Crew-4 astronauts, from left, Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti stand inside the crew access arm at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A during a dry dress rehearsal on April 20, 2022. Reflected and lit up in the background is NASA’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission at Launch Complex 39B. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, is targeted for liftoff no earlier than 4:15 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 26, 2022, from Pad 39A. The Crew-4 mission will carry the astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Crew-4 astronauts wave after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They will make their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. From left are: mission specialist Jessica Watkins, pilot Bob Hines, commander Kjell Lindgren, and mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Samantha Cristoforetti, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins wave to their families outside of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before getting into the customized Tesla Model X vehicles that will transport them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022, at 3:52 a.m. EDT. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the mission’s crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

Crew-4 mission astronauts, from left, Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti relax in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. The astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts, from left, Jessica Watkins, mission specialist; Bob Hines, pilot; Kjell Lindgren, commander and Samantha Cristoforetti, mission specialist, are positioned inside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, during a dry dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 20, 2022. Crew-4 will launch the astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

A customized Tesla Model X vehicle is parked outside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti will make their way to the vehicles, which will transport them to Launch Complex 39A. Liftoff aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, is scheduled for today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Samantha Cristoforetti, and Kjell Lindgren form a huddle after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They are making their way to the customized Tesla Model X vehicles that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts, from left, Jessica Watkins, mission specialist; Bob Hines, pilot; Kjell Lindgren, commander and Samantha Cristoforetti, mission specialist, pose outside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, during a dry dress rehearsal at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 20, 2022. Crew-4 will launch the astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti relaxes in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Cristoforetti, along with Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, soars upward after a 3:52 a.m. EDT liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the mission’s crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

A poster depicting Crew-4 mission astronauts, from left, Bob Hines, Samantha Cristoforetti, Jessica Watkins, and Kjell Lindgren is shown in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. They are scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Kjell Lindgren signs the mission patch in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. Lindgren, along with Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Jessica Watkins smiles in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted Watkins, along with Crew-4 members Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Samantha Cristoforetti, as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

A banner hangs outside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti will launch to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff is scheduled for today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Megan Cruz of NASA Communications interviews Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida prior to liftoff of the Crew-4 mission from Kennedy’s Launch Complex 39A on April 27, 2022. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, launched at 3:52 a.m. EDT on April 27. Aboard the spacecraft are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, commander; Bob Hines, pilot; and Jessica Watkins, mission specialist, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, mission specialist. Nicknamed Freedom by the Crew-4 astronauts, Dragon will carry the crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Freedom is scheduled to dock to the space station at 8:15 p.m. EDT today.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022, at 3:52 a.m. EDT. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the mission’s crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Samantha Cristoforetti, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins wave to their families outside of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida before getting into the customized Tesla Model X vehicles that will transport them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

A customized Tesla Model X vehicle is parked outside the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti will make their way to the vehicles, which will transport them to Launch Complex 39A. Liftoff aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, is scheduled for today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts wave after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They will make their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. From left are: mission specialist Jessica Watkins, pilot Bob Hines, commander Kjell Lindgren, and mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Samantha Cristoforetti, and Kjell Lindgren form a huddle after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They are making their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Bob Hines relaxes in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Hines, along with Samantha Cristoforetti, Kjell Lindgren, and Jessica Watkins, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Crew-4 mission astronauts Samantha Cristoforetti, left, and Jessica Watkins relax in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Astronauts Kjell Lindgren and Bob Hines will join Cristoforetti and Watkins aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, lifts off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022, at 3:52 a.m. EDT. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the mission’s crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Samantha Cristoforetti, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and make their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Crew Dragon atop, soars upward after a 3:52 a.m. EDT liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission on April 27, 2022. Aboard the Dragon are NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. The spacecraft will carry the Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom by the mission’s crew, is scheduled to dock to the space station today at 8:15 p.m. EDT.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Bob Hines relaxes in the suit room inside the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted Hines, along with Crew-4 members Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti, as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti, enter the elevator in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti smiles in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted Cristoforetti, along with Crew-4 members Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Samantha Cristoforetti, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins walk out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and make their way to the customized Tesla Model X vehicles that will transport them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts wave after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They will make their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. From left are: mission specialist Jessica Watkins, pilot Bob Hines, commander Kjell Lindgren, and mission specialist Samantha Cristoforetti. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Kjell Lindgren relaxes in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Lindgren, along with Samantha Cristoforetti, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti signs the mission patch in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. Cristoforetti, along with Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 astronauts, from left, front to back, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti wave after walking out through the double doors below the Neil A. Armstrong Building’s Astronaut Crew Quarters at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 27, 2022. They will make their way to the customized Tesla Model X cars that will take them to their spacecraft at Launch Complex 39A. SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to launch today at 3:52 a.m. EDT, from Pad 39A at Kennedy.

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts, from left, Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, and Kjell Lindgren, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti stand inside the crew access arm at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A during a dry dress rehearsal on April 20, 2022. Named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon will carry the astronauts to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Liftoff, powered by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, is targeted for no earlier than 4:15 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 26, 2022. Crew-4 will be the first spaceflight for Hines and Watkins and the second flight for Lindgren and Cristoforetti.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Jessica Watkins relaxes in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Watkins, along with Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Crew-4 mission astronauts Kjell Lindgren, left, and Bob Hines relax in the suit room in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. A team of SpaceX suit technicians assisted the crew as they put on their custom-fitted spacesuits and checked the suits for leaks. Astronauts Jessica Watkins and Samantha Cristoforetti will join Lindgren and Hines aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket, which will carry the four-person crew to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

From left, Crew-4 mission astronauts Jessica Watkins, Bob Hines, Kjell Lindgren, and Samantha Cristoforetti, pose in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. The four astronauts will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. They are scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Jessica Watkins signs the mission patch in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. Watkins, along with Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

Crew-4 mission astronaut Bob Hines signs the mission patch in the Astronaut Crew Quarters inside Kennedy Space Center’s Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on April 27, 2022. Hines, along with Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins, and Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon – powered by the company’s Falcon 9 rocket – to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Crew-4 is scheduled to lift off today at 3:52 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is vertical with the company’s Crew Dragon atop for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission at Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on April 19, 2022. NASA astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, and Jessica Watkins, along with ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, will launch aboard Dragon, named Freedom by the Crew-4 crew, atop the Falcon 9 on April 23, 2022, to the International Space Station. Launch is targeted for 5:26 a.m. EDT from Pad 39A. The astronauts will conduct scientific research in areas such as materials science, health technologies, and plant science to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.