(AGENPARL) – lun 29 aprile 2024 NASA Sets Coverage for Boeing Starliner’s First Crewed Launch, Docking
APR 29, 2024
MEDIA ADVISORY M24-061
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft approaches the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will launch aboard Starliner on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket for NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test.
Credits: NASA
NASA will provide live coverage of prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, which will carry NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to and from the International Space Station.
Launch of the ULA (United Launch Alliance) Atlas V rocket and Boeing Starliner spacecraft is targeted for 10:34 p.m. EDT Monday, May 6, from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The flight test will carry Wilmore and Williams to the space station for about a week to test the Starliner spacecraft and its subsystems before NASA certifies the transportation system for rotational missions to the orbiting laboratory for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
Starliner will dock to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 12:48 a.m., Wednesday, May 8.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Wednesday, May 1
1:30 p.m. – Virtual news conference at Kennedy with the flight test astronauts:
* NASA astronaut Butch Wilmore
* NASA astronaut Suni Williams
Friday, May 3
12:30 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference at Kennedy (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
* NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
* Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
* Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
* Emily Nelson, chief flight director, NASA
* Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program
* Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing
* Gary Wentz, vice president, Government and Commercial Programs, ULA
* Brian Cizek, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
3:30 p.m. – NASA Social panel live stream event at Kennedy with the following participants:
* Ian Kappes, deputy launch vehicle office manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
* Amy Comeau Denker, Starliner associate chief engineer, Boeing
* Caleb Weiss, system engineering and test leader, ULA
* Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, NASA’s International Space Station Program
Monday, May 6
10:34 p.m. – Launch
Launch coverage on NASA+ will end shortly after Starliner orbital insertion. NASA Television will provide continuous coverage leading up to docking and through hatch opening and welcome remarks.
Tuesday, May 7
12 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference with the following participants:
* NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy
* Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, NASA’s Space Operations Mission Directorate
* Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
* Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
* Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing
* Gary Wentz, vice president, Government and Commercial Programs, ULA
NASA+ will resume coverage and NASA Television’s media channel will break from in-orbit coverage to carry the postlaunch news conference. Mission operational coverage will continue on NASA Television’s public channel and the agency’s website. Once the postlaunch news conference is complete, NASA+ coverage will end, and mission coverage will continue on both NASA channels.
Wednesday, May 8
12:48 a.m. – Targeted docking to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module
2:35 a.m. – Hatch opening
3:15 a.m. – Welcome remarks
4:15 a.m. – Post-docking news conference at Johnson with the following participants:
* NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
* Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
* Dana Weigel, manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
* Mark Nappi, vice president and program manager, Commercial Crew Program, Boeing
All times are estimates and could be adjusted based on operations after launch. Follow the space station blog for the most up-to-date operations information.
Audio Only Coverage
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, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA Television launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
Launch audio also will be available on Launch Information Service and Amateur Television System’s VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and KSC Amateur Radio Club’s UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
Live Video Coverage Prior to Launch
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 6:30 p.m., May 6 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 the commercial crew or the Crew Flight Test blog.
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