Crew-2 Launch Campaign Thread
Overview
SpaceX will launch the second operational mission of its Crew Dragon vehicle as part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, carrying four astronauts to the International Space Station, including two international partners. Both the booster and capsule for this mission have carried astronauts to space before. This is the first crewed mission to reuse either a booster or a capsule. The booster will land downrange on a drone ship. The Crew-1 mission returns from the space station in late April or early May and this mission will return in the fall.
| Liftoff currently scheduled for: | April 23 09:49 UTC (5:49 AM EDT) |
|---|---|
| Backup date | TBA, typically next day. Launch time gets about 20-25 minutes earlier each day. |
| Static fire | TBA |
| Spacecraft Commander | Shane Kimbrough, NASA Astronaut @astro_kimbrough |
| Pilot | Megan McArthur, NASA Astronaut @Astro_Megan |
| Mission Specialist | Akihiko Hoshide, JAXA Astronaut @aki_hoshide |
| Mission Specialist | Thomas Pesquet, ESA Astronaut @Thom_astro |
| Destination orbit | Low Earth Orbit, ~400 km x 51.66°, ISS rendezvous |
| Launch vehicle | Falcon 9 v1.2 Block 5 |
| Core | B1061 (Previous: Crew-1) |
| Capsule | Crew Dragon C206 "Endeavour" (Previous: DM-2) |
| Duration of visit | ~6 months |
| Launch site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida |
| Landing | ASDS: 32.15806 N, 76.74139 W (541 km downrange) |
| Mission success criteria | Successful separation and deployment of Dragon into the target orbit; rendezvous and docking to the ISS; undocking from the ISS; and reentry, splashdown and recovery of Dragon and crew. |
Links & Resources
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Media and News Resources:
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General Launch Related Resources:
- Launch Execution Forecasts - 45th Weather Squadron
- SpaceX Fleet Status - SpaceXFleet.com
- Launch Viewing Resources:
- Launch Viewing Guide for Cape Canaveral - Ben Cooper
- Launch Viewing Map - Launch Rats
- Launch Viewing Updates - Space Coast Launch Ambassadors
- Viewing and Rideshare - SpaceXMeetups Slack
- Watching a Launch - r/SpaceX Wiki
- Maps and Hazard Area Resources:
- Detailed launch maps - @Raul74Cz
- Launch Hazard and Airspace Closure Maps - 45th Space Wing (maps posted close to launch)
- Regulatory Resources:
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FCC Experimental STAs - r/SpaceX wiki
We will attempt to keep the above text regularly updated with resources and new mission information, but for the most part, updates will appear in the comments first. Feel free to ping us if additions or corrections are needed. This is a great place to discuss the launch, ask mission-specific questions, and track the minor movements of the vehicle, payload, weather, and more as we progress towards launch. Approximately 24 hours before liftoff, the launch thread will go live and the party will begin there.
Campaign threads are not launch threads. Normal subreddit rules still apply.
Posted Feb 25, 2021, 3:37 AM UTC · edited