posted 02-10-2017 09:13 AM               

SpaceX CRS-10 Mission Overview

SpaceX's CRS-10 Dragon mission to the International Space Station is set to be the first launch from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida since the end of the space shuttle program in 2011.

The 10th flight under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services contract with SpaceX, CRS-10 will deliver supplies for the station's Expedition 50/51 crews, as well as several science investigations, including:

• an experiment to grow stem cells that are of sufficient quality and quantity to use in the treatment of stroke patients;

• a Merck Research Labs investigation that tests the growth of antibodies important for fighting a wide range of human diseases, including cancer;

• two Earth science payloads, NASA's Stratospheric Aerosol Gas Experiment III mission and Lightning Imaging Sensor, which will provide continuity for key climate observations and data records;

• Raven, a technology demonstration to test autonomous rendezvous capability; and

• an experiment to provide data valuable for antibiotic drug development using methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, also known as MRSA, a lethal pathogen that causes very frequent and difficult-to-treat infections in hospitalized patients.

Following the launch and stage separation, the first stage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 will attempt a propulsive landing at Landing Zone-1 (LZ-1) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

posted 02-12-2017 04:00 PM               

SpaceX Falcon static fire reignites historic NASA pad

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket briefly fired its engines in a pre-flight test on Sunday (Feb. 12), marking the return to use for a NASA launch pad where astronauts historically lifted off for the moon and later leapt into Earth orbit on the space shuttle.

The three-second static fire on Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida was the culmination of a practice countdown executed by SpaceX to verify that both its rocket and the modified pad were ready for launch. The company's maiden mission from the historic NASA site will see the Falcon 9 launch with a Dragon cargo spacecraft to deliver supplies and science equipment to the International Space Station.

posted 02-19-2017 09:00 AM               

SpaceX rocket lifts off for space station on first launch from NASA's Apollo 11 pad

For the first time since 2011 and the retirement of the space shuttle, a rocket on Sunday (Feb. 19) lifted off from NASA's Launch Pad 39A, the historic site in Florida where astronauts departed for the moon.

A SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, loaded with 40 live mice and other research for the International Space Station, leapt off Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket at 9:39 a.m. EST (1539 GMT). About eight minutes later, as the Dragon cargo capsule flew into orbit, the Falcon 9's first stage landed at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, achieving SpaceX's eighth experimental propulsive landing (the third on land and the first of which during the day).

The launch marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Apollo and shuttle complex.

posted 02-22-2017 05:57 AM               

SpaceX Dragon rendezvous and berthing waved off

SpaceX's Dragon cargo spacecraft waved off its planned rendezvous with the International Space Station on Wednesday (Feb. 22) at 2:25 a.m. CST (0825 GMT). On board computers triggered the abort after recognizing an incorrect value in data about the location of the space station.

Per the re-rendezvous plan built into every mission, the spacecraft automatically reset for another rendezvous and docking attempt in 24 hours.

The next rendezvous attempt is targeted for Thursday morning.

posted 02-23-2017 07:32 AM               

Astronauts capture Dragon at space station

As the International Space Station traveled over the west coast of Australia, Expedition 50 commander Shane Kimbrough of NASA and flight engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA captured SpaceX's CRS-10 Dragon cargo spacecraft using the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm.

The grapple came a few minutes earlier than scheduled at 4:44 a.m. CST (1044 GMT) on Thursday (Feb. 23).

posted 03-19-2017 08:35 AM               

SpaceX CRS-10 Dragon departs space station

Expedition 50 crewmembers Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough released SpaceX's CRS-10 Dragon spacecraft from the International Space Station's robotic arm at 4:11 a.m. CDT (0911 GMT) on Sunday (March 19).

SpaceX flight controllers in Hawthorne, California, will command the Dragon's deorbit burn around 9 a.m. EDT.

The capsule will splash down at about 9:54 a.m. CDT (1454 GMT) in the Pacific Ocean, where recovery forces will retrieve the capsule and its more than 5,400 pounds (2,450 kg) of cargo, including science samples from human and animal research, external payloads, biology and biotechnology studies, physical science research and education activities.

NASA and CASIS (the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space), the non-profit organization that manages research aboard the U.S. national lab portion of the station, will receive time-sensitive samples and begin working with researchers to process and distribute them within 48 hours of splashdown.

posted 03-19-2017 09:23 AM               

Dragon's deorbit burn is complete and trunk has been jettisoned. Pacific Ocean splashdown with critical NASA cargo in about 30 minutes.

posted 03-19-2017 09:54 AM               

Good splashdown of Dragon confirmed, carrying NASA science and research cargo back from the space station.

posted 03-19-2017 03:54 PM               

Dragon is headed to port for a cargo handover to NASA.