Author: Kathleen Haas Ellis

NASA and SpaceX Adjust the Agency’s Crew-4 Launch Date

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts participate in a training session at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. From left to right: NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 mission specialist Jessica Watkins; NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 pilot Robert “Bob” Hines; NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 commander Kjell Lindgren; and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Crew-4 mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts participate in a training session at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, CA. From left to right: NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 mission specialist Jessica Watkins; NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 pilot Robert “Bob” Hines; NASA astronaut and SpaceX Crew-4 commander Kjell Lindgren; and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut and Crew-4 mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti of Italy. Photo credit: NASA

NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 5:26 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 23, for the launch of the agency’s Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The date adjustment provides mission teams time to complete final prelaunch processing for the Crew-4 mission following the April 8 launch of Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) to the space station.

Mission teams continue to monitor operational timelines with ongoing space station activities, including upcoming spacewalks and the return of Ax-1 crew members. The weather forecast remains a watch item to ensure safe recovery and launch operations for crew missions. The Crew-4 date also provides three consecutive launch opportunities with backups on Sunday, April 24, and Monday, April 25.

The agency’s flight readiness review will be held on Friday, April 15, at Kennedy. The review will focus on the preparedness of SpaceX’s crew transportation system, the International Space Station, and its international partners to support the flight, as well as the certification of flight readiness.

Following the review, NASA will hold a media teleconference to discuss the status to launch at approximately 5:30 p.m. or one hour after the review concludes. While the teleconference will not be televised, media may call in to ask questions via phone. Contact the Kennedy newsroom no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, April 15, for connection details.

Participants in the teleconference will include:

  • Kathy Lueders, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
  • Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy
  • Joel Montalbano, manager, International Space Station, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
  • Zeb Scoville, flight director, Flight Operations Directorate, Johnson
  • Jared Metter, director, Flight Reliability, SpaceX
  • Frank De Winne, program manager, International Space Station, ESA (European Space Agency)

The Crew-4 flight will carry NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, mission commander, Robert Hines, pilot, and Jessica Watkins, mission specialist and ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a science expedition mission. The astronauts will fly a new Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, on a flight proven Falcon 9 rocket.

Crew-3 astronauts will splash down off the coast of Florida following a short handover with Crew-4 on the space station.

Learn more about Crew-4 by exploring the Commercial Crew Press Kit.

NASA, SpaceX Adjust Target Launch Date for Crew-4 Mission

Shown is the official crew portrait of SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts representing NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. From left are Pilot Robert Hines, Mission specialists Samantha Cristoforetti and Jessica Watkins, and Commander Kjell Lindgren. Hines, Watkins, and Lindgren are NASA astronauts; Cristoforetti is an ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut.

Axiom Space and SpaceX are adjusting the launch date for the Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) to the International Space Station to allow teams to complete final spacecraft processing ahead of the mission. The Ax-1 crew will fly on Dragon Endeavour to and from the space station. After 10 days in orbit, the Ax-1 crew will splash down off the coast of Florida.

NASA and SpaceX also will adjust the target launch date for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station to allow appropriate spacing for operations and post-flight data reviews between human spaceflight missions and to allow for multiple consecutive launch attempts based on the orbital mechanics for arrival to the space station. The current no earlier than launch date is Tuesday, April 19, pending completion of program reviews expected early next week to formalize the new target.

Crew-4 will carry an international crew of four astronauts to the orbital complex on a new Dragon spacecraft and flight proven Falcon 9 rocket for a science expedition mission.