Falcon 9: Crew Dragon DM-1 - uncrewed test flight to ISS (DM-2 in 2019!)

[Dr Mordrid]

Still tracking Feb 23

This wet dress rehearsal + static fire tests the entire system right up to the point of release, which is locked out.

The fixed service structure (FSS) tower is getting upgraded anti-corrosion coatings and metal cladding to minimize maintenance. Stripped out all the old Shuttle equipment, they did.

[Dr Mordrid]

And if things go wonky with a crew aboard 8 SuperDraco engines, 16,000 lbf/71,200 N each, pull Crew Dragon to safety.

[Dr Mordrid]

In part ISS scheduling

Michael Sheetz ✔ @thesheetztweetz
NASA will announce tomorrow @SpaceX Demo-1 is targeting no earlier than March 2 at 02:45 ET (07:45 UTC) for launch, a source familiar tells me.

This matches with the operation start date in SpaceXs FCC filing last week: https://apps.fcc.gov/oetcf/els/repor...stTimeout=1000
8:10 PM - Feb 5, 2019

[Dr Mordrid]

Range approved,

SpaceX ✔ @SpaceX
Targeting March 2 for Crew Dragon's first flight to the @Space_Station http://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2019/02/06/
4:23 PM - Feb 6, 2019

https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1093258801518530560

[Dr Mordrid]

Jeff Foust @jeff_foust
[NASA Deputy Admin.] Morhard says SpaceX Demo-1 uncrewed test flight still scheduled for March 2. Starliner uncrewed test flight some time in the spring. #CST2019
5:14 PM - Feb 13, 2019

[Dr Mordrid]

"It's been a long road,
Getting from there to here
it's been a long time,
but my time is finally near..."

FRR says GO!!

Dissenting ISS partner: Russia, over abort software

To placate Russia a US team member will visit SpaceX next week.

NASA gives go-ahead for SpaceX commercial crew test flight

WASHINGTON NASA managers have given their approval for SpaceX to proceed with an uncrewed test flight of its Crew Dragon spacecraft on March 2.

At the conclusion of a day-long flight readiness review at the Kennedy Space Center Feb. 22, NASA announced that it approved plans for SpaceX to fly a mission designated Demo-1, featuring its Crew Dragon spacecraft but without astronauts on board, to the International Space Station. The review featured more than 100 people from NASA and SpaceX, examining the readiness of both the spacecraft and the station to support the mission.

The current schedule calls for a launch at 2:48 a.m. Eastern March 2, in an instantaneous launch window. The Falcon 9, lifting off from Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center, will put the Crew Dragon into orbit. The spacecraft is scheduled to dock with the ISS one day later and remain there until March 8, when it will undock and splash down several hours later in the Atlantic Ocean.
>

[Dr Mordrid]

Eric Berger ✔ @SciGuySpace (Ars Technica)
Takeaway from commercial crew news conference this evening: NASA is freaking excited about this test flight. As they should be. As we all are.
6:59 PM - Feb 22, 2019

https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1099096412120383489

[Dr Mordrid]

@sciguyspace (Ars)
By the way, I've heard that the webcast for Demo-1 is going to be pretty spectacular. I'm excited to see what @SpaceX has planned to show off their vehicle and its flight.

https://twitter.com/sciguyspace/status/1099107397791043584

[Dr Mordrid]

Weather: 80% GO!

Launch date: Saturday March 2
Launch time: 0249;03 Eastern (0749;03 UT)

Another "Starman" will be aboard, this one an anthropomorphic test dummy to measure astronaut loads. He will be in a SpaceX spacesuit.

https://twitter.com/SpaceXFleet/stat...62751287939073

@SpaceXFleet
Of Course I Still Love You is preparing to leave Port Canaveral this morning ahead of the DM-1 mission on Saturday. Tug Hollywood is towing for this mission!
|
Port Canaveral tugs Florida and Eagle are assisting Hollywood in moving OCISLY away from the dock.
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Departure! Breaking the turnaround record, OCISLY is outbound for sea just 48 hours after delivering a booster to port! The droneship is heading 492km downrange, north east from the launchpad!
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Calling all boats: Please stay out of this zone at 2:48am EST Saturday, March 2, as SpaceX attempts to launch Demo-1 from KSC's pad 39A (with booster landing at sea).

Launch Timeline



==========

NASA TV live coverage of SpX-DM1, all times UTC

February 28, Thursday

16:00 - NASA Social Media Briefing

21:00 - Prelaunch briefing (only on Public Channel)

23:00 - Replay of Social Media Briefing

March 2, Saturday

03:00 - Replay of prelaunch briefing

07:00 - Begin of of launch coverage

07:49 - Launch (7:49:03)

09:00 - Post-Launch News Conference

March 3, Sunday

08:30 - Coverage of rendezvous and docking

11:00 - Docking (scheduled)

13:30 - Coverage of Crew Dragon hatch opening

13:45 - Hatch opening (scheduled)

15:35 - Coverage of Dragon welcoming ceremony @ ISS

March 7, Thursday

17:15 - Coverage of the hatch closure

17:25 - Hatch closure (scheduled)

March 8, Friday

07:00 - Coverage of undocking

07:31 - Undocking (scheduled)

12:30 - Coverage of deorbit burn and splashdown

12:50 - Deorbit burn (scheduled)
13:45 - Splashdown (scheduled)
TBD - Post-Splashdown News Conference

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/schedule.html, EST times

---

Updates:

2019-02-26: Prelaunch briefing has been scheduled for 21:00 UTC on Thursday.

2019-02-27: Added replay of pre-launch briefings

2019-02-27: Post-launch news conference has been preponed from 10:00 to 9:00 UTC

[Dr Mordrid]

ALERT: WEBCAST GOES LIVE 50 min BEFORE LAUNCH

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX will be using Firing Room 4 at the KSC Launch Control Center. FR4 was used for Apollo and Shuttle.

Also,

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX's Hans Koenigsmann reports the anthropomorphic test dummy on Crew Dragon is a "female" named 'Ripley'

[Dr Mordrid]

Elon Musk ✔ @elonmusk
Ripley
1:37 AM - Mar 1, 2019

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1101370880486076416

[Dilitante1]

Arrives with a chest burster inside suit for giggles

[Dr Mordrid]