Loading Events

« All Events

  • This event has passed.

SPACEX DEMO-2 CREWED FLIGHT TEST TO ISS, May 30, 2020, KSC, 3:22 pm ET

Update, May 30:  The launch took place on time at 3:22 pm ET.

Update, May 27, 5:15 pm ET:  The launch was scrubbed due to weather.  They will try again on Saturday, May 30, at 3:22 pm ET.  NASA TV coverage begins 11:00 am ET.

Update, May 25:  If the launch is scrubbed on May 27 for any reason, there are backup opportunities on May 30 at 3:22 and May 31 at 3 p.m.

Update, May 24:  NASA Administrator Bridenstine confirms that President Trump and Vice President Pence plan to attend the launch.

Update, May 22:  President Trump and Vice President Pence both plan to attend the launch.  Pence said so at the May 19 meeting of the National Space Council.   Trump indicated his interest on May 21, telling reporters (from the White House transcript of Remarks Before Marine One Departure):

Q    Are you going to go to the launch on Wednesday in Florida?

THE PRESIDENT:  What?

Q    The launch — the rocket launch on Wednesday in Florida?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m thinking about going.  That’ll be next week to the rocket launch.  I hope you’re all going to join me.  I’d like to put you on the rocket, get rid of you for a while.  (Laughter.)

On May 22, Peter Hoffman, White House Advisor for Regional Communications, tweeted that Trump would, in fact, attend the launch.

Update, May 14:  Launch time has been refined by one minute to 4:33 pm ET (instead of 4:32).

Original Entry: SpaceX and NASA will launch the Demo-2 (DM-2) Crewed Flight Test of the Crew Dragon commercial crew space transportation system on May 27, 2020 at 4:32 pm ET from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC), FL, which SpaceX leases from NASA.

This will be the first launch of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from American soil since the space shuttle program was terminated in 2011.  Since then, NASA has paid Russia to ferry crews back and forth on Soyuz spacecraft.

Two NASA astronauts will be aboard this test flight:

  • Doug Hurley
  • Bob Behnken

If the launch takes place as planned, Demo-2 will dock with the International Space Station on May 28 at 11:29 am ET, with hatch opening at about 1:25 pm ET and a welcome ceremony at about 2:25 pm ET.

NASA will provide extensive media coverage before, during, and after the flight.

NASA TV coverage begins at 12:00 pm ET on May 27 and continues for more than 24 hours — through docking, hatch opening, and the welcome ceremony on May 28.

Details

Date:
May 30, 2020
Time:
11:00 am - 11:00 pm