NASA, SpaceX delay Crew-6 launch to space station

By Trevor Mogg Published February 22, 2023

Following a flight readiness review on Tuesday, NASA and SpaceX have decided to delay the Crew-6 launch to the International Space Station by about 24 hours.

The additional time will enable launch personnel to sort out some relatively minor issues with the launch vehicle, officials said.

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Originally set to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida early on Sunday morning, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon carrying four astronauts is now expected to depart the launchpad at 1:45 a.m. ET on Monday, February 27.

Crew-6 comprises NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, along with United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev.

The mission will be the fourth spaceflight for Bowen, who flew space shuttle missions STS-126 in 2008, STS-132 in 2010, and STS-133 in 2011, while it will be the first trip to orbit for Hoburg, Alneyadi, and Fedyaev. It’s also SpaceX’s first crewed flight since October 2022.

Live coverage of the final preparations and the launch itself will start at 10 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 26. Digital Trends has more information on how you can watch the live stream. The crew will fly aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour, reaching International Space Station (ISS) about 24 hours later. The arrival, docking, and welcoming of the new crew will also be live-streamed by NASA.

The crew’s stay aboard the ISS will last about six months, during which time they’ll work on a slew of science experiments in microgravity conditions, perform spacewalks to maintain and upgrade the orbital outpost, and take time out to enjoy the kind of spectacular scenery that you can only get from a position 250 miles above Earth.

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

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