NASA Sets Briefing About Shuttle Discovery’s Readiness to Launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA managers will hold a news conference on Tuesday, Aug. 18, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch. The briefing will begin after the end of the Flight Readiness Review, a meeting to assess preparations for shuttle Discovery’s STS-128 mission to the International Space Station.

Live status updates, including the start time for the news conference, will be provided via the NASA News Twitter feed during the meeting. To access the feed, visit: http://twitter.com/nasa

The review is expected to include the selection of an official launch date. Discovery currently is targeted to launch at 1:58 a.m. on Aug. 24.

The briefing participants are:

– Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations

– John Shannon, Space Shuttle Program manager

– Pete Nickolenko, STS-128 launch director

NASA Television and the agency’s Web site will broadcast the news briefing live. Journalists may ask questions from participating NASA locations. Reporters should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm its participation.

For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For STS-128 crew and mission information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle