April 28, 2024

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 Departure From Space Station Delayed Due to Weather

Steve Stich, supervisor, Commercial Crew Program, NASAs Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Joel Montalbano, manger, International Space Station, NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston.
SpaceX Representative.

The SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts are seated inside the Dragon Freedom crew ship. The industrial team quartet (from left) are Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, Pilot Robert Hines, Commander Kjell Lindgren, and Mission Specialist Samantha Cristorforetti. NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 10:05 a.m. EDT Thursday, October 13, for Crew-4 undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Dragon Freedom team ship. Dragons hatch closing, undocking, and splashdown protection will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the firms site. NASA also will host an audio only post-splashdown news teleconference.

The SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts are seated inside the Dragon Freedom team ship. The commercial crew quartet (from left) are Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, Pilot Robert Hines, Commander Kjell Lindgren, and Mission Specialist Samantha Cristorforetti. Credit: SpaceX
Crew-4 was set up to undock from the area station at 7:05 p.m. EDT today to begin their journey back to Earth. Crew-4 has been onboard the ISS given that April 27.
NASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 10:05 a.m. EDT Thursday, October 13, for Crew-4 undocking from the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Dragon Freedom crew ship. That will kick off the return trip to Earth completing an almost six-month science objective in orbit. Splashdown is targeted almost 8 hours later at 5:43 p.m. on Thursday off the coast of Florida.
Mission teams continue to monitor a cold front passing over Florida with the potential to bring high winds and rainy weather condition near the splashdown zones off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Objective teams will continue to keep track of splashdown and healing conditions with another weather condition evaluation around 6 hours prior to undocking.

The SpaceX Dragon Freedom pill is seen after docking to the International Space Station while the station was orbiting 261 statute miles above the Pacific Ocean. Credit: NASA
Team 4s Dragon undocking depends on a variety of aspects, consisting of spacecraft readiness, recovery group preparedness, weather, sea states, and other elements. Dragon Freedom remains healthy while currently docked to the area station. Back-up undocking opportunities likewise are readily available Friday, October 14.
NASA will supply live coverage of the upcoming return activities for the Crew-4 mission with NASA astronauts Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti.
Dragons hatch closing, undocking, and splashdown coverage will air survive on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the firms site. NASA also will host an audio only post-splashdown news teleconference. Follow all live occasions at:
https://www.nasa.gov/live
NASAs SpaceX Crew-4 return protection is as follows (perpetuity Eastern):.
Thursday, October 13.
8 a.m.– Hatch closure protection starts for 8:20 a.m. hatch closing9:45 a.m.– Undocking coverage starts for 10:05 a.m. undocking with a Thursday splashdown5:43 p.m.– Splashdown off the coast of Florida7 p.m.– Return to Earth media teleconference call from NASAs Johnson Space Center in Houston with:.