June 28 Press Conference Will Describe Next International Space Station Component – Zvezda Living Quarters

Kirsten Williams

Headquarters, Washington, DC

(202/358-0243)

Eileen Hawley

Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX

(281/483-5111)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N00-27

A news conference will be held at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, June
28, at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX, to provide an
overview of the next International Space Station (ISS) component,
the Zvezda Service Module, scheduled to launch in July.

The briefing will be carried live on NASA Television, and
reporters at other NASA centers may participate. The Russian-
provided Zvezda will be the station’s early crew quarters and
provide key life support, propulsion, navigation, communications
and other equipment. It is tentatively planned for launch aboard a
Russian Proton rocket between July 10 and 12 from the Baikonur
Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. A final launch date for Zvezda is expected
to be announced following a General Designer’s Review meeting of
Russian and United States ISS managers to be held in Moscow on
June 26.

The June 28 briefing will provide information about Zvezda’s
capabilities and the International Space Station’s activities
prior to and following the launch, including the rendezvous and
docking with the new module. Briefing participants will include:

* Jim Van Laak, ISS Manager of Mission Integration and
Operations

* Kirk Shireman, ISS Manager for Russian Elements

* Mark Ferring, Lead ISS Flight Director

* Yuri Malenchenko, Mission Specialist, Shuttle Mission STS-106

Media planning to attend the briefing at Johnson should
contact the Johnson newsroom at 281/483-5111 to arrange
accreditation no later than 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, June 27. NASA TV
may be accessed through GE2, transponder 9C. The frequency is 3880
MHz, with an orbital position of 85 degrees West Longitude and
audio at 6.8 MHz. This is a full transponder service and is
operational 24 hours a day.

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