Update 8:00 p.m. EST: NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the launch due to high winds along the ascent corridor.
SpaceX is preparing for its second mission this year, with plans to send four astronauts to the International Space Station aboard its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft. The launch was originally scheduled for late Saturday night but was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions along the ascent corridor. The new launch time for the Crew-8 mission is set for Sunday, March 3 at 10:53 p.m. EST.
The 45th Weather Squadron has forecasted a 75 percent chance of favorable weather on Sunday, with upper-level wind sheer and clouds in the area of the launchpad being a concern. Spaceflight Now will provide live coverage from the Kennedy Space Center Press Site starting four hours prior to liftoff.
The Crew-8 mission will be a first for three out of the four members of the crew. Michael Barratt, the pilot, has previously flown a Soyuz and Space Shuttle Discovery to the ISS in 2009 and 2011 respectively, making him the most experienced member. Barratt expressed his excitement regarding the collaborative nature of human spaceflight, with multiple entities from different agencies coming together to explore space.
Mission Specialist Jeannette Epps also has a unique journey leading up to this mission. Initially selected as a member of Expedition 56/57 in 2018, Epps was later replaced without explanation from NASA. She was then assigned to the first operational flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which faced significant delays. However, Epps is now focused on the present and is thrilled to finally have the opportunity to travel to space.
Crew-8 Commander Matthew Dominick, a member of the 2017 astronaut class, will also be making his first flight to space. His mission will help maintain a continuous presence of astronauts from his group on the ISS. Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, who studied engineering and aircraft radio repair, completes the crew.
The Crew-8 mission holds significant importance for SpaceX as it marks a few new records for the company. The launch will be the fifth flight for the Crew Dragon Endeavour spacecraft, making it the flight leader among Dragon spacecraft in terms of total missions. SpaceX will have sent a total of 53 people to orbit across 13 Dragon flights once Crew-8 launches.
SpaceX has been actively conducting experiments and refining its hardware based on the knowledge gained from previous flights. They aim to extend the certification of Dragon vehicles to 15 flights, allowing for even more missions. New Crew Dragon spacecrafts are also in production, with plans for the Crew-10 vehicle to be ready in early 2025.
The first stage booster for the Crew-8 mission, known as B1083, will be making its debut flight. After liftoff, it will touch down at Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The landing may result in a sonic boom in the Central Florida area.
