February 13, 1998

Doug Peterson
Johnson Space Center
(281) 483-5914

Release: J98-6

STS-89 Crew Briefing Kicks Off Year of Public Opportunities at JSC

The STS-89 shuttle crew will receive space flight awards, and brief the public about their mission to Mir on February 19, at Space Center Houston. This special event is part of an expanding series of community oriented events sponsored by the Johnson Space Center (JSC).

With a goal to help the public experience the adventure of human space flight, JSC is opening many events in 1998 to the public at no charge. These include space shuttle launch presentations, crew returns at Ellington Air Force Base, and crew briefings after each flight. Annual events like the family-oriented Open House planned for August 29, and the business Inspection in mid-November are excellent opportunities to discover space at JSC.

The upcoming STS-89 awards ceremony and crew briefing will be held in the IMAX Theater at Space Center Houston at 7 p.m. JSC Director George Abbey will present the crew’s Space Flight Medals and other awards to individuals and teams who made key contributions to the flight. The crew, including Dr. David Wolf, will narrate a slide show presentation of mission photographs, including those taken by the crew during their flight. The program will conclude with a showing of the IMAX movie "Mission to Mir". A short question and answer period will follow the movie, so that the audience may ask questions of the crew.

During the STS-89 mission, Andy Thomas was delivered to the Mir space station to begin his stay until May, and Dr. David Wolf bid farewell to the Russian crew he had lived and worked with since last September. In addition to Thomas and Wolf, STS-89 crew members are Commander Terry Wilcutt, Pilot Joe Edwards, Payload Commander Bonnie Dunbar and Mission Specialists Mike Anderson, Jim Reilly, and Salizhan Sharipov.

The public and all JSC employees, contractors, friends, family members, and guests are invited. Early arrival is recommended due to the limited seating available in the Space Center Houston IMAX theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the seating is first-come, first-served. The program is limited to the theater, and other Space Center Houston attractions will not be open. Space Center Houston is located next to the Johnson Space Center, midway between Houston and Galveston at 1601 NASA Road 1.

For events such as crew returns and launches, the public should call in advance for possible time changes. Updated information about each event will be available on the days before the event on the JSC Public Information line 281/483-8600.

Space Center Houston offers a broad, in-depth view of the space program throughout the year, with hands-on activities and exhibits for families and schools. For more information phone (281) 244-2100 or visit the Internet site at http://www.spacecenter.org

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