Date: August 19th 2006

08 18 06

Bruce Buckingham Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468

RELEASE: 50-06

STS-115 EVENTS, BRIEFINGS AND KSC NEWS CENTER OPERATING HOURS SET

News conferences, events and operating hours for NASA Kennedy Space Center's News Center have been set for the Aug 27 launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-115, the 116th launch in the shuttle program The conferences and events are scheduled to be carried live on NASA Television unless otherwise indicated

The six STS-115 crew members are scheduled to arrive at KSC at 11:30 a m EDT on Thursday, Aug 24 Media planning to cover the event must be at the KSC News Center by 10:30 a m Thursday (in the event of a possible early crew arrival) for transportation to the Shuttle Landing Facility Commander Brent Jett will make a brief statement to the media This event and his remarks will be carried live on NASA TV

Media with proper authorization may obtain STS-115 mission credentials from the KSC Pass and Identification Office on State Road 3 Office hours of operation are included in this release

In addition to STS-115 daily countdown status briefings, there will be a prelaunch press conference two days before launch Also, a press conference about space exploration will be held at KSC on L-1

STS-115 BRIEFING & EVENTS SCHEDULE (all times are EDT) (All briefings are held inside the KSC Press Site auditorium and carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted )

L-3 Days - Thursday, Aug 24

10 a m -- Countdown Status Briefing -Steve Payne, NASA Test Director -Robbie Ashley, STS-115 Payload Manager -Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

11:30 a m -- STS-115 Flight Crew Arrival at Shuttle Landing Facility

6 p m -- Launch countdown officially begins (no NASA TV coverage)

L-2 Days - Friday, Aug 25

10 a m -- Countdown Status Briefing -Pete Nickolenko, NASA Test Director -Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

NET 4 p m -- STS-115 Launch Readiness Press Conference -Leroy Cain, Launch Integration Manager, Space Shuttle Program -Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program Manager, Johnson Space Center -Mike Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director, Kennedy Space Center -TBD, ISS Program Manager, Canadian Space Agency -U S Air Force First Lt Kaleb Nordgren, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

L-1 Day - Saturday, Aug 26

10 a m -- Countdown Status Briefing -Jeff Spaulding, NASA Test Director -Robbie Ashley, STS-115 Payload Manager -Kathy Winters, Shuttle Weather Officer

1 p m -- Exploration Update -Doug Cooke, Deputy Associate Administrator, Exploration Systems, Headquarters -Jeff Hanley, Manager, Constellation Program, Johnson Space Center -Skip Hatfield, Manager, Crew Exploration Vehicle Project, Johnson Space Center -Bill Arceneaux, Director, Constellation Test and Verification, Johnson Space Center -Steve Cook, Manager, Exploration Launch Projects, Marshall Space Flight Center -John (Tip) Talone, Assoc Program Manager and Ground Operations Project Manager, Kennedy Space Center

2 p m -- Canadian Space Agency Briefing (not on NASA TV)

7 p m -- Rotating service structure moves to launch position (not on NASA TV)

Launch Day - Sunday, Aug 27

6:30 a m -- Tanking commences (not televised)

10:30 a m -- Live launch commentary begins

Launch Day Crew Activities: 6:30 a m -- Crew wakes up 7 a m -- Breakfast *10:55 a m -- Television coverage from crew quarters Noon -- Weather briefing *12:10 p m -- Don flight suits *12:40 p m -- Depart for launch pad *1:10 p m -- Arrive at White Room and begin ingress *2:25 p m -- Close crew hatch *4:30 p m -- Launch

Televised events (times may vary slightly) All times Eastern

Launch + 1 hour -- Post-launch Press Conference -Mike Griffin, NASA Administrator -John Shannon, Chairman, Mission Management Team, Johnson Space Center

-Mike Leinbach, Shuttle Launch Director

KSC News Center Office Hours for STS-115 (hours may be adjusted for in-flight events)

Thursday, Aug 24 (Launch minus 3 days) -- 7 a m to 7 p m Friday, Aug 25 (Launch minus 2 days) -- 7 a m to 7 p m Saturday, Aug 26 (Launch minus 1 day) -- 7 a m to 7 p m Sunday, Aug 27 (Launch) Flight day 1 -- 5 a m to Midnight Aug 28 to Sept 6 (Flight days 2 through 11) -- 8 a m to 4:30 p m (except weekend and holiday) Thursday, Sept 7 (Landing - Flight day 12) -- 8 a m to 7 p m (Times may be adjusted in real time depending on mission events and timelines )

Media Badging Schedule

News media may obtain STS-115 mission credentials from the KSC Pass and Identification Office on State Road 3 Badging hours of operation are listed below

Tuesday, Aug 22 -- 10 a m to 2 p m Wednesday, Aug 23 -- 10 a m to 2 p m Thursday, Aug 24 -- 7 a m to 7 p m Friday, Aug 25 -- 8 a m to 4:30 p m Saturday, Aug 26 -- 7 a m to 7 p m Sunday, Aug 27 -- 5 a m to 2:30 p m

News media are required to be under Public Affairs escort at all times while at KSC, except when at the News Center or the Complex 39 cafeteria No photography is allowed anywhere other than from the Press Site unless prior permission is granted by NASA Public Affairs

News media are allowed at the Press Site only when Public Affairs personnel are on duty and the NASA News Center is open

For the latest information on the STS-115 mission, please visit:

http://www nasa gov/shuttle

-end-

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