Update, August 28: The launch has been delayed due to poor weather. The launch is now scheduled for 3:14 a.m. ET (12:14 a.m. PT) on Sunday, August 29. Coverage of the launch begins at 2:45 a.m. ET (11:45 p.m. PT on Saturday, August 28).
Next week, SpaceX is scheduled to send another cargo delivery to the International Space Station (ISS) using its recently-upgraded Cargo Dragon uncrewed spacecraft. The exciting launch and eventual docking with the station will be livestreamed by NASA, and we’ve got the details on how you can watch along at home.
What to expect from the launch
This will be the 23rd resupply mission run by SpaceX to the ISS, and it will take off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will use a SpaceX Cargo Dragon launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry supplies for the crew as well as scientific experiments to be performed in the station’s microgravity environment.
The experiments being carried to the station include investigations into whether chemicals from grape skins could treat osteoporosis, a new robotic arm that can be operated from the ground and that could be used on Earth in disaster situations, and several experiments into animals and plants by Girl Scouts.
After spending a day in transit, the Cargo Dragon will arrive at the ISS, where it will dock with the Harmony module automatically, overseen by astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur.
How to watch the launch
The launch will take place early in the morning hours of Saturday, August 28, and it will be streamed live on NASA TV. To watch this channel, you can either use the video embedded at the top of this page or head over to NASA’s website.
Coverage of the launch begins at 3:15 a.m. ET (12:15 a.m. PT) on August 28. The launch itself is scheduled for 3:37 a.m. ET (12:37 a.m. PT). The craft will then travel through Earth’s atmosphere and up to the International Space Station over the rest of Saturday.
The Cargo Dragon is scheduled to dock with the space station on Sunday, August 29, and the rendezvous and docking will also be streamed on the same channel. Coverage of this begins at 9:30 a.m. ET (6:30 a.m. PT) on August 29, with the docking scheduled for 11 a.m. ET (8 a.m. PT).
