[meteorite-list] NASA Sets MAVEN/Atlas V Launch Events Coverage

[Ron Baalke]

November 13, 2013

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

Dwayne Brown
NASA Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov 

Nancy Neal Jones
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
301-286-0039
nancy.n.jones at nasa.gov 
     
RELEASE M28-13
     
NASA Sets MAVEN/Atlas V Launch Events Coverage

NASA's next Mars-bound spacecraft, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile  
EvolutionN, or MAVEN, is set to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas  
V 401 rocket Nov. 18. The two-hour launch window extends from 1:28 to 3:28  
p.m. EST. Liftoff will occur from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's  
Space Launch Complex 41.

Launch commentary coverage, as well as prelaunch media briefings, will be  
carried live on NASA Television and the agency's website.

MAVEN is the second mission for NASA's Mars Scout Program and will obtain  
critical measurements of the Martian upper atmosphere to help understand the  
climate change over the Red Planet's history.

MAVEN is the first spacecraft devoted to exploring and understanding the  
Martian upper atmosphere. It will orbit the planet in an elliptical orbit  
that allows it to pass through and sample the entire upper atmosphere on  
every orbit. The spacecraft will investigate how the loss of Mars'  
atmosphere to space determined the history of water on the surface.

Prelaunch News Conference

NASA Television will air a prelaunch news conference at Kennedy Press Site TV  
Auditorium at 1 p.m., on Friday, Nov. 15. Briefing participants are:

-John Grunsfeld, NASA associate administrator
Science Mission Directorate, Washington

-Omar Baez, NASA launch director
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

-Vernon Thorp, program manager, NASA Missions
United Launch Alliance, Centennial, Colo.

-David Mitchell, NASA MAVEN project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

-Guy Beutelschies, Lockheed Martin MAVEN project manager
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Littleton, Colo.

-Clay Flinn, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.

MAVEN Spanish Media Briefing

On Friday, Nov. 15, at 2 p.m. a MAVEN Mission Briefing will be conducted in  
Spanish and will be carried live on NASA TV. Participants will be:

-Sandra Cauffman, deputy project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

-Diana Calero, launch integration engineer
Launch Services Program, Kennedy Space Center

-Jared Espley, MAVEN science team member
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

PhoneSat 2 Media Availability

On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 9 a.m., Andy Petro, program executive for NASA's  
Small Spacecraft Technology Program within the Space Technology Mission  
Directorate, will be available to give a mission overview and answer  
questions about the upcoming launch of PhoneSat 2, NASA's second smartphone  
mission. NASA's PhoneSat 2 cubesat is scheduled to launch Nov. 9 aboard an  
Air Force Minotaur 1 rocket from the Mid Atlantic Regional Spaceport at  
Wallops Island, Va. PhoneSat 2 is a technology demonstration mission that  
highlights NASA's commitment to increase the capabilities and decrease the  
cost of American small satellites. Using off-the-shelf components, NASA hopes  
to evolve small satellite architecture.

MAVEN Mission Science Briefing

On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 10 a.m., a MAVEN mission science briefing will air  
live on NASA TV. Briefing participants are:

-Michael Meyer, lead Mars scientist
NASA Headquarters, Washington

-Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at  
Boulder

-Janet Luhmann, MAVEN deputy principal investigator
University of California at Berkeley

-Nick Schneider, MAVEN IUVS instrument lead
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at  
Boulder

-Paul Mahaffy, MAVEN NGIMS instrument lead
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

-David L. Mitchell, MAVEN SWEA instrument lead,
University of California at Berkeley

The Path Toward Humans to Mars

On Sunday, Nov. 17, at 11:30 a.m. in the Kennedy Press Site TV Auditorium, a  
briefing will outline NASA's future human spaceflight plans. The briefing  
will be carried live on NASA TV. Participants will be:

-Ellen Stofan, NASA chief scientist
NASA Headquarters, Washington

-John Grunsfeld, associate administrator
Science Mission Directorate, Headquarters

-William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator
Human Exploration and Operations Directorate, Headquarters

-Michael Gazarik, associate administrator
Space Technology Mission Directorate., Headquarters

Post-Launch News Conference

A MAVEN post-launch news conference is targeted for approximately 2  hours  
after launch. It will be held in the Kennedy Press Site TV Auditorium.
Participants will include:

-David Mitchell, NASA MAVEN project manager
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

-Bruce Jakosky, MAVEN principal investigator
Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado at  
Boulder

A post-launch news release also will be issued when the state-of-health of  
the MAVEN spacecraft is known. Spokespersons also will be available at the  
Press Site to answer questions.

Accreditation and Media Access Badges for Kennedy Space Center

Media wishing to cover the MAVEN briefings and launch must apply for  
credentials at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov/ 

U.S. media requests must be received no later than Nov. 12; the deadline for  
foreign media has passed. Media may obtain access badges at the Gate 2 Press  
Accreditation Office (PIDS). For all news media, two forms of government  
issued identification are required upon arrival at Kennedy. At least one  
form must be a government issued photo identification, such as a passport or  
driver's license. For further information about accreditation, contact  
Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or 867-2468.

The press accreditation office (PIDS) for the news media on SR 3 will be open  
on Friday, Nov. 15 between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.; on Saturday, Nov. 16 from  
7:30 a.m. until noon; on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m.; on  
launch day, Monday, Nov. 18, the hours will be 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

On Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 16-17, Gate 2 on SR 3 will be closed, however,  
access is available through Gate 3 on SR 405, which can be accessed via Space  
Commerce Way located immediately south of Gate 2 on SR 3.

Atlas V Launch Vehicle Rollout

Saturday, Nov. 16: There will be a media opportunity to observe rollout of  
the Atlas V rocket from the Vertical Integration Facility to the launch pad.  
Media should be at Kennedy's Press Site at 9 a.m. for transportation to the  
viewing location near Space Launch Complex 41.

Remote Camera Placement at Space Launch Complex 41

Saturday, Nov. 16: Photographers who wish to set up remote sound-activated  
cameras at the Atlas V launch pad will be transported to Space Launch Complex  
41 from the Kennedy Press Site parking lot at 1:30 p.m.

Launch Day Press Site Access

Monday, Nov. 18: Media will cover the MAVEN launch from Kennedy’s Press  
Site. Access will be through Gate 3 on State Road 405, east of the  
Kennedy's visitor complex and through Gate 2 on State Road 3.

Kennedy News Center Hours

Friday, Nov. 15: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 16: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 17: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 18: 5:30 a.m.- 6:30 p.m.

NASA Television Launch Coverage

On Monday, Nov. 18, NASA TV coverage of the launch will begin at 11 a.m. EST  
and conclude after the MAVEN spacecraft has separated from the Atlas V, which  
occurs about 52 minutes after launch. Live launch coverage will be carried  
on all NASA Television channels.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv 

Audio only of the press conferences and the launch coverage will be carried  
on the NASA "V" circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220 or  
-1240 or -1260 or -7135.

All of the briefings will be carried live on NASA Television with question  
and answer capability available from other NASA field centers. Call-in  
questions also will be taken by dialing 321-867-2468 no later than 15 minutes  
before the start of each briefing to establish a position in the queue.

On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor's countdown activities  
without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135 starting  
at 10:30 a.m. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio  
frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County.

NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

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

http://www.nasa.gov 

Live countdown coverage through NASA's Launch Blog begins at 11 a.m., Monday,  
Nov. 18. Coverage features live updates as countdown milestones occur, as  
well as streaming video clips highlighting launch preparations and liftoff.  
For questions about countdown coverage, contact Nancy Bray at 321-867-9112.

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

http://www.nasa.gov/maven 

For more information on the MAVEN mission, visit:

http://lasp.colorado.edu/home/maven/ 

Social Media

Join the conversation and follow the MAVEN mission online by using the #MAVEN  
on Twitter and Facebook at:

https://twitter.com/MAVEN2Mars 

https://www.facebook.com/MAVEN2Mars 

The NASA Kennedy Twitter and Facebook accounts will continuously be updated  
throughout the launch countdown at:

http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy 

https://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy 

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

http://www.twitter.com/NASA_LSP

https://www.facebook.com/NASALSP

Recorded Status

Recorded status reports and updates to the media advisory on the MAVEN launch  
will be provided through the Kennedy media phone line starting Thursday, Nov.  
14. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.

Wireless Capability

Wireless capability for news media is available at Kennedy's Press Site.

NASA's Launch Services Program at Kennedy is responsible for launch  
management. United Launch Alliance of Centennial, Colo., is the provider of  
the Atlas V launch service. Lockheed Martin of Littleton, Colo., built the  
spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations after launch.

MAVEN's principal investigator is based at CU/LASP. The university provided  
science instruments and leads science operations, as well as education and  
public outreach, for the mission.

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., manages the project and  
provided two of the science instruments for the mission. Lockheed Martin  
built the spacecraft and is responsible for mission operations. The  
University of California at Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory provided  
science instruments for the mission. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in  
Pasadena, Calif., provides navigation support, Deep Space Network support,  
and Electra telecommunications relay hardware and operations.