NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Launch: Astronauts Gear Up for Mission to the International Space Station Amid Favorable Weather Predictions
NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Launch: Mission Details and Astronauts' Dress Rehearsal Ahead of Lift-off
On Monday, February 27th, NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 mission is set to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying two NASA astronauts, Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, along with UAE astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev. With a scheduled long-duration stay of up to six months aboard the International Space Station, the crew will conduct scientific experiments and maintenance before returning to Earth. Weather officials have predicted a 95% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch, and the astronauts have already completed a dress rehearsal in preparation. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft Endeavour have undergone critical testing, completing an integrated static fire test on the launch pad. Join NASA for live coverage of launch-day activities, including the countdown and other key mission milestones.
The liftoff was scheduled for 1:45 a.m. EST on Monday, Feb. 27, from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A. The mission carried two NASA astronauts – Commander Stephen Bowen and Pilot Warren “Woody” Hoburg – along with UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev as mission specialists to the International Space Station.
The crew is scheduled for a long-duration stay of up to six months aboard the space station conducting science and maintenance before returning to Earth.
On the day before the launch, Friday, Feb. 24, the astronauts participated in a countdown dress rehearsal at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida in preparation for the upcoming Crew-6 launch. The rehearsal began with launch teams assisting the crew into their SpaceX spacesuits inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. Next, the crew took the elevator down to the ground floor and exited the building’s double doors, where Tesla Model Xs were waiting to drive them the short distance to Launch Complex 39A.
After they arrived at the launch pad, Bowen, Hoburg, Alneyadi, and Fedyaev rode the launch tower’s elevator up to the crew access arm – the walkway they would use to enter Endeavour. Once securely seated inside, the crew checked their communications systems before the spacecraft’s hatch was closed. The rehearsal concluded with the “Go/No-Go” poll for Falcon 9 fueling, which normally occurs about 45 minutes before liftoff.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft Endeavour that carried the crew to the International Space Station arrived at the launch pad and was raised into a vertical position for launch on Thursday, Feb. 23. The Endeavour spacecraft previously flew NASA’s Crew-1, Inspiration4, and Axiom Mission-1 astronauts.
Now, let's talk about the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that launched the company’s Dragon Endeavour spacecraft and Crew-6 crew members to the International Space Station. The rocket's nine Merlin first-stage engines roared to life for seven seconds, completing the routine but critical integrated static fire test. This morning, Feb. 24, the rocket reached a key milestone ahead of liftoff while standing on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission will carry NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren “Woody” Hoburg, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev to the space station for a six-month science mission.
This is the sixth crew rotation mission with astronauts using the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket to the orbiting laboratory as part of the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. More details about the Crew-6 mission can be found in the press kit online and by following the Crew-6 blog, @commercial_crew on Twitter, and commercial crew on Facebook.
Beginning at 9 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 26, NASA offered blog coverage of launch-day activities on the Crew-6 blog. At 10:15 p.m. EST, there was a live launch broadcast on NASA TV or the agency’s website, and viewers were able to follow along through the countdown and other key mission milestones.