NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 Mission: Four New Crew Members Set to Launch to the International Space Station
Four new crew members are gearing up for an exciting journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission. This mission marks the eighth crew rotation with SpaceX and the ninth human spaceflight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The team, consisting of NASA astronauts Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, and Jeanette Epps, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, will take off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Their primary objectives include conducting research, technology demonstrations, and maintenance activities aboard the microgravity laboratory.
The Crew and Their Backgrounds
Matthew Dominick, a U.S. Navy astronaut from Wheat Ridge, Colorado, will serve as the commander for Crew-8. This will be his first spaceflight experience since being selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2017. Dominick holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of San Diego and a master’s degree in systems engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He is an active-duty U.S. Navy astronaut with expertise in testing aircraft carriers’ landings and catapult launches.
Michael Barratt, hailing from Vancouver, Washington, will be the pilot for Crew-8. This will be his third visit to the space station, having previously served as a flight engineer for Expeditions 19/20 and flown aboard the space shuttle Discovery in 2011. Barratt is a medical doctor with a Doctor of Medicine degree from Northwestern University. He completed residencies in internal and aerospace medicine and holds a master’s degree from Wright State University. Barratt joined the astronaut corps in 2000 after working as a NASA flight surgeon and project physician.
Jeanette Epps, from Syracuse, New York, is a mission specialist aboard Crew-8. This will be her first spaceflight, and she will work closely with the commander and pilot to monitor the spacecraft during the dynamic launch and re-entry phases. Epps earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from LeMoyne College and a master’s degree and doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. Before joining NASA, she worked at Ford Motor Co. and the Central Intelligence Agency. Epps has been actively involved in various roles at NASA, including working on space station crew efficiency and serving as a crew support astronaut.
Alexander Grebenkin, a cosmonaut from Russia, will serve as a flight engineer during Expeditions 70/71 aboard the International Space Station. Grebenkin graduated from Irkutsk High Military Aviation School and Moscow Technical University of Communications and Informatics. His expertise lies in engineering, maintenance, and repair of aircraft radio navigation systems, as well as radio communications, broadcasting, and television.
The Journey to the ISS
The crew will embark on their journey to the ISS aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft named Endeavour. This spacecraft has a remarkable history, having previously flown several missions, including NASA’s SpaceX Demo Mission-2, Crew-2, Crew-6, and Axiom Mission 1. The Dragon will be launched into orbit by a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control in Hawthorne, California, will closely monitor a series of automatic maneuvers that will guide Dragon to dock with the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module. While the spacecraft is designed to dock autonomously, the crew has the capability to take control and pilot manually if necessary.
Activities on the ISS
Upon docking, Crew-8 will be warmly welcomed by the seven-member crew of Expedition 70. They will engage in several days of handover activities with the departing astronauts of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-7 mission. This period allows for a smooth transition and ensures continuity of operations on the space station.
During their stay, Crew-8 will conduct a wide range of scientific research aimed at preparing for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit and benefiting humanity on Earth. Some of the experiments include using stem cells to create organoid models for studying degenerative diseases, investigating the effects of microgravity and UV radiation on plants at a cellular level, and testing the effectiveness of wearing pressure cuffs on the legs to prevent fluid shifts and reduce health problems in astronauts. These experiments are part of over 200 scientific investigations and technology demonstrations planned for their mission.
Exciting Future Endeavors
While aboard the ISS, Crew-8 will witness the arrival of both the SpaceX Dragon and the Roscosmos Progress cargo spacecraft. Additionally, they are expected to welcome the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts and the first cargo flight of Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser. Furthermore, a Soyuz spacecraft carrying three new crew members, including NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, will launch during their stay, while another Soyuz carrying NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara will return to
