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NASA Adjusts Shuttle Atlantis' Launch Pad Move to Oct. 14Oct 12, 2009 (National Aeronautics and Space Administration Documents and Publications/ContentWorks via COMTEX) -- Oct. 9, 2009 Allard Beutel Kennedy Space Center, Fla. 321-867-2468 [email protected] MEDIA ADVISORY: M51-09 NASA ADJUSTS SHUTTLE ATLANTIS' LAUNCH PAD MOVE TO OCT. 14 CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA now is targeting Wednesday, Oct. 14, to move space shuttle Atlantis to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. First motion of Atlantis from Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building to the pad is targeted for 12:01 a.m. EDT. The move is known as "rollout." The 3.4 mile journey is expected to take approximately six hours. Activities include a 6:30 a.m. photo opportunity of the shuttle's move and an interview availability with Atlantis Flow Director Angie Brewer at 7:45 a.m. Reporters must arrive at Kennedy's news center by 6 a.m. for transportation to the viewing area. Live video coverage of the move will be shown on NASA Television starting at 6:30 a.m. Video highlights of the move will air on NASA TV Video File. Atlantis' original rollout date was Oct. 13. The shuttle was towed Tuesday from its hangar, Orbiter Processing Facility 1, to the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB, in preparation for its STS-129 mission to the International Space Station. However, an issue with a crane that was being used to transfer Atlantis for attachment to its external fuel tank and two solid rocket boosters caused a delay in operations. That in turn caused additional workload on teams in the VAB who also are working on preparing NASA's Ares I-X rocket for rollout to Kennedy's Launch Pad 39B on Oct. 19. Ares I-X is targeted to launch on its flight test on Oct. 27. Shuttle managers added a day to Atlantis' rollout preparations to provide relief to the work force. The one-day change to the rollout still will allow managers to target Atlantis' launch for Nov. 12. It also does not affect the practice countdown, known as the terminal countdown demonstration test, and associated training for Atlantis' six astronauts and ground teams, which is set to begin Oct. 19. Media accreditation for Atlantis' Oct. 14 rollout now is closed. Journalists who already have applied for badges must pick them up before 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office on State Road 405. Recorded updates for rollout will be available at 321-867-2525. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For more information about the STS-129 mission and crew, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle - -end- |