NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission launches Thursday morning for the International Space Station (ISS).
In a press conference ahead of the launch on Tuesday, representatives from the agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed they were ready for a 6:11 a.m.ET launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida .
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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket will launch the Crew Dragon Endeavor, marking the crew’s second rotation on a commercial space mission and the first with two international partner astronauts.
NASA’s Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and French astronaut Thomas Pesquet embark on a six-month voyage aboard the ISS.
From left to right, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur are seen as they prepare to leave Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout . Building for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the launch of the Crew-2 mission, Sunday, April 18, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: (NASA / Aubrey Gemignani)
(NASA / Aubrey Gemignani)
Arriving there, Joel Montalbano, manager of the International Space Station, said they will conduct more than 260 science experiments and that the fourth crew member will help keep the research and development of both the highly anticipated Artemis program and commercialization efforts in a low orbit. to enlarge the earth.
“With the launch of crew-2, we welcome the first time the European Space Agency has an astronaut flying on Dragon. We also welcome the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency flying Dragon for the second time,” he added. “So really an international program and this is our future where we will have international partners for our vehicles going forward. That’s a goal and that’s where we intend to be.”
Speaking to Montalbano, Steve Stitch, manager of the Commercial Crew Program, said the NASA-SpaceX team had its first “Readiness Review” and dress rehearsal on Tuesday morning, leading to the conclusion that it was “on track” for Thursday and that – assuming there aren’t any changes there – the docking is scheduled for Friday around 4:30 a.m.ET.
“The main thing we’ll be looking at over the next few days is the weather. You know we need to have the launch weather ‘go’ and also ‘break it down’ along the broken ground track to protect the crew in the vehicle. both Thursday and Friday and looking at the weather for the next few days, ”he said.
Launch Weather Officer Brian Cizek, of the US Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron, explained that there is currently an 80% chance of favorable weather on Thursday and a 90% chance of favorable weather on Friday.
Bad weather and wind remain the biggest concern, according to Cizek.
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Benji Reed, SpaceX’s senior director of manned space flight programs, thanked NASA for awarding its $ 2.89 billion commercial human lander to SpaceX and said the company owned by Elon Musk is pleased to be able to fly with crew again.
He said the teams will continue to conduct analysis and data reviews called “paranoia reviews” until it’s time to fly.
“And in fact, our teams are doing even more training, like I said, we keep making sure everything is great. And so we continue down that road as we prepare for Thursday,” said Reed.
Norm Knight, deputy director of Johnson Space Center’s Flight Operations Directorate, called the manned spaceflight company “ruthless” and praised the teams for their work.
“It is the vigilance of the teams that ensures continued safety and it was certainly present in these reviews this week. And you know you are taking a step back and you see, it is, it is, it is hard enough in a normal environment, but you put COVID on top of that, it’s extremely impressive what these teams have been able to accomplish, ”he said.
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“The cadence is very good for the teams, between SpaceX and NASA people work well together. We look forward to a successful mission. And again, it’s just a really exciting time,” he said.
Also in attendance were JAXA ISS Manager Junichi Sakai, ESA ISS Program Manager Frank de Winne and Johnson Space Center ISS Program Chief Scientist Kirt Costello.