SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon Demo-2 capsule launched last weekend. This was more than just a launch; it was the first time in nine years that American astronauts launched from US soil. It was also the first time a private corporation was involved in launching astronauts to space. Their mission is to dock with the International Space Station and to spend several weeks in space. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley were the two chosen to make this historical journey. They have been trained in state-of-the-art simulators and know everything there is to know about the rocket.
Their first launch attempt on May 27 was “scrubbed” or aborted around T-minus 17 minutes because of bad weather. This scrub was particularly dangerous because the rocket was already fueled. The astronauts had to wait for the dangerous process of refueling to finish before they could climb out or egress the rocket.
The whole process repeated itself three days later on May 30 in an attempt to launch again. More bad weather and thunderstorms during preparation for launch didn’t make it seem like the astronauts were going to leave earth. Finally given the all-clear, Falcon 9 began its pre-launch procedures and at T-minus 0, both astronauts lifted off of the ground and started their journey to the International Space Station.
The Falcon 9 rocket is a two-stage rocket that is built to be as reusable as possible. After the first stage has burnt out, it separates and starts to drop back down to earth. The booster then deploys fins and steers itself back toward the designated landing spot on a ship in the ocean. A final burn slows the booster down enough for it to make a safe, upright landing, on the ship.
Nineteen hours later the Crew Dragon Demo-2 capsule arrived and docked at the International Space Station, completing the first part of the mission safely and with no problems.
