Official Nasa Communication 06-049 Orion Crew

August 29, 2006 Sally Harrington Media Relations Office 216-433-2037 [email protected] RELEASE: 06-049 NASA ANNOUNCES CONTRACTOR FOR ORION CREW EXPLORATION VEHICLE NASA will announce the prime contractor to design, develop, and build Orion, America's next human spacecraft, on Thursday, August 31, at 4 p.m. The press briefing from NASA Headquarters will air live on the Web and on NASA TV. Reporters are invited to view the broadcast at NASA's Glenn Research Center. Associate Administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate Scott Horowitz, Exploration Deputy Associate Administrator Doug Cooke, Constellation Program Manager Jeff Hanley, and CEV Project Manager Caris A. (Skip) Hatfield will announce the selection and discuss the program. Afterward, they will take questions from reporters at the centers. Immediately following the briefing from NASA Headquarters, Glenn CEV Project Office Chief Bryan Smith, Service Module Project Manager Jim Free, and Associate Director for Exploration Harry Cikanek will be available to answer questions with regard to Glenn's responsibilities for oversight and independent analysis of the prime contractor. Orion is the vehicle NASA is developing to carry a new generation of explorers back to the moon and later to Mars. Orion will succeed the space shuttle as NASA's primary vehicle for human space exploration. Orion's first flight with astronauts aboard is planned for no later than 2014 to the International Space Station. Its first flight to the moon is planned for no later than 2020. Reporters planning to attend should contact Sally Harrington or the Media Relations Office at 216-433-2901 by 11 a.m. on Thursday, August 31, in order to be cleared through security. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration -end-