SpaceX

Tonight’s launch will mark the second cargo spacecraft headed to the station in 31 hours. The first was a Russian Progress spacecraft launched from Kazakhstan.

The forecast continues to look good for launch in about 45 minutes. The 45th Weather Squadron meteorologists are still on the watch for cumulus clouds or other violations, but none are expected to develop between now and liftoff at 12:45 a.m. EDT.

Tonight’s blog originates from the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center a few miles from Space Launch Complex-40. It’s the first time we’ve used this location since normally we write from inside Hangar AE on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station or from the Press Site at Kennedy. The reason we are here tonight is as a safety precaution called for by Range Safety officials from NASA and the 45th Space Wing. With winds blowing from the southeast throughout the evening and through launch, the Dragon capsule could parachute back onto land. The safety staff took extra caution to close areas of Kennedy that have previously been open, including the Press Site.

The good news is that Kennedy covers 144,000 acres, so we had no trouble getting an alternate venue that will allow us to keep everyone up-to-date on the progress of tonight’s countdown and to follow the ascent of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and cargo-carrying Dragon capsule. We are still targeting liftoff for 12:45 a.m. EDT. By the way, the Space Station Processing Facility, pictured above, has made a name for itself in recent years as well since almost all the modules and components of the International Space Station passed through the building to complete their assembly and processing before launch on the space shuttles. Only the Russian station elements did not see the SSPF before launch. Today, the SSPF is used for processing cargo headed to the station, even payloads not launching from Florida.

Thanks for joining NASA’s Launch Blog this evening in Florida where we are 75 minutes from launch! SpaceX has positioned its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft for liftoff at 12:45:29 a.m. EDT. Launch teams are in place here and at the company’s control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA teams also are in place at Mission Control in Houston. The weather forecast remains 90 percent chance of “go” conditions.

While we cover the countdown on the blog, NASA TV is also airing the countdown and tonight’s launch. The broadcast is also available at www.nasa.gov/ntv

The CRS-9 mission is scheduled to liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida at 12:45 EDT on Monday. The uncrewed Dragon spacecraft is loaded with about 5,000 pounds of experiments and supplies including a 1,020-pound international docking adapter. Here is how the countdown will progress toward liftoff. For more details, the CRS-9 Press Kit is now available.

Mission Timeline (all times approximate)
T- 38 minutes: Launch Conductor takes launch readiness poll
T- 35: RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) and liquid oxygen (LOX) loading underway
T- 7: Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch/Dragon to internal power
T-2: Range Control Officer (USAF) verifies range is go for launch
T- 01:30: SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
T-:01: Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks/Pressurize propellant tanks
T-3 seconds: Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
T0: Falcon 9 liftoff
T+01:08: Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
T+02:21: 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
T+02:24: 1st and 2nd stages separate
T+02:32: 2nd stage engine starts
T+02:42: 1st stage boostback burn begins
T+06:31: 1st stage entry burn begins
T+07:38: 1st stage landing burn begins
T+09:02: 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO)
T+09:37: Dragon separates from 2nd stage
T+11 minutes: Dragon’s solar arrays deploy
T+2 hours, 19 minutes: Dragon’s Guidance, Navigation and Control bay door opens

Join us in 30 minutes on NASA TV and at www.nasa.gov/ntv for the CRS-9 pre-launch press conference from the Press Site at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Participants will be:

• Joel Montalbano, ISS deputy program manager for Utilization, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
• Julie Robinson, chief ISS Program scientist, NASA’s Johnson Space Center
• Hans Koenigsmann, vice president of Flight Reliability, SpaceX
• Capt. Laura Godoy, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron

Liftoff is set for 12:45 a.m. EDT on Monday for the cargo resupply mission that will carry about 5,000 pounds of materials to the International Space Station. For more details about the mission, you can look over the press kit at https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/spacex_crs9_press_kit.pdf

There is a 90 percent chance that weather conditions will be acceptable for the launch early Monday morning of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying cargo to the International Space Station, Air Force meteorologists with the 45th Space Wing report. The only concerns are for Cumulus clouds building up and a chance of precipitation.