Feb. 26, 2009 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 george.h.diller@nasa.gov J.D. Harrington Headquarters, Washington 202-358-5241 j.d.harrington@nasa.gov Michael Mewhinney Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 650-604-3937 michael.s.mewhinney@nasa.gov Whitney Clavin Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena. Calif. 818-354-4673 whitney.clavin@jpl.nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-032 NASA'S KEPLER TELESCOPE TO LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA II ROCKET CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Launch of NASA's Kepler telescope is targeted for no earlier than Friday, March 6, from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. There are two launch windows, from 10:49 - 10:52 p.m. and 11:13 - 11:16 p.m. EST. Kepler is a spaceborne telescope designed to search the nearby region of our galaxy for Earth-size planets orbiting in the habitable zone of stars like our sun. The habitable zone is the region around a star where temperatures permit water to be liquid on a planet's surface. Liquid water is considered essential for the existence of life as we know it. The vast majority of the approximately 300 planets known to orbit other stars are much larger than Earth, and none is believed to be habitable. The challenge for Kepler is to look at a large number of stars in order to statistically estimate the total number of Earth-size planets orbiting sun-like stars in the habitable zone. Kepler will survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy. Engineers are reviewing all common hardware between the Delta II rocket carrying the Kepler telescope and the Taurus XL launch vehicle. On Tuesday, a Taurus carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory failed to reach orbit. Managers want to confirm there will not be similar issues with Kepler's Delta II. Kepler's original March 5 target launch date was moved one day later to accommodate the additional time for analysis. The March 6 target date still must be confirmed by the U.S Air Force, which manages the eastern launch range. Kepler's Flight Readiness Review is on Monday, March 2. NASA's Launch Services Program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., is responsible for the launch of Kepler aboard a Delta II 7925-10L rocket. United Launch Alliance is conducting the launch for NASA. NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., is the home organization of the principal science investigator and is responsible for the ground system development, mission operations and science data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is responsible for the spacecraft and the Kepler mission development. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colo., is responsible for developing and building the Kepler spacecraft and supporting mission operations. Accreditation and Media Access Badges for Kennedy and CCAFS All news media, including those who are permanently badged at Kennedy, must complete the accreditation process for the activities associated with the Kepler launch. Accreditation requests for the Kepler launch activities at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station must be received by the close of business Tuesday, March 3. The media accreditation process is done online: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov On Thursday, March 5, media without permanent credentials may obtain NASA access badges at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. This facility is located on State Road 405 just east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Two forms of government-issued identification are required, including at least one with a picture. For further information about press accreditation, contact Laurel Lichtenberger in the news media accreditation office at 321-867-4036. Prelaunch News Conference Thursday, March 5: A prelaunch press conference will be held at the Kennedy Space Center news center at 1 p.m. Participating in the briefing will be: - Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters - Omar Baez, NASA launch director/launch manager, Kennedy Space Center - Vernon Thorp, program manager, NASA Missions, United Launch Alliance - Jim Fanson, Kepler project manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory - John Troeltzsch, Kepler program manager, Ball Aerospace Corporation - Joel Tumbiolo, U.S. Air Force Delta II launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Mission Science Briefing Immediately following the prelaunch press conference, a Kepler mission science briefing will be held. Participating in the briefing will be: - Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters - Bill Borucki, science principal investigator, NASA Ames Research Center - Natalie Batalha, co-investigator, San Jose State University - Gibor Basri, co-investigator, University of California at Berkeley Tower Rollback Photo Opportunity and Remote Camera Placements Thursday, March 5: Photographers who wish to cover the rollback of the mobile service tower from around the Delta II or to set up remote cameras at Pad 17-B will be escorted by NASA and United Launch Alliance representatives to the launch complex. Departure by vehicle convoy will be at 11:30 a.m. from the Space Florida parking lot located on Poseidon Avenue, adjacent to Gate 1 of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Launch Day Press Site Access to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Friday, March 6: Verification of pre-issued press credentials and sign-in will begin at 9:30 p.m. at the Space Florida parking lot. Media covering the launch will be required to show their permanent Kennedy credentials or temporary Kennedy machine badges before being allowed to participate in the caravan traveling to the media viewing site. Following the launch, media will be escorted via caravan back to Gate 1. Those media requiring access to the Kennedy news center after launch must proceed through Gate 2 on State Road 3. Media requiring remote camera retrieval will remain at Press Site 1 until escorted to the launch pad. Following camera retrieval, participating media will be escorted back to Gate 1. To reach the Space Florida parking lot, after passing the Pass and Identification Building outside Gate 1 of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, turn right at the traffic light at the intersection of State Road 401 and Poseidon Avenue. Make an immediate left turn at the Navaho display. Post-Launch Activities No post-launch news conference is planned. A post-launch news release will be issued once first contact has been made with Kepler and the state of health of the spacecraft can be determined. This should occur within one hour after spacecraft separation from the Delta II. Official spokespersons also will be available at the Kennedy news center for interviews then. News Center Hours for Launch The Kennedy news center will be open for Kepler news operations beginning on Tuesday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and continuing through launch day. Starting at that time, status reports on the launch of Kepler and any updates to the media advisory will be recorded on the Kennedy news media update phone line at 321-867-2525. NASA Television Coverage NASA Televison coverage of the Kepler prelaunch press conference and of the launch will be carried on the NASA TV Public Channel (Channel 101). NASA Television coverage of the Kepler prelaunch news conference and mission science brfiefing at Kennedy will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. Two-way question-and-answer capability will be available from other participating NASA centers. On Friday, March 6, NASA Television coverage of the launch will begin at 9 p.m. and conclude after spacecraft separation from the Delta II rocket at 62 minutes after launch. Audio of the prelaunch news conference will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits. The briefings begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 5, and may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, Friday, March 6, "Mission Audio" countdown activities without NASA launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135 beginning at 8 p.m. Audio of the NASA launch commentary will begin at 9 p.m. and will be available on 321-867-1220, -1240 or -1260. It will also be available on amateur radio frequency 146.940 MHz (VHF), heard within Brevard County. For information on receiving NASA Television, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage NASA's home on the Internet, http://www.nasa.gov, will provide extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the Kepler mission. Kepler's prelaunch webcast featuring Kepler's Deputy Principal Investigator Dr. David Koch and Kennedy Mission Manager Armando Piloto will be streamed on the Web and broadcast on NASA TV on Thursday, March 5, at 11:30 a.m. Live countdown coverage through NASA's launch blog begins at 9 p.m., Friday, March 6. Coverage features real-time updates as countdown milestones occur, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff. For questions, contact Jeanne Ryba at 321-867-7824. To view the webcast, the blog or to learn more about the Kepler mission, go to the mission's home page at: http://www.nasa.gov/kepler -end- To subscribe to the list, send a message to: ksc-subscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: ksc-unsubscribe@newsletters.nasa.gov
