NASA and SpaceX now targeting October 30 for launch of Crew-3 mission

SpaceX and NASA’s next crew mission is now targeting October 30, at 2:43 a.m. EDT. There is a backup date available on October 31 at 2:21 a.m. EDT.

This new date pushes the launch one day sooner, with the backup date previously being the target date, and provides two consecutive launch attempt opportunities.

NASA astronaut Raja Chari will serve as mission commander while NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn will serve as pilot. NASA astronaut Kayla Barron and ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer are both mission specialists.

The launch will be followed by a 22-hour journey in the SpaceX Dragon capsule to the International Space Station. The long-duration mission will keep the Space Station crewed until late April 2022, following the arrival of the Crew-4 astronauts.

Crew-2 astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Akihiko Hoshide, and Thomas Pesquet will return to Earth in early to mid-November.

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