February 2019 – Kennedy Space Center

Demo-1 Launch Information

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated on the launch pad by spotlights at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated on the launch pad by spotlights at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

NASA and SpaceX are preparing for the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft on the Demo-1 uncrewed flight test to the International Space Station. Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A is targeted for 2:49 a.m. EST on Saturday, March 2. This is the first launch of a space system designed for humans built and operated by a commercial company through a public-private partnership on a flight test to the International Space Station.

Follow the countdown on NASA TV and the Launch Blog on Saturday starting at 2 a.m.

More details about the mission and NASA’s commercial crew program can be found in the press kit online and by following the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew and commercial crew on Facebook.

Weather Forecast Remains 80 Percent ‘Go’ for Demo-1; Prelaunch Briefing Set for Thursday

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon at Launch Complex 39A

Three days remain until the planned liftoff of a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket—the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans. Liftoff is targeted for 2:49 a.m. EST on Saturday, March 2, from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission to the International Space Station serves as an end-to-end test of the system’s capabilities.

The launch weather forecast continues to look promising; meteorologists with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing predict an 80 percent chance of favorable weather at launch time. Thick clouds or cumulus clouds that would violate launch requirements are the primary weather concerns.

NASA will host a prelaunch briefing at Kennedy at 4 p.m. EST on Thursday, Feb. 28. The briefing will be broadcast live on NASA TV. See the full briefings and events schedule, including briefing participants, at https://go.nasa.gov/2GBCB5A.

The Commercial Crew Press Kit is now online! View it here: https://go.nasa.gov/2GNyYdd

Weather Prediction: 80 Percent ‘Go’ for Saturday Launch

SpaceX is set to launch its Crew Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket, the first launch of a space system designed for humans built and operated by a commercial company through a public-private partnership, on a flight test to the International Space Station (ISS) at 2:49 a.m. EST on Saturday, March 2.

For a launch Saturday, meteorologists with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing are predicting an 80 percent chance of favorable weather. Weak high pressure in advance of a front moving southeast into the area is expected during the launch window with a low probability for rain and weak surface winds and only slight concerns of any cumulus cloud or thick cloud rule violations during the instantaneous launch window.

More details about NASA’s coverage of the mission are available at: https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-spacex-demo-1-briefings-events-and-broadcasts

Demo-1 Flight Readiness Concludes

Following a full day of briefings and discussion, NASA and SpaceX are proceeding with plans to conduct the first uncrewed test flight of the Crew Dragon on a mission to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 2:48 a.m. EST Saturday, March 2 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will be the first time a commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft designed for humans will launch to the space station.

While the review was ongoing, crew members on station utilized a computer-based trainer and reviewed procedures to refresh themselves with the Crew Dragon spacecraft systems, rendezvous and docking, ingress operations, changes to emergency responses, and vehicle departure. Demo-1 is the first uncrewed flight to the space station for the Crew Dragon.

NASA will provide full mission coverage for activities from now through launch, docking, departure and splashdown.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with two American companies to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective crew 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.

‘Artists Inspire Astronauts’ Contest

NASA is holding an art contest to fill the hallowed halls of the Astronaut Crew Quarters at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This iconic hallway is where past Apollo and space shuttle astronauts took some of their last steps on Earth before heading to the Moon and the International Space Station.

Today, the crew quarters is being prepared for astronauts to once again launch from American soil to embark on historic missions — this year, commercial crew companies Boeing and SpaceX will conduct test flights of spacecraft designed to carry our nation’s astronauts to the International Space Station in low-Earth orbit. The astronauts who will travel to the Moon, lifting off in the Orion spacecraft aboard the Space Launch System (SLS), also will stay in the crew quarters prior to traveling farther into space than any other previous human space exploration.

These crews will walk down this same hallway before blasting off on their missions, and the winning art pieces will be here to inspire them.

NASA is looking for established artists who are U.S. citizens and at least 18 years old to show off their creative vision of what the future of human space travel and exploration looks like. Any style and 2D medium is fine, as long as you can send a digital copy for NASA to print and hang. Think you have what it takes? For rules and more information, click here: https://challenge.gov/a/buzz/challenge/998/ideas/top

You have until April 30 to submit your work.

In the words of Bob Ross, “Let’s get crazy.”

Kennedy Space Center Pays Tribute on Day of Remembrance

Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana and guests place flowers in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony. The memorial, a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument, displays the names of the fallen astronauts from Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as others who have lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training. Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett