WASHINGTON, Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the SpaceX Demo-1 flight test to the International Space Station for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, which is working with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil for the first time since 2011.

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 2:48 a.m. EST Saturday, March 2, for the launch of the company’s uncrewed Demo-1 flight, which will be the first time a commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft designed for humans will launch to the space station. The launch, as well as other activities leading up to the launch, will air on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock to the space station at approximately 5:55 a.m. Sunday, March 3.

This will be the first uncrewed flight test of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and will provide data on the performance of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking and landing operations. 

The flight test also will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX’s crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX’s Demo-2 test flight, which will fly NASA astronauts to the space station, is targeted to launch in July. 

Following each flight, NASA will review performance data to ensure each upcoming mission is as safe as possible. After completion of all test flights, NASA will continue its review of the systems and flight data for certification ahead of the start of regular crewed flights to the space station.

Full Demo-1 coverage is as follows. All times are EST:

Friday, Feb. 22

• (no earlier than) 6 p.m. – Post-flight readiness review briefing at Kennedy, with the following representatives:
• William Gerstenmaier, associate administrator, NASA Human Exploration and Operations
• Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
• Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
• Hans Koenigsmann, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
• Astronaut Office representative

Thursday, Feb. 28

• TBD – Prelaunch briefing at Kennedy, with the following representatives:
• Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
• Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
• SpaceX representative
• Astronaut Office representative

Saturday, March 2

• 2 a.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins for the 2:48 a.m. liftoff
• 5 a.m. – Post-launch news conference at Kennedy, with the following representatives:
• Steve Stich, NASA launch manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
• Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
• SpaceX representative
• Astronaut Office representative

Sunday, March 3

• 3:30 a.m. – Rendezvous and docking coverage
• 8:45 a.m. – Hatch opening coverage
• 10:30 a.m. – Station crew welcoming ceremony

Friday, March 8

• 12:15 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins
• 2:30 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins
• 7:30 a.m. – Deorbit and landing coverage
• TBD – Post-landing briefing on NASA TV, location TBD, with the following representatives:
• Steve Stich, deputy manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
• International Space Station Program representative
• SpaceX representative
• Astronaut Office representative

The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by emailing [email protected].

For more information on event coverage, got to:

https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-demo-1-briefings-events-and-broadcasts

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station, which could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration. For launch countdown coverage, NASA’s launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

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SOURCE NASA