By NASA
April 17, 2022
The SpaceX Crew-4 Dragon arrives at Launch Pad 39A garage. Credit: SpaceX
SpaceXs brand-new Dragon spacecraft– called “Freedom” by the Crew-4 astronauts– came to Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39A on April 16, 2022, after making the journey from SpaceXs processing center at close-by Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. After Dragon is mated to the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the launch car will roll out to the pad and be raised to the vertical launch position.
Liftoff is scheduled for 5:26 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 23. NASAs Crew-4 objective is the 4th team rotation flight on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines will work as mission leader and pilot, respectively, and NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will sign up with as objective professionals.
SpaceX Dragon spacecraft making. Credit: SpaceX
SpaceXs Dragon spacecraft can carrying up to 7 passengers to and from Earth orbit, and beyond. It is currently the only spacecraft flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of freight to Earth, and is the very first private spacecraft to take human beings to the International Space Station.