All attention will be on the weather on Thursday morning as Joshua Kutryk, a Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut, readies for liftoff to the International Space Station (ISS).
Aged 44, Kutryk will serve as a mission specialist for NASA’s Crew-13 mission to the ISS, alongside Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov from Roscosmos. NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney will assume the roles of commander and pilot, respectively. They are set to embark on their space journey aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
The weather outlook at Cape Canaveral, Fla., indicates some variability with a possibility of showers and thunderstorms.
Initially slated to fly on a Boeing CST-100 Starliner, Kutryk was reassigned to SpaceX following significant setbacks encountered by the former.
Moreover, NASA is currently addressing a potential issue concerning the ISS, as reported by ArsTechnica earlier this week.
Canadarm2, a crucial component used for spacecraft capture and during spacewalks, has encountered some communication errors after executing a maneuver. NASA and SpaceX are collaborating to ensure smooth docking operations between Crew Dragon and the station, without any GPS interference.
During today’s press conference, Lorie Glaze, NASA’s associate administrator for human spaceflight, expressed readiness from the crew, stating, “I was fortunate to speak with Jessica, Luke, Josh, and Sergey earlier today. They are all prepared for the mission.”
Dana Weigel, manager of the Low Earth Orbit Program, reiterated the crew’s eagerness, saying, “I also had a conversation with the crew this morning while they were in crew quarters. They are in good spirits and ready to embark on the journey, with many smiles all around.”
The upcoming mission follows CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s recent voyage around the moon as part of the Artemis II mission.
Highlighting Canada’s contributions, Mathieu Caron, director of CSA’s astronaut office, emphasized the nation’s pivotal role in providing the mobile servicing system, a sophisticated robotic system crucial for constructing the space station.
The crew is scheduled for a traditional walk-out from their quarantine facility at approximately 7:40 a.m. on Thursday, followed by preparations at the pad and boarding the Crew Dragon capsule for launch.
Notably, Kutryk’s wife Heather is expected to give birth to their third child while he is in orbit.
Following the launch, the crew will rendezvous with the ISS within a few hours, aiming for the quickest Dragon mission to the station to date, lasting around eight hours.
In the event of unfavorable weather conditions on Thursday, the next launch attempt will be on Friday morning, ensuring that the mission proceeds only when all conditions are optimal, as stated by Glaze.
With Kutryk fully prepared for the journey, Caron expressed high spirits for the mission, hoping for favorable weather conditions on launch day to ensure success for Kutryk, his family, and the mission at hand.