SpaceX has chosen Saturday, Jan. 10, to launch its next commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 4:47 a.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. For a launch on Saturday, NASA Television coverage will begin at 3:30 a.m.
The previous launch attempt on Tuesday was halted with one minute, 21 seconds left on the countdown clock. Engineers observed drift on one of two thrust vector control actuators for the Falcon 9’s second stage and stopped the countdown.
A Saturday launch will result in the Dragon spacecraft arriving at the space station on Monday, Jan. 12. Expedition 42 Commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore of NASA will use the station's 57.7-foot robotic arm to reach out and capture Dragon at approximately 6 a.m. Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency will support Wilmore as they operate from the station's cupola. NASA TV coverage of grapple will begin at 4:30 a.m. Coverage of Dragon's installation to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module will begin at 8:15 a.m.
If the launch does not occur on Saturday, the next launch opportunity would be at 3:36 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13.
SpaceX CRS-5 is the fifth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA has contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the sixth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the station. Dragon is filled with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 42 and 43. Science payloads will enable model organism research using fruit flies and will study flatworms to better understand wound healing in space. A special science payload is the Cloud–Aerosol Transport System, which will monitor cloud and aerosol coverage that directly impacts the global climate. The mission also delivers an IMAX camera for filming during four increments and tools that will be used in future spacewalks to prepare the station for the installation of the new international docking adapters. After four weeks at the space station, Dragon will return with more than 3,600 pounds of cargo, including crew supplies, hardware and computer resources, science experiments, space station hardware, and trash.
In addition to launch coverage, NASA also will host the post-launch news conference at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The briefing, which is subject to a change in time, will air live on NASA TV and the agency's website.
Post-launch News Conference on NASA TV
Saturday, Jan. 10: A post-launch news conference will be held at approximately 90 minutes after launch. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the post-launch news conference will be:
- Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program manager, NASA
- Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance, SpaceX
NASA SOCIAL
Saturday, Jan. 10 - Up to 50 social media representatives have been invited to cover launch. The Kennedy Press Site Annex will serve as their home base and they will view launch from the NASA Causeway. Social media will attend the same activities as the traditional news media. Social media Representatives will attend Space Launch Complex 40 pad viewing and have additional stops, TBD.
REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS AND FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Friday, Jan. 9 – 8:30 p.m. - There will be photo opportunity of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule on the launch pad and 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 complex outside the pad perimeter fence. Media who want to participate will depart from Kennedy’s Press Site by government bus at 8 p.m. and return at approximately 10 p.m. after remote cameras have been established. SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives attending this event be U.S. citizens. International media who did not apply by the deadline will depart from the Press Site in a separate government bus at 8 p.m. and be able to establish remote cameras at Universal Camera Site 3 (UCS-3) north of the launch complex. NASA Social attendees will depart the Press Site for Space Launch Complex 40 by government bus at 8 p.m.
NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA LAUNCH VIEWING
Saturday, Jan. 10 (launch day): News media and social media may view the launch from the NASA Causeway or Kennedy’s Press Site. Busses for news media will depart from the Press Site parking lot for the NASA Causeway at 3:50 a.m. Busses for social media will depart the Press Site for the NASA Causeway at 3:50 a.m. A sign-up sheet will be available in the newsroom for news media desiring to photograph the launch from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB). The space available is limited, and media must sign up in person. Departure from the NASA News Center for the VAB will be at 4 a.m.
Press Accreditation Office Hours of Operation
The Press Accreditation Office on State Road 3, Merritt Island, will be open to pick up media credentials on the following schedule:
Friday, Jan. 9: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 10: Midnight - 4 a.m.
NASA News Room Hours of Operation
Friday, Jan. 9 Thursday, Jan. 8: 8 a.m. – Midnight.
Saturday, Jan. 10: Midnight – 8 a.m.
Media badges will be valid for access to Kennedy’s Press Site through Gate 2 on State Road 3 and through Gate 3 on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE
Saturday, Jan. 10 (launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 3:30 a.m. EST and conclude at approximately 6 a.m. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. 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 3:15 a.m. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
IN-FLIGHT NASA TV COVERAGE
If launch occurs Jan. 9, NASA TV will provide live coverage Monday, Jan. 12, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m. with grapple at approximately 6 a.m.
NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE
Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-5 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and text updates beginning at 3:30 a.m. as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video, podcast and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact Nancy Bray at 321-867-9112. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog and learn more about the SpaceX CRS-5 mission by going to the mission home page at:
The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the NASA News Twitter feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy
The NASA News Facebook feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the NASA Facebook feed, visit:
http://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy
RECORDED STATUS
Recorded status reports on the launch of SpaceX CRS-5 and associated prelaunch activities are provided on the Kennedy media phone line. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.
WIRELESS CAPABILITY
Wireless capability for the news media is available at the Kennedy Press Site.
WEB ACTIVITIES UPDATES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:
For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:
For video b-roll and other International Space Station media resources, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/stationnews
For more information about the International Space Station, research in low-Earth orbit, NASA's commercial space programs, and the future of American spaceflight, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/exploration
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