Month: February 2023

NASA and SpaceX scrubbed Monday’s launch attempt of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station due to a ground systems issue. Mission teams decided to stand down to investigate an issue preventing data from confirming a full load of the ignition source for the Falcon 9 first stage Merlin engines, triethylaluminum triethylboron (or TEA-TEB).

“I’m proud of the NASA and SpaceX teams’ focus and dedication to keeping Crew-6 safe,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Human spaceflight is an inherently risky endeavor and, as always, we will fly when we are ready.”

SpaceX has removed propellant from the Falcon 9 rocket and the astronauts have exited the Dragon spacecraft for astronaut crew quarters. Both the Falcon 9 and Dragon are in a safe configuration.

NASA and SpaceX will forgo a launch opportunity on Tuesday, Feb. 28, due to unfavorable weather forecast conditions.

The next available launch attempt is at 12:34 a.m. EST Thursday, March 2, pending resolution of the technical issue preventing Monday’s launch.

NASA and SpaceX will a hold media teleconference prior to the next launch attempt, and more details will be provided as available. Follow along with launch activities and get more information about the mission at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/.

Learn more about commercial crew and space station activities by following @Commercial_Crew, @space_station, and @ISS_Research on Twitter as well as the Commercial Crew Facebook, ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida to the International Space Station has been scrubbed. More information is coming soon.

The RP-1 rocket fuel load for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission launch is complete.

It’s just a few minutes until liftoff (1:45 a.m. EST), and all looks good for the Crew-6 launch! There is still time to tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website to watch the rocket and spacecraft blast off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Fuel loading is complete on the second stage, and liquid oxygen loading has begun. Everything remains on target for the 1:45 a.m. EST launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.

Weather conditions remain extremely favorable. Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website for a live broadcast.

The mission is the sixth crew rotation flight of a Dragon spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, carrying NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, who will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists.

Right on schedule – at T-minus 35 minutes – RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading and first stage liquid oxygen loading has begun.

Liftoff, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is at 1:45 a.m. EST.

Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website for a live broadcast.

The launch escape system for the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour is now armed. From liftoff until they reach orbit – roughly 12 minutes – the crew would be able to escape safely in the unlikely event of an emergency.

Crew-6 will carry two NASA astronauts – Mission Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg – along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who join as mission specialists, to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 1:45 a.m. EST, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

Up next is propellant loading.

Confirmation was received from Commander Stephen Bowen that SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is ‘Go’ for launch. Weather remains favorable, and we are on target for a 1:45 a.m. EST launch today.

In less than an hour, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with Endeavour atop, will lift off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida for NASA’s Space X Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station.

The mission is the sixth crew rotation flight of a Dragon spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, who will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists.

The crew will dock Endeavour to the forward port on the space station’s Harmony module about 25 hours after liftoff. Dragon is scheduled to dock to the space station at approximately 2:38 a.m. EST on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Later in the week, the four SpaceX Crew-5 astronauts currently on the space station will enter the Dragon Endurance spacecraft and undock from Harmony’s space-facing port for a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida. Endurance Commander Nicole Mann, Pilot Josh Cassada, and mission specialists Koichi Wakata and Anna Kikina have been living and working on the space station since Oct. 6, 2022.

Crew-6 is scheduled for a long-duration stay of up to six months aboard the space station, conducting science and maintenance before returning to Earth. Follow along here on the blog or tune in to the live broadcast on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s 45th Weather Squadron continue to predict a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with the cumulus cloud rule serving as the primary weather concern.

Crew-6 will carry two NASA astronauts – Mission Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg – along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who join as mission specialists, to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 1:45 a.m. EST, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay of up to six months aboard the space station conducting science and maintenance before returning to Earth.

Stay with us as the countdown continues; we’ll keep you updated on the key milestones throughout this important mission. Watch NASA’s live broadcast on NASA Television and the agency’s website.