CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - On Tuesday, Feb 6, at 10:30 a.m. EST, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida will showcase the next element to be added to the International Space Station. The starboard 3/4 truss segment will launch aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis on mission STS-117, targeted for March 15.

The element will be added to the 11-segment integrated truss structure, the station's backbone. The integrated truss structure eventually will span more than 300 feet. The S3/S4 truss has two large solar arrays and will provide one-fourth of the total power generation for the completed station. The S3/S4 truss is expected to be loaded into a transportation canister on Wednesday, Feb. 7, in preparation for its targeted journey to the launch pad on Feb. 12.

NASA and Boeing mission managers involved in processing the element for flight will be available for a question-and-answer session during Tuesday's event.

Reporters planning to attend the event should arrive at Kennedy's press site by 9:30 a.m. for transportation to the Space Station Processing Facility. All participants must be dressed in full-length pants, shirts with sleeves and flat shoes that entirely cover the feet. Members of the media without permanent Kennedy credentials should submit their request to attend via the online accreditation Web site at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For information on the STS-117 mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/shuttle

For information on the space station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station