Astronauts, cosmonaut arrive at Kennedy Area Heart forward of NASA, SpaceX Crew-8 launch – Spaceflight Now

Set in opposition to a vibrant, blue Florida skyline, the three astronauts and one cosmonaut who make up the SpaceX Crew-8 mission touched down at NASA’s Kennedy Area Heart Sunday afternoon.

The crew’s Gulfstream cruised in for a touchdown on the Area Florida Launch and Touchdown Facility at about 1:45 p.m. (1845 UTC). They have been greeted on the tarmac by, Jennifer Kunz, a KSC Affiliate Director, and Dana Hutcherson, Deputy Director Business Crew.

“Popping out right here to the Cape, each time, I’m a child in a sweet retailer,” mentioned Matthew Dominick, a NASA astronaut and the commander of the Crew-8 mission.

Whereas the upcoming mission would be the first spaceflight for Dominick, he labored for NASA for seven years main as much as his first launch.

“It’s an unbelievable time to be concerned in spaceflight. Who would’ve although 5 or 6 years in the past that this might be the fifth flight of Endeavour that we get to go on? Who would’ve although 5 or 6 years in the past that the competitors for launch that the competitors for launch or the constraint to launch could be a launch pad?” Dominick mentioned, referring to the latest launch of the IM-1 robotic mission to the Moon. “We delayed our launch just a few days as a result of there’s stiff competitors to get on the market to 39A. It’s not a rocket constraint, it’s a pad constraint.”

He’s main a trio that embody two extra NASA astronauts, Michael Barratt and Jeanette Epps, and Roscosmos cosmonaut, Alexander Grebenkin. They are going to launch to the orbiting outpost no sooner than Friday, March 1 at 12:04 a.m. EST (0504 UTC).

Barratt is returning to launch at KSC for the primary time since his closing flight as a member of STS-133 in 2011. He mentioned it’s outstanding to be again now within the period of the Business Crew Program and be making ready to launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and inside a Crew Dragon spacecraft.

“The truth that this spaceport is so busy, so vibrant is simply a tremendous factor,” Barratt mentioned. “It’s simply an absolute pleasure to see Kennedy Area Heart being the thriving spaceport that it’s. We’re very honored to be part of that. I can’t wait to get again to that magnificent station, I can’t wait to fly this new spaceship and I can’t wait to to fly with this crew.”

Like Dominick and Grebenkin, Epps might be making her first journey to area on this mission. She’s skilled pivots from flying on a Russian Soyuz to then Boeing Starliner and at last to her present task on Crew-8.

“It’s overwhelming to me how many individuals contributed to this. So, I simply need to thank everybody who’s been concerned,” Epps mentioned. “I’m very grateful for this flight. I’ve skilled for Soyuz, I’ve skilled for Boeing, I’ve skilled for lots of autos, however I’m honored to fly with this crew on the Dragon Endeavour.”

Endeavor might be making its fifth flight into area on this mission, marking its place because the flight chief within the SpaceX spacecraft fleet. 5 missions is essentially the most that NASA has licensed a Dragon to fly up to now.

A brand new Dragon spacecraft is anticipated to enter the fleet someday in 2024.

A post-Flight Readiness Assessment press convention is about for no sooner than 7 p.m. EST (0000 UTC) Sunday night. The story might be up to date with extra info following that.