Image: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 3:14 a.m. on Aug. 29, 2021, carrying the Dragon spacecraft on its journey to the International Space Station for NASA and SpaceX’s 23rd commercial resupply services mission. Dragon delivered new science investigations, supplies, and equipment to the crew aboard the orbiting laboratory. Credits: NASA/Kevin O’Connell and Kenny Allen.
NASA and SpaceX are targeting 8:44 p.m. EDT Thursday, July 14, to launch the agency’s next investigation to monitor climate change to the International Space Station. The mission, NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT), will fly aboard SpaceX’s 25th commercial resupply services mission to the orbital laboratory.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to deliver new science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the international crew, including a new climate research investigation.
Live coverage will air on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website, with prelaunch events starting Wednesday, July 13.
Dragon will carry more than 5,800 pounds of cargo, including a variety of NASA investigations like EMIT, which will identify the composition of mineral dust from Earth’s arid regions and analyze dust carried through the atmosphere from deserts to see what effects it has on the planet, further advancing NASA’s data contributions to monitoring climate change.
Other investigations include studying the aging of immune cells and the potential to reverse those effects during postflight recovery, a CubeSat that will monitor cloud top and ocean surface temperatures which could help scientists understand Earth’s climate and weather systems, and a student experiment testing a concrete alternative for potential use in future lunar and Martian habitats.
Arrival to the station is scheduled for approximately 11:20 a.m. EDT on Saturday, July 16. Dragon will dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module, with NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Bob Hines monitoring operations from the station.
The spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to the orbiting outpost before it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.
The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. NASA’s media accreditation policy for on-site and virtual activities is available online. The agency will provide further details to those credentialed media, including COVID-19 safety protocols.
Full coverage of this mission is as follows (all times Eastern). Coverage is subject to change based on real-time operational activities. Follow the International Space Station blog for updates.
Wednesday, July 13
3 p.m. – Climate Conversation on NASA TV with the following participants:
- Kate Calvin, NASA chief scientist and climate advisor
- Heidi Parris, associate scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA
- Mike Roberts, chief scientist, ISS National Lab
- Rob Green, JPL senior research scientist and EMIT principal investigator
- Paula do Vale Pereira, BeaverCube, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
A limited number of seats inside the auditorium at Kennedy will be available to on-site journalists on a first-come, first-served basis. Additional journalists wishing to participate may dial in. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
8 p.m. – Prelaunch media teleconference (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Launch Readiness Review) with the following participants:
- Dana Weigel, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program, NASA
- Heidi Parris, associate scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA
- SpaceX representative
- Launch weather officer representative, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron
The teleconference will stream live at https://www.nasa.gov/live. Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 5 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Thursday, July 14
8:15 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins
8:44 p.m. – Launch
9:30 p.m. – Postlaunch media teleconference
- Dina Contella, operations integration manager, International Space Station Program, NASA
- SpaceX representative
The teleconference will livestream on the agency’s website at: https://www.nasa.gov/live
Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 14 at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Saturday, July 16
10 a.m. – NASA TV coverage begins for Dragon docking to space station
11:20 a.m. (approximately) – Docking
NASA TV launch coverage
Live coverage of the launch on NASA TV will begin at 8:15 p.m. Thursday, July 14. For downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
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, the full mission broadcast can be heard on -1220 and -1240, while the countdown net only can be heard on -1260 and -7135 beginning approximately one hour before the mission broadcast begins.
On launch day, a “clean feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will be carried on the NASA TV media channel.
NASA website launch coverage
Launch day coverage of the mission will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 8 p.m. Thursday, July 14, 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 our launch blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacexcrs25/
Attend the launch virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. Registrants will receive mission updates and activities by email. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch.
