The SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts are seated inside the Dragon Freedom crew ship. The commercial crew quartet (from left) are Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, Pilot Robert Hines, Commander Kjell Lindgren, and Mission Specialist Samantha Cristorforetti. Photo credit: SpaceXNASA and SpaceX now are targeting no earlier than 10:05 a.m. EDT Thursday, Oct. 13, for the agency’s [...]
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, lift off from Launch Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Oct. 5, 2022, for the Crew-5 mission to the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA/Kim ShiflettBy Jim CawleyNASA’s Kennedy Space Center It was a picture-perfect launch during a sun-splashed afternoon on Florida’s [...]
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Nicole Aunapu Mann, commander; Josh Cassada, pilot; and mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina has safely reached orbit, and the nosecone has been opened. At 1:30 p.m., NASA will host a postlaunch news conference from NASA’s Kennedy Space [...]
The Dragon Endurance spacecraft has separated from the second stage. The spacecraft is traveling at approximately 17,500 miles per hour.
Stage 1 of the Falcon 9 rocket lands on the company’s drone ship on Oct. 5, 2022. Credit: NASAStage 1 of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket completed its descent and successfully landed on the company’s drone ship, Just Read the Instructions, off the coast of Florida.
Shutdown of the second stage engine occurred right on time. All is proceeding as planned.
The second stage engine continues to burn. About 8 minutes into flight, all is well.
The positive call came in from Crew-5 Commander Nicole Mann that trajectory is nominal. The first stage has started its descent.
The rocket has reached first stage main engine cutoff (MECO). The first and second stages have separated.
Max Q, or the moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket, has been reached.