September 5, 2003

Allard Beutel
Headquarters, Washington
(Phone: 202/358-4769)

James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N03-088

NASA SPONSORS "RETURN TO FLIGHT" MEDIA WORKSHOP

News media are invited to attend a series of "on-the-record" briefings 
and hands-on demonstrations Sept. 16-18 at NASA's Johnson Space 
Center (JSC) in Houston. The workshop will offer a detailed look at 
NASA's efforts to safely return the agency's Space Shuttles to 
flight. 

The workshop will provide the status on work under way in Shuttle 
operations, equipment and procedures, including:


Thermal Protection System: in-flight inspection and repair; ground 
maintenance and inspection; and long-term improvements

Improved ground and flight-based launch and landing imagery

External Tank and Solid Rocket Booster improvements

Possible changes in Shuttle flight paths and launch conditions

Improved mission and program management processes 

Briefing panels and hands-on activities will detail the challenges and 
complexity involved in return to flight efforts. Media will be given 
an update on the International Space Station Program, as well as have 
an opportunity to speak with the Station crew. The latest plans for 
the next Shuttle mission (STS-114) will also be discussed. 

Media planning to attend must fax a request for press accreditation to 
the JSC newsroom at: 281/483-2000 before 6 p.m. EDT Sept. 10. Because 
of limited capacity, attendance at the demonstrations may be 
restricted to one reporter and/or photographer per organization. See 
briefing schedule below:



Introduction to Space Shuttle Return-to-Flight Planning
Media Workshop, Sept 16-18, NASA's Johnson Space Center  

Sept. 16
8 a.m. CDT -- Welcome and Overview
9:30 a.m. -- International Space Station Status and Overview
12 p.m. -- Development Efforts: Thermal Protection System
2 p.m. -- Development Efforts: Ascent and Entry Imagery 
3 p.m. -- Development Efforts: External Tank and Solid Rocket Boosters

Sept. 17:
8 a.m. CDT -- Status of Planning: Space Shuttle Mission STS-114 
9 a.m. -- Development Efforts: Flight Design 
10 a.m. -- Development Efforts: Mission, Program Management Process 
12 p.m. -- 5 p.m. -- Hands-on activities, facility tours<br /
Sept. 18:
9 a.m. CDT -- International Space Station In-flight Crew Press 
Conference
10 a.m. -- 6:30 p.m. -- Hands-on activities, facility tours

Media may attend hands-on activities and briefings by experts in 
Return to Flight engineering development, training and operations. 
Several sessions will be held each day, and media will attend in 
small groups to allow individual attention and activities. The 
planned opportunities include:


Thermal Protection System In-flight Repair and Inspection As engineers 
complete a series of test runs in one of the largest vacuum chambers 
in the world, they will explain and allow media to participate in 
demonstrations of materials and techniques that may be used for TPS 
repair in space. 


Space Shuttle Ascent and Entry Training Media may participate in a 
simulation of a Space Shuttle launch and landing, view the facilities 
used to train astronauts for those phases of flight and meet the 
instructors.


Shuttle Cockpit Rendezvous Simulators In a theater-like Space Shuttle 
aft cockpit simulator at JSC, astronauts and instructors will fly a 
possible modified rendezvous approach to the International Space 
Station that may facilitate increased imagery of the Shuttle. 


Virtual Reality Training and Station Mockups Media may experience a 
spacewalker's eye view of the Shuttle and Station in the Virtual 
Reality Laboratory used by astronauts to train. Media also will have 
an opportunity to tour nearby International Space Station and Soyuz 
trainers guided by veteran crewmembers and instructors. .

In addition, tours of additional JSC facilities such as the Mission 
Control Center, Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory and engineering 
laboratories will be available. 

	
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