WATCH THE LAUNCH ON SPACE COAST DAILY TV
BREVARD COUNTY • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA – NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station.
The launch is targeted for 12:04 a.m. EST, Friday, March 1, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The targeted docking time is about 7 a.m. on Saturday, March 2.
Crew arrival will be available on Kennedy’s streaming channels including YouTube and X. Coverage of launch, the postlaunch news conference, and docking will be available on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website.
The Crew-8 launch will carry NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin.
As part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, the mission marks the eighth crew rotation mission and the ninth human spaceflight mission for NASA to the space station supported by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft since 2020. Endeavour is the name of this Dragon spacecraft.
NASA’s mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern and subject to change based on real-time operations):
Sunday, Feb. 25:
2 p.m. – Crew arrival media event at Kennedy streaming on the center’s social accounts with the following participants:
■ Jennifer Kunz, associate director, technical, NASA Kennedy
■Dana Hutcherson, deputy program manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy
■NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick
■NASA astronaut Michael Barratt
■NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps
■Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin
The event is limited to in-person media only. Follow Commercial Crew and Kennedy Space Center for the latest arrival updates.
6 p.m. (approximately) – Flight Readiness Review media teleconference (no earlier than one hour after completion of the Flight Readiness Review) with the following participants:
■ Ken Bowersox, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
■ Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy
■ Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
■ William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
■ Eric van der Wal, Houston office team leader, ESA (European Space Agency)
■ Takayoshi Nishikawa, director, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Houston Office
Media may ask questions via phone only. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, at: ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Wednesday, Feb. 28:
9:15 a.m. – NASA Social panel live stream event at Kennedy with the following participants:
■ NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
■ Carla Koch, mission manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA Kennedy
■ Jennifer Buchli, chief scientist, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
■ Kristin Fabre, deputy chief scientist, Human Research Program, NASA Johnson
Members of the public may ask questions online by posting questions to the YouTube, Facebook, and X livestreams using #AskNASA.
10:30 a.m. – NASA Administrator briefing from Kennedy with the following participants:
■ NASA Administrator Bill Nelson
■ NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free
■ Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program
■ Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program
Thursday, Feb. 29:
8 p.m. – NASA TV launch coverage begins
Friday, March 1:
12:04 a.m. – Launch
Following conclusion of launch and ascent coverage, NASA coverage will continue with audio only, with full coverage resuming at the start of the rendezvous and docking broadcast. The audio link and details will be available nearer to the mission.
NASA Television will resume continuous mission coverage prior to docking and continue through hatch open and the welcome ceremony. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:
2 a.m. (approximately) – Postlaunch news conference on NASA TV
■ Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program
■ Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program
■ Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
Media may ask questions in person and via phone. Limited auditorium space will be available for in-person participation. For the dial-in number and passcode, please contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 12 a.m. Friday, March 1, at ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov.
Saturday, March 2:
5 a.m. – NASA TV arrival coverage begins (or about two hours prior to docking)
7 a.m. – Targeted docking to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module
Hatch opening will be approximately one-hour-and-forty-five minutes after docking followed by welcome remarks aboard station. 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.
Attend the Launch Virtually
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities or changes, and a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport following a successful launch.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station in the United States through a partnership with American private industry.
This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities.
The space station remains the springboard to NASA’s next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, eventually, to Mars.
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