NASA LIVE stream TV — click to watch
Let’s try this again. After a scrubbed launch attempt due to bad weather on May 27, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying two NASA astronauts NASA is scheduled for launch again at 2:22 p.m. CDT today, May 30. After catching up with the International Space Station the crew will dock at 9:20 a.m. CDT Sunday, May 31. If more bad weather or technical problems nix the liftoff today they’ll try again tomorrow (May 31) at 2 p.m. CDT.
As of noon CDT there’s a 50 percent probability for storms and rain. Mission planners also have to take into account weather conditions during the first few thousand miles of Crew Dragon’s ascent to orbit in case problems on the spacecraft lead to aborting the mission. If this were to happen the Dragon capsule with the astronauts would separate from the rocket stage and parachute back to Earth.
Assuming all goes smoothly this will be the first time since July 2011 that NASA astronauts have launched into orbit from U.S soil. It’s also the first time a private company (SpaceX) has sent people into orbit. Let’s wish astronauts Bob Behnken and Douglas Hurley well. Given the anxiety caused by COVID-19 along with the recent civic unrest in the U.S. this launch feels like a balm for the spirit. (UPDATE 2:45 p.m. The launch was a success! Flawless!)
You can watch the historic event live at these streaming sites. Coverage will continue on the NASA channels until Dragon arrives at the space station on Sunday morning:
NASA Live (countdown begins at 11:15 a.m. CDT)
NASA Youtube channel
SpaceX Youtube channel
SpaceX Twitter for updates
Skywatchers in the northern U.S. will once again have a chance to see the Crew Dragon spacecraft make passes in tonight’s sky. For a list of passes for your city go to Heavens Above, add your city (upper right) and then return to the home page and click on the blue Crew Dragon link on the left side of the page. That will take you to a list of passes. Click on a pass for a map and details. Like the space station, Crew Dragon moves from west to east across the sky. I’ve included a list of several cities with times and where to look below. Times listed are all local — no conversion needed:
New York — 9:46 to 9:48 p.m. across the northern sky. Magnitude 1.5 (Bright)
Boston — 9:46 to 9:48 p.m. very nice pass high in the northern sky. Magnitude 0.2 (Bright!)
Philadelphia — 9:46 to 9:48 p.m. in the lower third of the northern sky. Magnitude 2.0 (Moderately bright)
Cleveland — 9:44 to 9:48 p.m. very low across the northern sky. Magnitude 2.3 (Moderately bright)
Toronto — 9:44 to 9:48 p.m. nice pass across the northern sky. Magnitude 1.2
Chicago — 10:17 to 10:18 p.m. brief partial pass low in the west. Magnitude 1.2 (Bright)
Duluth, Minn. — 10:15 to 10:18 p.m. across the lower third of the southern sky. Magnitude 1.1 (Bright)
Grand Marais, Minn. — 10:16 to 10:18 p.m. across the lower quarter of the southwestern sky. Magnitude 1.7 (Moderately bright)
Minneapolis — 10:15 to 10:18 p.m. very nice pass halfway up in the southern sky. Magnitude 0.1 (Bright!)
St. Louis — 10:17 to 10:18 p.m. very brief pass low in the northwestern sky. Magnitude 1.9 (Moderately bright)
Fargo, ND — 10:15 to 10:18 p.m. very nice pass halfway up in the southern sky. Magnitude 0.3
Portland, OR — 9:44 to 9:48 p.m. superb pass — passes almost overhead. Magnitude 0.0
Seattle — 9:44 to 9:48 p.m. high in the southern sky. Magnitude 0.2