On May 27, 2020, for the first time since 2011, NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission will return U.S. human spaceflight to the International Space Station from U.S. soil – on an American rocket and spacecraft – with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley. Image via NASA.
NASA will provide coverage of today’s prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight with NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station. These activities are a part of NASA’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 4:33 p.m. EDT Wednesday, May 27, for the launch of the Demo-2 flight. It’ll also be the first time a commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft will carry humans to the space station. The launch, as well as other activities leading up to the launch, will air live 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 11:29 a.m. Thursday, May 28.
This will be SpaceX’s final test flight 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 test flight also will provide valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX’s crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX currently is readying the hardware for the first rotational mission, which would happen after data from this mission is reviewed for NASA’s certification.
NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 coverage is as follows. All times are EDT [UTC -4; how to translate UTC to your time] and will be updated online:
Wednesday, May 27
12:15 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins for the 4:32 p.m. liftoff
6 p.m. – Administrator postlaunch news conference at Kennedy, with the following representatives:
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
A SpaceX representative
Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
An Astronaut Office representative
A media phone bridge will be available for this event.
Thursday, May 28
11:29 a.m. – Docking (NASA Television will have continuous coverage from launch to docking)
The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station. This could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration, including helping us prepare for human exploration of the moon and Mars.
For launch countdown coverage, NASA’s launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Bottom line: Watch the Demo-2 mission launch on May 27, 2020. It’ll carry astronauts to the International Space station, the first launch of astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft, from American soil, since 2011. The launch, as well as other activities leading up to the launch, will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
Source:
https://earthsky.org/space/watch-online-nasa-coverage-spacex-demo-2