Upcoming Launch

Crew-2 Mission

SpaceX and NASA are targeting Friday, April 23 for Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s second six-month operational crew mission (Crew-2) to the International Space Station (ISS) from historic Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The instantaneous launch window opens at 5:49 a.m. EDT, 9:49 UTC, with a backup opportunity available on Monday, April 26 at 4:38 a.m. EDT, 8:48 UTC.

Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

This is the first human spaceflight mission to fly astronauts on a flight-proven Falcon 9 and Dragon. The Falcon 9 first stage supporting this mission previously launched the Crew-1 mission in November 2020, and the Dragon spacecraft previously flew Robert Behnken and Douglas Hurley to and from the International Space Station during SpaceX’s Demo-2 mission in 2020.

As part of the Commercial Crew Program, NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Pesquet will fly aboard the Dragon spacecraft during the Crew-2 mission. On Saturday, April 24, at approximately 5:09 a.m. EDT, 9:09 UTC, Dragon will autonomously dock with the International Space Station. This will be the first time Dragon will fly two international partners and it will also be the first time two Crew Dragons are attached simultaneously to the orbiting laboratory.

After an approximate six-month stay, Dragon and the Crew-2 astronauts will depart from the space station no earlier than October 31 for return to Earth and splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. The Crew-2 mission webcast will go live about 4 hours before liftoff. Tune in here to watch live.

The Astronauts

Astronaut Shane Kimbrough Shane Kimbrough
Astronaut Megan McArthur Megan McArthur
Astronaut Akihiko Hoshide Akihiko Hoshide
Astronaut Thomas Pesquet Thomas Pesquet

Countdown

All Times Are Approximate

Hr/Min/Sec Event
00:45:00 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for propellant load
00:42:00 Crew access arm retracts
00:37:00 Dragon’s launch escape system is armed
00:35:00 RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
00:35:00 1st stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
00:16:00 2nd stage LOX loading begins
00:07:00 Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
00:05:00 Dragon transitions to internal power
00:01:00 Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
00:01:00 Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
00:00:45 SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
00:00:03 Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
00:00:00 Falcon 9 liftoff

Launch, Landing, and Deployment

All Times Are Approximate

Hr/Min/Sec Event
00:01:02 Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
00:02:36 1st stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
00:02:39 1st and 2nd stages separate
00:02:47 2nd stage engine starts
00:07:27 1st stage entry burn
00:08:47 2nd stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
00:09:03 1st stage landing burn
00:09:31 1st stage landing
00:11:58 Dragon separates from 2nd stage
00:13:02 Dragon nosecone open sequence begins
01THRUSTERBURNTHRUSTERBURN020303
01. LIFTOFF
02. ORBIT ACTIVATION
03. PHASING BURNS
04. APPROACH INITIATION
05. PROXIMITY OPERATION
06. DOCKING & PRESSURIZATION

To The space station

On its flight to the International Space Station, Dragon will execute a series of burns that position the vehicle progressively closer to the station before it executes final docking maneuvers, followed by pressurization of the vehicle, hatch opening, and crew ingress.

Mission

To The space station

On its flight to the International Space Station, Dragon will execute a series of burns that position the vehicle progressively closer to the station before it executes final docking maneuvers, followed by pressurization of the vehicle, hatch opening, and crew ingress.

02THRUSTERBURNTHRUSTERBURN030103040506FINAL COELLIPTICKEEP OUT SPHERE
01. LIFTOFF

Falcon 9’s first stage lofts Dragon to orbit. Falcon 9’s first and second stage separate. Second stage accelerates Dragon to orbital velocity.

02. ORBIT ACTIVATION

Dragon separates from Falcon 9’s second stage and performs initial orbit activation and checkouts of propulsion, life support, and thermal control systems.

03. PHASING BURNS

Dragon performs delta-velocity orbit raising maneuvers to catch up with the International Space Station.

04. APPROACH INITIATION

Dragon establishes a communication link with the International Space Station and performs its final orbit raising delta-velocity burn.

05. PROXIMITY OPERATION

Dragon establishes relative navigation to the International Space Station and arrives along the docking axis, initiating an autonomous approach.

06. DOCKING & PRESSURIZATION

Dragon performs final approach and docks with the International Space Station, followed by pressurization, hatch open, and crew ingress.