Launch Report: NASA/SpaceX Launch CRS-2 SpX-31 To ISS

SpaceX Falcon 9 lifting off from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center on November 4, 2024. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

SpaceX launched the latest resupply mission for the International Space Station this evening from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. Liftoff was at 9:29 PM EDT into skies that cleared just in time for the launch.

Around eight minutes and a half minutes after launching roughly ten miles away, Falcon 9 Booster B1083 completed its fifth mission successfully when it touched down at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This marked the 46th landing at LZ-1 and the 365th Falcon booster landing all-time.

SpaceX Falcon 9 lifting off from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center to start the CRS-2 SpX-31 mission.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

At roughly the same time, the second stage of Falcon 9 achieved orbit and at 9:48 PM the Cargo Dragon was released to continue under its own power towards ISS. A successful nose-cone deployment marked the end of the launch phase of the CRS-2 SpX-31 mission.

SpaceX noted on X.com after the launch that this mission was their 400th successful Falcon launch.

Cargo Dragon will now continue towards the International Space Station, where it is expected to dock autonomously to the forward port of the space station’s Harmony module at 10:15 AM tomorrow (Tuesday, November 5).

Launch Replay

By The Numbers

  • 109th SpaceX launch this year
  • 19th launch from LC-39A this year
  • 37th consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch
  • 186th orbital launch attempt from LC-39A, all-time
  • 245th launch from KSC, all-time
Falcon 9’s first stage put on a display in the Florida skies while the second stage (bottom) continued towards orbit.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Next Launch

SpaceX is scheduled to launch Starlink 6-77 and another set of Starlink satellites aboard a Falcon 9 tomorrow afternoon from Space Launch Complex 40. This is the second attempt to launch this mission — the first attempt was scrubbed with less than three minutes to go in the countdown due to a helium issue.

  • Date: NET November 5, 2024
  • Organization: SpaceX / NASA
  • Mission: Starlink 6-77
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Launch Site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral
  • Launch Window: 3:39 – 7:39 PM EST
  • Payload: Starlink satellites

Keep in mind that launch dates and times change often. Launch attempts can be scrubbed anytime due to weather, technical reasons, or range conditions.


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