Endeavour Spacecraft Reaches Orbit, News Conference at 2:30 a.m. EST

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 liftoff from Kennedy Space Center
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 crew members Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, Sultan Alneyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev blast off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida at 12:34 a.m. EST Thursday, March 2, 2023. Photo credit: NASA/Frank Michaux

The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour, carrying NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, commander; Woody Hoburg, pilot; and mission specialists UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev to the International Space Station, has safely reached orbit, and the nosecone has been opened.

At 2:30 a.m. EST, NASA will host a postlaunch news conference from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will be broadcast live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. Participants in the briefing will be:

  • Kathy Lueders, associate administrator, Space Operations Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington
  • Steve Stich, manager, Commercial Crew Program, Kennedy 
  • Dina Contella, operations integration manager, International Space Station Program, NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston
  • Benji Reed, senior director, Human Spaceflight Program, SpaceX
  • Salem AlMarri, director general, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre

Crew-6 will dock at the space station at approximately 1:17 a.m. EST on Friday, March 3. Live coverage on NASA TV resumes at 11:30 p.m. EST on March 2 and continues through spacecraft docking, hatch opening (2:55 a.m.), and the welcome ceremony (3:40 a.m.) at the microgravity laboratory.

Follow along with mission activities and get more information here on the Crew-6 blog, commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew on Twitter, and commercial crew on Facebook.

Separation Confirmed! Dragon Endeavour Leaves Behind Second Stage

Dragon Endeavour spacecraft separates from the second stage during NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission
SpaceX’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft separates from the second stage during NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission on Thursday, March 2, 2023. Photo credit: NASA

The Dragon Endeavour spacecraft has separated from the second stage. The spacecraft is traveling at approximately 17,500 miles per hour.

Stage 1 Successfully Lands on SpaceX Drone Ship

Crew-6 mission: Stage 1 landing of SpaceX drone ship
Approximately eight minutes after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida at 12:34 a.m. EST on March 2, 2023, Stage 1 of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket comes in for a landing on the company’s drone ship, Just Read the Instructions. Photo credit: NASA

Stage 1 of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket completed its descent and successfully landed on SpaceX’s drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, off the coast of Florida.

Liftoff! Crew-6 Lights Up the Florida Early Morning Sky

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission launch
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft atop, lifts off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission at 12:34 a.m. EST Thursday, March 2, 2023. NASA/Frank Michaux

The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft roared off of Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 12:34 a.m. EST! Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, Sultan Alneyadi, and Andrey Fedyaev have successfully begun their approximate 24.5-hour journey to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission.

Max Q will happen during the next minute.

Crew-6 Reaches Terminal Count for Launch from Kennedy

The RP-1 rocket fuel load for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission launch is complete.

It’s just a few minutes until liftoff, and all looks good for the Crew-6 launch! There is still time to tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website to watch the rocket and spacecraft blast off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Mission 20 Minutes from Launch

NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission
Launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission from Kennedy Space Center in Florida is proceeding on schedule for a 12:34 a.m. EST launch. Photo credit: NASA

Fuel loading is complete on the second stage, and liquid oxygen loading has begun. Everything remains on target for the 12:34 a.m. EST launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.

Weather conditions remain extremely favorable. Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website for a live broadcast.

The mission is the sixth crew rotation flight of a Dragon spacecraft as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, carrying NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, who will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, and UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who will serve as mission specialists.

Propellant and Liquid Oxygen Loading Underway for Crew-6 Launch

Right on schedule – at T-minus 35 minutes – RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading and first stage liquid oxygen loading has begun.

Liftoff, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is at 12:34 a.m. EST.

Tune in to NASA TV or the agency’s website for a live broadcast.