NASA, SpaceX target Oct. 23 for Crew-3 astronaut open

NASA and SpaceX own announced that the pair’s autumn mission to send four astronauts to the World Effect Characteristic will open no earlier than Oct. 23.

The resolution comes because the two organizations are making ready for the preceding astronaut open, known as Crew-2, which is within the meanwhile scheduled for April 22 and that will raise crewmembers from three varied dwelling companies to the orbiting laboratory: NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, European Effect Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide.

The October open, dubbed Crew-3, can even raise four astronauts to the orbiting laboratory for a six-month build. NASA has already announced that the flight will raise U.S. astronauts Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer; the fourth crewmember has but to be identified publicly.

Connected: Astronauts pass SpaceX capsule to original docking port for 1st time

At the side of the Oct. 23 open window for Crew-3, Crew-2 will return to Earth no earlier than Oct. 31, giving the two cohorts about a week of overlap to transition the dwelling assign of residing safely to its subsequent residents.

The Crew-3 flight shall be SpaceX’s third paunchy-fledged crewed mission for NASA; the firm also launched two outmoded astronauts on a two-month demonstration mission in Would possibly well well also 2020.

SpaceX is without a doubt one of two companies working with NASA’s Industrial Crew Program to ferry astronauts to the World Effect Characteristic. Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner vehicle can even open making such flights once it completes take a look at flights, perchance this 300 and sixty five days.

Electronic mail Meghan Bartels at [email protected] or phrase her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Notice us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.