August 4, 2003

David E. Steitz 
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-1730) 

Bruce Buckingham 
Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 
(Phone: 321/867-2468) 

Barry Beneski
Orbital Sciences Corp., Dulles, Va. 
(Phone: 703/406-5528)

Louis Michon
Canadian Space Agency, Saint-Hubert, Quebec 
(Phone: 450/926-4338)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N03-079

SCISAT LAUNCH SET

The Canadian Space Agency's Scientific Satellite Atmospheric Chemistry 
Experiment (SCISAT-1) is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, August 12, 
between 10:05 and 11:02 p.m. EDT.

An L-1011 jet aircraft will take off from Vandenberg Air Force Base 
(VAFB), Calif., carrying the Pegasus XL vehicle that will launch 
SCISAT-1 into space. The L-1011 will drop the Pegasus, and its 
330-pound spacecraft, over the Pacific Ocean, approximately 100 miles 
west of VAFB, at approximately 10:10 p.m. EDT. The SCISAT-1 mission 
will provide scientists with improved measurements of the chemical 
processes that control the distribution of ozone in Earth's 
atmosphere, particularly at high latitudes. The SCISAT spacecraft 
will enter a 400-mile-high polar orbit at an inclination of 73.9 
degrees.

The prelaunch press conference will be at the NASA-KSC Resident Office 
at VAFB and carried live on NASA Television Monday, August 11, at 4 
p.m. EDT. Two-way question and answer capability will be available 
from NASA Headquarters, Washington; Kennedy Space Center, Fla.; and 
Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Participants in the pre-launch news conference include:
- Charles Dovale, NASA launch director, Kennedy Space Center
- Bryan Baldwin, Pegasus Launch Vehicle program manager, Orbital 
Sciences Corp.
- SCISAT project manager, Canadian Space Agency
- Glen Rumbold, SCISAT mission scientist, Canadian Space Agency
- Launch weather officer, USAF 30th Weather Squadron, VAFB 

Media should meet at the south gate of VAFB on California State Road 
246 NLT 3:30 p.m. EDT on Monday, August 11, for escort to the NASA 
VAFB Resident Office.

Media desiring accreditation information should contact the Air Force 
at:

Public Affairs Office
Vandenberg Air Force Base
Telephone: 805/606-3595
FAX: 805/606-8303
E-mail: pubaffairs@plans.vafb.af.mil

On launch day, media representatives should meet at the VAFB main gate 
at 8:30 p.m. EDT to be escorted to the runway for the take-off of the 
L-1011. After departure, media may follow the release and launch of 
Pegasus/SCISAT from the viewing room of the NASA Mission Director's 
Center located at Building 840 on South VAFB. 

Assuming a nominal flight of the Pegasus launch vehicle, a post-launch 
news conference will not be held. However, launch vehicle and 
spacecraft representatives will be available afterward to informally 
answer questions from the media.

Launch coverage on NASA Television begins at 8:30 p.m. EDT through 
spacecraft separation from the Pegasus vehicle. NASA Television is 
broadcast on AMC-9, Transponder 9C, C-band, located at 85 degrees 
west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is 
vertical, and audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz. Live launch commentary 
and audio of the Pegasus/SCISAT briefing will be available on the "V" 
audio circuits available at: 321/867-1220/1240/1260/7135.

The Pegasus/SCISAT News Center at the NASA VAFB Resident Office will 
be staffed starting on Monday, August 11 and may be reached between 
11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. EDT at 805/605-3051/3001. A recorded status 
report will also be available beginning on L-3 day, Friday, August 8, 
and may be reached by dialing 805/734-2693.

Click the "Watch NASA TV Now!" link for live Web cast at: 

http://www.nasa.gov


NASA sponsors the mission under its Small Explorer spacecraft program 
and is responsible for countdown and launch management. Orbital 
Sciences Corp. will provide the launch service, and the Canadian 
Space Agency is responsible for spacecraft development. 

	
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