Three Hams to Fly to Space Station as Members of SpaceX Crew 8

The four members of SpaceX Crew 8 include
three licensed hams. (NASA photo by Bill Stafford)

NASA announced the roster for the SpaceX Crew 8 mission to the International Space Station in early August, and the AMSAT News Service reports that three of the four crew members are radio amateurs. 

The three hams on the crew include mission commander Matthew Dominick, KC0TOR, making his first flight to space; pilot Michael Barratt, KD5MIJ, making his third trip to the space station; and mission specialist Jeanette Epps, KF5QNU, another first-timer. The fourth crew member named is Russian cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, also a mission specialist. The crew is expected to launch to the space station early next year for what is described as "a long-duration stay."