March 23, 2009 Amber Philman Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 amber.n.philman@nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: 13-09 NASA INVITES MEDIA TO MOBILE LAUNCHER PLATFORM HANDOVER EVENT CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA's Kennedy Space Center will host a ceremony on Wednesday, March 25, at 9 a.m. EDT to mark the handover of the Mobile Launcher Platform 1 from NASA's Space Shuttle Program to Constellation Program. Constructed in 1964, the mobile launchers used in Apollo/Saturn operations were modified for use in shuttle operations. With cranes, umbilical towers and swing arms removed, the mobile launchers were redesignated Mobile Launcher Platforms, or MLP. Media should arrive at Kennedy's news center by 8 a.m. for transportation to the event. Journalists without permanent Kennedy media badges or STS-119 mission credentials should submit their requests online by noon Tuesday, March 24, at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov With Wednesday's handover, the two-story steel structure now will be modified for NASA's first test flight for the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch vehicle system launching in 2009. The test flight, called Ares I-X, will bring NASA one step closer to its exploration goals -- to return to the moon for more ambitious exploration of the lunar surface and to travel to Mars and destinations beyond. All participants attending the event must be dressed in full-length pants, flat shoes that cover the feet entirely and shirts with sleeves. Video B-roll of the hardware arrival will be available on NASA Television's Video File. For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information on Ares I-X, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ares -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
