This shall be SpaceX’s third crew flight for NASA from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in underneath a yr.
For the primary time, NASA is placing its belief in a recycled SpaceX rocket and capsule for a crew.
Astronaut Megan McArthur takes particular pleasure within the reused spacecraft set to soar Thursday morning. In “a fun twist,” she’ll sit in the identical seat in the identical capsule as her husband, Bob Behnken, did final spring for a check flight to the International Space Station. “It’s form of a enjoyable factor that we are able to share. I can see him and say, ‘Hey, can you hand over the keys. I’m ready now to go,’ “ she said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. She and her three crewmates will spend six months at the space station.
This will be SpaceX’s third crew flight for NASA from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center in underneath a yr. The industrial flights ended the U.S.’s reliance on Russian rockets launched from Kazakhstan to get astronauts to and from the house station after the shuttles retired.
SpaceX’s Benji Reed famous Tuesday the non-public firm already has put six individuals in house — as many as NASA’s Project Mercury did again within the early Sixties when it launched the primary Americans. The upcoming flight will enhance that quantity to 10.
Some highlights of the SpaceX flight:
Use, recycle, repeat: Both the Dragon capsule and Falcon rocket for this mission have soared as soon as earlier than. The capsule launched the primary SpaceX crew final May, whereas the rocket hoisted the second set of astronauts, who’re nonetheless on the house station.
This handout picture launched by NASA exhibits a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the corporate’s Crew Dragon spacecraft onboard at sundown on the launch pad at Launch Complex 39A as preparations proceed for the Crew-2 mission, April 19, 2021, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
| Photo Credit:
AFP
For SpaceX, recycling is vital to house exploration, Reed stated, reducing prices, rising flights and locations, and permitting extra varieties of individuals to soar on board. Each capsule is designed to launch at the least 5 occasions with a crew.
SpaceX and NASA are assessing what number of occasions a Falcon can safely launch astronauts. For satellites, Falcons can be utilized for 10 flights. The firm makes use of the identical form of rocket and related capsules for station provide runs, and recycles these, too.
U.S.-French-Japanese Crew: This is probably the most internationally numerous crew but for SpaceX. NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough, a retired Army colonel, is the spacecraft commander, with McArthur, an oceanographer, as his pilot. Thomas Pesquet, a former Air France pilot, is representing the European Space Agency. Engineer Akihiko Hoshide has labored for the Japanese Space Agency for practically 30 years and helped construct the house station.
All however McArthur have already visited the 260-mile-high (420-kilometer-high) outpost. But she’s ventured 100 miles (160 kilometers) increased on the house shuttle, participating in NASA’s ultimate Hubble Space Telescope mission in 2009. The 4 have began a brand new recycled-rocket custom for SpaceX crews, writing their initials within the soot of their booster.
Bon appetit: With French and Japanese astronauts flying collectively, eating guarantees to attain new heights. Hoshide is taking on curry and rice, in addition to canned fish and yakitori — grilled and skewered rooster — however no sushi.
Pesquet had a Michelin-starred chef whip up some French delicacies: beef with purple wine and mushroom sauce, truffled potato and onion tart, and almond tart with caramelized pears. There are additionally Crepes Suzette.
Pesquet stated final weekend he had “some national pressure” to fly French delicacies. His crewmates additionally had excessive expectations: “OK, we’re flying with a Frenchman, it higher be good.”
Coming and going: Five days after this crew’s arrival on the house station, the one Japanese and three U.S. astronauts who’ve been up there since November will strap into their SpaceX capsule to come dwelling.
NASA desires some time in orbit between the 2 crews, so the newcomers can profit from their colleagues’ expertise up there.
SpaceX is focusing on an April 28 splashdown within the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida. The firm already is conferring with the Coast Guard to stop pleasure boats from swarming the realm like they did for the primary SpaceX crew’s splashdown in August. More Coast Guard ships shall be on patrol this time.
