The Countdown Begins—Tune in for SpaceX DM-1
This Saturday, the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Space Center in Florida for the SpaceX Demo-1 (DM-1) flight test. DM-1, an uncrewed mission, will test the rocket and spacecraft that SpaceX will use to launch astronauts from U.S. soil.
Catch all the excitement of the launch—and activities leading up to it—on NASA TV and the agency’s website. NASA and SpaceX are targeting 1:48 a.m. CST Saturday, March 2, for the launch, which will be the first time a commercially built and operated American rocket and spacecraft designed for humans will launch to the International Space Station.
The Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock to the space station at approximately 4:55 a.m. Sunday, March 3.
The flight test will provide
valuable data toward NASA certifying SpaceX’s crew transportation system for
carrying astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX’s Demo-2 test flight,
which will fly NASA astronauts to the space station, is targeted to launch in
July.
This illustration depicts the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image Credit: SpaceX
Full DM-1 coverage is as follows. All times are CST:
Saturday, March 2
- 1 a.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins for the 1:48 a.m. liftoff
- 4 a.m. – Post-launch news conference at Kennedy with the following representatives: Steve Stich, NASA launch manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program; Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program; SpaceX representative; and Astronaut Office representative
Sunday, March 3
- 2:30 a.m. – Rendezvous and docking coverage
- 7:45 a.m. – Hatch opening coverage
- 9:30 a.m. – Station crew welcoming ceremony
Friday, March 8
- 11:15 a.m. – Hatch closing coverage begins
- 1:30 a.m. – Undocking coverage begins
- 6:30 a.m. – Deorbit and landing coverage
- TBD – Post-landing briefing on NASA TV with the following representatives: Steve Stich, deputy manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program; International Space Station Program representative; SpaceX representative; and Astronaut Office representative
For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
