A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 6:01 p.m. EDT on July 25, 2019, carrying the Dragon spacecraft on the company's 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission to the International Space Station. The uncrewed Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,000 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbiting laboratory. Credits: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting 12:51 p.m. EST Wednesday, Dec. 4, for the launch of its 19th resupply mission to the International Space Station. Live coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website with prelaunch events Tuesday, Dec. 3.

The Dragon spacecraft will be filled with supplies and payloads including critical materials to directly support dozens of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 61 and 62. In addition to bringing research to station, the Dragon’s unpressurized trunk will transport the Japanese Space Agency’s (JAXA) Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI), a next-generation, hyperspectral Earth imaging system.

About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon will reach its preliminary orbit. It will then deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the space station. When it arrives at the station Dec. 7, Dragon will be captured by Expedition 61 crewmembers and turned over to ground controllers for installation to Harmony’s Earth-facing port.

Tuesday, Dec. 3

Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation (PIDS on SR 3): 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Foreign National Pickup Times: 12:30 p.m.

News Media Schedule

• 1:30 p.m. – NASA Social, What’s on Board science briefing from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Media have the opportunity to call in for this event only. Media will have one-on-one opportunities to speak with briefers in-person after the show concludes at the Kennedy Press Site from 3-4 p.m. Media who would like to call in for the What’s on Board science briefing should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468 by 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 for dial-in information. This briefing will highlight the following research:
  • Bryan Dansberry, assistant program scientist for NASA’s International Space Station Program Science Office, will share an overview of the research being conducted aboard the space station and how it benefits exploration and humanity.
  • Michael Roberts, interim chief scientist for the International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory, will discuss the lab’s work in advancing science in space and developing partnerships that drive industrialization through microgravity research.
  • Ya-Ting Liao and Paul Ferkul, investigators for the Confined Combustion experiment, will discuss the investigation which studies how fire spreads and behaves in confined spaces. 
  • Andres Martinez, principal investigator and a student participant for AzTechSat-1, the first Mexican-developed nanosatellite to be launched from the space station, will discuss how the investigation will demonstrate communication between a CubeSat and the GlobalStar Constellation satellite network in low-Earth orbit.
  • Akira Iwasaki, principal investigator for the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI), will discuss the next-generation, hyperspectral Earth imaging system.
  • Se-Jin Lee, professor at the Jackson Laboratory and University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and principal investigator of Rodent Research-19, and Emily Germain-Lee, professor at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and chief of endocrinology and diabetes, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, will discuss research on molecular signaling pathways that influence muscle degradation to prevent skeletal muscle and bone loss during spaceflight, and enhance recovery following return to Earth.
• 3 p.m. – One-on-one media opportunities with What’s on Board briefers and representatives from the CIMON 1.1 team, Cold Atom Laboratory (CAL), NASA’s RiTS/RELL, the New York Stem Cell Foundation and Aspen Neuroscience at the Kennedy Press Site.  
• 4 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference from Kennedy with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program, SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing. Media who would like to call in for the prelaunch news conference should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468 by 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 for dial-in information.

Wednesday, Dec. 4

Press Site Hours of Operation: 6 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Badging Hours of Operation (PIDS on SR 3): 5:45– 7:15 a.m.
Foreign National Pickup Time: 6:45 a.m.

News Media Schedule

Remote Camera Setup:

7:45 a.m.                      K-9 Inspection

8 a.m.                          Depart Press Site for SLC-40

8:15 – 8:45 a.m.           Remote camera setup

9 a.m.                          Return to Press Site

Launch Viewing:

10:40 a.m.                    Satellite Trucks depart for NASA Causeway

10:55 a.m.                    Wire Van departs for NASA Causeway

11:10 a.m.                    Bus departs for NASA Causeway          

11:25 a.m.                    K-9 Inspection for VAB Roof

11:40 a.m.                    Wire Van leaves for VAB Roof

11:45 a.m.                   Bus leaves for VAB

Remote Camera Pickup:

4:45 p.m.                     Depart Press Site for SLC-40

5 – 5:30 p.m.               Remote Camera Pickup

5:45 p.m.                     Return to Press Site

Media may view the CRS-19 launch from the Kennedy Press Site, NASA Causeway or the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) roof (space is limited). Media who wish to view the launch from the NASA Causeway or the VAB roof should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 10:45 a.m. to be escorted.

NASA TV Launch Coverage

NASA TV live coverage will begin at 12:30 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. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.

NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-19 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning at 12:30 p.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/spacex.

Learn more about the SpaceX CRS-19 mission by going to the mission home page at:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

Press Contacts

Kathryn Hambleton
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
kathryn.hambleton@nasa.gov

Mary MacLaughlin / Kenna Pell
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
mary.maclaughlin@nasa.gov / kenna.m.pell@nasa.gov

NASA Kennedy Space Center news releases and other information are available automatically by sending an e-mail message with the subject line subscribe to ksc-request@newsletters.nasa.gov.

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