WASHINGTON – NASA and SpaceX are targeting 4:19 p.m. EST Monday, Nov. 21, to launch the company’s 26th commercial resupply mission to the International Space Station.
Liftoff will be from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft will deliver new science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew.
Live launch coverage will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Friday, Nov. 18.
The Dragon spacecraft will deliver a variety of NASA investigations, including the next pair of International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs), which will augment power to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecraft also will carry out a study to grow dwarf tomatoes to help create a continuous fresh-food production system in space, as well as an experiment that tests an on-demand method to create specific quantities of key nutrients.
Arrival at the station is scheduled for 9:43 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 23. The Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.
The spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to the orbiting outpost before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.
The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. The agency’s media accreditation policy is available online. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern).
Friday, Nov. 18
3 p.m. – Prelaunch media teleconference (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
- A representative from NASA’s International Space Station Program
- Kirt Costello, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program Research Office
- Sarah Walker, director, of Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
- Arlena Moses, launch weather officer, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 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 12 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18 at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Monday, Nov. 21
3:45 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins
4:19 p.m. – Launch
Wednesday, Nov. 23
8:30 a.m. – NASA TV coverage begins for Dragon docking to the space station
9:43 a.m. – Docking
Coverage is subject to change based on real-time operational activities. Follow the International Space Station blog for updates.
NASA TV launch coverage
Live coverage of the launch on NASA TV will begin at 3:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21.
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, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.
On launch day, a “tech feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 3:45 p.m. Monday, Nov. 21, 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 for updates.
Attend launch virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch.