SpaceX Managers Give the “Go” for Friday Launch
On Monday, Feb 25, 2013 Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) conducted this successful static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket in advance of tomorrow’s resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The nine-engine test took place at the SpaceX Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as part of a full launch dress rehearsal leading up to SpaceX CRS-2, the company’s second of 12 official cargo resupply missions under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, the company’s free-flying, reusable spacecraft, will be filled with about 1,200 pounds of supplies for the station crew as well as experiments being conducted aboard the orbiting laboratory.
SpaceX managers at a Launch Readiness Review yesterday afternoon gave a “go” to proceed toward launch. Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft is scheduled for 10:10 am EST. Launch coverage will begin at 8:30 am on NASA Television. The weather forecast remains 90 percent favorable for Friday’s launch which will mark the third trip by a Dragon capsule to the ISS, following a demonstration flight in May 2012, and the first resupply mission in October 2012.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft inside a processing hangar at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Teams had just installed the spacecraft’s solar array fairings in preparation for Friday’s resupply mission to the ISS.
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A Historical First
SpaceX Dragon Berthed to International Space Station – On May 25, 2012, with rays of sunshine and Earth’s thin blue atmosphere serving as a backdrop, the SpaceX Dragon commercial cargo craft is berthed to the Earth-facing side of the ISS’s Harmony node becoming the first commercial craft to accomplish this type of space operation. After a series of system tests, and a successful fly-under of the ISS, the Dragon capsule was cleared by NASA to approach the station. Moving into a 65-foot berthing box it was then grappled by NASA astronaut Don Pettit using the station’s Canadarm robotic arm. On May 31, after successfully completing its mission, Dragon splashed down in the Pacific Ocean. Previously only four governments, the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency, had achieved this challenging technical feat. – Image credit: NASA
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And Another SpaceX First
October 7-28, 2012, SpaceX CRS-1: SpaceX successfully completes the first ever commercial cargo resupply mission to the ISS.
Are you familiar with Allen Steele’s Near-Space novels? I think you’d like them. The books (also known as the Rude Astronaut series, if that tells you anything) are about blue-collar construction workers … in space. Steele is often compared to (an early) Robert Heinlein.
February 28, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Completely unfamiliar with Allen Steele, or I was. I just googled him, VERY impressive. (As is the comparison to Heinlein.) I’ll check him out!
February 28, 2013 at 12:11 pm
A beautiful post. The one thing you did that I will not do is on Black Holes: Monsters in Space. I do not do artists’ conceptual graphics. I know that none of the images I use are in their raw state, but they are from direct telescopic observation of some kind, NASA, ESA, ESO, NRAO, NOAO, etc.
February 28, 2013 at 1:03 pm
Thanks Richard!
I will definitely use concept graphics. It’s a very effective method of wrapping our heads around things which might otherwise be difficult to grasp. Even direct telescopic observations are generally enhanced to give us a better understanding of what we’re looking at. I trust the concept graphics published by NASA, ESO, ESA, and so on, and will even use illustrations of others while siting the source.
March 1, 2013 at 11:51 am
Hope I remember to tune in!
February 28, 2013 at 1:22 pm
I don’t know if you’re watching Frank, but Dragon is in orbit and having thruster pod problems.
March 1, 2013 at 11:42 am
The fact that a private company (and not a gov’t) is doing this amuses and impresses the hell out of me.
Off to check out the current situation…
March 2, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Ok, read the details. Glad they resolved the thruster issues, but I wonder how long it will take to have a reliable vehicle in place…
March 2, 2013 at 11:43 pm
I’m thinking the Dragon’s reliability isn’t in question, Guapo. Glitches happen, it how they are responded to which differentiates between success and failure. This morning (early, my time!) saw a beautiful docking by Dragon to the ISS!
March 3, 2013 at 8:23 am