Month: November 2023

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft – carrying about 6,500 pounds of critical science, hardware, and crew supplies – is on its way to the International Space Station following a successful launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at 8:28 p.m. EST Thursday, Nov. 9, on SpaceX’s 29th resupply services mission for NASA to the orbiting laboratory.

The mission marks the ninth flight on the Commercial Resupply Services-2 SpaceX contract and the second flight of this Dragon, which previously flew on NASA’s SpaceX 26th resupply services mission.

Dragon now is safely in orbit, and its solar arrays have deployed. A series of thruster firings will help Dragon reach the space station at approximately 5:20 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. Upon its arrival, it will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module, with NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara monitoring operations.

Live coverage of Dragon’s arrival will air on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency’s website beginning at 3:45 a.m. EST.

Dragon will remain at the space station for about one month until it returns to Earth with research and return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida. To stay updated on all station activities, follow @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts. Or follow along the station blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/.

SpaceX’s uncrewed Dragon spacecraft has separated from the company’s Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage as the spacecraft continues its journey to the International Space Station for NASA, delivering critical supplies, equipment, and material to support multiple science and research experiments that will take place aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Arrival to the station is scheduled for approximately 5:20 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will dock autonomously to the space-facing port of the station’s Harmony module.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage successfully landed on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Today’s launch marked the ninth flight on the Commercial Resupply Services-2 SpaceX contract and the second flight of this Dragon spacecraft, which previously flew on NASA’s SpaceX 26th resupply services mission.

Coming up next, Dragon will separate from the rocket’s second stage to continue its journey to the space station.

The nine Merlin engines in the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage have finished their burn, and the first stage has separated from the vehicle.

As the second stage continues carrying the company’s Dragon on its journey, the first stage will land on SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. That landing is coming up in just over six minutes.

The rocket has powered off of the pad! At 8:28 p.m. EST, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from NASA Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida, starting the Dragon spacecraft’s approximately 33-hour trip to the International Space Station for NASA.

Dragon will deliver new science investigations, supplies, and equipment for the Expedition 70 crew currently aboard the orbiting laboratory. Coming up in the next minute, the Falcon 9 will pass through Max Q – the moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket.

At about two minutes and 17 seconds after liftoff, the main engine in the rocket’s first stage will shut off, followed by the first and second stages separating.

Launch preparations are well underway, and the countdown remains on track for SpaceX’s 29th cargo resupply launch to the International Space Station for NASA. In approximately 10 minutes, at 8:28 p.m. EST, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s nine Merlin engines will roar to life, sending the company’s Dragon spacecraft on its way to the orbiting laboratory.

The spacecraft will deliver critical supplies and equipment that will support dozens of the approximately 200 science and research investigations that will occur during Expedition 70.

Coming up in the next few minutes, the Falcon 9 will begin its prelaunch engine chill, which involves flowing a small amount of the super-cold liquid oxygen (LOX) into the Merlin engines’ turbo pumps to avoid thermally shocking the system when the full flow of LOX runs through them.

Following that, Dragon will transition to internal power and the command flight computer will begin its final prelaunch checks, culminating with the SpaceX launch director verifying we are “go” for launch.

As a reminder, NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and the agency’s website  will continue to provide live coverage of today’s launch.

Tonight’s launch of NASA’s SpaceX 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission is set for 8:28 EST, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Our live broadcast is underway. You can watch on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website, or get live updates here on the blog.

The mission will carry scientific research, technology demonstrations, crew supplies, and hardware to the International Space Station to support its Expedition 70 crew, including NASA’s ILLUMA-T (Integrated Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Low Earth Orbit User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) and AWE (Atmospheric Waves Experiment).

• Once installed on the station’s exterior, ILLUMA-T aims to test high data rate laser communications from the space station to Earth. The system uses invisible infrared light to send and receive information at higher data rates than traditional radio frequency systems. Working together, ILLUMA-T and the agency’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, currently in orbit around Earth, will complete NASA’s first two-way laser communications relay system.
• Also to be installed on the station’s exterior, AWE will use an infrared imaging instrument to measure the characteristics, distribution, and movement of atmospheric gravity waves, which roll through the Earth’s atmosphere when air is disturbed. Researchers also are looking at how these waves contribute to space weather, which affects space-based and ground-based communications, navigation, and tracking systems. Increased insight into atmospheric gravity waves could improve understanding of Earth’s atmosphere, weather, and climate and development of ways to mitigate the effects of space weather.

The spacecraft is expected to spend about one month attached to the orbiting laboratory before it returns to Earth with research and about 3,800 pounds of return cargo, splashing down off the coast of Florida.

Good evening and a hearty “hello” from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida! A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with the company’s Dragon spacecraft atop, stands ready for liftoff at historic Launch Complex 39A.

Today’s launch is the 29th commercial resupply services mission by SpaceX for NASA, delivering more than 6,500 pounds of supplies, equipment, and research to the International Space Station and its crew.

NASA’s live coverage of today’s launch airs now on NASA Television, the NASA app, YouTube, and on the agency’s website.

Liftoff is scheduled for 8:28 p.m. EST, just under 30 minutes away, and weather is fully cooperating, as we are 100% “go” for launch. As with all commercial resupply services missions for NASA, today’s launch is a coordinated effort, with launch controllers here in Florida working closely with teams at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and SpaceX’s control center in Hawthorne, California.

Hey, it’s not all science, technology, and research. The crew aboard the International Space Station also has to eat! Here is a list of foods launching on NASA’s SpaceX 29th Commercial Resupply Services mission:

• 1 fresh food kit, which will include citrus, apples, cherry tomatoes, and other items
• 2 cheese cold stowage kits, including Parmesan, Romano, cheddar, Asiago, and Gruyere
• 1 holiday bulk overwrap bag, including holiday treats such as chocolate, pumpkin spice cappuccino, rice cake, mochi, turkey, duck, quail, seafood, and cranberry sauce
• 1 shelf stable food kit, including pizza kits, hummus, salsa, and olives
• 99 bulk overwrap bags of standard menu and crew preferences

If that made you hungry, you have just enough time to grab a quick snack and then tune in to the live broadcast on NASA Television, the NASA app, or the agency’s website, starting at 8 p.m. EST.

Here’s a full look at the countdown and ascent milestones for tonight’s launch, targeted for 8:28 EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All times are approximate:

COUNTDOWN 

Hr/Min/Sec     Event

– 00:38:00             SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load

– 00:35:00             RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins

– 00:35:00             1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins

– 00:16:00             2nd stage LOX loading begins

– 00:07:00             Falcon 9 begins pre-launch engine chill

– 00:05:00             Dragon transitions to internal power

– 00:01:00             Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks

– 00:01:00             Propellant tanks pressurize for flight

– 00:00:45             SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch

– 00:00:03             Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence start

– 00:00:00             Falcon 9 liftoff

  LAUNCH, LANDING, AND DRAGON DEPLOYMENT

Hr/Min/Sec     Event

-00:01:12       Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)

-00:02:17       1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)

-00:02:21       1st and 2nd stages separate

-00:02:28       2nd stage engine starts

-00:02:34       Boostback Burn Starts

-00:03:28       Boostback Burn Ends

-00:06:10       1st stage entry burn starts

-00:06:22       1st stage entry burn ends

-00:07:19       1st stage landing burn starts

-00:07:36       1st stage landing

-00:08:33       2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)