SpaceX launched four new crewmembers on a journey to the International Space Station Thursday.
Why it matters: The mission marks SpaceX's seventh crewed trip to the space station for NASA, continuing to affirm the company as one of the space agency's most important partners.
The #Crew6 Dragon spacecraft has separated from its Falcon 9 rocket. Next stop: the @Space_Station.
— NASA (@NASA) March 2, 2023
Tune in to real-time audio between Crew-6 and mission control ahead of the March 3 docking: https://t.co/skBJmXvpgC pic.twitter.com/fnJ3cFnKKi
Details: The Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Crew Dragon took flight from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 12:34am ET Thursday.
- The spacecraft is carrying NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Warren Hoburg, and United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, plus Russian cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev to the ISS.
- The Crew Dragon is expected to dock to the ISS early Friday.
- This is the first spaceflight for Hoburg, Al Neyadi and Fedyaev, and it marks Bowen's fourth spaceflight. They are expected to spend about six months on the station.
- The launch was delayed from Monday after a ground systems issue scuttled that launch attempt.
What's next: Boeing is expected to fly its first crewed mission to the ISS in April.
- The company has faced a series of technical setbacks and delays, but Boeing and NASA said last week that the company's preparations for flight are going well and they're moving ahead toward a launch in mid or late April.
