SpaceX Targeting April 13 For Station Resupply Launch

blog_image_spacexSpaceX is targeting Monday, April 13 to launch the next commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Launch of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is targeted for approximately 4:33 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA Television coverage will begin at 3:30 p.m. 
 
A Monday launch will result in the Dragon spacecraft arriving at the space station Wednesday, April 15. Expedition 43 Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) will use the station’s 57.7-foot robotic arm to reach out and capture Dragon at approximately 7:14 a.m. Flight Engineer Terry Virts of NASA will support Cristoforetti as they operate from the station’s cupola. NASA TV coverage of grapple will begin at 5 a.m. Coverage of Dragon’s installation to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module will begin at 9:15 a.m. 
 
If the launch does not occur on Monday, the next launch opportunity would be at approximately 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, April 14. 
 
This is the sixth SpaceX commercial resupply services mission and the seventh trip by a Dragon spacecraft to the station. Dragon is filled with more than 4,300 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to support science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 43 and 44. After about five weeks at the space station, Dragon will return to Earth filled with cargo including crew supplies, hardware and computer resources, science experiments, and space station hardware.
 
For launch countdown coverage, NASA’s launch blog, and more information about the mission, visit:https://www.nasa.gov/spacex
 
To join the online conversation about the SpaceX CRS-6 launch, the International Space Station and Expedition 43 on Twitter, follow the hashtags #ISScargo and #ISS. To learn more about all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, visit: https://www.nasa.gov/connect

SpaceX, NASA Set for Next Commercial Resupply Flight

SpaceX and NASA are preparing to launch the next commercial resupply mission to deliver several tons of critical supplies and new science investigations and technology research to the crew aboard the International Space. The launch is targeted for no earlier than April 10, 2015. SpaceX will launch its Dragon spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) in Florida. It will be the company’s sixth commercial resupply mission under NASA contract to the space station.

Dragon in Flight; Post-launch News Conference Canceled

With the Dragon spacecraft in good health and its flight going well, NASA has opted to cancel the post-launch news conference.

Thank you for being with us this morning for the countdown and launch of the SpaceX CRS-5 mission to the International Space Station. For updates throughout the mission, visit https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation.

Dragon Begins Two-day Pursuit of ISS

Today’s successful launch of the Dragon spacecraft kicks off a two-day orbital pursuit of the International Space Station. Rendezvous and grapple of the spacecraft is expected to take place Monday morning. Expedition 42 Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore of NASA will use the station’s 57.7-foot robotic arm to reach out and capture Dragon at approximately 6 a.m. Flight Engineer Samantha Cristoforetti of the European Space Agency will support Wilmore as they operate from the station’s cupola. NASA TV coverage of grapple will begin at 4:30 a.m. Coverage of Dragon’s installation to the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module will begin at 8:15 a.m.

The Dragon spacecraft will remain attached to the space station’s Harmony module for more than four weeks and then splash down in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, bringing with it almost two tons of experiment samples and equipment from the station.