The next launch of four astronauts from Kennedy Space Center has been delayed a day.
Crew-2, the mission to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, is now targeting a launch Friday at 5:49 a.m. ET.
Bad weather along the mission’s path forced the 24 hour delay. NASA and SpaceX track weather along the launch trajectory in case there’s an abort mid flight.
Weather on Friday is better for launch, with a 90 percent chance of favorable weather at the launch site and the primary concern is liftoff winds. NASA said conditions are expected to improve along the flight path and recovery area.
The mission passed a critical Launch Readiness Review earlier this week. NASA reviewed the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and capsule, giving SpaceX the GO for launch.
The launch will be the second operation mission for SpaceX under NASA’s commercial crew program. Cew-2 mission astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will head to the space station for a six-month science mission.
Following launch Friday, the crew is expected to dock to the space station Saturday at 5:10 a.m. ET.
Once launched, this mission will be the third crewed launch from U.S. soil in under 12 months.
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