Two NASA astronauts will fly to the Worldwide House Station on the fourth-ever business crew mission on SpaceX in 2022 — and you’ll observe their adventures on social media within the subsequent yr.
Kjell Lindgren — a possible moonbound astronaut for the Artemis program who spoke with “The Martian” stars from orbit in 2015 — will return to house for his second mission. Becoming a member of him can be Bob Hines, a analysis check pilot (much like the famed moonwalker Neil Armstrong) who simply graduated to full astronaut standing final yr after his choice in 2017.
The mission will launch someday in 2022 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the same old launch web site: Launch Advanced 39A at NASA’s Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Associated: SpaceX, NASA target April 20 for next Crew Dragon launch to ISS
Each astronauts commonly submit their coaching on social media, so you possibly can watch as they prepare for the massive flight. The astronauts have already talked about their assignments on Twitter. “So Blessed to get to be part of this crew,” Hines tweeted. Lindgren mentioned he was excited to affix Hines in house and to share the journey to launch, adding, “Let’s go fly!” You’ll be able to observe Lindgren on Twitter and Instagram, or Hines on Twitter and Instagram.
Extra crewmembers will be part of Hines and Lindgren on Crew Dragon — which holds 4 individuals at most — after task from worldwide businesses, NASA said in a statement. (The most definitely businesses to affix them could be from main house station companions Russia, Europe or Japan, as minority associate Canada’s next astronaut assignment is expected in 2023.)
Lindgren, the primary Taiwanese-born astronaut in house, spent 141 days in house throughout Expeditions 44 and 45, performing dozens of experiments together with public engagement alternatives akin to celebrating Thanksgiving in orbit and being one of many first individuals to eat plants grown in space. Lindgren’s mission additionally coincided with the one-year mission by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko, which continues to generate precious analysis about how long stays in space affect the human body.
Lindgren, who was a flight surgeon for house shuttle and house station missions earlier than he was chosen for astronaut coaching in 2009, has a bachelor’s diploma in biology from the U.S. Air Pressure Academy, a grasp’s diploma in cardiovascular physiology from Colorado State College, and a medical diploma from the College of Colorado, NASA mentioned.
Hines is a lieutenant colonel within the U.S. Air Pressure and is a graduate of the distinguished Air Pressure Take a look at Pilot college, in keeping with his NASA biography. Earlier than NASA swooped him into astronaut college in 2017, he supported navy deployments in a number of international locations, served as a check pilot within the Federal Aviation Administration, and flew as a NASA analysis pilot. His bachelor’s diploma is in aerospace engineering from the College of Alabama.
Hines posts steadily about flight on Twitter, and was one of many astronauts mourning the loss of Chuck Yeager — the pilot who broke the velocity of sound — in December, at age 97. “An American legend, a warfare hero, and nice story-teller. He is … why I joined the Air Pressure,” Hines tweeted. “I had the glory to satisfy & discuss with him a number of instances. I will always remember his tales concerning the Air Corps’ ‘flesh peddlers!’ We are going to by no means see one other like him. Godspeed Normal Yeager!”
SpaceX is the primary firm to ship a business crew car into house, and put its first two crewed flights into orbit in 2020. Boeing, one other firm tasked with taxiing astronauts to orbit, is dealing with continued delays with its Starliner CST-100 spacecraft — however hopes to do a second uncrewed test flight no earlier than April.
Comply with Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Comply with us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Fb.
