Tag: ISS
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SpaceX conducts Sunday morning CRS-4 Dragon launch
SpaceX has launched the second Dragon mission of 2014, with a Falcon 9 v1.1 lofting the cargo spacecraft into orbit on a resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Following a weather-related scrub on Saturday morning, liftoff from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral occurred without issue at 1:52am Eastern early on Sunday. CRS-4: Coming less…
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Falcon 9 v1.1 conducts Static Fire ahead of CRS-4 launch
SpaceX is on track to launch another Falcon 9 v1.1, just 13 days after the ASIASAT-6 mission lifted off from SLC-40. The next launch – tasked with lofting the CRS-4/SpX-4 Dragon en route to the International Space Station (ISS) – remains on target for the early hours of September 20, after a Static Fire test…
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Dream Chaser misses out on CCtCAP – Dragon and CST-100 win through
Just weeks ago, it was widely believed both SpaceX’s Dragon V2 and SNC’s Dream Chaser spacecraft were likely to progress into the Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) phase of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. On Tuesday, NASA announced Boeing’s CST-100 was the winner of billions of dollars alongside the SpaceX spacecraft. CCtCAP: The three main Commercial Crew…
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Soyuz TMA-12M returns ISS trio to Earth – Dragon up next
Expedition 40 commander Steven Swanson, along with cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev, have returned to Earth in their Soyuz TMA-12M spacecraft on Wednesday. The trio undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) at 7:01pm Eastern, ahead of a landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan at 10:23pm. Meanwhile, the launch of the next SpaceX Dragon…
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ISS teams evaluate MMOD strike on Cupola window
A MicroMeteoroid and Orbital Debris (MMOD) strike on the Number 2 window of the International Space Station’s Cupola module appears to be contained within the debris pane, following evaluations by teams on the ground. The small, yet visible, damage to the window is not expected to impact on the operation of the Cupola – the Station’s…
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Dragon V2 will initially rely on parachute landings
SpaceX’s Commercial Crew contender, the Dragon V2, will initially return to terra firma under parachutes, assisted by a SuperDraco soft touchdown firing, according to Dragon V2 Program Lead Dr. Garrett Reisman. Eventually, the impressive spacecraft will employ pinpoint propulsive landings, once the technology has been matured via the DragonFly test program. Dragon V2: SpaceX’s crew version of…
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Russian spacewalkers successfully complete science-oriented EVA
Expedition 40 cosmonauts Alexander Skvortsov and Oleg Artemyev successfully concluded a flawless spacewalk on Monday, focused on science experiments placed on the exterior of the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS). The EVA – designated RS-39 – began at 10:02am Eastern and was concluded over one hour ahead of schedule. Russian EVA: *Review…
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Orbital’s Cygnus re-enters to complete successful mission
Orbital’s CRS-2/ORB-2 spacecraft has completed her successful mission to the International Space Station (ISS), following unberthing on Friday. The vehicle then spent two days on orbit prior to conducting a destructive re-entry on Sunday – marking the end to Cygnus’ latest Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) mission. Cygnus ORB-2 EOM (End Of Mission): Cygnus began her…
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Europe’s ATV-5 completes docking swansong with the ISS
The European Space Agency (ESA) ATV-5 has completed her final ever docking to the International Space Station (ISS). The “Georges Lemaître” is conducting an essential cargo run to the orbital outpost, with her pre-arrival orbital adventures also including a key test of sensors that could help spacecraft that follow in her footsteps. The vehicle successfully…
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CRS-4: SpaceX Dragon set for another ISS spacewalk save
SpaceX’s next Dragon spacecraft has been recruited to deliver a replacement set of batteries to the International Space Station (ISS), after an issue during ground testing caused NASA to postpone a set of upcoming EVAs. The utilization of September’s CRS-4/SpX-4 mission is not the first time a Dragon has come to the aid of the…