Featured Image Source: NASA/SpaceX
SpaceX became the first American private company to successfully launch and return NASA Astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. SpaceX is now preparing to launch four astronauts on its second crewed flight under the agency's Commercial Crew Program. The operational mission is referred to as Crew-1; It is scheduled to liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on October 23rd.
The four astronauts that will conduct the Crew-1 mission are three NASA astronauts and one Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut. With NASA are: Crew Dragon commander Michael Hopkins, joint-commander Pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Shannon Walker, along with JAXA mission specialist Soichi Noguchi.
The first operational flight with astronauts of the Crew Dragon spacecraft & Falcon 9 rocket to the @Space_Station will launch no earlier than Oct. 23.
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) August 18, 2020
The Crew-1 mission will carry:
Shannon Walker
Victor Glover
Michael Hopkins
Soichi Noguchi
Learn more: https://t.co/Gng5Qe10cA pic.twitter.com/oWU6OO8N8M
Their mission is expected to be a longer duration stay at the space station. Crew-1 astronauts will make-up Expedition 64 and stay at the orbiting lab for around 6 months conducting scientific experiments in microgravity. Experiments in the orbiting laboratory have enabled scientists to create advanced treatments and technology for use on Earth. The astronauts at ISS are always conducting important research to return. Crew-1 has been preparing to conduct experiments, as well as undergoing training on computer simulators to know every function and procedure aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
Today, August 21, NASA announced the new Crew Dragon that will ferry the four astronauts to ISS, arrived on Tuesday to Cape Canaveral, Florida. – “The spacecraft made its journey from the SpaceX factory in Hawthorne, California over the weekend and is now undergoing prelaunch processing in the company’s facility on nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,” the agency wrote in a press release today. “Preparations are also underway for the mission’s Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX completed a successful static fire test of the rocket’s second stage at its facility in McGregor, Texas, also on Tuesday. The Falcon 9 first stage booster arrived at the launch site in Florida in July to begin its final launch preparations.” During the static fire test, Falcon 9’s nine Merlin 1D engines were fueled with rocket-grade kerosene and liquid oxygen, then briefly ignited while the rocket was grounded to the launch pad with clamps. The quick ignition enables engineers to assess if all of the engines perform well ahead of taking flight.
The Crew Dragon capsule for SpaceX's Crew-1 mission arrived in Florida on Tuesday, NASA says, after completing preparations at the company's HQ in California. The mission is set to launch no earlier than Oct. 23: pic.twitter.com/DdDiQK97qw
— Michael Sheetz (@thesheetztweetz) August 21, 2020
Meanwhile, Crew-1 astronauts are undergoing more training at NASA and SpaceX facilities in Cape Canaveral, Florida, as well as SpaceX Headquarters in Hawthorne, California, and Johnson Space Center Mission Control in Houston, Texas. The astronauts have to be prepared for any potential scenario during liftoff and landing. The crew has already gone over launch pad evacuation training to ensure the crew and support teams can quickly evacuate from the launch pad in the unlikely event of an emergency prior to liftoff. During a launch pad evacuation drill, the crew practices to get off the craft and run towards slidewire baskets to rapidly descend the 265-foot-level launch tower. Then the astronauts ride into Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The MRAP vehicle, is an armored car that waits for the astronauts on the ground to transport them to safety. Crew-1 also conducted water egress training, pictured below.
The four members of Crew-1 undergo MRAP launch pad evacuation training ahead of their launch, now planned for NET October 23 at 6am. pic.twitter.com/jUIomJ6VIA
— Ben Cooper (@LaunchPhoto) August 14, 2020
More photos of Crew-1 undergoing water egress training ahead of their launch, now planned for NET October 23 at 6am. pic.twitter.com/D7tiveNdui
— Ben Cooper (@LaunchPhoto) August 14, 2020