This international crew is making history as it heads to the Space Station.
Currently slated for NET (No Earlier Than) April 20, 2021, NASA and SpaceX will send four astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew program. While two seats are reserved for NASA astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough, the other two are going to international partners. Thomas Pesquet will make history as the first ESA astronaut to fly in an American capsule. Akihiko Hoshide will mark the second JAXA astronaut to fly in an American capsule, with Soichi Noguchi being the first on the Crew-1 mission.
“We are entering the golden age of ISS utilization”
Meet the astronauts
On March 1, NASA hosted a press conference to formally introduce the crew. The four astronauts shared their excitement and plans for the mission, and answered a couple of our own burning questions.
Mission Briefing
Just prior to the crew press conference on March 1, representatives from NASA and SpaceX gathered to provide a full mission briefing report ahead of launch.