Cablegate: Launch of Space Shuttle Mission Sts-129

UNCLASSIFIED STATE 00116864
VZCZCXRO6427
OO RUEHIK
DE RUEHC #6864 3162046
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 122041Z NOV 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID IMMEDIATE 3169
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 7157
INFO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI 0830
RUEHRY/AMEMBASSY CONAKRY 2358

UNCLAS STATE 116864

MADRID FOR ECON HIGGINS, PARIS FOR SCICOUNS/NASA REP BARRY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA FR SP
SUBJECT: LAUNCH OF SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-129

1. SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION STS-129, ATLANTIS (OV-104),
WILL LAUNCH FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER (KSC), FLORIDA, NO
EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 16, 2009. THE LAUNCH WINDOW OPENS
AT 2:23 PM EST, (19:23 UTC/GMT) AND IS 10 MINUTES LONG.
NOMINAL END OF MISSION LANDING AT KSC IS SCHEDULED FOR
NO EARLIER THAN NOVEMBER 27, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:43
AM EST (14:43 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, DORIETHA JACKSON AND FERNANDO
ECHAVARRIA, AND SHARI KAMM, NASA.

4. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.
CLINTON

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