NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 ‘Go’ to Proceed Toward May 27 Launch; News Conference Coming Up

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon atop, stands poised for launch at historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2020, ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon atop, stands poised for launch at historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 21, 2020, ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

The Flight Readiness Review has concluded, and NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission is cleared to proceed toward liftoff on the first crewed flight of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station, is slated for Wednesday, May 27, at 4:33 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Two televised events are planned for today.

At 2:15 p.m., NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley will participate with journalists in a virtual question-and-answer session about their upcoming mission, the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2. Behnken and Douglas will talk with reporters via Skype from the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

At 2:45 p.m., NASA will broadcast a post-review news conference from Kennedy. Participants are:

  • NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
  • NASA Associate Administrator Steve Jurczyk
  • Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
  • Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
  • Benji Reed, director of crew mission management, SpaceX
  • Norm Knight, deputy director, NASA Johnson Space Center Flight Operations

Watch both events live on NASA Television and online at https://www.nasa.gov/live.