NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts participate in a countdown dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 28, 2021, to prepare for the upcoming Crew-3 launch. The astronauts are at Launch Pad 39A with the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon behind them during the rehearsal. Photo credit: SpaceX
Tonight, Nov. 10, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft are scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A, carrying NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer to the International Space Station for the third crew rotation mission under the agency’s Commercial Crew Program.
Liftoff is targeted for 9:03 p.m. EST – an instantaneous launch window – and launch weather officers with the 45th Weather Squadron at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station are predicting a 70% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. The primary weather concerns are cumulus clouds and flight through precipitation. Teams also continue to monitor the weather conditions along in Crew Dragon’s flight path, which is expected to be favorable for launch. Live countdown coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. on NASA Television and the agency’s website, as well as right here on the blog.
Following liftoff, the Crew-3 astronauts will have a 22-hour journey to the space station, where they will be greeted by NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei and cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov – the Expedition 66 crew already on board. Crew-3 astronauts will remain at the station for a six-month science mission, living and working as part of a seven-member crew.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen at sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-3 mission, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission is the third crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer are scheduled to launch no earlier than Nov. 10 at 9:03 p.m. EST, from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)
NASA and SpaceX have completed the Delta Launch Readiness Review for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station. The launch now is targeted no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 10, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
A prelaunch news teleconference will begin at 11:00 p.m., Nov. 9. Listen live on the agency’s website. Participants include:
Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
Holly Ridings, chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson
William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build and Flight Reliability, SpaceX
Weather officials with the 45th Weather Squadron are predicting an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the primary concerns will be onshore moving Cumulus Clouds. Weather conditions along the ascent flight path also are predicted to be favorable.
The official crew portrait of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission with (from left) Commander Raja Chari and Pilot Thomas Mashburn, both NASA astronauts; Mission Specialist Matthias Maurer of ESA (European Space Agency); and Mission Specialist Kayla Barron of NASA. Photo credit: NASA
The Crew-3 prelaunch news teleconference now is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. EST. Listen live on the agency’s website.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-3 mission, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky
NASA will provide updated coverage of the upcoming launch and docking activities for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission, which will carry astronauts to the International Space Station.
This mission marks the third time the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft has transported a crew rotation of astronauts to the station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. It will be the spacecraft’s fourth flight for the program with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight.
The launch now is targeted for no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST Wednesday, Nov. 10, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch follows a successful return of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission.
The Crew Dragon Endurance is scheduled to dock to the space station at 7:10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11. Launch and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.
The Crew-3 flight will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander; Tom Marshburn, pilot; and Kayla Barron, mission specialist; as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission.
The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Kennedy Press Site facilities remains closed for the protection of Kennedy employees and journalists except for limited number of media who have already been notified. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
All media participation in the following news conference will be remote.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):
Today, Tuesday, Nov. 9
9:30 p.m. – Crew-3 Prelaunch News Teleconference with the following participants:
Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station Program, NASA Johnson
Holly Ridings, chief flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson
SpaceX Representative
ESA Representative
Media wishing to participate in the preview briefing by telephone must contact ksc-newsroom@mail.nasa.gov to RSVP by 4:30 p.m. EST today, Tuesday, Nov. 9. Those following the briefing on social media may ask questions using #AskNASA.
Wednesday, Nov. 10
4:45 p.m. – NASA TV coverage begins
9:03 p.m. – Launch
NASA TV coverage continues through docking, arrival, and the welcome ceremony. In lieu of a postlaunch news conference, NASA leadership will provide comments during the broadcast.
Thursday, Nov. 11
7:10 p.m. – Docking
8:45 p.m. – Hatch Opening
9:20 p.m. – Welcoming Ceremony
NASA TV Launch Coverage
NASA TV live coverage will begin at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10. For NASA TV downlink information, schedules, and links to streaming video, visit:
Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, “mission audio,” countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135.
Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz and UHF radio frequency 444.925 MHz, FM mode, heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.
NASA Website Launch Coverage
Launch day coverage of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission will be available on the agency’s website. Coverage will include livestreaming and blog updates beginning no earlier than 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the Kennedy newsroom at: 321-867-2468. Follow countdown coverage on the launch blog at:
On launch day, a “clean feed” of the launch without NASA TV commentary will air on the NASA TV media channel. NASA will provide a live video feed of Launch Complex 39A approximately 48 hours prior to the planned liftoff of the Crew-3 mission. Pending unlikely technical issues, the feed will be uninterrupted through launch.
Members of the public can register to attend this launch virtually or join the Facebook event. NASA’s virtual guest program for this mission also includes curated launch resources, notifications about related opportunities, as well as a stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport (for those registered via Eventbrite) following a successful launch.
Watch, Engage on Social Media
Let people know you’re following the mission on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram by using the hashtag #Crew3. You can also stay connected by following and tagging these accounts:
Did you know NASA has a Spanish section called NASA en Espanol? Make sure to check out NASA en Espanol on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for more coverage on Crew-3.
Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425 antonia.jaramillobotero@nasa.gov.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has delivered on its goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station from the United States through a partnership with American private industry. This partnership is changing the arc of human spaceflight history by opening access to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station to more people, more science, and more commercial opportunities. The space station remains the springboard to NASA’s next great leap in space exploration, including future missions to the Moon and, ultimately, to Mars.
For NASA’s launch blog and more information about the mission, visit:
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts participate in a countdown dress rehearsal at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 28, 2021, to prepare for the upcoming Crew-3 launch. From left are Matthias Maurer, with the European Space Agency, and NASA astronauts Tom Marshburn, Raja Chari, Crew-3 commander, and Kayla Barron. Photo credit: SpaceX
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts will remain at crew quarters at Kennedy until their launch. They will spend time with their families and receive technical and weather briefings in the next few days.
The Crew Dragon Endurance is scheduled to dock to the space station at 11 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. Launch and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.
The Crew-3 flight will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander; Tom Marshburn, pilot; and Kayla Barron, mission specialist; as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission, staying aboard until late April 2022.
The Crew-2 mission with NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will now target their undocking from the space station for no earlier than Sunday, Nov. 7, to return to Earth.
The deadline has passed for media accreditation for in-person coverage of this launch. Due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the Kennedy Press Site facilities remains closed for the protection of Kennedy employees and journalists except for limited number of media who have already been notified. More information about media accreditation is available by emailing: ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission coverage is as follows (all times Eastern):
Tuesday, Nov. 2
8:45 p.m. – NASA Television launch coverage begins. NASA will have continuous coverage, including launch, docking, hatch open, and welcome ceremony.
Wednesday, Nov. 3
1:10 a.m. – Launch
NASA TV coverage continues through docking, arrival, and the welcome ceremony. In lieu of a postlaunch news conference, NASA leadership will provide comments during the broadcast.
