WASHINGTON, Feb. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station.
Launch is targeted for 2:07 a.m. EST, Sunday, Feb. 26, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 2:54 a.m., Monday, Feb. 27.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the Dragon Endurance spacecraft atop, lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Oct. 5, 2022, on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-5 launch. Inside Endurance are NASA astronauts Nicole Mann, commander; Josh Cassada, pilot; and Mission Specialists Koichi Wakata, of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina. The crew is heading to the International Space Station for a science expedition mission as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff occurred at noon EDT. Credits: Kim Shiflett
Crew arrival at Kennedy, launch, the postlaunch news conference, and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. NASA also will host audio-only news teleconferences following the agency’s flight and launch readiness reviews. Follow all live events at:
The Crew-6 launch will carry two NASA astronauts, Mission Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Warren Hoburg, along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists to the space station for a science expedition mission.
This is the sixth crew rotation mission with astronauts using the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket to the orbiting laboratory as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. This Dragon is named Endeavour.
The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. NASA’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: [email protected].
All media participation in the following news conferences will be remote except where specifically listed below.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Tuesday, Feb. 21
12:30 p.m. (approximately) – Crew arrival media event at Kennedy on NASA Television
Kelvin Manning, deputy director, Kennedy
Dana Hutcherson, deputy manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Salem AlMarri, director general, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen
NASA astronaut Warren Hoburg
UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi
Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev
The event is limited to in-person media only. Follow Commercial Crew and Kennedy Space Center on Twitter for the latest arrival updates.
6 p.m. (approximately) – Flight Readiness Review media teleconference (no earlier than one hour after completion of the review) with the following participants:
Ken Bowersox, deputy associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington
Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy
Dana Weigel, deputy manager, International Space Station Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
Emily Nelson, chief flight director, Johnson
Jared Metter, director, Flight Reliability, SpaceX
Adnan AlRais, mission manager UAE Astronaut Mission 2, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21 at: [email protected].
Friday, Feb. 24
10:30 p.m. (approximately) – Prelaunch News Teleconference at Kennedy (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy
Dana Weigel, deputy manager, International Space Station Program, Johnson
Emily Nelson, chief flight director, Johnson
Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program, Johnson
Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
Salem AlMarri, director general, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer, U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron
Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 5:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24, at: [email protected].
Saturday, Feb. 25
10:30 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins
Sunday, Feb. 26
2:07 a.m. – Launch
Following conclusion of launch and ascent coverage, NASA coverage of agency’s Crew-6 flight to the space station will continue with audio only, with full coverage resuming at the start of the arrival broadcast. Viewers can continue to listen to real-time audio between Crew-6 and flight controllers at NASA’s Mission Audio stream, which also includes conversations with astronauts aboard the space station and a live video feed from the orbiting laboratory.
4 a.m. (approximately) – Postlaunch news conference on NASA TV
Ken Bowersox, deputy associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy
Dana Weigel, deputy manager, International Space Station Program, Johnson
Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
Salem AlMarri, director general, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
Media may ask questions in-person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 1 a.m., Sunday, Feb. 26, at: [email protected].
Monday, Feb. 27
1 a.m. – NASA TV arrival coverage begins
2:54 a.m. – Docking to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module
4:35 a.m. – Hatch opening
5:20 a.m. – Welcome ceremony
NASA TV Launch Coverage
NASA TV live coverage will begin at 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:
Audio 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 or -7135. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at:
https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following a successful launch.
Watch, engage on social media
Let people know you’re following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtags #Crew6 and #NASASocial. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
Twitter: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @NASASocial, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research, @ISS National Lab, @SpaceX, @Commercial_Crew
Facebook: NASA, NASAKennedy, ISS, ISS National Lab
Instagram: @NASA, @NASAKennedy, @ISS, @ISSNationalLab, @SpaceX
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Make sure to check out NASA en Espanol on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more coverage on Crew-6.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo, 321-501-8425, [email protected].
NASA will provide a live video feed of Launch Complex 39A approximately 48 hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-6 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted until the prelaunch broadcast begins on NASA TV, approximately four hours prior to launch.
Once the feed is live, you will find it here:
https://youtube.com/kscnewsroom
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. The space station remains the springboard to NASA’s next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.
For NASA’s launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
SOURCE NASA