Kirsten Larson

Headquarters, Washington Dec. 19, 2001

(Phone: 202/358-0243)

Eileen Hawley

Johnson Space Center, Houston

(Phone: 281/483-5111)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N01-75

NASA'S MISSION CONTROL TO HELP SANTA

themselves into Santa's helpers this Christmas Eve, guiding

the jolly soul on his appointed rounds.

With the assistance of the International Space Station crew

in orbit, space station flight controllers in NASA's Mission

Control will monitor Santa's speed, reindeer performance and

cargo of presents for children throughout the world.

"With three people living on the space station, we have a

unique vantage point to help Santa on his rounds," said Matt

Abbott, flight director. "We have Yury Onufrienko, Dan Bursch

and Carl Walz on board the station ready to help us out with

real-time Santa sightings, and our flight control team is

ready for this opportunity."

Mission Control Houston, home to legendary flight directors

and expert flight control teams, will for a short time this

Christmas Eve become "Santa Control, Houston."

"Santa Control, Houston" will be shown on NASA Television

during the NASA Video File December 24, which will air at

noon, 3 p.m., 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. EST. NASA TV is available on

GE2, transponder 9C. The frequency is 3880 MHz with an

orbital position of 85 degrees West Longitude, with audio at

6.8 MHz.

More information on the Expedition Four crew and the

International Space Station can be found on the Internet at:

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov

-end-

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