As the twelfth German astronaut, Matthias Maurer will be on board the capsule on Thursday at 3.03 a.m. German time Crew Dragon Endurance launch from the Cape Canaveral spaceport to the International Space Station ISS. The start date has been postponed several times.
The four-person crew brings a Space-X Falcon 9 launcher into space. If everything goes according to plan, the capsule docks twelve hours after take-off at the ISS, which orbits the planet at an altitude of around 400 kilometers. In addition to Maurer, NASA astronauts Raja Chari and Thomas H. Marshburn and NASA astronaut Kayla Barron are part of SpaceX Crew 3.
As part of the “Cosmic Kiss” mission, Maurer will spend a total of six months in space and be involved in more than a hundred experiments. Among other things, the native of Saarland can try out a new suit that is supposed to facilitate physical training on the space station. In addition, experiments on wound healing in space and on plant growth in weightlessness are planned. Outdoor use is also on the program to put a new robot arm into operation. During Maurer’s time on the ISS, at least five space tourists are also expected on the space station.