NASA and SpaceX prep for Crew-7 mission to International Space Station

NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for the launch of the Crew-7 mission to the International Space Station. The mission is scheduled for liftoff at 3:49 a.m. EDT on Friday, August 25, from the agency's Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, is scheduled to dock to the space station at 2:02 a.m. EDT Saturday, August 26.

The crew flying on this mission include NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Satoshi Furukawa, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

Crew-7 represents yet another significant milestone in NASA's Commercial Crew Program, marking the eighth human spaceflight mission supported by a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. It is also the seventh crew rotation mission to the ISS since 2020 for NASA.

NASA will provide live coverage of crew arrival, launch and docking on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website. 

🗓️ Follow along with @NASA’s @SpaceX Crew-7 mission! Launch is targeted for 3:49am ET Aug. 25, from Launch Complex 39A at @NASAKennedy. Join us for the launch and all of the pre-launch coverage: https://t.co/tJcWrKG3dw pic.twitter.com/wLdbzYXH3S

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) August 17, 2023

Meanwhile, a Russian cargo spacecraft, packed with about three tons of food, fuel, and supplies for the Expedition 69 crew aboard the International Space Station, is poised for launch at 9:08 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, August 22 (6:08 a.m. Baikonur time Wednesday, Aug. 23), on a Soyuz rocket from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

After a two-day trip, the Progress 85 spacecraft will automatically dock to the Zvezda module at 11:50 p.m. Thursday, August 24, and will remain there for approximately six months. After completing its mission objectives, the spacecraft will undock for a destructive but safe re-entry into Earth's atmosphere to dispose of trash loaded by the crew.

NASA will provide live coverage of the Roscosmos Progress 85 launch on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency's website.