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Here’s what the weather is looking like for the next crewed launch

Crew-2 scheduled launch scheduled for 6:11 a.m.Thursday

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 astronauts are pictured during a training session at the SpaceX training facility in Hawthorne, California. From left are, Mission Specialist Thomas Pesquet of the (ESA (European Space Agency); Pilot Megan McArthur of NASA; Commander Shane Kimbrough of NASA; and Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. (Photo credit: SpaceX) (WKMG 2021)

ORLANDO, Fla. – The next crewed launch from the Space Coast is upon us and all eyes are on the forecast at home and downrange.

The launch of Crew-2 is currently scheduled for Thursday, April 22 at 6:11 a.m. from Kennedy Space Center launchpad 39A.

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Days of rain and cloudy weather will precede launch day as a stalled system impacts most of the Florida peninsula early in the week. By late Wednesday night, that system may finally get a nudge south and help inch the rain and cloud cover away from the Space Coast.

Crew-2 forecast

The exit of this front will be key to the end of the rain.

As of Monday morning, skies look to be partly cloudy with light winds at the surface for launch time Thursday. The 45th Weather Squadron will issue their launch percentage closer to launch.

As high pressure builds in the mid-Atlantic, winds could increase over the Atlantic churning up the seas in the recovery zone.

Crew-2 weather

Currently, waves off of the Florida coast in the booster recovery area are forecast to only be in the 1-3 foot range. Seas are also looking relatively favorable downrange in the North Atlantic.

Forecast wave heights

Conditions need to be relatively calm downrange in the event an emergency abort of the Crew Dragon capsule.


About the Author

Jonathan Kegges joined the News 6 team in June 2019 and now covers weather on TV and all digital platforms.

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