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Meet SpaceX’s Crew-2 astronauts before they blast off to space

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Quick Questions with Crew-2

NASA and SpaceX will send four astronauts to the International Space Station on Thursday, April 22.

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The Crew-2 astronauts will travel to the orbiting laboratory inside a Crew Dragon spacecraft, which will be lifted into orbit atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

The crew comprises NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, plus JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The crew will join the ISS Expedition 65 and spend the next six months aboard the space station.

As part of the launch build-up, NASA has released a short video (top) featuring a series of quick-fire questions designed to help us get to know the crew a little better.

You’ll discover the really important stuff like their favorite foods, colors, and ice cream flavors. Favorite movies and books also feature, though it was harder to get a straight answer about their favorite dance moves.

Biggest pet peeves included “mean drivers” and “inefficiency” — watch the video to find out who said what.

When asked whether it’s more challenging being a parent or being an astronaut, the answers came back the same — and you can probably guess what they said.

The video also reveals who makes each astronaut laugh the most, as well as who inspires them. You’ll even get to know how they’d spend a day on Mars if they ever get the chance.

As you’ve gathered, the questions are pretty light, but their answers give us a little insight into the personalities of the next set of astronauts heading to space.

This week’s mission, which launches from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, will be the second operational flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft following the historic test mission that launched in May 2020 and the first operational mission — Crew-1 — that launched six months later in November.

The Crew-2 launch will be streamed live from the Kennedy Space Center early on Thursday. Check out this Digital Trends article to find out how to watch the action as it happens.

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Trevor Mogg
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