NASA, SpaceX Prepare for Second Attempt at Historic Demo-2 Launch

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:22 p.m. today, carrying American NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

Live coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 launch activities has begun. The broadcast started at 11 a.m., and will continue leading up to liftoff and through arrival at the space station at 10:29 a.m. on Sunday, May 31. Watch it on NASA Television and online at http://www.nasa.gov/live.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida this afternoon, carrying American NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 3:22 p.m. EDT. The launch window is instantaneous.

According to the latest report from the 45th Weather Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base, the probability of violating weather restraints remains at 50%. Primary concerns are flight through precipitation, anvil cloud rule and cumulus cloud rule.

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

For continuing coverage of NASA’s Demo-2 launch, follow along with the agency’s Commercial Crew Program blog at http://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew.