Accredited news media are invited to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, from 9-10 a.m. ET to get a firsthand look at NOAA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) spacecraft in a clean room, hear a briefing about the satellite and its capabilities and have an opportunity to photograph DSCOVR.
DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force. DSCOVR will maintain the nation’s real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities which are critical to the accuracy and lead time of NOAA’s space weather alerts and forecasts. The satellite will also host NASA-funded secondary sensors for Earth and space science observations.
Available experts on the one-hour tour include:
- Albert Vernacchio, DSCOVR Project Manager, NASA Goddard
- Adam Szabo, DSCOVR Project Scientist, NASA Goddard
- Doug Whiteley, DSCOVR, NOAA’s Office of Systems Development, Silver Spring, Maryland
NOAA funded NASA to refurbish the DSCOVR satellite and instruments. The U.S. Air Force is funding the launch vehicle and overseeing the launch of the spacecraft. Launch is currently scheduled for January 2015 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 v 1.1 launch vehicle from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.
To register for this event, reporters must contact Rob Gutro at robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov. The registration deadline for U.S. citizens is noon, Monday, Oct. 27. Non-U.S. citizens must register before Oct. 21. Interview opportunities for news media will be offered.
More information about the DSCOVR mission is available at:
http://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/DSCOVR/
Rob Gutro
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
Robert.j.gutro@nasa.gov
301-286-4044
John Leslie
NOAA, Silver Spring, Maryland
301-713-0214
John.leslie@noaa.gov