The Mars 2020 launch as seen from 5000 feet up.
Tag: SpaceLaunch Page 1 of 2
SpaceX DM-2 mission launched successfully 30 May 2020. If you missed, or want to re-live this historic event, here is a great video:
NASA and SpaceX yesterday (May 23 2020) completed the final rehearsal for the upcoming first manned launch of the Crew Dragon space craft. NASA Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken went through pre-launch procedures in preparation for the flight scheduled for Wednesday, 27 May 2020.
Weather conditions are a concern for the launch schedule. Alternative launch dates for the mission to the ISS fall on 30 May and 31 May.
On 21 May 2020 the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon capsule arrived at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
On 22 May 2020 SpaceX and NASA completed the mission’s flight readiness review, including a static firing of the Falcon 9 first stage engines, as seen below.
Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls
The next step is a dry dress rehearsal (rocket does not get fueled) scheduled for 23 May 2020. Launch is currently scheduled for 27 May 2020.
Astronauts enter a routine quarantine for historic SpaceX Crew Dragon launch
(Image: © SpaceX)
NASA and SpaceX have announced the date for the first manned flight to launch from the U.S. since the Space Shuttle program ended in 2011.
NASA has not used its iconic “worm” logo on a spacecraft since 1992. But as the above photo shows, the logo is back for this historic launch.
On 19 January 2020 SpaceX and NASA conducted a test of the Crew Dragon launch escape system. They launched an unmanned Crew Dragon with a Falcon 9 rocket and had the Falcon 9 deliberately fail to test the escape system. As you can see in the video below, all went well and there was an amazing – and expected – explosion along the way. This is a very important step towards having US astronauts launch into space on a US built space craft from US soil, perhaps as soon as the second quarter of the year.
A video simulating a Starship launch. Very cool. Sign me up!
If you missed the SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch, here is a great, under two minutes, summary video showing all the highlights. A fun watch with great music.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0FZIwabctw&w=560&h=315]