- NASA and SpaceX are completing final preparations for the Crew-8 mission.
- Launch plans are determined depending on the suitability of weather conditions.
- The planned launch date is Friday, March 1, which can be watched via SpaceX’s live broadcast.
NASA and SpaceX are completing their preparations to send a new team to the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts and cosmonauts selected for the Crew-8 mission continue to wait at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida while SpaceX is preparing for launch. The Crew-8 mission will be carried out by a four-person team consisting of NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick and Jeanette Epps and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The team is preparing for their journey into space to serve on the ISS.
As with any rocket launch, weather conditions affect launch plans. Calm weather is required for the launch, and that’s why NASA carefully monitors the weather forecast before the launch. Currently, the probability of the launch occurring on schedule remains at a reassuring 90%. However, if weather conditions change suddenly, the launch may be postponed or canceled.
SpaceX plans the launch on Friday, March 1 at 12.04 CET. If everything goes as planned, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will dock with the ISS on Saturday, March 2 at 07:00 am (16:00 CET). Through SpaceX’s live broadcast at the time of launch, viewers will be able to follow all phases of the mission and communication between the crew and Mission Control live.
Compiled by: Ayça Ayaz