Santa Invited to Explore Kennedy Space Center's Three Programs

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Special NASA Report

December 22, 2011

RELEASE: 51-11

SANTA INVITED TO EXPLORE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER'S THREE PROGRAMS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- For the first time in almost 50 years, the
nation's preeminent launch site will present Santa Claus with three
agency programs to unwrap as he goes rockin' around NASA's Kennedy
Space Center in Florida this Christmas Eve.

Kennedy is inviting Santa to walk around the Commercial Crew Program's
wonderland, where he can check on the status of space transportation
systems under development by seven U.S.-led aerospace companies. He
can learn about ATK's Liberty launch vehicle, Blue Origin's New
Shepard capsule, Boeing's CST-100 module, Excalibur's Almaz vehicle,
Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser spacecraft, SpaceX's Dragon capsule and
Falcon 9 rocket, and United Launch Alliance's Atlas V rocket, any of
which could take good little boys and girls into space in the future.
For the Commercial Crew Program's next round of development
activities in early 2012, there's even a buzz among elves and Santa
babies around the world that Kris Kringle is considering submitting
his own transportation design called an "Out-of-Space Convertible-2"
that's light blue.

Next up on his holiday itinerary, Santa will be able to dash on by the
agency's 355-foot-tall mobile launcher. It's being modified by the
21st Century Ground Systems Program to support NASA's heavy-lift
rocket, which is being designed, called the Space Launch System. He
also could check out test equipment for NASA's new Multi-Purpose Crew
Vehicle, called Orion, in Kennedy's Operations and Checkout Building.
The agency is open to having him inspect the spacecraft's design for
roominess and comfort. After all, if one day he's going to take
billions of toys to children living outside the realm of Earth's
atmosphere, he'll need plenty of cargo space and life support
systems.

To that end, Santa could gain some intergalactic-sized inspiration
from NASA's Launch Services Program. LSP has about a half-dozen
different launch vehicles to choose from when it looks to rocket
NASA's scientific spacecraft across our solar system. If Santa wants
to diversify his gift-giving delivery system for future planetary pit
stops, he can see what LSP did just from August through November this
year, directing launches to Jupiter, the moon, Mars and even into
orbit around our own home, Earth.

As always, Kennedy's Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) runway will be
available for Santa Claus and his nine flying reindeer to use on
their Dec. 24 worldwide trek. And just like the rest of Kennedy Space
Center is doing following the retirement of the Space Shuttle Program
this summer, the SLF is transitioning to a multi-purpose, multi-user
facility. Which means, come Christmas Eve next year, Santa's sleigh
may be sharing the skies with other customized craft -- from the top
of the porch, to the top of the wall, dashing away, dashing away,
dashing away all!

For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

For more information about NASA's 21st Century Ground Systems Program,
visit: http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/systems/ground

For more information about NASA's Launch Services Program, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html

For more information about NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy

Thanks to Allard Beutel at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for the above press release.

Also visit these related sites:

NORAD Santa Tracking - The North American Air Defense Command will be tracking Santa's flight on Christmas Eve. Click on the flag appropriate to your language.

Santa and his Reindeer - Track Santa and his famous reindeer as they fly around the world this Christmas Eve. Also get the inside scoop on the sleigh and Donner's real name.

Web of Christmas - From around the world we say Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Some surprising background on our holiday traditions, plus Christmas greetings in a hundred languages.

I Want a Baby Elephant for Christmas - I'll bet if you sing along to these lyrics you'll get an idea for last minute Christmas gifts!

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First Published: December 23, 2010

Last Updated: December 23, 2011

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