Feb 23 2011

From The Space Library

MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-037 NASA SCHEDULES NEXT GLORY MISSION LAUNCH ATTEMPT

WASHINGTON -- The launch of NASA's Glory spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California is currently planned for no earlier than Friday, Feb. 25 at 5:09 a.m. EST. Engineers from NASA and Orbital Sciences Corp. continue to troubleshoot a technical issue that arose during Wednesday's initial launch attempt. The target launch date also will ensure personnel get the required rest before entering another countdown. The Glory satellite is being launched aboard an Orbital Sciences Taurus XL rocket on a mission to improve our understanding of how the sun and tiny atmospheric particles called aerosols affect Earth's climate.

RELEASE: 11-052 PLAYSTATION(R)HOME USERS CAN WATCH NASA'S SHUTTLE LAUNCH TOGETHER

WASHINGTON -- NASA's final liftoff of space shuttle Discovery will be available in a unique "social viewing" environment available through Sony Computer Entertainment America's PlayStation(R)Home for PlayStation(R)3 computer entertainment system. Discovery's launch on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 4:50 p.m. EST is the first live streaming event to be offered by Sunset Yacht, a premium personal space from LOOT, Sony DADC's interactive entertainment development team. Users will be able to chat via Bluetooth headsets with others watching the launch - all from inside the PlayStation Home social gaming environment. "We're excited about this new way for people to experience the exhilaration of human spaceflight as part of a larger community," said David Weaver, NASA associate administrator for the Office of Communications. "In addition to the other two shuttle launches planned for April and June, NASA looks forward to sharing more of our endeavors with PlayStation users." In addition to live streamed events, the Sunset Yacht's NASA TV channel will offer hundreds of videos offering spectacular views of the universe from past and current NASA missions. A gallery of podcasts showcasing several missions including the Mars Science Laboratory and Voyager spacecraft also will be available from the agency's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. "The launch of the space shuttle Discovery provides a wonderful opportunity to introduce people to the fun of social viewing," said LOOT Managing Director David Sterling. "Users can share this experience with their friends, regardless of where those friends happen to be in the world."

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