Editor’s note, Aug. 3, 2021: NASA and Boeing stood down from the Aug. 4 launch attempt for this flight. Information on a new date will be posted to NASA’s Commercial Crew Program blog when it is available.
Social media users are invited to register to take part in a global virtual NASA Social for NASA’s Boeing Orbital Flight Test-2 (OFT-2) mission to the International Space Station. This is the second uncrewed flight test of Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
NASA and Boeing are targeting launch of the Starliner spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket on July 30 at 2:53 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-41 on Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. About 31 minutes after launch, Starliner will reach its preliminary orbit. It is scheduled to dock to station at 3:06 p.m. Saturday, July 31.
The uncrewed mission will test the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner spacecraft and Atlas V rocket from launch to docking to a return to Earth in the desert of the western United States. Following a successful completion of the OFT-2 mission, NASA and Boeing are targeting late 2021 for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), Starliner’s first flight with astronauts aboard.
If your passion is to communicate and engage the world via social media, then this is the event for you! Seize the opportunity to blog, tweet, Instagram or simply share everything about the OFT-2 mission.
While we cannot invite the public onsite to watch in the launch for one of our usual NASA Social events, we are excited to present an opportunity for people of all ages from all around the world to participate virtually.
NASA Social participants will have the opportunity to:
- Obtain your own NASA Social badge to share
- Connect virtually with a community of people excited about the #LaunchAmerica mission
- Watch exclusive videos to learn more about the OFT-2 mission
- Download a paper model kit, wallpapers, coloring sheets, and more!
The NASA Social Facebook event page will open on July 16 and everyone is invited to join by selecting the “Going” button. Please note by attending the virtual event, you are explicitly agreeing to a set of rules/guidelines and anyone who breaks these rules may be banned from the event page.
All resources, participation, and registration are FREE. Register below to let NASA know that you’re virtually participating!
Do I need to have a Facebook account to register?
Yes. This event is designed for people who:
- Actively use multiple social networking platforms and tools to disseminate information to a unique audience.
- Have previous postings that are highly visible, respected and widely recognized.
Users on all social networks are encouraged to use the hashtag #LaunchAmerica. Updates and information about the event will be shared on Twitter via @NASASocial and @NASAKennedy, and via posts to Facebook and Instagram.
How do I join?
Select “Going” for this event on the designated Facebook event page.
Please note by “attending” the Facebook event, you are explicitly agreeing to the group’s rules as set forth by NASA.
Can I register if I am not a U.S. citizen?
Yes! This is a global NASA Social, and we would love for you to be a part of it.
What if I don’t have a Facebook account?
If you don’t have a Facebook account, you still can watch the launch by tuning in July 30 for the launch broadcast. You can watch live on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitch, NASA TV or the NASA app.
What if the launch date changes?
Hundreds of different factors can cause a scheduled launch date to change multiple times. If the launch date changes prior, NASA may adjust the date of the NASA Social accordingly to coincide with the new target launch date. NASA will notify registrants of any changes on the Facebook event page.
If the launch is postponed, attendees will be able to watch the launch at a later date on the Facebook event page. For OFT-2 mission updates, visit:
The use of the NASA logo or identifiers without permission of the Office of Communications is prohibited by federal statute and regulations, the violation of which may include fines, imprisonment, or both.