NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch astronauts on an American rocket and spacecraft to the International Space Station.

The SpaceX Crew-4 mission, the next crew rotation flight of a U.S. commercial spacecraft carrying astronauts as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, is targeted to launch from Launch Complex 39A at our Kennedy Space Center no earlier than Thursday, April 21. The backup date is Saturday, April 23.

The launch will carry three NASA astronauts including Mission Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Bob Hines, and Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins as well as European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who will serve as a mission specialist. The crew will spend several months conducting science and maintenance aboard the orbiting laboratory before the four astronauts return to Earth in the fall of 2022.

NASA will provide live coverage of the Crew-4 mission on NASA TV, the NASA app, the agency’s website, and our social media channels.

Interested in watching online? Register for our Crew-4 virtual guest program to receive notifications of interaction opportunities, up-to-date resources, and a stamp for your virtual guest passport following launch.

A New Chapter in Spaceflight – Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1), the first all private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, launched at our Kennedy Space Center on Friday, April 8, at 11:17 a.m. EDT. Tune in on Saturday, April 9, to watch live as Dragon Endeavour carrying the astronauts docks at the orbiting laboratory.

Monitoring Groundwater Loss – Scientists have produced a new method of monitoring groundwater levels that could improve management of underground aquifers–critical to both life and agriculture in regions like California’s Central Valley, where 40 percent of the nation’s table fruits, vegetables, and nuts are grown.

Artemis I Testing Continues – The last major test before launch of our mega Moon rocket is ongoing. Teams continue to troubleshoot and refine the test schedule to account for insights gained during previous runs and activities. For the latest updates, follow the Artemis blog.

A Fluid Situation – What if there were a way to make a telescope 10 times–or even 100 times–bigger than before? An upcoming ISS National Lab experiment on the Ax-1 mission aboard the space station aims to make lenses from liquids, a method that could be used to make larger and better lenses than can be made on Earth by taking advantage of the way liquids behave in microgravity.

Feeling the Heat – Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope detected some bizarre weather conditions on Jupiter-sized planets outside of our solar system. Learn about planets where rock gets vaporized and rained down, and others with “sunburned” upper atmospheres, in our science article.

Webby Nominations – We work to bring space to you in many ways, from podcasts and graphic novels to virtual experiences that put the universe in the palm of your hand. Now we’ve been nominated for eight Webby Awards! Consider voting for NASA’s efforts in the Webbys’ People’s Voice Awards.

Meet Edward Gonzales, the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility lead at our Goddard Space Flight Center.

"My career counselor said I would do amazing work at a car wash…but I didn't listen.

"And now, I'm actually working for NASA."

This false-color image, acquired by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite, reveals billions of years of the rich geologic history in the Pilbara Craton of Western Australia.