posted 12-16-2021 03:15 PM               

Two Astronauts Receive Assignments for NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 Mission

NASA has assigned two crew members to launch on the agency's SpaceX Crew-6 mission — the sixth crew rotation flight aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Above: NASA crew members of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station. Pictured from left are NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg.

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg will serve as spacecraft commander and pilot, respectively, for the mission. The agency's international partners will assign additional crew members as mission specialists in the future.

The mission is expected to launch in 2023 on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Bowen, Hoburg, and the international crew members will join an expedition crew aboard the space station.

This will be Bowen's fourth trip into space as a veteran of three space shuttle missions: STS-126 in 2008, STS-132 in 2010, and STS-133 in 2011. Bowen has logged more than 40 days in space, including 47 hours, 18 minutes during seven spacewalks. He was born in Cohasset, Massachusetts. He holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and a master's degree in ocean engineering from the Joint Program in Applied Ocean Science and Engineering offered by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Massachusetts. In July 2000, Bowen became the first submarine officer selected as an astronaut by NASA.

Hoburg was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2017 and this will be his first trip to space. He is from Pittsburgh and earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT and a doctorate in electrical engineering and computer science from the University of California, Berkeley. At the time of his selection as an astronaut, Hoburg was an assistant professor of aeronautics and astronautics at MIT. Hoburg's research focused on efficient methods for design of engineering systems. He also is a commercial pilot with instrument, single-engine, and multi-engine ratings.

posted 04-29-2022 08:51 AM               

Axiom, MBRSC Space Center sign agreement to send UAE astronaut to ISS

The exciting new era of commercial human spaceflight ushered in over the past three weeks by the successful Axiom-1 private mission to the International Space Station (ISS) entered a new phase yesterday with the signing of an agreement between Axiom Space and the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center (MBRSC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to fly a UAE professional crew member to the ISS on NASA's SpaceX Crew 6, expected to occur in 2023.

Above: The agreement between MBRSC and Axiom Space was signed at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington D.C. on April 27 , and His Excellency Yousef Al Otaiba, UAE Ambassador to the United States, H.E. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Chairman, MBRSC, and H.E. Yousuf Hamad AlShaibani, Deputy Chairman, MBRSC, along with astronauts Nora AlMatrooshi and Mohammed Al Mulla all attended the signing ceremony. The agreement was signed in the Embassy of the United States by both parties: H.E Salem Al-Marri, Director General of the Centre, on behalf of the Centre, and Michael Suffredini, President and CEO of Axiom Space. (Axiom Space)

"It is our great pleasure to sign the agreement with the United Arab Emirates' Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, marking the first time a commercial space company has made such a mission possible," said Michael Suffredini, President and CEO of Axiom Space. "Axiom Space is proud to provide MBRSC with a fight opportunity for a UAE astronaut, enabling its first long-term mission to the ISS."

While UAE has previously flown an astronaut to the ISS onboard the Soyuz MS15 spacecraft, this will be the first non-ISS partner professional astronaut flight facilitated by a U.S. commercial space company. The mission is expected to last approximately six months, marking the first long-duration flight of an astronaut from an Arab nation. In yet another first, the UAE crew member will serve as a member of two Expedition crews onboard the space station across the roughly six-month interval.

The flight opportunity provided by Axiom has its origins in a no-funds contract signed between NASA and Axiom to fly a NASA astronaut onboard a Soyuz seat, previously purchased by Axiom, in order to ensure continuous U.S. presence onboard the ISS. In exchange, NASA provided Axiom the right to use a seat owned by NASA onboard a commercial U.S. spacecraft traveling to the ISS in the future. Since the seats were deemed of equal value, there will be no future exchange of funds between NASA and Axiom for the flight opportunity. Axiom's agreement with MBRSC is between the company and the UAE space agency.

The agreement was signed at the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in Washington, D.C. on April 27 by Salem Humaid AlMarri, Director-General of MBRSC and Michael Suffredini, and announced by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

posted 07-15-2022 10:25 AM               

Fedyayev, along with NASA astronauts Steve Bowen and Woody Hoburg are targeted to launch on NASA's SpaceX Crew-6 in spring 2023.

posted 07-25-2022 09:31 AM               

I am proud to congratulate Sultan Al Neyadi on being selected as the 1st Arab astronaut to spend 6 months on the International Space Station as part of a mission to commence in 2023. This historic milestone builds on the strong foundations of the UAE's burgeoning space programme.

posted 11-03-2022 10:17 AM               

NASA Updates Crew-6 Flight Date Target

NASA and SpaceX are targeting mid-February 2023, for launch of the agency's Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch Dragon and NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, United Arab Emirates astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev to the space station from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew will spend approximately six months on the space station, starting with a short handover with Crew-5, which arrived at the station in October for a science expedition at the microgravity laboratory.

SpaceX certification and Falcon 9 hardware remain on track for the sixth crew rotation mission of the company's human space transportation system and its seventh flight with NASA astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, to the space station.

The Crew-6 mission will be Dragon Endeavour's fourth flight to the space station, which previously supported the Demo-2, Crew-2, and Axiom Space (Ax-1) missions, making the spacecraft the fleet leader in number of flights to and from the station. The Dragon spacecraft currently is undergoing refurbishment at SpaceX's Dragonland facility at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

NASA and SpaceX also are targeting fall 2023 for launch of the agency's Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station, ahead of the return of Crew-6.

posted 01-18-2023 03:46 PM               

The Falcon 9 rocket and the Dragon Endeavour spacecraft is scheduled to launch no earlier than Feb. 26 from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

posted 02-22-2023 11:24 AM               

NASA, SpaceX update Crew-6 launch date

Liftoff of Crew-6 from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A is now slated for Monday, Feb. 27, at 1:45 a.m. EST.

Managers from NASA and SpaceX, along with international partners, met throughout the day Tuesday (Feb. 21) as part of the mission's Flight Readiness Review (FRR) in preparation for the sixth crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the International Space Station. The FRR focused on the preparedness of SpaceX’s crew transportation system, the space station, and its international partners to support the flight, as well as the certification of flight readiness.

posted 02-27-2023 01:01 AM               

Crew-6 first launch attempt scrubbed

At T-2 minutes and 23 seconds, SpaceX flight controllers called off the first attempt to launch the Crew-6 mission to the International Space Station.

"Hold, hold, hold. We are standing down due to a TEA-TAB ground issue."

TEA-TAB, or triethylaluminum-triethylborane, is the ignition fluid that sparks with oxidizer that allows the nine Merlin engines on the Falcon 9 rocket's first stage to fire.

Assuming the issue can be addressed in time, the next opportunity to launch is on Tuesday (Feb. 28) at 1:22 a.m. EST (0622 GMT).

The weather forecast for Tuesday calls for a 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions at Kennedy Space Center with the concerns being cumulus clouds and liftoff winds. The weather downrange in the case of an abort is the greater concern, with conditions across the Atlantic Ocean predicted to worsen.

posted 02-27-2023 04:20 AM               

Next available launch attempt is March 2

NASA and SpaceX will forgo a launch opportunity on Tuesday (Feb. 28), due to the forecast for unfavorable weather conditions.

The next available launch attempt is at 12:34 a.m. EST (0534 GMT) on Thursday (March 2), pending resolution of the technical issue that prevented a launch on Monday.

posted 03-01-2023 08:50 AM               

'Go' for March 2 launch attempt

The Crew-6 mission received a 'go' for launch to the International Space Station following the completion of a launch readiness review, weather briefing and mission management meeting on Tuesday (Feb. 28). Liftoff is targeted for Thursday (March 2) at 12:34 a.m. EST (0534 GMT).

The launch attempt on Monday (Feb. 27) was scrubbed due to an unusual data signature related to confirming a proper bleed in of pad supplied fluid known as triethylaluminum triethylboron (TEA-TEB). TEA-TEB is an ignition fluid used to start the Falcon 9's nine first stage kerosene/liquid oxygen Merlin engines. The bleed-in process ensures there is an adequate supply of this fluid at each engine to mix with liquid oxygen to start the engines.

During prelaunch, the TEA-TEB fluid – which originates in a ground supply tank – flows to the rocket's interface and back to a catch tank to remove gas from the ground plumbing. During engine start, the fluid then flows to the engines for ignition. Flow into the catch tank is one of several parameters used to determine that the fluid has been properly bled into the system.

After a thorough review of the data and ground system, NASA and SpaceX determined there was a reduced flow back to the ground TEA-TEB catch tank due to a clogged ground filter. This clogged filter fully-explained the signature observed on the launch attempt. SpaceX teams replaced the filter, purged the TEA-TEB line with nitrogen, and verified the lines are clean and ready for launch.

Weather officials with Cape Canaveral Space Force Station's 45th Weather Squadron continue to predict a 95 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for launch, with the flight through precipitation rule serving as the primary weather concern. Conditions along the Dragon ascent corridor are within acceptable limits, but will remain a watch item for Thursday's attempt.

After an approximate 24.5-hour transit, the Dragon Endeavour will dock to the space-facing port of the space station's Harmony module on Friday (March 3) at about 1:17 a.m. EST (0617 GMT). Hatch opening is targeted for approximately 3:27 a.m. EST (0827 GMT), followed by the welcome ceremony at about 3:40 a.m. EST (0840 GMT).

posted 03-02-2023 12:05 AM               

SpaceX launches Crew-6 to space station, including first UAE long-duration member

The International Space Station is about to receive its first long-duration crew member from a country that was not involved in its assembly.

United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, who is set to make the longest flight by an Arab in history, launched with Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg of NASA and cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev of Russia's space corporation Roscosmos on Thursday (March 2). Flying as SpaceX's Crew-6 aboard the Dragon spacecraft "Endeavour," the four lifted off at 12:34 a.m. EST (0534 GMT) atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center's Pad 39A in Florida.

posted 03-03-2023 12:41 AM               

Dragon Endeavour docks at space station

NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg, Emirati astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev arrived at the International Space Station on Friday (March 3). The SpaceX Dragon "Endeavour" made contact with the station at 1:40 a.m. EST (0640 GMT).

The autonomous docking was originally targeted for 12:45 a.m. EST (0545 GMT), but was delayed by the time needed to upload and test a software override for a faulty sensor on one of the 12 hooks that secure Dragon to the station.

Following the Dragon's docking to the space-facing port of the Harmony module, the astronauts aboard Endeavour and the space station were to begin conducting standard leak checks and pressurization between the spacecraft and then proceed with hatch opening.

Bowen, Hoburg, AlNeyadi and Fedyaev are joining the Expedition 68 crew of Nicole Mann, Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio all of NASA, Koichi Wakata of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin and Anna Kikina of Roscosmos. For a brief time, the number of crew members on the space station will increase to 11 people until NASA's SpaceX Crew-5 departs later this month.

posted 05-06-2023 09:27 AM               

Dragon docked to different port

SpaceX's Dragon Endeavour, with Crew-6/Expedition 69 members Steve Bowen and Woody Hoburg of NASA, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev aboard, successfully docked to the forward port of the Harmony module of the International Space Station at 8:01 a.m. EDT (1201 GMT) on Saturday (May 6).

The capsule earlier undocked from the Harmony module on the space-facing side of the complex at 7:23 a.m. EDT (1123 GMT).

This was the 27th spacecraft relocation in space station history. The move made room for the arrival of Axiom Space's Ax-2 commercial crew on Crew Dragon Freedom and the uncrewed SpaceX Dragon carrying cargo to station as part of the company's 28th commercial resupply services mission for NASA, targeted for launch later this month and in June.

posted 09-03-2023 08:27 AM               

Dragon departs station to return to Earth

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft "Endeavour" undocked from the forward-facing port of the International Space Station's Harmony module on Sunday (Sept. 3) at 7:05 a.m. EDT (1105 GMT) to complete a six-month stay at the orbital complex.

The hatches between the two spacecraft had been closed earlier on Sunday morning at 5:19 a.m. EDT (0919 GMT).

Crew-6 members Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg of NASA, UAE (United Arab Emirates) astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev are scheduled to splash down at approximately 12:17 a.m. EDT (0417 GMT) on Monday, off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

posted 09-03-2023 11:35 PM               

SpaceX's Crew-6 astronauts splash down after six-month space station stay

Four astronauts are back on Earth, having each completed their first long-duration spaceflight on the International Space Station.

Stephen Bowen and Warren "Woody" Hoburg of NASA, Sultan AlNeyadi of the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Andrey Fedyaev of Russia's federal space corporation Roscosmos, collectively SpaceX's Crew-6, splashed down on board the company's Dragon spacecraft "Endeavour" at 12:17 a.m. EDT (0417 GMT) on Monday (Sept. 4) in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida. Of the four, only Bowen had flown in space before.