The Kennedy Space Center welcomed the next crew set to embark on a six-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Scheduled to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket early Friday, the four-member crew consists of NASA's Jasmin Moghbeli, who is the commander of Crew-7, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Russian cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.
The crew arrived at the Kennedy Space Center after a flight from the Johnson Space Center in Houston, landing at the historic space shuttle runway. Evidently thrilled, Moghbeli expressed her excitement about the upcoming journey, mentioning that they were looking forward to the mission. Moghbeli, a skilled Marine Corps helicopter test pilot and a mother of twin girls, highlighted the enthusiasm they all shared.
The crew's schedule includes a dress-rehearsal countdown at pad 39A, where their Crew Dragon capsule, named "Endurance," is docked. After completing the rehearsal and exiting the spacecraft, SpaceX plans to conduct a test firing of the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage engines to ensure their readiness for launch. Barring any unforeseen issues and with favorable weather conditions, the crew will board the spacecraft for the actual launch around 1:15 a.m. on Friday, with liftoff set for 3:49 a.m. The crew will oversee a series of automated maneuvers that will lead to their docking with the ISS, scheduled just after 2 a.m. on Saturday.
The mission marks the seventh operational trip to the ISS under the Commercial Crew Program. Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro conveyed her excitement, emphasizing the extra level of enthusiasm that accompanies sending humans into space.
Two crew members, Borisov and Moghbeli, are experiencing their inaugural spaceflight. Moghbeli, a Marine lieutenant colonel, boasts an impressive record of over 150 combat missions. On the other hand, Mogensen had a brief nine-day visit to the ISS in 2015, while Furukawa spent 167 days aboard the outpost back in 2011.
Borisov's presence on the SpaceX Crew Dragon marks an important agreement between NASA and the Russian federal space agency, Roscosmos. This arrangement ensures that one NASA astronaut travels on each Soyuz flight to the ISS, while one cosmonaut journeys on each ISS-bound Crew Dragon flight. The intention behind this is to have at least one representative from each country on the station at all times, even if an emergency were to prompt an early departure of a Soyuz or Crew Dragon.
Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, highlighted the international nature of the program, especially with the Crew-7's diverse composition. Borisov expressed his honor to be part of the "most international crew ever," underlining the unity and cooperation that transcends borders in space exploration. He mentioned his desire to share the perspective of seeing Earth from the ISS and to further support the ongoing global collaborations.
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