Joshua Buck
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
jbuck@nasa.gov
George H. Diller
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
george.h.diller@nasa.gov
Josh Byerly
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
josh.byerly@nasa.gov
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The second
SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation
Services (COTS) has been rescheduled for a liftoff on Saturday, May 19. The
launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule will occur from Space
Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. There is
a single instantaneous launch opportunity at 4:55 a.m. EDT.
NASA Television launch commentary from
Cape Canaveral begins at 3:30 a.m.
During the flight, SpaceX's Dragon
capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its
systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the
International Space Station (ISS). The primary objectives for the flight
include a flyby of the space station at a distance of approximately 1.5 miles
to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe
rendezvous and approach.
The spacecraft also will demonstrate the
ability to abort the rendezvous. Once these capabilities are successfully
proven, the Dragon will be cleared to berth with the space station.
FALCON
9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Friday, May 18 (L-1 day): A photo
opportunity of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule on the launch pad will be
available for the news media. Spokespeople from SpaceX will be available to
answer questions.
Media will depart from NASA's Kennedy
Space Center Press Site by government bus at 9 a.m. for Space Launch Complex
40. Media will be returned at approximately 11 a.m. SpaceX security regulations
require that media attending this event be U.S. citizens.
REMOTE
CAMERA SETUPS
Friday, May 18 (L-1 day): Media will be
able to establish sound-activated remote cameras at the launch pad. The
location is within Space Launch Complex 40 on the east side of the pad inside
the perimeter fence. Media who want to participate in remote camera setup will
depart from Kennedy's Press Site by government bus at 9 a.m. in association
with the launch pad photo opportunity and will be returned to the press site
separately after remote camera set-up is complete. SpaceX security regulations
require that media participating in this activity be U.S. citizens.
PRELAUNCH
AND POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCES
Friday, May 18 (L-1 day): The prelaunch
news conference for the NASA/SpaceX launch will be held at the Kennedy Press
Site at 1 p.m. NASA Television will provide live and streaming Internet
coverage.
Participants in the prelaunch news
conference will be:
- Phil McAlister, Acting Director, NASA
Commercial Spaceflight Development
- Alan Lindenmoyer, Manager, NASA
Commercial Crew and Cargo Program
- Gwynne Shotwell, President, SpaceX
- Joel Tumbiolo, Launch Weather Officer,
45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
Media representatives can participate in
the news conference in-person at Kennedy or via a phone bridge by calling
NASA's Johnson Space Center newsroom at 12:45 p.m. at 281-483-5111.
Saturday, May 19 (Launch day):A
postlaunch news conference will be held at Kennedy's Press Site at
approximately 8:30 a.m.
Audio of the launch and the prelaunch
and postlaunch news conferences also will be carried on the NASA "V"
circuits, directly accessible by dialing 321-867-1220, 1240, 1260 or 7135. The
briefings will be streamed live on the agency's website.
Saturday, May 19 (Launch day): A
delegation from the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program (SSEP) will be at
the Kennedy Press Site and available for interviews and experiment
demonstrations between 3 and 4:30 a.m. The students represent three of the
experiments that will launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon as part of the
International Space Station NanoRacks 9 platform. A sign-up sheet will be
available in the newsroom for those media representatives wanting to talk to
the students.
For information on the Student Spaceflight
Experiments Program http://go.nasa.gov/INLqjT.
NASA
TV LAUNCH COVERAGE
Saturday, May 19 (Launch day): NASA TV
live coverage begins at 3:30 a.m. and concludes at approximately 5:30 a.m.
On launch day, "mission
audio," the launch conductor's countdown activities without NASA TV launch
commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135 starting at 8 a.m. Launch
information also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940
MHz, heard within Brevard County.
NASA
TV MISSION COVERAGE
Monday, May 21 (Flight Day 3): Live
coverage from NASA's Johnson Space Center mission control in Houston as the
Dragon spacecraft performs its flyby of ISS to test its systems begins at 2:30
a.m. and will continue until the Dragon passes out of the vicinity of the
station. A news briefing will be held following the activities.
Tuesday, May 22 (Flight Day 4): Live
coverage of the rendezvous and berthing of the Dragon spacecraft to the station
begins at 2 a.m. and will continue through the capture and berthing of the
Dragon to the station's Harmony node. A news briefing will be held once Dragon
is secured to the ISS.
Wednesday, May 23: Live coverage of the
hatch opening and entry of the Dragon spacecraft begins at 6 a.m. and will
include a ceremony during which the ISS crew will mark the occasion.
Johnson also will provide live coverage
of the departure and reentry of the Dragon spacecraft once a date is
determined.
NEWS
MEDIA LAUNCH VIEWING
Saturday, May 19 (Launch day): News
media may view the launch from the Kennedy Press Site. A sign-up sheet will be
available in the newsroom for those media representatives wanting to cover the
launch from the NASA Causeway or from the roof of the Complex 39 Launch Control
Center. These are primarily photo locations as there are no facilities
available. Buses will depart from the Press Site parking lot at 3:30 a.m.
KENNEDY
MEDIA CREDENTIALING
Media who want to attend the prelaunch
events, including the prelaunch news conference and launch, may request
accreditation online at https://media.ksc.nasa.gov.
The deadline for U.S. media to apply for
launch accreditation is May16. The deadline for international media to apply
has passed. Journalists who have already been approved for accreditation do not
need to reapply.
The Gate 2 Pass and Identification Building
on State Road 3, Merritt Island, will be open to pick up press credentials on
the following schedule:
Thursday, May 17: noon - 4 p.m.
Friday, May 18: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday, May 19: 1:30 - 4 a.m.
News media credentials will be valid for
mission activities from launch through splashdown at both the Kennedy Space
Center and Johnson Space Center.
KENNEDY
PRESS SITE - HOURS OF OPERATION
Thursday, May 17: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday, May 18: 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 19: 1 - 10:30 a.m.
Media badges will be valid for access to
the Kennedy Press Site through Gate 2 on State Road 3 on Merritt Island and
Gate 3 on State Road 405, located east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex. On launch day, only Gate 3 will be open, which also can be accessed
from State Road 3 via Space Commerce Way.
For further information about media
accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598.
For more information about the
NASA/SpaceX launch, contact the Kennedy Press Site at 321-867-2468 or visit http://www.nasa.gov/kennedy.
JOHNSON
MEDIA ACCREDITATION
Media who are credentialed with badges
at Kennedy for launch activities will have their badges honored at Johnson for
the duration of the SpaceX mission. Please contact the Johnson newsroom for
work space information.
International media wanting access only
to Johnson must submit the required documentation for badging by Monday, May
14. U.S. media wanting access only to Johnson must submit a request for badging
by Friday, May 18. Media who have already been approved for accreditation do
not need to reapply.
For mission information, contact the
Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 or visit http://www.nasa.gov/johnson.
For NASA TV downlink information,
schedules and links to streaming video, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.
For up-to-date SpaceX mission
information and a schedule of NASA TV coverage, visit http://www.nasa.gov/spacex.
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