LAUNCH TIME | July 15, 2022 - 02:44 |
LAUNCH PROVIDER | SpaceX |
CUSTOMER | NASA |
ROCKET | Falcon 9 Block 5 - Booster 1067 |
LAUNCH SITE | Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida |
PAYLOAD MASS | 2630 kg |
DESTINATION | Internationa Space Station |
LANDING SITE | A Shortfall Of Gravitas |
WEATHER | 70% (45th Weather Squadron) |
SpaceX will launch the 25th refueling mission to the International Space Station for the Commercial Resupply Services program.
This will be the third mission for the Dragon C208, the first Dragon 2, and the fifth for B1067.
Docking at the ISS is scheduled for 5:20 pm on Saturday 16 July.
What's on board?
Dragon will carry more than 5,800 pounds of cargo, including a series of investigations by NASA such as EMIT, which will identify the composition of mineral dust from the arid regions of the Earth and analyze dust carried through the atmosphere from deserts to see what effects it has. on the planet.
Other experiments include studying the aging of immune cells and the potential to reverse these effects during post-flight recovery, a CubeSat that will monitor cloudtop and ocean surface temperatures that could help scientists understand the climate. and Earth's weather systems and a student experiment testing a concrete alternative for potential use in future lunar and Martian habitats.
In addition to the science experiments aboard the Dragon, there will be supplies of food, water and other items for the crew.
Falcon 9
The Falcon 9 Block 5 is SpaceX's partially reusable two-stage launch vehicle. The vehicle consists of a reusable first stage, a consumable second stage and a reusable fairing pair.
The first stage The Falcon 9 first stage contains 9 Merlin 1D engines optimized for sea level. Each engine, powered with RP-1 and liquid oxygen (LOx), produces 845 kN of thrust at sea level. Merlin 1D engines are so powerful that if one engine fails immediately after take-off or 2 engines during flight the vehicle remains able to place the payload in orbit
After the separation from the second stage, the booster starts up some of the 9 engines to make a landing on the Landing Zones located on the coast or on the droneships located in the open sea.
The second stage The second stage is the only expendable part of the Falcon 9. It contains a single Merlin 1D Vacuum motor that produces 992 kN of thrust. The second stage is capable of several ignitions, allowing the Falcon 9 to place loads in different orbits.
The Cargo Dragon The Cargo Dragon 2 is 8.1m high and 3.7m in diameter.
Unlike the Crew Dragon, the cargo version has no SuperDraco cut-off engines, nor a life support system. In the pressurized section, the seats and crew displays were replaced with roof racks. The environmental control system has also been reduced both in terms of size and complexity.
Compared to the original Cargo Dragon, the upgraded vehicle can automatically dock at the ISS. The old version had to be manually moored by Canadarm2.
The Cargo Dragon is the only cargo vehicle to re-enter the atmosphere and allow the transfer of experiments from the Station to the laboratories on the ground.
SpaceX Live: The live stream will begin at approximately T-20 minutes.
NASA Live: The live stream will begin at approximately T-30 minutes.