SpaceX Launches Astronauts From Four Countries To The ISS In Preparation For Moon And Mars Missions

SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Brings Dragon Capsule to ISS/dok. NASA

JAKARTA - SpaceX has re-launched astronauts from four different countries to the International Space Station (ISS). Dubbed Crew-7, this mission is the seventh commercial crew rotation for the American Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA).

The successful mission launched on Saturday, August 26, at 3:27 a.m. EDT, from the 39A Launch Complex at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA.

The four astronauts rode the Dragon capsule launched by SpaceX's rocket, Falcon 9 into orbit. Carrying NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Andreas Mogensen, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Satoshi Furukawa, and Russian Space Agency (Roscosmos) cosmonaut Konstantin Borisov.

Dragon will dock independently to the port of the Harmony module on the ISS overlooking space at 08:39 a.m. Sunday, August 27.

Arriving at the ISS, they will run a series of science expeditions aboard the orbital laboratory ship aka ISS, to prepare for the upcoming mission to Mars' Moon.

Inside the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to prepare missions to the Moon, Mars, and its surroundings, while providing benefits to humanity on Earth, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement.

"By partnering with countries around the world, NASA involves the best scientific thinkers to realize our bold mission, and it's clear that we can do more and learn more when we work together," he added.

The experiment included collecting microbial samples from outside the ISS, the first study of human responses to different durations of spaceflight, and an investigation into the physiological aspects of astronauts' sleep.

"These are just a few science experiments and technological demonstrations that will be carried out during their mission," Nelson said.

For information, Crew-7 will join the 69 ISS Expeditionary crew consisting of NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen, Woody Hoburg, and Frank Rubio, as well as United Arab Emirates (UAE) astronaut Sultan Alneyadi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitri Petelin, and Andrey Fedyaev.

However, members of Kru-6 Bowen, Hoburg, Alneyadi, and Fedyaev will soon return to Earth a few days later.

With the Crew-7 mission, NASA can maximize the use of the ISS, where astronauts test technology, do science, develop the skills needed to operate future commercial goals in low-Earth orbit and explore further from Earth.