Liftoff of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, with Crew Dragon atop, lit up the early morning sky at 5:49 a.m. today, April 23, as it lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Crew-2 astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur of NASA, Akihiko Hoshide of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and …
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying Crew-2 mission astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, along with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet on their way to the International Space Station has safely reached orbit, and the nosecone has been opened. A postlaunch news conference will be held at approximately …
Crew Dragon Endeavour has separated from the second stage and is flying on its own. The spacecraft is traveling at approximately 17,000 miles per hour. About one minute later the dragon nosecone open sequence will begin.
Stage 1 of the Falcon 9 rocket completed its descent and landed on SpaceX’s drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
The second stage engine continues to burn. About eight minutes into flight, all is well. In about a minute, the second stage engine will shut down. Crew Dragon is now in orbit.
The call came in from Crew-2 Commander Shane Kimbrough that trajectory is nominal. The first stage has started its descent.
The rocket has reached first stage main engine cutoff (MECO). The first and second stages have separated. The second stage engine will start.
The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft Endeavour lifts off in the early morning from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Crew-2 astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Akihido Hoshide, and Thomas Pesquet have begun their 23.5-hour journey to the International Space Station on NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission. Liftoff occurred at 5:49:02 a.m. EDT. …
Fuel loading is complete. Five minutes to lifoff, and all looks good for the Crew-2 launch!
Fuel loading is complete on the first stage, and liquid oxygen loading has begun on the second stage. Everything remains on target for the 5:49 a.m. EDT launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-2 mission from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
