The fifth SpaceX cargo mission to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract is scheduled to launch Tuesday, Dec. 16, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA Television coverage of the launch begins at 1:15 p.m. EST.

The company's Falcon 9 rocket will lift off at 2:31 p.m., carrying its Dragon cargo spacecraft. It is loaded with more than 3,700 pounds of scientific experiments, technology demonstrations and supplies, including critical materials to support 256 science and research investigations that will take place on the space station during ISS Expeditions 42 and 43.

In addition to launch coverage, NASA also will host a series of prelaunch news conferences Monday, Dec. 15, at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All briefings, which are subject to a change in time, will air live on NASA TV and the agency's website.
 

The mission, designated SpaceX CRS-5, is the fifth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the sixth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory.

The science research aboard the Dragon includes the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS), which will characterize and measure the worldwide distribution of clouds and aerosols -- the tiny particles that make up haze, dust, air pollutants and smoke; model organism research using fruit flies to study the biological effects of spaceflight; and, a new study using flatworms to better understand wound healing in space.

During panel discussions Monday at 10 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., scientists and researchers will discuss the onboard science and research studies, including CATS and supplies for research on the risks of in-flight infections in astronauts, as well as research on degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's.

The series of briefings Monday will conclude with a prelaunch news conference at 2 p.m. A post-launch briefing will be held approximately 90 minutes after liftoff Tuesday.

NASA TV also will provide live coverage of the arrival of the Dragon cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station Thursday, Dec. 18. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at about 4:30 a.m. with grapple at approximately 6 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 7:30 a.m.

The Dragon spacecraft 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, bringing with it almost two tons of experiment samples and equipment from the station.

Media may request accreditation to attend the prelaunch news conferences, events and launch online at:

https://media.ksc.nasa.gov

The deadline for U.S. media to apply for accreditation is 5 p.m. Dec. 8. The application deadline has passed for international media. Media credentials will be valid for mission activities from launch through splashdown at Kennedy and at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

For more information about media accreditation, contact Jennifer Horner at 321-867-6598 or jennifer.p.horner@nasa.gov.

NASA SOCIAL

Monday, Dec. 15 – Tuesday, Dec. 16. Morning check in time 8 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 attend Space Launch Complex 40 pad viewing and have additional stops, TBD.

CATS Earth Science Instrument Briefing on NASA TV

Monday, Dec. 15 (L-1 day): A Cloud-Aerosol Transport System (CATS) briefing 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 briefing will be:

• Julie Robinson, ISS Program chief scientist, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston
• Colleen Hartman, deputy director for science, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland
• Robert J. Swap, program scientist, NASA Headquarters Earth Science Division, Washington
• Matthew McGill, CATS principal investigator, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

ISS Research and Technology panel on NASA TV

Monday, Dec. 15 (L-1 day): An ISS Research and Technology panel will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 12:30 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage, as well as streaming internet coverage.

Participants in the panel will be:

• Julie Robinson, ISS Program chief scientist, NASA’sJohnson Space Center, Houston
• Michael Roberts, CASIS Sr. Research Pathway Manager
• Cheryl Nickerson, Micro-5 PI, Arizona State University
• Samuel Durrance, NR-SABOL PI, Florida Institute of Technology

Prelaunch News Conference on NASA TV

Monday, Dec. 15 (L-1 day): The prelaunch news conference will be held at Kennedy’s Press Site at 2 p.m. NASA Television will provide live coverage as well as streaming internet coverage.

Participants in the briefing will be:

• Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program Manager, NASA
• Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance, SpaceX
• Kathy Winters, 45th Weather Squadron Rep, USAF

Post-launch News Conference on NASA TV

Tuesday, Dec. 16: 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:

• Mike Suffredini, International Space Station Program Manager, NASA
• Hans Koenigsmann, VP of Mission Assurance, SpaceX

REMOTE CAMERA SETUPS AND FALCON 9 LAUNCH PAD PHOTO OPPORTUNITY

Tuesday, Dec. 16 (Launch 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. Media who want to participate will depart from Kennedy’s Press Site by government bus at 6:10 a.m. and return at approximately 7:55 a.m. 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 at 6:10 a.m. and be able to establish remote cameras at Universal Camera Site 3 (UCS-3) north of the launch complex. NASA Social attendees will depart the Press Site for Space Launch Complex 40 by government bus at 6 a.m.

NEWS AND SOCIAL MEDIA LAUNCH VIEWING

Tuesday, Dec. 16 (Launch Day): News media and social media may view the launch from the NASA Causeway or Kennedy’s Press Site. Busses for news media will depart from the Press Site parking lot for the NASA Causeway at 12:30 p.m. Busses for social media will depart the Press Site for the NASA Causeway at 1:15 p.m. A sign-up sheet will be available in the newsroom for news 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 12:45 p.m.

NASA TV LAUNCH COVERAGE

Tuesday, Dec. 16 (Launch day): NASA TV live coverage will begin at 1:15 p.m. EST and conclude at approximately 3 p.m. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

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 starting at 1 p.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 Dec. 16, NASA TV will provide live coverage Thursday, Dec. 18, of the arrival of the Dragon cargo ship to the International Space Station. Grapple and berthing coverage will begin at 4:30 a.m. with grapple at approximately 6 a.m. Berthing coverage begins at 7:30 a.m.

NASA WEB PRELAUNCH AND LAUNCH COVERAGE

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-5 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and text updates beginning at 1:15 p.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-5 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-5 and associated prelaunch activities will be provided on the Kennedy media phone line starting Monday, Dec. 15. 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 an updated schedule of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/news/spacex_crs5_briefings_events.html

For launch countdown coverage, NASA's launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

For NASA TV schedule and video streaming information, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

For video b-roll and other International Space Station media resources, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/stationnews

For more 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/exploration

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