The mission successfully cleared the launchpad at 11:10 a.m. despite earlier morning uncertainty regarding local weather conditions, which had initially been forecast with only a 60% probability of launch viability. Once the Falcon 9 cleared the atmosphere, the first-stage booster completed a successful touchdown at Landing Zone 40 following stage separation.
This mission is significant as it carries a multinational team to the International Space Station to conduct critical scientific investigations and technology demonstrations. According to NASA, these efforts are specifically designed to support the agency's long-term objectives in preparing human explorers for upcoming missions to both the Moon and Mars.
The four-person crew includes NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, who serve as the spacecraft’s commander and pilot, respectively. Joining them are Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, both serving as mission specialists. The team spent their final preflight days in quarantine at Kennedy Space Center before Thursday's departure.
Following the successful morning liftoff, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the orbital laboratory at approximately 7 p.m. Thursday. NASA will provide continuous coverage of the docking process and subsequent audio-only communications between the crew and ground flight controllers during the transit phase.