NASA And SpaceX’s Delayed ‘Halloween’ Mission Is Finally Going Skywards. Here’s When And Where To Watch Four Astronauts Blast-Off

After a series of delays for bad weather, the ill-health of an astronaut and then a wait for the splashdown of the previous mission this morning the world’s only re-usable orbital rocket take four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as SpaceX and NASA launch the Crew-3 mission.

Originally due to launch on October 27, 2021 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA has now confirmed that its SpaceX Crew-3 mission will take-off no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

After the night launch the Falcon 9 rocket will attempt to land on a drone-ship in the Atlantic. 

It will be SpaceX’s fourth NASA flight with astronauts, though last month it also successfully launched and landed the first all-civilian private astronaut crewed mission to orbit Earth.

When is the SpaceX Crew-3 launch?

NASA and SpaceX are now targeting no earlier than 9:03 p.m. EST on Wednesday, November 10, 2021. The launch will take place at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

The Crew Dragon Endurance capsule will dock to the ISS the following day.

It’s the third crew rotation mission of the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket to the ISS as part of the NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. However, it’s actually the fourth flight for the program with astronauts if you include last summer’s inaugural Demo-2 test flight.

Where and when to watch the NASA SpaceX Crew-3 launch

The launch and docking will air live on NASA Television on YouTube, the NASA app and the NASA website as well as on the SpaceX website and the SpaceX YouTube channel. 

The pre-launch countdown will air on NASA TV from 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, November 10, 2021.

Endurance is scheduled to dock to the space station at 7:10 p.m. on Thursday, November 11, 2021. The hatch will open at 8:45 p.m. and the welcoming ceremony will commence at 9.20 p.m.

The SpaceX Crew-3: ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, left, and NASA astronauts ... [+]

 (NASA/JOEL KOWSKY)

Who will be on the SpaceX Crew-3 mission?

Inside the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endurance” will be NASA astronauts Raja Chari (mission commander), Tom Marshburn (pilot), Kayla Barron (mission specialist) and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer (mission specialist).

They’ll be on the ISS for six months.

There’s currently only three astronauts on the ISS after the departure yesterday of NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2021/11/09/nasa-and-spacexs-delayed-halloween-mission-is-finally-going-skywards-heres-when-and-where-to-watch-four-astronauts-blast-off/?sh=1c5f2f011132