CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (WFLA) – NASA is moving forward with its plan to make a second attempt at a historic launch of the crewed SpaceX Demo-2 mission on Saturday afternoon, despite some iffy weather.
The first commercial crewed mission was initially scheduled to take place Wednesday but had to be scrubbed less than 20 minutes before liftoff due to unfavorable weather. Weather is once again a concern for Saturday’s targeted launch of 3:22 p.m. ET.
As of 2:35 p.m. ET, less than an hour away from the targeted launch time, the weather was a go as the team prepared to start loading propellant on the rocket at T-35 minutes.
“We are counting down for an on-time launch,” launch officials said.
It is important to note that, while weather conditions are looking good and systems are a go with about 20 minutes to go until the launch, Wednesday’s scheduled launch was scrubbed with less than 17 minutes until liftoff. So there is still a chance that Saturday’s launch could be scrubbed.
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As of 12 p.m. ET, NASA gives about a 50/50 chance the weather on the Space Coast will cooperate. But NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine tweeted just before 11:30 a.m. saying Demo-2 astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley were “GO for suit up.”
Behnken and Hurley got suited up and said goodbye to their families around 12 p.m. ET before heading to Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A.
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By 1 p.m. ET, the two NASA astronauts were buckled into their seats and completing communication checks with the NASA and SpaceX teams in preparation for launch.
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The hatch on the Dragon capsule closed just before 1:30 p.m. ET, less than two hours out from the targeted liftoff.
If the weather cooperates and all goes according to plan Saturday, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will lift off from Kennedy Space Center, carrying Behnken and Hurley to the International Space Station. They will be the first astronauts launched from U.S. soil since 2011.
The Demo-2 mission marks a new era of human spaceflight. NASA describes as the final major step before the Commercial Crew Program certifies Crew Dragon for long-duration missions to the space station.
We will provide live coverage throughout the day as NASA and SpaceX attempt the historic crewed launch again. Our coverage starts at 12 p.m. ET.
Source: Fox 8 News Channel
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