NASA Invites Reporters to View Arrival of Tranquility Module

Reporters are invited to view the arrival of the newest section of the International Space Station, the Tranquility module, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, May 20.

Tranquility is a pressurized module that will provide room for many of the station’s life support systems. Attached to the node is a cupola, a unique work station with six windows on its sides and one on top.

Tranquility will arrive at Kennedy’s Shuttle Landing Facility aboard an Airbus Beluga aircraft and be transported to the Space Station Processing Facility, where it will be prepared for flight. The module will be delivered to the station during space shuttle Endeavour’s STS-130 mission, targeted for launch in February 2010.

Reporters will be able to document Tranquility’s arrival and interview NASA and Boeing mission managers involved in processing it for flight. Journalists should arrive at Kennedy’s news center by 9 a.m. EDT for transportation to the event. Participants must be dressed in full-length pants, flat shoes that entirely cover the feet, and shirts with sleeves.

Kennedy’s STS-125 mission media badges will be honored for this event. New accreditation for foreign journalists is closed. U.S. reporters without permanent Kennedy credentials or existing STS-125 credentials must apply online by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19, at: http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov

Video highlights of Tranquility’s arrival will air on the NASA Television Video File. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station