NASA's Kepler Mission Discovers Its First Rocky Planet]

Jan. 10, 2011

Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0321
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov

Rachel Hoover
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-0643
rachel.hoover@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-007

NASA'S KEPLER MISSION DISCOVERS ITS FIRST ROCKY PLANET

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Kepler mission confirmed the discovery of its
first rocky planet, named Kepler-10b. Measuring 1.4 times the size of
Earth, it is the smallest planet ever discovered outside our solar
system.

The discovery of this so-called exoplanet is based on more than eight
months of data collected by the spacecraft from May 2009 to early
January 2010.

"All of Kepler's best capabilities have converged to yield the first
solid evidence of a rocky planet orbiting a star other than our sun,"
said Natalie Batalha, Kepler's deputy science team lead at NASA's
Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, Calif., and primary author of
a paper on the discovery accepted by the Astrophysical Journal. "The
Kepler team made a commitment in 2010 about finding the telltale
signatures of small planets in the data, and it's beginning to pay
off."

Kepler's ultra-precise photometer measures the tiny decrease in a
star's brightness that occurs when a planet crosses in front of it.
The size of the planet can be derived from these periodic dips in
brightness. The distance between the planet and the star is
calculated by measuring the time between successive dips as the
planet orbits the star.

Kepler is the first NASA mission capable of finding Earth-size planets
in or near the habitable zone, the region in a planetary system where
liquid water can exist on the planet's surface. However, since it
orbits once every 0.84 days, Kepler-10b is more than 20 times closer
to its star than Mercury is to our sun and not in the habitable zone.

Kepler-10 was the first star identified that could potentially harbor
a small transiting planet, placing it at the top of the list for
ground-based observations with the W.M. Keck Observatory 10-meter
telescope in Hawaii.

Scientists waiting for a signal to confirm Kepler-10b as a planet were
not disappointed. Keck was able to measure tiny changes in the star's
spectrum, called Doppler shifts, caused by the telltale tug exerted
by the orbiting planet on the star.

"The discovery of Kepler 10-b is a significant milestone in the search
for planets similar to our own," said Douglas Hudgins, Kepler program
scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Although this planet
is not in the habitable zone, the exciting find showcases the kinds
of discoveries made possible by the mission and the promise of many
more to come," he said.

Knowledge of the planet is only as good as the knowledge of the star
it orbits. Because Kepler-10 is one of the brighter stars being
targeted by Kepler, scientists were able to detect high frequency
variations in the star's brightness generated by stellar
oscillations, or starquakes. This analysis allowed scientists to pin
down Kepler-10b's properties.

There is a clear signal in the data arising from light waves that
travel within the interior of the star. Kepler Asteroseismic Science
Consortium scientists use the information to better understand the
star, just as earthquakes are used to learn about Earth's interior
structure. As a result of this analysis, Kepler-10 is one of the most
well characterized planet-hosting stars in the universe.

That's good news for the team studying Kepler-10b. Accurate stellar
properties yield accurate planet properties. In the case of
Kepler-10b, the picture that emerges is of a rocky planet with a mass
4.6 times that of Earth and with an average density of 8.8 grams per
cubic centimeter -- similar to that of an iron dumbbell.

Ames manages Kepler's ground system development, mission operations
and science data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in
Pasadena, Calif., managed Kepler mission development.

Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. in Boulder, Colo., developed the
Kepler flight system and supports mission operations with the
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of
Colorado in Boulder. The Space Telescope Science Institute in
Baltimore archives, hosts and distributes the Kepler science data.

Kepler is NASA's 10th Discovery Mission and is funded by NASA's
Science Mission Directorate at the agency's headquarters. For more
information about the Kepler mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/kepler

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NASA'S Fermi Catches Thunderstorms Hurling Antimatter Into Space]

Jan. 10, 2011

Trent Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0321
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov

Janet Anderson
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
256-544-6162
janet.l.anderson@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 11-008

NASA'S FERMI CATCHES THUNDERSTORMS HURLING ANTIMATTER INTO SPACE

WASHINGTON -- Scientists using NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
have detected beams of antimatter produced above thunderstorms on
Earth, a phenomenon never seen before.

Scientists think the antimatter particles were formed in a terrestrial
gamma-ray flash (TGF), a brief burst produced inside thunderstorms
and shown to be associated with lightning. It is estimated that about
500 TGFs occur daily worldwide, but most go undetected.

"These signals are the first direct evidence that thunderstorms make
antimatter particle beams," said Michael Briggs, a member of Fermi's
Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) team at the University of Alabama in
Huntsville (UAH). He presented the findings Monday, during a news
briefing at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Seattle.

Fermi is designed to monitor gamma rays, the highest energy form of
light. When antimatter striking Fermi collides with a particle of
normal matter, both particles immediately are annihilated and
transformed into gamma rays. The GBM has detected gamma rays with
energies of 511,000 electron volts, a signal indicating an electron
has met its antimatter counterpart, a positron.

Although Fermi's GBM is designed to observe high-energy events in the
universe, it's also providing valuable insights into this strange
phenomenon. The GBM constantly monitors the entire celestial sky
above and the Earth below. The GBM team has identified 130 TGFs since
Fermi's launch in 2008.

"In orbit for less than three years, the Fermi mission has proven to
be an amazing tool to probe the universe. Now we learn that it can
discover mysteries much, much closer to home," said Ilana Harrus,
Fermi program scientist at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

The spacecraft was located immediately above a thunderstorm for most
of the observed TGFs, but in four cases, storms were far from Fermi.
In addition, lightning-generated radio signals detected by a global
monitoring network indicated the only lightning at the time was
hundreds or more miles away. During one TGF, which occurred on Dec.
14, 2009, Fermi was located over Egypt. But the active storm was in
Zambia, some 2,800 miles to the south. The distant storm was below
Fermi's horizon, so any gamma rays it produced could not have been
detected.

"Even though Fermi couldn't see the storm, the spacecraft nevertheless
was magnetically connected to it," said Joseph Dwyer at the Florida
Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Fla. "The TGF produced
high-speed electrons and positrons, which then rode up Earth's
magnetic field to strike the spacecraft."

The beam continued past Fermi, reached a location, known as a mirror
point, where its motion was reversed, and then hit the spacecraft a
second time just 23 milliseconds later. Each time, positrons in the
beam collided with electrons in the spacecraft. The particles
annihilated each other, emitting gamma rays detected by Fermi's GBM.

Scientists long have suspected TGFs arise from the strong electric
fields near the tops of thunderstorms. Under the right conditions,
they say, the field becomes strong enough that it drives an upward
avalanche of electrons. Reaching speeds nearly as fast as light, the
high-energy electrons give off gamma rays when they're deflected by
air molecules. Normally, these gamma rays are detected as a TGF.

But the cascading electrons produce so many gamma rays that they blast
electrons and positrons clear out of the atmosphere. This happens
when the gamma-ray energy transforms into a pair of particles: an
electron and a positron. It's these particles that reach Fermi's
orbit.

The detection of positrons shows many high-energy particles are being
ejected from the atmosphere. In fact, scientists now think that all
TGFs emit electron/positron beams. A paper on the findings has been
accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters.

"The Fermi results put us a step closer to understanding how TGFs
work," said Steven Cummer at Duke University. "We still have to
figure out what is special about these storms and the precise role
lightning plays in the process."

NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope is an astrophysics and particle
physics partnership. It is managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md. It was developed in collaboration with the
U.S. Department of Energy, with important contributions from academic
institutions and partners in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Sweden
and the United States.

The GBM Instrument Operations Center is located at the National Space
Science Technology Center in Huntsville, Ala. The team includes a
collaboration of scientists from UAH, NASA's Marshall Space Flight
Center in Huntsville, the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial
Physics in Germany and other institutions.

For more Fermi information, images and animations, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/fermi

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NASA Completes Space Station, Fosters Commercial Spaceflight And Makes Amazing Discoveries During Ambitious Year Of Exploration

Dec. 20, 2010
Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-3749
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 10-333
NASA COMPLETES SPACE STATION, FOSTERS COMMERCIAL SPACEFLIGHT AND MAKES AMAZING DISCOVERIES DURING AMBITIOUS YEAR OF EXPLORATION
WASHINGTON -- NASA in 2010 set a new course for human spaceflight,
helped rewrite science textbooks, redefined our understanding of
Earth's nearest celestial neighbor, put the finishing touches on one
of the world's greatest engineering marvels, made major contributions
to life on Earth, and turned its sights toward the next era of
exploration.
"This year, NASA's work made headlines around the world," NASA
Administrator Charles Bolden said. "More importantly, it enlarged our
understanding of the universe and our home planet, inspired people,
and opened new frontiers for our dreams and aspirations."
"NASA achievements this year across the spectrum -- from science, to
aeronautics, education and human spaceflight - provided incredible
value to our nation," NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver said. "We
continue to build upon our rich history, taking on new challenges and
doing the things that no one else can do -- all for the benefit of
humanity."
The following are some of NASA's top stories for the past calendar
year:
PRESIDENT OBAMA LAYS OUT NEW PLANS FOR SPACE EXPLORATION
After announcing a new direction for NASA in February, President Obama
visited the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 15 to
discuss details of his plans for space exploration. The president
committed NASA to a series of developmental goals leading to new
spacecraft for reaching low Earth orbit and new technology for
potential missions beyond the moon. Discussing his ambitious goals
for human spaceflight, the president said of his strategy, "We will
not only extend humanity's reach in space -- we will strengthen
America's leadership here on Earth."
http://www.nasa.gov/about/obamaspeechfeature.html

SPACE STATION CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF HABITATION AND GETS ANOTHER
DECADE FOR RESEARCH
NASA and its international partners celebrated 10 years of permanent
human habitation on the International Space Station on Nov. 2. More
than 600 different research and technology development experiments
have been conducted aboard the orbiting lab, many of which are
producing advances in medicine, environmental systems and our
understanding of the universe. As the station transitions from its
assembly phase to use as a unique scientific outpost, NASA is
investing in the laboratory's future by ensuring a wide pool of
organizations outside the agency have access. The NASA Authorization
Act of 2010, in addition to extending station operations until at
least 2020, also directed NASA to select an independent, nonprofit
research management organization to develop and manage a portion of
the U.S. share of the station as a national laboratory.
With NASA's space shuttle fleet nearing retirement, three missions
helped put finishing touches on the station this year. The STS-130
mission in February delivered a cupola with seven windows and a
robotic control station. The cupola provides a panoramic view of
Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecraft. The STS-131 mission
in April delivered science racks and new crew sleeping quarters. In
May, the STS-132 crew delivered the Russian-built Mini Research
Module-1 known as Rassvet to the orbiting laboratory. The module
provides additional storage space and serves as a new docking port
for Russian Soyuz and Progress spacecraft.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/living/10years.html

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

COMPANIES MAKE HUGE STRIDES AS FIRST COMMERCIAL SPACECRAFT
SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND RECOVERED
Commercial companies made major progress in 2010, highlighted by
SpaceX's successful Dec. 8 launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon
capsule. The flight was the first for NASA's Commercial Orbital
Transportation Services (COTS) program, which is developing
commercial supply services to the International Space Station. SpaceX
became the first commercial company to launch and return a spacecraft
from low Earth orbit. After NASA's space shuttle retires, SpaceX is
expected to launch at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from
the station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft also are being
designed to eventually carry astronauts into low Earth orbit.
Orbital Sciences Corp., the other participant in the COTS program, had
a successful year also. In November, Orbital test-fired the
first-stage rocket engine for its Taurus II rocket and opened the
mission control center that will support the company's COTS program
missions. The company shipped the Taurus II stage-one core in
December to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia for assembly.
Orbital is under contract with NASA to fly eight cargo missions to
the International Space Station.
http://www.nasa.gov/offices/c3po/home/spacexfeature.html

http://www.nasa.gov/exploration

NASA AIDS TRAPPED CHILEAN MINERS
NASA responded in late August to a request from the government of
Chile for technical advice to assist with the rescue of 33 trapped
miners in a copper and gold mine near Copiapo. As part of its
support, NASA sent two medical doctors, a psychologist and an
engineer to Chile. The team offered expert advice about medical,
nutritional and behavioral health issues based on the agency's long
experience in protecting humans in the hostile environment of space.
NASA also provided suggestions regarding the rescue cages designed to
transport the miners out of the mine. Dr. Michael Duncan, deputy
chief medical officer in the Space Life Sciences Directorate at
NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, led the team. The other
members were physician James Polk and psychologist Albert Holland
from Johnson; and Clint Cragg, principal engineer with the NASA
Engineering and Safety Center at the agency's Langley Research Center
in Hampton, Va.
http://www.nasa.gov/ news/chile_assistance.html

NASA-FUNDED RESEARCH DISCOVERS LIFE BUILT WITH TOXIC CHEMICAL
NASA-funded researchers conducting tests in the harsh environment of
California's Mono Lake discovered the first known microorganism on
Earth that is able to thrive and reproduce using the toxic chemical
arsenic. The microorganism substituted arsenic for phosphorus in its
cell components. Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and
sulfur are the basic building blocks of all known forms of life on
Earth. Researchers successfully grew microbes from the lake on a diet
that was lean on phosphorus, but included generous helpings of
arsenic. The research team included scientists from the U.S.
Geological Survey, Arizona State University, Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and the
Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource in Menlo Park.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/astrobiology_toxic_chemical.html

NASA AIDS U.S. DISASTER RESPONSE TO GULF OF MEXICO OIL SPILL
NASA aided the U.S. response to the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill.
Advanced remote-sensing instruments on NASA Earth-observing
satellites and aircraft provided data on the spill's location, oil
concentrations, and impact on ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico. NASA
data were distributed to federal and state agencies and organizations
that worked to contain the spill and lead recovery efforts. NASA also
sent several research aircraft to make targeted observations that
continue to help federal and state agencies document changes in the
marshes, swamps, bayous, and beaches along the Gulf Coast.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oilspill/index.html

NASA-FUNDED RESEARCH FINDS POTENTIALLY HABITABLE EXOPLANET
A team of planet hunters sponsored by NASA and the National Science
Foundation announced the discovery of a planet with three times the
mass of Earth orbiting a nearby star in a zone that might allow the
planet to support life. The research placed the planet in an orbit
where liquid water could exist on the planet's surface. If confirmed,
the find would be the most Earth-like exoplanet yet discovered and a
strong candidate for the first that is potentially habitable. To
astronomers, a potentially habitable planet is one that could support
life, not necessarily one that humans would find hospitable. This
discovery was the result of more than a decade of observations using
the W. M. Keck Observatory in Hawaii, one of the world's largest
optical telescopes.

http://www.nasa.gov/topics/universe/features/gliese_581_feature.html

NEW EYE ON THE SUN DELIVERS STUNNING FIRST IMAGES
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, returned initial images
that confirmed an unprecedented new capability for scientists to
better understand our sun's dynamic processes. Images from the
spacecraft showed never-before-seen detail of material streaming
outward and away from sunspots. Others showed extreme close-ups of
activity on the sun's surface. The spacecraft also provides images of
the sun with 10 times greater resolution than high-definition
television in a broad range of ultraviolet wavelengths. These solar
events can greatly affect Earth. Launched on Feb. 11, SDO is the most
advanced spacecraft ever designed to study the sun.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/sdo/news/first-light.html

COMET GIVES UP SECRETS TO EPOXI
NASA's EPOXI spacecraft successfully flew past comet Hartley 2 on Nov.
4, providing unprecedented images and giving scientists new
information about the comet's volume and material erupting from its
surface. The EPOXI spacecraft revealed a cometary snowstorm. The
snowstorm was created by carbon-dioxide jets spewing out tons of
golf-ball to basketball-sized fluffy ice particles from the
peanut-shaped comet's rocky ends. At the same time, a different
process was causing water vapor to escape from the comet's smooth
mid-section. The information sheds new light on the nature of comets
and their role in the formation of planets. EPOXI is an extended
mission that used the Deep Impact spacecraft.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/epoxi/epoxi20101104b.html

NASA UNCOVERS THE MOON'S BURIED TREASURES
Scientists announced in 2010 new data about the moon uncovered by
NASA's Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite, or LCROSS, and
the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, or LRO. Scientists determined the
soil in the moon's shadowy craters is rich in useful materials,
including water in the form of mostly pure ice crystals. Researchers
also found the moon is chemically active and has a water cycle. By
understanding the processes and environments that determine the
delivery of water to the moon, where water ice is, and the active
water cycle, future mission planners may be able to better determine
which locations will have easily-accessible water.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/LRO/news/lro-lcross-impact.html

NASA CREATES OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST, EMBARKS ON
TECHNOLOGY-ENABLED FUTURE
NASA created a new Office of the Chief Technologist in February and
named Bobby Braun to lead the effort. A professor of space technology
at Georgia Tech and former engineer at NASA's Langley Research
Center, Braun leads the new Space Technology Initiative targeting
technologies that could be transformational in their ability to
improve the agency's knowledge and capabilities, while reducing cost
and expanding the reach of future aeronautics, science and
exploration missions. In December, NASA provided the National
Research Council (NRC) with 14 technology area roadmaps drafted by
agency experts as NASA works toward a long-range
technology-investment plan. An NRC panel will gather public comments
on the draft technology plans and make recommendations back to NASA
by January 2012.
http://www.nasa.gov/oct

SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITES HELP PUBLIC ENGAGE WITH NASA
NASA expanded its online engagement of the public and was honored to
be recognized as a government leader in social media and web use.
People now can find NASA, the agency's centers, programs and projects
on more than 200 locations across Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube
and UStream. The agency's website, NASA.gov, won its second
consecutive Webby award in 2010, and was joined this year by two
other Webby-winning NASA sites, NASA Home and City 2.0, and Global
Climate Change. NASA.gov expanded its reach with the release of a new
video player that was used to view six million videos in its first
eight months. A version of the site focusing on breaking news, videos
and social media updates was optimized for mobile devices.
NASA launched partnerships with geolocation services Gowalla and
Foursquare to engage with people at the agency-related sites they
visit. More than four million people have viewed NASA videos on the
agency's YouTube channel. The NASA App now is available for iPhone,
iPad and iPod Touch. NASA also made the online engagement personal by
inviting hundreds of participants to multiple Tweetup events that
provided behind-the-scenes access across the agency. Find all the
ways to connect and collaborate with NASA at:
http://www.nasa.gov/connect

NASA PURSUES NEW AIRCRAFT CONCEPTS AND GREEN AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate focused again in 2010
on green aviation initiatives that seek to reduce aircraft noise,
emissions and fuel consumption, and ensure the safe evolution of the
aviation system. In April, NASA completed an 18-month research effort
to visualize the passenger airplanes of the future. The advanced
concept studies for airplanes that may enter service in 20-25 years
produced exotic new designs for developing airframe and propulsion
technologies enabling significantly quieter, cleaner, and more
fuel-efficient aircraft, with better passenger comfort.
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/aeronautics/features/future_airplanes_index.html

SUMMER OF INNOVATION PROGRAMS FOCUS ON MIDDLE-SCHOOLERS
NASA kicked off a new education initiative called the Summer of
Innovation in June 2010. The program aligns with President Obama's
Educate to Innovate campaign and seeks to keep middle school students
engaged in meaningful science, technology, engineering and math
activities during the summer break. In the 2010 pilot year, NASA
reached more than 78,000 students across the country through more
than 150 events and activities led by NASA and about 130 partners in
13 states and the District of Columbia. Plans for the 2011 Summer of
Innovation program are under way. The agency hopes to significantly
expand the number of participating students as the effort matures and
grows.
http://www.nasa.gov/soi

NASA Television's Video File newsfeed will include items featuring
these top stories beginning at noon EST, Dec. 20. For NASA TV
streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Visitors to NASA's website can vote on the top NASA story of the year
at:
http://www.nasa.gov/news/10_YIR_poll.html

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Got $42 mil handy? Get your own Space Shuttle!

In this image provided by NASA the space shuttle Endeavour, fresh from the STS-126 mission and mounted atop its modified Boeing 747 carrier aircraft, flew over California's Mojave Desert on its way back to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday Dec. 10, 2008. NASA's soon-to-be-retired space shuttles are up for grabs. The space agency said Wednesday Dec. 17, 2008 it's looking for ideas on where and how best to display its space shuttles once they stop flying in a few years. Beware: NASA estimates it will cost about $42 million to get each shuttle ready and get it where it needs to go, and the final tab could end up much more. The estimate includes $6 million to ferry the spaceship atop a modified jumbo jet to the closest major airport. (AP Photo/NASA)

NASA's Shuttle Endeavour Launches On Home Improvement Mission

Nov. 14, 2008

Katherine Trinidad
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
katherine.trinidad@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 08-294

NASA'S SHUTTLE ENDEAVOUR LAUNCHES ON HOME IMPROVEMENT MISSION

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven-member
crew lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center at 7:55 p.m. EST
Friday to repair and remodel the International Space Station.

Endeavour's STS-126 mission will carry to space about 32,000 pounds,
which includes supplies and equipment necessary to double the crew
size from three to six members in spring 2009. The new station cargo
includes additional sleeping quarters, a second toilet, a water
reclamation system and a resistance exercise device.

The mission's four planned spacewalks primarily will focus on
servicing the station's two Solar Alpha Rotary Joints, which allow
the outpost's solar arrays to track the sun. The starboard SARJ has
had limited use since September 2007.

Shortly before launch, Commander Chris Ferguson thanked the teams that
helped make the launch possible.

"It's our turn to take home improvement to a new level after 10 years
of International Space Station construction," he said. "Endeavour is
good to go."

Joining Ferguson on Endeavour's 15-day flight are Pilot Eric Boe and
Mission Specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie
Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Sandra Magnus. Magnus will
replace current station crew member Greg Chamitoff, who has lived on
the outpost since June. She will return to Earth on Discovery's
STS-119 mission, targeted for February 2009.

NASA is providing continuous television and Internet coverage of
Endeavour's mission, which is the 124th shuttle flight, the 22nd for
Endeavour and the 27th shuttle mission to the station. NASA
Television features live mission events, daily mission status news
conferences and 24-hour commentary. NASA TV is webcast at:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

NASA's Web coverage of STS-126 includes current mission information,
interactive features, news conference images, graphics and videos.
Mission coverage, including the latest NASA TV schedule, also is
available on the main space shuttle Web site at:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

Daily news conferences with STS-126 mission managers will take place
at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. During normal business hours
of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST Monday through Friday, reporters may ask
questions from participating NASA locations. Please contact your
preferred NASA facility by its daily close of business to confirm its
availability before each event.

On Monday, Nov. 17, the mission status briefing at 3:30 p.m. EST will
include NASA's International Space Station Program Manager Mike
Suffredini. He will discuss the station's upcoming 10th anniversary.
The station's first element, the Zarya module, was launched on Nov.
20, 1998. The briefing will originate from Johnson. NASA Television's
Video File will broadcast highlights from the station's past 10
years, beginning at 10 a.m. on Nov. 17.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Johnson will operate a telephone bridge for media briefings that occur
outside of normal business hours. To be eligible to use this service,
reporters must possess a valid media credential issued by a NASA
center or for the STS-126 mission. Media planning to use the service
must contact the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 15
minutes prior to the start of a briefing in which they wish to
participate. Newsroom personnel will verify their credentials and
transfer them to the phone bridge. The capacity of the phone bridge
is limited and will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For information about the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

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NASA Teleconference to Replace Televised Dawn Mission Briefing

June 25, 2007

Dwayne Brown
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726

MEDIA ADVISORY: M07-72

NASA TELECONFERENCE TO REPLACE TELEVISED DAWN MISSION BRIEFING

WASHINGTON - NASA has scheduled a media teleconference at 2:30 p.m.
EDT, Tuesday, June 26, in place of the previously planned media
science briefing about the Dawn mission. Dawn will explore the two
largest objects in the asteroid belt in an effort to answer questions
about the formation of our solar system.

Mission managers will discuss several issues that need to be resolved
before Dawn's July 7-11 launch window. The briefing participants are:

-- Todd May, deputy associate administrator for programs, Science
Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington

-- Jim Adams, deputy director, Planetary Science Division, Science
Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington

Media interested in participating in the teleconference should call
888-398-6118. The passcode is "Dawn." Reporters who want to listen
only may call 321-867-1220, 1240 or 1260.

Live audio of the teleconference will be streamed at:

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

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Shuttle Atlantis Crew Returns Home After Successful Mission

June 22, 2007

John Yembrick
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0602

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

RELEASE: 07-142

SHUTTLE ATLANTIS CREW RETURNS HOME AFTER SUCCESSFUL MISSION

EDWARDS, Calif. -- The space shuttle Atlantis and its crew are home
after completing a 14-day journey of more than 5.8 million miles in
space. Atlantis' STS-117 mission successfully increased the power
capability of the International Space Station, preparing for the
future delivery of European and Japanese laboratories.

Atlantis' Commander Rick Sturckow, Pilot Lee Archambault and mission
specialists Jim Reilly, Patrick Forrester, Steven Swanson, John
"Danny" Olivas and Sunita Williams landed at Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif., Friday at 3:49 p.m. EDT.

Atlantis' crew attached the new S3/S4 solar array truss segment on the
right side of the station's backbone, deployed a new set of solar
arrays, and retracted the Port 6 starboard solar array back into its
box. The station has a new look with two symmetrical solar panels
mounted on each end of the station's truss.

Reilly, Olivas, Swanson and Forrester, with the help of crewmates,
made four spacewalks to complete the construction tasks. They
activated the truss segment and the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint, which
allows the new arrays to track the sun, and helped fold the Port 6
array. During the third spacewalk, the crew repaired a 4-by-6 inch
raised corner of a thermal blanket on the port side Orbital
Maneuvering System pod. Aerodynamic forces during Atlantis' ascent
lifted the blanket.

While the crew worked in space, ground teams were troubleshooting a
problem with Russian computers that help control the station's
attitude. Russian specialists worked closely with teams in the United
States to recover the computer capabilities.

NASA astronaut and station Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson, who
launched with the crew aboard Atlantis, remained on the station. He
is scheduled to return home aboard space shuttle Discovery on a
mission targeted for launch in October. Anderson replaced Williams,
who set a new record for a single, long-duration spaceflight by a
woman with 195 days. She arrived at the station in December 2006
aboard space shuttle Discovery.

STS-117 was the 118th space shuttle flight, the 21st flight to the
station, the 28th flight for Atlantis and the first of four missions
planned for 2007.

Several inspections in orbit revealed no critical damage, and
Atlantis' thermal protection system was declared safe for re-entry on
flight day 13. Weather concerns prevented the crew from returning to
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., the primary end-of-mission landing
site. In 7-10 days, Atlantis will be transported approximately 2,500
miles from California to Florida on the back of a modified 747 jumbo
jet. Once at Kennedy, Atlantis will be separated from the aircraft to
begin immediate processing for its next flight, targeted for December
2007.

With Atlantis and its crew safely home, the stage is set for the next
phase of International Space Station assembly. Preparations continue
for space shuttle Endeavour's launch, targeted for August, on the
STS-118 mission to deliver the S5 truss segment to the station.

For more on the STS-117 mission and the upcoming STS-118 mission,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

-end-

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