[meteorite-list] NASA Announces Deep Impact Mission & Scence Briefing

[Ron Baalke]

Donald Savage/Gretchen Cook-Anderson
Headquarters, Washington                    Dec. 10, 2004
(Phone: 202/358-1547/0836)

DC Agle 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif.
(Phone: 818/393-9011)

MEDIA ADVISORY: M04-202

NASA ANNOUNCES COMET HUNTER MISSION & SCIENCE BRIEFING

     NASA's Deep Impact mission is the subject of a pre-
launch mission and science news media briefing at 1 p.m. EST, 
Tuesday, Dec. 14 in the NASA Headquarters Webb auditorium, 
300 E St. S.W., Washington.

Planned liftoff for the mission is Jan. 8, 2005. NASA's Deep 
Impact spacecraft has a six-month, 431 million kilometer (268 
million mile) voyage to comet Tempel 1, where it will send a 
projectile crashing into the comet. The first time this has 
ever been attempted, the impact should create a stadium-sized 
crater, allowing scientists to study pristine material inside 
the comet dating back to the formation of our solar system.

Briefing panelists:
o	 Andy Dantzler, Acting Director, Solar System Division, 
NASA Headquarters
o	Tom Morgan, Deep Impact Program Scientist, NASA 
Headquarters
o	-- Rick Grammier, Deep Impact Project Manager, JPL
o	-- Mike A'Hearn, Deep Impact Principal Investigator, 
University of Maryland, Baltimore
o	-- Karen Meech, Deep Impact Co-Investigator, Institute 
for Astronomy, (Hilo), Hawaii

The news conference will be carried live on NASA TV with two-
way question-and-answer capability from participating agency 
centers. NASA TV is available on the Web and via satellite in 
the continental U.S. on AMC-6, Transponder 9C, C-Band, at 72 
degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. 
Polarization is vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. 
In Alaska and Hawaii, NASA TV is available on AMC-7, 
Transponder 18C, C-Band, at 137 degrees west longitude. The 
frequency is 4060.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical, and audio 
is monaural at 6.80 MHz. It will also be webcast live at:

http://www.nasa.gov/deepimpact

Reporters may listen to the briefing by calling: 818/354-
6666. Additional listen-only service is available at: 
321/867-1220/1240/1260.

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