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SpaceX is on track to launch the four astronauts of ISS Expedition 65 to the orbital laboratory on Friday, April 23. The SpaceX Crew-2 mission will blast off from Cape Kenedy strapped to a Falcon 9 rocket, aiming to reach the ISS just 24 hours later. The launch is presently pencilled in for 10.49am BST (5.49am EST).
NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur will be joined by Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on the six-month venture.
The crew will launch aboard the reusable Crew Dragon Endeavour, which has previously been to space on two test flights.
If all goes according to plan, Endeavour will dock to the ISS by 10.10am BST (5.10am EDT) on Saturday.
This will be the second operational flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft, after the Crew-1 mission in November last year.
And the good news is you will be able to enjoy the action live and from the comfort of your home, here on Express.co.uk.
SpaceX tease Falcon 9 and Dragon ahead of flights
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Weather forecasts for tomorrow look good, so odds are the launch will go ahead as scheduled.
NASA said: “For an April 23 launch, the US Space Force 45th Weather Squadron continues to predict a 90 percent chance of favourable weather conditions at the launch pad for liftoff based on Falcon 9 Crew Dragon launch weather criteria.
“The primary weather concerns for the launch area will be flight through precipitation from isolated, low-topped coastal showers and onshore flow.
“Conditions continue to improve along the flight path and recovery area for the mission.”
How to watch the SpaceX Crew-2 launch tomorrow:
Tomorrow’s launch will be broadcast live on a variety of platforms, including NASA’s round-the-clock educational broadcasting on NASA TV.
But to make things simple, you can tune into the embedded video player above.
The NASA stream will begin at 6.30am BST (1.30am BST) or about four hours before the scheduled liftoff.
NASA said: “This will be the first launch through our Commercial Crew Program to fly two international partner astronauts, and the first reuse of a Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket for a crew mission.
“Once aboard the station, the Crew-2 astronauts will spend a lot of time on science — in areas such as medical technology, human health, and materials to benefit life on Earth.
“The space station is a unique scientific platform, enabling researchers from all over the world to put their talents to work on innovative experiments.
“It has instruments that monitor our home planet’s global climate, environmental changes, and natural hazards.”
SpaceX will host its own broadcast, which you will be able to access on the company’s website and YouTube channel.
You can also follow the action with ESA on the space agency’s ESA WEB TV One channel here.
The broadcast is scheduled to kick off just before liftoff, at 10.30am BST (5.30am EDT).
ESA said: “ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet is returning to the International Space Station.
“His second mission, called Alpha, will see the first European to launch on a US spacecraft in over a decade.”
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