NASA Coverage Set for Fourth SpaceX Mission to Space Station
The fourth SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch Saturday, Sept. 20, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The one-day adjustment in the launch date was made to accommodate preparations of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and was coordinated with the station’s partners and managers.
The company's Falcon 9 rocket, carrying its Dragon cargo spacecraft loaded with more than 5,000 pounds of scientific experiments and supplies, will lift off at 2:16 a.m. EDT. NASA Television coverage of the launch begins at 1:15 a.m. If for any reason the launch is postponed, the next launch opportunity is Sunday, Sept. 21, at approximately 1:53 a.m.
The mission, designated SpaceX CRS-4, is the fourth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the fifth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory.
The spacecraft’s 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations include critical materials to support 255 science and research investigations that will occur during the station's Expeditions 40 and 41.
Science payloads include the ISS-Rapid Scatterometer to monitor ocean surface wind speed and direction; new biomedical hardware that will help facilitate prolonged biological studies of rodents in microgravity; and a study of a small flowering plant related to cabbage that allows scientists to study plant growth and adaptations in space.
New technology demonstrations aboard the Dragon spacecraft include the Special Purpose Inexpensive Satellite, or SpinSat, to test how a small satellite moves and positions itself in space using new thruster technology and the 3-D Printing In Zero-G Technology Demonstration, the first 3-D printer in space.
NASA will host a series of prelaunch news conferences Thursday, Sept. 18, and Friday, Sept. 19, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, which will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website.
During panel discussions Sept. 18 at 9, 10, and 11 a.m., scientists and researchers will discuss the various science and research studies, including RapidScat, 3-D printing in Zero-G, technology to measure bone density, and model organism research using rodents, fruit flies and plants.
NASA senior leaders will host a briefing Sept. 19 at 9 a.m., followed by a prelaunch news conference at 10 a.m., at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All these briefings, which are subject to a change in time, will be carried live on NASA TV and the agency's website. A post-launch briefing will be held approximately 90 minutes after launch.
If launch occurs Sept. 20, NASA TV will provide live coverage Monday, Sept. 22, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 5:30 a.m. with grapple at approximately 7:30 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.
The Dragon will remain attached to the space station's Harmony module for more than four weeks and then splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California with almost two tons of experiment samples and equipment returning from the station.
MEDIA CREDENTIALING
Media events will take place at CCAFS and Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The deadline for U.S. media is noon EDT Monday, Sept. 15. The deadline has passed for international media without U.S. citizenship.
All media representatives must present two forms of legal, government identification to access Kennedy. One form must be a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.
Media credentials will be valid for mission activities from launch through splashdown at both the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Johnson Space Center in Texas.
For further information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598.
PRESS ACCREDITATION OFFICE HOURS OF OPERATION
The Press Accreditation Office on State Road 3, Merritt Island, will be open to pick up media credentials at the following times:
Thursday, Sept. 18: 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 19: 8 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 19: 10:00 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 20: 1:30 a.m.
Media badges will be valid for access to Kennedy’s Press Site through Gate 2 on State Road 3 and through Gate 3 on State Road 405, east of the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
NASA NEWS CENTER HOURS OF OPERATION
The NASA News Center hours of operation for SpaceX CRS-4 are:
Thursday, Sept. 18: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 19: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 19: 10 p.m. to Saturday, Sept. 20 7 a.m.
NASA SOCIAL
http://www.nasa.gov/social-spacex4Thursday, Sept. 18 – Saturday, Sept. 20. Morning check in time 7:30 a.m. Up to 50 social media representatives have been invited to cover launch. The Kennedy Press Site Annex will serve as their home base and they will view launch from the NASA Causeway. Social media will attend the same activities as the traditional news media. Social media Representatives will be given a tour of Space Launch Complex 40 and the Horizontal Integration Facility on L-1.
ISS EARTH SCIENCE: TRACKING OCEAN WINDS PANEL
Thursday, Sept. 18, (L-2 days): An ISS Earth Science: Tracking Ocean Winds Panel will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 9 a.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the panel will be:
- Steve Volz, associate director for flight programs, Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
- Howard Eisen, ISS RapidScat project manager, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
- Ernesto Rodriguez, ISS RapidScat project scientist, NASA JPL
ISS RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PANEL
Thursday, Sept. 18, (L-2 days): An ISS Research and Technology Panel will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 10 a.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the panel will be:
- Duane Ratliff, CASIS
- Mike Yagley, COBRA PUMA Golf, Director of Research and Testing
- Dr. Eugene (Gene) Boland, Techshot Chief Scientist
- Niki Werkheiser, 3D Printing in Zero-G project manager
ISS SCIENCE PANEL: MODEL ORGANISMS
Thursday, Sept. 18, (L-2 days): An ISS Science Panel on model organisms will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 11 a.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the panel will be:
- Marshall Porterfield, Division Director, Space Life and Physical Sciences, HEOMD
- Ruth Globus, project scientist, Rodent Habitat/Rodent Research-1
- Sharmila Bhattacharya, principal investigator, Ames Student Fruit-Fly Experiment
- Shiela Neilson-Preiss, principal investigator, Micro-8
- John Kiss, principal investigator, Seedling Growth-2, University of Mississippi
NASA 'VIEW FROM THE TOP' BRIEFING
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1 day): A NASA “View from the Top” briefing will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 9 a.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the briefing will be:
- Sam Scimemi, International Space Station Division Director, Human Exploration and Operation Mission Directorate
- Jeff Sheehy, Senior Technologist for the Space Technology Mission Directorate
- Ellen Stofan, NASA Chief Scientist
PRELAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1 day): The prelaunch news conference will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 10 a.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the prelaunch news conference will be:
- Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance, SpaceX
- Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program
- Kathy Winters, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
POST-LAUNCH NEWS CONFERENCE
A post-launch news conference will be held at approximately 90 minutes after launch. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming Internet coverage.
Participants in the post-launch news conference will be:
- Dan Hartman, International Space Station Program, Johnson Space Center, Houston
- Gwen Shotwell, SpaceX president
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.
REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS AND FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1 day): There will be photo opportunity of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule on the launch pad and 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 complex outside the pad perimeter fence. In addition, media will be offered a tour of the United Launch Alliance Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at TBD to view the Delta IV Heavy rocket that will carry the Orion spacecraft on Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) in December.
Media who want to participate in remote camera setup will depart from Kennedy’s Press Site by government bus at TBD and return at approximately TBD after remote cameras have been established. SpaceX security regulations require that news media representatives attending this event be U.S. citizens. International media who did not apply by the deadline will depart from the Press Site in a separate government bus and be able to establish remote cameras at Universal Camera Site 3 (UCS-3) north of the launch complex.
SPECIAL SPACEX CRS-4 PRELAUNCH MEDIA AVAILABILITIES
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1): There will be local media interview availabilities prior to launch in the NASA News Center Press Site bullpen as follows:
TBD - RapidScat
Participants: TBD
TBD - Science Experiments
Participants: TBD
TBD - 3D Printing in Space
Participants: TBD
NASA MEDIA AND SOCIAL MEDIA TOUR
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1): Traditional and social media participants will receive a tour of the SpaceX launch pad (Space Launch Complex 40) from TBD to TBD and the United Launch Alliance Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) at TBD to view the Delta IV Heavy rocket that will carry the Orion spacecraft on EFT-1 in December. Media will return to the Kennedy Press Site at TBD.
SPECIAL SPACEX CRS-4 PRELAUNCH SOCIAL MEDIA AVAILABILITIES
Friday, Sept. 19 (L-1): There will be “pop-in” speakers for social media participants prior to launch in the NASA News Center Press Site Annex as follows:
1:15 p.m. - Lunch and Learn
Participants: TBD
1:35 p.m. - CASIS
Participants: TBD
1:55 p.m. (or 2) - 3D Printing in Space
Participants: TBD
NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA LAUNCH VIEWING
Saturday, Sept. 20 (Launch day): News media and social media participants may view the launch from the NASA Causeway or Kennedy’s Press Site. Busses will depart from the Press Site parking lot for the NASA Causeway at 1:15 a.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 (VAB). The space available is limited, and media must sign up in person. Departure from the NASA News Center for the VAB will be at 1:15 a.m.
NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE
Saturday, Sept. 20 (Launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 1:15 a.m. EDT and conclude at approximately 3 a.m. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntvAudio 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 1 a.m. Launch 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
If launch occurs Sept. 20, NASA TV will provide live coverage Monday, Sept. 22, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 5:30 a.m. with grapple at approximately 7:30 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 9:30 a.m.
NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE
Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-4 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and text updates beginning at 1:15 a.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 Nancy Bray at 321-867-9112. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog and learn more about the SpaceX CRS-4 mission by going to the mission home page at:
http://www.nasa.gov/SpaceX TWITTER
The NASA News Twitter feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the NASA News Twitter feed, visit:
http://www.twitter.com/NASAKennedy FACEBOOK
The NASA News Facebook feed will be updated throughout the launch countdown. To access the NASA Facebook feed, visit:
http://www.facebook.com/NASAKennedy RECORDED STATUS
Recorded status reports on the launch of SpaceX CRS-4 and associated prelaunch activities will be provided on the Kennedy media phone line starting Wednesday, Sept. 17. The telephone number is 321-867-2525.
WIRELESS CAPABILITY
Wireless capability for the news media is available at the Kennedy Press Site.
WEB ACTIVITIES UPDATES AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For updates to these SpaceX CRS-4 prelaunch activities, go to:
http://www.nasa.gov/SpaceXFor video b-roll and other International Space Station media resources, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/stationnewsFor 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/stationFor more information about SpaceX, visit:
http://www.spacex.com
