SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft were lowered horizontal on pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center the day before launch, allowing teams to address an issue with a chilled water loop near the top of the strongback structure.
The 215-foot (65-meter) rocket, emblazoned with the U.S. flag and NASA’s “worm” and “meatball” logos, is set for liftoff Wednesday at 4:33 p.m. EDT (2033 GMT) on the first crewed mission to launch into orbit from U.S. soil since the last space shuttle flight in July 2011.
Strapped into their seats inside the Crew Dragon capsule, NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will rocket into orbit on top of the Falcon 9 launcher.
These photos were taken Tuesday, the day before the Falcon 9’s scheduled launch. The rocket was raised vertical later Tuesday afternoon.
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