NASA Invites Media to Boeing Orbital Flight Test Launch for Commercial Crew

News provided by

Oct 24, 2019, 14:27 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Media accreditation is open for Boeing's uncrewed Orbital Flight Test (OFT) to the International Space Station, as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

The launch of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is targeted for Dec. 17 from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida.

This illustration shows Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. The spacecraft is being prepared for Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test to the International Space Station Dec. 17, 2019, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Credit: Boeing

The flight test will provide valuable data on the end-to-end performance of the Atlas V rocket, Starliner spacecraft, and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking, and landing operations. The data will be used as part of NASA's process of certifying Boeing's crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the space station.

Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at neighboring NASA's Kennedy Space Center and CCAFS.

Media accreditation deadlines are as follows:

International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 11:59 p.m. EDT Sunday, Oct. 27, for access to Kennedy media activities.
U.S. media must apply by 4 p.m. EST Friday, Nov. 15.

All accreditation requests should be submitted online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

For questions about accreditation, please email [email protected]. For other questions, contact Kennedy's newsroom at 321-867-2468.

Reporters with special logistics requests for Kennedy, such as space for satellite trucks, trailers, tents, electrical connections or work spaces, must contact Tiffany Fairley at [email protected] by Friday, Nov. 15.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry through a public-private partnership to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil for the first time since 2011. The goal of the program is safe, reliable and cost-effective human space transportation to and from the International Space Station and low-Earth orbit, which could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity's testbed for exploration.

For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew

SOURCE NASA