About twenty minutes before Falcon 9 launches, the propellant plumbing is cleared.
The Big Vent
SpaceX, Falcon 9, Crew 9 Launch 09-28-2024
SpaceX successfully launched the Crew 9 mission Saturday, November 28, 2024 from Space Launch Complex 40 in the first crewed launch from that storied pad. Liftoff was at 01:17 PM EDT under broken skies and a building threat of storms.
Launch Report: SpaceX Launches Crew 9 Towards ISS
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX successfully launched the Crew 9 mission today from Space Launch Complex 40 in the first crewed launch from that storied pad. Liftoff was at 01:17 PM EDT under broken skies and a building threat of storms.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
A little more than eight minutes later, spectators were treated to a second awesome view as Booster B1085 completed its second mission successfully when it touched down a Landing Zone 1, roughly six miles from where it launched. A sonic boom echoed across the Space Coast.
After achieving orbit, Crew Dragon separated from Falcon 9’s second stage and astronauts Aleksandr Gorbunov and “Nick” Hague began performing checkouts of propulsion, life support, and thermal control systems. Later, Dragon will perform “phasing burns” where the spacecraft performs dorbit raising maneuvers to catch up with the International Space Station.
If all proceeds as planned, Hague and Gorbunov will arrive at ISS on Sunday, Sept. 29, with docking planned for 5:30 PM EDT.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
After a lull in a steady stream of Starlink launches, SpaceX will return to building out its orbital ISP NET Wednesday from Cape Canaveral. The launch window opens at 4:50 AM EDT and extends to 8:50 AM the same day.
- Date: NET October 2, 2024
- Organization: SpaceX
- Mission: Starlink 10-10
- Rocket: Falcon 9
- Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Launch Window: 04:50 AM – 08:50 AM EDT
- Payload: Starlink satellites
Crew 9 Shifted To NET Saturday, September 28
NASA has announced that the SpaceX Crew 9 mission would not launch until Saturday due to potential effects from tropical storm Helene.
NASA and SpaceX teams have adjusted the next launch opportunity for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to no earlier than 1:17 p.m. EDT, Saturday, Sept. 28, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida due to expected tropical storm conditions in the area. The change allows teams to complete a rehearsal of launch day activities Tuesday night with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket, which rolled to Space Launch Complex-40 earlier in the day. Following rehearsal activities, the integrated system will move back to the hangar ahead of any potential storm activity.
Although Tropical Storm Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida’s east coast.
NASA, SpaceX Shift Crew-9 Launch to NET Sept. 28 Over Weather Concerns
NASA’s reasoning is sound, according to the official forecast for Helene today, on September 24th:
Current Forecasts
Source: TROPICAL STORM HELENE, Retrieved 09/24/2024.
Note: refer to official sources (NOAA, NHC, etc. for the current forecast!
The Space Coast is currently under a Tropical Storm watch, and effects from Helene are expected before and during the Thursday launch window. That’s not good for pre-launch preparations and not very likely to result in a clean range weather-wise Thursday afternoon.
OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION:
TROPICAL STORM HELENE
A Far-Away Look Ahead To The Weekend
NASA has identified Saturday at 1:17 p.m. EDT in an instantaneous window as the next possible launch date for Crew 9. The current National Weather Service forecast for Cape Canaveral calls for “a chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.”
The 45th Weather Squadron will issue its official Probability of Violation forecast later this week if the September 28th attempt remains on schedule.
Stay tuned.
Graphic: SpaceX
Crew 9 Astronauts Arrive At Kennedy Space Center
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
The NASA/SpaceX Crew 9 astronauts have arrived at Kennedy Space Center.
Crew 9 Final Preparations Set To Begin.
After landing on a chartered Gulfstream G-550 flight from Houston, the crew will begin final preparations for their upcoming flight aboard a Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon to the International Space Station, slated to launch no earlier than Thursday, September 26th, at 02:05 PM EDT.
They were greeted by Kelvin Manning, deputy director, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, and Dana Hutcherson, deputy program manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program as well as a large contingent of reporters.
After answering questions from the press, Hague and Gorbunov left to enter quarantine at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at KSC. They will also complete a dry dress rehearsal of the mission, will align their resting and waking periods to match mission requirements and will also practive other launch and free-flight procedures that will be needed during the early part of their mission.
Dana Hutcherson gave more information on pre-launch preparations, “Our teams will also gather on Monday for the flight readiness review ahead of the launch. This launch will mark the first time a human spaceflight mission will lift off from Space Launch Complex 40, and our NASA and SpaceX teams have been working hand in hand with our Space Force mission partners. This is a huge increase in capability for us. With two pads now rated for human spaceflight, we now have operational flexibility with SpaceX to deconflict launches at both 39 A and SLC 40.”
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Integration Of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams Into Crew 9
Due to issues with the Boeing Crewed Flight test and the subsequent shift of CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to Expedition 72 and Crew 9, the two astronauts who flew to ISS aboard Starliner will be returning to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon — a spacecraft neither of the two have previous flight experience with.
This reporter asked Crew 9 Commander Nick Hague when the integration of the two members would start:
Video via NASA liverstream.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Launch Report: SpaceX Launches Galileo L13 From The Cape
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX launched Falcon 9 early this evening from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Liftoff was at 06:51 PM EDT as the sun was starting to set to the west. Eight and a half minutes later, Booster B1067 touched down on ‘Just Read The Instructions’, completing its twenty-second mission. Falcon 9’s second stage continued ascending to its initial orbit, where it will deploy the payloads so that they may travel to their final orbital destination in Medium Earth Orbit and begin their commissioning process before entering service.
Lucky And Good
Some say that it’s better to be lucky than good, but in the case of SpaceX, they have been both in 2024: several times with stormy skies surrounding the launch pad and possibly closing in, the company has been able to successfully send a payload to space — and that includes crewed missions, customer payloads and of course their own Starlink satellites.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Tonight was no exception to a summer of just-in-time launches: a thunderstorm with an anvil cloud was lurking to the west of Space Launch Complex 40, and slowly moving towards Falcon 9. Had the storm moved a little faster, chances are the mission would have been scrubbed due to lightning rules, anvil cloud rules or cumulus cloud rules. ESA and SpaceX’s luck held out, however, and Falcon 9 launched on schedule and with no issues.
Payload
Graphic: ESA
Galileo satellites are the European Union’s version of GPS and GLONASS, providing high-precision ground positioning.
Launch Replay
Next Launch
SpaceX and NASA will launch Crew 9 aboard Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon from Space Launch Complex 40 no earlier than September 25, 2024. NASA Astronaut Nick Hague will be the commander, with Russian Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov as the mission pilot on a launch targeting the International Space Station.
- Date: NET September 25, 2024
- Organization: SpaceX / NASA / Roscosmos
- Mission: Crew 9
- Rocket: Falcon 9 / Crew Dragon
- Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Launch Window: 02:28 PM EDT
- Payload: Two crew members
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX, Falcon 9, Galileo L13, September 17, 2024
SpaceX launched Falcon 9 early this evening from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Liftoff was at 06:51 PM EDT as the sun was starting to set to the west. Eight and a half minutes later, Booster B1067 touched down on ‘Just Read The Instructions’, completing its twenty-second mission.
Launch Preview: SpaceX / Galileo L13
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
SpaceX plans to launch the Galileo L13 mission from Space Launch Complex 40 this evening at 6:50 PM EDT. The launch is on behalf of the European Commission. The payload was originally planned for launch on Soyuz-ST and then Ariane 6, but both were unavailable — the Soyuz option is kaput because of sanctions due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Ariane 6 has launched only once, on July 9, 2024.
Should weather or technical reasons delay this evening’s launch, SpaceX has a backup launch window tomorrow, September 18, at 06:46 PM EDT
Booster B1067 will be making its twenty-second flight tonight. According to SpaceX, B1067 has “previously launched CRS-22, Crew-3, Turksat 5B, Crew-4, CRS-25, Eutelsat HOTBIRD 13G, O3B mPOWER, PSN SATRIA, Telkomsat Marah Putih 2, and 12 Starlink missions.” Following ascent and stage separation, B1067 will touch down offshore on ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’ which is stationed on the Atlantic Ocean.
At A Glance:
- Date: NET September 17, 2024
- Organization: SpaceX / European Commission
- Mission: Galileo L13 (FOC FM26 & FM32)
- Rocket: Falcon 9
- Launch Site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
- Launch Window: 06:50 PM – 07:59 PM EDT
- Payload: Two Galileo navigation satellites
Weather
As we reach the end of wet season here in Florida, rains are a persistent threat and today is no different. The 45th Weather Squadron is giving a 40% of acceptable conditions during the launch window. They list lightning activity (Surface Electric Fields and Anvil Clouds) as well as Cumulus clouds in the ascent corridor as local concerns, and there are also moderate concerns in the booster landing area — likely lumpy seas and/or storm activity there as well.
Trajectory
Northeastwards, at around 56 degrees.
Online Viewing
SpaceCoastLaunchCalendar.com will have a livestream of the launch if you’re not able to watch the launch in person: Livestream
SpaceX will have a livestream of the launch on their website: Galileo L13. This will also be available on the X platform. Coverage starts about fifteen minutes before liftoff.
Spaceflight Now will have coverage of the launch starting about one hour before liftoff on Youtube: link
For official updates regarding launch times, SpaceX.com is the best source of information. Starlink launch times change from time to time, and the company generally updates their website within minutes of the decision to change the launch time. This is very handy if none of the streaming options on YouTube have started their broadcasts.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Remember that there is a delay between a launch stream and the actual countdown clock. That is simply because of physics: it takes time for the signal to travel from the launch site, through the Internet, and back down to your phone, resulting in a five to fifteen-second delay.
Next Space Flight an app for iOS and Android phones, has a real-time countdown clock that is accurate to a second, give or take. The app is free. Search the App Store or Google Play. They are also on the web: nextspaceflight.com.
Launch Viewing: In Person
Since the launch is during the early evening, a lot of options are available for spectators: Jetty Park, the Banana River Bridge on FL 528 W or the southern Titusville parks on Washington Avenue / US-1 are your best bets.
Playalinda Beach is several miles north of the launch pad, but ignition and of course the flight of the rocket are visible from that location. If you go, go early in case the crowds are heavy.
Other options include The Space Bar, a rooftop bar at the Courtyard By Marriott in Titusville. It offers great views of the launches and a full bar and menu. Other options include New York, New York on the Indian River in Titusville, but if you want to grab a bite, go early, because their kitchen usually closes for the day around 6:30 PM.
SpaceX, Falcon 9, AST Mobile BlueBird 1-5, September 12, 2024
SpaceX launched five satellites for AST Mobile aboard Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral September 12, 2024.
SpaceX, Starlink 8-11, September 5, 2024
SpaceX launched the Starlink 8-11 mission into hazy skies with storms looming in the distance late in the morning on September 5, 2024, aboard Falcon 9 from Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
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