Feb. 26, 2009

J.D. Harrington
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-5241
j.d.harrington{at}nasa.gov

Michael Mewhinney
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-3937
michael.s.mewhinney{at}nasa.gov

George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller{at}nasa.gov

Whitney Clavin
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.
818-354-4673
whitney.clavin{at}jpl.nasa.gov

MEDIA ADVISORY: M09-032

NASA'S KEPLER TELESCOPE TO LAUNCH ABOARD DELTA II ROCKET

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Launch of NASA's Kepler telescope is targeted
for no earlier than Friday, March 6, from Pad 17-B at Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station in Florida. There are two launch windows, from
10:49 - 10:52 p.m. and 11:13 - 11:16 p.m. EST.

Kepler is a spaceborne telescope designed to search the nearby region
of our galaxy for Earth-size planets orbiting in the habitable zone
of stars like our sun. The habitable zone is the region around a star
where temperatures permit water to be liquid on a planet's surface.

Liquid water is considered essential for the existence of life as we
know it. The vast majority of the approximately 300 planets known to
orbit other stars are much larger than Earth, and none is believed to
be habitable. The challenge for Kepler is to look at a large number
of stars in order to statistically estimate the total number of
Earth-size planets orbiting sun-like stars in the habitable zone.
Kepler will survey more than 100,000 stars in our galaxy.

Engineers are reviewing all common hardware between the Delta II
rocket carrying the Kepler telescope and the Taurus XL launch
vehicle. On Tuesday, a Taurus carrying NASA's Orbiting Carbon
Observatory failed to reach orbit. Managers want to confirm there
will not be similar issues with Kepler's Delta II.

Kepler's original March 5 target launch date was moved one day later
to accommodate the additional time for analysis. The March 6 target
date still must be confirmed by the U.S Air Force, which manages the
eastern launch range. Kepler's Flight Readiness Review is on Monday,
March 2.

NASA's Launch Services Program at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
is responsible for the launch of Kepler aboard a Delta II 7925-10L
rocket. United Launch Alliance is conducting the launch for NASA.
NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., is the home
organization of the principal science investigator and is responsible
for the ground system development, mission operations and science
data analysis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., is
responsible for the spacecraft and the Kepler mission development.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation of Boulder, Colo., is
responsible for developing and building the Kepler spacecraft and
supporting mission operations.

Accreditation and Media Access Badges for Kennedy and Cape Canaveral
Air Force Station

All news media, including those who are permanently badged at
Kennedy,
must complete the accreditation process for activities associated
with the Kepler launch. Accreditation requests for Kepler at Kennedy
Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station must be received by
the close of business Tuesday, March 3. The media accreditation
process is online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

On Thursday, March 5, media without permanent credentials may obtain
NASA access badges at the Kennedy Space Center Badging Office between
6 a.m. and 4 p.m. This facility is located on State Road 405 just
east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Two forms of
government-issued identification are required, including at least one
with a picture. For further information about media accreditation,
contact Laurel Lichtenberger in the news media accreditation office
at 321-867-4036.

Prelaunch News Conference

Thursday, March 5: A prelaunch press conference will be held at the
Kennedy Space Center news center at 1 p.m. Participants will be:

- Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate,
NASA Headquarters, Washington
- Omar Baez, NASA launch director and launch manager, Kennedy Space
Center
- Vernon Thorp, program manager, NASA Missions, United Launch
Alliance

- Jim Fanson, Kepler project manager, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- John Troeltzsch, Kepler program manager, Ball Aerospace Corporation
- Joel Tumbiolo, U.S. Air Force Delta II launch weather officer, 45th
Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Mission Science Briefing

Immediately following the prelaunch news conference, a Kepler mission
science briefing will be held. Participants will be:

- Ed Weiler, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate,
NASA Headquarters
- Bill Borucki, science principal investigator, Ames Research Center
- Natalie Batalha, co-investigator, San Jose State University
- Gibor Basri, co-investigator, University of California at Berkeley

Tower Rollback Photo Opportunity and Remote Camera Placements

Thursday, March 5: Photographers who wish to cover the rollback of
the
mobile service tower from around the Delta II or to set up remote
cameras at Pad 17-B will be escorted by NASA and United Launch
Alliance representatives to the launch complex. Departure by vehicle
convoy will be at 11:30 a.m. from the Space Florida parking lot
located on Poseidon Avenue, adjacent to Gate 1 of Cape Canaveral Air
Force Station.

Launch Day Press Site Access to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station

Friday, March 6: Verification of pre-issued press credentials and
sign-in will begin at 9:30 p.m. at the Space Florida parking lot.

News media representatives covering the launch will be required to
show their permanent Kennedy credentials or temporary Kennedy machine
badge before being allowed to participate in the caravan traveling to
the media viewing site. Following the launch, media will be escorted
by caravan back to Gate 1. Those media requiring access to the
Kennedy news center after launch must proceed through Gate 2 on State
Road 3. Media requiring remote camera retrieval will remain at Press
Site 1 until escorted to the launch pad. Following camera retrieval,
participating media will be escorted back to Gate 1.

To reach the Space Florida parking lot, after passing the Pass and
Identification Building outside Gate 1 of Cape Canaveral Air Force
Station, turn right at the traffic light at the intersection of SR
401 and Poseidon Avenue. Make an immediate left turn at the Navaho
display.

Post-launch Activities

No post-launch news conference is planned. A post-launch news release
will be issued after contact has been made with Kepler and the state
of health of the spacecraft has been determined. This should occur
within one hour of the spacecraft's separation from the Delta II.
Official spokespersons will be available at the Kennedy news center
for interviews at that time.

News Center Hours for Launch

The Kennedy news center will be open for Kepler news operations
beginning on Tuesday, March 3, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and
continuing through launch day. Starting March 3, status reports on
the launch of Kepler and any updates to the media advisory will be
recorded on the Kennedy news media update phone line at 321-867-2525.


NASA Television Coverage

NASA Television coverage of the Kepler prelaunch press conference and
of the launch will be carried on the NASA TV Public Channel (Channel
101).

NASA Television coverage of the Kepler prelaunch news conference and
mission science briefing at Kennedy will begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday,
March 5. Two-way question and answer capability will be available
from other participating NASA centers. On Friday, March 6, NASA
Television coverage of the launch will begin at 9 p.m. and conclude
after spacecraft separation from the Delta II rocket 62 minutes after
launch.

Audio of the prelaunch news conference will be carried on the NASA
"V"
circuits. The briefings begin at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 5 and may
be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, 1240, 1260 or 7135.

On launch day, Friday, March 6, "Mission Audio" countdown activities
without NASA launch commentary will be carried on 321-867-7135
beginning at 8 p.m. Audio of the NASA launch commentary will begin at
9 p.m. and be available on 321-867-1220, 1240 or 1260. It also will
be available on amateur radio frequency 146.940 Mhz (VHF), heard
within Brevard County. For information about receiving NASA
Television, go to:



http://www.nasa.gov/ntv


NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

NASA's home on the Internet, http://www.nasa.gov, will provide
extensive prelaunch and launch day coverage of the Kepler mission.

Kepler's prelaunch webcast, featuring Kepler's Deputy Principal
Investigator Dr. David Koch and Kennedy Mission Manager Armando
Piloto, will be streamed on the Web and broadcast on NASA TV on
Thursday, March 5, at 11:30 a.m.

Live countdown coverage through NASA's launch blog begins at 9 p.m.
Friday, March 6. Coverage features real-time updates as countdown
milestones occur as well as streaming video clips highlighting launch
preparations and liftoff. For questions, contact Jeanne Ryba at
321-867-7824.

To view the webcast or blog or to learn more about the Kepler
mission,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/kepler

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