Notice to Editors/News Directors: Mission STS-97 Events, News Center Operating Hours set

News conferences, events and operating hours for KSC’s News Center
have been set for the Nov. 30 launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on
Mission STS-97, the 101st launch in the Shuttle program. Launch on Nov. 30
is set for about 10:06 p.m. EST at the opening of a window that extends for
about 2 – 5 minutes. The news conferences and events listed below will be
carried live on NASA Television (unless otherwise noted) and originate from
the KSC Press Site.

The five-member STS-97 crew is scheduled to arrive at KSC on Monday,
Nov. 27 at about 4:30 p.m. EST. News media representatives planning to cover
the event must be at the KSC News Center by 3:30 p.m. (in the event of a
possible early crew arrival) for transportation to the Shuttle Landing
Facility. On launch day, the crew will depart their KSC living quarters and
be driven to the launch pad at about 6:20 p.m. Media interested in attending
this event should be at the News Center no later than 5:20 p.m.

News media representatives with proper authorization may obtain
STS-97 mission credentials at the Pass and Identification Building on State
Road 3 (south of KSC) on Merritt Island during published times. (Credential
and badging hours are listed below.)

In addition to daily 9 a.m. countdown status briefings, a prelaunch
press conference will be held two days before launch. The full briefing
schedule is listed below.

— end of general release —

STS-97 BRIEFINGS & EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times are EST)

(All briefings are held inside the KSC Press Site auditorium and will be
carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted)

L-3 Days – Monday, Nov. 27

4:30 p.m. —– STS-97 Flight Crew Arrival (Live on NASA TV)

L-2 Days – Tuesday, Nov. 28

Launch countdown begins at 1 a.m. Codaphone will be updated with status
(321/867-2525).

9 a.m. —— Countdown Status Briefing

* Jeff Spaulding, NASA Test Director

* David Flowers, P-6 Truss Mission Integration Engineer

* Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer

* 4 p.m. —– Prelaunch News Conference

* Ron Dittemore, Shuttle Program Manager, NASA, JSC

* Bob Cabana, Manager, Space Station Program, NASA, JSC

* Canadian Space Agency representative TBD

* Dave King, Director of Shuttle Processing, NASA, KSC

* Captain Clif Stargardt, Staff Meteorologist, 45th Weather Squadron,
USAF

L-1 Day – Wednesday, Nov. 29

*
* 9 a.m. —— Countdown Status Briefing

* Steve Altemus, NASA Test Director

* David Flowers, P-6 Truss Mission Integration Engineer

* Ed Priselac, Shuttle Weather Officer

L-0 Day – Thursday, Nov. 30

* (Tanking begins at about 1 p.m.)

* 5 p.m. —– NASA Television live launch programming begins

Launch Day Crew activities :

* 9:00 a.m. ——–Wake up

* 9:30 a.m. ——–Breakfast

* 2:00 p.m. ——–Lunch

* *5:10 p.m. ——-Snack (Crew Photo)

* 5:40 p.m. ——–Weather briefing

* *5:50 p.m. ——–Suit up photo

* *6:20 p.m. ——- Walkout/depart for pad

* *6:50 p.m. ——- Arrive at pad

* *8:05 p.m. ——–Close hatch

* *10:06 p.m. — Launch of Endeavour

* (* Carried live on NASA TV)

* *11:00 p.m. —– Post-launch Press Conference

* Jim Halsell, Shuttle Program Launch Integration Manager, KSC

* Mike Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director, KSC

NOTE: STS-97 MISSION STATUS BRIEFINGS WILL BE HELD DAILY THROUGHOUT THE
MISSION. TIMES OF THESE BRIEFINGS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE NASA TV SCHEDULE AT:
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html

KSC News Center office hours for STS-97
(Times may be adjusted in real time depending on mission events and
timelines.)

Monday, Nov. 27 (Launch minus 3 days) – 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 28 (Launch minus 2 days) – 8 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 29 (Launch minus 1 day) – 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 30 (Launch day) – 6 a.m. – 2 a.m. (Friday)

[FOR MISSION DAY SCHEDULES SEE NOTE BELOW]

Monday, Dec. 11 (Landing day) — TBD

NOTE: The KSC News Center will be open for overnight and weekend STS-97
Mission Status Briefings and the in-flight crew news conference. The office
typically opens one hour prior to the event and closes one hour after the
conclusion of the event when they occur after normal office hours or on
weekends. Times of these briefings are available in the NASA TV schedule at:
http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/realdata/nasatv/schedule.html

Pass and Identification Hours

L-3 Monday, Nov. 27 — 12 noon – 3:30 p.m.

L-2 Tuesday, Nov. 28 — 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

L-1 Wednesday, Nov. 29 — 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

L-0 Thursday, Nov. 30 — 8 a.m. – 9 p.m.

News media may obtain STS-97 mission credentials at the Pass and
Identification Building at Gate 2 on State Road 3, Merritt Island, during
the above published times.

News media with annual Shuttle credentials are reminded to sign the
logbook at the query counter in the News Center.

NEWS MEDIA ARE REQUIRED TO BE UNDER PUBLIC AFFAIRS ESCORT AT ALL
TIMES WHILE AT KSC EXCEPT WHEN DRIVING TO THE NEWS CENTER OR THE COMPLEX 39
CAFETERIA.

NEWS MEDIA ARE ALLOWED AT THE PRESS SITE ONLY WHEN THE KSC NEWS
CENTER IS OPEN.

Status reports and other NASA publications are available on the
World Wide Web at:
http://www-pao.ksc.nasa.gov/kscpao/kscpao.htm .

Information about the countdown and mission can be accessed
electronically via the Internet at:
http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/countdown/ and at
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/