Press Release

HDNet’s Exclusive Live HDTV Coverage of the Launch of Space Shuttle Endeavour Rescheduled for 5:30

By SpaceRef Editor
August 7, 2007
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What: HDNet’s exclusive live coverage of the lift off of NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour, STS-118 has moved to Wednesday, August 8 at 5:30 p.m. ET with the planned liftoff set for 6:36 p.m. ET. HDNet will be the only television network to bring viewers the launch coverage in stunning high definition television.

Endeavour will carry a seven-member crew, including mission specialist Barbara Morgan. Morgan, a teacher, was originally chosen as the backup to Christa McAuliffe for the NASA Teacher in Space Program in 1985. She was selected by NASA as a mission specialist in January of 1998 and will finally make her first trip into space aboard Endeavour.

HDNet’s exclusive HD partnership with NASA allows the network exceptional access to the shuttle and its astronauts, including coverage of the crew’s pre-launch preparations such as the astronauts getting into their vacuum suits, moving into the orbiter and making their final preparations before lift off.

When: Live coverage begins at 5:30 p.m. ET, and includes the scheduled lift off at 6:36 p.m. ET About HDNet

HDNet (www.hd.net) provides viewers with the best in original comedy, drama, news, sports and music programming.

HDNet is your exclusive, high definition home for popular, critically acclaimed original programming, including television’s only HD news feature programs “HDNet World Report,” “Dan Rather Reports” featuring legendary journalist Dan Rather and “NASA on HDNet” (presenting live shuttle launches through 2010). HDNet presents championship sports coverage featuring the National Hockey League, Major League Soccer, NASCAR Grand National Division, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup re-broadcasts, boxing and Mixed Martial Arts; groundbreaking music programming with the HDNet Concert Series featuring leading artists and bands including U2, Black Eyed Peas, Gwen Stefani and more, plus original music programs “Sound Off with Matt Pinfield,” and “True Music w/Katie Daryl”; entertaining interview shows including “Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone” and “Higher Definition,” in addition to fun and irreverent lifestyle programming including “Geek to Freak with Dennis Rodman,” “Deadline!,” “Art Mann Presents,” and “Get Out!” HDNet is also the exclusive high definition home to the critically acclaimed and award winning programs such as the Emmy Award winning “Arrested Development,” “The Black Donnellys,” “Blade: The Series,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Dead Like Me,” “Smallville,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “Boomtown” and “Andy Richter Controls the Universe.”

HDNet Movies also features a wide selection of major studio theatrical releases – all uncut, unedited, and appearing in their original aspect ratio so that HDNet Movies viewers get the best possible home theater experience.

Only HDNet Movies exclusive “Sneak Previews” bring feature films to viewers before they premiere in theaters! Some of the HDNet Movies “Sneak Previews” have included the Academy Award nominated “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room”, Toronto Film Festival nominee “The War Within,” and “Bubble,” the first of six movies by acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh and produced exclusively for HDNet Films and, most recently, “Broken English”, from Zoe Cassavetes, starring Gena Rowlands, Parker Posey, Drea de Matteo and Griffin Dunne. Upcoming Sneak Previews include “Quid Pro Quo”, starring Nick Stahl and Vera Farmiga, “Hunter,” the story of the life and death of infamous gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson from director Alex Gibney and producer Graydon Carter, “Cashback,” written and produced by Sean Ellis, “Flawless,” starring Michael Caine and Demi Moore, “Closing Escrow,” a real estate mockumentary featuring April Barnett and Allen Friedman, and “Mr. Untouchable,” a documentary film about Leroy “Nicky” Barnes who was the black Godfather of Harlem in the 1970’s. Many more are to come.

Launched in 2001 by Mark Cuban and General Manager Philip Garvin, the HDNet networks are available on AT&T, Bright House Networks, Charter Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network, Insight, Mediacom, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and more than 40 NCTC cable affiliate companies. For more information visit www.hd.net.

SpaceRef staff editor.