Commercial Crew Program

The Crew-2 astronauts are in view inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft before the hatch was closed and secured.

Here is a sample of the Crew-2 playlists:

• First car (Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur): “Learn to Fly” by the Foo Fighters, “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne, “Enter Sandman” by Metallica, and “City of Blinding Lights” by U2.
• Second car (Thomas Pesquet and Akihiko Hoshide): “Drops of Jupiter” by Train, “Paradise City” by Guns and Roses, and “Danger Zone” by Kenny Loggins

Crew-2 astronauts are now boarding the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Endeavour. 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.

NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, have arrived at Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, where the Crew Dragon spacecraft, Endeavour, is ready for them to climb in for launch. Liftoff is slated for 5:49 a.m. EDT.

In the next few minutes, they 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.

Crew-2 astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet, are on their way to Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39A after departing the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building across the spaceport. They are right on schedule.

Before leaving, they paused to wave and acknowledge the small group of family, friends and support team members who gathered to see them off. Then they climbed into their customized white Tesla Model X vehicles for the 20-minute ride to the pad.

The crew’s vehicle is traveling in the middle of a convoy, including support team members and security personnel. At the launch site, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour by the crew, are ready for the astronauts’ arrival.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts just walked out of the double doors below the 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 Pad 39A.

Crew-2 mission astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet are in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building.

A team of SpaceX suit technicians will help them as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and check the suits for leaks.

Below are some key milestones for today’s Crew-2 mission. Launch is targeted for 5:49 a.m. EDT.

• 1:29 a.m. Crew weather brief
• 1:39 a.m. Crew handoff
• 1:49 a.m. Suit donning and checkouts
• 2:29 a.m. Crew walkout from Neil Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building
• 2:34 a.m. Crew transportation to Launch Complex 39A
• 2:54 a.m. Crew arrives at pad
• 3:14 a.m. Crew ingress
• 3:29 a.m. Communication check
• 3:34 a.m. Verify ready for seat rotation
• 3:52 a.m. Suit leak checks
• 3:54 a.m. Hatch close
• 5:04 a.m. SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
• 5:07 a.m. Crew access arm retracts
• 5:11 a.m. Dragon spacecraft launch escape system is armed
• 5:14 a.m. RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins; first stage liquid oxygen loading begins
• 5:33 a.m. Second stage liquid oxygen loading begins
• 5:42 a.m. Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
• 5:44 a.m. Dragon transitions to internal power
• 5:48 a.m. Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks;
  propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
• 5:48:17 a.m. SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
• 5:48:59 a.m. Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
• 5:49:02 a.m. Liftoff!
• 5:50 a.m. Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
• 5:51:38 a.m. First stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
• 5:51:41 a.m. First and second stages separate
• 5:51:49 a.m. Second stage engine starts
• 5:56 a.m. First stage entry burn
• 5:57:49 a.m. Second stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
• 5:58:05 a.m. First stage entry burn
• 5:58:32 a.m. First stage landing
• 6:01 a.m. Crew Dragon separates from second stage
• 6:02 a.m. Dragon nosecone open sequence begins