KENNEWICK — NASA plans live coverage of the launch into space of Richland astronaut Kayla Barron starting at 1:45 p.m. PST Wednesday.
Barron and the three other astronauts will spend six months doing research at the International Space Station.
The launch was originally delayed from early Halloween morning due to stormy weather and then delayed again due to an undisclosed medical issue of one of the SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts.
As the handover from Crew-2 astronauts to Crew-3 astronauts at the space station also was delayed, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration decided to again postpone the Crew-3 launch until after Crew-2 had been returned to Earth.
The four Crew-2 astronauts splashed down off the coast of Florida on Monday night in the Crew Dragon Endeavor spacecraft after 199 days in orbit.
Now NASA is turning its attention to sending the Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft, with Barron aboard, to the space station.
The weather appeared favorable as of Tuesday for a launch at 6:03 p.m. PST Wednesday.
NASA plans continual coverage at nasa.gov/live from 1:45 p.m. Wednesday PST through Thursday evening.
The Crew Dragon Endurance is scheduled to dock at the space station at 4:10 p.m. PST Thursday, with the hatch opening at 5:45 p.m. PST. A welcoming ceremony is planned for 6:20 p.m. PST Thursday.
One American and two Russian astronauts remain aboard the space station.
Barron’s parents, Scott and Lauri Sax of Richland, Wash., are in Florida to watch the launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
They have been joined by about 75 other family members and friends, after Barron got 75 passes to hand out. However, some of those who initially gathered for the launch may have had to leave during the days that the flight has been delayed.
The medical issue that caused one of the earlier delays appears to no longer be an issue.
NASA said that it was minor and did not discuss the medical issue beyond saying it was not COVID-19.
Another issue also has been resolved.
The Crew Dragon spacecrafts have developed an issue with their toilets, which were not available on for the Crew-2 astronauts during their return to Earth, requiring them to wear diapers.
The toilet malfunction has been fixed on the Crew Dragon Endurance about to launch.
This will be the third crew rotation mission with astronauts on a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and the fourth flight with astronauts, including the Demo-2 test flight, as part of the NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
And it will be the first flight for Barron.
Barron, a graduate of Richland High, is scheduled to spend six months aboard the International Space Station as a mission specialist, living and doing research as part of a seven-member crew.
She is part of the SpaceX Crew-3 that includes NASA mission commander Raja Chari and NASA pilot Tom Marshburn. Also launching with them will be mission specialist Matthias Maurer of Germany with the European Space Agency.
Barron has said she is looking forward to making a space walk and seeing the view of Earth from space. While aboard the space station, she and fellow astronauts will welcome visitors.
The United States is planning its first mission of private astronauts on the space station. Two Japanese private citizens also will board the space station.
