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Two-member SpaceX Crew-9 prepares for late week Dragon launch – Spaceflight Now
(spaceflightnow.com)
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Previous post on the topic: FAA fines SpaceX for launch license violations
ARS Technica article
Response on the situation from David Harris, SpaceX VP legal: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1836765012855287937
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For nearly two years, SpaceX has voiced its concerns with the FAA’s inability to keep pace with the commercial spaceflight industry. It is clear that the Agency lacks the resources to timely review licensing materials, but also focuses its limited resources on areas unrelated to public safety.
These distractions continue to directly threaten national priorities and undercut American industry's ability to innovate.
SpaceNews article: SpaceX letter criticizes FAA for “systemic challenges” in launch licensing
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Infographic source: rykllan
https://x.com/_rykllan/status/1835310267904741878
- B1061 is the current flight leader at 22 flights. (B1062 reached 23 but failed recovery)
- B1067 in second place with 21 flights
- B1063 in third place with 20 flights.
- B1069 and B1071 tied for 4th place at 18 flights.
- B1073 in 5th place at 17 flights.
https://x.com/_rykllan/status/1835310271939723447
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Polaris Dawn Flight Day 4 Update: https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834747047872020550
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After an exciting and historic spacewalk on Thursday, September 12, the crew spent the majority of their Flight Day 4 focused on science and research. Polaris Dawn partnered with 31 institutions from across the world to create a robust and diverse science research portfolio throughout their time in space.
A few of the studies the crew has focused on since arriving on-orbit have included assessing the effects of microgravity on the human airway and veinous system in addition to examining how blood flow restriction alters blood flow in space using ultrasound and smart watches.
As humans become a spacefaring civilization, having the proper support system in the event of medical emergencies is key. The Polaris Dawn crew tested out Tempus Pro, a commercial off-the-shelf device that can collect and integrate measurements of health – including blood pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, and more – along with ultrasound imaging capabilities. The crew was able to use it to assess and compare vital sign data collected pre-flight to that collected during their time on-orbit.
The crew is also working with several partners to study the effects of microgravity on ocular health to help contribute to both preventative and post-diagnosis treatments associated with Spaceflight Associated Neurocular Syndrome (SANS), which many astronauts have experienced from their time in space. Check out the science and research video we shared earlier today to learn more about what the crew has been up to!
The crew also continued to test and demonstrate Starlink aboard Dragon. One of the biggest tests of connectivity includes the ability to quickly share files. Earlier in the week, the crew recorded Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis playing “Rey’s Theme” by John Williams on the violin. Once complete, the crew successfully sent the files down to Earth over Starlink to help create this special music event named "Harmony of Resilience."
Teams on Earth synced Gillis’s video and audio with various recorded orchestral performances around the globe, including in Los Angeles, which was attended by legendary composer John Williams and the entire Polaris Dawn crew. These performances were conducted from mid-2023 to early 2024.
The crew wrapped their day and are gearing up for their final day on-orbit, during which more research and Starlink testing will be conducted.
Polaris Dawn Flight Day 5 Update: https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1835137806877729172
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Polaris Dawn Flight Day 5 Update
The crew’s final full day on-orbit was dedicated to furthering and finalizing the scientific goals of the Polaris Dawn mission, connecting with one of their training teams, and catching-up with the SpaceX family.
Two of the day’s scientific highlights focused on preventative and life-saving studies – from identifying and understanding the risk of kidney stone formation while living in microgravity to developing and validating CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) procedures aboard the Dragon spacecraft.
Throughout the day, the crew continued to test Starlink, including a 40+ minute, uninterrupted video call with SpaceX teams back on Earth, which took place as Dragon orbited across the U.S. Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Cape of Good Hope. The plaser in Dragon’s trunk and the partner Starlink satellite for the event maintained their laser link during 16 Draco thruster firings.
The crew also connected with members of the Air Force who helped train them for a week of solo skydiving at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Before settling in for their last sleep period of the mission, the crew took some time to connect with their families and began preparing Dragon’s cabin for reentry and splashdown.
Dragon and the crew are set to return to Earth and splash down off the coast of Dry Tortugas, Florida on Sunday, September 15 at 3:36 a.m. ET. Stay tuned to @SpaceX on X for a livestream of the crew’s return.
Splashdown scheduled for 2024-09-15 07:36 UTC: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1835054184892448779
Webcast links:
- Space Affairs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-nBvB-0M64
- Spaceflight Now:
- NASASpaceflight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cthjJdniQlM
- The Launch Pad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtZl85XHZGo
- SpaceX: https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1835202095781495050
- The Space Devs:
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Polaris Dawn set to return home after landmark commercial spaceflight - NASASpaceFlight.com
(www.nasaspaceflight.com)
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Launch Pad work continues at Starbase as Flight 5 delayed by FAA - NASASpaceFlight.com
(www.nasaspaceflight.com)
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First non-government spacewalk goes off without a hitch for Polaris Dawn crew
(spaceflightnow.com)
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Polaris Dawn Flight Day 3 Update: https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834329942043271268
Early Thursday morning at 7:58 a.m. ET, the Polaris Dawn crew successfully completed the world’s first spacewalk – also known as an extravehicular activity (EVA) – from Dragon at 732.2 km above Earth.
Shortly after arriving in space on Tuesday, the crew began a two-day pre-breathe process, designed to prevent decompression sickness while also preparing the crew for the environment inside the EVA suits by gradually lowering Dragon’s cabin pressure and increasing the oxygen concentration.
Then on Thursday, the crew donned their suits and initiated Dragon seat rotation, suit tare, and the heads-up display and helmet camera checkouts. The 106-minute spacewalk officially began at 6:12 a.m. ET when suit pressurization started, the nitrogen purge was initiated, and pure oxygen (O2) was flowing into the suits. A secondary flow of oxygen primarily helped provide cooling to the suits, which would come in handy during the spacewalk.
Once suit leak checks were complete, the crew and ground teams gave the go for Dragon to initiate venting, which took the cabin’s pressure down from ~8 psi to below 1 psi – nearly to the vacuum of space. Simultaneously, Dragon repositioned its trunk to face the sun ahead of the hatch opening.
Mission Commander Jared Isaacman opened the hatch and for the first time, four astronauts were simultaneously exposed to the vacuum of space. Jared and Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis separately exited the spacecraft and individually performed a series of suit mobility demonstrations to test the performance of the spacesuit in the vacuum environment of space. Mission Pilot Kidd Poteet and Mission Specialist Anna Menon remained seated, managing suit umbilicals and monitoring vital support systems and telemetry on Dragon’s displays.
Upon completion of their individual EVAs, the hatch was closed, Dragon re-pressurized to 14 psi, cabin oxygen and pressure levels confirmed, officially completing the suit testing alongside the first commercial spacewalk and the first EVA from a Dragon spacecraft.
Throughout the EVA, stunning visuals were afforded by Dragon’s cameras and the spacesuits helmet cameras as the crew orbited between 184.9 x 732.2 km above Earth.
Following the spacewalk, the crew took time to rest and recuperate, enjoying a well-deserved meal before posting from space for the first time on X using Starlink high-speed internet. The crew concluded the day by connecting with their families and settling in for their sleep period ahead of Flight Day 4.
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Polaris Dawn Flight Day 2 Update: https://x.com/PolarisProgram/status/1834035322608328747
The Polaris Dawn crew began Flight Day 2 with an incredible milestone – Dragon reached an apogee of more than 1,400 kilometers, marking the farthest humans have traveled in space since the completion of the Apollo program over 50 years ago. Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon also became the first two women to have travelled this far in space! Mission Commander Jared Isaacman also passed the torch to the NASA Artemis crew, saying he’s looking forward to their upcoming flight.
After completing six orbits of Earth at this altitude, Dragon performed a series of descent burns to reach an orbit of ~190 x 700 km for Thursday’s spacewalk while simultaneously continuing to safely lower its interior’s pressure, bringing the cabin environment closer to conditions required for the EVA. The crew also spent a few hours demonstrating the suit’s pressurized mobility, verifying positions and accessibility in microgravity along with preparing the cabin for the EVA.
In addition to EVA prep, the crew conducted a series of activities on-orbit, including time dedicated to science and research. The crew focused on monitoring initial changes to eye sight and ocular health, studying how fluid shifts and exposure to microgravity affect blood flow, and assessed how medications are processed by the body while on-orbit.
The entire crew met with representatives from Folds of Honor — an organization providing educational scholarships to spouses and children of America's fallen and disabled military service-members and first responders — honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States.
Anna then read her book, Kisses from Space, to a group of St. Jude patients and her family, followed by a Q&A session. Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson East joined the crew via video transmission to host the book reading.
Jared, Kidd, Sarah, and Anna ended their day with individual family calls conducted over Starlink connections and preparing a special message for fans later in the mission before settling in for a good night’s sleep ahead of tomorrow’s world-first commercial spacewalk.
Spacewalk is currently scheduled for 09:58 UTC, per SpaceX.
Webcasts
| Stream | Link | |
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| | Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmaEloJtgxc (scrub) | Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daEIqRJLLr8 | NASASpaceflight | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAUQOTyaXb8 | The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X-aGkOGSwQ (scrub) | SpaceX | https://x.com/SpaceX/status/1834154037606056327 | The Space Devs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwCLN2riHE4
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