SpaceX Falcon 9 : CRS-15 : June 29, 2018 : Updates

[gongora]

CRS-15 Updates thread

NSF Threads for CRS-15 : Discussion / Updates / L2 Coverage https://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=45565.0 / ASDS / Party

NSF Articles for CRS-15:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=CRS-15

NSF Articles for CRS missions :  https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=CRS

Successful launch June 29, 2018 at 05:42 EDT (09:42 UTC) on Falcon 9 (reused Block 4 booster 1045.2) from SLC-40. The booster was expended.


External cargo: ECOSTRESS, LEE


Other SpaceX resources on NASASpaceflight:
   SpaceX News Articles (Recent)  /   SpaceX News Articles from 2006 (Including numerous exclusive Elon interviews)
   SpaceX Dragon Articles  /  SpaceX Missions Section (with Launch Manifest and info on past and future missions)
   L2 SpaceX Section

[gongora]

Tweet from James Dean:

NASA's upcoming #CRS15 launch of ISS cargo will re-fly the Falcon 9 booster that launched the agency's planet-hunting #TESS science mission less than two months ago.

[Chris Bergin]

Waiting on observed milestones (such as TEL rollback) but the Eastern Range has the CRS-15 Static Fire test of the Falcon 9 (B1045.2) scheduled to take place on Saturday at SLC-40. As always, subject to change.

[russianhalo117]

Payloads installed in the trunk ahead of its final mate with Dragon cargo capsule:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasakennedy/

NASA Kennedy
KSC-20170602-PH_SPX01_0001
The ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS), pictured at the bottom, and the Latching End Effector (LEE), pictured at the top, are integrated into the unpressurized SpaceX Dragon truck June 2, 2018, at the SpaceX facility on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. The payloads will be carried to the International Space Station on SpaceX's 15th Commercial Resupply Services mission. ECOSTRESS will measure the temperature of plants and use that information to better understand how much water plants need and how they respond to stress. The Canadian Space Agency is supplying LEE for the Canadarm2 as a spare to replace a failed unit removed by astronauts during a spacewalk in 2017. Each end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm has an identical LEE, which acts like a "hand" to grapple payloads and visiting cargo spaceships. Photo credit: SpaceX

[jacqmans]

June 22, 2018
MEDIA ADVISORY M18-098

NASA Television to Air Launch of Next Space Station Resupply Mission

NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 5:42 a.m. EDT Friday, June 29, for the launch of its 15th resupply mission to the International Space Station. Live coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website Thursday, June 28, with prelaunch events.

Packed with more than 5,900 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon will reach its preliminary orbit. It then will deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the space station.

It will reach the space station Monday, July 2. NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold, backed up by fellow NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, will supervise the operation of the Canadarm2 robotic arm for Dragon’s capture while NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor monitors the spacecraft’s systems. After Dragon capture, ground commands will be sent from mission control in Houston for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Harmony module.

Full mission NASA TV coverage is as follows:

Thursday, June 28
•11 a.m. – What’s on Board science briefing from Kennedy •Christian Karrasch, project lead at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and Philipp Schulien, project engineer at Airbus, will discuss the Crew Interactive Mobile companion (CIMON) study into crew efficiency and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) support for future use on long-duration missions.
•Principal investigators Richard Grugel at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Oliver Steinbock at Florida State University, will discuss Chemical Gardens studying the physics of nanotube growth.   
•Simon Hook, principal investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Woody Turner, program scientist in the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters, will discuss the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) investigation. This study will answer several key science questions related to water stress in plants and how selected regions may respond to future changes in climate.
•Paolo Luzzatto-Fegi, principal investigator at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Richard Dickinson, director of the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems at the National Science Foundation, will discuss Quantifying Cohesive Sediment Dynamics for Advanced Environmental Modeling (BCAT-CS), which focuses on the study of forces between particles that cluster together by studying sediments of quartz and clay particles.
•Ken Podwalski, director of Space Exploration Operations and Infrastructure for the Canadian Space Agency, will discuss the spare Canadarm2 Latching End Effector (LEE) being launched.

•12:45 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program, SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing.

Friday, June 29
•5:15 a.m. – Coverage begins for the 5:42 a.m. launch
•8 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference at Kennedy with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program and SpaceX.

Monday, July 2
•5:30 a.m. – Dragon rendezvous, grapple and berthing at the space station. Capture is scheduled for approximately 7 a.m.
•9 a.m. – Dragon installation to the Nadir port of the station’s Harmony module

The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by emailing [email protected]

For the latest schedule of prelaunch briefings, events and NASA TV coverage, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/content/spacex-crs-15-briefings-and-events

Learn more about the SpaceX resupply mission at:

https://www.nasa.gov/spacex

[jacqmans]

SpaceX CRS-15 Briefings and Events


NASA commercial cargo provider SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 5:42 a.m. EDT Friday, June 29, for the launch of its 15th resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Live coverage will begin on NASA Television and the agency’s website Thursday, June 28, with prelaunch events.

Packed with more than 5,900 pounds of research, crew supplies and hardware, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. About 10 minutes after launch, Dragon reaches its preliminary orbit, at which point it will deploy its solar arrays and begin a carefully choreographed series of thruster firings to reach the International Space Station.


In addition to bringing research to station, the Dragon’s unpressurized trunk is carrying a new Canadian-built Latching End Effector, or LEE. This new LEE is being launched as a spare to replace the failed unit astronauts removed during a series of spacewalks in the fall of 2017. Each end of the Canadarm2 robotic arm has an identical LEE, and they are used as the “hands” that grapple payloads and visiting cargo spaceships. They also enable Canadarm2 to “walk” to different locations on the orbiting outpost, including Canada’s Mobile Base, which travels along rails on the space station’s main truss.


In collaboration with the National Park Service, a toy dog representing the Newfoundland that accompanied Lewis and Clark on their historic expedition in the 1800s also is headed to the space station to help the two agencies celebrate NASA’s 60th anniversary and the National Trail System’s 50th anniversary.


It will take three days to reach the space station, where it will arrive Monday, July 2. NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold, backed up by fellow NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, will supervise the operation of the Canadarm2 robotic arm for Dragon’s capture while NASA astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor monitors the spacecraft’s systems. After Dragon capture, ground commands will be sent from mission control in Houston for the station’s arm to rotate and install it on the bottom of the station’s Harmony module.

The deadline for media to apply for accreditation for this launch has passed, but more information about media accreditation is available by contacting [email protected]

Full mission coverage is as follows:

Thursday, June 28

Press Site Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
 Badging Hours of Operation: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Foreign National Pickup Times: 9:30 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 12:45 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.

News Media Schedule
•10:20 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – CIMON demo in the news auditorium
•11 a.m. – What’s on Board science briefing from Kennedy to highlight the following research: ◦Christian Karrasch, project lead at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and Philipp Schulien, project engineer at Airbus, will discuss the Crew Interactive Mobile companion (CIMON) study into crew efficiency and acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) support for future use on long-duration missions.
◦Principal investigators Richard Grugel at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Oliver Steinbock at Florida State University, will discuss Chemical Gardens studying the physics of nanotube growth.   
◦Simon Hook, principal investigator at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and Woody Turner, program scientist in the Earth Science Division at NASA Headquarters, will discuss the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) investigation. This study will answer several key science questions related to water stress in plants and how selected regions may respond to future changes in climate.
◦Paolo Luzzatto-Fegi, principal investigator at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and Richard Dickinson, director of the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems at the National Science Foundation, will discuss Quantifying Cohesive Sediment Dynamics for Advanced Environmental Modeling (BCAT-CS), which focuses on the study of forces between particles that cluster together by studying sediments of quartz and clay particles.
◦Ken Podwalski, director of Space Exploration Operations and Infrastructure for the Canadian Space Agency, will discuss the spare Canadarm2 Latching End Effector (LEE) being launched.

•12:45 – 1:15 p.m. – Prelaunch news conference from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program, SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing.
•1:30 – 2:30 p.m. – Tour Flame Trench
•3:15 – 4:30 p.m. – One-on-one Interview Opportunities (Sign up at the Press Site) ◦ECOSTRESS ◾Simon Hook, principal investigator, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
◾Josh Fisher, science lead, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory
◾Kerry Cawse-Nicholson, deputy science lead, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

◦CIMON ◾Christian Karrasch, project lead, German Aerospace Center (DLR)
◾Philipp Schulien, project engineer, Airbus

◦National Park Service ◾Ashley Danielson, volunteer and partnership specialist, Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
◾Alexandra Picavet, chief of Communications and Legislative Affairs, Midwest Region


•5:15 p.m. – K-9 inspection
•5:30 p.m. – Leave for pad
•6:00 - 6:45 p.m. – Remote Camera Set-up/Pad Photo Op

Media who would like to call in for the prelaunch news conference or What’s on Board briefing should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468.

Friday, June 29

Press Site Hours of Operation: 3 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
 Badging Hours of Operation: 2:30 – 5:00 a.m.

Foreign National Pickup Time: 4 a.m.

News Media Schedule
•4 a.m. – Sat trucks depart for Causeway
•4:15 a.m. – Media depart for Causeway
•4:30 a.m. – Media depart for VAB roof
•8 a.m. – Postlaunch news conference at Kennedy with representatives from NASA’s International Space Station Program and SpaceX
•8:45 a.m. – Remote camera pickup

Launch Viewing

Media may view the CRS-15 launch from the Kennedy Press Site, NASA Causeway or the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) roof (space is limited). Media who wish to view the launch from the NASA Causeway or the VAB roof should meet at the Kennedy Press Site at 3:45 a.m. to be escorted. Media must RSVP with their preference for the NASA Causeway or the VAB roof by noon on Wednesday, June 27 to [email protected] Only one representative per organization may sign up for the VAB roof.

NASA TV Launch Coverage

NASA TV live coverage will begin at 5:15 a.m.  For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.

Audio only of the news conferences and launch coverage will be carried on the NASA “V” circuits, which may be accessed by dialing 321-867-1220, -1240, -1260 or -7135. On launch day, "mission audio," the launch conductor’s countdown activities without NASA TV launch commentary, will be carried on 321-867-7135. Launch also will be available on local amateur VHF radio frequency 146.940 MHz heard within Brevard County on the Space Coast.

NASA Web Prelaunch and Launch Coverage

Prelaunch and launch day coverage of the SpaceX CRS-15 flight will be available on the NASA website. Coverage will include live streaming and blog updates beginning at 5:15 a.m. as the countdown milestones occur. On-demand streaming video and photos of the launch will be available shortly after liftoff. For questions about countdown coverage, contact the newsroom at 321-867-2468. You can follow countdown coverage on our launch blog at http://blogs.nasa.gov/spacex.

Postlaunch News Conference on NASA TV

A postlaunch news conference will occur at about 8 a.m. in Kennedy’s Press Site TV Auditorium and air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv. Media who would like to call in should phone the NASA News Center at 321-867-2468.

Learn more about the SpaceX CRS-15 mission by going to the mission home page at:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

[Raul]

M1383 CRS-15 Launch Hazard Areas visualization based on issued NOTMARs.

• Expendable flight for booster 1045.2 - no ASDS or LZ landing.
• According to azimuth of green launch hazard area A and location of orange splashdown area B, there is apparent dogleg turn.
• Orange area B is also a bit more far away compare to previous CRS mission.
• And interestingly... upper stage reentry will be this time performed 6:20 hrs after launch and to the hazard area in Atlantic.. east of Bermuda.

https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm07252018.pdf

[jacqmans]

Ken Kremer reports on his facebook page that the booster is up right at the pad. Waiting for static fire.

[Chris Bergin]

Article for the test (and more):

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/06/falcon-9-static-fire-test-crs-15/

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Fueling operations are underway right now at Cape Canaveral's launch complex 40 as SpaceX prepares to test fire the nine Merlin engines on the Falcon 9 first stage ahead of next week's space station cargo resupply mission.

https://twitter.com/spaceflightnow/status/1010604507103932416

[Chris Bergin]

They have been struggling with some bad weather in the area. Must have passed now:

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1010598918437179396

[sghill]

They have been struggling with some bad weather in the area. Must have passed now:

https://twitter.com/julia_bergeron/status/1010598918437179396

I'm there now. The storm front hasn't gotten here yet, but it's raining lightning and moving this way! I was surprised to see the TEL still upright a few minutes ago.

(ASDS off to the right. Storm approaching in the background. Band playing "Rocketman" at Fishlips as I type this).

[Chris Bergin]

William Harwood
‏
 
@cbs_spacenews
Following Following @cbs_spacenews
More
F9/CRS15: 1st stage engine ignition at 5:30pm... and shutdown

[Chris Bergin]

Quick look review complete:

SpaceX Follows You.
Following.
@SpaceX

Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete—targeting June 29 launch from Pad 40 in Florida for Dragon’s fifteenth mission to the @Space_Station.

Rocket and spacecraft for CRS-15 are flight-proven. Falcon 9’s first stage previously launched @NASA_TESS two months ago, and Dragon flew to the @Space_Station in support of our ninth resupply mission in 2016.

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/06/falcon-9-static-fire-test-crs-15/
Updated the article and yes, I got a caption out of place the first time. Corrected it.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Static fire photo

"SpaceX Completes Successful Static Fire Test of Reused Falcon 9 Rocket for NASA Resupply Launch to ISS" @SpaceX #Falcon9 @NASA #CRS15 @Space_Station @elonmusk . Read my story plus static fire/water spout pics @ken_kremer spaceupclose.com
kenkremer.blogspot.com/2018/06/spacex…

https://twitter.com/ken_kremer/status/1010758528750047233

[vandersons]

Falcon horizontal again, maybe even off the pad.

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[FutureSpaceTourist]

Airspace Closure Area and Launch Hazard Area

[Chris Bergin]

CASIS:

 Upcoming SpaceX Mission to the International Space Station Loaded with Research

More than 20 U.S. National Laboratory Payloads Launching to the International Space Station on this Mission

Kennedy Space Center, FL (June 26, 2018) — SpaceX is targeting its 15th resupply mission (awarded by NASA) to the International Space Station (ISS) for no earlier than 5:42 a.m. EDT on June 29th from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. As part of this mission, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will haul approximately 300 kilograms of research and hardware facilities under the ISS U.S. National Laboratory flight allocation. The ISS National Lab is managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (CASIS). The research investigations that are part of the ISS National Lab flight manifest represent a diverse mixture of payloads which are intended to benefit life on Earth.

 

Among the many research investigations destined for the ISS National Lab, one experiment from the University of Florida is evaluating domesticated algae strains, which will be cultivated in space to explore beneficial genetic changes. The research team will sequence the algae’s genomes to identify growth-related genes – setting the foundation for the production of biomass feedstocks, recycling carbon dioxide, and improving plant-biology gene-editing technologies. There are also more than 35 student experiments as part of this mission, developed by partners such as the Student Spaceflights Experiment Program (in coordination with education partner DreamUp and hardware partner NanoRacks) and Go For Launch! (in coordination with hardware partner Space Tango). These student experiments span multiple scientific topics, ranging from the adaptation of bees on station to the evaluation of kidney stones in microgravity. Additionally, the Multiple User System for Earth Sensing platform (managed by Teledyne Brown), designed to enhance imaging capabilities from station, will host its first instrument on this mission.

 

As part of this mission, there are multiple payloads funded through outside organizations that are destined for station. Through a joint CASIS and National Science Foundation partnership, researchers from University of California-Santa Barbara will evaluate forces between particles that cluster together such as sediments of quartz and clay particles, which could play an important role in technological efforts related to deep sea hydrocarbon drilling and sequestration. Additionally, startup company Angiex (funded in part by Boeing through the MassChallenge Startup Accelerator) has developed a cancer therapy that regresses tumor cells in model organisms. As part of this mission, Angiex will culture endothelial cells in microgravity, which could create an important model system for evaluating the action of any vascular-targeted drug. Use of this model may enable the development of a novel therapy with lower toxicity and the potential to be effective against most cancers.

 

“This launch represents the incredible amount of diversity that resides within the ISS National Lab project portfolio,” said CASIS Interim Chief Operating Officer Warren Bates. “The breadth of experimentation on this mission showcases the capabilities of station and equally demonstrates the desire by outside funding entities and agencies to invest in research on this incredible learning platform.”

 

To learn more about all ISS National Lab investigations and hardware partners involved as part of this mission, please visit: https://www.iss-casis.org/press-releases/spacex-crs-15-mission-overview/. 

[ChrisGebhardt]

Weather outlook.

90% chance of good conditions Friday.
70% chance of good conditions Saturday.

ULWs look more than favorable both days.