NASA Opens Media Accreditation for Next SpaceX Space Station Cargo Launch

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May 04, 2017, 12:24 ET

WASHINGTON, May 4, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Media accreditation now is open for launch of the next SpaceX commercial cargo resupply services mission to the International Space Station, currently targeted for Thursday, June 1.

The uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Media prelaunch and launch activities will take place at Kennedy. Credentialing deadlines are as follows:

International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 4:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 16.
U.S. media must apply by 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 21.

All media accreditation requests should be submitted online.

International media are required to upload a scanned copy of their media visa and passport or green card with their accreditation requests. Media must present two forms of unexpired, government identification to enter Kennedy. One form must include a photo, such as a passport or driver's license.

Questions about accreditation may be addressed to Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or [email protected]. For other questions, or additional information, contact Kennedy's newsroom at 321-867-2468.

This is the eleventh mission by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract. In addition to supplies and equipment, Dragon will deliver several science investigations to the space station, including:

the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) instrument will measure neutron stars and test, for the first time in space, technology that uses pulsars as navigation beacons;
the Roll-Out Solar Array, or ROSA, will test deployment and retraction of a new type of solar panel that rolls open in space like a party favor and is more compact than current rigid panel designs; and
an Earth-viewing imaging platform created by Teledyne Brown called MUSES, which stands for Multiple User System for Earth Sensing, that will house high-resolution digital cameras and hyperspectral imagers.

The International Space Station is a convergence of science, technology and human innovation that demonstrates new technologies and makes research breakthroughs not possible on Earth. The space station has been occupied continuously since November 2000. In that time, more than 200 people and a variety of international and commercial spacecraft have visited the orbiting laboratory. The space station remains the springboard to NASA's next great leap in exploration, including future missions to Mars.

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

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

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

SOURCE NASA