NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Orion Move in Preparation for First Flight

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Aug 29, 2014, 05:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Aug. 29, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Media accreditation now is open to attend an event marking the move of NASA's Orion spacecraft at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft will be transferred from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility during the second week of September.

NASA managers will be available to discuss the progress being made on Orion during the move, the exact date and time of which will be announced as soon as possible.

The event will not be carried live on NASA Television, but highlights of the move will air on NASA TV's Video File segments and the agency's website. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

In the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, the Orion spacecraft will be fueled with ammonia and hyper-propellants for its mission. It will later be moved again for the installation of its launch abort system.

Orion is undergoing preparations for its maiden flight in December, an uncrewed flight that will take it 3,600 miles above Earth on a 4.5-hour mission to test the systems critical for future human missions to deep space. After two orbits, Orion will reenter Earth's atmosphere at almost 20,000 miles per hour before its parachute system deploys to slow the spacecraft for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean.

International media without U.S. citizenship must apply for credentials no later than 4:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Sept. 2, and are required to submit a scanned copy of their "I" visa and passport to access the event. Green card holders must submit a scanned copy of their card. All scanned documents must be emailed to [email protected] for credential request processing. The deadline for U.S. media is noon Sept. 5.

All media representatives must present two forms of legal, government identification to access Kennedy. One form must be a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.

Media accreditation requests need to be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Questions about accreditation should be addressed to Jennifer Horner at [email protected], 321-867-6598 or 321-867-2468.

The Orion spacecraft will carry astronauts farther into the solar system than ever before,. It will provide emergency abort capabilities, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space.

For more information about the Orion Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/orion

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SOURCE NASA