SpaceX Crew Launch: Watch Live - Second Crew to Space Station

SpaceX Prepares for Second Commercial Crew Mission to the ISS

SpaceX is scheduled to initiate its second operational commercial crew mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on behalf of NASA. The launch is currently targeted for 5:49 AM EDT (2:49 AM PDT) on Friday morning. This mission will transport a crew of four astronauts to the orbital laboratory.

Crew Composition and Mission Objectives

The crew includes two astronauts from NASA, one representative from JAXA (the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and one astronaut from the ESA (European Space Agency). Upon arrival, the astronauts will commence a standard assignment focused on scientific experimentation and the maintenance and enhancement of the ISS.

A Milestone in Commercial Spaceflight

This flight represents the second commercial crew mission undertaken by SpaceX. Last year, the company successfully qualified both its Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket for crewed missions.

In November of last year, SpaceX launched four astronauts, marking the first instance of a private company transporting humans to the ISS. It was also the first time an American vehicle had performed this task since the Space Shuttle program was retired in 2011.

Prior to SpaceX’s capabilities, NASA depended on purchasing seats on Russian Soyuz rockets to maintain a continuous human presence on the ISS.

Space Station Logistics and Crew Rotation

Currently, a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft from the Crew-1 mission is docked at the ISS. This capsule was recently moved to a different port on the station to prepare for the arrival of the Crew-2 Dragon.

The Crew-1 Dragon is planned to return to Earth with its astronaut crew following their relief by the Crew-2 astronauts, with a projected return date of April 28th.

Reuse of Flight-Proven Hardware

A significant aspect of this launch is the utilization of a Falcon 9 rocket booster that has flown previously. While SpaceX has historically employed new boosters for human launches, it boasts an impeccable record of booster reuse for cargo missions.

Furthermore, this mission marks the first time a Dragon spacecraft will be reused. Both the booster and the capsule have prior experience supporting human spaceflight; the booster was used during the Crew-1 mission, and the Dragon capsule flew astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley during the Demo-2 mission.

Astronaut Roster and Viewing Information

The astronauts assigned to this mission are Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur (NASA), Akihiko Hoshide (JAXA), and Thomas Pesquet (ESA).

The launch is scheduled for 5:49 AM EDT. SpaceX will initiate live streaming coverage several hours beforehand, beginning at approximately 1:30 AM EDT on Friday (10:30 PM PDT on Thursday).