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NASA News National Aeronautics and Space Administration
John F. Kennedy Space Center Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 AC 321 867-2468 _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. February 13, 2004 (Phone: 321-867-2468)
NOTE TO EDITORS:
MODE VII ORBITER EMERGENCY EGRESS LANDING EXERCISE FEB. 18
A “Mode VII” emergency landing simulation is occurring at Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The purpose is to exercise emergency preparedness personnel, equipment and facilities in rescuing the astronauts from a downed orbiter and provide immediate medical attention. The last Mode VII was conducted at KSC in 2002.
In the simulation, the orbiter is short on terminal energy and crashes short of the Shuttle Landing Facility in a wooded area 2 ½ miles south of Runway 33. Emergency crews will respond to rescue team members who are simulating injured astronauts inside an orbiter crew compartment mock-up. They will remove the crew, provide triage (emergency on-site treatment) and then transport them by ambulance or helicopter to one of three hospitals, depending on the nature of their injury.
To assure the drill is as authentic as possible for responding emergency rescue crews, they will not be told in advance about the exact circumstances they will encounter.
News media can view the emergency rescue exercise. Spokespersons available to speak to the media on location will be:
* Butch Wilmore, NASA Astronaut * Lt. Col. John Bickett, commander, Department of Defense Management for Space Shuttle Support (DDMS) * Norb Kuhman, Fire Chief and Rescue Operations Commander, SGS
At the conclusion of the on-site portion of the exercise, media are being taken briefly to the Launch Control Center, where the exercise is being managed and directed. Media may speak to:
* Robert Holl, Landing Recovery Director, NASA-KSC
Media planning to observe the Mode VII should contact the NASA-KSC News Center at 321-867-2468 no later than noon Tuesday, Feb. 17. News media should be at the NASA-KSC Press Site at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 18 to be taken to the remote wooded area where the orbiter crew compartment mock-up will be located for the simulated rescue.
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