NASA Coverage Set For Oct. 7 SpaceX Launch To Space Station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Sept. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The first SpaceX launch for NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 7, from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. There is a single instantaneous launch opportunity for the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule at 8:35 p.m. EDT. Backup launch opportunities are available on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9, if needed.
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NASA Television launch coverage from Cape Canaveral begins at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7.
The launch of the Dragon spacecraft, designated SpaceX CRS-1, will be the first of 12 contracted flights by the company to resupply the International Space Station and is the second trip by a Dragon to the station, following a successful demonstration mission in May. Under the CRS contract, SpaceX will restore an American capability to deliver and return significant amounts of cargo, including science experiments, to the orbiting laboratory -- a capability not available since the retirement of the space shuttle.
The Dragon will be filled with about 1,000 pounds of supplies. This includes critical materials to support the 166 investigations planned for the station's Expedition 33 crew, including 63 new investigations. The Dragon will return about 734 pounds of scientific materials, including results from human research, biotechnology, materials and educational experiments, as well as about 504 pounds of space station hardware.
MEDIA CREDENTIALING
Media who want to attend the prelaunch events, including the launch pad photo opportunity, prelaunch news conference and launch, must request accreditation online at:
The deadline for U.S. media to apply for accreditation is Oct. 3. The deadline has passed for international news media to apply.
Media credentials will be valid for mission activities from launch through splashdown at both NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and Johnson Space Center in Texas.
For further information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or 321-867-2468.
PASS AND IDENTIFICATION BUILDING HOURS OF OPERATION
The Pass and Identification Building on State Road 3, Merritt Island, will be open to pick up media credentials on the following schedule:
Friday, Oct. 5: noon – 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 6: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 7: 9 a.m. – 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND MISSION SCIENCE BRIEFING
Saturday, Oct. 6 (L-1 day): A space station and SpaceX CRS-1 mission science briefing will be held at Kennedy's Press Site at 3 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participating in the science briefing will be:
- Julie Robinson, program scientist, International Space Station, Johnson Space Center
- Timothy Yateman, interim chief scientist, Center for the Advancement of Science in Space
- Sheila Nielsen-Preiss, scientist, Montana State University
- Scott Smith, NASA scientist, Johnson Space Center
PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE
Saturday, Oct. 6 (L-1 day): The prelaunch news conference for the NASA/SpaceX launch will be held at Kennedy's Press Site at 6 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participating in the prelaunch news conference will be:
- Bob Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Sam Scimemi, director, International Space Station, NASA Headquarters
- Mike Suffredini, program manager, International Space Station, Johnson Space Center
- Gwynne Shotwell, president, SpaceX
- Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station
POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE
Sunday, Oct. 7 (Launch day): A post-launch news conference will be held at Kennedy's Press Site and is targeted to begin at 10 p.m., approximately 90 minutes after launch.
Participating in the post-launch news conference will be:
- Sam Scimemi, director, International Space Station, NASA Headquarters
- Gwynne Shotwell, president, SpaceX
Media may participate in the news conferences in-person at Kennedy Space Center or via a phone bridge by calling the newsroom at Kennedy 15 minutes before the briefings begin at 321-867-2468. Audio of the prelaunch briefings will be carried on the NASA "V" circuits which may be accessed directly by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135.
FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Sunday, Oct. 7 (Launch day): There will be a photo opportunity of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule on the launch pad. Media will depart from Kennedy's Press Site by government bus at 10:30 a.m. for Space Launch Complex 40. Media will return to the Press Site at 11:45 a.m. SpaceX security regulations require that media representatives attending this event be U.S. citizens.
REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS
Sunday, Oct. 7 (Launch day): 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 pad inside the perimeter fence. Media who wish to participate in remote camera setup will depart from Kennedy's Press Site by government bus at 10:30 a.m. for the launch pad photo opportunity. The return to the Press Site will be at 12:30 p.m., after remote cameras have been established. SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives participating in any activity inside the pad be U.S. citizens.
NEWS MEDIA LAUNCH VIEWING
Sunday, Oct. 7 (Launch day): Media members may view the launch from the NASA Causeway or Kennedy's Press Site. Buses will depart from the Press Site parking lot for the NASA Causeway at 7 p.m. A sign-up sheet will be available in the newsroom for media desiring to photograph the launch from the roof of the Vehicle Assembly Building. Available space is limited and media must sign up in-person.
NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE
Sunday, Oct. 7 (Launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 7 p.m. and will conclude at approximately 9 p.m. A post-launch news conference is planned at approximately 10 p.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 7 p.m. Launch coverage 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
Wednesday, Oct. 10 (L+3 days): Rendezvous and grapple coverage begins at 4 a.m. for a grapple at 7:30 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:15 a.m. for the start of berthing at 9:30 a.m.
Unberthing and release for deorbit is currently scheduled on Sunday, Oct. 28, however times have not yet been determined.
NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE
Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-1 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and text updates beginning at 7 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 Jeanne Ryba at 321-867-7824. To follow countdown coverage on NASAS's launch blog and learn more about the CRS-1 mission, go to the mission home page at:
The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown at:
and
http://www.twitter.com/nasakennedy
and
KENNEDY NEWS CENTER HOURS OF OPERATION
Friday, Oct. 5: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 6: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 7: 5:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Media badges will be valid for access to Kennedy's Press Site through Gate 3 on State Road 405 located east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Gate 2 on State Road 3 will be closed over the weekend and on the Columbus Day holiday, but State Road 405 may be accessed from State Road 3 via Space Commerce Way.
RECORDED STATUS
Recorded status reports on the launch of CRS-1 and updates to the media advisory will be provided on the Kennedy media phone line starting Friday, Oct 5. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.
WIRELESS CAPABILITY
Wireless capability is available at the Kennedy Press Site for the news media.
For further 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
For more information about SpaceX, visit:
SOURCE NASA
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