Commercial Resupply – Kennedy Space Center

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test Hatch Closed, What’s Inside Starliner

Boeing teams close the hatch the Starliner spacecraft ahead of launch of NASA, Boeing’s Crew Flight Test on Saturday, June 1, 2024. Photo credit: NASA Television

Just one hour remains ahead of liftoff of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test to the International Space Station. Launch weather officers with the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions with onshore winds and the cumulus cloud rule being the primary weather concerns at the launch pad for a liftoff, scheduled for 12:25 p.m. EDT. Communication checks with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are complete. The hatch is now closed on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, named Calypso. Next up, a series of cabin leak checks and a cabin pressurization check will be completed.

For NASA missions to low Earth orbit, the Starliner capsule, with a diameter of 15 feet (4.56m), will hold four astronauts or a mix of crew and cargo.

Inside Starliner for this mission is about 759 pounds of cargo, which includes food, clothing, exercise gear, medical supplies, photo and media equipment, vehicle supplies and tools, and other items. A thumb drive containing about 3,500 images of artwork from children in 35 states and 66 different countries is also set to launch aboard Starliner.

NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronaut Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore sit inside Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft as they prepare to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket ahead of liftoff scheduled for 12:25 p.m. ET Saturday, June 1, 2024. Photo credit: NASA Television

Wilmore is flying with two gold rings he had made for his father and brother that resemble the U.S. Navy astronaut pilot wing pin. He also brought shirts from his alma maters, Tennessee Technological University and the University of Tennessee. Williams brought shirts from the U.S. Naval Academy and the Sunita L. Williams Elementary School in Needham, Massachusetts. She also has a diver pin and two dog tags from her Labrador Retrievers.

At 12:25 p.m. EDT, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket will launch the Starliner crew capsule from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Following a roughly 25-hour journey, Starliner will rendezvous and dock with the space station at 1:50 p.m., Sunday, June 2.

Watch live coverage of today’s mission on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms including social media.

Weather Perfect for NASA’s SpaceX Launch from Kennedy

SpaceX's 29th commercial resupply services contract mission launch from Kennedy Space Center — SpaceX’s 29th commercial resupply services mission for NASA will carry scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station. Liftoff from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center is targeted for 8:28 EST tonight. Photo credit: NASA

Meteorologists with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron are calling for 100% favorable weather conditions for launch of tonight’s SpaceX 29th commercial resupply services mission for NASA to the International Space Station.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon spacecraft atop, is targeted to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A. The instantaneous launch window is at 8:28 p.m. EST.

Our live broadcast begins at 8 p.m. – watch on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website, or get live updates here on the blog.

NASA’s SpaceX’s CRS-29 Launch Readiness Review Complete, Prelaunch News Conference Next

Teams with NASA and SpaceX completed the final major review before launch – the Launch Readiness Review – for the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station.

At the conclusion of the review, teams confirmed the target launch time of 8:28 p.m. EST, Thursday, Nov 9. Tune in to the agency’s website at 4 p.m. today, Nov. 8, to hear from NASA and SpaceX officials during a prelaunch teleconference.

Participants include:

Dana Weigel, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program
Meghan Everett, deputy chief scientist, International Space Station Program Research Office
Benji Reed, senior director, Human Spaceflight Programs, SpaceX
Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will lift off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida to deliver more than 6,500 pounds of crew supplies, equipment, and science experiments to the orbiting laboratory.

Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron are currently predicting a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. The primary weather concern is the cumulus cloud rule.

Let people know you’re following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Dragon and #CRS29. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:

X: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab

Weather 95% Favorable for NASA’s SpaceX Launch from Kennedy

Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron predict a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for liftoff of the 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida, scheduled for 8:28 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 9. The primary weather concern is the thick cloud layers rule.

Packed with more than 6,500 pounds of cargo, SpaceX’s Dragon will deliver scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station to support its Expedition 70 crew, including NASA’s Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) and Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE).

Arrival to the station is scheduled for approximately 5:20 a.m. EST Saturday, Nov. 11. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

The spacecraft is expected to spend about one month attached to the orbiting laboratory before it returns to Earth with research and about 3,800 pounds of return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.

NASA, SpaceX Now Targeting Nov. 9 for Launch

NASA's SpaceX 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission launch to the International Space Station — SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon spacecraft atop, lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 5, 2023, on the company’s 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. NASA and SpaceX are targeting 8:28 p.m. EST. Thursday, Nov. 9, for launch of the 29th commercial resupply services mission. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 8:28 p.m. EST, Thursday, Nov. 9, for launch of the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. The additional time allows for completion of final prelaunch closeout ahead of liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

To read more in depth about the new launch date, as well as an update about NASA astronauts’ latest spacewalk, click here.

Packed with more than 6,500 pounds of cargo, SpaceX’s Dragon will deliver scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the space station to support its Expedition 70 crew, including NASA’s Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) and Atmospheric Waves Experiment (AWE).

NASA Releases Exciting New App

NASA is making it easier for the public to spot the International Space Station and expanding access to news and resources about the microgravity laboratory with a new Spot the Station mobile app. The mobile app is available to download now on iOS and Android.

The app builds on the agency’s Spot the Station website by providing additional capabilities and information to enhance the station sighting experience for the public. An augmented reality interface makes it easier for users to locate the station and provides options for capturing and sharing pictures and videos of their sightings in real-time.

Click here to read the complete release.

NASA Sets Coverage for Next SpaceX Resupply Launch to Space Station

NASA"s SpaceX 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission launch — Shown here is a composite view of the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft, as it soars upward after liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 5, 2023, on the company’s 28th Commercial Resupply Services mission for the agency to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

NASA and SpaceX are targeting 9:16 p.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 7, to launch the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Live launch coverage will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Monday, Nov. 6. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will deliver new science investigations, food, supplies, and equipment to the international crew, including NASA’s AWE (Atmospheric Waves Experiment), which studies atmospheric gravity waves to understand the flow of energy through Earth’s upper atmosphere and space.

Arrival to the station is planned for shortly before 12 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 9. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

The spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to the orbital outpost before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.

The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. The agency’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing:
ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.

Click here to read the full media advisory.

NASA’s SpaceX 29th Commercial Resupply Services Mission Launch Targeted for Nov. 7

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 9:16 p.m. EST Tuesday, Nov. 7, for launch of the company’s 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. The additional time allows for completion of final prelaunch processing ahead of liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and cargo Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA Television coverage of launch will begin at 8:45 p.m. The spacecraft, which is carrying approximately 6,500 pounds of supplies, research, and hardware will arrive at the space station shortly before 12 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 9, with coverage beginning at 10:15 a.m.

Dragon to Rendezvous with Space Station Nov. 27

Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft for CRS-26 — SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon spacecraft atop, soars into the sky from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:20 p.m. EST Nov. 26, 2022, for the 26th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station . Credit: NASA

Several thousand pounds of important research, crew supplies and hardware are on their way to the crew members aboard the International Space Station following the 2:20 p.m. EST launch of NASA’s SpaceX 26th commercial resupply services mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2022.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft reached its preliminary orbit and its solar arrays have been deployed. A series of thruster firings are scheduled to allow Dragon to rendezvous with the space station on Sunday, Nov. 27, at 7:30 a.m. EST. Live coverage of the docking will begin at 6 a.m. EST at https://www.nasa.gov/live.

NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann will capture the Dragon using the space station’s robotic arm and then install it on the station’s Harmony module. Dragon will spend about one month attached to the space station.

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

NASA, SpaceX Prepping for 26th Commercial Resupply Services Launch

NASA's SpaceX 26th commercial resupply services mission — A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft stand ready for liftoff Saturday, Nov. 26, at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A for NASA’s SpaceX 26th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA

Hello and happy Sunday afternoon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The weather is looking much better today as NASA and SpaceX makes a second attempt at launching the 26th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Poor weather along the Space Coast forced a scrub of the planned 3:54 p.m. EST launch on Tuesday, Nov. 22, from Kennedy.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft stand ready for liftoff at Launch Complex 39A. Launch is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. EST during an instantaneous opportunity. Dragon’s internal countdown is running and propellant loading is underway. Fueling of the Falcon 9 first stage began at T-35 minutes.

Today’s launch is a cross-country effort. Launch controllers at the Florida spaceport are working in concert with teams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and SpaceX’s control center in Hawthorne, California. The launch blog originates from the NASA News Center here at Kennedy, a few miles west of the launch complex.

Stay right here for more coverage of today’s launch!

Crew-5 Enters Quarantine for Mission to Space Station

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission astronauts — From left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata will travel to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission on Oct. 3, 2022. Photo credit: NASA

NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, entered their official quarantine period beginning Monday, Sept. 19, in preparation for their flight to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission.

The process of flight crew health stabilization is a routine part of final preparations for all missions to the space station. Spending the final two weeks before liftoff in quarantine will help ensure Crew-5 members are healthy, as well as protect the astronauts already on the space station.

Crew members can choose to quarantine at home if they are able to maintain quarantine conditions prior to travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If quarantining at home is not possible – for example, if a household member can’t maintain quarantine because of job or school commitments – crew members have the option of living in the Astronaut Quarantine Facility at Johnson Space Center until they leave for Kennedy.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation flight to the station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-5 is targeted to launch no earlier than 12:45 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3, on SpaceX’s Dragon Endurance atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Mission operations teams will be closely monitoring the weather leading up to liftoff.

After docking, the Crew-5 astronauts will be welcomed inside the station by the seven-member crew of Expedition 68. The astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission will undock from the space station and splash down off the coast of Florida several days after Crew-5’s arrival.

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