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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX will launch its 20th Dragon cargo mission for NASA tonight (March 6) and you’ll watch all of it stay on-line.
The non-public spaceflight firm will use a veteran Falcon 9 rocket to launch the uncrewed cargo craft from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Power Station in Florida at 11:50 p.m. EST (0450 GMT on Saturday). Tucked contained in the Dragon is greater than four,300 lbs. (1,950 kg) of provides sure for the Worldwide Area Station.
You’ll be able to watch the launch stay here on Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX, starting at about 11:35 p.m. EST (0435 GMT). You may also watch the launch directly from SpaceX here, or from NASA here. NASA’s webcast will start at 11:30 p.m. EST (0430 GMT).
Associated: How SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule works (infographic)
The mission marks the ultimate flight for SpaceX underneath its first industrial resupply companies contract with NASA. The contract, which was signed in 2008, was valued at $1.6 billion and coated a collection of Dragon flights delivering a minimal of 44,000 lbs. (20,000 kg) of cargo to the area station.
In the present day’s flight will mark the ultimate time this model of the Dragon spacecraft will fly; future resupply missions will characteristic SpaceX’s upgraded Dragon 2 capsule. The primary of these flights is predicted to launch in October 2020.
The human-rated model of the Dragon 2 craft, also referred to as Crew Dragon, made its debut one year ago because it flew to the Worldwide Area Station as a part of an indication mission (called Demo-1) for upcoming crewed flights. In 2014, SpaceX and Boeing snagged a coveted launch contract collectively value $6.eight billion to every construct a spacecraft able to transporting astronauts to the area station and again.
Associated: See the evolution of SpaceX’s rockets in pictures
Each variations (crewed and uncrewed) of the upgraded Dragon will launch from Pad 39A, a swap from present launch procedures that utilized Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Power Station to ship the cargo capsules into orbit.
In response to firm officers, the present model of Dragon can fly as much as 3 times, whereas the upgraded model can fly as many as 5 occasions. SpaceX will even be altering up its restoration operations for future cargo missions, and scooping the Dragon out of the Atlantic. (At the moment, Dragon splashes down within the Pacific Ocean.) The swap will permit for sooner processing occasions.
Dragon 2 additionally comes with some completely different expertise than its predecessor. Now, as a substitute of berthing with the station by way of robotic arm, Dragon will have the ability to dock itself to the orbital outpost. As a part of the Demo-1 mission final 12 months, Dragon was tasked with proving it may autonomously dock and undock itself with the station.
Following that profitable take a look at, SpaceX demonstrated that the capsule’s built-in launch escape system carried out as anticipated and will hold astronauts secure within the occasion of an emergency throughout flight.
That step, which passed off earlier this 12 months, was the final main hurdle the corporate wanted to clear earlier than it may launch folks. The subsequent flight of the Crew Dragon is predicted to occur as early as Could. Two astronauts — Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken — will fly to the area station as a part of the Demo-2 mission. NASA remains to be attempting to find out how lengthy their keep may be.
Climate circumstances are predicted to be 60% favorable for Friday night time’s launch try, in response to the U.S. Area Power’s 45th Climate Squadron, which performs climate assessments for area launches. (At the moment, the primary concern is powerful liftoff winds.)
Clear skies are predicted round liftoff, which ought to present onlookers with a transparent view of the launch and the touchdown. For this launch, SpaceX is making an attempt to get well the primary stage booster at its touchdown zone at Cape Canaveral Air Power Station.
Go to Space.com tonight for full protection of SpaceX’s Dragon CRS-20 launch to the Worldwide Area Station to ship NASA cargo.
Observe Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Observe us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.
