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NASA Invites Media to Launch of New Mega-Moon Rocket and Spacecraft

An aerial view of Launch Complex 39B with Exploration Ground Systems’ mobile launcher for the Artemis 1 mission on the pad.
An aerial view of Launch Complex 39B with Exploration Ground Systems’ mobile launcher for the Artemis 1 mission on the pad. The mobile launcher, atop crawler-transporter 2, made its final solo trek from the Vehicle Assembly Building on June 27, 2019, and arrived on the surface of pad B on June 28, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mobile launcher will remain at the pad over the summer, undergoing final testing and checkouts. Its next roll to the pad will be with the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft in preparation for the launch of Artemis 1. Credits: NASA

Lee esta nota de prensa en español aquí.

Media accreditation is now open for launch and prelaunch activities related to NASA’s Artemis I mission, the first mission in exploration systems built for crew that will travel around the Moon since Apollo. Approximately a week’s worth of events will lead up to the launch of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, targeted for no earlier than March 2022 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The uncrewed Artemis I mission will launch from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39B and is the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Artemis deep space exploration systems. The first in a series of increasingly complex missions, the mission will provide a foundation for human deep space exploration and demonstrate NASA’s commitment and capability to establish a long-term presence at the Moon and beyond.

NASA will set an official target launch date after a successful wet dress rehearsal test – one of the final tests before launch involving fuel loaded into the rocket – currently planned for late February.

U.S. media must apply by 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 7, and international media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 4 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. A copy of NASA’s media accreditation policy is online.

Submit all accreditation requests online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The agency continues to monitor developments related to the coronavirus pandemic, and Kennedy will grant access to only a limited number of media to protect the health and safety of media and employees. Due to COVID-19 safety restrictions at Kennedy, international media coming from overseas must follow quarantine requirements.

NASA will follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the agency’s chief health and medical officer and will immediately communicate any updates that may affect media access for this launch.

For questions about media accreditation, email: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, contact Kennedy’s newsroom at: 321-867-2468.

Media who would like to bring large vehicles (satellite trucks, microwave trucks, etc.) or any manner of infrastructure (scaffolding, stages, etc.) must notify the Kennedy media team by filling out a forthcoming survey. The survey will be distributed to media once the accreditation window for this launch has closed.

All parties requesting to bring stages, scaffolding, or raised platforms will be required to submit plans, including access limitations/controls, height/width/length, configuration, capacity, and load ratings of the elevated structure and any training, inspection, or other pertinent requirements.

All plans will be reviewed for placement, height, and platform construction as related to all Occupational Safety and Health Administration and NASA requirements. If accepted by NASA safety officials, the requesting party will be notified to move forward. All plans will be sited appropriately, and exact requests are not guaranteed.

Each accepted structure will be tagged at the event site and all non-accepted structures will be removed or placed off limits. Each accepted structure also is subject to daily inspection and required to maintain OSHA and Kennedy requirements.

All large vehicles and stage/scaffolding structures will be assigned physical locations at the discretion of the Kennedy media team.

Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425.

Learn more about NASA’s Artemis I mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1

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Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
Kathryn.a.hambleton@nasa.gov
Brittney Thorpe
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
Brittney.thorpe@nasa.gov