01.09.

07

George Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468

Cynthia O'Caroll
Goddard Space Flight Center, Md.
301-286-4647

MEDIA ADVISORY: 03-07

NASA OFFERS MEDIA ACCESS TO THEMIS SPACECRAFT JAN. 12

NASA's "THEMIS" spacecraft, set to launch aboard a Delta II rocket

from Cape Canaveral on Feb. 15, will be the focus of a media
opportunity at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla. The
event is an opportunity to photograph THEMIS and interview project
and launch program officials about the mission.

THEMIS is an acronym for Time History of Events and Macroscale

Interactions during Substorms. THEMIS consists of five identical
probes that will track violent, colorful eruptions near the North
Pole. This will be the largest number of scientific satellites ever
launched into orbit aboard a single rocket.

The THEMIS mission plans to unravel the tantalizing mystery behind

auroral substorms, an avalanche of magnetic energy powered by the
solar wind that intensifies the northern and southern lights. THEMIS
will help to provide another piece of the puzzle, helping us further
understand how and why these space storms create havoc with
satellites, power grids and communications systems.

For the media event, procedures for optically sensitive spacecraft

must be followed by individuals entering the cleanroom where the
spacecraft is being prepared for launch. Full cleanroom attire (bunny
suits) must be worn and will be furnished. Please do not wear
perfume, cologne or makeup. Long pants and closed-toe shoes must be
worn -- no shorts or skirts.

Camera equipment must be cleaned under supervision of

contamination-control specialists before entering the cleanroom. All
equipment must be self-contained; no portable lights can be allowed.
Non-essential equipment such as suede, leather or vinyl camera bags
or other carrying cases must be left outside the cleanroom. No
pencils or felt-tipped pens are permitted; only ball-point pens may
be used. No food, tobacco, chewing gum, lighters, matches or
pocketknives will be allowed.

Wireless microphones are allowed, but flash photography cannot be

permitted. There is adequate metal halide lighting in the facility
for photography (white with slight green cast; suggested exposure for
ISO-ASA 400 is 1/30 sec. at f/5.6 ).

Primary spokespersons available to the media will be:

Willis Jenkins, THEMIS Program Executive

NASA Headquarters
Peter Harvey, THEMIS Project Manager
University of California at Berkeley

Vassilis Angelopoulos, Principal Investigator

University of California at Berkeley

Garrett Skrobot, NASA Mission Integration Manager

Kennedy Space Center

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and the

University of California at Berkeley are responsible for the project
management of THEMIS. The NASA Launch Services Program at Kennedy
Space Center and the United Launch Alliance are responsible for the
launch of the Delta II.

On Friday, media may proceed directly to Astrotech located in the

Spaceport Florida Industrial Park, 1515 Chaffee Drive, Titusville.
Access at the gate will start at 9:15 a.m. The event will begin at
9:30. The necessary duration is approximately two hours.

For further information, contact the NASA News Center at KSC at

321-867-2468.

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