NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Flight Crew Arrive at Launch Site

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft on top is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft on top is seen on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA Television

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and mission specialist Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, have arrived at Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A, where SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, stands ready for launch. Liftoff is slated for 10:53 p.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 Dragon.

Since the late 1960s, pads A and B at Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39 have supported America’s major space programs, with Pad A used most frequently for launches under the Space Shuttle Program. After the retirement of the shuttle in 2011, Pad A helped usher in a new era of human spaceflight as launch pad for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, which returned human spaceflight capability to the United States. Pad B saw the launch of NASA’s Artemis I mission in November 2022 and will continue to be the primary launch pad for America’s efforts to return to humans the Moon.

Meet NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Crew

Official SpaceX Crew-8 portrait, from right to left, NASA astronauts Mission Specialist Jeanette Epps, Commander Matthew Dominick, and Pilot Michael Barratt, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut and Mission Specialist Aleksandr Grebenkin. Photo credit: NASA/Bill Stafford

Matthew Dominick will serve as commander for Crew-8, his first spaceflight, after being selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2017. He is from Wheat Ridge, Colorado, and earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of San Diego, California, and a master’s in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. He is an active-duty U.S. Navy astronaut. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in Patuxent River, Maryland, and then served as a test pilot specializing in testing aircraft carriers’ landings and catapult launches.

Michael Barratt is the Crew-8 pilot, making his third visit to the International Space Station. In 2009, Barratt served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 19/20 as the station transitioned its standard crew complement from three to six and performed two spacewalks. He flew aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 2011 on STS-133, which delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module and fourth Express Logistics Carrier. He has spent a total of 212 days in space. Born in Vancouver, Washington, he considers Camas, Washington, to be his hometown. Barratt earned a bachelor’s in zoology from the University of Washington, Seattle, and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern University in Chicago. He completed residencies in internal and aerospace medicine at Northwestern along with a master’s degree at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. After nine years as a NASA flight surgeon and project physician, Barratt joined the astronaut corps in 2000.

Jeanette Epps was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2009. She serves as mission specialist aboard Crew-8, her first spaceflight, working with the commander and pilot to monitor the spacecraft during the dynamic launch and re-entry phases of flight. She is from Syracuse, New York, and earned a bachelor’s in physics from LeMoyne College in Syracuse, and a master’s in science and a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland at College Park. Prior to joining NASA, she worked at Ford Motor Co. and the Central Intelligence Agency. She has served on the Generic Joint Operation Panel working on space station crew efficiency, as a crew support astronaut for two expeditions, and as lead capsule communicator at NASA Johnson. Epps previously was assigned to NASA’s Boeing Starliner-1 mission. NASA reassigned Epps to allow Boeing time to complete development of Starliner while also continuing plans for astronauts to gain spaceflight experience for future mission needs.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who graduated from Irkutsk High Military Aviation School, Irkutsk, Russia, majoring in engineering, maintenance, and repair of aircraft radio navigation systems, also is flying on his first mission. He graduated from Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics with a degree in radio communications, broadcasting, and television. Grebenkin will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 70/71 aboard the International Space Station.

Details about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program can be found by following the Crew-8 blog, the commercial crew blog, X, and Facebook.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Suits Up for Launch

NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 crew members suit up ahead of launch on Sunday, March 3, 2024.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members suit up ahead of launch on Sunday, March 3, 2024. Photo credit: NASA Television

For the second time in two days, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and mission specialist Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, are suiting up 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 for leaks. Designed for safety and functionality, the spacesuits supply pressurization, protecting the crew from potential depressurization, and a port located on the thigh connects to life support systems, including air and power. Also included in the suits are touchscreen-compatible gloves and a flame-resistant outer layer.

Watch now on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website, where NASA is providing live coverage of key milestones leading up to launch and through ascent following liftoff.

A Look at Tonight’s Key Launch Milestones

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company's Dragon spacecraft on top is seen during sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-8 mission, Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the company’s Dragon spacecraft on top is seen during sunset on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations continue for the Crew-8 mission at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo Credit: NASA/Aubrey Gemignani

We’re just about four hours away from the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission and weather continues to look great for launch, with the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicting an 75% chance of favorable weather conditions at launch.

NASA’s live coverage of the Crew-8 launch is airing now on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website, and you can follow along on the mission blog, the commercial crew blog, X, and Facebook for continuous coverage of important Crew-8 launch activities.

Here’s a look at some of the key milestones and critical events leading up to tonight’s launch and occurring after liftoff. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are scheduled to lift off at 10:53 p.m. EST from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida.

Time              Event (All times approximate)
6:48 p.m.     Crew handoff to SpaceX
6:53 p.m.      Suit donning and checkouts
7:33 p.m.      Crew walkout from Neil A. Armstrong Operations & Checkout Building
7:38 p.m.      Crew transportation to Launch Complex 39A
7:58 p.m.      Crew arrives at pad and ascends tower
8:18 p.m.      Crew ingress
8:23 p.m.      Communication check
8:24 p.m.      Seat rotation
8:25 p.m.      Suit leak checks
8:58 p.m.      Hatch close
10:08 p.m.    SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
10:11 p.m.    Crew access arm retracts
10:14 p.m.    Dragon’s launch escape system is armed
10:18 p.m.    RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
10:18 p.m.    1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
10:37 p.m.    2nd stage LOX loading begins
10:46 p.m.    Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
10:48 p.m.    Dragon transitions to internal power
10:52 p.m.    Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
10:52 p.m.    Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
10:52 p.m.    SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
10:53 p.m.    Falcon 9 liftoff
10:54 p.m.    Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
10:55 p.m.    1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
10:55 p.m.    1st and 2nd stages separate
10:55 p.m.    2nd stage engine starts
10:56 p.m.    Boostback Burn Starts
10:59 p.m.    Boostback Burn Ends
10:59 p.m.    1st stage entry burn starts
11:00 p.m.    1st stage entry burn ends
11:00 p.m.    1st stage landing burn starts
11:00 p.m.    1st stage landing
11:02 p.m.    2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
11:05 p.m.    Dragon separates from 2nd stage
11:06 p.m.    Dragon nosecone open sequence begins

Weather Forecast at 75% ‘Go’ for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Launch

The Crew-8 and American flags fly over the iconic countdown clock near the NASA News Center at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 launch, Sunday, March 3, 2024.
The Crew-8 and American flags fly over the iconic countdown clock near the NASA News Center at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launch, Sunday, March 3, 2024. Photo credit: NASA Television

For NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 launch, targeted at 10:53 p.m. EST tonight, the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron predicts a 75% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for liftoff. The primary weather concerns for the launch area are flight through precipitation and the anvil cloud rule.

The Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, will launch to the International Space Station on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

NASA’s live coverage of Crew-8 activities begins at 6:45 p.m. EST on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website. Follow along for details about the mission and NASA’s Commercial Crew Program on the Crew-8 blog, the commercial crew blog, X, and Facebook.

Orbital Plumbing, Foam Physics Wrap Week as Crew-8 Nears Launch

The SpaceX Dragon "Endurance" spacecraft, circular star trails, and Earth's atmospheric glow are pictured as the station orbited 263 miles above the north Atlantic Ocean.
The SpaceX Dragon “Endurance” spacecraft, circular star trails, and Earth’s atmospheric glow are pictured as the station orbited 263 miles above the north Atlantic Ocean.

More lab maintenance was on deck for the Expedition 70 crew as they worked on orbital plumbing and cleaned crew quarters throughout Friday. The seven orbital residents aboard the International Space Station also serviced a variety of science and electronics hardware while continuing to focus on the upcoming Commercial Crew swap.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara spent most of her day inside the Tranquility module swapping out advanced hydraulic components inside the orbital outpost’s restroom, also known as the Waste and Hygiene Compartment. She was assisted by astronauts Andreas Mogensen, Jasmin Moghbeli, and Satoshi Furukawa helping uninstall then reinstall the station’s toilet returning it to operational status.

Moghbeli from NASA wrapped up her day cleaning her crew quarters inside the Harmony module. Earlier, Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) cleaned his crew quarters on the opposite side of Harmony from Moghbeli’s. The duo each spent about two-and-a-half hours cleaning the quarters’ vents, fans, air ducts, and sensors.

Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) began his shift in the Columbus laboratory module processing samples for a foam physics study potentially revealing phenomena not possible in Earth’s gravity. The experiment takes place inside Columbus’ Fluid Science Laboratory and explores the coarsening and coalescing of foams that may improve fire safety, water cleaning, and other space and Earthbound applications.

Mogensen, Moghbeli, and Furukawa, along with cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov, also continued packing personal items and station hardware throughout the day ahead of their upcoming departure aboard the SpaceX Dragon “Endurance” spacecraft. The quartet is planned to undock from the Harmony module’s space-facing port about a week after the SpaceX Crew-8 mission arrives aboard the SpaceX Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft.

Crew-8 is targeting its liftoff for 11:16 p.m. EST on Saturday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The Commercial Crew quartet, with Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Mike Barratt, and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin, is due to arrive at the station at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday for an automated docking to Harmony’s forward port. The foursome will become station flight engineers living and working in space for a six-month research mission.

In the station’s Roscosmos segment, Borisov and fellow cosmonaut Nikolai Chub tried on a unique suit being tested for its ability to draw fluids pooled in a crew member’s upper body toward the legs and feet. Space-caused fluid shifts toward the upper body are known to create eye and head pressure, as well as the more familiar space condition known as “puffy-face.” Balancing body fluids in space may also help a crew member’s heart rate and blood pressure adjust more quickly to the return to Earth’s gravity.

Chub later joined veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko testing video cameras being downlinked to mission controllers on Earth. The duo also familiarized themselves with hardware that measures the aerodynamic forces the station experiences while orbiting Earth and when spaceships dock and undock.


Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog@space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Maintenance Day Aboard Station as Crew-8 Launch Moves

The SpaceX Crew-8 members (from left) Alexander Grebenkin, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps are pictured in their pressure suits at the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. Credit: SpaceX
The SpaceX Crew-8 members (from left) Alexander Grebenkin, Mike Barratt, Matthew Dominick, and Jeanette Epps are pictured in their pressure suits at the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. Credit: SpaceX

The Expedition 70 crew members will wait one more day to welcome the SpaceX Crew-8 mission due to unfavorable weather conditions forecasted at launch time. Meanwhile, the seven International Space Station residents stayed busy Thursday on orbital maintenance tasks while planning for the upcoming departure of four crewmates.

The SpaceX Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft is now targeted to launch at 11:16 p.m. EST Saturday, March 2. Crew-8 Commander Matthew Dominick, Pilot Mike Barratt, and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin will take a short, automated trip to the station aboard Dragon and dock to the Harmony module’s forward port at 2:15 p.m. on Sunday.

The Dragon and station hatches will open less than two hours later and the Crew-8 members will enter the Harmony module where the Expedition 70 septet will greet them. Shortly after that, the 11 astronauts and cosmonauts will call down to Earth to share welcome remarks with mission officials and family members. The Crew-8 foursome will officially become space station flight engineers beginning a six-month research mission aboard the orbital lab.

Back on the space station, lab maintenance topped the schedule on Thursday ensuring the orbital outpost remains in tip-top shape. The station crew also had time for some science work while also training to depart aboard the SpaceX Dragon “Endurance” spacecraft.

NASA Flight Engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli finalized air conditioning work inside the Quest airlock. They completed swapping components on the Common Cabin Air Assembly, a life support device that circulates, cools, and dehumidifies the station’s air. Afterward, they stowed tools and packed the obsolete gear for return to Earth. O’Hara then moved on and processed fiber optic samples being produced inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox.

Afterward, Moghbeli joined her Crew-7 crewmates Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, and Konstantin Borisov and prepared their return to Earth about a week after the Crew-8 mission arrives. The Crew-7 quartet practiced Dragon undocking procedures on computer tablets inside the spacecraft. The four crewmates also tried on a specialized garment that may ease their adjustment to Earth’s gravity after living for six months in weightlessness.

Earlier in the day, Mogensen cleaned his crew quarters inside Harmony then called down to Earth for a conference with mission managers from ESA (European Space Agency). Furukawa from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) organized emergency equipment to get ready for the Crew-8 mission. Borisov studied spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques future crews may use on planetary missions.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub began their morning reviewing procedures for an experiment to measure the aerodynamic forces the station experiences while orbiting Earth. The duo from Roscosmos then spent the rest of the day working inside the Zarya module continuing to assemble cargo containers.

Space-Caused Eye, Head Pressure Research as Crew-8 Preps for Launch

The seven-member Expedition 70 crew gathers for a dinner time portrait inside the International Space Station's Unity module.
The seven-member Expedition 70 crew gathers for a dinner time portrait inside the International Space Station’s Unity module.

Eye checks and “anti-gravity” suits were the main human research topics for the Expedition 70 crew on Wednesday. The International Space Station residents also worked on standard maintenance tasks while getting ready for the next Commercial Crew swap.

Doctors are constantly monitoring astronauts’ health to ensure long-term mission success and ease their return to Earth’s gravity after months or years in space. Vision is a critical parameter as researchers explore space-caused pressure on the eyes due to fluids shifting toward the head. The same fluid shifts quickly reverse when an astronaut reenters Earth’s atmosphere causing blood pressure and stability issues. Doctors are studying methods to offset these symptoms and reduce the time it takes for crews to adapt to gravity.

NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara had her optical nerve, retina, and cornea scanned on Wednesday using standard medical imaging hardware. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Flight Engineer Satoshi Furukawa led the eye exams operating the optical gear in the Harmony module with assistance from doctors and technicians on the ground.

Earlier in the day, O’Hara wore a sensor-packed vest and headband, the Bio-Monitor gear from the Canadian Space Agency, being evaluated for their ability to comfortably monitor an astronaut’s health data. Furukawa continued setting up biology hardware for upcoming research inside the Kibo laboratory module.

Two cosmonauts, Nikolai Chub and Konstantin Borisov, tried on the lower body negative pressure suit again in the middle of the week exploring its potential to decrease fluid pressure in the head triggered by weightlessness. Doctors theorize the downward fluid shifts may help maintain a crew member’s heart rate and blood pressure when returning to Earth.

Meanwhile, astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli from NASA and Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) joined forces and spent the day inside the Quest airlock replacing advanced air conditioning equipment. The duo swapped hoses, seals, and a heat exchanger on the Common Cabin Air Assembly, a life support device that circulates, cools, and dehumidifies the station’s air.

Moghbeli and Mogensen, Commander and Pilot of the SpaceX Crew-7 mission, also continued packing gear for their return to Earth inside the SpaceX Dragon “Endurance” spacecraft. The duo along with Furukawa and Borisov are scheduled to depart the station ending their mission about one week after the SpaceX Crew-8 mission arrives.

Crew-8, led by Commander Matthew Dominick with Pilot Michael Barratt and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin, have been given the go to launch to the station at 12:04 a.m. EST on Friday aboard the SpaceX Dragon “Endeavour” spacecraft. The Commercial Crew quartet will take an automated ride aboard Dragon for a docking to Harmony’s forward port at 7 a.m. on Saturday.

NASA and SpaceX are also targeting no earlier than mid-March for launch of the company’s 30th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon cargo spacecraft is scheduled from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

During the NASA Administrator’s Briefing from Kennedy Space Center today, NASA’s International Space Station Program Manager Joel Montalbano discussed the upcoming crew and cargo missions.


Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog@space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Expedition 70 Crew Works on Station Airlocks and Exercise Research

NASA astronauts (from left) Loral O'Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli work on spacesuit maintenance inside the Quest airlock.
NASA astronauts (from left) Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli work on spacesuit maintenance inside the Quest airlock.

The Expedition 70 crew focused mainly on operational maintenance activities throughout Tuesday. The International Space Station residents also continued their exercise research among a host of other ongoing science experiments.

Airlock activities filled the day for NASA Flight Engineers Loral O’Hara and Jasmin Moghbeli in the U.S. segment of the orbital lab. The duo started the day in the Tranquility module and finalized reconfiguring the NanoRacks Bishop airlock following a week of experimental robotic arm activities. Afterward, the NASA pair moved into the Quest airlock and serviced a pair of spacesuits then prepared Quest for upcoming advanced air conditioning work.

Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) worked inside the Columbus laboratory module during the morning swapping out life support gear. Later, he set up the Lumina radiation detection experiment hardware in Columbus that measures in real time the fluctuating radiation environment aboard the space station.

JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa had a busy schedule as he worked on biology and robotics research all day. Furukawa first swapped sensors and checked vents on the Cell Biology Experiment Facility located in the Kibo laboratory module. Next, Furukawa checked out the performance of a free-flying camera robot inside Kibo.

Finally, Furukawa spent the rest of Tuesday participating in the CIPHER experiment, a suite of 14 human research studies to understand the effects of weightlessness on the body. He began with deadlift exercises on the advanced resistive exercise device for one portion of the study. Next, he wore the Bio-Monitor vest and headband recording his physiological data then calibrated breathing gear. CIPHER is providing doctors vital insights that may help keep crews safe and healthy on longer term missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

All three astronauts and Roscosmos Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov also spent an hour each throughout the day packing for their upcoming departure and return to Earth. The quartet will undock from the Harmony module’s space-facing port aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endurance spacecraft a week after the SpaceX Crew-8 members arrive. Crew-8 is due to launch at 12:04 a.m. EST on Friday aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft and dock to Harmony’s forward port on Saturday at 7 a.m.

Veteran cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko and Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub spent most of the day installing cargo containers inside the Zarya module. Kononenko later jogged on a treadmill while attached to electrodes and sensors for a regularly scheduled fitness assessment at the end of the day. Daily exercise aboard the station is necessary for crews to maintain bone and muscle health due to the lack of gravity. Borisov also worked on computer and ventilation maintenance in the station’s Roscosmos segment.


Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog@space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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Station Crew Explores Space Health as Dragon Crew Nears Launch

The four SpaceX Crew-8 members are pictured shortly after arriving at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 25, 2024. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
The four SpaceX Crew-8 members are pictured shortly after arriving at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 25, 2024. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Human research, space physics, and airlock operations started the week for the Expedition 70 crew aboard the International Space Station. Back on Earth, four Commercial Crew members are counting down to their launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the orbital outpost.

Exercising daily in space is critical to maintain crew health due to the effects of living long-term in weightlessness. Astronauts work out on specialized exercise gear designed specifically for the microgravity environment including a treadmill, an exercise cycle, and the advanced resistive exercise device. Doctors frequently monitor these exercise sessions while crew members are attached to sensors, electrodes, and breathing gear.

Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) took turns pedaling on the exercise cycle Monday morning for a workout study. The duo exercised inside the Destiny laboratory module for the regularly scheduled aerobics and fitness test that measures heart and breathing rate.

Moghbeli then moved on and joined NASA Flight Engineer Loral O’Hara to work on the NanoRacks Bishop airlock inside the Tranquility module. Both astronauts spent Monday afternoon reconfiguring Bishop after it was reattached to Tranquility following a week of experimental GITAI-S2 robotics tests. The autonomous robotic arm demonstration explores using automated robots to build habitats and spacecraft on future lunar and planetary missions. Furukawa also assisted with the airlock work after he inspected hatches in the U.S. segment of the space station.

Physics was also on the research schedule as O’Hara and Commander Andreas Mogensen from ESA (European Space Agency) serviced samples and hardware for a pair of different experiments. O’Hara swapped optic fiber samples inside the Microgravity Science Glovebox for an investigation exploring how to manufacture fiber optic cables superior to those produced on Earth. Mogensen replaced components inside the Combustion Integrated Rack for a space fire safety experiment.

Roscosmos Flight Engineer Nikolai Chub had a fitness evaluation on Monday as he jogged on a treadmill with electrodes attached to his chest measuring his heart rate. Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Konstantin Borisov tried on a suit being tested for its ability to help crew members adjust to Earth’s gravity after living for months or years in space.

Meanwhile, the space station is orbiting higher after the docked Progress 87 resupply ship fired its engines for over 17 minutes on Friday. The orbital reboost positions the station for next month’s launch of the Soyuz MS-25 crew ship and the departure of the Soyuz MS-24 crew ship.

Back on Earth, four Commercial Crew members representing the SpaceX Crew-8 mission are at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida preparing for their launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. Commander Matt Dominick, Pilot Mike Barratt, and Mission Specialists Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin will lift off aboard Dragon at 12:04 a.m. EST on Friday. They will dock to the Harmony module’s forward port at 6 a.m. on Saturday beginning a six-month space research mission on the orbital lab.


Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog@space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

Get weekly video highlights at: https://roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov/videoupdate/

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