NASA will honor North Carolina at the upcoming launch of space shuttle Atlantis on the STS-122 mission, targeted for launch Dec. 6 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
The seven-member crew of Atlantis will deliver the European Space Agency’s Columbus laboratory to the International Space Station, significantly increasing the research capability in orbit. During the past year and a half, solar arrays and a connecting module have been added to provide power and a pathway for Columbus and other modules to be attached to the station.
North Carolina is a member of the space grant consortium, a coalition between NASA and North Carolina colleges, universities and other institutions representing diverse aerospace education and research activities. North Carolina State University received $590,000 in fiscal year 2007 to develop aerospace-related and high technology educational and research efforts. North Carolina is home to nine former NASA astronauts as well as current astronauts William McArthur and Dominic Antonelli. Antonelli is scheduled to fly in 2008 aboard space shuttle Discovery on the STS-119 mission.
NASA is honoring all 50 states during the remaining flights of the space shuttle, which will be retired in 2010. North Carolina journalists interested in covering the launch of Atlantis at Kennedy must request credentials by Nov. 21. Media should submit requests online at:
Mission news conferences and briefings air on NASA Television. For NASA TV downlink, streaming video and scheduling information, visit:
For the latest information about the STS-122 mission and crew, visit:
