Crew 7: Countdown to Liftoff!

T -1 day until Crew-7 launch and here is everything you need to know about the mission!

credit: SpaceX

Mission Overview

• NASA SpaceX Crew-7 mission launch: August 25, 2023, 7:49 AM (UTC) [8:49 AM Nigerian Time (WAT)]
• Falcon 9 rocket carries four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS)
• Crew-7 mission focuses on research, microgravity experiments, maintenance, and spacecraft monitoring
• Importance: Advances in space exploration, technology, and international collaboration
• Astronauts stay on ISS for 6 months to a year, studying the effects of space on the human body.

Falcon 9; Credit: Primal Space

Launch and Intercept:

• Dragon spacecraft launched on Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A.
• Accelerated to approximately 17,500 mph to intercept the space station.

Docking Process:

• Automatic maneuvers guided Dragon to the Harmony module’s space-facing port.
• Gradual orbit-raising maneuvers prepared Dragon for autonomous or manual docking.

Credit: The Conversation

Arrival and Handover:

• Crew-7 will be welcomed by Expedition 69 crew upon docking.
• Handover activities with departing Crew-6 astronauts.
• Crew-6 undocks and splashes down off the Florida coast.

Crew 6; credit: SpaceX

Scientific Research:

• Crew-7 conducts new scientific research for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
• Experiments include microbial sampling, human response to spaceflight durations, and astronaut sleep study.
• Over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations are planned.

Key Players

credit: NASA

Commander Jasmin Moghbeli: Leading the mission, she is a NASA astronaut; credit: NASA

Pilot Andreas Mogensen: Representing the European Space Agency (ESA); credit: NASA

Mission Specialist Satoshi Furukawa: Representing the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA); credit: NASA

Mission Specialist Konstantin Borisov: Representing Roscosmos, the Russian space agency; credit: NASA

“To infinity and beyond!” — Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story

Resources

What You Need to Know about NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 Mission

NASA's SpaceX Crew-7 Mission: What You Need To Know