International Space Station

NASA’s SpaceX CRS-31: Dragon Launches at 9:29 p.m. EST

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, carrying more than 6,000 pounds of supplies to the orbiting laboratory, lifted off at 9:29 p.m. EST Monday, on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credits: NASA+

At 9:29 p.m. EST, over 6,000 pounds of scientific investigations and cargo launched to the International Space Station on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft for the company’s 31st commercial resupply services mission for NASA. The spacecraft lifted off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

About 9 minutes after launch, Dragon will separate from the rocket’s second stage, open its nosecone, and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the space station.

Dragon will arrive at the orbiting outpost at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, and dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.

NASA will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s arrival beginning at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 5 on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

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.

NASA’s SpaceX CRS-31: Launch Coverage Underway

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Dragon spacecraft atop, stands in a vertical position at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in preparation for the 31st commercial resupply services launch to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA+

NASA’s coverage is underway on NASA+ and the agency’s website for the launch of SpaceX’s 31st commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for liftoff at 9:29 p.m. EST on the company’s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Filled with more than 6,000 pounds of scientific investigations, food, supplies, and equipment, Dragon will arrive at the orbiting outpost at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, and dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module.

NASA will provide live coverage of the spacecraft’s arrival beginning at 8:45 a.m. Nov. 5 on NASA+ and the agency’s website.

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.

Splashdown! NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Returns Safely to Earth

he SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is seen as it splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT, returning Crew-8 to Earth. Photo credit: NASA+

NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, splashed down safely in their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT, completing a seven-month science mission aboard the International Space Station.

Teams on the SpaceX recovery ship, including two fast boats, are securing Dragon and ensuring the spacecraft is safe for recovery. As the fast boat teams complete their work, the recovery ship will move into position to hoist Dragon onto the main deck with the Crew-8 crew members inside. Once on the main deck, the crew will be taken out of the spacecraft and undergo medical checks before a short helicopter ride to board a plane for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

NASA and SpaceX will hold a media teleconference later this morning at 5 a.m. EDT to discuss the Crew-8 mission and the crew’s return to Earth. NASA will stream live coverage of the teleconference on the agency’s YouTube channel. Participants include:

Richard Jones, deputy manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Bill Spetch, operations and integration manager, NASA’s International Space Station Program
William Gerstenmaier, vice president, Build & Flight Reliability, SpaceX

Learn more about commercial crew and space station activities by following @commercial_crew, @Space_Station, @ISS_Research on X, as well as the Commercial Crew Facebook, ISS Facebook, and ISS Instagram accounts.

Dragon Deorbit Burn Complete; Next Up, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Splashdown

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is seen inside the SpaceX Dragon capsule as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members return to Earth on Oct. 25, 2024. Dragon is scheduled to splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, at 3:29 a.m. EDT. Photo credit: NASA+

After 236 days in space, NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, are less than an hour away from returning to Earth on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission.

The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft completed its deorbit burn as expected ahead of splashdown targeted for approximately 3:29 a.m. EDT off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.

Upon splashdown, Crew-8 will have orbited the Earth 3,776 times and traveled approximately 100,132,895 statute miles. In their 232 days spent aboard the space station, they also saw the arrival and departure of eight visiting spacecraft.

Four minutes before splashdown, the drogue parachutes will deploy at about 18,000 feet in altitude while Dragon is moving approximately 350 miles per hour. Less than a minute later, the main parachutes will deploy at about 6,000 feet in altitude while the spacecraft is moving approximately 119 miles per hour.

NASA’s live coverage will continue on NASA+ and the agency’s website until the crew is recovered from the spacecraft.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Prepares for Deorbit Burn

NASA’s live coverage continues as NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, make their return to Earth inside the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on the agency’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. Splashdown is scheduled for approximately 3:29 a.m. EDT off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery teams are taking positions in the recovery zone.

The critical deorbit burn is scheduled to start at 2:39 a.m. EDT and will last approximately eight minutes.

Live coverage of Crew-8’s return begins at 2:15 a.m. EDT on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

NASA, SpaceX Adjust Crew-8 Undocking Date

Image shows NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 at the International Space Station — NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 crew members pose for a photo inside SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Photo credit: NASA

Weather conditions near the multiple splashdown sites off Florida’s coast remain unfavorable for the return of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission from the International Space Station. Forecasts remain marginal for an undocking on Tuesday, Oct. 22, and Wednesday, Oct. 23. If weather conditions improve, NASA and SpaceX will target no earlier than 9:05 p.m. EDT, Oct. 22, for undocking from the space station. Based on the current forecast, conditions are expected to improve as the week progresses.

Mission managers continue to monitor conditions and will meet at 9 a.m., Oct. 22, for the next weather briefing. We will provide additional updates and information on NASA+ coverage when available.