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NASA and SpaceX Launch Crew-7 Mission to International Space Station

  • 29 Aug 2023

On 26th August, NASA and SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft lifted off, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).

Key Points:

  • Docking and Return Schedule: After about 24 hours, the spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS, located about 400 km (249 miles) above Earth. The crew members will return a few days later.
  • SpaceX's Contribution: Crew-7 is SpaceX's seventh routine mission to the ISS since 2020, under a commercial crew program initiated by NASA to reduce reliance on Russian rockets.
  • Cooperation Despite Differences: Despite geopolitical tensions, space cooperation continues between the US and Russia, with Americans flying on Russian Soyuz rockets.
  • Scientific Experiments: The crew will conduct science experiments on the ISS, including sampling microorganisms through life-support vents and studying sleep differences in space.
  • Crew-7 Arrival and Departure: Crew-7 will join seven astronauts already on the ISS and later overlap with Crew-6 members.
  • Returning Members: Crew-6 includes members from the US, Russia, and the UAE, with a total of seven people currently on the ISS.