CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Crew-3 will try again for liftoff from Florida's coast on Nov. 10 after experiencing several delays due to weather and medical issues.
First, NASA and SpaceX were forced to stand down from launch due to a large storm system that pushed through the northeastern United States. Then a medical issue, which was reported to not be COVID-19 related, forced yet another delay.
Unfavorable weather conditions pushed back the four-person crew's launch to the International Space Station last weekend for a six-month science expedition.
And now, another delay to the middle of the week: "Crew-3 mission is targeting launch no earlier than 9:03 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket..." from the historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The mission will give NASA the opportunity to "restore and maintain" American leadership in human spaceflight, while also continuing needed research at the orbiting laboratory.
"Such research benefits people on Earth and lays the groundwork for future exploration of the Moon and Mars starting with the agency’s Artemis missions, which includes land[ing] the first woman and person of color on the lunar surface," NASA wrote in a press release.
Once aboard the orbiting laboratory, Crew-3 will spend six months conducting research and performing maintenance on the orbiting laboratory's power supply. They'll also welcome private missions and cargo deliveries during their stay.
Key details to keep in mind:
- The crew will take nearly 24 hours to reach the International Space Station.
- The Crew Dragon being flown is called Endurance and has never been flown before.
- A final decision on which crew will be prioritized has yet to be made.
Space lovers will have to catch all the action online or scope out a spot of their own to watch liftoff in-person.
