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SpaceX currently test fired the Falcon 9 rocket to its astronaut launch for NASA

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SpaceX just started up the rocket that will ship it’s next group of astronauts to the International Space Station this end of the week.

The private spaceflight organization directed a static-fire test on Wednesday (Nov. 11) of its Falcon 9 rocket at Pad 39A here at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The test is one of the last significant achievements in front of an arranged dispatch on Saturday (Nov. 14).

The routine preflight test commenced the commencement to the exceptionally foreseen trip of the organization’s first operational mission of its Dragon group container, called Crew-1. The rocket is destined for the International Space Station, conveying with it three NASA space travelers and one Japanese spaceflyer.

The test, which was initially booked for Tuesday night (Nov. 10), was pushed back 24 hours so SpaceX could test and supplant a cleanse valve in the rocket’s subsequent stage.

On Wednesday evening, the Falcon 9 rocket thundered to life, as smoke surged from its motors during the preflight test. The short start, known as a static-fire test, is a standard piece of prelaunch methodology and one of the last significant achievements before takeoff.

During the test, the Falcon 9 is held down on the cushion while its nine first-stage motors are quickly terminated. This permits groups to guarantee that all frameworks are working appropriately and that the rocket is prepared to fly. Soon after the test, SpaceX tweeted that the static-fire test was a triumph and that the organization wanted to dispatch on Saturday at 7:49 p.m. EST (0049 GMT on Sunday Nov. 15).

The flight denotes SpaceX’s 21st mission of the year and the first long-span mission to dispatch from Florida. The rocket’s first stage is relied upon to land back at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station around 9 minutes after takeoff. In the event that everything works out as expected, the team container will go through 8.5-hours following the space station prior to showing up at the orbital station early Sunday (Nov. 15).

Both the Dragon case and its launcher are shiny new for this mission. Following the accomplishment of the Demo-2 mission, which dispatched two NASA space travelers to the space station in May for a two-month remain, NASA has given SpaceX authorization to reuse both the team container and the rocket on future missions. Actually, the Crew-2 mission set to dispatch one year from now will reuse the Dragon case from Demo-2 and the supporter from the Crew-1 mission.

Keeping with the point of reference set by the Demo-2 mission, the rocket’s sparkly first stage outside has been enhanced with NASA’s notable worm logo.

With the Dragon case roosted on the rocket, the pair turned out of the overhang and onto the platform at complex 39A on Monday night (Nov. 9). Standing 256.3 feet (78.1 meters) tall, the pair were lifted upstanding overnight.

Made sure about to the platform, groups stacked the rocket with super-chilled fuels — lamp oil and fluid oxygen — and afterward quickly lighted the main stage’s nine Merlin 1D motors.

The motors quickly terminated at 3:52 p.m. EST (2052 GMT), creating 1.7 million pounds of push while the supporter remained solidly on the ground. Architects investigated the information prior to choosing to continue with the Falcon 9’s arranged dispatch endeavor Saturday night.

“Static fire of Falcon 9 complete — targeting Saturday, November 14 at 7:49 p.m. EST for launch of Crew Dragon’s first operational mission to the space station with four astronauts on board,” SpaceX tweeted shortly after the test.

The organization additionally said that groups will keep on observing climate conditions for takeoff and along the flight way intently paving the way to dispatch.

The static fire test goes ahead the impact points of an equipment trade. Initially scheduled for Oct. 31, the Crew-1 flight was pushed back about fourteen days to permit SpaceX time to supplant one of the supporter’s nine Merlin 1D motors on its first stage.

A month ago, SpaceX endeavored to dispatch a redesigned GPS satellite when it saw a motor irregularity. The rocket’s ready PC set off a prematurely end and the mission was uncertainly delayed while groups attempted to investigate the issue.

An intensive examination uncovered that lingering covering finish extra from the assembling cycle kept the motors from proceeding true to form. SpaceX changed out two motors on that rocket and the GPS mission had the option to get off the ground on Nov. 5.

SpaceX additionally set aside the effort to analyze two different promoters and discovered that similar hints of enamel were identified in motors on two other Falcon 9 first stages — one on the rocket that will dispatch the Sentinel-6 Earth-perception satellite and one on the Crew-1 supporter. SpaceX then traded out the influenced motors.

With an effective static fire test now added to its repertoire, the rocket is prepared to fly. Following the dispatch on Saturday night, SpaceX plans to land its first-stage promoter on one of its two gigantic robot ships, “Just Read the Instructions,” which is positioned out in the Atlantic. On the off chance that effective, this would stamp the 65th supporter recuperation.

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Astronauts Confront Vision Challenges in Space with Upcoming Dragon Mission

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The primary priorities for the Expedition 72 crew on board the ISS on Tuesday were preparing cargo for a future voyage and safeguarding astronauts’ eyesight to maintain their health.

Microgravity Eye Health

Body fluids rise toward an astronaut’s head in the weightless atmosphere of space. This fluid movement puts pressure on the eyes, which may have an impact on vision and eye anatomy. NASA astronauts Commander Suni Williams and Flight Engineer Butch Wilmore tried a modified thigh cuff that stops these headward fluid movements in order to combat this. As NASA and its international partners prepare for lengthier journeys farther into space, researchers are keeping a careful eye on these changes to create strategies to safeguard eye health.

Getting Ready for Resupply

On Earth, the SpaceX Dragon cargo spaceship is preparing for the next resupply mission to the space station, which is scheduled to launch next week. NASA Flight Engineers Nick Hague and Don Pettit got ready for Dragon’s arrival, which will include a delivery of new station hardware and scientific equipment. After docking and then returning to Earth, Pettit started packing and arranging the goods that would be stored aboard Dragon. Hague received training on how to use instruments that will monitor Dragon’s autonomous approach and docking procedure.

Spacecraft Docking and Manoeuvre

However, Hague will take Williams, Wilmore, and Roscosmos astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov on a brief ride onboard the SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft to a new docking site prior to the supply mission blasting out toward the space station. On Sunday, November 3, the four will board Dragon. They will undock from the forward port of the Harmony module at 6:35 a.m. EDT and then navigate the spaceship to Harmony’s space-facing port for a docking at 7:18 a.m. The Dragon cargo mission’s forward port is made available by the relocation.

Earth Observations and Maintenance at Night

Gorbunov installed and turned on equipment to observe Earth’s nighttime atmosphere in near-ultraviolet wavelengths following a training session on the exercise cycle of the Destiny laboratory module at the start of his shift. Ivan Vagner and Alexey Ovchinin, two of his fellow cosmonauts, collaborated on inspection and maintenance tasks in the Zvezda service module’s aft end.

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SpaceX launches the year’s 99th operational flight

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On Friday night, SpaceX successfully completed its 99th flight of the year with a Starlink mission from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

At 7:31 p.m. Eastern time, a Falcon 9 carrying 20 Starlink satellites blasted out from Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40.

The Just Read the Instructions droneship’s first-stage rocket completed a downrange recovery touchdown in the Atlantic on its seventeenth flight.

It was the 71st flight from the Space Coast in 2024, just one less than the record-breaking 72 launches in 2023. United Launch Alliance has launched the remaining ones, while SpaceX has flown all but five of those.

There have only been two Falcon Heavy missions this year, with the remainder being Falcon 9 launches.

Along with the other 18 from KSC, this was the 53rd launch from Cape Canaveral.

Together with the two Falcon Heavy missions, SpaceX has performed 33 missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California this year, for a total of 97 Falcon 9 launches, including this one.

From its Starbase test site in Boca Chica, Texas, it has also launched three test flights of its in-development Starship and Super Heavy rocket, all of which have reached orbit.

Adding to the success of the March and June missions, last Sunday’s launch included the first on-target controlled landing of the second stage in the Indian Ocean and the first land capture of the Super Heavy booster back at the launch tower.

In 2023, SpaceX completed 98 operational missions, including 91 Falcon 9 and 5 Falcon Heavy missions. The company also attempted two Starship test flights, both of which ended explosively before reaching orbit, though one of them managed to reach space for a brief period of time before being destroyed by its flight termination system.

Officials from the business stated at the beginning of 2024 that it could reach 144 launches for the year, or 12 launches per month. However, weather and the three different groundings of its Falcon 9 rocket due to various problems have caused some obstacles to that pace.

This launch is only the sixth of October thus far. It flew nine times in September, eleven times in August, six times in July, ten times in June, thirteen times in May, twelve times in April, eleven times in March, nine times in February, and ten times in January.

Most of them have been for Starlink, which has launched over 7,100 versions since the first functional versions were sent up in 2019.

This marked SpaceX’s 67th Starlink launch in 2024.

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20 Starlink internet satellites are launched by SpaceX from Florida

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According to a summary of the SpaceX mission, it was the booster’s seventeenth launch and landing.

Meanwhile, the Starlink satellites were still being transported to low Earth orbit by the upper stage of the Falcon 9. If all goes as planned, it will deploy them there approximately 64 minutes after liftoff.SpaceX launched a new set of Starlink broadband satellites into orbit this evening, October 18.

At 7:31 p.m. EDT (2331 GMT) tonight, a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink spacecraft—13 of which were equipped with direct-to-cell capability—blasted out from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

About 8.5 minutes after takeoff, the first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to Earth as scheduled, landing on the SpaceX drone ship “Just Read the Instructions” in the Atlantic Ocean.

According to astronomer and satellite tracker Jonathan McDowell, the new group will join the massive and constantly expanding Starlink megaconstellation, which presently comprises of over 6,400 active spacecraft. Of those satellites, about 230 are direct-to-cell vehicles.

Two-thirds of SpaceX’s 96 Falcon 9 flights flown in 2024 have been devoted to expanding the Starlink network. This year, the corporation has also launched three test flights of its Starship megarocket and two Falcon Heavy missions.

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