NASA has scheduled a news conference for approximately 6 p.m. EDT on Thursday, Oct. 29, to discuss the status of the next space shuttle launch. The news conference, originating from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will begin after the conclusion of the Flight Readiness Review. The review will assess preparations for shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission to the International Space Station.

The review is expected to include the selection of an official launch date. Atlantis currently is targeted to launch at 2:28 p.m. EST on Nov. 16.

The briefing participants are:

- Bill Gerstenmaier, associate administrator for Space Operations, NASA Headquarters, Washington

Topics in this report:
1. Upcoming School Contacts
2. Italian Students Contact Astronaut Frank De Winne via ARISS
3. ARISS Contact with Senegal Students
4. De Winne has ARISS Contact with Ieper Students
5. Astronaut Jeff Williams has ARISS Contact with Arctic School
6. Canadian Bel Ayr Pathfinders Speak with Robert Thirsk via ARISS
7. ARISSat-1 Meeting Held
8. ARISS International Meeting Held

1. Upcoming School Contacts
An Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact has been scheduled with Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, Poland on Tuesday, October 27 at 09:33 UTC via telebridge station VK4KHZ in Australia. The centre organized a student competition for naming the asteroids, using rules of the science naming process. This month the winners travelled to Warsaw for the competition finale and will take part in the ARISS event.