Rocket Launch Preparations at Night

Dramatic night scenes of illuminated rockets on launch pads, highlighting space missions and preparations with dynamic lighting and atmospheric effects.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated by spotlights on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

The Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, with Cygnus resupply spacecraft onboard, is seen on Pad-0A, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,400 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is currently scheduled for Friday, Nov. 16 at 4:23 a.m. EST.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated by spotlights on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Demo-1 mission, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 Preflight. In this five second exposure, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen illuminated by spotlights on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-6 mission, Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to launch at 1:45 a.m. EST on Feb. 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B as the Artemis I launch team prepares for the next attempt of the wet dress rehearsal test, left, and a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft aboard on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), are seen illuminated by spotlights, Thursday, April 7, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ax-1 mission is the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Ax-1 crew members Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada launched on April 8 at 11:17 a.m. EDT, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

The silhouette of the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket, with the NASA Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) onboard, is seen in the fog shortly after the mobile service tower at SLC-2 was rolled back, Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018, at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The ICESat-2 mission will measure the changing height of Earth's ice.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon cargo module lifts off Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in the early morning May 4, 2019. Liftoff was at 2:48 a.m. EDT. This is SpaceXs 17th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-17) mission for NASA to the International Space Station. The Dragon cargo module will deliver about 5,500 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 Preflight. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen illuminated by spotlights on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-6 mission, Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to launch at 1:45 a.m. EST on Feb. 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Ice crystals sparkle in the spotlights on Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida as they fall away from a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket lifting off at 8 48 p.m. EST to place NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K, TDRS-K, in orbit. The ice forms on the rocket's fuel tank before launch, a byproduct of its super-cold propellants. The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida is illuminated by a Falcon 9 rocket as it lifts off at 8:35 p.m. EDT carrying a Dragon capsule to orbit.Space Exploration Technologies Corp., or SpaceX, built both the rocket and capsule for NASA's first Commercial Resupply Services, or CRS-1, mission to the International Space Station. SpaceX CRS-1 is an important step toward making Americas microgravity research program self-sufficient by providing a way to deliver and return significant amounts of cargo, including science experiments, to and from the orbiting laboratory. NASA has contracted for 12 commercial resupply flights from SpaceX and eight from the Orbital Sciences Corp.

A Delta IV Heavy rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida carrying NASA's Orion spacecraft on an unpiloted flight test to Earth orbit. In the foreground is the newly upgraded countdown clock at the spaceport's Press Site. Liftoff was at 7:05 a.m. EST. During the two-orbit, four-and-a-half hour mission, engineers will evaluate the systems critical to crew safety, the launch abort system, the heat shield and the parachute system.

Powerful xenon floodlights illuminate Space Shuttle Endeavour on launch pad 39A and ready to depart on STS-132 at NASA Kennedy Space Center, Merritt Island, Florida, USA

The gantry rolls back at Space Launch Complex 2 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, on Sept. 14, 2018, for the final United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket which will carry NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2). Liftoff is scheduled for Sept. 15, 2018, at 8:46 a.m. EDT (5:46 a.m. PDT). The satellite will measure the height of our changing Earth, one laser pulse at a time, 10,000 laser pulses per second. ICESat-2 will provide scientists with height measurements that create a global portrait of Earth's third dimension, gathering date that can precisely track changes of terrain, including glaciers, sea ice and forests.

The Moon is seen behind NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is rolled out atop the mobile launcher from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I mission is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Aug. 29.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Endeavour soars into a twilight sky on mission STS-108, the second attempt over two days. Liftoff occurred at 5 19 28 p.m. EST (22 19 GMT). Endeavour will dock with the International Space Station on Dec. 7. STS-108 is the final Shuttle mission of 2001and the 107th Shuttle flight overall. It is the 12th flight to the Space Station. Landing of the orbiter at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility is targeted for 1 05 p.m. EST (18 05 p.m. GMT) Dec. 16

STS124-S-025 (31 May 2008) --- The Space Shuttle Discovery and its seven-member STS-124 crew head toward Earth-orbit and a scheduled link-up with the International Space Station (ISS). Liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's launch pad 39A occurred at 5:02 p.m. (EDT). The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the International Space Station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete JAXA's Kibo laboratory. During the mission, the shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system. Onboard are astronauts Mark Kelly, commander; Ken Ham, pilot; Karen Nyberg, Mike Fossum, Ron Garan, Greg Chamitoff and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, all mission specialists. Chamitoff will join Expedition 17 in progress to serve as a flight engineer aboard the station.

Artemis I Prelaunch. NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise atop the mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for Nov. 14 at 12:07 a.m. EST.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Blazing light surrounds space shuttle Endeavour, eclipsing the light from the nearby full moon, as it roars into space from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center during the launch of the STS-126 mission. Liftoff was on time at 7:55 p.m. EST. STS-126 is the 124th space shuttle flight and the 27th flight to the International Space Station. The mission will feature four spacewalks and work that will prepare the space station to house six crew members for long- duration missions.

Total Lunar Eclipse. The Moon is seen during a total lunar eclipse above NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop a mobile launcher at Launch Pad 39B, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The exhaust plume builds at Space Launch Complex 41 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida following engine ignition under the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, or TDRS-L, to Earth orbit. Launch was at 9:33 p.m. EST Jan. 23 during a 40-minute launch window. The TDRS-L spacecraft is the second of three new satellites designed to ensure vital operational continuity for NASA by expanding the lifespan of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System TDRSS fleet, which consists of eight satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The spacecraft provide tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services for numerous science and human exploration missions orbiting Earth. These include NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. TDRS-L has a high-performance solar panel designed for more spacecraft power to meet the growing S-band communications requirements. TDRSS is one of t

Bright lights illuminate the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket with NASAs Orion spacecraft mounted atop for Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), early on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014, at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station's Space Launch Complex 37, Florida. Part of Batch image transfer from Flickr.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Atlantis races to orbit from Launch Pad 39A above the exhaust cloud billowing on NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Liftoff on its STS-129 mission came at 2:28 p.m. EST Nov. 16. Aboard are crew members Commander Charles O. Hobaugh; Pilot Barry E. Wilmore; and Mission Specialists Leland Melvin, Randy Bresnik, Mike Foreman and Robert L. Satcher Jr. On STS-129, the crew will deliver two ExPRESS Logistics Carriers to the International Space Station, the largest of the shuttle's cargo carriers, containing 15 spare pieces of equipment including two gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Atlantis will return to Earth a station crew member, Nicole Stott, who has spent more than two months aboard the orbiting laboratory. STS-129 is slated to be the final space shuttle Expedition crew rotation flight.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Space Shuttle Atlantis lifts off in a blaze of light that spotlights it against the still-black sky and reflects in the nearby waters. Launch of Atlantis on mission STS-104 from Pad 39B was on time at 5 03 59 a.m. EDT. The 10th assembly flight to the International Space Station, the mission is delivering the joint airlock module, which will require two spacewalks to attach it to the Space Station. The airlock will be the primary path for Space Station spacewalk entry and departure for U.S. spacesuits, and will also support the Russian Orlan spacesuit for EVA activity

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Tree branches across the pond from Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center frame the fiery liftoff of space shuttle Discovery on its STS-124 mission to the International Space Station. Launch was on time at 5:02 p.m. EDT. Discovery is making its 35th flight. The STS-124 mission is the 26th in the assembly of the space station. It is the second of three flights launching components to complete the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory. The shuttle crew will install Kibo's large Japanese Pressurized Module and its remote manipulator system, or RMS. The 14-day flight includes three spacewalks.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Atlantis returns to Earth for the last time on Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida just before sunrise. Atlantis touched down on Runway 15 at 5:57 a.m., bringing an end to the STS-135 mission and NASA's Space Shuttle Program. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Xenons cast a halo of light on space shuttle Atlantis as the spacecraft approaches Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the last time. Securing the space shuttle fleet's place in history, Atlantis marked the 26th nighttime landing of NASA's Space Shuttle Program and the 78th landing at Kennedy. Main gear touchdown was at 5:57:00 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 5:57:20 a.m., and wheelstop at 5:57:54 a.m. On board are STS-135 Commander Chris Ferguson, Pilot Doug Hurley, and Mission Specialists Sandra Magnus and Rex Walheim.On the 37th shuttle mission to the International Space Station, STS-135 delivered more than 9,400 pounds of spare parts, equipm

Encapsulated in its payload fairing, NASA's Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, or InSight, Mars lander is transported to Space Launch Complex 3 at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. InSight will be the first mission to look deep beneath the Martian surface. It will study the planet's interior by measuring its heat output and listen for marsquakes. The spacecraft will use the seismic waves generated by marsquakes to develop a map of the planets deep interior. The resulting insight into Mars formation will provide a better understanding of how other rocky planets, including Earth, were created. InSight is scheduled for liftoff May 5, 2018.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket carrying 24 satellites as part of the Department of Defense's Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission is seen illuminated by lights at Launch Complex 39A, Monday, June 24, 2019 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Four NASA technology and science payloads which will study non-toxic spacecraft fuel, deep space navigation, "bubbles" in the electrically-charged layers of Earth's upper atmosphere, and radiation protection for satellites are among the two dozen satellites that will be launched. The three hour launch window opens at 11:30pm EDT on June 24.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Cranes remove a full-size replica of a space shuttle external fuel tank from the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex as the space-themed attraction makes way for a new exhibit featuring space shuttle Atlantis, which is currently undergoing preparations to go on public display. The tank is being placed into temporary storage at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The tank was part of a mockup of the external tank and two solid rocket boosters at the visitor complex that were used to show visitors the size of actual space shuttle components. A space shuttle rode piggyback on the tank and boosters at liftoff and during the ascent into space. The tank, which held propellants for the shuttle's three main engines, was not reused, but burned up in the atmosphere and fell into the ocean.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Space shuttle Endeavour rolls to a stop on the Shuttle Landing Facility's Runway 15 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida for the final time. Main gear touchdown was at 2:34:51 a.m. EDT, followed by nose gear touchdown at 2:35:04 a.m., and wheelstop at 2:35:36 a.m. On board are STS-134 Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Greg H. Johnson, and Mission Specialists Mike Fincke, Drew Feustel, Greg Chamitoff and the European Space Agency's Roberto Vittori.STS-134 delivered the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS) and the Express Logistics Carrier-3 (ELC-3) to the International Space Station. AMS will help researchers understand the origin of the universe and search for evidence of dark matter, strange matter and antimatter from the station. ELC-3 carried spare parts that will sustain station operations once the shuttles are retired from service. STS-134 was the 25th and final flight for Endeavour, which has spent 299 days in space, orbited Earth 4,671 times and traveled

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen at sunrise on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-4 mission, Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 mission is the fourth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti are scheduled to launch on April 23 at 5:26 a.m. EDT, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 Falcon 9/Dragon Rollout to Launch Pad 39A. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen as it is rolled out to the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-5 mission, Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the fifth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina are scheduled to launch at 12:00 p.m. EDT on Oct. 5, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - From across the water, space shuttle Endeavour rises powerfully from NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A on the STS-127 mission. Liftoff was on-time at 6:03 p.m. EDT. Today was the sixth launch attempt for the STS-127 mission. The launch was scrubbed on June 13 and June 17 when a hydrogen gas leak occurred during tanking due to a misaligned Ground Umbilical Carrier Plate. The mission was postponed July 11, 12 and 13 due to weather conditions near the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy that violated rules for launching, and lightning issues. Endeavour will deliver the Japanese Experiment Module's Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module-Exposed Section in the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Perching on a pole in the Indian River Lagoon, an osprey clutches his most recent catch. In the background is Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where the Delta IV rocket with the GOES-N satellite is poised for launch. The GOES-N is the latest in a series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites providing continuous monitoring necessary for intensive data analysis. The GOES-N launch was delayed due to last minute technical issues and postponed to a later date.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen illuminated on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission, Saturday, May 30, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to launch at 3:22 p.m. EDT on Saturday, May 30, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Project Morpheus prototype lander soars high after launching on its fourth free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 64-second test began at 1:15 p.m. EST with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending about 305 feet, significantly increasing the ascent velocity from the last test. The lander flew forward, covering about 358 feet in 25 seconds before descending and landing within 15 inches of its target on a dedicated pad inside the autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, hazard field. Project Morpheus tests NASAs ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to other planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morph

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The countdown clock at the NASA Press Site ticks off the seconds following liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying the SpaceX CRS-4 mission to orbit. Liftoff was at 1:52 a.m. EDT.The mission is the fourth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the fifth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecrafts 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations include critical materials to support 255 science and research investigations that will occur during the station's Expeditions 41 and 42.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - An unfavorable weather forecast as a result of Tropical Storm Isaac approaching Florida kept NASA's twin Radiation Belt Storm Probes, or RBSP, on Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Managers decided to roll the Atlas V rocket off the launch pad and back to the Vertical Integration Facility to ensure the launch vehicle and RBSP spacecraft are secured and protected from inclement weather.RBSP will explore changes in Earth's space environment caused by the sun -- known as "space weather" -- that can disable satellites, create power-grid failures and disrupt GPS service. The mission also will provide data on the fundamental radiation and particle acceleration processes throughout the universe. The launch is rescheduled for 4:05 a.m. EDT on Aug. 30, pending approval from the range.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - From the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Shuttle Training Aircraft takes off with STS-127 Commander Mark Polansky or Pilot Doug Hurley in the cockpit. They are practicing shuttle landings in preparation for launch of space shuttle Endeavour on the STS-127 mission, targeted for June 13. The STA is a Grumman American Aviation-built Gulf Stream II jet that was modified to simulate a shuttles cockpit, motion and visual cues, and handling qualities. The crew is at Kennedy for a launch dress rehearsal called the terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, which includes emergency egress training and equipment familiarization. The STS-127 mission is the final of three flights dedicated to the assembly of the Japanese Kibo laboratory complex on the International Space Station. It is the 127th shuttle flight and the 29th in the assembly of the space station.

In this black and white infrared image, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A following a brief static fire test ahead of NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission, Friday, May 22, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to launch at 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The sky is aglow following liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, carrying the SpaceX CRS-4 mission to orbit. Liftoff was at 1:52 a.m. EDT.The mission is the fourth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the fifth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecrafts 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations include critical materials to support 255 science and research investigations that will occur during the station's Expeditions 41 and 42.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the heat shield for the agency's Orion spacecraft arrived aboard the Super Guppy aircraft. The largest of its kind ever built, the heat shield is planned for installation on the Orion crew module in March next year. The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to make its first unpiloted flight test, Exploration Flight Test-1 EFT-1, in September 2014.The Orion spacecraft is designed to meet requirements for traveling beyond low-Earth orbit. The spacecraft will serve as the exploration vehicle that will carry crews to space, sustain the astronauts during the space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space.

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket, carrying a Cygnus resupply spacecraft, is seen as it is raised into a vertical position on the launch pad, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2018 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,500 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 15 at 4:49 a.m. EST.

A Northrop Grumman Antares rocket is seen as it is rolled from the Horizontal Integration Facility (HIF) to Pad-0A, Monday, Nov. 12, 2018 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Northrop Grumman's 10th contracted cargo resupply mission for NASA to the International Space Station will deliver about 7,500 pounds of science and research, crew supplies and vehicle hardware to the orbital laboratory and its crew. Launch is scheduled for Nov. 15 at 4:49 a.m. EST.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft aboard is seen at sunrise on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), Friday, April 8, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ax-1 mission is the first private astronaut mission to the International Space Station. Ax-1 crew members Commander Michael López-Alegría of Spain and the United States, Pilot Larry Connor of the United States, and Mission Specialists Eytan Stibbe of Israel, and Mark Pathy of Canada are scheduled to launch at 11:17 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

At sunset on Nov. 1, 2018, NASA's Recovery Team, along with the U.S. Navy, practice recovering a test version of the Orion capsule as part of Underway Recovery Test-7 (URT-7) in the Pacific Ocean. URT-7 is one in a series of tests to verify and validate procedures and hardware that will be used to recover the Orion spacecraft after it splashes down in the Pacific Ocean following deep space exploration missions. Orion will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Project Morpheus prototype lander descends toward the autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, hazard field after launching on its fourth free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 64-second test began at 1:15 p.m. EST with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending about 305 feet, significantly increasing the ascent velocity from the last test. The lander flew forward, covering about 358 feet in 25 seconds before descending and landing within 15 inches of its target on a dedicated pad inside the ALHAT hazard field. Project Morpheus tests NASAs ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to other planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters

With the countdown clock at the NASA Kenney Space Center Press Site in the foreground, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at the Florida spaceport. It was 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, such as the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument to further study ozone in the atmosphere.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The dark clouds of a heavy rainstorm moving into Kennedy Space Center in the late afternoon on Sat., August 26, 2006, seem to illuminate the Space Shuttle Atlantis as it sits on Launch Pad 39B. A lightning strike to the pad's lightning protection system on August 25, caused the mission management team to postpone the launch of mission STS-115 for 24 hours in order to review all electrical systems on the space shuttle and ground support equipment at the pad.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 Preflight. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-6 mission, Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to launch at 12:34 a.m. EST on March 2, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Storm clouds move over Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, postponing the movement of the pad's rotating service structure away from space shuttle Discovery. The structure provides weather protection and access to the shuttle while it awaits lift off on the pad. RSS "rollback," as it's called, will begin again after the lightning-producing clouds pass. Launch of Discovery on the STS-133 mission to the International Space Station is set for 3:29 p.m. on Nov. 4. During the 11-day mission, Discovery and its six crew members will deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module, packed with supplies and critical spare parts, as well as Robonaut 2, to the orbiting laboratory. Discovery, which will fly its 39th mission, is scheduled to be retired following STS-133. This will be the 133rd Space Shuttle Program mission and the 35th shuttle voyage to the space station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A during a brief static fire test ahead of NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission, Friday, May 22, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Demo-2 mission is the first launch with astronauts of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. The test flight serves as an end-to-end demonstration of SpaceXs crew transportation system. Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley are scheduled to launch at 4:33 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, May 27, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. A new era of human spaceflight is set to begin as American astronauts once again launch on an American rocket from American soil to low-Earth orbit for the first time since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the agency's Orion is transported to Launch Complex 37 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. After arrival at the launch pad, United Launch Alliance engineers and technicians will lift Orion and mount it atop its Delta IV Heavy rocket.Orion is the exploration spacecraft designed to carry astronauts to destinations not yet explored by humans, including an asteroid and Mars. It will have emergency abort capability, sustain the crew during space travel and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities. The first unpiloted flight test of Orion is scheduled to launch Dec. 4, 2014 atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket, and in 2018 on NASAs Space Launch System rocket.

jsc2018e003242 (Jan. 1, 2018) --- Johnson Space Center's Rocket Park is pictured at sunrise.

From NASA Kennedy Space Centers Press Site lawn near the iconic countdown clock, storm clouds can be seen rolling in over the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on July 28, 2020. Standing at 525 feet tall, this facility is capable of hosting multiple varieties of rockets and spacecraft at the same time. Currently, the VAB is being utilized to process and assemble the agencys Space Launch System (SLS) rocket for Artemis missions to the Moon and beyond to Mars. Artemis I - the first launch under the agencys Artemis Program - will test SLS and Orion as an integrated system prior to crewed flights to the Moon.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- An early morning fog that shrouds Kennedy Space Center almost renders Space Shuttle Discovery invisible as it rolls out from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Pad 39B and mission STS-102 to the International Space Station. Its payload is the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo, a moving van, to carry laboratory racks filled with equipment, experiments and supplies to and from the Space Station aboard the Space Shuttle. The flight will also carry the Expedition Two crew up to the Space Station, replacing Expedition One, who will return to Earth on Discovery. Launch is scheduled for March 8 at 6 45 a.m. EST

SpaceX Falcon 9/COTS 2 Launch, DD025-203

Radio tower against starry sky

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A remote-controlled aircraft flies during a competition with a unique set of sensors and software to conduct a mock search-and-rescue operation. The aircraft was assembled by a team of engineers from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Teams from Johnson Space Center, Kennedy and Marshall Space Flight Center competed in the unmanned aerial systems event to evaluate designs and work by engineers learning new specialties. The competition took place at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the companys Crew Dragon spacecraft is seen during a press conference ahead of the Crew-1 launch, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-1 mission is the first crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) are scheduled to launch at 7:49 p.m. EST on Saturday, Nov. 14, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The Project Morpheus prototype lander soars high after launching on its fourth free flight test at the north end of the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The 64-second test began at 1:15 p.m. EST with the Morpheus lander launching from the ground over a flame trench and ascending about 305 feet, significantly increasing the ascent velocity from the last test. The lander flew forward, covering about 358 feet in 25 seconds before descending and landing within 15 inches of its target on a dedicated pad inside the autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, hazard field. Project Morpheus tests NASAs ALHAT and an engine that runs on liquid oxygen and methane, or green propellants, into a fully-operational lander that could deliver cargo to other planetary surfaces. The landing facility provides the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morph

SPECTATORS AT THE BANANA CREEK VIEWING AREA AT KENNEDYY SPACE CENTER USE THEIR PHONES AND CAMERAS TO DOCUMENT THE LAUNCH OF STS-131

At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the new countdown clock at the spaceport's Press Site is used for the first time as preparations were underway for the Orion Flight Test. News media representatives gather in anticipation of the launch of NASA's Orion spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy rocket.

Artemis I Prelaunch. NASAs Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop a mobile launcher is seen in this false color infrared exposure at Launch Pad 39B as preparations for launch continue, Monday, Nov. 14, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs Artemis I flight test is the first integrated test of the agencys deep space exploration systems: the Orion spacecraft, SLS rocket, and supporting ground systems. Launch of the uncrewed flight test is targeted for no earlier than Nov. 16 at 1:04 a.m. EST.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The towering 327-foot-tall Ares I-X rocket is strikingly reflected in the waters of the turn basin at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket, riding atop a crawler-transporter, is headed for Launch Pad 39B. The move to the launch pad, known as "rollout," began at 1:39 a.m. EDT.The transfer of the pad from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program took place May 31. Modifications made to the pad include the removal of shuttle unique subsystems, such as the orbiter access arm and a section of the gaseous oxygen vent arm, along with the installation of three 600-foot lightning towers, access platforms, environmental control systems and a vehicle stabilization system. Part of the Constellation Program, the Ares I-X is the test vehicle for the Ares I. The Ares I-X flight test is targeted for Oct. 27.

At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the Joint Polar Satellite System-1, or JPSS-1, spacecraft departs the Astrotech Processing Facility in a protective container on its way to Space Launch Complex 2. At the pad, JPSS-1 will be lifted for mating atop a United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket. Built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp. of Boulder, Colorado, JPSS is the first in a series four next-generation environmental satellites in a collaborative program between the NOAA and NASA. Liftoff is scheduled to take place from Vandenberg's Space Launch Complex 2.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket carrying NASA's Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-K, TDRS-K, streaks past the lighthouse on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida after launching from Space Launch Complex 41 at 8 48 p.m. EST. The TDRS-K spacecraft is part of the next-generation series in the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System, a constellation of space-based communication satellites providing tracking, telemetry, command and high-bandwidth data return services.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The lights on Launch Pad 39B paint columns of light in the water next to the pad where Space Shuttle Atlantis is illuminated. Atlantis was originally scheduled to launch on Aug. 27, but a scrub was called by mission managers due to a concern with fuel cell 1. Atlantis is scheduled to lift off at 11:41 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. During the STS-115 mission, Atlantis' astronauts will deliver and install the 17.5-ton, bus-sized P3/P4 integrated truss segment on the station. The girder-like truss includes a set of giant solar arrays, batteries and associated electronics and will provide one-fourth of the total power-generation capability for the completed station. This mission is the 116th space shuttle flight, the 27th flight for orbiter Atlantis, and the 19th U.S. flight to the ISS. STS-115 is scheduled to last 11 days with a planned landing at KSC.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A U.S. flag at NASA's Press Site is a fitting setting for the liftoff from American soil of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule from Space Launch Complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The rocket is carrying the SpaceX CRS-4 mission to orbit. Liftoff was at 1:52 a.m. EDT.The mission is the fourth of 12 SpaceX flights NASA contracted with the company to resupply the space station. It will be the fifth trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory. The spacecrafts 2.5 tons of supplies, science experiments, and technology demonstrations include critical materials to support 255 science and research investigations that will occur during the station's Expeditions 41 and 42.

MCGREGOR, Texas -- Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) completes a full-duration, full-thrust firing of its new SuperDraco engine prototype at the companys Rocket Development Facility in McGregor, Texas. The firing was in preparation for the ninth milestone to be completed under SpaceX's funded Space Act Agreement (SAA) with NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP). SpaceX is working with CCP during Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) in order to mature the design and development of its Dragon spacecraft with the overall goal of accelerating a United States-led capability to the International Space Station. Eight SuperDracos would be built into the sidewalls of the Dragon capsule to carry astronauts to safety should an emergency occur during launch or ascent. The goal of CCP is to drive down the cost of space travel as well as open up space to more people than ever before by balancing industrys own innovative capabilities with NASA's 50 years of human spaceflight experience.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Thousands of spectators watch as space shuttle Atlantis makes its final debut outside the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. "Rollout," as it's called, to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida began at 8:42 p.m. EDT. It will take the crawler-transporter about six hours to carry the shuttle, attached to its external fuel tank and solid rocket boosters atop a mobile launcher platform, to its seaside launch pad. The milestone move paves the way for the launch of the STS-135 mission to the International Space Station, targeted for July 8.STS-135 will be the 33rd flight of Atlantis, the 37th shuttle mission to the space station, and the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana, and NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley who are assigned to the companys first test flight, and Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover who are assigned to the first operational mission for SpaceXs Crew Dragon speak during a press conference ahead of the SpaceX Demo-1 mission, Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Demo-1 mission will be the first launch of a commercially built and operated American spacecraft and space system designed for humans as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The mission, currently targeted for a 2:49am launch on March 2, will serve as an end-to-end test of the system's capabilities.

Guests view space shuttle Endeavour (STS-134) as it launches skyward from the balcony of the Operations Support Building II (OSB-II), Monday, May 16, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. During the 16-day mission, Endeavour, with Commander Mark Kelly, Pilot Gregory H. Johnson, Mission Specialists Michael Fincke, Greg Chamitoff, Andrew Feustel and European Space Agency astronaut Robert Vittori will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre.

Guests at NASA's Kennedy Space Center view the launch of space shuttle Atlantis in Cape Canaveral, Fla., on Monday, Nov. 16, 2009. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, third from left, attended the launch with his family. Space shuttle Atlantis and its six-member crew began the 11-day STS-129 mission to the International Space Station. The shuttle will transport spare hardware to the outpost and return a station crew member who spent more than two months in space.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - At the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, STS-129 Commander Charles O. Hobaugh prepares for takeoff in a Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice landings in preparation for space shuttle Atlantis' STS-129 mission.The Shuttle Training Aircraft is a Gulfstream II jet, modified to handle like the space shuttle. On STS-129, the crew will deliver to the International Space Station two spare gyroscopes, two nitrogen tank assemblies, two pump modules, an ammonia tank assembly and a spare latching end effector for the station's robotic arm. Launch is set for Nov. 16.

NASA Twitter followers, who particiapted in the STS-134 Tweetup are seen together by the launch clock, Friday, April 29, 2011, at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. About 150 NASA Twitter followers attended the event. Later the group will watch the launch of Endeavour as it heads to the International Space Station on a 14-day mission to deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) and spare parts including two S-band communications antennas, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for Dextre. Liftoff is targeted for 3:47 pm.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the NASA Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility, the jet aircraft carrying STS-123 crewmembers line up for takeoff on the return trip to Houston. The STS-123 crew took part in a terminal countdown demonstration test, or TCDT, in preparation for the launch of space shuttle Endeavour scheduled on March 11. The TCDT enables astronauts and ground crews to participate in various countdown activities, including equipment familiarization and emergency egress training. On the STS-123 mission, Endeavour and its crew will deliver the first section of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Kibo laboratory and the Canadian Space Agency's two-armed robotic system, Dextre

The countdown clock at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida reads 30 seconds into flight of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying NOAAs Deep Space Climate Observatory spacecraft, or DSCOVR, seen rising in the background. The Falcon 9 launched from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station at 6:03 p.m. EST. DSCOVR is a partnership between NOAA, NASA and the U.S. Air Force, and will maintain the nation's real-time solar wind monitoring capabilities.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Crawlerway fines, rock crushed by the weight of the crawler transporter, is trucked in for the foundation of the hazard field for NASAs Project Morpheus lander near the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.Testing of the prototype lander has been ongoing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for its first free flight. The SLF will provide the lander with the kind of field necessary for realistic testing, complete with rocks, craters and hazards to avoid. Morpheus utilizes an autonomous landing and hazard avoidance technology, or ALHAT, payload that will allow it to navigate to clear landing sites amidst rocks, craters and other hazards during its descent. Project Morpheus is one of 20 small projects comprising the Advanced Exploration Systems, or AES, program in NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. AES projects pioneer new approaches for rapidly developing prototype systems, demonstrating

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- As the sun rises and paints a colorful skyline across NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, media set up their cameras at the countdown clock in the Launch Complex 39 area. At 8:56 a.m. EDT on May 16, space shuttle Endeavour and its six-member STS-134 crew are scheduled to lift off Launch Pad 39A on a mission to the International Space Station. STS-134 will deliver the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2 (AMS), Express Logistics Carrier-3, a high-pressure gas tank and additional spare parts for the Dextre robotic helper to the International Space Station. This will be the second launch attempt for Endeavour. The first attempt on April 29 was scrubbed because of an issue associated with a faulty power distribution box called the aft load control assembly-2 (ALCA-2). STS-134 will be the final spaceflight for Endeavour.

A lightning strike is recorded at Launch Complex 39B at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida in August 2019. The event was captured by high-speed 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. 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.

In this black and white infrared image, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-1 mission, Friday, Nov. 13, 2020, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-1 mission is the first crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and astronaut Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched at 7:27 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 15, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.

Chris Ferguson, Boeing astronaut, participates in a Boeing Orbital Flight Test media briefing near the countdown clock at the Florida spaceport on Dec. 19, 2019. In the background from left to right are Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana; NASA astronauts Josh Cassada, Suni Williams, Nicole Mann and Mike Finke; NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine; and Deputy Administrator Jim Morhard. Boeings CST-100 Starliner spacecraft will launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The uncrewed Orbital Flight Test will be the Starliners first flight to the International Space Station for NASAs Commercial Crew Program.

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