ALBION, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – University of Rochester Ph.D and Albion Physics B.A., John Cassada, will be putting his Michigan education to the test as he pilots the SpaceX Crew’s ascent to the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday at noon. 

Cassada joins a crew of three other astronauts, Nicole Mann of NASA, Koichi Wakata of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Anna Kikina with Roscosmos, will staff NASA and SpaceX’s fifth crewed mission to the ISS. 

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To prepare for the flight and help ensure the health of the entire crew, the four astronauts have been in quarantine since Sept. 19 according to Albion College.  Their health is not only important for their mission to the ISS, but also for the transfer of the crew already there. 

Once Cassada and crew arrive in the Dragon spacecraft, called Endurance, to the ISS and dock roughly at 4:57 p.m Oct. 6 according to NASA, they will then be welcomed into the station to relieve some of Expedition 68’s crew who have been on the station for nearly six months. 

The ISS has surpassed the Mir Space Station’s record of continuous human presence for 9 years and 357 days with a record of continuous habitation for 21 years and 324 days.  Crew 5 will remain in space for the next six months for the purpose of conducting over 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations in areas such as human health and lunar fuel systems according to the California headquartered company. 

SpaceX enabled Americans to fly NASA astronauts to and from the ISS on American vehicles for the first time since 2011 according to SpaceX.  The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft can also carry up to seven commercial astronauts to Earth’s orbit, the ISS, and farther into space.  It is also the first private spacecraft to take humans to the space station. 

To date, the Dragon spacecraft has had 35 total launches, 32 visits to the ISS, and 15 reflown missions, says SpaceX.  

While the flight was originally planned for Oct. 3, adverse weather conditions from hurricane Ian forced a two day delay.