Officials from NASA and SpaceX held a press briefing at the Kennedy Space Center to discuss the second SpaceX demonstration launch for NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS), scheduled for liftoff on Saturday, May 19. The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon capsule will occur from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. There is a single instantaneous launch opportunity at 4:55 a.m. EDT. NASA Television launch commentary from Cape Canaveral begins at 3:30 a.m.

During the flight, SpaceX's Dragon capsule will conduct a series of check-out procedures to test and prove its systems, including the capability to rendezvous and berth with the International Space Station.