The Crew-4 astronauts in training. From left to right: Jessica Watkins, Robert Hines, Kjell Lindgren and Samantha Cristoforetti
SpaceX
The International Space Station will soon welcome four fresh visitors. SpaceX is set to launch the NASA Crew-4 mission early on Wednesday, US time. The launch comes on the heels of the Crew Dragon Axiom-1 mission‘s safe return. It’s the first fully private mission to the ISS.
NASA will livestream the launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is scheduled for 12:52 a.m. PT on Wednesday with coverage starting at 9 p.m. PT on Tuesday, April 26. That means a very late night or very early morning for US viewers.
In a Monday update, NASA said there’s a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions for the targeted liftoff time.
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The mission marks the debut of a new Dragon capsule named “Freedom.” The four crew members are NASA’s Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins and Robert Hines, and European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. Star Trek fans will fondly remember Cristoforetti for dressing up as Captain Janeway during an ISS stay in 2015.
NASA coverage will continue through docking (set for 5:15 p.m. PT on Wednesday), the hatch opening and the welcoming ceremony. The astronauts are set to conduct a variety of health, materials science and plant studies while in space and will test out a new smart shirt fitted with sensors.
Crew-4 marks the fourth SpaceX crew rotation mission through NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, an effort that returned astronaut launches to American soil after years of reliance on Russian Soyuz spacecraft. While these launches are becoming increasingly routine, every human mission is cause for excitement.
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