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Windy weather delays Crew-8 launch; SpaceX and NASA set new date

Astronauts now set for Saturday launch from Florida

SpaceX on X | 1:10 AM · Feb 29, 2024 | "SpaceX and NASA are now targeting March 2 at 11:16 p.m. ET for launch of Crew-8 to the @Space_Station due to high winds in the ascent corridor. Teams will continue to keep an eye on weather → http://spacex.com/launches" (SpaceX)

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A new launch date is set for Crew-8 after SpaceX and NASA decided to delay the next space station mission from Florida’s Space Coast.

SpaceX announced early Thursday that the upcoming Crew-8 mission will take off from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39 at 11:16 p.m. Saturday, March 2.

The change was made due to high winds in the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent corridor, SpaceX said on social media.

News 6 Meteorologist Jonathan Kegges recently discussed the weekend’s unsettled launch weather during his “Weather Wise” show.

Check it out below and watch “Weather Wise” live on News 6+ weekdays at 8 a.m.:

[EXCLUSIVE: Become a News 6 Insider (it’s FREE) | PINIT! Share your photos]

Crew-8, a team of four, will spend six months at the International Space Station, focusing on more than 200 science experiments, including studies of motion sickness and human movement in microgravity.

That crew — comprised of three NASA astronauts and one Roscosmos cosmonaut — was announced earlier this month:

The SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour capsule being used in Crew-8 previously supported the Demo-2, Crew-2 and Crew-6 flights, as well as Axiom Mission 1. After stage separation, the Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage will touch down at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

ClickOrlando.com will stream the launch live when coverage begins.


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