Four astronauts aboard their SpaceX Dragon capsule “Resilience” have arrived at the International Space Station, circling 262 miles above the Earth, where they will stay until spring. From a report: The capsule lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center Sunday evening atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, chasing the ISS for 27 hours before matching its altitude and speed for an…
Tag: commercial crew program
SpaceX Launches a Falcon 9 Rocket Carrying a Crew Dragon Capsule With Four Astronauts
The big launch finally happens in 2 minutes. “All systems are go for tonight’s launch at 7:27 p.m. EST of Crew Dragon’s first operational mission with four astronauts on board,” SpaceX tweeted this morning. But live coverage is already streaming on SpaceX’s web site. Space.com explains it’s the first operational flight of SpaceX’s “astronaut taxi,” the Crew Dragon:
Called Crew-1, this will…
Where to watch the historic SpaceX Crew-1 launch this Saturday
SpaceX is targeting Saturday, November 14, 2020, for the historic launch of Crew-1, the 1st operational, contracted mission to launch as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Here’s how to watch the launch. If all goes according to plan, the crew will dock with the International Space Station on Sunday. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/historic-spacex-crew-1-launch-dock-iss-nov-2020…
Watch NASA coverage of SpaceX astronaut test flight
Watch the Demo-2 mission launch on May 27, 2020. It’ll carry astronauts to the International Space station, the first launch of astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft, from American soil, since 2011. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/watch-online-nasa-coverage-spacex-demo-2…
NASA and SpaceX Confirm SpaceX’s First Ever Astronaut Launch is a ‘Go’
NASA and SpaceX are closer than ever to a moment both have been preparing for since the beginning of the Commercial Crew program in 2010. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon spacecraft are now set to fly with NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken onboard, making a trip to the International Space Station, and both the agency and SpaceX announced…
It’s Official: SpaceX Is a ‘Go’ To Launch NASA Astronauts On Crew Dragon Spaceship
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Space.com: No showstoppers were found during a crucial flight readiness review (FRR) for SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission, keeping the company’s first-ever crewed flight on track for a May 27 liftoff, NASA officials announced today (May 22). “The Flight Readiness Review has concluded, and NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 mission is cleared to proceed toward liftoff on the…
NASA is Looking for New Astronauts
“With a renewed interest in sending humans back to the Moon and then eventually to Mars, NASA needs all the able-bodied space explorers it can get…” writes BGR. “The requirements are, well, pretty strict, but what else would you expect from a group that sends humans into space?” Quoting NASA.gov:
Since the 1960s, NASA has selected 350 people to train as astronaut…
Former NASA Official William Gerstenmaier Joins SpaceX
schwit1 shared this report from Ars Technica:
This is a consequential hire for SpaceX — it is difficult to overstate the influence Gerstenmaier has over human spaceflight both in the United States and abroad. He led NASA’s space shuttle, International Space Station, commercial crew, and exploration programs for more than a decade. He immediately brings credibility to the company’s safety culture. Former…
‘Watch SpaceX Blow Up a Falcon 9 Rocket in a Safety Test Saturday’
“SpaceX is setting out to prove a critical safety system will be able to save astronaut lives in the event of a launch emergency during ascent,” reports CNET: The Crew Dragon in-flight abort test is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 18. This is a required step before NASA will allow astronauts to fly to the International Space Station in the SpaceX capsule…
‘Watch SpaceX Blow Up a Falcon 9 Rocket in a Safety Test Sunday’
“SpaceX is setting out to prove a critical safety system will be able to save astronaut lives in the event of a launch emergency during ascent,” reports CNET: The Crew Dragon in-flight abort test…is a required step before NASA will allow astronauts to fly to the International Space Station in the SpaceX capsule as part of the Commercial Crew Program. [UPDATE:…