Fuel loading is complete on the second stage, and liquid oxygen loading has begun. Everything remains on target for the 7:27 p.m. EST launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The launch escape system for the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Resilience, 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 anomaly.
Weather has been upgraded from 50% to 80% chance of favorable conditions for liftoff of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission. Launch is slated for 7:27 p.m. EST.
Confirmation was received from Commander Mike Hopkins that Crew Dragon, named Resilience by the crew, is “go” for launch! The next call will come at T-mins 45 minutes from the launch director. Weather looks good and we remain on target for a 7:27 p.m. EST launch.
In about 50 minutes, Resilience, with Hopkins, Pilot Victor Glover and Mission Specialists Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi aboard, will lift off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.
The SpaceX closeout team has left the crew access arm. Launch, set for 7:27 p.m. EST, is now just over an hour away.
Stay with us as the countdown continues. We’ll keep you updated on the key milestones throughout this historic mission. On NASA Television and the agency’s website, there is continuous live coverage of important Crew-1 activities.
The hatch is now closed on the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Resilience by the Crew-1 astronauts. Liftoff for Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, and Soichi Noguchi is approximately 90 minutes away (7:27 p.m. EST).
The hatch was briefly reopened after a slight drop in pressure was noted. Troubleshooting around the hatch seal led to discovery of a small amount of foreign object debris (FOD) in the seal. Leak check hardware was reconnected and reports are pressure is holding, and the leak check has passed.
Crew-1 astronauts are now boarding the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Resilience. As the astronauts board, their seats are configured in the upright position; later, prior to closure of the spacecraft’s side hatch, the seats will be rotated into a reclined position for flight.
All astronauts signed the inside of the White Room, an area at the end of the crew access arm that provides access to the spacecraft. The term “White Room” dates back to the Gemini program. To honor tradition, the room is still painted white today.
Here are the seating positions: Commander Mike Hopkins, seat 2; Pilot Victor Glover, seat 3; Mission Specialist Shannon Walker, seat 4; and Mission Specialist Soichi Noguchi, seat 1.