Media Accreditation Opens for SpaceX Commercial Crew Pad Abort Test

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Apr 21, 2015, 02:39 ET

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Media accreditation is open for a pad abort test of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft next month. The test will simulate an emergency abort from a test stand on Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

As a development test, it has a higher likelihood of encountering an issue than an operational mission does. SpaceX currently is targeting no earlier than Tuesday, May 5, for the test flight. The company will have a four-hour window to conduct the test, beginning at about 9:30 a.m. EDT. SpaceX has an additional test opportunity on May 6.

NASA Television will provide live coverage of the test. NASA TV also will air a media briefing previewing the test. The briefing will take place in the Kennedy Space Center Press Site TV auditorium at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 1. Briefing participants are:

Jon Cowart, partner manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program
Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of Mission Assurance, SpaceX

The ability to abort from a launch or pad emergency and safely carry crew members out of harm's way is a critical element for NASA's next generation of crew spacecraft. SpaceX will perform the test under its Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) agreement with NASA, but can use the data gathered during the development flight as it continues on the path to certification. Under a separate Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract, NASA's Commercial Crew Program will certify SpaceX's Crew Dragon, Falcon 9 rocket, ground and mission operations systems to fly crews to and from the International Space Station.

Accreditation for the test and briefing is closed to international media. U.S. media without permanent Kennedy credentials must apply by 5 p.m. April 30 for the briefing and by 5 p.m. Sunday, May 3 for test viewing. Apply online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

Green card holders must submit a scanned copy of their cards to [email protected] for processing no later than noon Sunday, May 3. Questions about accreditation also may be addressed to Jennifer Horner by email or by phone at 321-867-6598.

Badges for the briefing will be available for pickup Friday, May 1, and badges for the abort test will be available on Monday, May 4 at the Kennedy Badging Office, located on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Kennedy Badging Office hours are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Two forms of unexpired, government-issued identification are required to receive a badge. One must be a photo ID, such as a driver's license or passport.

Remote camera set up will take place the afternoon prior to the test, with buses departing the press site promptly at 1 p.m.

On test day, media should plan to arrive at the press site by 7:45 a.m. for transportation to the viewing location at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Long pants and closed-toe shoes are highly recommended.

For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

For up-to-the-minute coverage of the test, go to the Commercial Crew Blog at:

http://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA