Cablegate: Launch of Space Shuttle Mission Sts-126

R 051928Z NOV 08
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID 0062
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1647
INFO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 3922

UNCLAS STATE 117974

MADRID FOR ECON PERDUE,

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA FR SP AIN
SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-126

PARIS FOR SCICOUNS/NASA REP BARRY

1. SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-126, ENDEAVOR (OV-105),
WILL LAUNCH FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC), FLORIDA, NO
EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 14, 2008. THE LAUNCH WINDOW OPENS
AT 7:51 PM (1951 EST), NOVEMBER 14 (24:51 UTC/GMT) AND
IS 10 MINUTES LONG. NOMINAL END OF MISSION LANDING AT
KSC IS SCHEDULED FOR NO EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 29, 2008
AT 2:02 PM EST (19:02 UTC/GMT).

2. ZARAGOZA AIR BASE, SPAIN IS THE PRIMARY TRANSOCEANIC
ABORT LANDING SITE (TAL). MORON AIR BASE, SPAIN, AND
ISTRES AIR BASE, FRANCE, ARE THE TWO ALTERNATE SITES.

3. OES/SAT WILL STAFF THE JOINT STATE-NASA SHUTTLE
MONITORING GROUP IN THE DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS CENTER
FOR THE LIFT-OFF PERIOD. THE OPERATIONS CENTER WILL
ESTABLISH A CONFERENCE CALL TELEPHONE LINK BETWEEN THE
MONITORING GROUP AND SHUTTLE CONTROL OFFICERS AT EMBASSY
MADRID AND EMBASSY PARIS, AT APPROX. ONE HALF HOUR PRIOR
TO LIFT-OFF. SHUTTLE MONITORING GROUP CONTROL OFFICERS
ARE OES/SAT, FERNANDO ECHAVARRIA AND DORIETHA JACKSON,
AND SHARI KAMM AND NEAL NEWMAN, NASA.

4. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
RICE

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