NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 forecast: 90% 'go for launch' weather for early Friday morning

In a favorable forecast, Space Force meteorologists expect 90% "go for launch" weather early Friday morning for NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission to the International Space Station.

The four-person crew is scheduled to lift off at 12:04 a.m. Friday from pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center aboard SpaceX Dragon Endeavour capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket.

"A couple more spectacular weather days are expected across Central Florida, before a pattern shift brings in clouds and isolated showers towards the end of the week. A weak surface boundary will drape across the Space Coast on Thursday and linger for several days," the Space Force's 45th Weather Squadron said in its Crew-8 forecast.

"The primary launch weather concern for the primary launch attempt will be isolated showers associated with the boundary," the forecast said.

Crew-8: NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 astronauts excited for Friday early-morning launch from Cape Canaveral

Indeed, precipitation and cumulous clouds serve as the forecast's primary weather concerns.

Crew-8 includes NASA astronauts, commander Matthew Dominick, pilot Michael Barratt and mission specialist Jeanette Epps alongside Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, a mission specialist.

If Friday's Crew-8 mission gets postponed, odds of favorable launch weather at Cape Canaveral will decrease to 75% on Saturday and 60% on Sunday, according to the squadron's forecast.

"On both backup days, the base of the upper-level clouds will lower beneath the -20°C level, bringing a thick cloud concern to the isolated showers. The ascent corridor weather will also deteriorate over the weekend, with precipitation likely and unfavorable winds continuing into next week," the forecast said.

After liftoff, the Falcon 9's first-stage booster will target landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station — triggering Space Coast sonic booms. Crew-8's targeted docking time at the ISS is about 7 a.m. Saturday.

For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.

Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or [email protected]. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA's Crew-8: 90% 'go for launch' weather for Friday SpaceX launch