SpaceX is targeting Wednesday, July 24 for launch of its eighteenth Commercial Resupply Services mission (CRS-18) at 6:24 p.m. EDT, or 22:24 UTC, from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. Dragon will separate from Falcon 9’s second stage about nine minutes after liftoff and attach to the space station on Friday, July 26. A backup launch opportunity is available on Thursday, July 25 at 6:01 p.m. EDT, or 22:01 UTC.
The Dragon spacecraft that will support the CRS-18 mission previously supported the CRS-6 mission in April 2015 and the CRS-13 mission in December 2017, as indicated by the two International Space Station decals shown below. In addition, this Dragon spacecraft bears the Apollo 50th anniversary logo in honor of NASA's historic Moon landing on July 20, 1969.
Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to recover Falcon 9's first stage on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. SpaceX's live launch coverage will begin about 15 minutes before liftoff. To watch SpaceX's live launch webcast or to learn more about the mission, visit SPACEX
About 45 minutes to scheduled liftoff now. My amateur eye says the weather is much improved and should be acceptable for launch and the booster's return to land. Here's the webcast LINK again for your convenience.
Watching the cameras on the booster as it returns and lands never ceases to astound me. I distinctly recall hearing senior engineers at NASA saying all that was impossible. Ha!
Watching the cameras on the booster as it returns and lands never ceases to astound me. I distinctly recall hearing senior engineers at NASA saying all that was impossible. Ha!
They might have been right, then. Today, enough advances in material science, computer and software steering, it is IS no longer impossible.
I have seen a bunch of launches, but the video selection on this one was great! Got to see the engine articulation as the booster landed as well! Looked like it moved the 1st stage quite a ways laterally on landing....right in the center of the "X"! I got a feeling that they will be able to "save" the 2nd stage before long.