NASA's Shuttle Program Hands Over Launch Pad to Constellation

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., June 1 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The May 31 transfer of
Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida from the Space
Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program is the next step in preparing the
first flight test of the agency's next-generation spacecraft and launch
system. The Constellation Program is developing new spacecraft -- including
the Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles, the Orion crew capsule, and the Altair
lunar lander -- to carry humans to the International Space Station, the moon
and beyond.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081007/38461LOGO)

Since the late 1960s, pad B has been instrumental in human spaceflight
programs, such as Apollo, Skylab and the space shuttle. The pad originally was
built for the Saturn V rockets to launch the Apollo capsules to the moon. In
July 1975, the pad was modified to support space shuttle operations. The first
space shuttle to lift off from pad B was Challenger in January 1986.

The handover took place Sunday after space shuttle Endeavour was moved to
Launch Pad 39A. The ground operations team will finish modifying pad B for the
Ares I-X rocket launch. Modifications will include removing the orbiter access
arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm and installing access
platforms and a vehicle stabilization system.

The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 30. For more
information about Ares I-X, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/aresIX

For more information about the Constellation Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/constellation

SOURCE NASA

Ashley Edwards, +1-202-358-1756, ashley.edwards-1@nasa.gov, or Grey
Hautaluoma, +1-202-358-0668, grey.hautaluoma-1@nasa.gov, both of NASA
Headquarters, Washington, or Amber Philman of NASA Kennedy Space Center, Fla.,
+1-321-867-2468, amber.n.philman@nasa.gov