{"id":55082,"date":"2019-03-02T09:44:00","date_gmt":"2019-03-02T13:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?migration=converted-node-440817"},"modified":"2023-07-26T15:15:45","modified_gmt":"2023-07-26T19:15:45","slug":"nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew","status":"publish","type":"press-release","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA, SpaceX Launch First Flight Test of Space System Designed for Crew"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-none \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1280\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?w=2048\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A \" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png 3360w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=300,188 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=768,480 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=1024,640 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=1536,960 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=2048,1280 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=400,250 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=600,375 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=900,563 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=1200,750 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?resize=2000,1250 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Crowd gathers to watch as NASA and SpaceX make history by launching the first commercially-built and operated American crew spacecraft and rocket to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. <strong>Credits: NASA<\/strong><\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>For the first time in history, a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft and rocket, which launched from American soil, is on its way to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/station\/main\/index.html\">International Space Station<\/a>. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cToday\u2019s successful launch marks a new chapter in American excellence, getting us closer to once again flying American astronauts on American rockets from American soil,\u201d said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. \u201cI proudly congratulate the SpaceX and NASA teams for this major milestone in our nation\u2019s space history. This first launch of a space system designed for humans, and built and operated by a commercial company through a public-private partnership, is a revolutionary step on our path to get humans to the Moon, Mars and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Known as Demo-1, SpaceX\u2019s inaugural flight with NASA\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/exploration\/commercial\/crew\/index.html\">Commercial Crew Program<\/a> is an important uncrewed mission designed to test the end-to-end capabilities of the new system. It brings the nation one step closer to the return of human launches to the space station from the United States for the first time since 2011 \u2013 the last space shuttle mission. Teams still have work to do after this flight to prepare the spacecraft to fly astronauts. The best way to advance the system design was to fly this spacecraft and uncover any other areas or integrated flight changes that might be required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The program demonstrates NASA\u2019s commitment to investing in commercial companies through public-private partnerships and builds on the success of American companies, including SpaceX, already delivering cargo to the space station. Demo-1 is a critical step for NASA and SpaceX to demonstrate the ability to safely fly missions with NASA astronauts to the orbital laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFirst a note of appreciation to the SpaceX team. It has been 17 years to get to this point, 2002 to now, and an incredible amount of hard work and sacrifice from a lot of people that got us to this point\u2026I\u2019d also like to express great appreciation for NASA,\u201d said Elon Musk, CEO and lead designer at SpaceX. \u201cSpaceX would not be here without NASA, without the incredible work that was done before SpaceX even started and without the support after SpaceX did start.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The public-private partnership combines commercial companies\u2019 unique, innovative approaches to human spaceflight and NASA\u2019s decades-long experience in design, development and operations of a crew space system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe are watching history being made with the launch of the SpaceX Demo-1 mission,\u201d said Steve Stich, launch manager and deputy manager of NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program. \u201cSpaceX and NASA teams have been working together for years, and now we are side-by-side in control rooms across the country for launch, in-orbit operations and, eventually, splashdown of the Crew Dragon right here off Florida\u2019s coast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SpaceX controlled the launch of the Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy\u2019s Launch Control Center Firing Room 4, the former space shuttle control room, which SpaceX has leased as its primary launch control center. As Crew Dragon ascended into space, SpaceX commanded the Crew Dragon spacecraft from its mission control center in Hawthorne, California. NASA teams will monitor space station operations throughout the flight from Mission Control Center at the agency\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is on its way to the space station for a 6:05 a.m. Sunday, March 3 docking to the low-Earth orbit destination. Live coverage of the rendezvous and docking will air on NASA Television and the agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/live\/\">website<\/a> beginning at 3:30 a.m. Coverage will resume at 8:30 a.m. with the hatch opening, followed at 10:45 a.m. with a crew welcoming ceremony. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teams in the space station mission center at Johnson will monitor station crew members\u2019 opening of the spacecraft hatch, entering Crew Dragon and unpacking the capsule. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mission Objectives <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All the launch pad and vehicle hardware, and the launch day operations, were conducted in preparation for the next flight with crew aboard, including the control teams and ground crews. The mission and testing continues once the Falcon 9 lifts off the pad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the spacecraft\u2019s approach, in-orbit demonstrations will include rendezvous activities from a distance of up to 2.5 miles (4 kilometers), known as far field, and activities within one mile (1.6 kilometers), known as near field. As the spacecraft approaches the space station, it will demonstrate its automated control and maneuvering capabilities by reversing course and backing away from the station before the final docking sequence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The docking phase, as well as the return and recovery of Crew Dragon, include many first-time events that cannot be totally modeled on the ground and, thus, are critical to understanding the design and systems ability to support crew flights. Previous cargo Dragon vehicles have been attached to the space station after capture by the station\u2019s robotic arm. The Crew Dragon will approach to dock using new sensor systems, new propulsion systems and the new international docking mechanism to attach to the station\u2019s Harmony module forward port, fitted with a new international docking adapter. Astronauts installed the adapter during a <a href=\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/2016\/08\/19\/spacewalk-concludes-after-commercial-crew-port-installation\/\" rel=\"noopener\">spacewalk<\/a> in August 2016, following its delivery to the station in the trunk of a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft on its ninth commercial resupply services mission.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For Demo-1, Crew Dragon is carrying more than 400 pounds of crew supplies and equipment to the space station and will return some critical research samples to Earth. A lifelike test device named Ripley also will travel on the Crew Dragon, outfitted with sensors to provide data on potential effects on humans traveling in Crew Dragon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For operational missions, Crew Dragon will be able to launch as many as four crew members and carry more than 220 pounds of cargo, enabling the expansion of the crew members, increasing the time dedicated to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/mission_pages\/station\/research\/overview.html\">research<\/a> in the unique microgravity environment, and returning more science back to Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Crew Dragon is designed to stay docked to station for up to 210 days, although the Crew Dragon used for this flight test will not have that capability. This spacecraft will remain docked to the space station only five days, departing Friday, March 8. After undocking from the station, Crew Dragon will begin its descent to Earth. Live coverage of the undocking will air on NASA Television and the agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/live\/\">website<\/a> beginning at 2 a.m., with deorbit and landing coverage resuming at 7:30 a.m.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additional spacecraft mission objectives include a safe departure from the station, followed by a deorbit burn and parachute deployment to slow the spacecraft before splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean, off the Florida Space Coast. SpaceX\u2019s recovery ship, Go Searcher, will retrieve Crew Dragon and transport it back to port. Teams will be closely monitoring the parachute system and entry control system operation, which have been changed from cargo Dragons to provide higher reliability for crew flights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA and SpaceX will use data from Demo-1, along with planned upgrades and additional qualification testing, to further prepare for Demo-2, the crewed flight test that will carry NASA astronauts <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/robert-l-behnken\">Bob Behnken<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/douglas-g-hurley\">Doug Hurley<\/a> to the International Space Station. NASA will validate the performance of SpaceX\u2019s systems before putting crew on board for the Demo-2 flight, currently targeted for July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew Program is working with Boeing and SpaceX to design, build, test and operate safe, reliable and cost-effective human transportation systems to low-Earth orbit. Both companies are focused on test missions, including abort system demonstrations and crew flight tests, ahead of regularly flying crew missions to the space station. Both companies\u2019 crewed flights will be the first times in history NASA has sent astronauts to space on systems owned, built, tested and operated by private companies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about NASA\u2019s Commercial Crew program at:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/commercialcrew\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>-end-<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Josh Finch \/ Stephanie Schierholz<br \/>\nHeadquarters, Washington<br \/>\n202-358-1100<br \/>\njoshua.a.finch@nasa.gov \/ stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov<br \/>\nStephanie Martin \/ Marie Lewis<br \/>\nKennedy Space Center, Fla.<br \/>\n321-867-2468<br \/>\nstephanie.a.martin@nasa.gov \/ marie.g.lewis@nasa.gov<br \/>\nKyle Herring \/ Dan Huot <br \/>\nJohnson Space Center, Houston<br \/>\n281-483-5111<br \/>\nkyle.j.herring@nasa.gov \/ daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>For the first time in history, a commercially built and operated American crew spacecraft and rocket, which launched from American soil, is on its way to the International Space Station. The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":58164,"template":"","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"19-014","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"RELEASE","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[]},"categories":[3191,2801,3219,8364,2735,2862,2867],"news-tags":[10561],"internal-terms":[10560],"coauthors":[],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"NASA, SpaceX Launch First Flight Test of Space System Designed for Crew","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png"},"articleSection":"Missions","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA"}],"creator":["NASA"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Centers & Facilities","NASA Headquarters","Commercial Crew","Commercial Space","Commercial Space Programs","Expedition 58","International Space Station (ISS)","Kennedy Space Center"],"dateCreated":"2019-03-02T13:44:00Z","datePublished":"2019-03-02T13:44:00Z","dateModified":"2023-07-26T19:15:45Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"NASA, SpaceX Launch First Flight Test of Space System Designed for Crew\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/news-release\/nasa-spacex-launch-first-flight-test-of-space-system-designed-for-crew\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2019-03-02T13:44:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"Missions\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities,NASA Headquarters,Commercial Crew,Commercial Space,Commercial Space Programs,Expedition 58,International Space Station (ISS),Kennedy Space Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":8,"featured_image":{"id":58164,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am.png","title":"screen_shot_2019-03-02_at_3.04.41_am","alt":"The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST Saturday on the company\u2019s Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/55082"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/press-release"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/55082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186480,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/press-release\/55082\/revisions\/186480"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55082"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=55082"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=55082"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=55082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}