Crew Dragon, spacecraft, designed to carry astronauts to Earth orbit and beyond, SpaceX, Hawthorne, California, USA

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SpaceX Crew Dragon parachute test

Published on Sep 19, 2019

The SpaceX #CrewDragon spacecraft parachutes successfully deploy during the latest development test. This test simulated a pad abort, where the vehicle is tumbling at low altitude before parachute deploy, validating SpaceX’s parachute models and margins. As a part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, SpaceX has been developing and testing the Crew Dragon parachute system, which is comprised of two drogue parachutes and four main ring-sail parachutes—the same type of parachutes that have been commonly and successfully used for human spaceflight in the past.

SpaceX Crew-1 mission overview

Sept 29, 2020

CREW-1 MISSION OVERVIEW NEWS CONFERENCE
NASA personnel including Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich, International Space Station deputy manager Kenny Todd and Flight Director Anthony Vareha were joined by SpaceX’s director of Crew Mission Management Benji Reed and JAXA International Space Station program manager Junichi Sakai to provide an overview of the upcoming Crew-1 mission, including the flight plan, activities for the crew while onboard and the current status of preparations for the mission.

 

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Crew Dragon launch escape demonstration

Jan 19, 2020

SpaceX is targeting Sunday, January 19 for an in-flight test of Crew Dragon’s launch escape capabilities from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This test, which does not have NASA astronauts onboard the spacecraft, is intended to demonstrate Crew Dragon’s ability to reliably carry crew to safety in the unlikely event of an emergency on ascent.

The six-hour test window opens at 8:00 a.m. EST, or 13:00 UTC. A backup opportunity with the same six-hour launch window opening at 8:00 a.m. EST, or 13:00 UTC, is available on Monday, January 20.

Current weather data suggests our best opportunity for the launch escape test will be towards the end of the four-hour window, but we will continue to provide updates as new data becomes available.

 

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Crew Dragon in-flight abort test

Jan 19, 2020

SpaceX conducted an In-Flight Abort Test to demonstrate Crew Dragon’s ability to safely escape the Falcon 9 rocket in the event of a failure during launch. A Falcon 9 rocket launched the Crew Dragon on 19 January 2020, at 15:30 UTC (10:30 EST) from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Approximately 90 seconds after liftoff, Falcon 9’s first stage Merlin engines shut down and Crew Dragon’s SuperDraco thrusters burned to completion.
Credit: NASA/SpaceX

 

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Watch NASA’s SpaceX Demo-2 First News Conference - Livestream

Streamed live May 1, 2020

See NASA and SpaceX host preview briefings, interviews of their first joint launch targeted to lift off May 27 to the International Space Station (ISS).

 

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SpaceX Demo-2 Falcon 9 getting ready to launch Crew Dragon

May 22, 2020

The Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon spacecraft for SpaceX’s Demo-2 were transported and raised into a vertical position on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on 21 May 2020. The Demo-2 mission is scheduled to launch astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on 27 May 2020, at 20:33 UTC.
Credits: SpaceX/NASA/Bill Ingalls

 

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SpaceX Demo-2 astronauts suit check, 30 May 2020

May 30, 2020

Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley completed the suit checks prior to SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission. The launch of the Falcon 9 rocket with the Crew Dragon spacecraft from the Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, is scheduled for 30 May 2020, at 19:22 UTC (15:22 EDT).

 

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Astronauts board Tesla for ride to 2nd SpaceX launch attempt

May 30, 2020

Astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley ride in a Tesla Model X to the launch pad as they prepare for their Demo-2 mission to the International Space Station.

 

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Blastoff! Historic SpaceX Demo-2 mission launches to space station

May 30, 2020

A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket from pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on May 30, 2020.

 

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Astronauts' on-orbit tour of SpaceX Crew Dragon ‘Endeavour' includes ‘zero-g dinosaur'

May 30, 2020

NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken give a tour of the Crew Dragon a few hours after launch. Hurley and Behnken named the capsule 'Endeavour' and a zero-g indicator dinosaur toy their sons picked out was featured.

 

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SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon docking

May 31, 2020

SpaceX’s Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, autonomously docked to the International Space Station on Harmony module’s International Docking Adapter, on 31 May 2020, at 14:16 UTC (10:16 EDT). The hatch opening is scheduled for 16:45 UTC (12:45 EDT).

 

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SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon hatch opening

May 31, 2020

The hatch of SpaceX’s Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, was opened on 31 May 2020, at 17:02 UTC (13:02 EDT). Demo-2 is SpaceX’s fist crewed mission to the International Space Station.

 

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SpaceX Demo-2: Crew Dragon return explained

Jul 30, 2020

SpaceX’s Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, will undock from the International Space Station on Harmony module’s International Docking Adapter, perform a deorbit burn and splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. Benjamin “Benji” Reed (Director, Crew Mission Management, SpaceX) and Steve Stich (Manager, Commercial Crew Program, NASA) explain the sequence of events.

 

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SpaceX Demo-2: Crew Dragon hatch closure

Aug 1, 2020

The Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft’s hatch was closed on 1 August 2020, at 21:36 UTC (17:36 EDT). SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon “Endeavour”, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station on Harmony module’s International Docking Adapter at 23:34 UTC (19:34 EDT). The splashdown is scheduled for 2 August at 18:42 UTC (14:42 EDT) off the coast Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

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SpaceX Demo-2: Crew Dragon undocking

Aug 1, 2020

SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon “Endeavour”, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, undocked from the International Space Station on Harmony module’s International Docking Adapter at 23:35 UTC (19:35 EDT). The splashdown is scheduled for 2 August at 18:42 UTC (14:42 EDT) off the coast Pensacola, and alternate site off the coast of Panama City in the Gulf of Mexico.

 

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SpaceX Demo-2: Crew Dragon splashdown

Aug 2, 2020

SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon “Endeavour”, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, successfully performed the deorbit burn and splashdown off the coast Pensacola, Florida, on 2 August at 18:48 UTC (14:48 EDT).

 

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SpaceX Demo-2: Crew Dragon hatch opening

Aug 2, 2020

SpaceX Demo-2 Crew Dragon “Endeavour”, with astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley onboard, was recovered from the Gulf of Mexico off the coast Pensacola, Floridam by SpaceX’s Go Navigator recovery ship on 2 August 2020 and the Crew Dragon hatch was opened at 19:59 UTC.

 

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After the Splashdown: NASA & SpaceX Discuss the Return of Astronauts from Space

Aug 2, 2020

Today's #LaunchAmerica mission that brought NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley back to Earth marks the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. Tune in starting at 4:45 p.m. EDT to hear Administrator Jim Bridenstine and #LaunchAmerica mission experts talk about this milestone in human spaceflight.

 

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Watch Elon Musk speak after successful SpaceX Crew Dragon mission

Aug 2, 2020

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk gives post-mission remarks after a successful return back to Earth for Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley aboard the Demo-2 Crew Dragon Endeavour.

 

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NASA's SpaceX DM-2 mission highlights

Aug 3, 2020

The SpaceX Demo-2 test flight for NASA's Commercial Crew Program was the first to deliver astronauts to the International Space Station and return them safely to Earth onboard a commercially built and operated spacecraft.

The crew launched on Saturday, May 30 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida and arrived at the orbiting laboratory on May 31. The SpaceX Crew Dragon “Endeavour” splashed down off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, Sunday, Aug. 2 at 2:48 pm EDT following their undocking from the International Space Station Saturday, Aug. 1 at 7:35 pm EDT.

During their 62 days aboard station, Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley contributed more than 100 hours of time to supporting the orbiting laboratory’s investigations, participated in public engagement events, and supported four spacewalks with Behnken and Cassidy to install new batteries in the station’s power grid and upgrade other station hardware.

These activities are a part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which has been working with the U.S. aerospace industry to launch astronauts on American rockets and spacecraft from American soil the International Space Station for the first time since 2011. This is SpaceX’s final test flight and is providing data about the performance of the Falcon 9 rocket, Crew Dragon spacecraft and ground systems, as well as in-orbit, docking, splashdown and recovery operations. 

The test flight also will help NASA certify SpaceX’s crew transportation system for regular flights carrying astronauts to and from the space station. SpaceX is readying the hardware for the first rotational mission that will occur following NASA certification, which is expected to take about six weeks.

The goal of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to and from the International Space Station. This could allow for additional research time and increase the opportunity for discovery aboard humanity’s testbed for exploration, including helping us prepare for human exploration of the Moon and Mars

 

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Welcome home: NASA astronauts Robert Behnken & Douglas Hurley discuss their return to Earth

August 5, 2020

The #LaunchAmerica mission aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon "Endeavour" spacecraft that brought NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley back to Earth marked the first splashdown of an American crew spacecraft in 45 years. Tune in at 4:30 p.m. EDT to hear Bob and Doug talk about this milestone in human spaceflight.