Dec 23, 2008

Allard Beutel Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468 allard beutel@nasa gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: 32-08

SANTA INVITED TO EXPLORE NASA'S MOON AND MARS PROGRESS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla - When Santa Claus makes his routine pit stop at NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on Christmas Eve, he may do a bit more than chow down on milk and cookies In the next few decades, humans could be living, working and playing on the moon, including millions of good little boys and girls counting on Santa to put presents under their trees, no matter where those trees are So this year, Kennedy is inviting Santa to check out the progress being made with the agency's Constellation Program

After Santa and his reindeer-propelled sleigh glide to a stop on the 15,000-foot-long shuttle runway, he can head over to Launch Pad 39B where modifications are being made for the Ares I-X rocket test flight targeted to launch in July 2009 Workers are using the Manitowoc 21000 model crane, which extends 640 feet off the ground, to lift the lightning protection system's three 600-foot-tall steel and fiberglass towers Word has it Santa's elves began constructing a similar launch pad and lightning protection system at the North Pole last year in preparation for Santa's sojourns to the stars

Santa also has the option to check out the new Ares I-X firing room, which is fairly empty in comparison to space shuttle firing rooms It takes more than 200 controllers to launch a space shuttle, whereas Ares calls for about 100 The firing room also has the capability to go paperless Shuttle controllers can have up to 6,000 procedure documents at their consoles, but the new system will provide all necessary documents online

Next, Santa can swing by the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, to look at the first pieces of Ares I-X hardware The test flight rocket's upper-stage simulator, consisting of 11 cylinders that look like enormous tuna cans, will help engineers prepare NASA's next generation human spacecraft launch system for space travel Rumor has it elves are looking to have a similar system like the Ares I and will call Santa's fleet, "Jingle Bell Rockets "

Santa's last stop would be Kennedy's Parachute Refurbishment Facility where workers are manufacturing and packing Ares parachutes The drogue parachute that will gently slow the descent of the spent Ares I-X first-stage motor has faired well during testing at the U S Army's Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona

Santa reportedly requested a mock-up moonsuit from NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston The new red suit is expected to support a week's worth of moonwalks Santa may only need to wear it one night a year, unless of course he relocates his workshop to the north pole of the moon, Mars or beyond

For more information about NASA's return to the moon, Mars and beyond, visit:

http://www nasa gov/topics/moonmars

For more information on NASA's Constellation Program, visit:

http://www nasa gov/constellation

For more information on NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit:

http://www nasa gov/kennedy

-end-

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