Skip to main content
Clear icon
60º

NASA, SpaceX ready for Crew-5 next week, pending Ian’s aftermath

NASA targeting Oct. 3 launch for Crew-5

The SpaceX Crew-5 members. From Left: Mission Specialist Anna Kikina from Roscosmos; Pilot Josh Cassada and Commander Nicole Aunapu Mann, both from NASA; and Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). (NASA)

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – SpaceX and NASA are preparing for the launch of the next crewed mission to the International Space Station amid Hurricane Ian’s impending arrival.

[TRENDING: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s free!)]

Recommended Videos



The four members of the Crew-5 team were supposed to arrive at Kennedy Space Center this week ahead of the October launch, but the arrival was delayed because of Hurricane Ian.

NASA is still planning to launch the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with Dragon crew capsule on Monday, Oct. 3, no earlier than 12:46 p.m. It will depend on what happens at Kennedy Space Center after Hurricane Ian passes the state.

NASA Commander Nicole Aunapu Mann and pilot Josh Cassada, and mission specialists Anna Kikina from Roscosmos and Koichi Wakata from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency will head to the ISS for a six-month mission of science and technology research.

Crew-4 will also return to Earth after a handover on the space station with Crew-5.