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NASA announces coverage plan for week leading up to Crew-3 launch

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA has several days of launch and prelaunch activities planned leading up to the SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station, scheduled to liftoff early on the morning of Halloween.

It’ll be the third crew mission aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft. They’re targeting 2:21 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 31 for launch.

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NASA’s coverage of the launch will begin Monday evening with a Flight Readiness Review media teleconference from Kennedy Space Center. The participants will include NASA administrators as well as ISS and Commercial Crew Program managers.

On Tuesday, there’s another media event scheduled to mark the arrival of Crew-3 astronauts: Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kyla Barron, and Matthias Maurer. They’ll be joined by NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana, Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro, and ISS Program Manager Frank de Winne.

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NASA will hold another teleconference Thursday to discuss the scientific investigations the crew will be supporting, including studies on the various impacts of spaceflight on humans.

Former astronaut, Florida Senator, and current NASA Administrator Bill Nelson will head a media briefing on NASA TV Friday at noon, followed by a prelaunch update at 10 p.m.

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Live coverage of the launch itself will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday night up through the process of docking with the ISS, the opening of the hatch, and a welcome ceremony for the crew aboard the space station.

If the launch goes off as currently scheduled, the crew will arrive at the space station just after midnight Monday, Nov. 1.

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