The launch of Boeing’s Orbital Flight Test (OFT) to the International Space Station, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is targeted for 6:36 a.m. EST Friday, Dec. 20. The uncrewed flight test will be the Boeing CST-100 Starliner’s maiden mission to the space station.
Live coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website Tuesday, Dec. 17 with prelaunch events.
Starliner will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. About 31 minutes after launch, Starliner will reach its preliminary orbit. It is scheduled to dock to station at 8:08 a.m. EST Saturday, Dec. 21. The Starliner spacecraft will carry about 600 pounds of crew supplies and equipment to the space station and return some critical research samples to Earth.
The flight test will provide valuable data on the end-to-end performance of the Atlas V rocket, Starliner spacecraft, and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking, and landing operations. The data will be used as part of NASA’s process of certifying Boeing’s crew transportation system for carrying astronauts to and from the space station.
The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by contacting ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Full mission coverage is as follows. All times are EST. Operational milestone timing subject to change:
Tuesday, Dec. 17
Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation: 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Foreign National Pickup Time: 12:30 p.m.
News Media Schedule
Prelaunch Briefing on NASA TV
Time: 2 p.m. (No earlier than)
Location: Press Site TV Auditorium
Participants:
- Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- Joel Montalbano, deputy manager, International Space Station Program
- John Mulholland, vice president and program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew Program
- John Elbon, chief operating officer, United Launch Alliance
- Pat Forrester, astronaut office chief, Johnson Space Center
- Will Ulrich, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
Note: Media unable to attend this briefing in person may ask questions via a phone bridge. Please contact the Kennedy Press Site at 321-867-2468 on the day of the briefing for the bridge information.
Wednesday, Dec. 18
Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation: 8:30-10:30 a.m. and 1-2:30 p.m.
Foreign National Pickup Time: 9:45 a.m. and 2 p.m.
News Media Schedule
Benefits to Science and Station Commercialization Briefing
Time: 11 a.m.
Location: Press Site TV Auditorium
Participants:
- Sam Scimemi, director, International Space Station Division, NASA Headquarters
- David Brady, International Space Station Program Science Office
- Ken Shields, International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory
Boeing Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing (C3PF) Facility Tours
Time: 3:45-5:30 p.m.
Location: C3PF
There will be an opportunity for media to tour the C3PF. Media who wish to attend this activity should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 3:15 p.m. to be escorted to and from the Boeing factory.
Thursday, Dec. 19
Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation: 7-9:00 a.m. and 1-2 p.m.
Foreign National Pickup Time: 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
News Media Schedule
Administrator with Astronauts and KSC Director Briefing
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Press Site Countdown Clock
Participants:
- Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
- Robert Cabana, director, Kennedy Space Center
- Josh Cassada, NASA Astronaut
- Mike Fincke, NASA Astronaut
- Nicole Mann, NASA Astronaut
- Suni Williams, NASA Astronaut
- Chris Ferguson, Boeing Astronaut
Remote Camera Setup and Starliner/Atlas V Photo Opportunity
Time: 3-5 p.m.
Location: SLC-41
There will be an opportunity for media to establish sound-activated/timer-set remote cameras to photograph the Boeing CST-100 atop the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. Media who wish to attend this activity should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 2:30 p.m. to be escorted to and from the launch pad.
Friday, Dec. 20
Press Site Hours of Operation: 3:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation: 3:00 a.m. – 4:30 a.m.
Foreign National Pickup Time: 4:00 a.m.
News Media Schedule
Live Launch Coverage on NASA TV
Coverage Begins: 5:30 a.m.
Launch Time: 6:36 a.m.
Administrator Post-launch News Conference on NASA TV
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: Press Site TV Auditorium
Participants:
- Jim Bridenstine, NASA Administrator
- Jim Chilton, senior vice president, Boeing Space and Launch
- Mike Fincke, NASA Astronaut
- Nicole Mann, NASA Astronaut
- Chris Ferguson, Boeing Astronaut
Launch Team Post-launch News Conference on NASA TV
Time: 9:30 a.m.
Location: Press Site TV Auditorium
Participants:
- Steve Stich, deputy manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- Boeing Rep., TBD
- Kirk Shireman, manager, International Space Station Program
- United Launch Alliance Rep., TBD
Remote Camera Pickup
Time: 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Location: SLC-41
Media needing to pick up their remote cameras should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 10 a.m. to be escorted to and from the launch pad.
Saturday, Dec. 21
NASA TV Coverage
Rendezvous and Docking Coverage Begins: 5 a.m.
Docking: 8:08 a.m.
Hatch Opening and Crew Remarks: Approx. 3 hours after docking
Friday, Dec. 27
NASA TV Coverage
Hatch Closing Coverage Begins: 8:30 a.m.
Hatch Close: 8:50 a.m.
Undocking Coverage Begins: 11:45 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 28
NASA TV Coverage
Undocking: 12:44 a.m.
Deorbit and Landing Coverage Begins: 4:30 a.m.
Deorbit Burn: 5:01 a.m.
Landing: 5:47 a.m.
Launch Viewing
Media may view the OFT launch from the Kennedy Press Site, or the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) roof (space is limited). Media scheduled to view the launch from the VAB roof should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 5:00 a.m. to be escorted. Media must RSVP for the VAB roof by COB Monday, Dec. 16 to ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. Only one representative per organization may sign up for the VAB roof.
NASA TV Launch Coverage
NASA TV live coverage will begin at 5:30 a.m. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit https://www.nasa.gov/live. 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, -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. Also on launch day, a “clean feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary, will be carried on the NASA TV media channel. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
NASA Web Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the Boeing OFT flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning at 5:30 a.m. 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 newsroom at 321-867-2468. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at http://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Postlaunch News Conference on NASA TV
A postlaunch news conference will occur at about 9 a.m. in Kennedy’s Press Site TV Auditorium and air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website at https://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Media who would like to call in should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is working with the American aerospace industry through a public-private partnership to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil for the first time since 2011. The goal of the program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station, which could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration.
For launch countdown coverage, NASA’s launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:
-end-
Joshua Finch
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov
Marie Lewis / Tori McLendon / Jennifer Wolfinger
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
marie.g.lewis@nasa.gov/ tori.n.mclendon@nasa.gov / jennifer.wolfinger@nasa.gov
Dan Huot / Kyle Herring
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov / kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov
Josh Barrett / Jessica Landa
Boeing
321- 607-4118 / 321-360-9132
joshua.d.barrett2@boeing.com / jessica.landa@boeing.com