STS-116 Briefings and Events Schedule
11.30.06
All briefings are held inside the Kennedy Press Site auditorium and will be carried live on NASA TV unless otherwise noted. Questions will only be taken from media at Kennedy.
L-4 Days - Sunday, Dec. 3
4:15 p.m. - STS-116 crew arrival at Shuttle Landing Facility
L-3 Days - Monday, Dec. 4
11 p.m. - Launch countdown officially begins
L-2 Days - Tuesday, Dec. 5
10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Steven Payne, NASA test director
- Debbie Hahn, STS-116 payload manager
- Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer
4 p.m. (No Earlier Than) - STS-116 Launch Readiness News Conference
- LeRoy Cain, launch integration manager, Space Shuttle Program
- Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager
- Mike Leinbach, NASA launch director
- Frederic Nordlund, head of the European Space Agency's Washington Office
- U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Kaleb Nordgren, 45th Weather Squadron
L-1 Day - Wednesday, Dec. 6
10 a.m. - Countdown Status Briefing
- Jeff Spaulding, NASA test director
- Debbie Hahn, STS-116 payload manager
- Kathy Winters, shuttle weather officer
Launch Day - Thursday, Dec. 7
11:43 a.m. - Tanking commences (Not on NASA TV)
3:30 p.m. - Live launch commentary begins
Launch Day Crew Activities: (Times may vary slightly)
11:45 a.m. -- Crew wakes up (Not on NASA TV)
3:50 p.m. -- Crew photo opportunity
5:05 p.m. -- Weather briefing (CDR, PLT, MS2) (Not on NASA TV)
5:30 p.m. -- Astronauts don flight suits
5:45 p.m. -- Depart for launch pad
6:15 p.m. -- Arrive at white room and begin ingress
7:30 p.m. -- Close crew hatch
9:35 p.m. -- Launch
Launch + 1 hour - Post-launch News Conference
- Michael Griffin, NASA administrator
- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations
- LeRoy Cain, launch integration manager, Space Shuttle Program
- Mike Leinbach, NASA launch director
Kennedy News Center office hours for STS-116
(Hours may be adjusted for in-flight events)
| Sunday, Dec. 3 | (Launch minus 4 days) | 2 p.m. - 7 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 4 | (Launch minus 3 days) | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Dec. 5 | (Launch minus 2 days) | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Dec. 6 | (Launch minus 1 day) | 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. |
| Thursday, Dec. 7 | (Launch) Flight day 1 | 8 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. |
| Dec. 8 - 18 | Flight days 2 - 12 | 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (except weekends) |
| Tues., Dec. 19 | (Landing) Flight day 13 | 8 a.m. - 12 a.m. |
Media Badging Schedule
News media may obtain STS-116 mission credentials from the Kennedy Space Center Pass and Identification office on State Road 3. Office hours of operation are listed below.
| Sunday, Dec. 3 | 12 p.m. - 3 p.m. |
| Monday, Dec. 4 | 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
| Tuesday, Dec. 5 | 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
| Wednesday, Dec. 6 | 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. |
| Thursday, Dec. 7 | 7:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. |
News media are required to be under NASA Public Affairs escort at all times while at Kennedy Space Center, except when at the News Center or the Complex 39 cafeteria. No photography is allowed anywhere other than the press site unless prior permission is granted by NASA Public Affairs.
News media are allowed at the press site only when Public Affairs personnel are on duty and the NASA News Center is open.