Month: July 2019

Two days after its launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft was captured by NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Christina Koch at 9:11 a.m. EDT on Saturday, July 27, using the International Space Station’s Canadarm2 robotic arm. The spacecraft is now installed to the nadir port of the space station’s Harmony module for its month-long stay.

The company’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission delivered around 5,000 pounds of supplies, equipment and material that will directly support multiple science and research investigations taking place during Expedition 60 and beyond.

Remember to follow @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts, to stay up-to-date on station activities. Or, follow along the station blog at: https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida on July 25, 2019, at 6:01 p.m. EDT, carrying the company’s Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station on its 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission.

“It was a great launch, we were really happy to see the weather clear out the way it did,” said Bill Spetch, deputy manager of the International Space Station Transportation Integration Office at NASA.

Weather was one thing the launch team closely monitored. Originally scheduled to launch July 24, unfavorable weather conditions caused a last-minute scrub. The morning of July 25, the weather looked much the same but cleared up just in time.

After a picture-perfect launch and spacecraft separation, Dragon is now drawing power from its solar arrays as it begins its solo, two-day trip to the orbiting laboratory. This is the first time a Dragon spacecraft will journey to the space station for a third time. To mark this accomplishment, it is outfitted with three noteworthy stickers: two station badges representing the previous resupply missions it has flown (CRS-6 and CRS-13) and the Apollo 50th anniversary logo.

“We are still inspired by all of the Apollo missions and are excited to continue to work with NASA as they continue to explore the universe,” SpaceX Director of Dragon Mission Management Jessica Jensen said in a prelaunch news conference July 24.

CRS-18 will deliver a number of science investigations, supplies and equipment to the orbiting laboratory, including the International Docking Adapter-3 – a new docking adapter that will enable future spacecraft built under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program to autonomously attach to the station.

Tune in to NASA TV and the agency’s website Saturday, July 27, beginning at 8:30 a.m. EDT to watch Dragon rendezvous, grapple and berthing to the station. When it arrives, NASA astronaut Nick Hague will robotically grapple Dragon, with NASA astronaut Christina Koch serving as backup.

After spacecraft capture – scheduled for approximately 10 a.m. – mission control in Houston will send ground commands for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module. Dragon will remain at the space station until Aug. 20, when it will return to Earth with research and return cargo.

Dragon’s solar arrays have deployed, which will help power the spacecraft for its journey to the International Space Station. Dragon is scheduled to arrive at the space station Saturday, July 27, with coverage on Dragon rendezvous and capture beginning at 8:30 a.m. EDT on NASA TV and the agency’s website.

At the time of capture, scheduled for 10 a.m., the orbiting laboratory will be flying 254 miles over southeast Russia, north of Mongolia.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft – carrying supplies, equipment and material critical for supporting science and research investigations in space – has separated from the Falcon 9 launch vehicle and is now continuing its solo journey to the International Space Station.

The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket has successfully landed at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone 1 in Florida.

The Falcon 9 rocket’s nine first-stage Merlin engines have finished their burn and the first stage has separated from the vehicle. The second stage, powered by a single Merlin vacuum engine, will continue carrying Dragon on its journey.

The rocket’s first stage will head back toward Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to land at Landing Zone 1 in just a few minutes.

We have liftoff! At 6:01 p.m., SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket climbs away from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on the company’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission.

Due to arrive at the International Space Station on July 27, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft contains multiple supplies, equipment and material critical for supporting science and research investigations at the space station.

 

Good evening from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida! Today’s launch of SpaceX’s CRS-18 mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for 6:01 p.m. EDT, just a little under 15 minutes away. Meteorologists with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing predict a 50% chance of favorable weather for liftoff, and we are currently “go” for launch. Follow along on NASA Television for the live broadcast.

The company’s Falcon 9 rocket, topped with a Dragon spacecraft, is undergoing final checkouts at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40. Dragon, equipped with nearly 5,000 pounds of supplies and material, will arrive at the space station two days after launch, July 27, for a robotic capture by NASA astronaut Nick Hague.

After the spacecraft capture, mission control in Houston will send ground commands for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the space station’s Harmony module. Today’s launch will be the first time SpaceX is reusing Dragon for a third time, and it is outfitted with three noteworthy stickers: two station badges representing the previous resupply missions it has flown (CRS-6 and CRS-13) and the Apollo 50th anniversary logo.

“We are still inspired by all of the Apollo missions and are excited to continue to work with NASA as they continue to explore the universe,” SpaceX Director of Dragon Mission Management Jessica Jensen said in a prelaunch news conference July 24.

Learn more about CRS-18 and what’s on board at: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/spacex_crs-18_mision_overview_high_res.pdf

After yesterday’s weather forced the scrub of SpaceX’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-18) mission to the International Space Station, the Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for a second launch attempt today, July 25, at 6:01 p.m. EDT. Launching from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, CRS-18 will deliver numerous science investigations, supplies and equipment to the orbiting laboratory.

Weather remains a concern for today’s launch. Primary concerns are the cumulus and anvil cloud rule, as well as lightning. However, SpaceX and NASA are monitoring the weather closely as they continue to work toward a 6:01 p.m. launch. Join us here on the blog and NASA TV for updates and a live launch countdown, beginning at 5:45 p.m.

The launch of SpaceX’s 18th Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station – scheduled for this evening – has scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

Launch is now scheduled for Thursday, July 25, at 6:01 p.m. EDT. Launch coverage will begin at 5:45 p.m. on NASA TV and the agency’s website. A launch on Thursday would result in the Dragon spacecraft arriving to the space station Saturday, July 27.