Sept 26, 2008

John Yembrick Headquarters, Washington 202-358-4715 john yembrick-1@nasa gov

Kelly Humphries Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 kelly o humphries@nasa gov

Glenn Petersen U S Chess Federation, Crossville, Tenn 732-252-8388 gpetersen@uschess org

MEDIA ADVISORY: M08-184

NASA ASTRONAUT IN SPACE CHALLENGES EARTHLINGS IN CHESS MATCH

HOUSTON -- It will be Earth vs space in a unique chess match, and you can help Earth win NASA and the U S Chess Federation (USCF) are teaming up to host the first public chess match between International Space Station astronaut Greg Chamitoff and the inhabitants of the Earth, beginning Monday, Sept 29

Key players in the game will be the kindergarten through third grade U S Chess Championship Team and its chess club teammates from Stevenson Elementary School in Bellevue, Wash The K-3 champions will select up to four possible moves on Earth's turn The public then will vote on the move transmitted to orbit The USCF will facilitate the match on its Web site at:

http://www uschess org/nasa2008

"For the past 10 years, the International Space Station has been an important platform to learn about living in space We're excited to have the opportunity to engage not only young students, but the public at large in this unique chess match," said Heather Rarick, lead flight director for the current space station mission at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston

"We hope the excitement and interest this game generates will inspire students to become interested in chess," said USCF Executive Director Bill Hall "Chess is a valuable tool to lead students to become interested in math and to develop critical thinking skills, objectives we focus on in our work with schools nationwide "

Chamitoff, a space station flight engineer speeding about 210 miles above the Earth at five miles a second, is a chess aficionado He brought a chess set with him when he arrived at the complex on the STS-124 space shuttle mission in June Chamitoff has added Velcro to the chess pieces to keep them from floating away in weightlessness He has been playing long-distance chess during his mission in his off time with station control centers around the world So far, he is undefeated

The game against the public will move at a pace of one move per day on weekdays only Play may be slower, however, because Chamitoff only makes moves when his workload permits

For more information about the USCF, visit:

http://www uschess org

For more about Chamitoff and the space station, visit:

http://www nasa gov/station

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