A group of four astronauts is gearing up for an exciting journey to the International Space Station (ISS) on August 25, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on the company’s Dragon spacecraft.
The NASA SpaceX Crew-7 mission, scheduled to depart at 3.49 am EDT (1.19 pm India time) on Friday, had to adjust its launch date to ensure pad readiness following SpaceX’s recent Falcon Heavy mission. The launch also takes advantage of consecutive launch opportunities and streamlines the station’s cargo spacecraft traffic schedule.
Among the talented crew members is NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli, of Iranian descent. Born on June 24, 1983, in Bad Nauheim, West Germany, while her father served as a doctor in the Iranian Air Force, Jasmin’s family later moved to the United States.
Selected as part of NASA’s 2017 astronaut class, known as the “Turtles,” Jasmin Moghbeli graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2005, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering. She further pursued a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School.
Before her astronaut career, Jasmin served as a U.S. Marine Corps pilot, reaching the rank of major. During her military tenure, she completed over 150 combat missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, skillfully piloting various aircraft, including the AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter.
Jasmin Moghbeli has undergone extensive training as a NASA astronaut, encompassing spacewalks, robotics, and International Space Station systems. Now, she is all set for the thrilling Crew-7 mission, ready to take off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket to the International Space Station, marking another remarkable milestone in her inspiring career.
The Crew-7 astronauts are scheduled to travel on the Crew Dragon capsule Endurance, which previously participated in the Crew-3 and Crew-5 missions in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Endurance is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket in mid-August from Launch Complex-39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Once Crew-7 reaches the International Space Station (ISS), the Crew-6 members will begin preparing to leave the station, concluding their six-month rotation. Endurance will stay docked during Crew-7’s six-month residency at the ISS and will bring the group back to Earth sometime in early 2024.