Space Station

The Falcon 9 rocket has reached first stage main engine cutoff (MECO), and the first and second stages have separated. Next, the Falcon 9’s second stage engine will start.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, lit up Florida’s night sky, as NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, commander; Michael Barratt, pilot; and mission specialist Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut mission specialist Alexander Grebenkin, started their approximately 28-hour journey to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. Liftoff occurred at 10:53 p.m. EST.

At the time of launch, the space station is flying 260 statute miles over the southern Arabian Sea, southwest of India.

Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, with NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick; Michael Barratt; and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin is now just five minutes away. Everything is proceeding according to schedule, and all is looking good for the launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station.

 

Fuel loading is complete on the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage. Everything remains on target for the 10:53 p.m. EST scheduled launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission from the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fueling has begun. Rocket grade kerosene (RP-1) loading and first stage liquid oxygen loading is underway. A few minutes from now, fueling will begin for the second stage.

Launch weather officers with the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch. Liftoff remains scheduled for 10:53 p.m. EST.

The crew access arm has retracted, and momentarily the Dragon spacecraft’s launch escape system will be armed. This will allow the Crew-8 crew members to escape safely in the unlikely event of an anomaly from the moment the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off until the time they reach orbit – a timespan of roughly 12 minutes.

Propellant loading is expected to begin shortly.

The confirmation that Dragon is “go” for launch just came through. In just a few minutes, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage will be loaded with rocket grade kerosene, called RP-1, and liquid oxygen. Then, the second stage will be loaded with liquid oxygen.

The SpaceX closeout team has left the crew access arm, which will soon retract away from the Dragon spacecraft. Launch, set for 10:53 p.m. EST, is now a little less than an hour away. Launch weather officers with the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron now predict a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for liftoff.

Stay with us here on the blog as the countdown continues. We’ll keep you updated on the key milestones throughout this historic mission. On NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website, there is continuous live coverage of important Crew-8 activities.

Read the Crew-8 Mission Overview for a summary of the mission. Learn more about commercial crew and space station activities by following the Crew-8 blog, the commercial crew blog, X, and Facebook.

During their time on the International Space Station, the members of Crew-8 will conduct new scientific research to prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefit humanity on Earth.

Experiments include using stem cells to create organoid models to study degenerative diseases, studying the effects of microgravity and UV radiation on plants at a cellular level, and testing whether wearing pressure cuffs on the legs could prevent fluid shifts and reduce health problems in astronauts. These are just a few of the more than 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations taking place during their mission.

While aboard the orbiting laboratory, the members of Crew-8 will see the arrival of both the SpaceX Dragon and the Roscosmos Progress cargo spacecraft. Crew-8 also is expected to welcome the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts. A Soyuz spacecraft with three new crew members, including NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, will also launch during their stay, and the Soyuz carrying NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will return to Earth.

Commercial crew missions enable NASA to maximize use of the space station, where astronauts have lived and worked continuously for more than 23 years testing technologies, performing research, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit and explore farther from Earth. Research conducted on the space station provides benefits for people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration trips to the Moon and beyond through NASA’s Artemis campaign.

With communication checks complete, the hatch now is closed on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, which previously flew NASA’s SpaceX Demo Mission-2, Crew-2 and Crew-6, in addition to Axiom Mission 1. Liftoff for Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and Alexander Grebenkin is two hours away at 10:53 p.m. EST.

Weather trends continue to improve, and launch is now 85% “go.” Flight through precipitation and the anvil cloud rule serve as the main weather concerns.