Feb. 15, 2008
John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602
john.yembrick-1@nasa.gov
Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-034
NASA UPDATES ENDEAVOUR’S MOVE TO LAUNCH PAD MONDAY
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour’s rollout to Launch
Pad
39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., has been rescheduled for
12:01 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 18. Endeavour is targeted to lift off
March 11 on the 16-day STS-123 mission to the International Space
Station.
The first movement of the shuttle will be approximately seven hours
earlier than previously scheduled. The fully assembled space shuttle,
consisting of the orbiter, external fuel tank and twin solid rocket
boosters, will be mounted on a Mobile Launcher Platform and delivered
to the pad on top of a crawler transporter. The crawler will travel
slower than 1 mph during the 3.4-mile journey. The process is
expected to take approximately six hours.
NASA Television’s Media Channel will provide live coverage of
Endeavour at the launch pad beginning at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights
of the rollout will air during NASA TV Video File segments.
Media are invited to a photo opportunity of the shuttle at the pad
and
an interview availability with Endeavour Flow Director Ken Tenbusch
at 8 a.m. Monday. Dates and times of this event are subject to
change. Updates are available by calling 321-867-2525. Weather
permitting, as part of NASA’s 50th anniversary activities, the Air
Force Thunderbirds will fly over Endeavour at the launch pad at
approximately 10:15 a.m.
Journalists must arrive at Kennedy’s news center by 6 a.m. for
transportation to the viewing area. Foreign news media accreditation
for this event is closed. Foreign media with credentials must arrive
at the Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3 by 6 a.m. for
transportation to the news center.
The STS-123 mission will deliver the first section of the Japan
Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space
Agency’s two-armed robotic system, Dextre. Five spacewalks will be
conducted during the flight.
Endeavour will be commanded by Dominic Gorie. Gregory H. Johnson will
be the pilot. Mission specialists will be Robert L. Behnken, Mike
Foreman, Rick Linnehan, Garrett Reisman and Japanese astronaut Takao
Doi. Reisman will remain on the station as a resident crew member,
replacing station Flight Engineer Leopold Eyharts of the European
Space Agency, who will return home on Endeavour.
For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming
video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the STS-123
mission and crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts123/index.html
-end-