All attention will be focused on the weather come Thursday morning when Canadian Space Agency (CSA) astronaut Joshua Kutryk readies for liftoff to the International Space Station (ISS).
Kutryk, aged 44, is set to be a mission specialist for NASA’s Crew-13 mission to the ISS, alongside Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov from Roscosmos. NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins will take the helm as commander, with Luke Delaney serving as the pilot. Their journey to space will be aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
The weather forecast at Cape Canaveral, Fla., indicates some variability with a chance of showers and potential thunderstorms.
Initially slated to fly on a Boeing CST-100 Starliner, Kutryk was reassigned to SpaceX after the company faced significant setbacks.
NASA has encountered a potential issue on the ISS, as highlighted by ArsTechnica earlier this week.
Canadarm2, crucial for spacecraft capture and spacewalks, experienced communication errors after a recent maneuver. NASA and SpaceX are collaborating to prevent GPS interference between Crew Dragon and the station during docking.
During a recent press conference, Lorie Glaze, NASA’s associate administrator for human spaceflight, expressed confidence in the crew’s readiness for the mission. Dana Weigel, manager of the Low Earth Orbit Program, also conveyed the crew’s positive state of readiness.
The upcoming mission follows closely after CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s recent involvement in the Artemis II mission.
Mathieu Caron, director of CSA’s astronaut office, highlighted Canada’s contributions to the ISS’s construction, particularly the mobile servicing system.
The crew is scheduled to depart their quarantine facility around 7:40 a.m. Thursday for a traditional walk-out before heading to the pad for launch preparations.
Kutryk’s wife, Heather, is expected to give birth to their third child while he is in orbit.
Upon launch, the crew will rendezvous with the ISS within a few hours, marking a rapid journey for the Dragon capsule.
If Thursday’s weather conditions are unfavorable, the next launch opportunity will be on Friday morning.
As preparations continue, Kutryk and the entire team are eager and prepared for the mission ahead.
