SpaceX CRS-18

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SpaceX CRS-18
ISS-60 SpaceX CRS-18 Dragon approaches the ISS (1).jpg
Dragon C108.3 approaching the ISS
NamesSpX-18
Mission type ISS resupply
Operator SpaceX
COSPAR ID 2019-044A OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
SATCAT no. 44446 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Mission duration32 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftDragon 1  C108
Spacecraft type Dragon 1
ManufacturerSpaceX
Dry mass4,200 kg (9,300 lb)
DimensionsHeight: 6.1 m (20 ft)
Diameter: 3.7 m (12 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date25 July 2019 22:01  UTC [1]
Rocket Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1056.2)
Launch site Cape Canaveral, SLC-40
End of mission
DisposalRecovered
Landing date27 August 2019 20:20 (2019-08-27UTC20:21) UTC [2]
Landing site Pacific Ocean off Baja California
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric
Regime Low Earth
Inclination 51.6°
Berthing at ISS
Berthing port Harmony nadir
RMS capture27 July 13:11 UTC [3]
Berthing date27 July 2019 16:01 UTC [4]
Unberthing date27 August 2019 12:25 UTC [5]
RMS release27 August 2019 14:59 UTC [5]
Time berthed30 days, 20 hours, 24 minutes
SpaceX CRS-18 Patch.png
NASA SpX-18 mission patch
NG-12  

SpaceX CRS-18, also known as SpX-18, was SpaceX's 18th flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services program for NASA. It was launched on 25 July 2019 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. [6] [7]

Contents

The same Dragon capsule has previously flown to the ISS in April 2015 and December 2017. [8] This was the first time a capsule was used for a third flight.

Primary payload

In February 2016, it was announced that NASA had awarded a contract extension to SpaceX for five CRS additional missions (CRS-16 to CRS-20). [9]

NASA has contracted for the CRS-18 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date/time of launch, and orbital parameters for the Dragon space capsule. It carried the third International Docking Adapter (IDA-3). [10]

The following is a breakdown of cargo bound for the ISS: [11]

The Dragon spacecraft also featured a handful of ceramic heat shield tiles, meant to flight-test a critical component of the SpaceX Starship spacecraft. [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. Clark, Stephen (July 25, 2019). "New docking port, spacesuit and supplies en route to space station". Spaceflight Now . Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  2. Bergin, Chris (August 27, 2019). "CRS-18 Dragon completes mission with Pacific Ocean Splashdown". NASA SpaceflightNow. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  3. Dragon Captured With New Science Experiments
  4. Dragon Installed to Station’s Harmony Module for Cargo Operations
  5. 1 2 Live coverage: Dragon supply ship heading back to Earth today
  6. "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 19, 2019.
  7. SpaceX (July 25, 2019), CRS-18 Mission , retrieved July 25, 2019
  8. @SpaceX (July 19, 2019). "The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously visited the @space_station in April 2015 and December 2017" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  9. de Selding, Peter B. (February 24, 2016). "SpaceX wins 5 new space station cargo missions in NASA contract estimated at $700 million". Space News. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
  10. Pietrobon, Steven (August 20, 2018). "United States Commercial ELV Launch Manifest" . Retrieved August 21, 2018.
  11. "spaceflightnow.com/2019/07/25/new-docking-port-spacesuit-and-supplies-en-route-to-space-station". July 25, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  12. "SpaceX's Cargo Dragon to Deliver New Space Station Docking Adapter for Commercial Crew Spacecraft". NASA. July 12, 2019.
  13. Ralph, Eric (July 24, 2019). "SpaceX testing ceramic Starship heat shield tiles on flight-proven CRS-18 Cargo Dragon". Teslarati. Retrieved July 24, 2019.