NASA targets Nov 14 for launch of SpaceX Crew-1 mission

Washington, October 27

NASA is now targeting November 14 for the launch of the SpaceX Crew-1 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

This will be the first crew rotation mission to the space station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Programme, NASA said on Monday.

Originally scheduled for October 31, the planned six-month mission was earlier delayed as Elon Musk-run SpaceX evaluates off-nominal behaviour of Falcon 9 first stage engine gas generators observed during a recent non-NASA mission launch attempt.

Managers of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission will hold a media teleconference on October 28, to discuss the upcoming launch, including results from recent testing of the Falcon 9 Merlin engines.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 mission will launch the agency’s astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission specialist Soichi Noguchi, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.

Crew-1 astronauts will join the Expedition 64 crew of Commander Sergey Ryzhikov, and Flight Engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and NASA astronaut Kate Rubins.

The arrival of Crew-1 will increase the regular crew size of the space station’s expedition missions from six to seven astronauts, adding to the amount of crew time available for research, NASA said. IANS