SpaceX F9 - CRS-21 - LC-39A

[Grendal]

Launch Date: December 6
Launch Window: 11:17 EST
Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Booster Recovery: ASDS on OCISLY
Booster Type: B1058.4
Orbit: ISS in LEO
Mass: 9,525 kg (20,999 lb) for Dragon and 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) for payload
Dragon Return - TBD

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch a Dragon 2 spacecraft on its first cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. The flight is the 21st mission by SpaceX conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. This is the first mission under the second Commercial Resupply Services contract.

This is the first mission of CRS-2 program and is the first to use the Cargo Dragon 2 based on the design of the Crew Dragon.
SpaceX CRS-21 - Wikipedia

All CRS-2 missions will be ASDS due to the increase in weight of the Dragon 2 capsules compared to the lightweight Dragon 1 cargo capsules.

 

[Grendal]

 

[e-FTW]

Dragon 2!

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Dragon 2!

Surely SpaceX calls it Double Dragon.

 

[mongo]

Surely SpaceX calls it Double Dragon.

Be a shame to miss the opportunity to use that since when there are two parked at ISS...

 

[Grendal]

It's interesting to note that the Crew Dragon will be moved to allow the Cargo Dragon to dock where the Crew Dragon is now. Something to do with properly unloading the Cargo Dragon. I just read about that from someone on SpaceX Facebook group who knows about such details. If I get the details I'll pass them on.

Edit: Apparently whoever I got the information from was wrong (or I interpreted it wrong) and Cargo Dragon 2 will dock on PMA-3 because Crew Dragon is on the front node. Which I got from this Scott Manley video on recent and upcoming rocket events:

 

[Grendal]

First post updated with new launch date and time.

 

[Cosmacelf]

Presumably dragon 2 spacecraft will also eventually be reused for cargo resupply?

 

[Grendal]

Presumably dragon 2 spacecraft will also eventually be reused for cargo resupply?

Yes. I think I've already read that they will be reusing Cargo Dragon 2s. There was speculation that Crew Dragons would be reused as Cargo Dragons and that will not happen. The two vehicles are very different even though they are the same shape.

 

[Grendal]

Successful static fire. Currently a go for the 5th.

Weather is only 40% favorable.

 

[e-FTW]

24 hour backup window looks good, even for booster recovery area.

 

[Grendal]

Webcast:

 

[Grendal]

NASA Spaceflight livestream if you like Q & A about everything SpaceX and rockets:

 

[kbecks13]

Update on weather, of course it's a coin toss!

 

[miimura]

SpaceX Tweet:
"Due to poor weather in the recovery area for today’s attempt, now targeting Sunday, December 6 at 11:17 a.m. EST for launch of CRS-21"

 

[e-FTW]

Update on weather, of course it's a coin toss!

View attachment 614630

I think (assuming really) that the big number does not take into account the “Additional Risk Criteria” at the right side of each launch window. “High” like for the booster recovery area does not sound like a 50% chance.

 

[Grendal]

Successful 100th F9 launch, MECO, booster landing (68th successful landing), SECO, successful orbit, and Cargo Dragon 2 separation.

100 successful launches for the Falcon 9. This does not include the one failure after launch on CRS-7 and does not include the failure during a static fire of Amos-6.

Also note that this is the first time there are two Dragons docked at the ISS at the same time.

 

[e-FTW]

Interesting note by the presenter: all CRS missions going forward will fly from 39A and “late cargo load will be done through the Crew Access Arm”.

 

[Grendal]

Lots of details of the cargo on the NASA webcast. Slightly different views of the launch at times.

 

[Electroman]

Surprised this was not RTLS as every other CRS mission