SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk stands alongside the Falcon 9 Heavy rocket which is equipped with nine powerful rocket engines (Click Image To Enlarge)
The webcast, available at spacex.com, is set to begin on April 30, 2012 at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Heavy space rocket (Click Image To Enlarge)
The 9 engine test will take place at the company’s Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as part of a full launch dress rehearsal leading up to the second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) launch. During the rehearsal, SpaceX engineers will run through all countdown processes as though it were launch day. The exercise will end with all nine engines firing at full power for two seconds.
Various configurations of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket (Click Image To Enlarge)
After the test, SpaceX will conduct a thorough review of all data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, currently targeted for May 7. SpaceX plans to launch its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. During the mission, Dragon’s sensors and flight systems will be subject to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station. If NASA decides Dragon is ready, the vehicle will attach to the station and astronauts will open Dragon’s hatch and unload the cargo onboard.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket & Dragon Spacecraft with comparison to Soyuz FG and NASA Space Shuttle (Click Image To Enlarge)
This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again. It is also the second demonstration flight under NASA’s program to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station.
SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft in outspace orbit (Click Image To Enlarge)
The first SpaceX COTS flight, in December 2010, made SpaceX the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth. Once SpaceX demonstrates the ability to carry cargo to the space station, it will begin to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft were designed to one day carry astronauts; both the COTS and CRS missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal.
Artist illustration of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft docking with the International Space Station or ISS (Click Image To Enlarge)
COMMENTARY: I can hardly wait to watch the rocket test webcast and the May 7, 2012 launch of the Falcon 9 Heavy rocket and Dragon spacecraft as it tries to dock with the International Space Station. If you haven't seen the animation of a launch of the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Dragon spacecraft as it docks with the ISS check out the video below.
Go SpaceX!!
Courtesy of a press release dated April 27, 2012 from SpaceX
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