March 30, 2009

Candrea Thomas Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468 candrea k thomas@nasa gov

Michael Curie Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 michael curie@nasa gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-050

NASA UPDATES MEDIA CREDENTIALS DEADLINES FOR NEXT SHUTTLE FLIGHT

WASHINGTON -- NASA is updating its media accreditation deadlines for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-125 mission to service the Hubble Space Telescope, targeted to launch May 12 The 11-day flight will include five spacewalks to upgrade the telescope, leaving it better than ever and ready for at least another five years of research This mission is the last visit to the telescope before the shuttle fleet's planned retirement in 2010

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, reporters must work for legitimate, verifiable news-gathering organizations Journalists may need to submit requests for credentials at multiple NASA facilities as early as April 11

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, countries on the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, those under U S sanction or embargo, or countries 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-125 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic journalists may be extended on a day-by-day basis

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER Because of the length of time between target launch dates, STS-125 media credentials issued in 2008 are no longer valid Reporters applying for credentials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center should submit requests via the Web at:

https://media ksc nasa gov

Reporters must use work e-mail addresses, not personal accounts, when applying Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive confirmation via e-mail

Accredited journalists with mission badges will have access to Kennedy from launch through the end of the mission Application deadlines for mission badges are May 1 for U S journalists and April 19 for foreign reporters

Media representatives with special logistic requests for the Kennedy Space Center, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, electrical connections or work space, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger at laurel a lichtenberger@nasa gov by May 1

Work space in the News Center and the News Center Annex is provided on a first-come basis -- one space per organization To set up temporary telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, journalists must make arrangements with BellSouth at 800-213-4988 Reporters must have an assigned seat in the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines To obtain an assigned seat, contact Patricia Christian at patricia christian-1@nasa gov Media representatives must have a public affairs escort to any other Kennedy area except the Launch Complex 39 cafeteria

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER Reporters may obtain credentials for NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston by calling the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or by presenting STS-125 mission credentials from Kennedy Media representatives planning to cover the mission only from Johnson need to apply for credentials only at Johnson Deadlines for submitting Johnson accreditation requests are April 11 for non-U S reporters, regardless of citizenship, and May 7 for U S reporters who are U S citizens

Journalists covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials also must contact the Johnson newsroom by May 7 to arrange workspace, phone lines and other logistics Johnson is responsible for credentialing media if the shuttle lands at NASA's 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 in California could be short Domestic media outlets should consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel quickly to Dryden Deadlines for submitting Dryden accreditation requests are April 14 for non-U S media, regardless of citizenship, and May 15 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, their driver's license number and the name of the issuing state, and the last six digits of their social security number

In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives, regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their citizenship, visa or passport number and their expiration date Foreign nationals representing either domestic or foreign media who have permanent residency status must provide their alien registration number and expiration date

Journalists should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead to 661-276-3566 E-mailed requests to Alan Brown at alan brown@nasa gov are acceptable for reporters 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 Those journalists who previously requested credentials will not have to do so again

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-125 mission, visit:

http://www nasa gov/shuttle

For information about the Hubble Space Telescope, visit:

http://www nasa gov/hubble

-end-

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