SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 - Mission Updates : Dec - Jan (2020/21)

[fetcher]

The 2 fins are retained as there are solar cells on them.

What about the deleted zenith-side fin in the middle of Crew Dragon's solar array - does that not carry any PV cells?  I'd thought it did, just based on appearance, perhaps to compensate a little for shadowing losses when not pointed perfectly toward the sun, but they probably wouldn't have wanted to remove it if so.

Was this Dragon 2 build specifically for cargo use from the start? No plans to re-use returned Crew Dragon capsules for cargo?

Sorry if I missed any discussion upthread.

[soltasto]

The 2 fins are retained as there are solar cells on them.

Was this Dragon 2 build specifically for cargo use from the start? No plans to re-use returned Crew Dragon capsules for cargo?

Yes for the first question, Cargo Dragons 2 are built specifically for that purpose.
Right for the second, Crew capsules will be reused for crews. The plan to reuse them for Cargo was abandoned a few years ago.

[Rondaz]

Great explanatory video, @OrbitalVel!

https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1334855208871014402

[Rondaz]

We couldn’t have done it without our friends at @Thales_Alenia_S!

https://twitter.com/Nanoracks/status/1334855751601442816

[FST Edit: attached photo]

[FutureSpaceTourist]

L-1 weather forecast has improved to 50% GO tomorrow, but booster recovery still not good

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/nasakennedy/status/1334889811065274368

We are one day away from @SpaceX's 21st Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-21) mission! 🚀 Join us today for our prelaunch events:

1⃣ 1pm ET: Virtual @NASASocial Science & Station Q&A
2⃣ TBD: Prelaunch News Conference

Both will air live on @NASA TV: nasa.gov/nasalive

[cohberg]

What about the deleted zenith-side fin in the middle of Crew Dragon's solar array - does that not carry any PV cells?  I'd thought it did, just based on appearance, perhaps to compensate a little for shadowing losses when not pointed perfectly toward the sun, but they probably wouldn't have wanted to remove it if so.

There are no solar cells on the vertical faces of the zenith fin.

There are some cells on the non-vertical flared base of the fin which is all accounted for and more when the fin is replaced with a vertical "column" of replacement solar cells.

[Rondaz]

Tune in for SpaceX CRS-21 Prelaunch Events

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on December 4, 2020

Beginning at 1 p.m. EST today, Dec. 4, tune in for the CRS-21 Virtual #NASASocial Science and Station Q&A, airing live on NASA TV and the agency’s website. Following this, later in the afternoon, there will be a prelaunch news conference (this will occur approximately one hour after the conclusion of the launch readiness review.) Participants include:

Kenny Todd, deputy program manager, International Space Station Program Office
Kirt Costello, chief scientist, International Space Station Program Office
Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX
Melody Lovin, launch weather officer, U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing

SpaceX’s 21st Commercial Resupply Services mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for tomorrow, Dec. 5. Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and cargo Dragon spacecraft is targeted for 11:39 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Live launch coverage begins at 11:15 a.m. EST here on the blog, NASA TV, and the agency’s website.

Weather officials with the U.S. Air Force 45th Space Wing are now predicting a 50% chance of favorable weather conditions for liftoff. Primary weather concerns continue to revolve around the cumulus cloud rule and thick cloud layer rule.

Packed inside Dragon are critical science investigations, supplies, and equipment bound for the orbiting laboratory. One item for delivery is the Nanoracks Bishop Airlock – the first commercially owned and operated airlock that, once installed, will provide a variety of capabilities to the space station, such as payload hosting, robotics testing, and satellite deployment.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacexcrs21/2020/12/04/tune-in-for-spacex-crs-21-prelaunch-events/

[jacqmans]

[jacqmans]

[jacqmans]

[SpaceFinnOriginal]

Does Space X has it own emblem for the mission?

That is the NASA patch, not the SpaceX one.

The SpaceX one will be available once they update their https://www.spacex.com/launches/ page for CRS-21.

Is it available already?

[SpaceFinnOriginal]

To what ASDS booster will land?

[Jansen]

SpaceX is targeting Saturday, December 5 for launch of its twenty-first Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-21), which will launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Launch is targeted for 11:39 a.m. EST, or 16:39 UTC. Dragon will separate from Falcon 9’s second stage about eleven minutes after liftoff and autonomously dock to the space station on Sunday, December 6. A backup launch opportunity is available on Sunday, December 6 at 11:17 a.m. EST, or 16:17 UTC.

This is the first flight of the updated cargo version of Dragon, which is capable of carrying about 20 percent more volume than the previous version of Dragon and has double the amount of powered locker cargo capability. Dragon is now designed for up to five flights to and from the space station, and this cargo version of the spacecraft can stay on station more than twice as long as the previous version of Dragon.

The Falcon 9 first stage rocket booster supporting this launch previously supported launch of Dragon’s first flight with NASA astronauts to the International Space Station (Demo-2), the ANASIS-II mission, and a Starlink mission. Following stage separation, SpaceX will land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be located in the Atlantic Ocean.

[Jansen]

[Comga]

To what ASDS booster will land?

The answer (OCISLY) was posted above.

There are a lot of questions being asked here that are easily answered by reading through the thread or the relevant background threads. 
Let's all do our homework.

In contrast, cohberg's post above is one of the best examples of documenting the answer to a question. 
That's terrific and definitive set of images, some of which I don't recall seeing.  Thanks cohberg!

[FutureSpaceTourist]

[Rondaz]

SpaceX’s CRS-21: A Mission of Many Firsts

Danielle Sempsrott Posted on December 4, 2020

While this launch marks the first under SpaceX’s second Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA, the mission also brings many other firsts to the table:

CRS-21 will be the first to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean upon the uncrewed cargo Dragon’s return to Earth
First time the crew access arm was used to load a cargo resupply mission
The first time there will be two Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station (uncrewed cargo Dragon and the Crew-1 Dragon)
First automated docking to station for a SpaceX cargo resupply mission
First flight of SpaceX’s upgraded cargo version of Dragon, which can carry more science payloads to and from the space station
With the upgraded Dragon spacecraft comes double the capacity for powered lockers that preserve science and research samples during transport to or from Earth. The CRS-1 Dragon had six lockers available, whereas the upgraded version of Dragon has 12.

The upgraded Dragon also provides the capability for science payloads to remain in the spacecraft for the full duration of the mission. While the spacecraft is docked at the orbiting laboratory during CRS-21, four powered payloads will reside in Dragon.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacexcrs21/2020/12/04/spacexs-crs-21-a-mission-of-many-firsts/

[soltasto]

Capture "Press Kit" with OCR

Unfortunately no Patch this time on the website...

[FutureSpaceTourist]

https://twitter.com/spacexfleet/status/1334932099833458689

Of Course I Still Love You droneship has arrived at the landing zone for the CRS-21 mission!

OCISLY is 623 km downrange 🚀