New Time for NASA Science Update to Discuss New Horizons Data

April 30, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Tabatha Thompson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/3895

Michael Buckley
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
240-228-7536

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-44

NEW TIME FOR NASA SCIENCE UPDATE TO DISCUSS NEW HORIZONS DATA

WASHINGTON - A NASA Science Update to discuss new views of the Jupiter
system has moved to 2 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 1.

The Pluto-bound New Horizons spacecraft is returning these images as
it flies past the solar system's largest planet during the initial
stages of a planned six-month encounter. The update will take place
in the NASA Headquarters auditorium at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 1 at 300 E
St., S.W., Washington. The update will air live on NASA Television
and be streamed at www.nasa.gov.

New Horizons is using Jupiter's gravity to boost its speed toward the
outer solar system while training its cameras and sensors on the
giant planet and its moons.

Briefing participants are:
-- Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission
Directorate, and New Horizons principal investigator, Headquarters,
Washington
-- Jeff Moore, New Horizons Jupiter Encounter Science Team lead, Ames
Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
-- John Spencer, New Horizons Jupiter Encounter Science Team deputy
lead, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colo.
-- Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist, Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.

Reporters at participating NASA centers will be able to ask questions.
For more information about NASA TV, streaming video, downlink and
schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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US snubs Russian request for joint moon exploration: space chief

US snubs Russian request for joint moon exploration: space chief from PhysOrg.com

The head of Russia's space agency Sunday said the US has rebuffed an offer from Moscow to jointly explore the moon, while announcing a separate contract with NASA for nearly one billion dollars for the International Space Station. [^^^^^]

NASA Science Statement on Stephen Hawking's Zero Gravity Flight

April 27, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

RELEASE: 07-94

NASA SCIENCE STATEMENT ON STEPHEN HAWKING'S ZERO GRAVITY FLIGHT

WASHINGTON - The following is a statement from Alan Stern, NASA
associate administrator for the Science Mission Directorate at
Headquarters in Washington, regarding renowned physicist Stephen
Hawking's flight aboard Zero Gravity Corporation's Boeing 727.

"Stephen Hawking's flight to experience zero gravity is exciting. I
can say from flying hundreds of parabolas aboard NASA KC-135s myself
that the experience is eye-opening, exhilarating and personally
fulfilling. My own experiences primarily were participating in
research in space motion sickness and later, low-gravity accretion.
But it's the 21st century now, and I expect more and more scientists
to be conducting research in zero gravity, and even in space, as new
vehicles and venues for such research open.

"Space is as much a place for scientists, I believe, as the arctic,
Antarctic, and the deep ocean. And Dr. Hawking is showing the way.

"I want to extend my congratulations to him on his first taste of zero
gravity and offer my best wishes for the realization of his dream of
launching into space itself."

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NASA's Centennial Challenge for Improved Astronaut Gloves Set

April 27, 2007

David E. Steitz/Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600

Alan Hayes
Volanz Aerospace, Inc., Owings, Md.
202-498-6804

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-43 Corrected

NASA'S CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FOR IMPROVED ASTRONAUT GLOVES SET

WASHINGTON - On Wednesday and Thursday, May 2-3, teams from around the
nation will compete for a total of $250,000 from NASA for an improved
astronaut glove design. The Astronaut Glove Challenge, one of NASA's
seven Centennial Challenges, will take place at the New England Air
Museum at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Conn. The
competition is free and open to media and the public. It begins May 2
from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT and continues May 3 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

NASA is offering a total of $200,000 for the team that can design and
manufacture the best astronaut glove that exceeds minimum
requirements. An additional $50,000 goes to the team that best
demonstrates Mechanical Counter Pressure gloves.

An astronaut's gloves are among the most critical pieces of the
spacesuit. After an extended time of work using the current gloves,
astronauts' hands have bled and been bruised, and fingernails have
been damaged. This competition seeks new glove joint technologies
that make the astronauts' jobs easier, more comfortable and safer
with stronger gloves that increase flexibility and dexterity.

At no cost to NASA, Volanz Aerospace, Inc., Owings, Md., is
administering the challenge. Hamilton Sundstrand, Windsor Locks,
Conn., and ILC Dover, Frederica, Del., are sponsors of the contest.

Centennial Challenges, an element of NASA's Innovative Partnerships
Program, promotes technical innovation through prize competitions to
make revolutionary advances to support the Vision for Space
Exploration and NASA goals. For more information about the Innovative
Partnerships Program and Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov/cc

For more information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA's Centennial Challenge for Improved Astronaut Gloves Set

April 27, 2007

David E. Steitz/Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600

Alan Hayes
Volanz Aerospace, Inc., Owings, Md.
202-498-6804

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-43

NASA'S CENTENNIAL CHALLENGE FOR IMPROVED ASTRONAUT GLOVES SET

WASHINGTON - On Tuesday and Wednesday, May 2-3, teams from around the
nation will compete for a total of $250,000 from NASA for an improved
astronaut glove design. The Astronaut Glove Challenge, one of NASA's
seven Centennial Challenges, will take place at the New England Air
Museum at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, Conn. The
competition is free and open to media and the public. It begins May 2
from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. EDT and continues May 3 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

NASA is offering a total of $200,000 for the team that can design and
manufacture the best astronaut glove that exceeds minimum
requirements. An additional $50,000 goes to the team that best
demonstrates Mechanical Counter Pressure gloves.

An astronaut's gloves are among the most critical pieces of the
spacesuit. After an extended time of work using the current gloves,
astronauts' hands have bled and been bruised, and fingernails have
been damaged. This competition seeks new glove joint technologies
that make the astronauts' jobs easier, more comfortable and safer
with stronger gloves that increase flexibility and dexterity.

At no cost to NASA, Volanz Aerospace, Inc., Owings, Md., is
administering the challenge. Hamilton Sundstrand, Windsor Locks,
Conn., and ILC Dover, Frederica, Del., are sponsors of the contest.

Centennial Challenges, an element of NASA's Innovative Partnerships
Program, promotes technical innovation through prize competitions to
make revolutionary advances to support the Vision for Space
Exploration and NASA goals. For more information about the Innovative
Partnerships Program and Centennial Challenges, visit:

http://www.ipp.nasa.gov/cc

For more information about NASA and other agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA to Rotate Station Astronauts on Next Shuttle Mission

April 26, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: 07-93

NASA TO ROTATE STATION ASTRONAUTS ON NEXT SHUTTLE MISSION

HOUSTON - After several months working aboard the International Space
Station, NASA astronaut Suni Williams will come back to Earth aboard
the space shuttle Atlantis, targeted for launch June 8. That shuttle
mission, STS-117, will carry her successor, astronaut Clay Anderson,
to the station to begin his duty as an Expedition 15 flight engineer.

The exchange of Anderson and Williams was originally planned for the
STS-118 mission, now targeted for launch in August. However, that
flight, first set to fly in June, had to be postponed after an
unexpected hail storm damaged Atlantis' external fuel tank and
delayed STS-117.

NASA managers approved the crew rotation Thursday morning after a more
detailed review determined there would be no impact on space station
operations or future shuttle mission objectives. Since an earlier
crew rotation was possible, NASA managers decided it would be prudent
to return Williams and deliver Anderson sooner rather than later.

With the new plan, Williams' mission on the station will be
approximately the same length as originally anticipated. Williams, a
Massachusetts native, launched to the station Dec. 9, 2006, aboard
the space shuttle Discovery as part of the STS-116 mission. During
her stay, she set a record for spacewalks by a female astronaut by
conducting four excursions for a total of 29 hours and 17 minutes.
Upon Williams' return, she will have accumulated more time in space
than any other woman.

Anderson, a Nebraska native, makes his first spaceflight when he joins
Expedition 15. Discovery is scheduled to bring him home during the
STS-120 mission, targeted for launch Oct. 20.

For additional biographical information about Williams and Anderson
and more information on the space station, visit:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/index.html

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA's AIM Mission Soars to the Edge of Space

April 25, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Tabatha Thompson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/3895

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468

Cynthia O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-4647

Nina Stickles
Hampton University, Hampton, Va.
757-727-5457
RELEASE: 07-92

NASA'S AIM MISSION SOARS TO THE EDGE OF SPACE

VANDENBERG, Calif. - NASA's Aeronomy of Ice in the Mesosphere (AIM)
spacecraft, the first mission dedicated to the exploration of
mysterious ice clouds that dot the edge of space in Earth's polar
regions, successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
Calif., at 1:26 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, April 25.

The mission will study clouds that are noctilucent, meaning they can
be seen from the ground only at night, when they are illuminated by
sunlight no longer visible from the Earth's surface.

"The successful AIM launch initiates an exciting new era in
understanding how noctilucent clouds form and why they vary," said
Principal Investigator James M. Russell, III, of Hampton University
in Hampton, Va. "The coordinated AIM measurements will provide the
first focused and comprehensive data set needed to unravel the
mysteries of these clouds."

Noctilucent clouds are increasing in number, becoming brighter and are
occurring at lower latitudes than ever before. "Such variations
suggest a connection with global change," said Russell. "If true, it
means that human influences are affecting the entire atmosphere, not
just the region near the Earth's surface."

The Stargazer L-1011 aircraft released a Pegasus XL rocket at a drop
point over the Pacific Ocean, 100 miles offshore west-southwest of
Point Sur, Calif. AIM was launched at an azimuth of 192.5 degrees
into a circular polar orbit of 375 miles with an inclination of 97.7
degrees.

At approximately 1:36 p.m., communications from a Tracking Data and
Relay Satellite confirmed spacecraft separation, and the solar arrays
deployed autonomously soon thereafter.

The spacecraft was declared operating nominally at approximately 2:44
p.m., when it passed over the Svalbard, Norway, ground station.
Spacecraft bus commissioning activities will be performed during the
next six days while controllers verify satisfactory performance of
all spacecraft subsystems.

Throughout a 30-day check-out period, all the spacecraft subsystems
and instruments will be evaluated and compared to their performance
during ground testing to ensure satisfactory operation in the space
environment. The instruments will maintain their protective covers to
shield the near pristine optical surfaces from contamination while
the spacecraft outgases volatile materials. Fourteen days after
launch, the optical covers will be removed in sequence by ground
commands, and the instruments will begin scientific operations.

During the next two years, AIM scientists will methodically address
each of six fundamental objectives that will provide critical
information needed to understand cloud formation and behavior.

"This mission has many firsts, including that Hampton University is
the first historically black college and university to have the
principle investigator and total mission responsibility for a NASA
satellite mission," said Program Executive Victoria Elsbernd, NASA
Headquarters, Washington.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., is responsible for launch
vehicle/spacecraft integration and launch countdown management.
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., is responsible
for the overall AIM mission management in collaboration with Hampton
University, the University of Colorado, Boulder, and Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg. Orbital
Sciences Corporation, Dulles, Va., is responsible for providing the
Pegasus XL launch service to NASA.

AIM is the ninth small-class mission under NASA's Explorer Program,
which provides frequent flight opportunities for world-class
scientific investigations from space within the heliophysics and
astrophysics science areas.

For more information about NASA and the AIM mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/aim

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Queen Elizabeth II to Visit NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

April 25, 2007

David Mould
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1400

Mark Hess/Ed Campion
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-8955

RELEASE: 07-91

QUEEN ELIZABETH II TO VISIT NASA'S GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER

WASHINGTON - Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh will visit
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., on Tuesday, May
8. The tour of Goddard is occurring near the end of the queen's visit
to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement in
Virginia.

Goddard is home to the largest organization of scientists and
engineers in the United States dedicated to learning and sharing
knowledge of the Earth, sun, solar system and universe. The visit
gives the royal couple the opportunity to meet 21st century explorers
of new worlds. The visit is indicative of the long history of
collaboration with the United Kingdom, including the Hubble Space
Telescope and Solar Dynamics Observatory.

"NASA is honored to be one of the U.S. organizations hosting a visit
by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth," said NASA Administrator Michael
Griffin. "The United States and the United Kingdom have a strong
partnership in space, from British-born mission astronauts who serve
in NASA's astronaut corps to the numerous joint scientific and
research efforts under way."

This visit follows a signing on April 19 of a statement of intent
between NASA and the British National Space Centre, London, that
confirmed a mutual desire for discussions on specific areas of
potential collaboration involving lunar science and exploration.

The visit to Goddard will include a presentation and reception with
employees, a demonstration of the new Science on a Sphere
visualization system, and a tree planting ceremony at the Goddard
visitor center. The queen will have an opportunity to speak with the
current crew aboard the International Space Station. The duke will
tour facilities used to build and evaluate satellites and equipment
being prepared for space flight.

Parts of the visit will be carried live on NASA TV or included in NASA
video file feeds that day. All media access to the event is being
coordinated through the British Embassy in Washington. News
representatives interested in covering the queen's visit to Goddard
should contact embassy Deputy Press Secretary Steve Atkins by calling
202-588-6593, or via e-mail at ppa.washington@fco.gov.uk.

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NASA Science Update to Discuss New Data From Jupiter Flyby

April 25, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Tabatha Thompson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/3895

Michael Buckley
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.
240-228-7536

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-41

NASA SCIENCE UPDATE TO DISCUSS NEW DATA FROM JUPITER FLYBY

WASHINGTON - A NASA Science Update at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, May 1, will
discuss new views of the Jupiter system. The Pluto-bound New Horizons
spacecraft is returning these images as it flies past the solar
system's largest planet during the initial stages of a planned
six-month encounter. The update will take place in the NASA
Headquarters auditorium at 300 E St., S.W., Washington. The update
will air live on NASA Television and be streamed at www.nasa.gov.

New Horizons is using Jupiter's gravity to boost its speed toward the
outer solar system while training its cameras and sensors on the
giant planet and its moons.

Briefing participants are:
-- Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission
Directorate, and New Horizons principal investigator, Headquarters,
Washington
-- Jeff Moore, New Horizons Jupiter Encounter Science Team lead, Ames
Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
-- John Spencer, New Horizons Jupiter Encounter Science Team deputy
lead, Southwest Research Institute, Boulder, Colo.
-- Hal Weaver, New Horizons project scientist, Johns Hopkins
University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Md.

Reporters at participating NASA centers will be able to ask questions.
For more information about NASA TV, streaming video, downlink and
schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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New Planet Could Be Earthlike, Scientists Say

By DENNIS OVERBYE
Published: April 25, 2007
The most enticing property yet found outside our solar system is about 20 light years away in the constellation Libra, a team of European astronomers said.Story at the NYT

NASA Awards Contract for Networkable Office Machines

April 22, 2007

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730

Fran Cook
NASA Shared Services Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss.
228-813-6012

CONTRACT RELEASE: C07-22

NASA AWARDS CONTRACT FOR NETWORKABLE OFFICE MACHINES

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - On Tuesday, NASA announced the selection of
Xerox Corporation of Washington to provide multifunctional device
support, supplies and maintenance to all NASA centers and associated
facilities. The maximum potential value of the contract is $35
million.

The firm-fixed price, performance-based contract with indefinite
delivery/indefinite quantity delivery task orders is for a three-year
period with two, one-year option periods.

Xerox will provide networkable machines that come equipped to perform
copy, print, scan and fax functions. The contractor also will provide
high-quality support, supplies and maintenance. More than 2,400
devices will be provided and maintained. The machines will be located
at 10 NASA centers, on-site contractor locations, and associated
facilities.

For information about the NASA Shared Services Center, visit:

http://www.nssc.nasa.gov

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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Statement by NASA Administrator Michael Griffin on Shootings at Johnson Space Center

April 20, 2007

Bob Jacobs
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1760

RELEASE: 07-90

STATEMENT BY NASA ADMINISTRATOR MICHAEL GRIFFIN ON SHOOTINGS AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER

All of us at NASA are profoundly saddened by today's tragedy at the
Johnson Space Center in Houston. Our hearts go out to the families of
the victims and all those touched by today's events.

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NASA Modifies Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle Contract

April 20, 2007

Beth Dickey/J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2087/5241

Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

CONTRACT RELEASE: C07-21

NASA MODIFIES ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE CONTRACT

WASHINGTON - NASA has modified its contract with Lockheed Martin Corp.
of Littleton, Colo., to design, test and build the Orion crew
exploration vehicle.

The updated contract contains three significant changes. Two years
have been added to the design phase. Two test flights of Orion's
launch abort system have been added. And production of a pressurized
cargo carrier for the International Space Station has been deleted
from the initial design phase.

NASA continues work to ensure a smooth transition from the Space
Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program. This is demonstrated in
a fourth element of the contract modification that provides for use
of surplus raw materials, such as aluminum-lithium ingots now used in
the construction of space shuttle fuel tanks, for Orion.

"NASA and Lockheed have been working together as a team during the
past six months to iron out many critical design and schedule
details," said Skip Hatfield, manager the Orion Project at NASA's
Johnson Space Center in Houston. "This contract update will
synchronize our spending plan with the rest of the Constellation
Program."

NASA awarded the Orion prime contract to Lockheed Martin Corp. on Aug.
31, 2006. At that time, the development portion of the contract was
valued at $3.9 billion with a period of performance through December
2011. This contract modification, in the amount of $385 million,
brings the total value to approximately $4.3 billion and adjusts the
development period of performance through December 2013.

This update is the result of a NASA request for engineering change
proposal issued on Dec. 15, 2006. Lockheed Martin's proposal was
received March 7, 2007. The contract modification was signed April
20.

The modification reflects continuing progress on Orion's development,
including program formulation and systems assessments addressing the
rocket, ground infrastructure and all other elements necessary for a
successful first launch. The period of performance now matches the
evolving NASA budget landscape.

"The Orion team has made some critical decisions that will maximize
the performance and flexibility of this spacecraft," said Jeff
Hanley, manager of the Constellation Program at Johnson. "This
spacecraft will be a cornerstone of America's human exploration of
the solar system by a new generation of explorers, and these changes
and additional tests will ensure that it is robust enough to
accomplish its missions."

Meanwhile, work progresses as planned on the contract. NASA and
Lockheed Martin have completed Orion's systems requirements review
and are moving toward a systems design review scheduled in August.

For information about NASA's Constellation Program and Orion Project,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation/

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NASA Awards California Aircraft Support Contract to Boeing

April 20, 2007

J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-5241

Alan Brown
Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.
661-276-2665

CONTRACT RELEASE: C07-20

NASA AWARDS CALIFORNIA AIRCRAFT SUPPORT CONTRACT TO BOEING

EDWARDS, Calif. - NASA has awarded a contract to The Boeing Company,
St. Louis, for engineering and technical support of several
specialized research aircraft at NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Center.

The sole-source, indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract may
be worth up to $28 million during its five-year performance period
now through April 2012.

Boeing will provide engineering and technical support for four heavily
modified high-performance aircraft: two F-15s and two F/A-18s. The
aircraft have been modified to conduct a variety of flight research
missions in support of NASA and other government agencies and private
industry.

Technical assistance under the pact may include providing design
support for unique Boeing aircraft systems, assisting in ground
support operations and reviewing additional planned aircraft
modifications. The contractor may be required to modify control
systems hardware and software, perform modifications and fabricate
experimental hardware for these aircraft, along with performing
specific research studies using Boeing-developed models and
simulators. In addition, the contract calls for Boeing to provide
similar support, as needed, for other Boeing-built aircraft that NASA
may acquire during the contract period.

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA Updates Media Accreditation Deadlines for Next Shuttle Mission

April 19, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-40

NASA UPDATES MEDIA ACCREDITATION DEADLINES FOR NEXT SHUTTLE MISSION

WASHINGTON - NASA is adjusting the media accreditation deadlines for
the upcoming space shuttle mission, STS-117. Shuttle Atlantis is
targeted to launch June 8 to begin an 11-day mission to the
International Space Station.

All U.S. and international media must apply for credentials to attend
the liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida or to cover
the mission from other NASA centers. To be accredited, media must
work for legitimate, verifiable news-gathering organizations.
Reporters may need to submit requests for credentials at multiple
NASA facilities.

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, are on the State Department's list of state sponsors of
terrorism, are under U.S. sanction or embargo, or 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-117 launch is delayed, the deadline for domestic media may be
extended on a day-by-day basis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER
Media applying for credentials at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
should submit requests via the Web at https://media.ksc.nasa.gov.

Media must use work, not personal e-mail addresses, when applying for
credentials. Once accreditation is approved, applicants will receive
confirmation via e-mail. All media must apply by May 31.

Media with special logistic requests for Kennedy Space Center, such as
space for trailers, electrical connections or work stations in the
newsroom, must contact Laurel Lichtenberger at
laurel.a.lichtenberger@nasa.gov by May 31.

Work stations are provided on a first-come basis. To set up temporary
telephone, fax, ISDN or network lines, media must make arrangements
with BellSouth at 800-213-4988. Media must have an assigned seat in
the Kennedy newsroom prior to setting up lines. Media must have a
public affairs escort to any other Kennedy area except the Launch
Complex 39 cafeteria.

Kennedy credentials will be honored during the STS-117 mission at
NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, and NASA's Dryden Flight
Research Center, Edwards, Calif. Media must contact NASA Dryden
public affairs for access to Edwards.

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER
Media may obtain Johnson Space Flight Center credentials by calling
the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or present Kennedy STS-117
mission credentials. Media planning to cover the mission only from
Johnson need apply for credentials only at Johnson. Deadlines for
submitting Johnson Space Center accreditation requests are May 15 for
non-U.S. media, regardless of citizenship, and June 1 for U.S. media
who are U.S. citizens.

Media covering the mission from Johnson using Kennedy credentials must
contact the Johnson newsroom by March 7 to arrange workspace, phone
lines and other logistics. Johnson is responsible for credentialing
media if the shuttle lands at 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 Dryden Flight Research Center on
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., could be short. National media should
consider accrediting Los Angeles-based personnel who could travel
quickly to Dryden. Deadlines for submitting Dryden Flight Research
Center accreditation requests are May 11 for non-U.S. media,
regardless of citizenship, and June 13 for U.S. media who are U.S.
citizens.

For Dryden media credentials, U.S. citizens representing domestic
media must provide their full name, date of birth, place of birth,
media organization, the last six digits of their social security
number and driver's license number, including the name of the issuing
state.

In addition to the above requirements, foreign media representatives,
regardless of citizenship, must provide data including their
citizenship, visa or passport number, expiration date, and alien
registration number if applicable.

Media should fax requests for credentials on company letterhead to
661-276-3566. E-mailed requests to pao@dfrc.nasa.gov are acceptable
for media 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.

NASA PUBLIC AFFAIRS CONTACTS:
Kennedy Space Center: George Diller, 321-867-2468
Johnson Space Center: James Hartsfield, 281-483-5111
Dryden Flight Research Center: Leslie Williams, 661-276-3893

For information about the STS-117 mission or crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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Space Station Crew Landing Moved to Saturday

April 18, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-039

SPACE STATION CREW LANDING MOVED TO SATURDAY

WASHINGTON - The 14th crew of the International Space Station,
Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin,
along with Spaceflight Participant Charles Simonyi, will land at 8:30
a.m. EDT Saturday, April 21 in Kazakhstan.

The return of the Soyuz spacecraft was delayed a day, and the landing
site was moved farther south. The Russian Federal Space Agency,
Roscosmos, made the decisions to avoid wet conditions at the original
landing site that could have interfered with recovery helicopter
operations.

NASA Television will air highlights of the crew's return Saturday.
- 1:30 a.m. - coverage begins with hatch closure and a replay of
farewells
- 4:45 a.m. - coverage resumes for the Soyuz undocking, planned for
5:11 a.m.
- 7:15 a.m. - coverage resumes for the deorbit burn and landing
- 7:42 a.m. - the Soyuz will fire its engines to begin its descent to
Earth

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

The newsroom at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, will open at 7
a.m. Saturday and remain open through landing. For more information
on the space station and the Expedition crews, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA Updates Shuttle Target Launch Dates

April 15, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: 07-89

NASA UPDATES SHUTTLE TARGET LAUNCH DATES

HOUSTON - During a meeting Monday at NASA's Johnson Space Center,
agency officials revised the target launch dates for space shuttle
flights during the next 12 months. The space shuttle and
International Space Station programs agreed to the changes during a
meeting to evaluate options following the STS-117 mission's delay,
which was caused by hail damage to the external fuel tank.

Flights beyond April 2008 have not been assessed. Both shuttle and
station program officials will continue to consider options for the
remainder of the shuttle flights and those target launch dates are
subject to change.

Upcoming shuttle missions:
-STS-117 targeted for no earlier than June 8, 2007, on Atlantis
-STS-118 targeted for no earlier than Aug. 9, 2007, on Endeavour
-STS-120 targeted for no earlier than Oct. 20, 2007, on Discovery
instead of Atlantis
-STS-122 targeted for no earlier than Dec. 6, 2007, on Atlantis
instead of Discovery
-STS-123 targeted for no earlier than Feb. 14, 2008, on Endeavour
-STS-124 targeted for no earlier than April 24, 2008, on Discovery
instead of Atlantis

The shuttles for STS-120, 122 and 124 were exchanged to best meet the
demands of the missions and to have the least amount of impact on the
flight schedule.

The shuttle launch manifest is available online at:

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

For details on upcoming shuttle missions and their crews, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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NASA Buys Abort Test Boosters for Orion Flight Tests

April 16, 2007

Beth Dickey
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-2087

Kelly Humphries
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

Leslie Williams
Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.
661-276-3893

RELEASE: 07-86

NASA BUYS ABORT TEST BOOSTERS FOR ORION FLIGHT TESTS

WASHINGTON - NASA has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Air
Force to support abort flight test requirements for the Orion
Project. The Air Force has contracted with Orbital Sciences Corp. of
Chandler, Ariz., to provide launch services for the flight tests.

The agreement with the Air Force's Space Development and Test Wing at
Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., provides for abort test boosters that
will serve as launch vehicles for Orion ascent abort flight tests
that are set to occur from 2009 through 2011 at the White Sands
Missile Range in New Mexico. The first abort test is scheduled for
2008, but will not require a functional booster.

The tests will support certification of the Orion crew exploration
vehicle's launch abort system. The system includes a small escape
rocket designed to ensure the safety of the crew in the event of a
launch vehicle malfunction while on the launch pad or during ascent
to orbit. A total of six tests are planned, pending environmental
assessments. Two will simulate an abort from the launch pad and will
not require a booster. The rest will use abort test boosters and
simulate aborts at three stressing conditions along the Ares launch
vehicle trajectory.

The Orion Project Office, based at NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston, designated Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif., as the lead NASA center for abort flight test
integration and operations, including procurement of the boosters.
The project is developing the Orion spacecraft as part of an effort
by NASA's Constellation Program to return humans to the moon and
prepare for future voyages to Mars and other destinations in our
solar system.

Through a competitive procurement, the Air Force has awarded a task
order for two abort test boosters with options for two others under
the existing Sounding Rockets Program 2. This indefinite-delivery,
indefinite-quantity contract task order is valued between $35 million
and $57 million. The four Sounding Rockets Program 2 contractors,
including the winner, Orbital Sciences of Dulles, Va., were allowed
to compete for the job of providing booster integration and launch
support services. The Air Force has conducted 16 launches in the past
11 years under the Sounding Rockets Program.

The agreement for abort flight test support benefits both NASA and the
Air Force. By making use of the experienced Air Force and contractor
team, NASA reduces development risk associated with design and
development of a new and unique launch vehicle for these tests. NASA
also achieves financial savings while meeting an aggressive Orion
test schedule. The Air Force benefits through reduced risk associated
with future Air Force small launches, increased opportunity for
service personnel to gain expertise, and a greater chance to share
technologies.

The 3rd Space Test Squadron, a unit of the Air Force's Space
Development and Test Wing, will manage abort test booster launch
support services and integration of decommissioned Peacekeeper-class
intercontinental ballistic missile assets. On a cost reimbursable
basis, the squadron will provide integration support, project
management support and related services.

The squadron regularly uses decommissioned Minuteman II and
Peacekeeper rocket motors for government research and development of
space launch and missile defense test target vehicles.

For information about NASA's Constellation Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

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Report Reveals Likely Causes of Mars Spacecraft Loss

April 13, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

Guy Webster
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-6278

RELEASE: 07-88

REPORT REVEALS LIKELY CAUSES OF MARS SPACECRAFT LOSS

WASHINGTON - After studying Mars four times as long as originally
planned, NASA's Mars Global Surveyor orbiter appears to have
succumbed to battery failure caused by a complex sequence of events
involving the onboard computer memory and ground commands.

The causes were released today in a preliminary report by an internal
review board. The board was formed to look more in-depth into why
NASA's Mars Global Surveyor went silent in November 2006 and
recommend any processes or procedures that could increase safety for
other spacecraft.

Mars Global Surveyor last communicated with Earth on Nov. 2, 2006.
Within 11 hours, depleted batteries likely left the spacecraft unable
to control its orientation.

"The loss of the spacecraft was the result of a series of events
linked to a computer error made five months before the likely battery
failure," said board Chairperson Dolly Perkins, deputy
director-technical of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt,
Md.

On Nov. 2, after the spacecraft was ordered to perform a routine
adjustment of its solar panels, the spacecraft reported a series of
alarms, but indicated that it had stabilized. That was its final
transmission. Subsequently, the spacecraft reoriented to an angle
that exposed one of two batteries carried on the spacecraft to direct
sunlight. This caused the battery to overheat and ultimately led to
the depletion of both batteries. Incorrect antenna pointing prevented
the orbiter from telling controllers its status, and its programmed
safety response did not include making sure the spacecraft
orientation was thermally safe.

The board also concluded that the Mars Global Surveyor team followed
existing procedures, but that procedures were insufficient to catch
the errors that occurred. The board is finalizing recommendations to
apply to other missions, such as conducting more thorough reviews of
all non-routine changes to stored data before they are uploaded and
to evaluate spacecraft contingency modes for risks of overheating.

"We are making an end-to-end review of all our missions to be sure
that we apply the lessons learned from Mars Global Surveyor to all
our ongoing missions," said Fuk Li, Mars Exploration Program manager
at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.

Mars Global Surveyor, launched in 1996, operated longer at Mars than
any other spacecraft in history, and for more than four times as long
as the prime mission originally planned. The spacecraft returned
detailed information that has overhauled understanding about Mars.
Major findings include dramatic evidence that water still flows in
short bursts down hillside gullies, and identification of deposits of
water-related minerals leading to selection of a Mars rover landing
site.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages Mars Global
Surveyor for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed
Martin Space Systems, Denver, developed and operates the spacecraft.

Information about the Mars Global Surveyor mission, including the
preliminary report from the process review board and a list of some
important discoveries by the mission, is available on the Internet
at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/mgs

EDITORS NOTE:

NASA will hold a media teleconference today at 3 p.m. EDT, to discuss
the report.

Reporters should call 1-888-398-6118 and use the pass code "Mars" to
participate in the teleconference. International media should call
1-773-681-5826. Replays of the teleconference will be available by
calling 866-369-3645. International media may call: 203-369-0243.

Audio of the teleconference will stream live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

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NASA Awards Contract for "Green" Exploration Sciences Building

April 12, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

Cynthia O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-4647

CONTRACT RELEASE: C07-19

NASA AWARDS CONTRACT FOR "GREEN" EXPLORATION SCIENCES BUILDING

GREENBELT, Md. - NASA has awarded a contract to Manhattan Construction
Company of Fairfax, Va., for the construction of the Exploration
Sciences Building at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
Md. The firm fixed price for the basic requirement is approximately
$54 million; the price for the options is approximately $1.2 million;
with an approximate total price of $56 million if all options are
exercised.

The basic contract consists of construction of the base building and
site utilities with options to add demountable partitions at lab
module lines; gypsum wall board partitions at lab module lines;
computer room air conditioning units; bitumen roof system; blast
walls at the hazardous storage; an uninterruptible power system; and
information technology cable trays for offices.

The three-story office and laboratory building is designed as U.S.
Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED (R)), Silver structure. The LEED (R) Green Building Rating
System (TM) is a voluntary building certification program that
defines high-performance green buildings that are environmentally
responsible and healthier structures.

NASA has determined that all new facilities projects will reach the
Silver rating. The Silver rating signifies a high level of commitment
to designing, procuring, and installing environmentally friendly
materials and incorporating sustainable practices in both design and
construction.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA Engineer Helps Train Puppy for Future Leadership Role

April 12, 2007

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761

Kathy Barnstorff
Langley Research Center, Hampton,Va.
757-864-9886/344-8511 (mobile)

Pat Paterno
Leader Dogs for the Blind, Rochester, Mich.
248-659-5019/917-6035 (mobile)

RELEASE: 07-87

NASA ENGINEER HELPS TRAIN PUPPY FOR FUTURE LEADERSHIP ROLE

HAMPTON, Va. - One of NASA's newest workers is a top dog ? literally.
A golden retriever puppy named Aries goes to work every day at NASA's
Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va. as part of the "Leader Dogs
for the Blind" program. Her mentor is structural engineer Evan J.
Horowitz.

As a child, Horowitz had seen a movie character raising a guide dog
and it made a huge impression. "I've always wanted to give like most
people do," said Horowitz. "Lots of people give money to charity, but
I wanted to do something a little more, something more hands on, more
from my heart."

Horowitz works on the rocket and capsule project that will take
astronauts back to the moon, but he used to be in charge of
structural engineering for a research aircraft known as ARIES, short
for Airborne Research Integrated Experiments System. That's how he
came up with a name for his canine student.

Aries is Horowitz's third leader dog puppy, but his first since coming
to NASA Langley two years ago. He put his name on a waiting list for
a female golden retriever at the Rochester, Mich. based Leader Dogs
for the Blind 18 months ago. During that time he made sure that he
would be allowed to bring a puppy to work at a government aerospace
research center.

"It took a little bit of diligence to get through to all the right
people, especially trying to figure out who all the right people
were," said Horowitz. "I contacted the office of safety, security,
questioned legal and of course the management and my co-workers to
make sure they were okay with a puppy in the office."

"Leader Dogs for the Blind not only appreciates the love and efforts
of our puppy raisers, but also the organizations like NASA that allow
the puppies to experience the work environment," said Sam Ziegenmeyer
of Leader Dogs for the Blind. "It shows a vision of not only the
stars but of people and their needs on Earth."

The goal of Aries' training at NASA is not to turn her into a rocket
scientist, but a well-socialized dog with knowledge of basic
commands. Horowitz says he's supposed to walk around work with the
puppy as if she wasn't there, but that's not easy to do considering
the attention the golden retriever attracts. "She's adorable. She's a
lot of love. She's a lot of fun," added Horowitz. "She gets me to
meet a lot of people? because she's just a magnet for socializing."

His NASA co-workers have responded well to Aries being around. He says
they're helping with training and have learned to respect the blue
bandanna. They have even volunteered to look after her if Horowitz
has to go out of town.

Eventually Aries will leave town herself. After about 12 months she
will return to Michigan to complete her training as a Leader Dog and
then go on to her permanent home.

Horowitz says he's already prepared himself for that. "I have her as a
little pup and I'm going to raise her to be a young adult," he said.
"At that point I will have to give her away to go on to a life of her
own, a new bigger, better, purposeful life."

Video and interviews are available on the NASA TV Video File. For more
information and satellite coordinates visit:

www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about NASA programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

For more information about Leader Dogs for the Blind, visit:

http://www.leaderdog.org

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Future Space Telescopes Could Detect Earth Twin

Future Space Telescopes Could Detect Earth Twin from PhysOrg.com

For the first time ever, NASA researchers have successfully demonstrated in the laboratory that a space telescope rigged with special masks and mirrors could snap a photo of an Earth-like planet orbiting a nearby star. This accomplishment marks a dramatic step forward for missions like the proposed Terrestrial Planet Finder, designed to hunt for an Earth twin that might harbor life....

NOAA, NASA Restore Climate Sensor to Upcoming NPP Satellite

April 11, 2007

Tabatha Thompson/Grey Hautaluoma
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3895/0668

John Leslie
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Silver Spring, Md.
301-713-1265

RELEASE: 07-85

NOAA, NASA RESTORE CLIMATE SENSOR TO UPCOMING NPP SATELLITE

WASHINGTON - NASA and NOAA Wednesday announced a plan to restore a key
ozone layer climate sensor to the National Polar-orbiting Operational
Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) program. The Ozone Mapping
and Profiler Suite (OMPS) Limb will be returned to NPOESS Preparatory
Project (NPP) satellite set to launch in 2009.

The NPOESS partners will give conditional authority to Northrop
Grumman Space Technology, Redondo Beach, Calif. to proceed with
restoration of the instrument. The effort will be contingent on
successful negotiations between the company and the government on the
full cost of the effort. Northrop Grumman Space Technology is the
mission prime contractor.

The NPOESS is a tri-agency environmental monitoring program directed
by the Department of Commerce (NOAA's parent agency), the Department
of Defense and NASA. A recent restructuring of the program had
removed the OMPS Limb sensor from the NPP mission.

Restoring the OMPS Limb sensor directly addresses one of the
recommendations of the recently released National Research Council's
report "Earth Science Applications from Space: National Imperatives
for the Next Decade and Beyond."

With the launch of the first spacecraft planned for 2013, NPOESS will
bring improved data and imagery that will allow better weather
forecasts, severe-weather monitoring and detection of climate change.

The NPOESS preparatory mission will provide continuity of observations
taken by NASA's Earth Observing System satellites Aqua and Terra. The
NPP mission also will provide risk reduction for three of the NPOESS
critical sensors, as well as the data processing and ground systems.

NOAA and NASA have agreed to share equally the cost to restore the
OMPS Limb to the NPP spacecraft. The OMPS Limb will measure the
vertical distribution of ozone and complements existing NPOESS
systems. It will give scientists a better understanding of the
structure of the atmosphere.

"Having the OMPS Limb will give scientists a more complete picture of
the content and distribution of gases in the atmosphere, and whether
that distribution is good or bad," said retired Navy Vice Admiral
Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., Ph.D, undersecretary of commerce for
oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "NOAA is committed to
working with the scientific community to address their climate and
other satellite observation requirements. This is a great step in
that direction."

"This sensor will allow us to move forward with the next generation of
technology for weather and climate prediction," NASA Administrator
Michael Griffin added.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is celebrating 200
years of science and service to the nation. NASA is an independent
agency whose Earth science research is used to characterize,
understand and predict climate.

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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NASA Aims to Clear Up Mystery of Elusive Clouds at Edge Of Space

April 11, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Tabatha Thompson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/3895

Cynthia O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
301-286-4647

Nina Stickles
Hampton University, Hampton, Va.
757-727-5457

RELEASE: 07-84

NASA AIMS TO CLEAR UP MYSTERY OF ELUSIVE CLOUDS AT EDGE OF SPACE

WASHINGTON - NASA is preparing to launch the Aeronomy of Ice in the
Mesosphere (AIM) spacecraft, the first mission dedicated to
exploration of mysterious ice clouds that dot the edge of space in
Earth's polar regions. These clouds have grown brighter and more
prevalent in recent years and some scientists suggest that changes in
these clouds may be the result of climate change.

The first opportunity for launch is on Wednesday, April 25 from
Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., aboard a Pegasus launch vehicle.

AIM will conduct the first detailed probe of this unusual phenomenon
typically observed approximately 50 miles above the Earth's surface
in the mesosphere. The mesosphere is the region just above the
stratosphere. Researchers know very little about how these polar
mesospheric clouds form, why they are being seen at lower latitudes
than ever before or why they have recently grown brighter and more
frequent.

"These clouds are indicators of conditions in the upper reaches of the
Earth's atmosphere, and are an important link in the chain of
processes that result in the deposition of solar energy into Earth's
atmosphere," said Mary Mellott, AIM program scientist, NASA
Headquarters, Washington. "AIM will provide an understanding of how
and why these clouds form, an important contribution toward the NASA
goals of understanding the fundamental physical processes of our
space environment and how the habitability of planets is affected by
the interaction of planetary magnetic fields and atmospheres with
solar variability."

The clouds are noctilucent, meaning they can be seen from the ground
only at night, when they are illuminated by sunlight no longer
visible from the Earth's surface. The brightest of these clouds are
now known to be primarily composed of water ice. Their seasonal
lifecycle is controlled by complex interactions between temperature,
water vapor, solar activity, atmospheric chemistry and small
particles on which the cloud crystals form. Human-induced factors
such as carbon dioxide cause a warming in the lower atmosphere but a
cooling in the mesosphere.

The clouds form in the coldest part of the Earth's atmosphere at the
summer season in the polar regions. In the northern hemisphere they
begin appearing in mid-May and last through mid-August, in the
southern hemisphere beginning mid-November and lasting through
mid-March.

"The occurrence of these clouds at the edge of space and what causes
them to vary is not understood," said AIM principal investigator
James Russell III, Hampton University, Hampton, Va. "One theory is
that the cloud particles grow on 'seeds' of meteoric dust or dust
lofted up from below. AIM will provide the comprehensive data needed
to test current theories for cloud formation or develop new ones, and
allow researchers to build tools to predict how they will change in
the future."

AIM will be comprised of three instruments: the Solar Occultation for
Ice Experiment; the Cloud Imaging and Particle Size Experiment; and
the Cosmic Dust Experiment. The satellite will simultaneously measure
air pressure and temperature, moisture content and cloud dimensions,
providing data needed to determine the role of polar mesospheric
clouds as an important indicator of the planet's changing climate.

The clouds appear to be a relatively recent phenomenon, first reported
in the late 19th century shortly after the volcanic eruption on the
Indonesian island of Krakatoa. The first daytime observations of the
clouds were made by satellite in 1969. Regular space-based
observations began in 1982 with NASA's Solar Mesosphere Explorer
using instruments primarily designed for other purposes.

"This Small Explorer mission is a good example of the huge science
returns we can get for a relatively small cost investment," said
Vicki Elsbernd, program executive for the AIM mission, NASA
Headquarters.

For more information about NASA and the AIM mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/aim

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NASA Targets June Launch for Space Shuttle Atlantis

April 10, 2007

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4769

Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

RELEASE: 07-83

NASA TARGETS JUNE LAUNCH FOR SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS

WASHINGTON - NASA is targeting June 8 as the next possible launch
opportunity for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-117 mission to the
International Space Station.

Tuesday's decision by agency management followed a meeting that
reviewed the progress in repairing insulating foam on the shuttle's
external fuel tank, which was damaged during a sudden hail storm Feb.
26 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. That damage required
engineers to repair approximately 2,660 sites on the tank.

The meeting also included an assessment of using the repaired external
tank for the STS-117 mission versus swapping to one that arrived last
week from the manufacturing plant in New Orleans. Managers decided to
finish repairs to Atlantis' current tank and use it for STS-117. The
tank that arrived Friday will be prepared for space shuttle
Endeavour's STS-118 mission to the space station and now is targeted
for launch in August.

"The workforce has done an amazing job of assessing and repairing the
tank so far, but the sheer volume of repairs dictates moving the
launch target to June," said Space Shuttle Program Manager Wayne
Hale.

June 8 is the opening of the next available launch window for Atlantis
to go to the station. STS-117 Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee
Archambault and mission specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester,
Steven Swanson and John "Danny" Olivas will continue training at
NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. During the 11-day mission, the
astronauts will work with the station crew and ground teams to
install a new, girder-like truss segment, unfold a new set of solar
arrays and retract one array on the starboard side of the station.

For more information about the STS-117 crew and mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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Dawn Arrives in Florida - A Little After Dawn

Dawn Arrives in Florida - A Little After Dawn from PhysOrg.com

The Dawn spacecraft arrived at Astrotech Space Operations in Titusville, Fla., at 9 a.m. EDT today. Dawn, NASA's mission into the heart of the asteroid belt, is at the facility for final processing and launch operations. Dawn's launch period opens June 30.^^^

NASA Announces Space Station News Conference

April 9, 2007

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-4769

Lynnette Madison
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-038

NASA ANNOUNCES SPACE STATION NEWS CONFERENCE

HOUSTON - Expeditions 14 and 15 crew members, along with U.S.
spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi, will discuss their missions
during a news conference from aboard the International Space Station
at 4:30 p.m. CDT Tuesday, April 10.

The 30-minute conference will be broadcast live on NASA Television. It
will include questions from media at NASA's Johnson Space Center,
Houston; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; and NASA Headquarters in
Washington.

The Expedition 14 crew is handing over operation of the orbiting
laboratory to the Expedition 15 crew this week. NASA astronaut and
Expedition 14 Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer
Mikhail Tyurin are near the end of their six-month flight.

The Expedition 15 crew, Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin and Flight
Engineer Oleg Kotov, and U.S. businessman Charles Simonyi launched
Saturday and docked to the station Monday. Simonyi will stay for
10-days under a Russian commercial agreement.

NASA astronaut and Flight Engineer Suni Williams, who has been on the
station since December 2006, will remain aboard and transition from
Expedition 14 to Expedition 15. Lopez-Alegria, Tyurin and Simonyi
will return to Earth April 20 in a Soyuz spacecraft.

For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For information about the Space Station and Expedition crews on the
Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA Extends Contract With Russia's Federal Space Agency

April 9, 2007

Michael Braukus
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1979
Lynnette Madison
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
CONTRACT RELEASE: C07-18

NASA EXTENDS CONTRACT WITH RUSSIA'S FEDERAL SPACE AGENCY

WASHINGTON - NASA has signed a $719 million modification to the
current International Space Station contract with Russia's Federal
Space Agency in Moscow for crew and cargo services through 2011.

The firm-fixed price extension covers crew rotations for 15 crew
members, six in 2009, six in 2010 and three in 2011, delivery and the
removal of 5.6 metric tons of cargo. U.S. Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS) are still planned to provide the bulk
of cargo transportation needs from 2010 and beyond to the space
station.

With the modification, NASA also is purchasing the capability for the
Russian Docking Cargo Module (DCM) to carry 1.4 metric tons of NASA
cargo to the space station. That module is scheduled to fly in 2010.
By adding the module, NASA will be able to fly outfitting hardware
for the Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module on the DCM,
eliminating the need to fly a cargo carrier and some ballast on a
shuttle flight. NASA is obligated to deliver the Russian outfitting
hardware to the station under a 2006 addendum to the ISS Balance of
Contributions Agreement between NASA and the Russian Federal Space
Agency.

In addition, NASA is purchasing a flight opportunity to and from the
space station that will meet an obligation to the International
Partners. The flight will allow for an astronaut from the partners to
spend approximately six months aboard the space station. That flight
is planned for 2009.

Work in support of this contract is performed in Russia, Kazakhstan,
on board the International Space Station, at NASA's Johnson Space
Center in Houston and at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla. For more
information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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Space Cabbie?

Some Fear Russia to Become Space Cabbie from PhysOrg.com

(AP) -- It looks like a bonanza for the Russian space industries - the planned retirement of the U.S. space shuttle fleet in about three years would make Russia the principal carrier of crews and cargo to the international space station, sharply raising its revenues.[^^^]

Martha Stewart's cosmic farewell

Martha Stewart's cosmic farewell from PhysOrg.com

US homemaking queen Martha Stewart swapped her plush lifestyle for a spartan Kazakh launchpad, to wish God's speed to billionaire beau Charles Simonyi, Russia's latest space tourist.[...]

NASA Holds Teleconference Update on Shuttle Repair Work

April 6, 2007

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749

Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-37

NASA HOLDS TELECONFERENCE UPDATE ON SHUTTLE REPAIR WORK

WASHINGTON - NASA will host a media teleconference Tuesday, April 10
no earlier than 6 p.m. EDT to discuss the space shuttle Atlantis'
external fuel tank, which was damaged during a Feb. 26 hail storm.
The teleconference follows a meeting to decide whether the tank will
be used for the shuttle's upcoming mission, STS-117.

The briefing participants are:
-- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, Space Operations
-- Wayne Hale, manager, Space Shuttle Program
-- John Honeycutt, deputy manager, External Tank Project

To participate, reporters must R.S.V.P. to the newsroom at NASA's
Johnson Space Center, Houston, at 281-483-5111. The deadline is 4
p.m. EDT Tuesday, April 10. NASA will stream live audio of the event
at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

For STS-117 crew and mission information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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NASA Media Briefing on Mission to Study Earth's Highest Clouds

April 5, 2007

Dwayne Brown/Tabatha Thompson
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726/3895

Cynthia O'Carroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
301-286-4647

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-36

NASA MEDIA BRIEFING ON MISSION TO STUDY EARTH'S HIGHEST CLOUDS

WASHINGTON - NASA will host a media teleconference on Wednesday, April
11 at 2 p.m. EDT to discuss science objectives of the Aeronomy of Ice
in the Mesosphere (AIM) mission.

AIM is scheduled to launch April 25 from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
Calif., aboard a Pegasus launch vehicle. It will measure high
altitude noctilucent ("night shining") clouds to determine why they
form and vary, which may be linked to climate change.

Briefing participants are:
-- Vicki Elsbernd, AIM Program Executive, NASA Headquarters,
Washington
-- Jim Russell, AIM Principal Investigator, Hampton University,
Hampton, Va.
-- Chris Savinell, AIM mission manager, Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, Md.

Reporters should call 1-888-398-6118 and use the pass code "clouds" to
participate in the teleconference. International media should call
1-210-234-0007.

Audio of the teleconference will stream live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

Supporting images will be posted concurrent with the briefing at:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/aim/AIM_L14_media.html

For more information about the AIM mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/aim

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NASA Television Coverage for Space Station Crew Exchange

April 4, 2007

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-35

NASA TELEVISION COVERAGE FOR SPACE STATION CREW EXCHANGE

WASHINGTON - The launch of Expedition 15, the next crew to the
International Space Station, and the landing of Expedition 14 are
among the events scheduled for broadcast live on NASA Television
April 7-20.

Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin, Expedition 15 commander, and Oleg Kotov,
Expedition 15 flight engineer, and spaceflight participant Charles
Simonyi, a U.S. businessman, are scheduled to launch Saturday at 1:31
p.m. EDT for a two-day trip aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-10 craft to
the station. Their spacecraft is scheduled to dock Monday at
approximately 3:12 p.m.

Flight Engineer Suni Williams, who has served as an Expedition 14
crewmember since December, will remain on the station joining the
Expedition 15 crew. She is scheduled to return home aboard space
shuttle Endeavour this summer.

NASA Expedition 14 Commander Mike Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer
Mikhail Tyurin, who have been orbiting on the station since September
2006, and Simonyi will land in north central Kazakhstan on April 20
at approximately 9:37 a.m. aboard the Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft that is
currently docked at the station.

The events and planned broadcasts include (all times approximate,
EDT):

Saturday, April 7:
12:30 p.m. - Expedition 15 launch coverage (launch 1:31 p.m.)
3 p.m. - Video File B-roll replay of Expedition 15 launch activities
and launch

Monday, April 9:
2:45 p.m. - Expedition 15 docking and hatch opening coverage (docking
3:12 p.m., post-docking news conference 3:30 p.m., hatch opening 4:55
p.m.)
7 p.m. - Video File B-roll replay of Expedition 15 docking and hatch
opening

Tuesday, April 10:
5:30 p.m. - News conference with all six crewmembers on aboard the
station with multi-center question and answer capability for media
participating at NASA centers

Friday, April 20:
2:30 a.m. - Expedition 14 farewell and hatch closure coverage (hatch
closure 3:05 a.m.)
5:45 a.m. - Expedition 14 undocking coverage (undocking at 6:21 a.m.)
8:15 a.m. - Expedition 14 deorbit burn and landing coverage (deorbit
burn 8:47 a.m., landing 9:36 a.m.)

Video of crew recovery activities at the landing site in north central
Kazakhstan is expected to be broadcast on NASA TV as a special Video
File on April 20 at 6 p.m., with a final Video File feed of the
crew's return to Star City, Russia at 9:30 p.m.

NASA TV is carried on an MPEG-2 digital signal accessed via satellite
AMC-6, at 72 degrees west longitude, transponder 17C, 4040 MHz,
vertical polarization. In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA Television will be
seen on AMC-7, at 137 degrees west longitude, transponder 18C, at
4060 MHz, horizontal polarization. In both instances, a Digital Video
Broadcast (DVB)-compliant Integrated Receiver Decoder (IRD) (with
modulation of QPSK/DBV, data rate of 36.86 and FEC 3/4) will be
needed for reception.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA TV's digital conversion will require members of the broadcast
media to upgrade with an "addressable" Integrated Receiver Decoder,
or IRD, to participate in live news events and interviews, press
briefings and receive NASA's Video File news feeds on a dedicated
media services channel. NASA mission coverage will air on a digital
NASA public services (free to air) channel, which only needs a basic
IRD.

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NASA Shared Services Center Recognized for Excellence

April 4, 2007

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730

Fran Cook
NASA Shared Services Center, Bay St. Louis, Miss.
228-813-6012

RELEASE: 07-82

NASA SHARED SERVICES CENTER RECOGNIZED FOR EXCELLENCE

BAY ST. LOUIS, Miss. - NASA's Shared Services Center was named
runner-up for the Best New Shared Services Organization Excellence
Award, which recognizes the most successful shared services
organization launched within the last three years.

The Shared Services Excellence Awards are nationally recognized as the
highest accolade for shared services organizations. The award was
given at the International Quality and Productivity Center 11th
Annual Shared Services Week 2007.

A panel of shared services experts and leaders evaluated nominations
based on organizational design, start-up strategy, procedures,
implementation, change management and communication strategies. The
NASA's Shared Services Center was launched on March 1, 2006. It is
located on the grounds of the Stennis Space Center.

The center is a public-private partnership between NASA and Computer
Sciences Corporation, El Segundo, Calif. The center consolidated
activities from ten NASA centers in the areas of financial
management, human resources, procurement and information technology.

The Best New Shared Services Organization Excellence Award went to
Verizon Communications, Inc., New York.

For information about the NASA Shared Services Center, visit:

http://www.nssc.nasa.gov

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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How did life on Earth originate?

How did life on Earth originate? from PhysOrg.com

Did life arrive from space? Rather than developing here, could the first life forms have been catapulted to Earth on a chunk of rock from outer space? Investigations show that microbes are capable of surviving just such a journey.[???]

NASA Selects 18 Small Business Technology Transfer Projects

April 3, 2007

David E. Steitz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1730

RELEASE: 07-81

NASA SELECTS 18 SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROJECTS

WASHINGTON - NASA has selected 18 Small Business Technology Transfer
(STTR) research proposals for Phase 2 contract negotiations. The
selected STTR projects have a total value of approximately $11
million. The STTR contracts will be awarded to 17 small, high
technology firms in 10 states.

The goals of the program are to stimulate technological innovation,
increase the use of small businesses in meeting federal research and
development needs, and increase private sector commercialization of
innovations derived from federally-funded research. The program
requires a collaborative research effort between a small business
concern and a research institution. The selected firms will
collaborate with 15 research institutions in 13 states.

Phase 2 continues development of the most promising Phase 1 projects.
Selection criteria include technical merit and innovation, Phase 1
results, value to NASA, commercial potential and company
capabilities. Phase 2 contracts receive up to $600,000 for a
performance period up to two years.

Additional information about the program and a complete listing of the
selected companies is available at:

http://sbir.nasa.gov

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NASA Finds Arctic Replenished Very Little Thick Sea Ice in 2005

April 3, 2007

Tabatha Thompson/Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3895/1726

Alan Buis
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-0474

RELEASE: 07-77

NASA FINDS ARCTIC REPLENISHED VERY LITTLE THICK SEA ICE IN 2005

WASHINGTON - A new NASA study has found that in 2005 the Arctic
replaced very little of the thick sea ice it normally loses and
replenishes each year. Replenishment of this thick, perennial sea ice
each year is essential to the maintenance and stability of the Arctic
summer ice cover.

The findings complement a NASA study released in fall 2006 that found
a 14-percent drop in this perennial ice between 2004 and 2005. The
lack of replenishment suggests that the decline may continue in the
near future.

Perennial ice coverage fluctuates seasonally for two reasons: summer
melting and the transport of ice out of the Arctic. When perennial
ice, which is 10 or more feet thick, is lost in these ways, new,
thinner, first-year seasonal ice typically replaces it. Some of this
seasonal ice melts in the following summer, and some is thick enough
to survive and replenish the perennial ice cover.

"Recent studies indicate Arctic perennial ice is declining seven to 10
percent each decade," explained Ron Kwok of NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Our study gives the first reliable
estimates of how perennial ice replenishment varies each year at the
end of summer. The amount of first-year ice that survives the summer
directly influences how thick the ice cover will be at the start of
the next melt season."

Using satellite data from NASA's QuikScat and other data, Kwok studied
six annual cycles of Arctic perennial ice coverage from 2000 to 2006.
The scatterometer instrument on QuikScat sends radar pulses to the
surface of the ice and measures the echoed radar pulses bounced back
to the satellite. These measurements allow scientists to
differentiate the seasonal ice from the older, perennial ice.

Kwok found that after the 2005 summer melt, only about four percent of
the nearly 965,000 square miles of thin, seasonal ice that formed the
previous winter survived the summer and replenished the perennial ice
cover. That was the smallest replenishment seen in the study. As a
result, perennial ice coverage in January 2006 was about 14 percent
smaller than the previous January.

Kwok examined how movement of ice out of the Arctic affected the
replenishment of perennial sea ice in 2005. That year, the typically
small amount of ice that moves out of the Arctic in summer was
unusually high - about seven percent of the perennial ice coverage
area. Kwok said the high amount was due to unusual wind conditions at
Fram Strait, an Arctic passage between Antarctic Bay in Greenland and
Svalbard, Norway. Troughs of low atmospheric pressure in the
Greenland and Barents/Norwegian Seas on both sides of Fram Strait
created winds that pushed ice out of the Arctic at an increased rate.

The effects of ice movement out of the Arctic depend on the season.
When ice moves out of the Arctic in the summer, it leaves behind an
ocean that does not refreeze. This, in turn, increases ocean heating
and leads to additional thinning of the ice cover.

These findings suggest that the greater the number of freezing
temperature days during the prior season, the thicker the ice cover,
and the better its chances of surviving the next summer's melt. "The
winters and summers before fall 2005 were unusually warm," Kwok said.
"The low replenishment seen in 2005 is potentially a cumulative
effect of these trends."

Kwok also examined the 2000-2006 temperature records within the
context of longer-term temperature records dating back to 1958. He
found a gradual warming trend in the first 30 years, which
accelerated after the mid-1980s. "The record doesn't show any hint of
recovery from these trends," he stated. "If the correlations between
replenishment area and numbers of freezing and melting temperature
days hold long-term, its expected the perennial ice coverage will
continue to decline."

Kwok points to a possible trigger for the declining perennial ice
cover. In the early 1990s, variations in the North Atlantic
Oscillation, a large-scale atmospheric seesaw that affects how air
circulates over the Atlantic Ocean, were linked to a large increase
in Arctic ice export. It appears the ice cover has not yet recovered
from these variations.

"We're seeing a decreasing trend in perennial ice coverage," he said.
"Our study suggests that, on average, the area of seasonal ice that
survives the summer may no longer be large enough to sustain a stable
perennial ice cover, especially in the face of accelerating climate
warming and Arctic sea ice thinning." Data from the 2005-2006 season
have not yet been analyzed. The study appeared March 2 in Geophysical
Research Letters. For more information about QuikScat, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/jpl/missions/quickscat.html

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Colorado Native Flying on Next Shuttle Set for Interviews

April 4, 2007

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-34

COLORADO NATIVE FLYING ON NEXT SHUTTLE SET FOR INTERVIEWS

HOUSTON - NASA astronaut and Steamboat Springs, Colo., native Steven
Swanson, a crewmember of the upcoming space shuttle Atlantis' STS-117
mission, will be available for interviews by satellite Thursday,
April 5. The STS-117 mission is targeted for launch this spring.

This will be the first space flight for Swanson. He will conduct one
spacewalk and operate the shuttle and International Space Station
robotic arms during the mission. Atlantis' crew will deliver a third
set of huge solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics to the
station, setting the stage for additional international laboratories
to be added later this year.

Swanson will be available for interviews Thursday from 5 p.m. to 7
p.m. CDT. B-roll of his training will air from 4:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. To
book an interview, call the NASA Johnson Space Center newsroom at
281-483-5111 or producer Tim Hinson at 281-483-7269 by 2 p.m.
Thursday.

Interviews and b-roll will air on the NASA Television analog
satellite, located on satellite AMC-6, 72 degrees west longitude;
transponder 5C, 3800 MHz, vertical polarization, with audio at 6.8
MHz.

Swanson was born in Syracuse, N.Y., and raised in Steamboat Springs.
He graduated from Steamboat Springs High School, received a
bachelor's degree from the University of Colorado, a master's degree
from Florida Atlantic University and a doctorate from Texas A and M
University. For NASA TV downlink, schedule and streaming video
information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about STS-117 and its entire crew, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

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Astronaut to Discuss Marathon Run in April 4 Interviews

April 2, 2007

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-33

ASTRONAUT TO DISCUSS MARATHON RUN IN APRIL 4 INTERVIEWS

HOUSTON - NASA astronaut Suni Williams will discuss her upcoming 2007
Boston Marathon run aboard the International Space Station during
media interviews planned for Wednesday, April 4 at 1:20 p.m. CDT.

The Boston Globe and the New England Sports Network interviews with
Williams will be broadcast live on NASA Television. No other
interview opportunities will be available with Williams before the
marathon.

Williams, an accomplished marathoner, is an official entrant in the
Boston Marathon and will run the race on a station treadmill. She
qualified for the race, along with fellow astronaut Karen Nyberg, as
one of the top 100 female finishers in the January 2006 Houston
Marathon. Williams will be the first astronaut to officially run in a
marathon from space.

Due to the crew's work schedule, the date and time of her run on the
station may not coincide exactly with the April 16 marathon on Earth,
but mission control is working to match the events as closely as
possible. For more about the space station, its missions and crews,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

Television and still imagery of Williams' efforts are expected to be
available. Video of her training on the International Space Station
will air on NASA TV's Video File. For streaming video, downlink and
schedule information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv <

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NASA Nobel Prize Recipient to Lead Chief Scientist Office

April 2, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

RELEASE: 07-80

NASA NOBEL PRIZE RECIPIENT TO LEAD CHIEF SCIENTIST OFFICE

WASHINGTON - NASA's new Science Mission Directorate Associate
Administrator Alan Stern has appointed NASA scientist and 2006 Nobel
Prize recipient John Mather to lead the Office of the Chief Scientist
at Headquarters in Washington. Mather and his staff in the newly
created office will be chief advisors to Stern.

"John Mather is a scientist of legendary reputation, technical ability
and space science mission experience. His office will provide
independent scientific advice to me to guide decision making
regarding all aspects of the NASA science program," Stern said.

Office responsibilities will include assisting the associate
administrator in setting flight mission and research budget
priorities for all NASA science programs. The office will ensure
NASA's research programs are scientifically and technologically well
founded, are appropriate for their intended applications and achieve
a fair and optimal balance between the various scientific disciplines
in the directorate. In addition, the office will help develop and
enhance discussions with the national and international science
community.

In October 2006, Mather and George Smoot of the Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif., received the Nobel Prize for
Physics for their collaborative work in understanding the Big Bang.

Mather joined NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., to
head the Cosmic Background Explorer Mission as project scientist. He
has been a Goddard Fellow since 1994 and currently serves as senior
project scientist and chair of the Science Working Group of the James
Webb Space Telescope. He will continue this position while taking on
his new responsibilities in Washington.

Mather, a recipient of numerous awards, has a bachelor's degree in
physics from Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, Pa., and a doctorate in
physics from the University of California, Berkeley.

In addition, Stern named Paul Hertz to direct the newly created
Science Policy, Process and Ethics Office. Hertz will ensure NASA's
science research programs are conducted with the highest standards
and effectiveness in accordance with NASA's principles of science
merit, open competition and peer review. He also will be responsible
for the solicitation, selection and award processes within the
directorate's research program.

"Paul is a talented, energetic, dedicated scientist and public servant
who is ideally suited to this key position. I am pleased to have him
lead in this important role," Stern added.

Hertz joined the NASA Office of Space Science, Washington, as a senior
scientist in 2000. He has held management positions for numerous NASA
science projects and programs. Hertz has a bachelor's degree in
physics and mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, Cambridge, and a doctorate in astronomy from Harvard
University, Cambridge, Mass. He was an astrophysicist at the U.S.
Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, before joining NASA. He has
received numerous honors, including the Meritorious Presidential Rank
Award.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate conducts research and scientific
programs to observe the Earth, study space weather and explore the
solar system and the universe beyond. To achieve these scientific
goals, NASA conducts an assortment of grant-based research programs
and manages a diverse constellation of spacecraft that carry out
missions ranging from small, principal investigator-led missions to
large flagship missions.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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