a July 11 launch for non-U.S. reporters, regardless of citizenship, and for U.S. reporters. U.S. reporters who are U.S. citizens who need to submit new credential requests should do so by July 6.
Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by July 6 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA’s 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 NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base in California could be short. Domestic media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden. Those journalists who previously requested credentials will not have to do so again.
July 22 is the deadline for submitting Dryden accreditation requests for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status. Because of the advance notice required for security clearance, Dryden cannot accept additional accreditation requests from foreign nationals or U.S. citizens representing foreign-based media.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic media outlets must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, their driver’s license number and the issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security number.
Journalists should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead to 661-276-3566. E-mailed requests to Alan Brown at alan.brown@nasa.gov are acceptable for reporters who have been accredited at Dryden within the past year. 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 International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
For information about the STS-127 mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle
