NASA OFFERS TOUR OF WEATHER FORECAST FACILITY FOR STS-121

06.26.06

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

RELEASE: 40-06

NASA OFFERS TOUR OF WEATHER FORECAST FACILITY FOR STS-121

News media covering the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-121
will have an opportunity to tour the weather forecast facility on
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 28,
for an insight into the techniques used by the team of weather
forecasters to create the forecast for launch day.

At the facility, which is operated by the U.S. Air Force 45th Weather
Squadron, media will see the tools used by the weather team to create
the forecast for launch day. They will also receive a briefing on how
the launch weather forecast is developed by Shuttle Weather Officer
Kathy Winters and meet the forecasters for the space shuttle and the
expendable launch vehicles. Also participating will be members of the
Applied Meteorology Unit who provide special expertise to the
forecasters by analyzing and interpreting unusual or inconsistant
weather data.

In addition, media will have an opportunity to see the release of a
GPS-tracked Rawinsonde weather balloon carrying instruments aloft to
be used as part of developing the forecast. The weather balloon
facility is operated by Computer Sciences Raytheon, which also is
responsible for the instrumentation used by the forecasters.

Media will depart from the KSC News Center by bus at 10:30 a.m. or
immediately following the conclusion of the L-3 day countdown status
briefing which begins at 10 a.m. This opportunity is limited to the
first 15 news media making reservations.

A sign-up *** is available at the tour and interview desk in the KSC
News Center or contact George Diller at 321-867-2468 for a
reservation. Because the locations for this tour are on Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station, foreign news media will not be able to
participate.


-end-


--
--------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.nl


.