NASA Offers Media Access to SDO Spacecraft Jan. 21

[KSC News Center <ksc@mediaservices.nasa.gov>]

Jan. 19, 2010

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

Dwayne Brown 
NASA Headquarters 
202-358-1726
dwayne.c.brown@nasa.gov

Don Savage
Goddard Space Flight Center
301-286-8982
donald.savage@nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M03-10

NASA OFFERS MEDIA ACCESS TO SDO SPACECRAFT JAN. 21

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, or SDO, set 
to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on Feb. 9, 
will be the focus of a media opportunity at 9 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, 
at the Astrotech Space Operations facility in Titusville, Fla. The 
event is an opportunity to photograph the SDO spacecraft and 
interview project and launch program officials. The spacecraft will 
be seen just prior to its encapsulation into the Atlas V payload 
fairing which will be located adjacent to the spacecraft.

The Solar Dynamics Observatory is the first mission that will be 
launched for NASA's Living With a Star program and is designed to 
understand the causes of solar variability and how space weather 
results from that variability. SDO will take a closer look at the Sun 
and help develop the ability to better understand the Sun's influence 
on Earth and Near-Earth space by studying the solar atmosphere. SDO 
will perform several measurements that will help characterize the 
interior of the Sun, the Sun's magnetic field, the hot plasma of the 
solar corona, and the density of radiation that creates the 
ionosphere of the planets. By better understanding the Sun and how it 
works, scientists will be able to better predict and better forecast 
the "weather out in space," providing earlier warning to protect our 
aircraft, satellites and astronauts when working in space.

For the media event, procedures for optically sensitive spacecraft 
must be followed by individuals entering the cleanroom where the 
spacecraft is being prepared for launch. Full cleanroom attire, or 
bunny suits, must be worn and will be furnished. Please do not wear 
perfume, cologne or makeup. Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be 
worn -- no shorts or skirts.

Camera equipment will be cleaned by contamination-control specialists. 
All camera equipment must be self-contained; no portable lights can 
be allowed. Non-essential equipment such as suede, leather or vinyl 
camera bags or other carrying cases must be left outside the 
cleanroom. No notebook paper, pencils or conventional pens are 
permitted; special pens and cleanroom paper will be provided. No 
food, tobacco, chewing gum, lighters, matches or pocketknives will be 
allowed.

Flash photography cannot be permitted. There is adequate metal halide 
lighting in the facility for photography (white with slight green 
cast; suggested exposure for ISO-ASA 400 is 1/30 sec. at f/5.6 ). 
Wireless microphones will be allowed but use of cellular telephones 
cannot be accommodated.

Project management for SDO is the responsibility of NASA's Goddard 
Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Spokespersons from Goddard, the 
Kennedy Space Center and NASA Headquarters will be available for 
questions and interviews.

On Thursday, U.S. news media representatives may proceed directly to 
Astrotech located in the Spaceport Florida Industrial Park, 1515 
Chaffee Drive, Titusville. Access at the gate will start at 8:45 a.m. 
A photo identification will be required. News media who are foreign 
nationals may attend only if they possess a permanently issued NASA 
news media accreditation badge from the Kennedy Space Center.

There is a possibility that this event may be rescheduled to Friday, 
Jan. 22. News media representatives should call the NASA News Center 
codaphone at Kennedy on Wednesday evening at 321-867-2525 to assure 
the date has not changed. 

	
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