Month: February 2023

NASA, SpaceX Announce Update to Crew-6 Mission

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 crew members arrive at Kennedy Space Center
SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts pause for a photograph after arriving at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch and Landing Facility in Florida on Feb. 21, 2023. From left are Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and NASA astronauts Warren “Woody” Hoburg and Stephen Bowen. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

During a media teleconference Tuesday, Feb. 21, at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA provided an update to NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, is slated for Monday, Feb. 27, at 1:45 a.m. EST. Live launch-day coverage on NASA TV and the agency’s website begins at 10 p.m. EST. Sunday, Feb. 26.

Managers from NASA and SpaceX, along with international partners, met throughout the day Tuesday as part of the mission’s Flight Readiness Review (FRR) in preparation for the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the microgravity laboratory. The FRR focused on the preparedness of SpaceX’s crew transportation system, the space station, and its international partners to support the flight, as well as the certification of flight readiness.

The Crew-6 launch 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 will serve as mission specialists, to the space station for a science expedition mission. They will fly aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour, carried by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket.

Crew-6 will spend up to six months at the space station before returning to Earth. The mission marks the fourth spaceflight for Bowen, who flew space shuttle missions STS-126 in 2008, STS-132 in 2010, and STS-133 in 2011. Crew-6 will be the first spaceflight for Hoburg, Alneyadi, and Fedyaev.

Crew-6 Flight Crew Touches Down in Florida

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 crew members in their pressure suits
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crewmates are pictured in front of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft during a crew equipment integration test at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California, last month. From left, in their pressure suits, are: Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Warren “Woody” Hoburg and Stephen Bowen, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi. Photo Credit: SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 flight crew has reported to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to start final preparations for their mission to the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev arrived at Kennedy’s Launch and Landing Facility at approximately 12:20 p.m. today, Feb. 21, after departing Ellington Field near the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Coming up shortly is a brief media event with the crew, which will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. In attendance will be:

  • Kelvin Manning, deputy director, Kennedy
  • Dana Hutcherson, deputy manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
  • Salem AlMarri, director general, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre
  • NASA astronaut Stephen Bowen
  • NASA astronaut Warren Hoburg
  • UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi
  • Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev

The international crew will fly aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, which previously flew NASA’s Crew-1, Inspiration4, and Axiom Mission-1 astronauts. Liftoff is targeted for 2:07 a.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 26 – from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Flight Crew Departs Houston, Bound for Florida

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 astronauts
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission crew members are seated inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft during a training session last year at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Al Neyadi. Photo credit: SpaceX

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members departed Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston this afternoon, Feb. 21, and are en route to the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, commander; Warren “Woody” Hoburg, pilot; and mission specialists astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev will land at Kennedy’s Launch and Landing Facility at approximately 12:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they will be greeted by NASA leaders before conducting a brief interview with media.

Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website to view the media event.

Bowen, Hoburg, Alneyadi, and Fedyaev are slated to lift off from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A at 2:07 a.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 26. They will fly aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour – carried by a Falcon 9 rocket – for a science expedition mission to the International Space Station.

Crew-6 Flight Readiness Review Underway, Media Teleconference to Follow

The four crew members that comprise the SpaceX Crew-6 mission pose for a photo in their spacesuits during a training session at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Alneyadi.
The four crew members who comprise the SpaceX Crew-6 mission are, from left, Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Alneyadi. Photo credit: SpaceX

Managers from NASA and SpaceX, along with international partners, are gathered at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida today, Feb. 21, for the Crew-6 mission’s Flight Readiness Review (FRR) in preparation for the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.

During the next several hours, the FRR will focus on the preparedness of SpaceX’s crew transportation system, the space station, and its international partners to support the flight, as well as the certification of flight readiness.

At the conclusion of the FRR, NASA will hold a media teleconference to discuss the outcome. The teleconference is slated to begin at approximately 6 p.m. today and includes the following participants:

  • Ken Bowersox, deputy associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington
  • Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy
  • Dana Weigel, deputy manager, International Space Station Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
  • Emily Nelson, chief flight director, Johnson
  • William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
  • Adnan AlRais, mission manager UAE Astronaut Mission 2, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre

Listen to audio of the teleconference streaming at: https://www.nasa.gov/live.

NASA and SpaceX continue to target no earlier than 2:07 a.m. EST, Sunday, Feb. 26, for launch of Crew-6 from Kennedy. The mission will carry NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, who will serve as mission commander and pilot, respectively, along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists, to the microgravity laboratory.

NASA Sets Coverage for Agency’s SpaceX Crew-6 Events, Launch

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 launch from Kennedy Space Center
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Dragon Endurance spacecraft atop, lifts off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A in Florida on Oct. 5, 2022, on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-5 launch. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

NASA will provide coverage of the upcoming prelaunch and launch activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station.

Launch is targeted for 2:07 a.m. EST, Sunday, Feb. 26, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at 2:54 a.m., Monday, Feb. 27.

Crew arrival at Kennedy, launch, the postlaunch news conference, and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. NASA also will host audio-only news teleconferences following the agency’s flight and launch readiness reviews. Follow all live events at: https://www.nasa.gov/live

The Crew-6 launch 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 will serve as mission specialists to the space station for a science expedition mission.

Click here for the complete advisory.

NASA, Boeing Provide Update on First Crewed Starliner Flight Test

The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was moved into the Hazardous Processing Area at the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 8, 2023, in advance of power up and fueling operations. NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test will demonstrate the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system to carry astronaut to and from the International Space Station.
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was moved into the Hazardous Processing Area at the company’s Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 8, 2023, in advance of power up and fueling operations. Photo credit: NASA

NASA and Boeing held a mission overview media teleconference Friday to provide a status update on the first astronaut flight test of the company’s CST-100 Starliner to the International Space Station.

During the call, managers shared mission progress and discussed upcoming milestones ahead of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT), which is targeted to launch no earlier than mid-to-late April to the microgravity laboratory.

A replay of the teleconference is available on NASA’s YouTube channel.

CFT is the final flight test prior to regular crewed missions to the space station on the next-generation system. For CFT, the Starliner spacecraft will launch on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida, returning approximately eight days later in White Sands, New Mexico. The flight will carry two NASA astronaut test pilots, Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Suni Williams, on the demonstration flight to prove the end-to-end capabilities of the Starliner system.

Following a successful test flight with astronauts, NASA will begin the final process of certifying the Starliner spacecraft and systems for regular crew rotation flights to the space station.

NASA Invites Public to Share in Crew-6 Virtual Activities

NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 mission launch
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Oct. 5, 2022, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky

The public is invited to take part in virtual activities and events ahead of the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff is targeted for 2:07 a.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 26, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The four Crew-6 crewmates – Commander Stephen Bowen, Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Mission Specialist UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Mission Specialist Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev – will dock the Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, to the forward port on the space station’s Harmony module about 23 hours after liftoff.

Members of the public can register to attend the launch virtually. The virtual guest program for this launch includes curated launch resources, timely mission updates, and a virtual guest passport stamp following a successful launch.

The launch broadcast will begin on NASA TV at 10:30 p.m. EST Saturday, Feb. 25, and be carried on the agency’s website, as well as YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch, Daily Motion, Theta.TV, and NASA’s App.

Click here for the complete feature.

Crew-6 Enters Quarantine for Mission to Space Station

The four crew members that comprise the SpaceX Crew-6 mission pose for a photo in their spacesuits during a training session at the company's headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Alneyadi.
The four crew members who comprise the SpaceX Crew-6 mission pose for a photo in their spacesuits during a training session at the company’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Alneyadi. Photo credit: SpaceX

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev entered their official quarantine period beginning Sunday, Feb. 12, in preparation for their flight to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission.

The process of flight crew health stabilization is a routine part of final preparations for all missions to the space station. Spending the final two weeks before liftoff in quarantine will help ensure Crew-6 members are healthy, as well as protect the astronauts already on the space station.

Crew members can choose to quarantine at home if they are able to maintain quarantine conditions prior to travel to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. If quarantining at home is not possible – for example, if a household member can’t maintain quarantine because of job or school commitments – crew members have the option of living in the Astronaut Quarantine Facility at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston until they leave for Kennedy.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission is the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station, and the seventh flight of Dragon with humans aboard. The mission is targeted to launch no earlier than 2:07 a.m. EST Sunday, Feb. 26, on SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft – named Endeavour – atop the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy. Mission operations teams will be closely monitoring the weather leading up to liftoff.

After docking, the Crew-6 crewmates will be welcomed inside the station by the seven-member crew of Expedition 68. Following a handover on the space station with Crew-6, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 crew members will undock from the space station.

More details about the mission can be found on the Crew-6 blog, in the press kit online and by following the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew and commercial crew on Facebook.