Author Topic: SpaceX F9 / Crew Dragon : Crew-4 : KSC LC-39A : 27 April 2022 (07:52 UTC) (Read 195874 times)

RocketLover0119 · « **Reply #180 on:** 04/20/2022 01:09 pm »

DDR complete!

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1516764698976264193

RocketLover0119 · « **Reply #181 on:** 04/20/2022 01:17 pm »

Static fire in 10 ish minutes.

RocketLover0119 · « **Reply #182 on:** 04/20/2022 01:29 pm »

Static fire!

SpaceflightNow

Rondaz · « **Reply #183 on:** 04/20/2022 01:29 pm »

SpaceX has test-fired a Falcon 9 rocket on pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center. This static fire test is in preparation for the launch of NASA’s Crew-4 astronaut mission to the space station.

https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1516770906932195341

Ken the Bin · « **Reply #184 on:** 04/20/2022 02:00 pm »

L-3 weather forecast. 60% 'Go' for April 23, April 24, and April 25. Ascent Corridor Recovery risk is Moderate for April 23 and April 25. All other Additional Risk Criteria are Low.

Note: With the delay in the Ax-1 return, it appears likely that this launch is going to slip to April 25.

Rondaz · « **Reply #185 on:** 04/20/2022 03:08 pm »

Yesterday, the @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, with Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft atop, rolled out to Launch Pad 39A & is now in a vertical position.

Overnight, the #Crew4 astronauts participated in a countdown dress rehearsal of launch day events.

https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1516772779726708738

Rondaz · « **Reply #186 on:** 04/20/2022 03:08 pm »

Static fire test of Falcon 9 complete ahead of the Crew-4 mission to the @space_station..

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1516781850873659392

zubenelgenubi · « **Reply #187 on:** 04/20/2022 03:19 pm »

Cross-post:

Quote from: zubenelgenubi on 04/20/2022 03:16 pm

Quote from: Targeteer on 04/20/2022 07:33 am
From the morning DPC, Dragon undock no earlier than 0000Z day 112 [NET 00:00 Apr 22 UTC = NET 8 pm Apr 21 EDT].
The above should put Axiom-1 splashdown on Saturday, April 22 EDT.

Given the desire to leave a minimum of 48 hours between a return of one Crew Dragon before the launch of the next same, for data analysis, then the Crew-4 launch would become NET April 25, circa 08:40 UTC = circa 4:40 am EDT.

Quote from: Ken the Bin on 04/20/2022 02:00 pm

Note: With the delay in the Ax-1 return, it appears likely that this launch is going to slip to April 25.

Conexion Espacial · « **Reply #188 on:** 04/20/2022 05:58 pm »

https://twitter.com/KathyLueders/status/1516830524446330892

Conexion Espacial · « **Reply #189 on:** 04/20/2022 06:01 pm »

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1516838484962643976

alugobi · « **Reply #190 on:** 04/20/2022 07:10 pm »

Conexion, it would be helpful if you'd give a short summary to define these links, so we can decide whether to click. Gracias

Rondaz · « **Reply #191 on:** 04/20/2022 08:21 pm »

SpaceX Completes Falcon 9 Static Fire Test in Preparation for Crew-4 Launch

Jason Costa Posted on April 20, 2022

On April 20, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the Dragon Freedom capsule and Crew-4 astronauts to the International Space Station surpassed a key milestone ahead of launch. While vertical on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida, the rocket’s nine Merlin first-stage engines roared to life for seven seconds, completing the routine but critical integrated static fire test.

The Crew-4 mission will carry Mission Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Robert Hines, and Mission Specialist Jessica Watkins, as well as ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, who will also serve as a mission specialist, to the space station for a six-month science mission.

This is the fourth crew rotation flight for the agency’s Commercial Crew Program. More details about the mission and the Commercial Crew Program can be found in the online press kit, or by following the commercial crew blog, @commercial_crew, and commercial crew on Facebook.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-4/2022/04/20/spacex-completes-falcon-9-static-fire-test-in-preparation-for-crew-4-launch/

Rondaz · « **Reply #192 on:** 04/20/2022 09:20 pm »

Due to unfavorable weather forecasts, we are still assessing when it's safe to bring the #Ax1 mission home from the @Space_Station. A new #Crew4 launch date will depend on this. Stay tuned for updates from us, @Axiom_Space and @SpaceX.

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1516838484962643976

Ken the Bin · « **Reply #193 on:** 04/21/2022 01:46 am »

Cross-post from the Ax-1 topic:

Quote from: Ken the Bin on 04/21/2022 01:42 am

New cancel-and-replace NGA notice for splashdown.

The earliest opportunity across all locations is April 24 at 17:40 UTC.

Quote from: NGA
<snip>

Because the Crew-4 launch times are much earlier than 17:40 UTC, to have 48 hours between Ax-1 return and Crew-4 launch means that the launch is NET April 27.

Clavin · « **Reply #194 on:** 04/21/2022 01:49 am »

https://twitter.com/Alexphysics13/status/1516956082270347267
"The departure of Dragon Endeavour from the space station will clear the docking port for the arrival of Dragon Freedom and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts. The earliest potential launch opportunity for the Crew-4 mission is 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, with additional opportunities Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28."

Rondaz · « **Reply #195 on:** 04/21/2022 02:06 am »

Station Crew Awaits Ax-1 Departure and Crew-4 Launch

Mark Garcia Posted on April 20, 2022

The integrated NASA, Axiom Space, and SpaceX teams have agreed on a plan for the Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1) crew to undock from the International Space Station at 8:35 p.m. EDT Saturday, April 23, for a splashdown off the coast of Florida about 1:46 p.m. Sunday, April 24. The decision was made based on the best weather for splashdown of the first private astronaut mission to visit the International Space Station and the return trajectory required to bring the crew and the SpaceX Dragon Endeavour spacecraft back to Earth safely.

NASA will provide live coverage of departure activities beginning at 6:15 p.m. Saturday, April 23, with hatch closure targeted for 6:30 p.m. Coverage will resume at 8:15 p.m. for the undocking. Teams will continue to monitor weather at the splashdown sites prior to undocking to ensure conditions are acceptable for a safe recovery of the Ax-1 astronauts and Dragon spacecraft.

NASA and Axiom mission planning prepared for the possibility of additional time on station for the private astronauts, and there are sufficient provisions for all 11 crew members aboard the space station. The Ax-1 crew continues to work through previously planned mission activities. The Ax-1 crew and Dragon spacecraft remain healthy.

The departure of Dragon Endeavour from the space station will clear the docking port for the arrival of Dragon Freedom and NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 astronauts. The earliest potential launch opportunity for the Crew-4 mission is 4:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 26, with additional opportunities Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28. These launch opportunities are undergoing a more detailed program review to ensure they align with integrated operational timelines. The teams want to provide a two-day gap after Ax-1 return for data reviews from splashdown and to prepare for the Crew-4 launch, including the staging of recovery assets.

The Crew-4 astronauts spent last night at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida rehearsing the countdown to their launch inside the SpaceX Dragon Freedom, the company’s newest crew ship. Overnight, Crew-4 Commander Kjell Lindgren, Pilot Robert Hines with Mission Specialists Jessica Watkins and Samantha Cristoforetti, put on their pressure suits and entered their vehicle conducting a successful dry dress rehearsal. The Falcon 9 rocket, with the Freedom perched atop, stands at Launch Complex 39A.

Expedition 67 crewmates Raja Chari and Tom Marshburn, who are also the SpaceX Crew-3 commander and pilot respectively, spent a little time on Wednesday with their upcoming departure activities. The pair, along with Kayla Barron of NASA and Matthias Maurer of ESA, will wait for the arrival of their Crew-4 replacements before returning to Earth a few days later inside the Dragon Endurance vehicle. The four astronauts had a light-duty day on Wednesday scheduling in some housecleaning tasks.

Over in the Russian segment of the station, cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev wrapped up their post-spacewalk activities today stowing their tools and discussing the excursion with specialists on the ground. The duo kicked off a series of spacewalks on April 18 to configure the European robotic arm for operations on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Sergey Korsakov started his day with electronics and communications maintenance before studying future spacecraft and robotic piloting techniques in the afternoon.

https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2022/04/20/station-crew-awaits-ax-1-departure-and-crew-4-launch/

Lars-J · « **Reply #196 on:** 04/21/2022 02:29 am »

In retrospect it seems like it was a terrible scheduling idea to have the AX-1 mission so close to Crew 4. Delays almost always happen, so what was the need to have AX-1 go first?

Since they missed a direct crew hand-over between Crew 2 and 3, I would think it is essential to have one now, without an American in the current Soyuz crew. (Not because they will refuse to let them back in :-), but because then indirect handovers will be normalized)

I can only assume that Crew 3’s will be delayed as long as possible until Crew 4 can launch. Within reason, of course, we don’t know how long NASA/SpaceX feel comfortable stretching the Crew 3 mission, but I assume there is some margin available.

Clavin · « **Reply #197 on:** 04/21/2022 03:34 am »

Quote from: Lars-J on 04/21/2022 02:29 am

we don’t know how long NASA/SpaceX feel comfortable stretching the Crew 3 mission, but I assume there is some margin available.

Crew-3 Dragon is rated to stay in orbit until Mid June. But given that there is Cargo Dragon mission on June 7th and Boeing OFT-2 on May 19th. They would probably want to get them back before that. I loosely remember someone telling in the NASA press conference that they can comfortably have Crew-3 back by first week of May (not sure though).

Rondaz · « **Reply #198 on:** 04/21/2022 10:30 am »

They’re coming home. #Ax1, the first private astronaut mission to the @Space_Station, is set to depart Saturday night, April 23, with splashdown off Florida the next day.

Get more details about coverage, timing, and what the new schedule means for #Crew4:

https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1516965850695323652

Rondaz · « **Reply #199 on:** 04/21/2022 10:32 am »

Launch Update: The earliest potential launch opportunity for @NASA’s @SpaceX #Crew4 mission is 4:15am ET Tuesday, April 26, with additional opportunities Wednesday, April 27, and Thursday, April 28.

https://twitter.com/Commercial_Crew/status/1516967644162936836