CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Wednesday, May 27, 2020.
If all goes well, it will be the first launch of astronauts on an American rocket from American soil since the last space shuttle mission in 2011.
"Launch America", the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission carrying astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, is set to launch at 4:33 p.m. EDT. It's a new venture, with the rocket and the spacecraft built, owned and operated by SpaceX and the crew members from NASA.
"This is a unique moment where all of America can take a moment and look at our country do something stunning again," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
While COVID-19 has scrubbed the large crowd that usually attended launch events, NASA has created new virtual ways for the public to be part of the event.
Through NASA's virtual guest operations, you can prepare for the mission with a tour of the launch pad, a mission briefing, astronaut training, and ISS docking practice; apply for the #LaunchAmerica NASA Social and tour NASA facilities; print memorabilia from the launch; and watch a live stream of the event starting at 11:00am CST.
The history-making event doesn't end when the launch is done.
On Thursday, you can watch a livestream of the docking of the SpaceX Crew Dragon with the International Space Station, plus the Opening of the Hatch and the Welcoming Ceremony for the newly-arrived astronauts.
