Crew Dragon Resilience

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Crew Dragon Resilience
SpaceX Crew-1 Rollout to Pad (KSC-20201109-PH-SPX01 0002).jpg
Crew Dragon Resilience in the horizontal integration facility shortly before being rolled out to pad 39A in November 2020
Type Space capsule
Class Dragon 2
Serial no.C207
Owner SpaceX
ManufacturerSpaceX
Specifications
Dimensions4.4 m × 3.7 m (14 ft × 12 ft)
Power Solar panel
Rocket Falcon 9 Block 5
History
Location Hawthorne, California
First flight
Last flight
Flights3
Flight time175 days, 3 hours, 44 minutes
Dragon 2s
  Endeavour
C208  

Crew Dragon Resilience (serial number C207) is the second operational Crew Dragon reusable spacecraft manufactured and operated by SpaceX. It first launched on 16 November 2020 to the International Space Station (ISS) on the SpaceX Crew-1 mission, the first operational flight of NASA's Commercial Crew Program. It was subsequently used for Inspiration4 in 2021, the first private spaceflight mission with an all-civilian crew, and the Polaris Dawn mission in September 2024.

Contents

History

Originally planned to fly the mission after Crew-1, Crew Dragon C207 was reassigned to fly Crew-1 after an anomaly during a static fire test destroyed capsule C204 intended to be re-flown on the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test. [1] The spacecraft C205 intended to be used on the Demo-2 mission replaced the destroyed spacecraft for the in-flight abort test. C206 intended for use with the Crew-1 mission, was reassigned to the Demo-2 mission.

On 1 May 2020, SpaceX said that spacecraft C207 was in production and astronaut training underway. [2] Crew Dragon C207 arrived at SpaceX processing facilities in Florida on 18 August 2020. [3] [4]

At a NASA press conference on 29 September 2020, commander Michael Hopkins revealed that C207 had been named Resilience. [5] The trunk was attached and secured to the capsule on 2 October 2020 at Cape Canaveral. [6]

Resilience was first launched on 16 November 2020 (UTC) on a Falcon 9 from the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), LC-39A, carrying NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover, and Shannon Walker, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi on a six-month mission to the International Space Station. [7]

The docking adapter, normally used to dock with the International Space Station, was replaced by a domed glass window for the Inspiration4 mission. This allows for 360-degree views of space and the Earth, similar to those provided by the Cupola Module on the ISS. [8]

For Polaris Dawn mission, as Crew Dragon capsules lack an airlock, several modifications have been made to the interior of Resilience. Extra nitrogen and oxygen tanks have been installed, a hatch with a ladder called the "skywalker" has replaced the docking port, and the forward hatch has been motorized. To validate their procedures, Resilience underwent multiple cycles of venting and repressurization in a large vacuum chamber. The crew also spent two days in a chamber validating their pre-breathing protocol and wearing their EVA suits in a vacuum.The mission will also be the first crewed operational test of Dragon laser interlink communication via Starlink. If successful, it would potentially decrease communication latency and increase data bandwidth for human spaceflight. [9]

Flights

List includes only completed or currently manifested missions. Dates are listed in UTC, and for future events, they are the earliest possible opportunities (also known as NET dates) and may change.

See also

Notes

    Related Research Articles

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Dragon 2</span> 2020s class of partially reusable spacecraft

    Dragon 2 is a class of partially reusable spacecraft developed, manufactured, and operated by American space company SpaceX for flights to the International Space Station (ISS) and private spaceflight missions. The spacecraft, which consists of a reusable space capsule and an expendable trunk module, has two variants: the 4-person Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon, a replacement for the Dragon 1 cargo capsule. The spacecraft launches atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, and the capsule returns to Earth through splashdown. Since 2020, when Dragon 2 flew its first crewed and uncrewed flights, it has proven to be the most cost-effective spacecraft ever used by NASA.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew Dragon Demo-1</span> Demonstration flight of the SpaceX Dragon 2

    Crew Dragon Demo-1 was the first orbital test of the Dragon 2 spacecraft. The mission launched on 2 March 2019 at 07:49:03 UTC, and arrived at the International Space Station on 3 March 2019, a little over 24 hours after the launch. The mission ended with a splashdown on 8 March 2019 at 13:45:08 UTC.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew Dragon Demo-2</span> First crewed flight of Crew Dragon

    Crew Dragon Demo-2 was the first crewed test flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. The spacecraft, named Endeavour, launched on 30 May 2020 on a Falcon 9 rocket, and carried NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station in the first crewed orbital spaceflight launched from the United States since the final Space Shuttle mission in 2011, and the first ever operated by a commercial provider. Demo-2 was also the first two-person orbital spaceflight launched from the United States since STS-4 in 1982. Demo-2 completed the validation of crewed spaceflight operations using SpaceX hardware and received human-rating certification for the spacecraft, including astronaut testing of Crew Dragon capabilities on orbit.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Crew-1</span> 2020 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS and maiden flight of Crew Dragon Resilience

    SpaceX Crew-1 was the first operational crewed flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft, and the maiden flight of the Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft. It was also the second crewed orbital flight launch by the United States since that of STS-135 in July 2011. Resilience launched on 16 November 2020 at 00:27:17 UTC on a Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A), carrying NASA astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover and Shannon Walker, along with JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi, all members of the Expedition 64 crew. The mission was the second overall crewed orbital flight of the Crew Dragon.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test</span> Post-launch abort test of the SpaceX Dragon 2 spacecraft

    The Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test was a successful test of the SpaceX Dragon 2 abort system, conducted on 19 January 2020. It was the final assessment for the Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 launch system before they would be certified to carry humans into space. Booster B1046.4 and an uncrewed capsule C205 were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on a suborbital trajectory, followed by an in-flight abort of the capsule at max Q and supersonic speed. The test was carried out successfully: the capsule pulled itself away from the booster after launch control commanded the abort, and landed safely.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial Crew Program</span> NASA human spaceflight program for the International Space Station

    The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) provides commercially operated crew transportation service to and from the International Space Station (ISS) under contract to NASA, conducting crew rotations between the expeditions of the International Space Station program. American space manufacturer SpaceX began providing service in 2020, using the Crew Dragon spacecraft, and NASA plans to add Boeing when its Boeing Starliner spacecraft becomes operational no earlier than 2025. NASA has contracted for six operational missions from Boeing and fourteen from SpaceX, ensuring sufficient support for ISS through 2030.

    <i>Megan</i> (ship) SpaceX Dragon Recovery Vessel

    MV Megan, formerly known as MV GO Searcher, is one of SpaceX's two Dragon capsule recovery vessels. Owned by SpaceX through Falcon Landing LLC, this vessel, along with its sister ship, MV Shannon, are converted platform supply vessels now equipped to retrieve Crew and Cargo Dragon capsules after splashdown.

    Crew Dragon <i>Endeavour</i> SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft

    Crew Dragon Endeavour is the first operational Crew Dragon reusable spacecraft manufactured and operated by SpaceX. The spacecraft is named after Space ShuttleEndeavour. It first launched on 30 May 2020 to the International Space Station (ISS) on the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission. It has subsequently been used for the SpaceX Crew-2 mission that launched in April 2021, the private Axiom Mission 1 that launched in April 2022, and the SpaceX Crew-6 mission that launched in March 2023. It was last in orbit with the SpaceX Crew-8 mission from early March 2024 to late October 2024. As of October 2024, Endeavour holds the single-mission record for the most time in orbit by an American crewed spacecraft at 235 days.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew Dragon C204</span> SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft

    Crew Dragon C204 was part of Crew Dragon flight vehicle SN 2-1 manufactured and operated by SpaceX and used by NASA's Commercial Crew Program. Used in the uncrewed Demo-1 mission, it was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket on 2 March 2019, arriving at the International Space Station on 3 March 2019. It was the first orbital test flight of the Dragon 2 spacecraft. The spacecraft was unexpectedly destroyed on 20 April 2019 during a separate test when firing the SuperDraco engines at Landing Zone 1.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Crew-2</span> 2021 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS

    SpaceX Crew-2 was the second operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft, and the third overall crewed orbital flight of the Commercial Crew Program. The mission was launched on 23 April 2021 at 09:49:02 UTC, and docked to the International Space Station on 24 April at 09:08 UTC.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX CRS-23</span> 2021 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS

    SpaceX CRS-23, also known as SpX-23, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station, successfully launched on 29 August 2021 and docking the following day. The mission was contracted by NASA and was flown by SpaceX using the Cargo Dragon C208. This was the third flight for SpaceX under NASA's CRS Phase 2 contract awarded in January 2016. It was the second mission for this reusable capsule.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Crew-3</span> 2021 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS and maiden flight of Crew Dragon Endurance

    SpaceX Crew-3 was the Crew Dragon's third NASA Commercial Crew operational flight, and its fifth overall crewed orbital flight. The mission successfully launched on 11 November 2021 at 02:03:31 UTC to the International Space Station. It was the maiden flight of Crew Dragon Endurance.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Crew Dragon C205</span> Space capsule

    Crew Dragon C205 is a Crew Dragon capsule manufactured and built by SpaceX. It completed its only flight on January 19, 2020, with the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test mission where the capsule detached from the Falcon 9 B1046 booster at max q using the SuperDraco abort thrusters. This was done to test the functionality of the abort thrusters in an operational rocket launch.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Inspiration4</span> 2021 private crewed spaceflight

    Inspiration4 was a 2021 human spaceflight operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 Payments CEO Jared Isaacman. The mission launched the Crew Dragon Resilience on 16 September 2021 at 00:02:56 UTC from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A atop a Falcon 9 launch vehicle. It placed the Dragon capsule into low Earth orbit with mission termination on 18 September 2021 at 23:06:49 UTC when Resilience splashed down in the Atlantic Ocean.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">SpaceX Crew-4</span> 2022 American crewed spaceflight to the ISS and maiden flight of Crew Dragon Freedom

    SpaceX Crew-4 was the Crew Dragon's fourth NASA Commercial Crew operational flight, and its seventh overall crewed orbital flight. The mission launched on 27 April 2022 at 07:52 UTC before docking with the International Space Station (ISS) at 23:37 UTC. It followed shortly after the private Axiom 1 mission to the ISS earlier in the month utilizing SpaceX hardware. Three American (NASA) astronauts and one European (ESA) astronaut were on board the mission.

    <span class="mw-page-title-main">Polaris Dawn</span> 2024 private crewed spaceflight

    Polaris Dawn was a private crewed spaceflight operated by SpaceX on behalf of Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman, the first of three planned missions in the Polaris program. Launched 10 September 2024 as the 14th crewed orbital flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft, Isaacman and his crew of three — Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon — flew in an elliptic orbit that took them 1,400 kilometers (870 mi) away from Earth, the farthest anyone has been since NASA's Apollo program. They passed through parts of the Van Allen radiation belt to study the health effects of space radiation and spaceflight on the human body. Later in the mission, the crew performed the first commercial spacewalk.

    The Polaris program is a private spaceflight program organized by entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. Building on his experience as commander of the Inspiration4 mission—the first all-civilian spaceflight—Isaacman contracted with SpaceX to establish Polaris. The program involves two missions using SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft and is planned to culminate in the first crewed launch on Starship.

    References

    1. Gebhardt, Christ (29 May 2019). "NASA briefly updates status of Crew Dragon anomaly, SpaceX test schedule". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
    2. @SpaceX (1 May 2020). "Once Demo-2 is complete, and the SpaceX and NASA teams have reviewed all the data for certification, SpaceX will launch Crew Dragon's first six-month operational mission (Crew-1) later this year. The Crew-1 spacecraft is in production and astronaut training is well underway" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 June 2020 via Twitter.
    3. Groh, Jamie (23 August 2020). "SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule arrives in Florida for next NASA astronaut launch". teslarati.com. Teslarati. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
    4. Sempsrott, Danielle (21 August 2020). "Preparations Continue for SpaceX First Operational Flight with Astronauts". blogs.nasa.gov. NASA. Retrieved 24 August 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
    5. @ChrisG_NSF (29 September 2020). "Crew-1 has named their Dragon..." (Tweet) via Twitter.
    6. "NASA, SpaceX Crew-1 Launch Update". blogs.nasa.gov. NASA. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
    7. Corbett, Tobias; Barker, Nathan (15 November 2020). "With Resilience, NASA and SpaceX begin operational Commercial Crew flights". NASASpaceFlight.com.
    8. Howell, Elizabeth (30 March 2021). "SpaceX's Dragon spaceship is getting the ultimate window for private Inspiration4 spaceflight". space.com. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
    9. "Starlink expanding, coming to Dragon capsule on Polaris Dawn, but NASA has concerns about the constellation". Space Explored. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 17 February 2022. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
    10. "Second phasing burn complete". Twitter. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.