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On Sunday, March 3rd, SpaceX launched NASA’s eight operational crewed mission, known as Crew-8, to the International Space Station (ISS). The multinational team of astronauts, comprising NASA’s Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Russian Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, soared into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The launch occurred at 10:53 p.m. EST on Sunday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Crew-8 astronauts, aboard the Dragon spacecraft named “Endeavour,” are currently embarking on a voyage to the ISS. Their expected arrival time is at 3:00 A.M. Eastern Time (ET) on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. The spacecraft will autonomously dock to the ISS Harmony module while SpaceX mission control center monitors the Dragon spacecraft’s maneuvers. NASA TV will provide live coverage of the docking operation beginning at 1:00 A.M. ET. You can watch the broadcast in the video linked below.

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“Congratulations to NASA and SpaceX on another successful launch to the International Space Station! On this eighth crew rotation mission, we are once again showing the strength of our commercial partnerships and American ingenuity that will propel us further in the cosmos,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Aboard the station, the crew will conduct more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations to help fuel this new era of space exploration and benefit humanity here on Earth.”

Noteworthy experiments involve studying brain organoids to understand neurodegenerative disorders, investigating shifts in body fluids during spaceflight, and examining the effects of UV radiation and microgravity on plant growth. Crew-8 shared their thoughts “on the importance of human spaceflight and making life multiplanetary,” in the video clip linked below.

With this successful launch, Crew-8 joins the ISS’s Expedition 70 crew, briefly increasing the station’s occupancy to 11 members until the return of Crew-7 members in the coming days. Upon ISS arrival, Crew-8 will be welcomed by all the astronauts working at the orbiting laboratory.

NASA Astronaut Matthew Dominick is leading Crew-8 as commander during his first-ever spaceflight. NASA Astronaut Jeanette Epps, also on her maiden spaceflight, is working as flight engineer during this mission. They are accompanied by veteran NASA Astronaut Michael Barratt, who is serving as Crew-8’s pilot on his third visit to the Space Station. Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin takes on his inaugural mission as a flight engineer in Expeditions 70/71.

VIDEO: NASA TV BROADCAST

Author’s note: Thanks for reading Cosmic Chronicles. Write your thoughts in the comment section below. If you have story suggestions or feedback, Direct Message me on social media 𝕏: Evelyn Janeidy Arevalo @JaneidyEve. Read the most recent stories featured below. Thank You.