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Next week, SpaceX is preparing to enter the story with the very first test flight of a private spacecraft designed to carry astronauts into orbit. This Crew Dragon Demo-1 mission will not carry astronauts, but it will be the first launch of a spacecraft built for humans since the US since 2011 and you can watch it live.
SpaceX will launch the Crew Dragon Demo-1 mission at 02:48 EST (07:48 GMT) on Saturday, March 2nd. Crew Dragon being designed to transport NASA astronauts to and from the International Space Station, you can expect a live broadcast of the launch of the space agency.
Space.com will broadcast NASA's webcasts on the dragon crew here next week. You'll also be able to watch NASA's webcasts on NASA TV, and SpaceX will probably be broadcasting its own webcast here. Scroll through the list to see when to grant the first launch of Crew Dragon.
Countdown to launch
Artist's illustration of SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket launched from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
(Image: © SpaceX)
The action begins Friday (February 22nd), when NASA will hold a press conference at the earliest 18h EST (2300 GMT) to discuss a post-flight preparation review briefing of NASA and SpaceX mission leaders. This meeting, known as FRR in NASA language, typically includes discussions and final exams to ensure a mission is ready for flight. The "unprecedented" moment in the NASA guide suggests that the briefing could slip later in the day.
Two days before the launch, the Thursday, February 28NASA will hold a pre-launch press conference to discuss the launch again. The time of this briefing is not yet final. Representatives from NASA's SpaceX Program, the Commercial Team Program, the International Space Station Program and the Astronaut Office will join them in reviewing the latest details of the mission.
Take a stroll in SpaceX's crew dragon
March 2nd: launch day
The webcasting events from launch day to small hours from Saturday to 02:00 EST (07:00 GMT). As stated above, the launch itself is to 2:48 pm EST. SpaceX's webcast will likely start a little later than NASA's, which usually starts about 15 minutes before take-off.
AT 5:00 EST (1000 GMT)NASA and SpaceX will hold a press conference after the launch with representatives from the agency and SpaceX.
In Photos: Behind the Scenes on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Spacecraft
March 3: arrival of the space station
It will take a little over 27 hours to SpaceX's Crew Dragon to reach the International Space Station after its launch.
The spaceship will arrive at the station Sunday March 3rd. NASA live coverage will begin at 3.30 pm EST (08.30 GMT), with docking occurred at 5:55 am EST (10:55 GMT). Unlike SpaceX's Dragon cargo vehicles, which are captured by the station's robotic arm and attached to an open-air docking station, Crew Dragons is designed to moor.
About five hours after docking Crew Dragon, astronauts will open bridges between the station and the visiting spacecraft. NASA's live coverage of this event will begin at 8:45 am EST (1:45 pm GMT).
The crew of the station will follow a special welcome ceremony at 10:30 am EST (15:30 GMT). The Demo-1 Crew Dragon will deliver approximately 400 pounds. (181 kilograms) of supplies and equipment for the station's crew, NASA officials said.
Crew Dragon and Starliner: a look at the next astronaut taxis
SpaceX's first Crew Dragon spacecraft is seen atop its Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
(Image: © SpaceX)
March 8th: return to earth
The demo-1 Crew Dragon will remain connected to the space station for five days before returning to Earth. Undocking is currently planned for Friday, March 8. Here is what to expect.
NASA live coverage will begin at 12:15 pm EST (5:15 am GMT), when the station's astronauts will close the hatches between their spaceship and Crew Dragon.
The real action starts at 02:30 EST (07:30 GMT), when NASA's undocking coverage begins. You can expect a disconnect shortly after the webcast begins, but once Crew Dragon leaves the station, NASA may pause for a few hours.
AT 07:30 EST (12:30 GMT)NASA will begin its cover of desorbit and landing Crew Dragon. Although SpaceX and NASA have not announced precise time, Crew Dragon should perform its disastrous burn about 5 hours after leaving the space station. The deorbitation burn will last 10 minutes, after which it will take 30 minutes for Crew Dragon to return to the atmosphere, deploy parachutes and dive into the Atlantic Ocean.
NASA will hold a press conference after landing at some point after screening on NASA TV. The exact time and place have not yet been communicated.
SpaceX's Dragon cargo ships are flown into the Pacific Ocean and salvaged by a salvage ship. The missions of the nominal Dragon crew, however, are expected to land off the east coast of Florida to be recovered by SpaceX's Go Searcher recovery vessel.
NASA will hold a press conference after landing at some point after screening on NASA TV. The exact time and place have not yet been communicated.
Dragon SpaceX crew: a private taxi in space in photos
More test flights
If all goes well with the Demo-1 Crew Dragon mission, SpaceX will launch other test flights: an in-flight abandonment test and the first crewed space flight.
In June, SpaceX plans to launch a flight dropping test to demonstrate the Crew Dragon evacuation system. The spacecraft is equipped with eight SuperDraco thrusters to release a Crew Dragon from its Falcon 9 rocket in case of emergency.
If this abandonment test goes well, SpaceX will conduct a crew test flight in July, officials at NASA said.
SpaceX is one of two commercial companies chosen by NASA to fly astronauts to and from the space station. The other company, Boeing, will launch astronauts on its CST-100 Starliner and Atlas V rockets.
NASA awarded SpaceX a $ 2.6 billion contract in 2014 to develop Crew Dragon on the astronaut flights. Boeing received $ 4.2 billion from NASA to support the development of Starliner.
Note: Here is a link the full broadcast schedule of NASA for the Crew Dragon mission. NASA will also release mission updates on his commercial crew site here, and this launch blog.
Send an email to Tariq Malik at [email protected] or follow him @tariqjmalik. follow us @Spacedotcom and Facebook.
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