Tag: Demo-2
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Year in Review: Mars missions, Lunar Samples, Crew launched from the US, and Starlink
Despite a worldwide pandemic which affected agencies around the world, 2020 featured many significant achievements in spaceflight. In total, 114 orbital launches were attempted, including deep space missions like Solar Orbiter, three missions to Mars, and the Chinese Chang’e 5 lunar sample return mission. Also this year, the United States regained domestic crew launch capability…
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Demo-2 safely returns Bob and Doug to Earth to conclude historic start to new Commercial Era
NASA and SpaceX have successfully returned NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard the Crew Dragon Endeavour. The return to Earth brought an end to the historic first private-company spaceflight of humans to Earth orbit and the commencement of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico came as expected at 2:48…
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Dragon Endeavour’s historic mission draws to a close
Just over two months after it became the first American spacecraft to launch astronauts into space in nearly a decade, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Endeavour is nearing the end of its historic flight in space. The vehicle and its two astronaut crew are departed from the International Space Station (ISS) on 1 August at 7:34 pm…
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SpaceX Dragon’s historic launch dodges weather to launch and end the gap
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on the Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 mission at 15:22:45 PM EDT from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). History was made as the gap in US domestic crew launch capability was ended. Importance One small step. After nine years, the baton is finally passed. From…
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SpaceX Dragon’s historic launch dodges weather to launch and end the gap
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launched Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on the Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 mission at 15:22:45 PM EDT from Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). History was made as the gap in US domestic crew launch capability was ended. Importance One small step. After nine years, the baton is finally passed. From…
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Tradition, Tragedy, Tribute: The Story of Doug Hurley, Bob Behnken, Columbia, and Endeavour
On Saturday, May 30, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken became the first astronauts to launch to orbit from the United States in almost nine years. Demo-2 was the first crewed launch for SpaceX, and the culmination of a decade of hard work in NASA’s Commercial Crew program. 20 years ago, Hurley and Behnken were just…
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Tradition, Tragedy, Tribute: The Story of Doug Hurley, Bob Behnken, Columbia, and Endeavour
On Saturday, May 30, Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken became the first astronauts to launch to orbit from the United States in almost nine years. Demo-2 was the first crewed launch for SpaceX, and the culmination of a decade of hard work in NASA’s Commercial Crew program. 20 years ago, Hurley and Behnken were just…
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Why those sometimes annoying launch, landing weather rules exist
There’s an age-old joke amongst those who work with/launch rockets and those who cover their missions: If the rocket is ready to go, the weather will force you to try again another day. But why do NASA, the 45th Space Wing of the Space Force, their safety officers, and all launch providers make such a…
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Examining Crew Dragon’s launch abort modes and splashdown locations
It’s a cliché statement to say Demo-2 will usher in a new era for human space exploration. That much is certain. But with each new crew launch vehicle comes the inevitable question: how will Crew Dragon actually perform a launch abort and how will it aim itself to predetermined locations in the Atlantic Ocean stretching…
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Demo-2 crew arrives at Kennedy for first U.S. crew launch since 2011
A sentence I have waited almost nine years to write: A flight crew has arrived at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, for launch to the International Space Station. Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley landed at the Florida spaceport at 15:52 EDT (19:52 UTC) today; their arrival marks the start of the final week of launch…