SpaceX/Dragon Liftoff @ 4:45 AM EDT - Watch Live
All systems are go for this mornings launch of the unmanned private Space-X spacecraft which will rendezvous with the International Space Station and the eventual docking of the Dragon command module. Launch can be watched here and the broadcast is scheduled to begin one-hour prior to launch or at 3:45 AM EDT.
Note that NASA TV will broadcast a variety of programming prior to and after the launch.
Liftoff Time in Time Zones:
• 4:55 AM EDT
• 3:55 AM CDT
• 2:55 AM MDT
• 1:55 AM PDT
Other viewing options are available at NASA TV.
SpaceX Launch on May 19, 4:55 AM
Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, of Hawthorne, Calif., on Friday targeted May 19 for the launch of its upcoming demonstration mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff time is at 4:55 a.m. EDT, with a launch window that is instantaneous.
SpaceX DragonLab™ - a free-flying, fully-recoverable, reusable spacecraft capable of hosting pressurized and unpressurized payloads. Credit: SpaceX
This follows a launch dress rehearsal April 30 by the SpaceX launch team that concluded with a brief engine firing to verify the company’s Falcon 9 rocket is ready to launch. The practice countdown also tested some of the systems on the Dragon spacecraft that will fly to the space station.
“Woohoo, rocket hold down firing completed and all looks good!” reported Elon Musk on his Twitter account. Musk is the owner and chief designer for SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies. The company’s engineers are reviewing data from the test, SpaceX reported.
For the latest update go to the Space-X update page here.
Press Kit: NASA/SpaceX Launch and Mission To Station, COTS 2 (PDF)
Get some sleep, and some coffee. Tomorrow’s early morning launch webcast starts at 4:15 AM EST at spacex.com #DragonLaunch
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 18, 2012