NASA Invites Media to Next SpaceX Commercial Crew Space Station Launch

[ksc@newsletters.nasa.gov]

	September 10, 2021  MEDIA ADVISORY M21-109 NASA Invites Media to Next SpaceX Commercial Crew Space Station Launch Crew-3 astronauts for advisory SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts (from left) Matthias Maurer, Thomas Marshburn, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron are pictured during preflight training at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Credits: SpaceX Media accreditation now is open for the launch of the third SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket that will carry astronauts to the International Space Station for a long duration mission. This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The earliest targeted launch date for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission is Sunday, Oct. 31, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launch will carry three NASA astronauts – mission commander Raja Chari, pilot Tom Marshburn, and mission specialist Kayla Barron to the space station – as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer, who will serve as a mission specialist. This is the first spaceflight for Chari, Barron, and Maurer. It is the third for Marshburn. The crew will complete a six-month science mission aboard the microgravity laboratory in low-Earth orbit. Astronauts from NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission are scheduled for return in mid-November aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour on which they launched following a short crew handover period aboard the space station. Media accreditation deadlines for Crew-3 are as follows: U.S. media and U.S. citizens representing international media must apply by 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 3. International media without U.S. citizenship must apply by 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 26. All accreditation requests should be submitted online at: https://media.ksc.nasa.gov NASA’s COVID-19 policies are updated as necessary and to remain consistent with guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and White House Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce. COVID-19 safety protocols for this event will be communicated closer to the date of the event. The agency also will communicate any updates that may impact mission planning or media access as necessary. For questions about accreditation, please email ksc-media-accreditat@mail.nasa.gov. For other questions, please contact Kennedy’s newsroom at 321-867-2468. Para obtener información sobre cobertura en español en el Centro Espacial Kennedy o si desea solicitar entrevistas en español, comuníquese con Antonia Jaramillo 321-501-8425. For launch coverage and more information about the mission, visit: www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew -end-
	Press Contacts Joshua Finch / Stephanie Schierholz Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100 joshua.a.finch@nasa.gov / stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov Kyle Herring / Kathleen Ellis Kennedy Space Center, Florida 321-867-2468 kyle.j.herring@nasa.gov / kathleen.h.ellis@nasa.gov Dan Huot Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov
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