On Sunday at 10:53 p.m. EST, Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida successfully launched a crew of four international astronauts into orbit. NASA’s eighth commercial crew rotation mission to the space station is being carried out by SpaceX Crew-8.
NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, as well as Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, were launched into orbit on a science mission aboard the orbital laboratory by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
“Impressive launch to the International Space Station! Kudos to NASA and SpaceX!” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson stated, “With this eighth crew rotation mission, we are demonstrating once more the strength of our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us further in the cosmos.” “The crew of the station will carry out over 200 scientific experiments and technological demonstrations to support the upcoming era of space exploration and advance humankind on Earth.”
SpaceX will keep an eye on a number of automated spacecraft maneuvers during Dragon’s flight from its mission control center located in Hawthorne, California. Throughout the journey, NASA teams will keep an eye on space station operations from the Mission Control Center located at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Up until the beginning of the rendezvous and docking broadcast, NASA’s coverage consists solely of audio commentary.
About three in the morning on Tuesday, March 5, the Dragon spacecraft Endeavour will autonomously dock to the forward port of the station’s Harmony module. Starting at one in the morning, NASA will stream live coverage of the rendezvous, docking, and hatch opening on NASA+, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the organization’s website. Once the crew arrives at the orbital outpost, NASA will also keep airing the ceremony. Discover how to watch NASA TV on a range of devices, such as social media.
Crew-8 will join the Expedition 70 crew of the space station, which includes astronauts from Roscosmos, NASA, JAXA, and the European Space Agency, as well as astronauts from the United States, Europe, and Japan, Jasmin Moghbeli, Loral O’Hara, and Andreas Mogensen. Crew-7 members Moghbeli, Mogensen, Furukawa, and Borisov will return to Earth a few days later, bringing the total number of crew members on board the space station to 11 temporarily.
NASA hopes to make the most of this mission by utilizing the space station, where astronauts have lived and worked continuously for over 23 years, testing technologies, conducting scientific research, and honing the skills necessary to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit and explore further from Earth. In addition to helping people on Earth, research carried out on the space station opens the door for NASA’s Artemis missions to conduct long-term trips to the Moon and beyond.
Extra information regarding Crew-8
Matthew Dominick, who was chosen as an astronaut in 2017, is leading Crew-8, his first space mission. In the space station, he will work as a mission specialist for Expedition 70/71. X users can follow @dominickmatthew.
Pilot for Crew-8 Michael Barratt is visiting the space station for the third time. When the station underwent two spacewalks and increased the number of crew members from three to six in 2009, Barratt worked as a flight engineer for Expeditions 19/20. In 2011, he took part in STS-133, the space shuttle Discovery’s mission to deliver the Permanent Multipurpose Module and the fourth Express Logistics Carrier. Barratt has been in space for 212 days in total. He is assigned to the role of mission specialist for Expedition 70/71.
Working with the pilot and commander to monitor the spacecraft during the dynamic launch and re-entry phases of flight, Jeanette Epps is a mission specialist for Crew-8, her first spaceflight. NASA chose Epps to be an astronaut in 2009. During Expeditions 70 and 71, she will work as a flight engineer. On X, subscribe to @Astro_Jeanette.
Alexander Grebenkin, a cosmonaut for Roscosmos, is flying on his maiden expedition. During Expeditions 70 and 71, he will work as a flight engineer.
