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NASA PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 3 P.M. EST FEB. 1 A press conference by Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore and Chief Flight Director Milt Heflin will take place from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, beginning at 3 p.m. EST today. The briefing will be carried on NASA TV with two-way question and answer capability from other agency centers. A Space Shuttle contingency was declared earlier this morning in Mission Control when communication was lost with the Space Shuttle Columbia during its return to Earth following a 16-day mission. Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. at an altitude of about 203,000 feet above north central Texas while traveling approximately 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information was received in Mission Control after that time. Flight controllers in Mission Control immediately began the process of securing all information, notes and data pertinent to today's reentry and landing. NASA TV is on AMC-2, Transponder 9C, vertical polarization at 85 degrees West longitude, 3880 MHz, with audio at 6.8 MHz. NOTE TO PERSONS IN THE AREA: All debris is United States Government property and is critical to the investigation of the shuttle accident. Any and all debris from the accident is to be left alone and reported to Government authorities. Unauthorized persons found in possession of accident debris will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. NASA Home Page |
