SpaceX check-fires rocket earlier than Crew-2 astronaut launch for NASA

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX has fired up the rocket that will ferry its next crew of astronauts to the World Dwelling Spot next week. 

The non-public spaceflight company conducted a static-fire check on Saturday (April 22) of its Falcon 9 rocket at Pad 39A here at NASA’s Kennedy Dwelling Center. The check is without doubt some of the closing fundamental milestones earlier than a deliberate launch on Thursday (April 22).

The routine preflight check kicked off the countdown to the highly-anticipated flight of the corporate’s 2nd operational mission of its Dragon crew tablet, called Crew-2. The spacecraft is streak for the World Dwelling Spot, carrying with it two NASA astronauts and one astronaut every from the Eastern and European put of abode agencies. 

The check passed off as anticipated within the predawn hours on Saturday. Smoke and fire billowed briefly as the rocket’s nine Merlin 1D engines fetch been lit. The transient ignition, identified as a static-fire check, is a primitive portion of prelaunch procedures and some of the closing fundamental milestones earlier than liftoff.

Are living updates: SpaceX’s Crew-2 astronaut mission for NASA


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Correct thru the check, the Falcon 9 is held down on the pad while its nine first-stage engines are briefly fired. This lets in crews to be definite every methods are working correctly and that the rocket is able to cruise. Shortly after the check, SpaceX tweeted that the static-fire check changed into a success and that the corporate deliberate to launch on Thursday at 6: 11 a.m. EDT (1011 GMT).

The flight marks SpaceX’s 11th mission of the year and the 2nd prolonged-length mission to launch from Florida. The rocket’s first stage is anticipated to land on one of SpaceX’s drone ships, “Of Course I Silent Love You”. Following a successful liftoff, the crew tablet will employ steady under 24 hours trailing the put of abode self-discipline earlier than arriving on the orbital outpost early Friday (April 23).

In a shift from the corporate’s old two crewed missions, both the Dragon tablet and its launcher fetch flown earlier than. Following the success of the Demo-2 mission, which launched two NASA astronauts to the put of abode self-discipline in Might per chance well fair 2020, NASA gave SpaceX permission to reuse both the crew tablet and the rocket on future missions. 

For this mission, the fundamental stage is the identical person that delivered the Crew-1 astronauts to position of abode in November, and the Dragon tablet is the identical person that Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley flew on closing year. Its name is Endeavour.

In photos: SpaceX’s Crew-2 mission to the World Dwelling Spot

With the Dragon tablet perched atop the rocket, the duo rolled out of the hangar and onto the launch pad at advanced 39A on Friday morning (April 16). Standing 256.3 toes (78.1 meters) mammoth, the pair fetch been lifted lawful later that afternoon. 

Secured to the launch pad, teams fetch been up early Saturday morning, loading the rocket with orderly-chilled propellants — kerosene and liquid oxygen — and then briefly ignited the fundamental stage’s nine Merlin 1D engines.

The engines briefly fired at 6: 11 a.m. EDT (1011 GMT), producing 1.7 million pounds of thrust while the booster remained firmly on the bottom. Engineers reviewed the guidelines earlier than confirming they would proceed with the Falcon 9’s deliberate launch strive Thursday morning. 

“Static fire check of Falcon 9 total — focusing on Thursday, April 22 at 6: 11 a.m. EDT for launch of Dragon’s 2nd operational mission to the @space_station,” SpaceX wrote of the check on Twitter. 

The static fire check comes on the heels of a flight readiness review. On Thursday night (April 15), NASA gave SpaceX the green gentle to proceed with launch preparations, with one exception.

Correct thru the preflight inspections, engineers seen that extra liquid oxygen changed into being loaded into the Falcon 9 than anticipated — a discrepancy that has been going down without incident all around the auto’s flight historical past. 

“There would possibly be one merchandise we gentle deserve to enact a bit extra work on,” Invoice Gerstenmaier, NASA’s primitive head of Human Spaceflight, and SpaceX’s most up-to-date vp of fabricate and flight reliability stated Thursday for the length of a media briefing. “In Texas, we stumbled on there changed into a doubtless loading error, where we in fact would be including a bit extra oxygen in our tank than fashioned. We fetch been doing that all over our flight historical past.”

With a successful static fire check now under SpaceX’s belt, teams fetch doubtless cleared the difficulty and the rocket is able to cruise. A remaining launch readiness review is deliberate for Tuesday (April 20) to discuss any remaining unresolved disorders earlier than the launch. 

Following a successful liftoff on Thursday morning, SpaceX plans to land its first-stage booster on a floating platform at sea. If successful, it would tag the corporate’s 80th booster recovery. 

Note Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Note us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Fb.