The first stage of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has completed its descent and landed at the company’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Next, the Dragon spacecraft will separate from the rocket’s second stage to continue its journey to the International Space Station.
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Elyna Niles-Carnes
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has reached Max-Q, the moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket. Following this, first stage main engine cutoff occurred, and the first and second stages have separated from each other.
The rocket’s first stage booster is scheduled to land at SpaceX’s Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Next, the Falcon 9’s second-stage engine will ignite to carry Crew-9 and the Dragon spacecraft closer to orbit.
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Elyna Niles-Carnes
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission lifted off at 1:17 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This marks the first time a human spaceflight mission launched from the pad.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are already experiencing 2 g while SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket go through a rapid succession of events.
It is expected to take 28.5 hours for the spacecraft to autonomously dock to the space station at 5:30 p.m. EDT Sunday, Sept. 29, while traveling 17,000 mph orbiting the Earth.
Coming up next, the nine Merlin engines on Falcon 9’s first stage will burn through one million pounds of propellant during the next three minutes.
NASA’s live coverage continues on NASA+ and the agency’s website. Also, check back for updates on the mission blog, @commercial_crew on X, or commercial crew on Facebook.
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Elyna Niles-Carnes
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket fueling is underway with rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1) and first-stage liquid oxygen. About 16 minutes before liftoff, liquid oxygen fueling will begin for the second stage.
Liftoff is the next big milestone! Launch weather officers with the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron predict a 70% chance of favorable weather conditions for launch.
Liftoff remains scheduled for 1:17 p.m. EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
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Elyna Niles-Carnes
The launch director just gave a “go” for the crew access arm to retract away from SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket.
A few minutes later, Dragon’s launch escape system will be armed to allow the Crew-9 crew members to escape safely in the unlikely event of an anomaly from the moment the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifts off until the Dragon spacecraft reaches orbit.
Propellant loading is coming up next.
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Elyna Niles-Carnes
