The four members of the SpaceX Crew-5 mission. From left are, Mission Specialist Anna Kikina from Roscosmos; Pilot Josh Cassada and Commander Nicole Aunapu Mann, both from NASA; and Mission Specialist Koichi Wakata from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). | SpaceX
The history-making Crew-5 mission is about to take off today from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. SpaceX’s Dragon Endurance spacecraft is set to launch with four astronauts on board, two of whom will usher in firsts for space flight.
The crew includes NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada. Mann will make history as the first indigenous woman from NASA to launch into space. She also will be the first female commander of the Dragon crew capsule. Roscosmos’ Anna Kikina will be the first Russian cosmonaut on the SpaceX Crew Dragon. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata will also join the flight.
