December 12, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 Picture-Perfect Launch to International Space Station

It was a picture-perfect launch throughout a sun-splashed afternoon on Floridas Space Coast, as NASA astronauts Nicole Aunapu Mann, and Josh Cassada, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina blasted off from Kennedy Space Center on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 objective. “The weather condition could not have been better here at the Kennedy Space Center,” said Steve Stich, supervisor of NASAs Commercial Crew Program at Johnson Space Center in Houston, during a postlaunch news conference at Kennedy about 90 minutes after launch. “During their stay aboard the International Space Station, Crew-5 will conduct more than 200 science experiments and innovation presentations, including studies on printing human organs in space and a much better understanding of heart disease. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the companys Dragon spacecraft is launched on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 objective to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA likewise will cover the ceremony to welcome the team aboard the orbital station at around 8:15 p.m.
Mann, Cassada, Wakata, and Kikina will join sign up with space areas Expedition 68 crew team NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, Frank Rubio, and Jessica Watkins, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin.

NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 objective takes off from Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39A in Florida at noon EDT on October 5, 2022. Credit: NASA
” Missions like Crew-5 are proof we are living through a golden age of business space expedition. Its a brand-new era powered by the spirit of partnership, fueled by scientific resourcefulness, and inspired by the quest for new discoveries,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “During their stay aboard the International Space Station, Crew-5 will perform more than 200 science experiments and innovation presentations, including studies on printing human organs in area and a better understanding of heart illness. While our eyes are focused up on the paradises, let us never forget these objectives will likewise much better life here in the world.”
This is the first spaceflight for Mann, Cassada, and Kikina, and the 5th for Wakata. This is the sixth SpaceX flight with NASA astronauts– including the Demo-2 test flight in 2020 to the area station– as part of the firms Commercial Crew Program.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket bring the companys Dragon spacecraft is released on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina onboard, Wednesday, October 5, 2022, at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission is the 5th crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station as part of the agencys Commercial Crew Program.
During Dragons flight, SpaceX will keep an eye on a series of automatic spacecraft maneuvers from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California, and NASA groups will monitor area station operations throughout the flight from the Mission Control Center at the firms Johnson Space Center in Houston.
On Thursday, October 6, at around 4:57 p.m. Dragon will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the stations Harmony module. NASA Television, the NASA app, and the companys site will offer live protection of docking and hatch opening. NASA also will cover the ceremony to welcome the team aboard the orbital station at around 8:15 p.m.
Mann, Cassada, Wakata, and Kikina will join the area stations Expedition 68 crew of NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, Frank Rubio, and Jessica Watkins, ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin. For a short time, the number of crew aboard the spaceport station will increase to 11 individuals. Simply a few days later the number will drop back down to 7 when Crew-4 astronauts Hines, Lindgren, Watkins, and Cristoforetti go back to Earth.
Phase 1 of SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket completed its descent and successfully arrived at the businesss drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, off the coast of Florida. Credit: NASA
Crew-5 will spend several months aboard the orbiting outpost performing brand-new clinical research study in locations such as cardiovascular health, bioprinting, and fluid behavior in microgravity to prepare for human expedition beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit life in the world.
” The International Space Station continues to serve a critical function in assisting NASA and our partners comprehend and optimize the special qualities of the microgravity environment,” said Kathryn Lueders, associate administrator for NASAs Space Operations Mission Directorate in Washington. “I am grateful to the lots of individuals who worked to guarantee a safe Crew-5 launch regardless of the current hurricane so the crew can fulfill their objective to the orbiting laboratory.”
The Crew-5 mission becomes part of NASAs ongoing efforts to maintain American leadership in human spaceflight. Regular industrial crew rotation objectives enable NASA to continue the important research study and technology examinations happening aboard the station. Such research study benefits people in the world and lays the groundwork for future human expedition through the companys Artemis objectives, which will send astronauts to the Moon to prepare for future expeditions to Mars.
From left, Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata will take a trip to the International Space Station on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 objective on October 3, 2022. Credit: NASA
Meet Crew-5
As commander, Mann is accountable for all phases of flight, from launch to re-entry, and will serve as an Expedition 68 flight engineer. Mann was born in Petaluma, California, and will be the very first indigenous female from NASA in area.
Cassada is the spacecraft pilot and 2nd in command for the objective. Aboard the station, he will serve as an Expedition 68 flight engineer.
NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 team members wave beyond Kennedy Space Centers Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on October 5, 2022. From left: Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina, NASA astronauts Josh Cassada and Nicole Mann, and JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
Wakata is making his 5th journey to area. With Crew-5s launch, Dragon will be the 3rd different type of spacecraft Wakata has flown to area.
Kikina is making her first trip to area and will serve as a mission expert, working to keep an eye on the spacecraft throughout the vibrant launch and re-entry phases of flight. She will be a flight engineer for Expedition 68.

SpaceXs Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, take off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 5, 2022, for the Crew-5 objective to the International Space Station. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
It was a picture-perfect launch during a sun-splashed afternoon on Floridas Space Coast, as NASA astronauts Nicole Aunapu Mann, and Josh Cassada, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina blasted off from Kennedy Space Center on NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 objective. “The weather condition couldnt have been better here at the Kennedy Space Center,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASAs Commercial Crew Program at Johnson Space Center in Houston, throughout a postlaunch news conference at Kennedy about 90 minutes after launch. “We didnt have to look at any weather condition on a monitor, we might just watch out the window and see a beautiful blue sky.”
The team members assigned to NASAs SpaceX Crew-5 mission are in orbit following their launch at midday EDT on Wednesday to the International Space Station (ISS) from Launch Complex 39A at NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The worldwide crew will work as NASAs fifth industrial team rotation mission with SpaceX aboard the orbital laboratory.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket blasted the Dragon Endurance spacecraft into orbit. It was bring two NASA astronauts: Nicole Mann, mission commander, and Josh Cassada, pilot. JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina were also aboard the Dragon. They will serve as objective professionals for their science expedition in microgravity aboard the spaceport station.