Local 525 members at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are making the final preparations for the last shuttle launch in darkness to take place this weekend. Visit twu.org on Sunday, Feb. 7 for exclusive video coverage of TWU members preparing for the launch. With this week's news of Obama's proposed budget cuts ending NASA's Constellation program, among other drastic changes, the launch has significant meaning for TWU members on the ground, for the space industry and for the country. Sunday's twu.org video will feature Local 525 members discussing what these dramatic changes, if passed by Congress, could mean for their jobs and their community.

TWU's Local 525 is almost as old as the U.S. missile program itself. The Local received its TWU charter in June, 1957 and has since been involved with every launch from Cape Canaveral or Kennedy Space Center. Local 525 members are involved in many aspects of the space industry from manning the fire trucks that accompany the shuttle down the runway to launching commercial and military satellites.

This weekend's launch is the first of NASA's five final shuttle missions planned for 2010 before the three-orbiter fleet is retired to make way for future spacecraft. It marks NASA's 130th shuttle flight since the fleet began launching astronauts to orbit in 1981.

The space shuttle Endeavour is planned to launch at 4:39 a.m. on Feb. 7 from the Kennedy Space Center. The five-man, one-woman crew, commanded by astronaut George Samka, will be hauling a brand-new room for the International Space Station, as well as a seven-window observation portal dubbed the Cupola. The mission will last 13 days.

Remember to visit www.twu.org on Sunday, Feb. 7 for exclusive footage of the launch and Local 525 members who help make it happen.
Photo credit: NASA