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All the initial hardware and communications checks are done, the astronauts are strapped to their seats, and launch officials have given the green light to begin loading the Falcon 9 rocket with fuel.
The propellants used are RP-1, or “Rocket Propellant 1”, and “LOX” – or “liquid oxygen”.
The oxygen is so cold that it becomes liquid, and after LOX is loaded, viewers will be able to see what vapor or smoke is like emanating from the rocket. It’s just the super-cooled oxygen that bubbles up the side of the rocket as the surrounding air heats some of the excess LOX.
Over 1 million pounds of thruster will be channeled into the Falcon 9 over the next half hour. Meanwhile, the astronauts are still seated inside the Crew Dragon capsule, which sits atop the rocket.
Rachel Crane of CNN has more:
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