Space Coast

Time, it is said, waits for no man — and that must be equally true for SpaceX’s cadence of Starlink launches. The company plans to get right back to action tonight by launching the Starlink 6-42 mission from Pad LC39-A at Kennedy Space Center.

The launch was originally scheduled for Friday evening, but fickle Florida weather caused SpaceX to stand down several hours before the planned liftoff. Tonight’s weather is greatly improved from yesterday, but there is still a roughly one-in-four chance of a weather related scub.

SpaceX says that they are “Targeting Saturday, March 23 for a Falcon 9 launch of 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Liftoff is targeted for 7:39 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 11:29 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Sunday, March 24 starting at 7:06 p.m. ET.”

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron issued a forecast yesterday at 3:00 PM EDT, saying that “On Saturday, [a] low pressure will be tracking up the Eastern Seaboard, leaving the Spaceport with northwesterly winds and isolated, wrap-around showers.” As a result, the primary concerns that may cause a Violation of weather conditions are high winds in the launch area and cumulus clouds.

As Talk of Titusville publisher Michael Lynch often says, “It’s Florida.” By that he means that the weather can and does turn on a dime and tonight could go either way, but unlike yesterday, chances look good for a liftoff during the launch window.

Trajectory

Southeast, as has been customary for Group 6 Starlink payloads.

Booster

SpaceX will be using Booster B1060 for the nineteenth time tonight. Previous missions include GPS III-3, Turksat 5A, Transporter-2, Intelsat G-33/G-34, Transporter-6, Intuitive Machines IM-1, and 12 Starlink missions.

Landing is planned to be aboard SpaceX’s Automated Spaceport Drone Ship (ASDS) “Just Read The Instructions” northeast of the Bahamas in the Atlantic Ocean.

Booster B-1060
Flight NumberPayloadDate
1GPS III SV03June 30, 2020
2Starlink L11September 3, 2020
3Starlink L14October 24, 2020
4Türksat 5AJanuary 8, 2021
5Starlink L18February 4. 2021
6Starlink L22March 24, 2021
7Starlink L24April 29, 2021
8Transporter-2June 20, 2021
9Starlink 4-3December 2, 2021
10Starlink 4-6January 19, 2022
11Starlink 4-9March 3, 2022
12Starlink 4-14April 21. 2022
13Starlink 4-19June 17, 2022
14Galaxy 34 / 35October 8, 2022
15Transporter-6January 3. 2023
16Starlink 5-15July 16, 2023
17Starlink 6-18September 24, 2024
18IM-1 Odysseus LanderFebruary 15, 2024
19Starlink 6-42Planned: March 23, 2024
Booster B1060 record

Online Viewing

A live webcast of this mission will begin on SpaceX’s X account feed about five minutes prior to liftoff. 
Watch live on X.

SpaceX’s official web page has links to live coverage as well as up-to-date planned launch times. Starlink 6-42 Mission Page.

Spaceflight Now will begin its live launch feed one hour prior to liftoff.
SFN on Youtube.

Live Viewing

Tonight’s launch is an evening launch from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center.

Here’s a guide for crewed launches, which are also from LC-39A, and it has maps and more information.

Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center has no mention of launch viewing for tonight. Given that the launch window opens after they close, it is unlikely they are offering any opportunities or tickets for this launch.

Direct Views

Playalinda Beach is open until 8 PM. If the launch time is pushed after that, the beach is usually closed by rangers. This is a risky option and it is highly (as in “you better”) recommended to contact the National Park Service for direct information about whether the beach will be open for the launch. Personally, I do not recommend it, because it is a likely disappointing trip.

Telephone: Voice: 386-428-3384 x0

Keep in mind that an entry fee is required to enter Playalinda Beach. Cash is not accepted.

The northern parks in Titusville are a better bet, all of which will be open. Better yet, they are free of charge.

In particular, the Max Brewer Bridge’s pedestrian walkways are a great place to view the launch, and you can park nearby and hike up the bridge. Being a Saturday night, it will likely be crowded. Go early if that is the choice you make.

Other good choices are Space View Park (near the western end of the Max Brewer Bridge), Rotary Riverfront Park and others.

Indirect Views

Cocoa Beach, Cocoa Beach Pier, Jetty Park Pier, the Banana River Bridge and others are decent, but they are also pretty far from the launch pad. As such, it will not be very loud and you will not see liftoff, but will be able to see the rising rocket quite easily.

Read more

Cargo Dragon on the launch pad at SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station with the Crew Access Arm attached.
Photo: SpaceX

SpaceX will launch its thirtieth resupply mission to the International Space Station on Thursday from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Launch time is set for 4:55 PM EDT in an instantaneous window.

This is an RTLS (Return To Launch Site) mission, meaning Falcon 9 will return and land at LZ-1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A sonic boom heard across the Space Coast region will herald the arrival of the booster.

This launch will be the first Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft from SLC-40 and will be the first mission-use of the newly installed Crew Access Arm on the SLC-40 launch tower. 

The Cargo Dragon spacecraft is planned to arrive at ISS at 7:30 AM EDT on Saturday, where it will autonomously dock to Station’s Harmony module on the zenith port.

After docking, the spacecraft is expected to spend about a month attached to ISS before it returns to Earth off the coast of Florida.

Weather

According to the 45th Weather Squadron, the Probability of Violation is 10%, meaning there is a 90% chance of acceptable weather. Prime concerns are the Thick Cloud Layers Rule, Cumulus Cloud Rule.

Trajectory

Northeast, along the orbital inclination of the International Space Station.

Booster

SpaceX has not yet announced which Falcon 9 booster it is using for this launch.

Dragon

Crew Dragon 2
Serial NumberC209
DestinationInternational Space Station
Flights3

Online Viewing

Official Webcast on YouTube: Click Here

  • 4:35 p.m. – Launch coverage begins
  • 4:55 p.m. – Launch

SpaceX generally provides live launch coverage starting fifteen minutes prior to launch on their account on the X platform. Click here

Spaceflight Now will provide launch coverage one hour prior to liftoff on their YouTube channel. Click here

In Person Viewing

Tomorrow’s launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are at either the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, or the southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville. The Banana River Bridge will offer both a direct view of the launch pad as well as an excellent view of the returning booster.

Jetty Park in Port Canaveral has good views, but viewers will not be able to see the launch pad directly. Once Falcon 9 rises over the sand berm on the north side of the Port’s inlet, however, an excellent view of the rocket rising is available. Jetty Park is also an excellent spot to see the booster landing.

Important Note: Jetty Park has an entry fee and requires advance purchase of a pass.  CLICK HERE to purchase parking passes.

The ascending rocket will also be visible on the beaches after liftoff when Falcon 9 clears any obstructions.

Read more

Starlink 6-44 Rising: Photographer Ed Cordero captured Falcon 9 in flight Friday night.
Photo: Ed Cordero, Florida Media Now

After two scrubs, SpaceX launched the Starlink 6-44 mission aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center Friday night. The payload was another tranche of 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites for the company’s burgeoning LEO-based satellite Internet service.

Third Time The Charm

Wednesday evening, the launch was delayed for reasons that the company did not disclose. Thursday night, with slightly more than two minutes left on the countdown clock, a mechanical issue to the rocket’s cradle — its transporter-erector — forced another cancelation. Friday, repairs were made and SpaceX tried again. This time, no issues arose and Falcon flew into partly cloudy skies and made its way to orbit successfully.

Liftoff from Launch Complex 39A happened at 8:21 PM ET. Approximately 8.5 minutes after its launch, Booster B1062 landed safely on the automated spaceport droneship (ASDS) ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ near the Bahamas, completing its mission for the evening. That flight was the booster’s 19th, tying it with two other SpaceX boosters — B1058 and B1061 — as the most reused rockets in the company’s inventory.

Seventh Inning Stretch: A Rocket Launch

While the launch was visible to observers in Brevard County, they weren’t the only people who got to enjoy seeing the rocket heading to space.

Due to the southeasterly trajectory of Falcon 9 last night, fans and players at the New York Mets – Washington Nationals spring training game in Port St. Lucie enjoyed a long view of Falcon 9’s flight off of the coast as it headed towards orbit. A fan shared an iPhone video of the launch as seen inside Clover Park.

They say that the best camera you own is the one that you have with you. Despite its weaknesses at recording video at night, an iPhone was sufficient to capture the memory of the sight of Falcon 9 over the game. Dozens, if not hundreds of fans did just that.

Booster: B1062

Booster B1062 successfully completed its 19th flight.

B1062 was first used for a GPS launch in 2020, and its last launch was in January of this year when it launched Starlink 6-38. Its most notable missions are Inspiration 4 and Axiom-1, both of which were crewed.

After the landing, ASOG will return to Port Canaveral with the booster. It will then be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road inside Kennedy Space Center for inspection, refurbishment and possible preparation for its next mission, which will be its 20th.

FlightMissionDate
1GPS III SV04 Sacagawea11/05/2020
2GPS III SV05 Neil Armstrong06/17/2021
3Inspiration 409/16/2021
4Starlink 4-501/06/2022
5Axiom-104/08/2022
6Starlink 4-1604/29/2022
7Nilesat-30106/08/2022
8Starlink 4-2507/24/2022
9Starlink 4-2708/19/2022
10Starlink 4-3610/20/2022
11Starlink 5-112/28/2022
12Starlink 5-402/12/2023
13OneWeb 1703/09/2023
14ArabSat 7B05/27/2023
15Starlink 6-707/28/2023
16Starlink 6-2310/18/2023
17Starlink 6-3011/28/2023
18Starlink 6-3801/29/2024
19Starlink 6-4403/15/2024
Booster 1062 flight record as of March 15, 2024

Trajectory

Trajectory was to the southeast.

Next Launch

NET Thursday, March 21, 2024, SpaceX and NASA will send a batch of supplies to the International Space Station aboard a Falcon 9: CRS-30. It is slated to launch from SLC-40 at Space Canaveral Space Force Station at 4:55 PM EDT.*

* Note: launch dates and times change often. Keep up with the latest launch news and times at Talk of Titusville.

Read more

Starlink V2 in their payload rack.
Photo: SpaceX

After moving the planned launch time for Starlink 6-44 several times yesterday evening, SpaceX halted Falcon 9’s countdown and the launch scrubbed with just over two minutes left before liftoff. No reason was given for the delay, and the company said it will try again tonight, Thursday, March 14th.

According to SpaceX, “Liftoff is targeted for 7:04 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 10:40 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Friday, March 15 starting at 6:39 p.m. ET.”

Weather

Compared to yesterday, the weather is expected to improve, according to the 45th Weather Squadron: there is only a 5% Probability of Violation, meaning there is a 95% chance of acceptable weather:

Full Launch Information

For a preview of the launch, its trajectory and how to watch it, click here:

SpaceX Plans To Launch Starlink 6-44 From Cape Tonight

Read more

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rising to orbit in 2022
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-44 mission tonight, Wednesday, March 13, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The payload will be another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites that will be ferried low-Earth orbit from pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. According to the company, “liftoff is targeted for 7:29 PM EDT, with backup opportunities available until 11:29 PM EDT. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Thursday, March 14 starting at 7:04 PM EDT.”

Weather

The 45th Weather Squadron has released a Probability of Violation forecast calling for a 40% Probability of Violation for tonight’s launch. According to forecasters “primary weather concerns for a Wednesday evening launch will be for the Thick Cloud Layer Rule and Cumulus Cloud Rule.”

45th Weather Squadron forecast for Starlink 6-44.
Retrieved 10:00 AM EDT March 13, 2024

Trajectory

Southeast, as has been customary for Group 6 Starlink payloads.

Landing

Landing is planned to be on the autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas’ (ASOG) which is stationed in the Atlantic Ocean northeast of the Bahamas.

After the landing, ASOG will return to Port Canaveral with the booster. It will then be returned to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility on Roberts Road inside Kennedy Space Center for inspection, refurbishment and preparation for its next mission.

Booster: B1062

Booster B1062 will be making its 19th flight.

B1062 was first used for a GPS launch in 2020, and its last launch was in January of this year when it launched Starlink 6-38. Its most notable missions are Inspiration 4 and Axiom-1, both of which were crewed.

FlightMissionDate
1GPS III SV04 Sacagawea11/05/2020
2GPS III SV05 Neil Armstrong06/17/2021
3Inspiration 409/16/2021
4Starlink 4-501/06/2022
5Axiom-104/08/2022
6Starlink 4-1604/29/2022
7Nilesat-30106/08/2022
8Starlink 4-2507/24/2022
9Starlink 4-2708/19/2022
10Starlink 4-3610/20/2022
11Starlink 5-112/28/2022
12Starlink 5-402/12/2023
13OneWeb 1703/09/2023
14ArabSat 7B05/27/2023
15Starlink 6-707/28/2023
16Starlink 6-2310/18/2023
17Starlink 6-3011/28/2023
18Starlink 6-3801/29/2024
Booster 1062 flight record

Online Viewing

A live webcast of this mission will begin on SpaceX’s X account feed about five minutes prior to liftoff. 
Watch live on X.

SpaceX’s official web page has links to live coverage as well as up-to-date planned launch times. Starlink 6-44 Mission Page.

Spaceflight Now will begin its live launch feed one hour prior to liftoff.
SFN on Youtube.

Launch Viewing: In Person

Tomorrow’s launch is from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are at either the Max Brewer Bridge in Titusville, or the northern parks on US-1 in Titusville.

The ascending rocket will also be visible on the beaches after liftoff when Falcon 9 clears any obstructions.

Weather is forecast to be in the 70º’s around launch time.

Read more

Rendering of SpaceX Starship in Earth Orbit
Starship rendering: SpaceX

The fourth of four informational sessions regarding the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) ongoing Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for a potential launch pad at the Cape for SpaceX’s Starship will be held online tonight.

Meeting Link:
https://spaceforcestarshipeis.com/public-meetings/

Officials from the Department of the Air Force, the US Space Force, the Federal Aviation Administration, the US Coast Guard, NASA, and the US Coast Guard will be present to answer questions from members of the public who are interested in learning more about the DAF / SpaceX proposed action to lease SLC-37 to SpaceX once Delta IV Heavy launch activities conclude over the next several weeks, or to build a new launch pad between SLC-37 and SLC-40. That pad would be named Space Launch Complex 50, or SLC-50. Another option is no action, meaning no Starship launch activities from the Cape.

Option 1 at a Glance: Use Current SLC-37

Option 1: Re-engineer and utilize existing pad LC-37. In the upper part of the photo is the dormant LC-37A, which would be included.
Photo: Google Maps

Option 2 at a Glance: Build a New Launch Pad, SLC-50

Approximate location of a new launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station that would be used for SpaceX Starship if it is constructed.
Photo: Google Maps. Graphics: Talk of Titusville

In-Depth Looks

Below are two links that can provide much information about the Proposed Action. First, the official site for the EIS has a great deal of information, and in particular, a PDF file of the information displayed at the in-person meetings can be downloaded. The second is our informational article published earlier this month. In it, Talk of Titusville gives additional information regarding Starship, Starship’s propellant, the risk of pollution from them, and the Proposed Actions.

Official Site: Starship-Super Heavy Operations At Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Environmental Impact Statement

Talk of Titusville: The US Air Force Is Studying Space Coast Launch Pads For SpaceX Starship

Timeline:

After the final Public Meeting on March 12, a relatively quiet period will follow where studies will be conducted and a draft Environmental Impact Statement is created.

A Draft EIS is planned to be released in December 2024.

Read more

Starlink 6-43 rising into the Florida sky on March 10, 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station earlier this evening, kicking off what could prove to be quite a week for the company.

Falcon 9’s flame plume tonight.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

Liftoff was at 7:05 PM EDT, with the rocket taking a southeasterly direction into late afternoon skies. Around eight and one-half minutes after liftoff, B1077, the booster used for the mission, touched down safely on ASDS Just Read The Instructions, while the second stage continued to orbit, where it delivered another 23 satellites for the Starlink network.

Falcon 9’s second stage ignites a few minutes into Starlink 6-43’s ascent to orbit this evening.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

Booster B1077 will return to Port Canaveral, after which it will be taken to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center, where it will be inspected, refurbished at prepared for its next flight.

SpaceX Booster B1077
FlightMissionDate
1Crew-510/15/2023
2GPS III SV0601/18/2023
3 Inmarsat-6 F202/18/2023
4Starlink Group 5-1003/29/2023
5Dragon CRS-2 SpX-2806/05/2023
6Galaxy 3708/03/2023
7Starlink Group 6-1309/01/2023
8Starlink Group 6-2510/30/2023
9Starlink Group 6-3312/07/2023
10Northrup Grumman NG-2001/30/2024
11Starlink Group 6-4303/10/2024
Booster 1077 flight record
A formation high in the sky: from left, Booster B1077 falling away from Falcon 9, two fairings, the second stage continuing to orbit.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

That’s just the first part of SpaceX’s week to come. They are planning to loft more satellites to orbit later tonight from California’s Vandenberg Air Force base when they launch the Starlink 7-17 mission.

A Busy Week Ahead For SpaceX

Several hours after the scheduled Vandenberg launch, Crew-7 and its four astronauts are scheduled to board their Crew Dragon capsule “Endurance” and depart the International Space Station at 11:05 AM EDT Monday morning. Splashdown for the crew is slated to happen off the Florida Coast at 5:35 AM EDT Tuesday.

Wednesday evening, the company plans to launch another batch of Starlink satellites, this time from Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center here in Florida on the Starlink 6-44 mission.

Amidst all that activity, SpaceX has also announced that it is planning for the third test flight of its Starship Heavy rocket from Texas. They are currently awaiting a launch license from the Federal Aviation Administration for that launch, but at this point in time, that permit seems to be forthcoming, as the FAA has included Starship in its weekly planning document that it issues to aviators.

That’s quite the week for a country, much less a single company.

Read more

Booster B1077 prior to its last launch, North Grumman NG-20
Photo: Charles Boyer / FMN

SpaceX plans to launch the Starlink 6-43 mission Sunday, March 10 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

The payload will be another tranche of 23 Starlink satellites that will be ferried low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. According to the company, “liftoff is targeted for 7:05 p.m. ET, with backup opportunities available until 11:03 p.m. ET. If needed, additional opportunities are also available on Monday, March 11 starting at 6:40 p.m. ET.”

Weather

At this time, the 45th Weather Squadron has not released a Probability of Violation forecast for the launch.

The National Weather Service’s general forecast for the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Skid Strip calls for “Partly cloudy, with a low around 59. North northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.“

Trajectory

Southeast, as has been customary for Group 6 Starlink payloads.

Booster

Booster B1077 will be making its eleventh flight.

B1077 was first used for the Crew-5 mission. Its last mission was the NG-20 for Northrup Grumman on January 30, 2024.

FlightMissionDate
1Crew-510/15/2023
2GPS III SV0601/18/2023
3 Inmarsat-6 F202/18/2023
4Starlink Group 5-1003/29/2023
5Dragon CRS-2 SpX-2806/05/2023
6Galaxy 3708/03/2023
7Starlink Group 6-1309/01/2023
8Starlink Group 6-2510/30/2023
9Starlink Group 6-3312/07/2023
10Northrup Grumman NG-2001/30/2024
Booster 1077 flight record

Online Viewing

A live webcast of this mission will begin on SpaceX’s X account feed about five minutes prior to liftoff. 
Watch live on X.

SpaceX’s official web page has links to live coverage as well as up-to-date planned launch times. Starlink 6-43 Mission Page.

Spaceflight Now will begin its live launch feed one hour prior to liftoff.
SFN on Youtube.

Launch Viewing: In Person

Tomorrow’s launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are at either the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, or the southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville.

The ascending rocket will also be visible on the beaches after liftoff when Falcon 9 clears any obstructions.

If you plan to attend in person, don’t forget mosquito spray. You’ll probably be glad you brought some.

Read more

A Falcon 9 lifts off from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
File photo by Charles Boyer / ToT

On the heels of the successful launch of Crew-8 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center late last night, SpaceX is planning to get back to it quickly this evening when they launch the Starlink 6-41 mission from Pad SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch window extends from 6:56 PM – 10:54 PM EST.

Weather for tonight’s launch looks good according to the 45th Weather Squadron: only a one-in-five chance of a weather-related delay, meaning that there is an 80% chance of acceptable weather conditions throughout the launch window. According to them, the primary concerns are the “Cumulus Cloud Rule and the Anvil Cloud Rules.”

Trajectory

A southeasern trajectory is expected, with a booster landing in the Atlantic Ocean just east of the Bahamas.

Booster

SpaceX has not announced which booster will be used for this flight at the time of this writing. When that information becomes available, we will add it here.

Landing

Landing will occur on ASDS (Automated Spaceport Drone Ship) A Shortfall of Gravitas, which will be stationed offshore and downrange. After Falcon 9’s booster lands safely aboard the vessel, it will return to Port Canaveral and then to SpaceX’s Hangar X facility at Kennedy Space Center for inspection and presumably refurbishment and preparation for its next flight.

Launch Viewing: Online

SpaceX generally provides live launch coverage starting fifteen minutes prior to launch on their account on the X platform. Click here

Spaceflight Now will provide launch coverage one hour prior to liftoff on their YouTube channel. Click here

Launch Viewing: In Person

Tomorrow’s launch is from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral, which means that the best direct views of liftoff are at either the Banana River Bridge on FL-528 W near Port Canaveral, or the southern parks on US-1 / S. Washington Avenue in Titusville.

The ascending rocket will also be visible on the beaches after liftoff when Falcon 9 clears any obstructions.

Read more

SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off of LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center at 10:53 PM EST on March 3, 2024
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

It’s often said that the third time is the charm. For Crew 8 commander Matthew Dominick, co-pilot Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, the third launch attempt was the one that lifted them off of Pad LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center late Sunday evening.

A few hours before liftoff, the astronauts of Crew-8 greeted friends and family as they left from the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building on their way to the launch pad.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

Twice in previous days, adverse weather had forced mission managers to call off a launch attempt: first, on Friday due to high winds and rough seas beneath the planned ascent corridor. On Saturday, conditions hadn’t improved for a launch attempt, but by late Sunday they were acceptable and the Crew-8 liftoff and journey to the International Space Station was cleared to proceed. The reason for the weather aborts was simple, if a little counterintuitive to the average person: in the case of a launch abort, the crew would have into seas as high as 20 feet in the Atlantic.

Late Countdown Concerns

After a seemingly uneventful countdown that allowed the astronauts and ground crew to get ahead of schedule, late concerns were raised about a crack in the hatch seal of Crew Dragon Endeavour that was discovered after it was sealed. According to SpaceX and NASA commentators, there were concerns that the crack could cause an atmospheric leak during re-entry, which of course would be unacceptable and potentially cause a scrub to facilitate repairs.

With Falcon 9 being loaded with propellants and the countdown clock inexorably ticking down to zero, engineers responsible for this aspect of the spacecraft were consulted, and with ten minutes left in the count, the astronauts were informed by ground control that the crack was too small to pose a threat. Engineers also stated that the crack would seal itself during re-entry heating, was on the “side” of Crew Dragon as it was re-entering, and would not be a problem. The countdown was cleared to continue.

Liftoff at 10:53 PM

An “Aurora” after stage separation during Crew-8’s ascent on March 3. 2024.
Photo: Charles Boyer / ToT

A brand-new booster to the Falcon 9 fleet, B1083, fired up at 10:53 PM EST, sending the crew to orbit and ultimately to the International Space Station. Endeavour will dock autonomously to the forward port of the station’s Harmony module about 3 a.m. Tuesday, March 5.

After staging, the return booster put on an incredible display over the Florida coastline, first, as it began its RTLS (Return To Launch Site) maneuvers then later during its re-entry burn — all of which was visible to spectators from near the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. Some eight and a half minutes after liftoff, Booster B1083 concluded its first mission with a pair of sonic booms after it touched down, followed by the roar of the landing burn.

On to Station

Crew-8 will now catch up with the International Space Station, and autonomous dock is planned for the forward port of the station’s Harmony module about 3 a.m. Tuesday, March 5. After settling in to ISS, Crew-8 will begin a six month assignment on Station to begin a slate of more than 200 science experiments and technology demonstrations that will take place during their mission.

Read more