NASA Television Airs Space Shuttle Atlantis' Final Move

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Oct 30, 2012, 12:16 ET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- NASA Television will provide live coverage of events surrounding space shuttle Atlantis' move to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida for permanent public display.

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At 2 p.m. EDT Thursday, Nov. 1, NASA TV's media channel will air a news briefing about the transformation of Kennedy Space Center to a multiuser spaceport.

The briefing participants are:
-- Lisa Colloredo, associate manager, Commercial Crew Program
-- Scott Colloredo, chief architect, Ground Systems Development and Operations Program
-- Bruce Reid, Kennedy Space Center mission manager for Landsat Data Continuity Mission
-- Jody Singer, deputy manager, Space Launch System Program

At 3:30 p.m., NASA TV's media channel will air a briefing about the future of human spaceflight.

The participants are:
-- Robert Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
-- Bill Hill, assistant deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development
-- Ed Mango, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program

On Friday, Nov. 2, NASA TV will begin coverage at 7 a.m. as Atlantis departs Kennedy's Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The shuttle will make the 10-mile journey from the VAB to the visitor complex atop a 76-wheel flatbed vehicle called the Orbiter Transportation System, stopping along the route for a retirement ceremony at about 10 a.m.

Ceremony participants include:
-- NASA Administrator Charles Bolden
-- Robert Cabana, NASA Kennedy Space Center director
-- Current and former astronauts of Atlantis' final mission, STS-135
-- Bill Moore, chief operating officer, Delaware North Companies Parks and Resorts, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex

Following the ceremony, Atlantis will travel to Space Florida's Exploration Park for a presentation and viewing opportunity for visitor complex guests before departing for its new home.

NASA TV coverage of the move will conclude when Atlantis reaches the visitor complex at about 6 p.m.

NASA retains the title to Atlantis and is providing it to the visitor complex for the public to view. Engineers have been preparing the shuttle for public display as part of NASA's transition and retirement processing of the shuttle fleet. A grand opening of Atlantis' new home at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is planned for July 2013.

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information on the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, visit:

http://www.kennedyspacecenter.com

For more information about preparations for Atlantis' public display, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/transition

SOURCE NASA