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It’s something we have been seeing a lot more of this year as commercial flights and NASA increase the launch cadence. All eyes are on the Ax-1, the first all-private mission to the International Space Station. Its undocking was delayed Wednesday afternoon due to weather and rescheduled to Saturday, April 23, at 8:35 p.m. Splashdown of Ax-1 is expected off the coast of Florida on Sunday, April 24, at 1:46 p.m. Even with the fluid schedule at the Kennedy Space Center, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will carry Crew-4 into space conducted a static fire test in the morning.Ax-1 undocking has been delayed several times because of weather conditions for its return to earth off the Florida coast.That means the preparations up on the International Space Station for the arrival of Crew-4 and its launch will also have to be delayed. NASA officials say they want a two-day gap between Ax-1 return and Crew-4 departure.“It’s all part of the requirements of the safety, being able to make sure that the proper people are focused on the mission ahead of them, what they need to be paying attention to. There’s different agencies involved. More than just SpaceX and NASA. You’ve got the FAA, the Coast Guard,” Dale Ketcham, with Space Florida, said.Just next door to the Crew-4 Falcon 9 is NASA’s lunar rocket Artemis SLS. It’s been undergoing tests the last few weeks but will head back to the massive vehicle assembly building to correct fueling issues. That’s due to take place next week.NASA said the earliest potential launch opportunity for the Crew-4 mission is Tuesday, April 26, at 4:15 a.m. with more opportunities on Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28.In addition, SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 Thursday just after 11 a.m., putting more of its Starlink satellites into low earth orbit.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —
It’s something we have been seeing a lot more of this year as commercial flights and NASA increase the launch cadence.
All eyes are on the Ax-1, the first all-private mission to the International Space Station.
Its undocking was delayed Wednesday afternoon due to weather and rescheduled to Saturday, April 23, at 8:35 p.m.
Splashdown of Ax-1 is expected off the coast of Florida on Sunday, April 24, at 1:46 p.m.
Even with the fluid schedule at the Kennedy Space Center, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will carry Crew-4 into space conducted a static fire test in the morning.
Ax-1 undocking has been delayed several times because of weather conditions for its return to earth off the Florida coast.
That means the preparations up on the International Space Station for the arrival of Crew-4 and its launch will also have to be delayed. NASA officials say they want a two-day gap between Ax-1 return and Crew-4 departure.
“It’s all part of the requirements of the safety, being able to make sure that the proper people are focused on the mission ahead of them, what they need to be paying attention to. There’s different agencies involved. More than just SpaceX and NASA. You’ve got the FAA, the Coast Guard,” Dale Ketcham, with Space Florida, said.
Just next door to the Crew-4 Falcon 9 is NASA’s lunar rocket Artemis SLS. It’s been undergoing tests the last few weeks but will head back to the massive vehicle assembly building to correct fueling issues. That’s due to take place next week.
NASA said the earliest potential launch opportunity for the Crew-4 mission is Tuesday, April 26, at 4:15 a.m. with more opportunities on Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28.
In addition, SpaceX is planning to launch a Falcon 9 Thursday just after 11 a.m., putting more of its Starlink satellites into low earth orbit.