NASA is updating its coverage of the upcoming launch and docking activities for the agencys SpaceX Crew-3 mission with astronauts to the International Space Station. This is the third crew rotation mission with astronauts on the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the fourth flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.
The launch now is targeted for 1:10 a.m. EDT Wednesday, Nov. 3, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida, due to unfavorable weather conditions forecast along the flight path for the Sunday, Oct. 31, launch attempt.
Weather conditions along the ascent corridor are expected to improve for a Wednesday, Nov. 3, launch, and the 45th Weather Squadron forecast predicts an 80% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch site.
NASAs SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts will remain at crew quarters at Kennedy until their launch. They will spend time with their families and receive technical and weather briefings in the next few days.
The Crew Dragon Endurance is scheduled to dock to the space station at 11 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 3. Launch and docking coverage will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agencys website.
The Crew-3 flight will carry NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander; Tom Marshburn, pilot; and Kayla Barron, mission specialist; as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission, staying aboard until late April 2022.
The Crew-2 mission with NASA astronautsShane KimbroughandMegan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronautAkihiko Hoshide,and ESA (European Space Agency) astronautThomas Pesquet will now target their undocking from the space station for no earlier than Sunday, Nov. 7, to return to Earth.
