Category: Kennedy Space Center

Delta Launch Readiness Review Concludes, Prelaunch News Conference Set for 11:00 p.m. EST

Show Crew-3 spacecraft on Pad.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen at sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-3 mission, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission is the third crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer are scheduled to launch no earlier than Nov. 10 at 9:03 p.m. EST, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

NASA and SpaceX have completed the Delta Launch Readiness Review for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. The launch now is targeted no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 10, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

A prelaunch news teleconference will begin at 11:00 p.m., Nov. 9. Listen live on the agency’s website. Participants include:

  • Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
  • Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
  • Holly Ridings, chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson
  • William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, as well as ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer to the International Space Station for a six-month science mission to the microgravity laboratory. Crew-3 is the third crew rotation mission under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Weather officials with the 45th Weather Squadron are predicting an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the primary concerns will be onshore moving Cumulus Clouds. Weather conditions along the ascent flight path also are predicted to be favorable.

 

NASA’s Boeing OFT-2: Weather 60% Favorable for Aug. 3 Launch

NASA, Boeing and United Launch Alliance are targeting 1:20 p.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 3, for launch of the Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) to the International Space Station.

For a launch Tuesday, meteorologists with the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron are predicting a 60% chance of favorable weather. The primary weather concerns for launch day are the cumulus cloud rule, lightning rule and thick cloud rule violations during the instantaneous launch window.

Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41. Starliner is scheduled to dock to the space station about 1:37 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4.

NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch, launch, and docking activities for the agency’s Boeing OFT-2.

Mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):

Tuesday, Aug. 3

12:30 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins for a targeted 1:20 p.m. liftoff. NASA TV will have continuous coverage through Starliner orbital insertion.

3:30 p.m. (approximately) – Postlaunch news conference on NASA TV.

Wednesday, Aug. 4

10:30 a.m. – NASA TV rendezvous and docking coverage begins.

1:37 p.m. (scheduled) – Docking

Thursday, Aug. 5

8:30 a.m. – NASA TV hatch opening coverage begins

8:40 a.m. – Hatch opening

9:40 a.m. (approximately) – Welcoming remarks

More details about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program can be found by following the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew and commercial crew on Facebook.

Learn more about station activities by following @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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