LAUNCH OF CREW-2 TO ISS, Apr 23, 2021, KSC, 5:49 am ET

Update, April 20:  The launch has been postponed one day because of poor weather conditions along the flight path.  The mission can be aborted any time until it reaches orbit, so the weather must be favorable not only at the launch site but downrange.  It is the downrange weather that is the problem on April 22.  New launch date and time are April 23 at 5:49 am ET. NASA TV begins 1:30 am ET.

Crew-2 launch delayed to Friday due to weather downrange. https://t.co/0GWEzhBig4

— Marcia Smith (@SpcPlcyOnline) April 21, 2021

Update, April 10:  NASA is planning a number of pre-launch media events for Crew-2.  See our separate Crew-2 calendar entries beginning on April 15.

Update, March 31:  The launch is scheduled for no earlier than (NET) April 22 at 6:11 am ET. NASA TV coverage will begin at 2:00 am ET.

Update, March 5:  NASA and SpaceX have reset the launch date for Crew-2 to April 22.  Launch time was not officially announced, but we’ve heard it’s 6:11 am ET.

Update, March 1:  At a press conference today on this mission, NASA said the launch date likely will slip a few days to the right, but did not specify when.  Many factors at play: when Crew-1 can return at a time where there are daytime landing opportunities, the arrival of Crew-2 and Soyuz MS-18, beta-cut out in May.

Original entry: NASA and SpaceX will launch the next NASA/international crew to the International Space Station on a SpaceX Crew Dragon on April 20, 2020.  The mission is designated “Crew-2,” the second operational Crew Dragon mission.

The four crew members are:

• Shane Kimbrough, NASA (commander)
• Megan McArthur, NASA (pilot)
• Akihiko Hoshidi, JAXA (mission specialist)
• Thomas Pesquet, ESA (mission specialist)

NASA’s @SpaceX Crew-2 mission will launch four astronauts to the @Space_Station no earlier than April 20 🚀

It will be the first mission to fly two international partner crew members as part of @NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Learn more about the crew: https://t.co/xHqTO4U3zt pic.twitter.com/XSFFPdeZOj

— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) February 9, 2021