LDCM Satellite Ready for Launch

From: "[STS ISS STATUS]" <list.admin@aus-city.com>

Date: January 25th 2013

Jan 25, 2013

George Diller Kennedy Space Center, Fla 321-867-2468 george h diller@nasa gov

Steve Cole Headquarters, Washington 202-358-0918 stephen e cole@nasa gov

Rani Gran Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md 240-684-0821 rani c gran@nasa gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M04-13

LDCM SATELLITE READY FOR LAUNCH

VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif -- The launch of NASA's Landsat Data Continuity Mission, or LDCM satellite, aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket is scheduled for Monday, Feb 11

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), Calif , is targeted to occur at the opening of a 48-minute launch window that extends from 10:02 a m to 10:50 a m PST (1:02 to 1:50 p m EST) The spacecraft's final circular polar orbit will be 438 miles (705 kilometers) at an inclination of 98 2 degrees

LDCM is a joint NASA and U S Geological Survey mission It is the eighth satellite in the Landsat series, which began in 1972, and will add to the longest continuous data record of Earth's surface as viewed from space The mission will extend the history of global land observations that are critical in many areas, such as energy and water management, forest monitoring, human and environmental health, urban planning, disaster recovery and agriculture

ACCREDITATION

News media desiring accreditation for the prelaunch and launch activities of LDCM should fax their requests on news organization letterhead to:

2nd Lt Kaylee Ausbun 30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif

Telephone: 805-606-3595 FAX: 805-606-4571 E-mail: kaylee ausbun@us af mil

Information required for U S media is full legal name, date of birth and media affiliation A legal photo identification will be required upon arrival at Vandenberg

PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE

Friday, Feb 8: The prelaunch news conference and mission science briefing will be held from noon to 2 p m PST (3 to 5 p m EST) in the second floor conference room of the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office, Building 840, at Vandenberg Air Force Base The briefing will be carried live on NASA Television with question-and-answer capability available from other NASA field centers Media can also post questions via Twitter by using the hashtag #askNASA during the briefings

Media desiring to cover the event should meet at the south gate of VAFB on California State Road 246 at 11:30 a m to be escorted by 30th Space Wing Public Affairs to the news conference

Participants in the prelaunch news conference will be:

David Jarrett, LDCM program executive NASA Headquarters

Omar Baez, NASA launch director Kennedy Space Center, Fla

Vernon Thorp, program manager, NASA missions United Launch Alliance, Denver, Colo

Ken Schwer, LDCM project manager Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md

1st Lt Jennifer Kelley, launch weather officer, 30th Operations Support Squadron Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif

LDCM MISSION SCIENCE BRIEFING

Immediately following the prelaunch news conference will be an LDCM Mission Science Briefing Presenting the mission science objectives will be:

Dr Jim Irons, LDCM project scientist Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md

Dr Thomas Loveland, senior scientist; co-chair, Landsat Science Team U S Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center, Sioux Falls, S D

Dr Mike Wulder, senior research scientist, Landsat Science Team Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Kass Green, Landsat scientist President, Kass Green and Associates

REMOTE CAMERAS

Sunday, Feb 10: Media desiring to establish sound-activated remote cameras at the launch pad should meet at the pass and identification building at the Vandenberg south gate on California State Road 246 and Arguello Boulevard at 9:30 a m to be escorted to Space Launch Complex 3

NEWS MEDIA LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Sunday, Feb 10: There will be an opportunity for the media to see and photograph the Atlas V with LDCM within the gantry at the launch pad Media should be at the pass and identification building at the Vandenberg main gate on California State Road 1 at 1:15 p m Those wishing to attend should confirm their participation with 2nd Lt Kaylee Ausbun in the 30th Space Wing Public Affairs office at 805-606-3595

LAUNCH DAY MEDIA COVERAGE

Monday, Feb 11: Media covering the LDCM launch aboard the Atlas V rocket should meet at 8:30 a m at the Vandenberg main gate on California State Road 1 to be escorted to the press viewing site Press credentials and identification from a bona fide news organization will be required for access A driver's license alone will not be sufficient

After launch, media will be escorted back to the main gate Media interested in participating in a post-launch news conference with spacecraft officials discussing the LDCM observatory satellite's state of health will be escorted to NASA Building 840 on south Vandenberg This event will begin at noon PST (3 p m EST) and will be carried live on NASA Television

NASA TELEVISION COVERAGE

NASA Television will carry the prelaunch news conference and mission science briefing starting at noon PST (3 p m EST) on Friday, Feb 8 The prelaunch news conference also will be webcast at:

http://www nasa gov/ntv

On launch day, Feb 11, NASA TV launch commentary coverage of the countdown will begin at 7:15 a m PST (10:15 a m EST) Liftoff is targeted for 10:02 a m PST (1:02 p m EST) Spacecraft separation from the Atlas V occurs 1 hour, 17 minutes, 58 seconds after launch

For information on receiving NASA TV, go to:

http://www nasa gov/multimedia/nasatv/digital html

HD Broadcast video of LDCM spacecraft and videos are available for download at http://svs gsfc nasa gov/Gallery/Landsat html

VOICE CIRCUIT COVERAGE

Audio only of the press conference and the launch coverage will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220 or -1240 or -1260 or -7135 On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor's countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135 starting at 6:30 a m PST (9:30 a m EST) Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146 940 MHz heard within Brevard County

NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE

Extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the liftoff of the LDCM spacecraft aboard the Atlas V rocket will be available on NASA's home page on the Internet at:

http://www nasa gov

A prelaunch webcast for the LDCM mission will be streamed on NASA's website at noon on Sunday, Feb 10 Live countdown coverage through NASA's Launch Blog begins at 7:15 a m , Monday, Feb 11 Coverage features live updates as countdown milestones occur, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff For questions about countdown coverage, contact Jeanne Ryba at 321-867-7824

To view the webcast and the blog or to learn more about the LDCM mission, visit:

http://www nasa gov/landsat

SOCIAL MEDIA

Join the conversation and follow the LDCM mission online by using hashtag #Landsat on Twitter and Facebook at:

https://twitter com/NASA_Landsat

https://www facebook com/NASA Landsat

Throughout the launch countdown, the NASAKennedy Twitter and Facebook accounts will be continuously updated throughout the launch countdown at:

http://www twitter com/NASAKennedy

https://www facebook com/NASAKennedy

Launch coverage of the Atlas V/LDCM countdown activities will be available on the NASA website by going to the home page at:

http://www nasa gov

Live countdown coverage on NASA's launch blog begins at 7:15 a m PST (10:15 a m EST) Coverage features real-time updates of countdown milestones, as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff

A post-launch news conference will be held at noon PST (3 p m EST), or approximately two hours after launch

To access these features, go to NASA's LDCM mission website at:

http://www nasa gov/landsat

NASA LDCM AND ATLAS V NEWS CENTER

The LDCM and Atlas V News Center at the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office will open Feb 6 To speak with a NASA communications specialist beginning at that time, call 805-605-3051 A recorded launch status report also will be available by dialing 805-734-2693

The NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md , is responsible for the project management of LDCM Orbital Sciences Corp built the LDCM satellite NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida provides launch management United Launch Alliance of Denver, Colo , is NASA's launch service provider of the Atlas V 401 rocket After launch and the initial checkout phase, the U S Geological Survey will take operational control of the satellite, and LDCM will be renamed Landsat 8

-end-

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