Four nations’ astronauts will arrive at the International Space Station today
A NASA-led international crew of four astronauts is in orbit and headed to the International Space Station (ISS) after a successful launch at 10:37 am (Gulf Standard Time) on August 26, 2023, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
This is NASA’s seventh commercial crew rotation mission to the ISS and is code-named Crew-7.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft into orbit (screengrab of NASA TV in featured image) carrying NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Russia’s Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov for a science expedition aboard the ISS.
Bill Nelson, NASA Administrator, said: “Crew-7 is a shining example of the power of American ingenuity and what we can accomplish when we work together.
Aboard the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to prepare for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, all while benefitting humanity on Earth.
“By partnering with countries worldwide, NASA is engaging the best scientific minds to enable our bold missions, and we can do more – and we can learn more – when we work together.”
Vigilant monitoring of Dragon
During the Dragon capsule’s flight, SpaceX monitors a series of automatic spacecraft manoeuvres from its mission control centre in Hawthorne, California.
NASA teams are monitoring ISS operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Centre at the agency’s Johnson Space Centre in Houston.
Named Endurance, the Dragon spacecraft is due to dock autonomously at the space-facing port of the ISS’s Harmony module on August 27, 2023.
The four astronauts comprising Crew-7 will join the ISS’s Expedition 69 crew of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, and Frank Rubio, as well as UAE astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, and Andrey Fedyaev.
The number of crew aboard the ISS will increase to 11 for a short time until Crew-6 members Bowen, Hoburg, Al Neyadi, and Fedyaev return to Earth a few days later.
Scientific research
Crew-7 will conduct new scientific research to benefit humanity on Earth and prepare for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.
Experiments include the collection of microbial samples from the exterior of the ISS, the first study of human response to different spaceflight durations, and an investigation of the physiological aspects of astronauts’ sleep.
These are just some of the science experiments and technology demonstrations that will take place during the Crew-7 mission.
The Crew-7 mission will enable NASA to maximise the use of the ISS, with astronauts testing technologies, performing science, and developing the skills needed to operate future commercial destinations in low Earth orbit and explore farther from Earth.
Research conducted aboard the ISS also benefits people on Earth and paves the way for future long-duration trips to the Moon through NASA’s upcoming Artemis missions.
