Tech2 news teamNovember 14, 2020 2:47:04 PM IST
The SpaceX crew’s first rotational flight, which was scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 14, was postponed one day due to bad weather.
Now the launch is supposed to take place on Sunday. Four astronauts, three Americans and one Japanese, will be sent to the International Space Station. This launch comes just six months since Demo-2, Crew Dragon’s first human test flight, was successfully launched on May 31 with two astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken.
This will be the first crew rotation flight for the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft after it was certified by NASA for regular flights to the ISS as part of its Commercial Crew Program.
NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, left, Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins, and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Noguchi, right, wearing SpaceX space suits, stop to pose for a photo as they exit Operations Neil A. Armstrong and Checkout Building will depart for Launch Complex 39A during a dress rehearsal prior to the launch of the Crew-1 mission, Thursday, November 12, 2020, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Image credits: NASA / Joel Kowsky
The SpaceX Crew-1 will carry astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker from the US space agency and Soichi Noguchi from the Japanese space agency JAXA. The crew called the spacecraft “Resilience.” Hopkins will be the Crew Dragon Commander, while Glover will be the pilot. Both Walker and Noguchi are mission specialists.
The astronauts will stay on the ISS for a much longer period of six months compared to their previous teammates. All four will be replaced in the spring by another team launched by SpaceX.
The Falcon 9 rocket will be used in the launch and will take place from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
According to a report by The Associated PressDue to Tropical Storm Eta, the launch had to be brought forward a day to allow the spacecraft from SpaceX’s reinforced landing pad to have enough time to position itself in the Atlantic Ocean. The boosters will be recovered and used again for the Crew-2 mission launch next year.
Where can you see it live?
The Livestream will begin on Monday the 16th at 1.45 am IST (November 15 at 3.15 pm EST) but the astronaut launch is scheduled for Monday the 16th at 5.57 am IST (November 15 at 7.27 pm EST).
NASA will broadcast the entire mission live, including docking, hatch opening and welcome ceremony.
You can watch it live on NASA YouTube channel or follow it on NASA social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitch.tv. You can also watch it live on SpaceX’s YouTube channel.
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