There is a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Feb. 27, 2023. Photo credit: NASA
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.
The flight crew is seated and secured inside their Dragon Endeavour spacecraft preparing for their 25-hour journey to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission. About 45 minutes prior to liftoff, the SpaceX launch director will conduct a poll of NASA and SpaceX mission managers to determine if they are ready for launch.
With a successful “Go for launch” decision, the crew access arm will retract, the crew will close their visors, the launch escape system will be activated in the unlikely event of a contingency, and SpaceX will begin loading propellant into the Falcon 9 rocket for launch.
The Crew-6 flight will carry NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, commander; Warren “Woody” Hoburg, pilot; and mission specialists UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. Launch is targeted for 1:45 a.m. EST today from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
Follow along here on the blog or tune in to the live broadcast on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
The hatch is now closed on the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour. Liftoff for Stephen Bowen, Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Sultan Alneyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev is approximately two hours away (1:45 a.m. EST) from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
After an approximate 25-hour journey to the International Space Station, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members will arrive at the microgravity laboratory for a short handover period with the flight crew of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-5 mission. Photo credit: NASA
Below are some key milestones for the Crew-6 mission launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff, from Launch Complex 39A, is targeted for 1:45 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 27 (times are approximate; all times are EST):
9:45 p.m. Crew suit donning and checkouts
10:30 p.m. Crew transport to launch pad
11 p.m. Crew ingress
11:16 p.m. Seats rotated and reclined
11:20 p.m. Suit leak checks
11:50 p.m. Hatch closes on Dragon
1 a.m. Propellant load and launch ‘Go’/’No go’ poll
Launch configuration communication checks have been executed, with no issues. The seats are being rotated into position for launch.
The seating order inside SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour, from left, are: Mission Specialist Andrey Fedyaev, Pilot Woody Hoburg, Commander Stephen Bowen, and Mission Specialist Sultan Alneyadi.
Liftoff of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is about 2.5 hours away (1:45 a.m. EST).
Technicians assist NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crewmates inside the Dragon Endurance spacecraft in preparation for launch. Photo credit: NASA
NASA’s Space X Crew-6 crew members are now boarding the Dragon spacecraft, Endeavour. As the crewmates 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 four crew members 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.
From left, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana wave as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crewmates depart the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for Launch Complex 39A on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crewmates Stephen Bowen, Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Sultan Alneyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev have arrived at Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, where SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, is ready for them to climb in for launch. Liftoff is slated for 1:45 a.m. EST.
In the next few minutes, the crew will take the elevator up the pad’s fixed service structure and walk down the air-conditioned crew access arm to the White Room – their final stop before climbing aboard.
The approximate 25-hour journey to the International Space Station sets up a 2:38 a.m. EST docking at the orbiting laboratory on Tuesday, Feb. 28.
Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website for a live broadcast.
From left, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members Andrey Fedyaev, Warren “Woody” Hoburg, Stephen Bowen, and Sultan Alneyadi, wave outside of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 26, 2023. Photo credit: NASA
NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, are on their way to Kennedy Space Center’s Pad 39A after departing the Florida spaceport’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. They are right on schedule.
Before leaving, the flight crew paused to recognize family, friends, and support team members who gathered to see them off. They then climbed into their customized black Tesla Model X vehicles for the approximate 20-minute ride to the pad.
The crew’s vehicle is traveling in a convoy, including support team members and security personnel. At the launch site, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft Endeavour are ready for the crew’s arrival.
NASA astronauts Warren “Woody” Hoburg and Stephen Bowen walk out of the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building for the Crew-6 launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members just walked out of the double doors below Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters and made their way out to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft.
Next stop: Kennedy’s historic Launch Complex 39A. For a live broadcast, tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 flight will carry 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 to the International Space Station. Liftoff is from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:45 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 27. Photo credit: SpaceX
Coverage is underway on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website for today’s launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 science expedition mission to the International Space Station. Crew-6 marks the sixth crew rotation mission of SpaceX’s human space transportation system, and its sixth flight with crew, to the space station for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
At NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped by the company’s Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, awaits liftoff from Launch Complex 39A, targeted for Monday at 1:45 a.m. EST.
The Crew-6 flight will carry 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.
Just before 10:25 p.m., the crew is scheduled to depart for the launch pad after walking out from astronaut crew quarters inside the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy. About 25 minutes later they will arrive at Launch Complex 39A.
After ascending the launch tower to the crew access arm, the astronauts will climb into the Dragon spacecraft that will take them to the International Space Station. They will conduct checks to ensure their communications system works and their spacesuits are airtight.
A little less than two hours before launch, technicians will close the hatch to the Dragon, sealing the astronauts inside for their historic journey. About 45 minutes prior to the targeted lift off, the SpaceX launch director will conduct a poll of NASA and SpaceX mission managers to see if they are ready for launch.
With a successful “GO for launch” decision, the crew access arm will be retracted, the crew will close their visors, the launch escape system will be activated in the event of a contingency, and SpaceX will begin loading propellant into the Falcon 9 rocket for launch.
U.S. Space Force 45th Space Wing meteorologists are forecasting a 95% chance of favorable weather at lift off based on Falcon 9 crewed Dragon launch weather criteria, and teams will continue to monitor lift off and downrange weather conditions until launch time.
