NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting its eleventh commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station for 5:55 p.m. EDT Thursday, June 1. Launch coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website at 5:15 p.m., followed by the post-launch news conference at 7:30 p.m.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will liftoff on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying almost 6,000 pounds of science research, crew supplies and hardware to the orbiting laboratory in support of the Expedition 52 and 53 crew members. The unpressurized trunk of the spacecraft also will transport solar panels, tools for Earth-observation and equipment to study neutron stars.

About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon will reach its preliminary orbit. It then will deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the space station. When it arrives to the space station, Expedition 52 Flight Engineers Jack Fischer and Peggy Whitson of NASA will grapple Dragon.

Live coverage of the rendezvous and capture will begin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday, June 4, on NASA TV, with installation coverage set to begin at 11:30 a.m. If the launch does not occur on June 1, the next launch opportunity is 5:07 p.m. Saturday, June 3, with NASA TV coverage starting at 4:30 p.m.

The Dragon spacecraft will remain at the space station until approximately July 2, when it will return to Earth with research and return cargo in a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Baja California.

Media at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida will have the opportunity to participate in special tours and briefings May 31 and June 1, as well as view the launch. The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed. For more information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or jennifer.p.horner@nasa.gov.

Media badges will be issued at the Astronaut Training Experience building located on State Road 405, Titusville.

This will be the 100th launch, and sixth SpaceX launch, from this pad. Previous launches include 11 Apollo flights, the launch of the unmanned Skylab in 1973, 82 shuttle flights and five SpaceX launches.

L-1 Day

Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Badging Hours of Operation: 7 – 8:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 – 3:30 p.m. (Media badges will be issued at the Astronaut Training Experience)

Media participating in the morning tour will need to be at the press site no later than 9 a.m. Interested media must RSVP to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on May 29.

Space Farming

Several NASA researchers will discuss their work to grow food for human deep-space exploration missions. They will discuss the Advanced Plant Habitat as well as other long-duration food production research currently underway.

Media participating in the morning tour will return to the press site at noon. 

Commercial Crew Program Update

The NASA Commercial Crew Program has partnered with American industry on the next generation of spacecraft and rockets that will launch astronauts to and from the International Space Station. At 1 p.m. in the Press Site, Commercial Crew Program management will provide an update to media on the progress being made to resume human spaceflight in the United States.

“What’s on Board” Science Briefing on NASA TV

A science, research and technology briefing will air live at 1 p.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website, at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. This briefing is for NASA Social participants.

One-on-One Interview Opportunities

Media will have the opportunity to interview mission experts at the Press Site from 2:30 – 4 p.m.

Prelaunch News Conference on NASA TV

A prelaunch status briefing will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site TV Auditorium at 4 p.m. and air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

L-0 Day

Press Site Hours of Operation: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Badging Hours of Operation: 5 – 6:15 a.m., and 3 – 4 p.m. (Media badges will be issued at the Astronaut Training Experience)

Media participating in the morning event will need to be at the press site no later than 6:45 a.m. 

Remote Camera Setup and Photo Opportunity

A limited number of news media will be able to establish sound-activated remote cameras to capture the liftoff from inside Launch Complex 39A. Interested media must RSVP to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on May 29.

Following launch, remote camera pickup for inside the launch complex will be Friday, June 2 at 8 a.m.

All other remote camera photographers will be able to set up cameras outside of the pad perimeter. This also will be the location of the photo opportunity. Interested media must RSVP to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on May 29.

Following launch, remote camera pickup for outside the launch complex will be 8:30 p.m.

Media participating in the morning event will return to the press site at 9:30 a.m. 

Launch Viewing

News media wanting to view the launch from the NASA Causeway will depart the Press Site by bus at 4:30 p.m. Interested media must RSVP to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on May 29.

Media desiring to photograph the launch from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) must RSVP to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov no later than 4 p.m. on May 29. Space is limited for this activity. At 4:45 p.m., selected media will depart the Press Site for the VAB.

NASA TV Launch Coverage

NASA TV live coverage will begin at 5:15 p.m. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

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. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.

NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-11 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning at 5:15 p.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 the newsroom at 321-867-2468. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex

Post-launch News Conference on NASA TV

A post-launch news conference will occur at about 7:30 p.m. in Kennedy’s Press Site TV Auditorium and air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Learn more about the SpaceX CRS-11 mission by going to the mission home page at:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

    
Press Contacts

Amber Philman/Amanda Griffin
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
321-867-2468
amber.n.philman@nasa.gov/amanda.griffin@nasa.gov

Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov