Distribution: na [Downloaded from GSFC gopher] Donald Savage Headquarters, Washington, D.C. June 27, 1994 (Phone: 202/358-1547) Michael Finneran Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. (Phone: 301/286-5565) Lynn Simarski National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va. (Phone: 703/306-1070) Ray Villard Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md. (Phone: 410/338-4514) NOTE TO EDITORS: N94-46 NEWSROOM HOURS AND TV COVERAGE FOR COMET SHOEMAKER-LEVY 9 NASA's coverage of the impact of Comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 during the week of July 16-22 includes a series of live, televised press briefings and a 24-hour newsroom operation at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Greenbelt, Md. The Goddard Comet Impact newsroom will be the central location providing coverage of observations and images from the worldwide network of ground-based observatories and spacecraft taking part in the NASA/National Science Foundation observing project. Scientists will be on hand at the newsroom to answer questions, or interviews can be arranged as needed. Press materials, artwork and video relating to the event will be available to media. The first fragment of the comet will impact Jupiter just before 4 p.m. EDT on the side of Jupiter facing away from Earth. Shortly afterwards, the point of impact will rotate into view as seen from Earth. The first image of the impact area is expected to be available (following minimal processing) at about 10 p.m. EDT. NASA will release the image in a live program broadcast from the Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, Md., starting at 10 p.m. EDT. There will be no press briefing on NASA TV at that time, however, a briefing will be held Sunday morning at the Goddard Comet Impact Newsroom. Press Briefing Schedule At 8:00 a.m. EDT, Sunday, July 17, a press briefing will be broadcast live on NASA TV with Q & A from other NASA Centers, and will include updated information about the first impact and the image. During the following week, NASA will hold a live press briefing each day at the GSFC Comet Impact Newsroom (see schedule below). The briefing panels will include Comet co-discoverers Drs. Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker and David Levy on most days as well as scientists presenting images and information from the Hubble Space Telescope and other spacecraft. Dr. Lucy McFadden will have a round-up of observations from ground- based observatories around the world. The program and briefing schedule follows: JULY DATE TIME (EDT) EVENT Sat. 16 10:00 p.m. Live from HST: First Impact Image Release (no Q & A from NASA Centers) Sun. 17 8:00 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Mon. 18 8:00 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Tue. 19 8:00 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Wed. 20 12:00 noon Press Briefing at GSFC Th. 21 8:00 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Fri. 22 9:30 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Sat. 23 8:00 a.m. Press Briefing at GSFC Note: The above times are dependent on the STS-65 mission schedule. If there is a change in the launch or landing time of the Shuttle, the program times will change. Comet Impact Newsroom Operations The newsroom will operate on a 24-hour basis beginning at 6 a.m., Sun., July 17 until noon EDT, July 23. The newsroom will be located at the Goddard Visitor's Center on Soil Conservation Road in Greenbelt. The phone number for the newsroom will be 301/286-2300, but will not be active until 6 a.m., July 17. Media wishing to use the newsroom must register at the Visitor Center and obtain a media badge, starting at 6 a.m. EDT July 17. Valid press credentials and a photo ID must be presented. Media representatives who are not U.S. citizens must contact the Goddard Office of Public Affairs at 301/286- 8955 before registering. Video Uplink Schedule NASA will provide feeds of b-roll and animation of the comet impacts with Jupiter on the following schedule: June 29: 10:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EDT June 30: 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EDT July 5: 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. EDT July 15: 1:00 p.m. EDT Also on July 5, NASA Television will replay the May 18 press briefing with panelists Dr. Eugene Shoemaker, Dr. Heidi Hammell, Dr. Hal Weaver, Dr. Lucy McFadden and Dr. Melissa McGrath. NASA TV is carried on Spacenet 2, transponder 5, channel 9, 69 degrees West, transponder frequency is 3880 MHz, audio subcarrier is 6.8 MHz, polarization is horizontal.