Oct 1, 2010

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

John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 john yembrick-1@nasa gov

Kyle Herring Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kyle j herring@nasa gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M10-242

INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS UPDATE SPACE STATION LAUNCH MANIFEST

WASHINGTON -- NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Russian Federal Space Agency (Roscosmos) agreed on Friday to update the International Space Station launch schedule

The target launch dates for the last planned space shuttle flight, STS-134 on Endeavour, will be Feb 27, 2011, and the Automated Transfer Vehicle-2 (ATV-2) will be Feb 15 Roscosmos will continue to look at Soyuz launch and landing options to provide manifest robustness

The agencies agreed to the changes during discussions at the International Astronautical Conference in Prague Arianespace, whose Ariane 5 rocket will launch ATV-2 into orbit from French Guiana, has confirmed its commitment to launch on Feb 15

The STS-134 flight will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) to the station The AMS is a state-of-the-art cosmic ray particle physics detector designed to examine fundamental issues about matter, and the origin and structure of the universe The flight will include three spacewalks and the installation of the AMS to the exterior of the space station using both the shuttle and station arms

ATV-2, dubbed Johannes Kepler, is scheduled to dock on Feb 26 to the station The cargo craft is designed to deliver more than seven tons of experiments, fuel, water, food and other supplies to the space station While docked, ATV-2 will use its thrusters to periodically boost the station's orbit, which decays with time It also can be used for emergency maneuvers, such as those required if a piece of space debris is predicted to hit the station This capability saves critical attitude control propellant for the station

After about 3 5 months, the ATV-2 will undock from the station and burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere over an uninhabited area of the Pacific Ocean The first ATV, Jules Verne, was launched in March 2008 and reentered the atmosphere in September 2008

The space station launch manifest is available at:

http://www nasa gov/mission_pages/station/structure/iss_manifest html

For details about upcoming shuttle missions and crews, visit:

http://www nasa gov/shuttle

For more information about ATV-2, visit ESA at:

http://www esa int/SPECIALS/ATV

For more information about the Ariane 5 launch vehicle, visit:

http://www arianespace com/launch-services/launch-services-overview asp

For more information about the space station, visit:

http://www nasa gov/station

-end-

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