Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
Teams from NASA, the Department of Defense Human Space Flight Support and SpaceX conduct a joint medical triage and medical evacuation (medevac) training exercise at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was the second of two emergency medical services simulations performed before commercial crew flight tests, which are scheduled for 2019. As NASA’s Commercial Crew Program prepares to begin launching astronauts once again from American soil, teams are sharpening their launch day operations procedures, including responses during the unlikely event of an emergency.
A crane lifts the Crew Access Arm and White Room for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner spacecraft to be attached to the Crew Access Tower at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. When attached to the 200-foot tall Crew Access Tower, the arm will serve as the connection that astronauts will walk through prior to boarding the Starliner spacecraft when stacked atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This installation completes the major construction of the first new Crew Access Tower to be built at the Cape since the Apollo era. Under a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA, Boeing’s Starliner system will be certified by NASA's Commercial Crew Program to fly crews to and from the International Space Station.
NASA Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, at right, greets engineers and technicians at Launch Pad 39B at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Blackwell-Thompson will observe the first major tanking operation of liquid oxygen, or LO2, into the giant storage sphere at the northwest corner of the pad to prepare for the launch of the agency's Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. During the operation, several Praxair trucks will slowly offload LO2 to gradually chill down the sphere from normal temperature to about negative 298 degrees Fahrenheit. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to pad B to support the launch of the SLS and Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission-1, deep space missions and NASA’s journey to Mars.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle roars off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 19, 2020, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company’s uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. The flight test demonstrated the spacecraft’s escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch vehicle will send NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M to orbit. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Liftoff atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to take place from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:03 a.m. EDT Aug. 18.
The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on Dec. 6, 2020, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission. Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASA’s CRS-2 contract.
As a Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. The rocket will boost a Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the space station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies. The historic launch site now is operated by SpaceX under a property agreement signed with NASA.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is rolled to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch vehicle will send NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M to orbit. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Liftoff atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to take place from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:03 a.m. EDT Aug. 18.
Liquid Oxygen filled in the Cryo tank of Pad 39B in support of the SLS rocket.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, with the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module, arrives at the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Orbital ATK's seventh commercial resupply services mission, CRS-7, is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on April 18, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:11 a.m. EDT.
Progress continues on the new flame trench at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Construction workers with J.P. Donovan of Rockledge, Florida, prepare new heat-resistant bricks for installation on the north side of the flame trench. The Pad B flame trench is being refurbished to support the launch of NASA’s Space Launch System rocket. The Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program at Kennedy is helping transform the space center into a multi-user spaceport and prepare for Exploration Mission 1, deep space missions, and NASA's Journey to Mars. For more information about GSDO, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/groundsystems.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
As a Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. The rocket will boost a Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the space station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies. The historic launch site now is operated by SpaceX under a property agreement signed with NASA.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on Dec. 6, 2020, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission. Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASA’s CRS-2 contract.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station carrying NASA’s Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, Security-Regolith Explorer, or OSIRIS-REx spacecraft on the first U.S. mission to sample an asteroid, retrieve at least two ounces of surface material and return it to Earth for study. Liftoff was at 7:05 p.m. EDT. The asteroid, Bennu, may hold clues to the origin of the solar system and the source of water and organic molecules found on Earth.
NASA Kennedy Space Center’s prime contractor Reynolds, Smith and Hill presents a mock-up of a launch pad escape basket to NASA, Kennedy Fire Rescue personnel and other stakeholders on Feb. 19, 2020. The basket would be utilized at the Florida spaceport’s Launch Pad 39B in the unlikely event of an emergency at the pad requiring evacuation during crewed missions under the Artemis Program. The actual egress basket will be designed larger than ones used during the shuttle era in order to accommodate fire rescue crew, astronauts and closeout crew. During the presentation, a fire rescue team walked through a series of trial scenarios and addressed items such as basket release location, seat depth to accommodate firefighters in full gear, sequence of loading and more.
Build-up of a new liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage tank is in progress on Oct. 1, 2019, at Launch Complex 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The new tank will hold 1.25 million gallons of usable LH2 to support future launches from the pad, including Artemis missions to the Moon and on to Mars.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is rolled to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch vehicle will send the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's, or NOAA's, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-S, into orbit. The GOES series is designed to significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property and the nation's economic health and prosperity. GOES-S is slated to lift off at 5:02 p.m. EST on March 1, 2018 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 19, 2020, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company’s uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. The flight test demonstrated the spacecraft’s escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The mobile launcher for Artemis missions is at Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Sept. 11, 2019, after spending a week and a half inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) due to the approach of Hurricane Dorian. The nearly 400-foot-tall structure was moved from Launch Pad 39B to the VAB for safekeeping on Aug. 30. The storm passed about 70 miles east of the spaceport during the overnight hours Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Wednesday, Sept. 4. NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems moved the mobile launcher back to the launch pad, where teams will complete testing and checkout on the launcher in the coming weeks for the Artemis I mission.
The mobile launcher for Artemis missions is at Launch Pad 39B on Sept. 11, 2019, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, after spending a week and a half inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) due to the approach of Hurricane Dorian. The nearly 400-foot-tall structure was moved from Launch Pad 39B to the VAB for safekeeping on Aug. 30. The storm passed about 70 miles east of the spaceport during the overnight hours Tuesday, Sept. 3, and Wednesday, Sept. 4. NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems moved the mobile launcher back to the launch pad, where teams will complete testing and checkout on the launcher in the coming weeks for the Artemis I mission.
A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Demo-1, the first uncrewed mission of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff was at 2:49 a.m., March 2, 2019. The SpaceX Crew Dragon’s trip to the International Space Station is designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the space station.
Launch Complex 39B current and past NASA and contractor workers gathered at pad B to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Upgrades to the surface of pad B, as well as the systems below and surrounding the pad will support the new processing and launch requirements for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft for deep-space missions, including the journey to Mars. The modifications and improvements to processing and launch facilities will support Kennedy as a multi-user spaceport for government and commercial launches for years to come. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad 39B.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
The two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
The cables that make up the Emergency Egress System at Space Launch Complex 41 are in place as United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:30 a.m. EST on Jan. 19, 2020, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft on the company’s uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. The flight test demonstrated the spacecraft’s escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
The Crew Access Arm and White Room for Boeing's CST-100 Starliner are attached to the Crew Access Tower at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 41. The arm will serve as the connection that astronauts will walk through prior to boarding the Starliner spacecraft when stacked atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket. This installation completes the major construction of the first new Crew Access Tower to be built at the Cape since the Apollo era. Under a Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract with NASA, Boeing’s Starliner system will be certified by NASA's Commercial Crew Program to fly crews to and from the International Space Station.
Launch Complex 39B current and past NASA and contractor workers gathered at pad B to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Upgrades to the surface of pad B, as well as the systems below and surrounding the pad will support the new processing and launch requirements for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft for deep-space missions, including the journey to Mars. The modifications and improvements to processing and launch facilities will support Kennedy as a multi-user spaceport for government and commercial launches for years to come. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad 39B.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Demo-1, the first uncrewed mission of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff was at 2:49 a.m., March 2, 2019. The SpaceX Crew Dragon’s trip to the International Space Station is designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the space station.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
During the morning on Oct. 20, 2020, the mobile launcher for the Artemis I mission, atop crawler-transporter 2, moves up the ramp leading to Launch Pad 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nearly 400-foot-tall mobile launcher will remain at the pad for two weeks, while engineers with Exploration Ground Systems and Jacobs will perform several tasks, including a timing test to validate the launch team’s countdown timeline, and a thorough, top-to-bottom wash down of the mobile launcher to remove any debris remaining from construction and installation of the umbilical arms. Artemis I will test the Orion spacecraft and Space Launch System as an integrated system ahead of crewed flights to the Moon. Under the Artemis program, NASA will land the first woman and the next man on the Moon in 2024.
A lightning strike is recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in March 2014. The event was captured by high-speed cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher. At pad 39B, there are three, 600-foot-tall masts with overhead wires used to transmit electrical energy around the perimeter of the pad to provide lightning protection for launch vehicles as they are processed and launched from the pad.
Launch Complex 39B current and past NASA and contractor workers gathered at pad B to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Upgrades to the surface of pad B, as well as the systems below and surrounding the pad will support the new processing and launch requirements for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft for deep-space missions, including the journey to Mars. The modifications and improvements to processing and launch facilities will support Kennedy as a multi-user spaceport for government and commercial launches for years to come. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad 39B.
One of several Praxair trucks carrying its load of liquid oxygen, or LO2, is in route to Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The truck will offload LO2 slowly into a giant storage sphere located at the northwest corner of the pad to gradually chill it down from normal temperature to about negative 298 degrees Fahrenheit, during the first major integrated operation to prepare for the launch of the agency's Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to pad B to support the launch of the SLS and Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission-1, deep space missions and NASA’s journey to Mars.
A view from above shows the payload fairing containing NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) lifted and moved into the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The fairing will be lowered and secured on the ULA Atlas V rocket. GOES-S is the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites. The satellite is slated to launch aboard the ULA Atlas V on March 1.
NASA and SpaceX conducted a formal verification of the company’s emergency escape system on Sept. 18, 2019, at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida. NASA astronauts Shannon Walker and Bob Behnken participated in the exercise to verify the crew can safely and quickly evacuate from the launch pad in the unlikely event of an emergency before liftoff of SpaceX’s first crewed flight test, called Demo-2. At tower level on the pad, Behnken practiced loading into a slidewire basket and simulating an emergency escape to ground level. As Boeing and SpaceX begin to make regular flights to the International Space Station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, the agency will continue to advance its mission to go beyond low-Earth orbit and establish a human presence on the Moon with the ultimate goal of sending astronauts to Mars.
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, an Atlas V rocket with NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-R, lifts off at 6:42 p.m. EST. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.
Several Praxair trucks carrying their loads of liquid oxygen, or LO2, arrive at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The trucks will offload LO2 slowly into a giant storage sphere located at the northwest corner of the pad to gradually chill it down from normal temperature to about negative 298 degrees Fahrenheit, during the first major integrated operation to prepare for the launch of the agency's Orion spacecraft atop the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to pad B to support the launch of the SLS and Orion spacecraft for Exploration Mission-1, deep space missions and NASA’s journey to Mars.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:17 a.m. EST on Dec. 6, 2020, carrying the uncrewed cargo Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission. Dragon will deliver more than 6,400 pounds of science investigations and cargo to the orbiting laboratory. The mission marks the first launch for SpaceX under NASA’s CRS-2 contract.
Two engineers evaluate the Emergency Egress System as they ride in folding seats attached to slide wires at Space Launch Complex 41. United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
NASA astronauts Doug Hurley, left, and Bob Behnken stand near Launch Pad 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Jan. 17, 2020, during a dress rehearsal ahead of the SpaceX uncrewed In-Flight Abort Test. In the background, the company’s Falcon 9 rocket is topped by the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The flight test will demonstrate the spacecraft’s escape capabilities in preparation for crewed flights to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Hurley and Behnken are slated to fly on the company’s first crewed mission, Demo-2.
ML is rolled to Pad 39B
Launch Complex 39B current and past NASA and contractor workers gathered at pad B to mark the 50th anniversary of the launch complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Upgrades to the surface of pad B, as well as the systems below and surrounding the pad will support the new processing and launch requirements for NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) and the Orion spacecraft for deep-space missions, including the journey to Mars. The modifications and improvements to processing and launch facilities will support Kennedy as a multi-user spaceport for government and commercial launches for years to come. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing upgrades and modifications to Pad 39B.
The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
The two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
The Atlas-Agena B space Vehicle waits on the launch pad to launch the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Ranger V Spacecraft on a 66 – 62 hour journey to the moon. Ranger V is a 735-pound gold and chrome Plated payload designed to perform a series of complicated tasks, including taking television pictures of the lunar surface.
A new liquid hydrogen separator tank arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A crane is used to lift the tank and rotate it before it is delivered to Launch Pad 39B. The new separator/storage tank will be added to the pad's existing hydrogen vent system to assure gaseous hydrogen is delivered downstream to the flare stack. The 60,000 gallon tank was built by INOXCVA, in Baytown, Texas, a subcontractor of Precision Mechanical Inc. in Cocoa Florida. The new tank will support all future launches from the pad.
A flow test of the Ignition Overpressure Protection and Sound Suppression water deluge system is in progress at Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on Oct. 15, 2018. At peak flow, the water reaches about 100 feet in the air above the pad surface. It flows at high speed from a holding tank through new and modified piping and valves, the flame trench, flame deflector nozzles and mobile launcher interface risers. The testing is part of Exploration Ground System's preparation for the new Space Launch System rocket. Modifications were made to the pad after a previous wet flow test, increasing the performance of the system. During the launch of Exploration Mission-1 and subsequent missions, this water deluge system will release about 450,000 gallons of water across the mobile launcher and Flame Deflector to reduce the extreme heat and energy generated by the rocket during ignition and liftoff.
NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft, standing atop the mobile launcher, arrive at Launch Pad 39B at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Nov. 4, 2022, ahead of the uncrewed Artemis I launch. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of NASA’s SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft and is scheduled to launch Monday, Nov. 14. The primary goal of Artemis I is to thoroughly test the integrated systems before crewed missions by launching Orion atop the SLS rocket, operating the spacecraft in a deep space environment, testing Orion’s heat shield, and recovering the crew module after reentry, descent, and splashdown. During the flight, Orion will launch atop the most powerful rocket in the world and fly farther than any human-rated spacecraft has ever flown, paving the way for human deep space exploration and demonstrating our commitment and capability to extend human presence to the Moon and beyond.
Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepare to move mobile launcher 1 atop the agency’s crawler-transporter 2 from Launch Complex 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. The crawler recently reached 2,500 miles traveling to the launch pad since its construction in 1965. The mobile launcher has been at the launch pad since August 2023 undergoing upgrades and tests in preparation for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The mobile launcher will be used to assemble, process, and launch NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft to the Moon and beyond.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Fire Rescue team walk through a mock-up of a launch pad escape basket on Feb. 19, 2020. Kennedy’s prime contractor Reynolds, Smith and Hill presented the mock-up to NASA, fire rescue personnel and other stakeholders at the Florida spaceport. The basket would be utilized at Launch Pad 39B in the unlikely event of an emergency at the pad requiring evacuation during crewed missions under the Artemis Program. The actual egress basket will be designed larger than ones used during the shuttle era in order to accommodate fire rescue crew, astronauts and closeout crew. During the presentation, a fire rescue team conducted a series of trial scenarios and addressed items such as basket release location, seat depth to accommodate firefighters in full gear, sequence of loading and more.
NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems conducts a water flow test with the mobile launcher at Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39B in Florida on July 2, 2019. It is the first of nine tests to verify the sound suppression system is ready for launch of NASA’s Space Launch System for the first Artemis mission. During launch, 400,000 gallons of water will rush onto the pad to help protect the rocket, NASA’s Orion Spacecraft, mobile launcher, and launch pad from the extreme acoustic and temperature environment.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket stands at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch vehicle will send NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M to orbit. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Liftoff atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to take place from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:03 a.m. EDT Aug. 18.
Three engineers prepare to evaluate the Emergency Egress System as they ride in folding seats attached to slide wires at Space Launch Complex 41. United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
Members of NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Fire Rescue team conduct a series of trial scenarios in a mock-up of a launch pad escape basket on Feb. 19, 2020. Kennedy’s prime contractor Reynolds, Smith and Hill presented the mock-up to NASA, Kennedy Fire Rescue personnel and other stakeholders at the Florida spaceport. The basket would be utilized at Launch Pad 39B in the unlikely event of an emergency at the pad requiring evacuation during crewed missions under the Artemis Program. The actual egress basket will be designed larger than ones used during the shuttle era in order to accommodate fire rescue crew, astronauts and closeout crew. During the presentation, items such as basket release location, seat depth to accommodate firefighters in full gear, sequence of loading and more were addressed. Engineers will take what they learned during this presentation and discussion to advance the design of the pad egress system.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, with the Orbital ATK Cygnus pressurized cargo module, has exited the Vertical Integration Facility for the trip to the pad at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Orbital ATK's seventh commercial resupply services mission, CRS-7, is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on April 18, 2017. Cygnus will deliver 7,600 pounds of supplies, equipment and scientific research materials to the space station. Liftoff is scheduled for 11:11 a.m. EDT.
Timothy Hughes, senior vice president and general counsel for SpaceX speaks to members of the news media at Launch Complex 39A. Behind him, from left, are Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana and Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX. On Feb. 18, a Falcon 9 rocket with a Dragon spacecraft atop is scheduled to lift off from the launch pad for the SpaceX CRS-10 mission. The historic site is where American astronauts first launched to the moon and was last used in 2011 for the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program. In April 2014, NASA officials signed a 20-year property agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of the launch pad for their Falcon 9 and Falcon 9 Heavy rockets. The SpaceX CRS-10 liftoff is another milestone further establishing Kennedy as a premier, multi-user spaceport. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver 5,000 pounds of supplies and research materials to the space station.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
A lightning strike was recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the evening of April 2, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft were undergoing a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal at the pad for the Artemis I mission. The lightning strike was recorded by cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher using a special filter called a “clear day frame,” which provides an overlay of the raw frame on a reference image. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first woman of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.
A lightning strike was recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the evening of April 2, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft were undergoing a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal at the pad for the Artemis I mission. The lightning strike was recorded by cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher using a special filter called a “clear day frame,” which provides an overlay of the raw frame on a reference image. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first woman of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.
A new liquid hydrogen separator tank arrives at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The tank has been lifted and rotated by crane and lowered back onto the flatbed truck for transport to Launch Pad 39B. The new separator/storage tank will be added to the pad's existing hydrogen vent system to assure gaseous hydrogen is delivered downstream to the flare stack. The 60,000 gallon tank was built by INOXCVA, in Baytown, Texas, a subcontractor of Precision Mechanical Inc. in Cocoa Florida. The new tank will support all future launches from the pad.
Gwynne Shotwell, president and chief operating officer of SpaceX, speaks to members of the news media at Launch Complex 39A. At left is Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana. At right is Timothy Hughes, senior vice president and general counsel for SpaceX. On Feb. 18, a Falcon 9 rocket with a Dragon spacecraft atop is scheduled to lift off from the launch pad for the SpaceX CRS-10 mission. The historic site is where American astronauts first launched to the moon and was last used in 2011 for the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program. In April 2014, NASA officials signed a 20-year property agreement with SpaceX for use and operation of the launch pad for their Falcon 9 and Falcon 9 Heavy rockets. The SpaceX CRS-10 liftoff is another milestone further establishing Kennedy as a premier, multi-user spaceport. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver 5,000 pounds of supplies and research materials to the space station.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is rolled to Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The launch vehicle will send the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's, or NOAA's, Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-S, into orbit. The GOES series is designed to significantly improve the detection and observation of environmental phenomena that directly affect public safety, protection of property and the nation's economic health and prosperity. GOES-S is slated to lift off at 5:02 p.m. EST on March 1, 2018 aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
The payload fairing containing NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-S (GOES-S) is lowered by crane onto the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket in the ULA Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The fairing will be secured to the rocket in preparation for launch. GOES-S is the second in a series of four advanced geostationary weather satellites. The satellite is slated to launch aboard the ULA Atlas V on March 1.
At Launch Pad 39B at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, construction workers assist as a large segment of the support hardware for a new flame deflector is positioned in the flame trench. The new flame deflector will be positioned about six feet south of the shuttle-era flame deflector’s position. During liftoff of NASA’s Space Launch System, the rocket’s flame and energy will be diverted to the north side of the flame trench. The north side of the deflector will be protected by a NASA standard coating. The south side of the deflector will not be slanted and will have no lining. The new design will provide easier access for inspection, maintenance and repair. The Ground Systems Development and Operations (GSDO) Program at Kennedy is managing the installation of the flame deflector for Exploration Mission 1, deep space missions, and NASA's Journey to Mars.
A lightning strike was recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during the evening of April 2, 2022. NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft were undergoing a prelaunch test called a wet dress rehearsal at the pad for the Artemis I mission. The lightning strike was recorded by cameras stationed at the pad and mobile launcher using a special filter called a “clear day frame,” which provides an overlay of the raw frame on a reference image. Artemis I will be the first integrated test of the SLS and Orion spacecraft. In later missions, NASA will land the first woman and the first woman of color on the surface of the Moon, paving the way for a long-term lunar presence and serving as a steppingstone on the way to Mars.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket reflects the rising sun as it stands at Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The launch vehicle will send NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M to orbit. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories. Liftoff atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is scheduled to take place from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 8:03 a.m. EDT Aug. 18.
Teams with NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems Program at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prepare to move mobile launcher 1 atop the agency’s crawler-transporter 2 from Launch Complex 39B to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. The crawler recently reached 2,500 miles traveling to the launch pad since its construction in 1965. The mobile launcher has been at the launch pad since August 2023 undergoing upgrades and tests in preparation for NASA’s Artemis II mission. The mobile launcher will be used to assemble, process, and launch NASA’s SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion spacecraft to the Moon and beyond.
As a Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A. The rocket will boost a Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the space station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies. The historic launch site now is operated by SpaceX under a property agreement signed with NASA.
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, with NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-M. TDRS-M. Liftoff was at 8:29 a.m. EDT. TDRS-M is the latest spacecraft destined for the agency's constellation of communications satellites that allows nearly continuous contact with orbiting spacecraft ranging from the International Space Station and Hubble Space Telescope to the array of scientific observatories.
Two engineers evaluate the Emergency Egress System as they ride in folding seats attached to slide wires at Space Launch Complex 41. United Launch Alliance and Boeing continue modifications to the pad in order to host missions by the Boeing CST-100 Starliner carrying astronauts and crew. The system recently completed its final test. In the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff, each person on the Crew Access Tower would get into their own seat attached to the wire and slide more than 1,340 feet to a safe area. The wires are situated 172 feet above the pad deck on level 12 of the tower. The Starliner will launch on a ULA Atlas V on mission to low-Earth orbit including those flying astronauts to the International Space Station during missions by NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
At Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 41, an Atlas V rocket with NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, or GOES-R, lifts off at 6:42 p.m. EST. GOES-R is the first satellite in a series of next-generation GOES satellites for NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. It will launch to a geostationary orbit over the western hemisphere to provide images of storms and help meteorologists predict severe weather conditionals and develop long-range forecasts.
A two-stage SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Demo-1, the first uncrewed mission of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff was at 2:49 a.m., March 2, 2019. The SpaceX Crew Dragon’s trip to the International Space Station is designed to validate end-to-end systems and capabilities, leading to certification to fly crew. NASA has worked with SpaceX and Boeing in developing the Commercial Crew Program spacecraft to facilitate new human spaceflight systems launching from U.S. soil with the goal of safe, reliable and cost-effective access to low-Earth orbit destinations, such as the space station.
The two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle lifts off Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center carrying the Dragon resupply spacecraft to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 12:31 p.m. EDT. On its 12th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station, Dragon will bring up more than 6,400 pounds of supplies and new science experiments and equipment for technology research.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kenney Space Center in Florida. This is the company's 10th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff was at 9:39 a.m. EST from the historic launch site now operated by SpaceX under a property agreement with NASA. The Dragon spacecraft will deliver about 5,500 pounds of supplies to the space station, including the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.
JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov walk through the crew access arm connecting the launch tower to the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ahead NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission launch on Friday, March 14, 2025. The 10th crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, Crew-10 is scheduled to lift off aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket at 7:03 p.m. EDT, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA Kennedy.