After standing down from launch on Wednesday, May 27, SpaceX is targeting Saturday, May 30 for Falcon 9’s launch of Crew Dragon’s second demonstration (Demo-2) mission from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test flight with NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board the Dragon spacecraft will return human spaceflight to the United States. With a backup launch opportunity on Sunday, May 31 at 3:00 p.m. EDT, the launch day preparations began with the Hatch being closed after NASA’s astronauts, Behnken and Hurley, were seated inside their vehicle.
Crew Dragon is the name of the SpaceX capsule that will carry NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley. It’s an evolved version of the company’s Cargo Dragon spacecraft, which has launched to-and-from the space station 20 times.
- At T-27 minutes, the propellant loading began, the propellant being Hydrazine, RP1-densified kerosene, cool liquid oxygen(oxidiser) and fuel which ignite and help to propel the vehicle. After which, Helium is loaded into the pressure tanks.
It is Exciting to do something to do something Wholly New.
Garry from Houston Centre.
- After having both the stages(first and second) loaded with liquid oxygen, at T-19 minutes the first stage fuel load is more than complete while the second stage fuel load is getting ready for the fuel load which begins at T-16 minutes.
- At T-10 minutes, the mission control talks to the crew and thank them on behalf of all of the staff.
- Later at T-6 minutes, the pre-valves are opened, liquid oxygen is allowed to flow on pumps, chilling them, getting ready for the launch.
Thank you NASA of course for generosity and help for getting to this place and all of SpaceX for getting to this stage in history and thank you Elon for hiring me.
Gwynne from SpaceX.
Lifting off from the LaunchPad, Crew Dragon accelerates its two passengers(Bob and Doug) and puts it on an intercept course with the International Space Station. Once in orbit, the crew and SpaceX mission control verify the spacecraft performance as intended by testing the environmental control system using something called “CALLS” such as-
1. Performance calls
2.Nominal(states that everything is fine)
3.Numbers and combinations(to abort mission)
In 24 hours, Crew Dragon is in a position to rendezvous and dock with the space station.
Later on…
After docking, Behnken and Hurley will be welcomed aboard the station becoming members of the Expedition 63 crew. They will perform tests on Crew Dragon in addition to conducting research and other tasks with the space station crew.
To conclude, Crew Dragon will autonomously undock with the two astronauts on board, depart the space station and re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere. Upon splashdown just off Florida’s Atlantic Coast, the crew will be picked up at sea by SpaceX.
