Author: Amanda Griffin

Critical supplies, equipment and material are on their way to the International Space Station following the successful launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The company’s uncrewed Dragon spacecraft lifted off atop the Falcon 9 at 12:29 p.m. EST from Space Launch Complex 40 on Dec. 5, 2019, for the 19th Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-19) mission.

“It’s always great when we can get a new vehicle on its way to the space station, so we’re very excited,” said Kenny Todd, space station operations integration manager. “We’re looking forward to getting the Dragon on board here in the next couple of days.”

On this spacecraft’s third trip to the space station, Dragon will deliver supplies and material that will directly support dozens of science and research investigations taking place during Expeditions 61 and 62. The spacecraft also is carrying the Japanese government’s Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI), a next-generation, hyperspectral Earth imaging system.

A little over two minutes after launch, the rocket’s first stage successfully separated from the vehicle, returning to land on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Atlantic Ocean. Then, Dragon separated from the Falcon 9 completely. The spacecraft is now in orbit with its solar arrays deployed, which will help power it on its solo journey to the orbiting laboratory.

“We had a beautiful launch off Space Launch Complex 40 today,” said SpaceX’s Andy Tran. “All around it’s been a successful mission so far.”

Dragon is scheduled to arrive at the space station Dec. 8, with live coverage on spacecraft rendezvous and capture beginning at 4:30 a.m. EST on NASA TV and the agency’s website. Upon its arrival, European Space Agency’s Luca Parmitano, Expedition 61 commander, will grapple the spacecraft, with NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan acting as his backup. The agency’s Jessica Meir will monitor telemetry during Dragon’s approach.

Following spacecraft capture – scheduled for approximately 6 a.m. – mission control in Houston will send commands to the station’s robotic arm to rotate and install Dragon to the Earth-facing side of the space station’s Harmony module. Coverage of the robotic installation will begin at 8 a.m. EST. Dragon will remain at the orbiting laboratory for about a month before returning to Earth with more than 3,800 pounds of research and return cargo. Upon its arrival, the spacecraft will splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California.

Dragon’s solar arrays have deployed to help power the spacecraft for its voyage to the International Space Station. Dragon is scheduled to arrive at the space station on Sunday, Dec. 8. Expedition 61 crewmembers will capture the spacecraft at approximately 6 a.m. EST. Live coverage of Dragon rendezvous, grapple and attaching to the station will begin at 4:30 a.m. on NASA TV and the agency’s website.

After Dragon is captured, ground controllers in Houston will send commands to the station’s arm to rotate and install the spacecraft to the Earth-facing port on the orbiting laboratory’s Harmony module.

SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft has separated from the Falcon 9 rocket, continuing its journey to the International Space Station to deliver a shipment of supplies and equipment critical for research and science investigations in space.

The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket has successfully landed on the “Of Course I Still Love You” drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean. Coming up next, the Dragon spacecraft will separate from the rocket and unfold its solar arrays for its solo journey to the International Space Station.

The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s nine first-stage Merlin engines have finished their burn and the first stage has separated from the vehicle. As the second stage continues carrying Dragon on its journey, the first stage will attempt landing on the drone ship “Of Course I Still Love You” in the Atlantic Ocean – that landing coming up in just a few minutes.

Ignition, and liftoff! At 12:29 p.m. EST, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is climbing its way up from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida on the company’s 19th resupply services mission.

Slated to arrive at the International Space Station on Dec. 8, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will deliver multiple supplies, equipment and material crucial for supporting science and research investigations aboard the orbiting laboratory.

Launch preparations are underway, and everything is on track for the 12:29 p.m. EST launch of SpaceX’s CRS-19 mission to the International Space Station from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. By now, the rocket has been fueled with liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene, referred to as RP-1 – this combination of propellant required by the Falcon 9’s Merlin engines in order to run.

In just a few minutes, the Falcon 9’s engines will begin to chill, preparing them for launch. Following this, the flight computer will run will run its prelaunch checks and the rocket’s propellant tanks will be pressurized to flight pressure. At about T-45 seconds, the SpaceX launch director will verify “go” for launch.

Meteorologists with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing are predicting a 90% chance of favorable weather conditions for liftoff. NASA TV and the agency’s website continue to provide live coverage of the launch.

The CRS-19 mission will deliver critical supplies, equipment and material that will directly support dozens of science and research investigations in space. To learn more about this mission, visit: https://www.spacex.com/webcast

Hello and good afternoon from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida! A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40, topped with the company’s Dragon spacecraft and ready for the 19th resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Launch is scheduled for 12:29 p.m. EST today, with an instantaneous launch window. Follow along on NASA Television for the live broadcast, happening now.

The uncrewed Dragon spacecraft will deliver approximately 5,700 pounds of critical supplies, equipment and material for multiple science and research investigations that will take place during Expeditions 61 and 62. Dragon also is carrying the Japanese government’s Hyperspectral Imager Suite (HISUI), a next-generation, hyperspectral Earth imaging system.

Dragon will arrive at the station three days after launch, on Dec. 8. Once it arrives, Expedition 61 Commander Luca Parmitano will capture it. Following capture, ground controllers in Houston will take over to install the spacecraft to the orbiting laboratory’s Earth-facing port on the Harmony module.