Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk prepares for launch to International Space Station
Kutryk will join NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission for a six-month stay if weather permits the Thursday morning launch.
Explainer
Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk is scheduled to launch to the International Space Station on Thursday as part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-13 mission.
If the weather holds, the 44-year-old will blast off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 11:10 a.m. ET for a six-month mission.
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"They are ready to fly," said Lorie Glaze, NASA's associate administrator for human spaceflight, after speaking with the crew.
Kutryk will serve as a mission specialist alongside Russian cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, NASA commander Jessica Watkins and NASA pilot Luke Delaney aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft.
What could delay the launch?
The weather at Cape Canaveral, Fla., is expected to be variable, with chances of showers and potential thunderstorms.
If conditions do not co-operate Thursday, the next launch opportunity is Friday morning.
"We always ensure that we fly only when we're ready," Glaze said.
NASA has also been dealing with a potential issue on the ISS related to the Canadian-built Canadarm2.
After the robotic arm conducted a "walk-off" manoeuvre, engineers detected "some communications errors," NASA said in a statement to ArsTechnica.
The agency said it and SpaceX were working to ensure there would not be any GPS interference between the Crew Dragon and the station during docking.
What is the significance of this mission for Canada?
The mission comes six months after CSA astronaut Jeremy Hansen's trip around the moon as part of the Artemis II mission.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who will be attending her first space launch, said it is important to show co-operation amid geopolitical tensions.
"It's happening at a time where there is this trade war going on, there is geopolitical tensions," Joly said at nearby Cocoa Beach on Wednesday. "I think it's important that we are able to show that we can co-operate as human beings on space exploration."
Mathieu Caron, director of the CSA's astronaut office, said Canada's access to the space station is due to its robotic contributions.
"I think what people really need to remember is: Why do we have access to that incredible world-class laboratory?... Because Canada contributed the mobile servicing system, which is a complex robotic system that allowed the space station to be built."
Joly said a new Canadian Space Agency president will be announced in the coming weeks and a new space strategy will be unveiled in the coming months.
What personal milestone will Kutryk miss?
Kutryk's wife, Heather, will be giving birth to their third child while he is in orbit.
"So we'll look at which labour code applies," Caron said at the press conference, laughing.
Caron said the CSA and NASA are working to provide Kutryk with support and to ensure some video calls with his growing family while in space.
During the mission, Kutryk will take part in long-term Canadian research projects and help document how the human body responds to space travel.
How will the crew get to the station?
The crew will do a traditional walk-out from their quarantine facility at roughly 7:40 a.m. Thursday before heading to the launch pad.
Initially, Kutryk was to fly on a Boeing CST-100 Starliner, but after the company suffered major setbacks, he was reassigned to SpaceX.
Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's Low Earth Orbit Program, said the crew was in high spirits.
"I also talked with the crew this morning when they were in crew quarters. They're doing great. They're ready to fly. A lot of smiling faces."
If the launch proceeds as planned, it will be one of the fastest Dragon missions to the station.
"If the launch does go tomorrow as planned, this will be the fastest Dragon mission to station around eight hours or so," said Weigel.
"He's so ready," said Caron. "And hopefully the weather will co-operate tomorrow."
With files from The Canadian Press, CBC News and CityNews