Update 9:27 p.m.: NASA and SpaceX have postponed the Crew-8 launch to 10:53 p.m. Sunday, citing poor conditions in the Dragon spacecraft’s flight path.
Original story: It’s launch day for Crew-8 to lift off to the International Space Station — so long as the weather cooperates!
NASA and SpaceX are targeting 11:16 p.m. EST to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the four Crew-8 members aboard the Dragon Endeavour capsule from pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center.
However, the Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron only pins the odds of “go for launch” conditions at 40%, citing threats of precipitation, cumulus clouds and a moderate-to-high risk of poor ascent corridor weather.
The Falcon 9 is projected to fly in a northeasterly trajectory. The rocket’s first-stage booster will target landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station 7 minutes, 38 seconds after liftoff, generating sonic booms in Brevard County.
FLORIDA TODAY’s Space Team will link to NASA TV coverage and provide mission updates starting about 7:15 p.m. at floridatoday.com/space.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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