Feb. 14, 2005

Allard Beutel/Melissa Mathews
Headquarters, Washington 
(Phone: 202/358-4769/1272)

MEDIA ADVISORY: M05-021

SENIOR NASA LEADERS UPDATE MEDIA ON RETURN TO FLIGHT PLANNING

Top officials in NASA's human space flight program will meet Friday, 
Feb. 18, to review the latest activities to return Space Shuttles to 
safe flight. Following the meeting, officials will brief the media 
during a telephone conference at 1 p.m. EST. 

Among the topics that will be discussed at the Space Flight Leadership 
Council meeting are refining the dates of the launch-planning window 
for the Return to Flight mission, designated STS-114, and Shuttle 
Thermal Protection System repair options that will be tested during 
the flight. 

The briefing participants are:

– William Readdy, associate administrator for Space Operations 
and Space Flight Leadership Council co-chair 
– Walter Cantrell, deputy chief engineer for the Independent 
Technical Authority and Space Flight Leadership Council co-chair
– Mike Leinbach, NASA launch director

Reporters interested in participating in the teleconference should 
call Melissa Mathews or Allard Beutel (202/358-1272/4769) by noon EDT 
Friday. The teleconference will be audio streamed live on the 
Internet at: 

http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio 

NASA's Space Flight Leadership Council is co-chaired by Readdy and 
Cantrell. The council includes the directors for NASA's four Space 
Operations centers, Chief Officer for Safety and Mission Assurance 
Bryan O'Connor, and Michael Kostelnik, deputy associate administrator 
for the International Space Station and Space Shuttle Programs. For 
more information about NASA's Return to Flight efforts, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight 

	
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