MEDIA ADVISORY
:
M08-070
NASA Sets Media Credentials Deadlines For Next Shuttle Flight
WASHINGTON -- NASA has set media accreditation deadlines for space shuttle Discovery's STS-124 mission, targeted to launch May 31. The 13-day flight to the International Space Station will include three spacewalks to continue assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle's seven-member crew will work with the station crew and ground teams to install a new pressurized lab and a robotic arm for Kibo.
All journalists must apply for credentials to attend the liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida or cover the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, media must work for legitimate, verifiable news-gathering organizations. Reporters may need to submit requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities.
Additional time may be required to process accreditation requests by journalists from certain designated countries. Designated countries include those with which the United States has no diplomatic relations, on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, are under U.S. sanction or embargo, or which raise proliferation concerns. Please contact the accrediting NASA center for details. Journalists should confirm they have been accredited before they travel.
No substitutions of credentials are allowed at any NASA facility. If the STS-124 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic media may be extended on a day-by-day basis.
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER Reporters applying for credentials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center should submit requests via the Web at:
https://media.ksc.nasa.gov Media must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying. Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail.
Accredited media with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission. Application deadlines for mission badges are May 13 for U.S. media and May 6 for foreign media.
Access requests must be submitted separately for Discovery's rollout to the launch pad, targeted for May 4, and the launch dress rehearsal activities, known as the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, from May 6 to 8. For rollout, U.S. media must apply by April 28 and foreign media by April 17. For the Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test, U.S. media must apply by April 28 and foreign media by April 17.
Journalists with special logistic requests for Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or work space, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger at
laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov by May 21.
Work space in the Kennedy News Center and News Center Annex is provided on a first-come basis - one space per organization. To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media must make arrangements with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Media must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy News Center prior to setting up lines. To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at
patricia.christian-1@nasa.gov">. Media must have a public affairs escort to any other area except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria.
JOHNSON SPACE CENTER Reporters may obtain NASA Johnson Space Center credentials by calling the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or presenting Kennedy STS-124 mission credentials. Media planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at Johnson. Deadlines for submitting Johnson accreditation requests are May 2 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and May 23 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens.
Media covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by May 23 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics. Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at White Sands Space Harbor, N.M. If a landing is imminent at White Sands, Johnson will arrange credentials.
DRYDEN FLIGHT RESEARCH CENTER Notice for a space shuttle landing at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center on Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., could be short. Domestic media should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden. Deadlines for submitting Dryden Flight Research Center accreditation requests are May 6 for non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and June 5 for U.S. media who are U.S. citizens or who have permanent residency status.
For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic media must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth, media organization, the last six digits of their social security number and driver's license number, including the name of the issuing state.
In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives, regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their citizenship, visa or passport number and expiration date. Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration number and expiration date.
Media should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead to 661-276-3566. E-mailed requests to
alan.brown@nasa.gov are acceptable for media who have been accredited at Dryden within the past year. Requests must include a phone number and business e-mail address for follow-up contact.
NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS: Kennedy Space Center: Candrea Thomas, 321-867-2468,
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov Johnson Space Center: James Hartsfield, 281-483-5111,
james.a.hartsfield@nasa.gov Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893,
leslie.a.williams@nasa.gov For information about the STS-124 mission, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle For information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
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