A Look at Key Milestones for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-6 Launch

Below are some key milestones for the Crew-6 mission launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff, from Launch Complex 39A, is targeted for 1:45 a.m. EST Monday, Feb. 27 (times are approximate; all times are EST):

• 9:45 p.m. Crew suit donning and checkouts

• 10:30 p.m. Crew transport to launch pad

• 11 p.m. Crew ingress

• 11:16 p.m. Seats rotated and reclined

• 11:20 p.m. Suit leak checks

• 11:50 p.m. Hatch closes on Dragon

• 1 a.m. Propellant load and launch ‘Go’/’No go’ poll

• 1:03 a.m. Crew access arm retracts

• 1:06 a.m. Dragon launch escape system is armed

• 1:10 a.m. Falcon 9 rocket propellant loading begins

• 1:10 a.m. First stage liquid oxygen loading begins

• 1:29 a.m. Second stage liquid oxygen loading begins

• 1:38 a.m. Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch

• 1:40 a.m. Propellant load complete; Dragon switches to internal power

• 1:44 a.m. Command flight computer conducts final prelaunch checks

• 1:44 a.m. SpaceX launch director verifies go for launch

• 1:45 a.m. Liftoff!

• 1:46 a.m. Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)

• 1:47 a.m. First stage main engine cutoff (MECO)

• 1:47 a.m. First and second stages separate

• 1:47 a.m. Second stage engine starts

• 1:52 a.m. First stage entry burn

• 1:53 a.m. Second stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)

• 1:54 a.m. First stage landing on SpaceX drone ship

• 1:57 a.m. Dragon separates from second stage

• 1:58 a.m. Dragon nosecone sequence