April 1, 2011 George H. Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 george.h.diller@nasa.gov Alan Buis Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. 818-354-0474 alan.buis@jpl.nasa.gov MEDIA ADVISORY: M15-11 AQUARIUS/SAC-D INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ACCREDITATION NOW OPEN VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- International media who would like to cover the launch of Aquarius/SAC-D at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California need to apply for accreditation by May 9. The launch of Aquarius/SAC-D aboard a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket from NASA's Space Launch Complex 2 is targeted for June 9 at 7:20 a.m. PDT. Due to U.S. Air Force requirements, international media must apply for accreditation 30 days or more before the launch. International media should contact: Jeremy Eggers 30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Telephone: 805-606-3595 FAX: 805-606-4571 E-mail: jeremy.eggers@vandenberg.af.mil Information required is full legal name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and media affiliation. A legal photo identification will be required upon arrival at Vandenberg. Aquarius, the NASA-built primary instrument on the SAC-D spacecraft, will map global changes in salinity, which is the concentration of dissolved salt, at the ocean surface. Salinity is a key measurement for understanding how changes in rainfall, evaporation, and the melting or freezing of ice influence ocean circulation and are linked to variations in Earth's climate. The three-year mission will provide new insights into how variations in ocean surface salinity relate to these fundamental climate processes. Launch management is provided by NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Aquarius/SAC-D mission is a collaboration between NASA and Argentina's space agency with participation by Brazil, Canada, France and Italy. For more information about the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, visit: http://aquarius.nasa.gov/ -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
