Posted on 10/07/2012 3:37:44 PM PDT by Jack Hydrazine
SpaceX is poised to start work on a $1.6 billion contract with NASA today, when a Falcon 9 rocket is set to blast off with 882 pounds of supplies on the first operational commercial cargo flight to the International Space Station. Tonight's liftoff time is 8:35 p.m. EDT/5:35 p.m. PDT (0035 GMT). The capsule will return to Earth in late October with approximately 1,673 pounds of equipment from the space station.
(Excerpt) Read more at spaceflightnow.com ...
Here’s my video of the launch. It went into a cloud before 1st stage MECO unfortunately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4c18sJynC4
Great video! Thanks!
...set to blast off with 882 pounds of supplies on the first operational commercial cargo flight to the International Space Station.
Hopefully you're not going anywhere soon.
Why less than half a ton of supplies?
It’s possible they are starting small and will be increasing the payload weight on each successive flight. The CRS-2 launch will using Dragon’s trunk.
“CRS-2 will debut the use of the Dragon’s trunk – used for unpressurized/external cargo, that will utilize Dextre for removal operations (see image left) - with payloads already allocated for a ride uphill in the trunk (L2 Link).”
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/09/spacex-october-7-dragons-opening-crs-mission-iss/
Just saw the ISS pass overhead with Dragon about 7 degrees behind.
Kewl!
Falcon 9 launch tomorrow morning at 10:10am EST.
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/falcon9/005/status.html
Rocket: Falcon 9
Payload: Dragon (CRS 2)
Launch Date: March 1, 2013
Launch Time: 10:10 a.m. EST (1510 GMT)
ISS Grapple: March 2 @ 1130 GMT
ISS Departure: March 25 @ TBD
Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
Landing Site: Pacific Ocean
Feed: NASA Television
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