Steve Cole
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-0918
stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-104
MEDIA EVENTS SET FOR AQUARIUS/SAC-D SATELLITE LAUNCH NEXT MONTH
WASHINGTON -- The launch of the Aquarius/SAC-D observatory is
scheduled for
June 9, from NASA's Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force
Base, Calif. Liftoff of the United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket is
targeted to occur during a five-minute launch window that opens at
10:20 a.m. EDT (7:20 a.m. PDT).
Aquarius is the NASA-built primary instrument on the SAC-D spacecraft.
The observatory was built by Argentina's space agency, CONAE.
Aquarius will map global changes in salinity at the ocean surface.
The three-year mission will provide new insights into how variations
in ocean surface salinity relate to fundamental climate processes.
The Aquarius/SAC-D News Center at the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office
will be staffed beginning Wednesday, June 1. A NASA communications
specialist will be available to answer reporters' questions at
805-605-3051. A recorded launch status report will be available
starting June 6 at 805-734-2693.
To attend the prelaunch and launch activities on June 7-9, U.S.
journalists should fax their requests on news organization letterhead
to Jeremy Eggers, 30th Space Wing Public Affairs Office, Vandenberg
Air Force Base, Calif. on 805-606-4571 or e-mail
jeremy.eggers@vandenberg.af.mil. Requests must include full legal
name, date of birth and media affiliation. A legal photo
identification will be required upon arrival at Vandenberg.
A prelaunch news conference will be held Tuesday, June 7, at 4 p.m.
EDT (1 p.m. PDT) in the NASA Vandenberg Resident Office. The briefing
will be carried live on NASA Television will broadcast the briefing
live. Reporters at NASA field centers can participate after
contacting their local centers.
On launch day, June 9, NASA TV commentary coverage of the countdown
will begin at 8:30 a.m. EDT (5:30 a.m. PDT). Liftoff is targeted for
10:20:13 a.m. EDT (7:20:13 a.m. PDT). Spacecraft separation occurs 56
minutes, 42 seconds after launch.
Live countdown coverage also will be available online. Launch updates
begin on NASA's launch blog at 8:30 a.m. EDT (5:30 a.m. PDT).
Coverage features real-time updates of countdown milestones, as well
as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and
liftoff. To view the launch blog, visit:
The Aquarius/SAC-D mission is a collaboration between NASA and
Argentina's space agency with participation by Brazil, Canada, France
and Italy. The Aquarius science instruments were jointly built by
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., and Goddard
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. JPL will manage Aquarius
through the mission's commissioning phase and archive mission data.
Goddard will manage the mission's operations phase and process
Aquarius science data. NASA's Launch Services Program at the agency's
Kennedy Space Center in Florida provides launch management. United
Launch Alliance of Denver is NASA's launch service provider of the
Delta II 7320.
For information on receiving NASA TV, go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/digital.html
The televised prelaunch media briefing and launch coverage will be
streamed live at:
For more information on the Aquarius/SAC-D mission, visit:
-end-
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