Washington, D.C. – NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Demo-2 test flight, carrying NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to the International Space Station.
NASA and SpaceX now are targeting 2:22pm CDT Saturday, May 30th, for the launch of the first commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft carrying astronauts to the space station. The first launch attempt, on May 27th, was scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions.
Full mission coverage begins at 10;00am CT, and will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as numerous other platforms.
The launch broadcast commentators are: Marie Lewis, Dan Huot, Gary Jordan, Derrol Nail, and Tahira Allen from NASA; and Lauren Lyons, John Insprucker, and Jessie Anderson from SpaceX; with special guest host and former NASA astronaut Leland Melvin. Postlaunch coverage commentators are Leah Cheshier, Courtney Beasley, Gary Jordan and Dan Huot from NASA; and Kate Tice, Siva Bharadvaj, and Michael Andrews from SpaceX.
Prelaunch coverage also includes a special performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” by Grammy Award-winning singer Kelly Clarkson.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and is scheduled to dock to the space station at 9:29am CT Sunday, May 31st.
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.
The test flight also will provide valuable data toward certification of SpaceX’s crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX currently is readying the hardware for the first space station crew rotational mission, which would happen after data from this test flight is reviewed for certification.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, media participation in news conferences will be remote, with only a limited number of media, who already have been accredited, will be accommodated at Kennedy.
For the protection of media and Kennedy employees, the Kennedy Press Site News Center facilities will remain closed to all media throughout these events.
To participate in the Kennedy briefing by phone, reporters must e-mail ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov no later than one hour prior to each event.
Live NASA coverage is as follows.
Friday, May. 29th
- 10:00am CT – Administrator Countdown Clock Briefing (weather permitting; limited in-person media only, no dial in)
- NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
- Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana
- NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren
- NASA astronaut Nicole Mann
Saturday, May 30th
- 11:00am CT – NASA TV launch coverage begins (continues through docking)
- 2:22pm CT – Liftoff
- 3:09pm CT – Crew Dragon phase burn
- 3:55pm CT – Far-field manual flight test
- 4:55pm CT – Astronaut downlink event from Crew Dragon
- 5:30pm CT – Postlaunch news conference at Kennedy
- Administrator Bridenstine
- Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- SpaceX representative
- Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
- NASA Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester
A media phone bridge will be available for this event. Mission operational coverage will continue on NASA TV’s Media Channel.
Sunday, May 31st
- 5:45am CT – Astronaut downlink event from Crew Dragon
- 9:29am CT – Docking
- 11:45am CT – Hatch Open
- 12:05pm CT – Welcome ceremony
- 2:15pm CT – Post-arrival news conference at Johnson
- NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine
- Johnson Space Center Director Mark Geyer
- NASA Chief Astronaut Pat Forrester
A media phone bridge will be available for this event. Launch commentary will switch to NASA TV’s Media Channel.
Monday, June 1st
- 10:15am CT – Space Station crew news conference, with NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy, Bob Behnken, and Doug Hurley
- 11:55am CT – SpaceX employee event and Class of 2020 Mosaic presentation, with NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy, Bob Behnken, and Doug Hurley
The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by emailing ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
This test flight is a pivotal point in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which is working with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil to the space station for the first time since 2011.
The goal of the Commercial Crew Program is to provide safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station. This could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration, including preparation for human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
For launch countdown coverage, NASA’s launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit: