NASA using Demo-2 commercial crew astronauts to support ISS spacewalksby Jeff Foust — June 25, 2020 [SN]
The Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft is performing "extremely well" since its launch May 30, allowing NASA to keep it at the International Space Station long enough for its crew to support a series of spacewalks to replace batteries. Credit: NASAWASHINGTON — NASA is hoping to get as many as six spacewalks performed outside the International Space Station through late July to replace batteries in the station’s power system, taking advantage of the additional astronauts on the station during the Demo-2 commercial crew mission.
https://spacenews.com/nasa-using-demo-2-commercial-crew-astronauts-to-support-iss-spacewalks/Cassidy, Behnken begin final series of space station battery upgradesJune 26, 2020 William Harwood STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION [SFN]
Astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken work outside the International Space Station on Friday. Credit: NASA TV/Spaceflight NowTwo astronauts floated outside the International Space Station early Friday for the first of four planned spacewalks to wrap up a complex multi-year job to replace 48 aging batteries in the lab’s solar power system with 24 more powerful lithium-ion units.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/06/26/cassidy-behnken-begin-final-series-of-space-station-battery-upgrades/Spacewalkers complete another round of battery replacement workJuly 1, 2020 William Harwood STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION [SFN]
NASA astronaut Bob Behnken is pictured outside the International Space Station on a spacewalk June 26. Credit: NASAPicking up where they left off last week, two space station astronauts ventured back outside the outpost Wednesday and completed the replacement of aging batteries in one of the lab’s eight electrical power channels. A final power circuit will be equipped with new batteries during two more spacewalks later this month, wrapping up a complex multi-year upgrade.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/01/iss-eva-66/Behnken describes spacewalk views of Crew Dragon as “just awesome”July 7, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
In this image taken July 1, a spacewalking astronaut snapped a view of the Crew Dragon spacecraft (at right) docked with the International Space Station. Japan’s HTV cargo ship, at bottom in gold, is also seen attached to the space station. Credit: NASANASA astronaut Bob Behnken, now in the second half of his mission to the International Space Station aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship, glimpsed the commercial crew capsule from a unique viewpoint at the far end of the station’s solar power truss during a pair of recent spacewalks.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/07/behnken-halfway-into-crew-dragon-mission-describes-spacewalk-views-as-just-awesome/Spacewalkers accomplish another round of space station battery swap outsJuly 16, 2020 William Harwood STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION [SFN]
EDITOR’S NOTE: Updated at 2 p.m. EDT (1800 GMT) after end of spacewalk.
https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1283755539827175424Now in the home stretch of a complex, multi-year upgrade, two space station astronauts floated outside the lab complex Thursday and completed the replacement of aging batteries in one of the lab’s four sets of solar arrays.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/16/iss-eva-67/NASA confirms plans for Crew Dragon splashdown Aug. 2, weather permittingJuly 17, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
In this image taken July 1, a spacewalking astronaut snapped a view of the Crew Dragon spacecraft (at right) docked with the International Space Station. Japan’s HTV cargo ship, at bottom in gold, is also seen attached to the space station. Credit: NASAAssuming good weather and a smooth final few weeks on the International Space Station, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are scheduled to undock from the orbiting research outpost Aug. 1 and return to Earth the next day to wrap up a 64-day test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/17/nasa-confirms-plans-for-crew-dragon-return-to-earth-on-aug-2/Spacewalkers prep space station for future upgradesJuly 21, 2020 William Harwood STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION [SFN]
https://twitter.com/SpaceflightNow/status/1285637705934819334Space station commander Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken floated back outside Tuesday for their fourth spacewalk in less than a month, completing preparations for future upgrades including the eventual installation of an airlock that will allow commercial experiments to be moved into and out of vacuum as required.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/21/iss-eva-68/NASA still grappling with effects of coronavirus pandemicby Jeff Foust — July 21, 2020 [SN]
NASA's Mars 2020 spacecraft, encapsulated inside a payload fairing, arrives at the launch pad July 7 to be installed on its Atlas 5 rocket. Launch preparations have continued despite an increase in coronavirus cases in Florida and other parts of the country. Credit: NASA/KSCWASHINGTON — Four months after closing centers because of the coronavirus pandemic, NASA has been able to keep its highest priority missions on track, even as others have suffered delays.
NASA’s Mars 2020 mission is scheduled for launch July 30 on an Atlas 5 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The launch slipped from July 17 because of several launch vehicle and related processing issues, but the launch period for the mission remains open through at least Aug. 15.
https://spacenews.com/nasa-still-grappling-with-effects-of-coronavirus-pandemic/Safety panel concerned about quality control on Boeing crew capsuleJuly 27, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft that flew on the Orbital Flight Test mission is pictured last November outside the Commercial Crew and Cargo Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Alex Polimeni/Spaceflight NowMembers of NASA’s independent panel of aerospace safety advisors raised concerns last week about quality control problems that “seemingly have plagued” Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule program, while urging NASA to closely monitor SpaceX’s plans to reuse Crew Dragon spaceships on astronaut flights to the International Space Station.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/27/safety-panel-concerned-about-quality-control-on-boeing-crew-capsule/Crew Dragon astronauts ready for re-entry, splashdownJuly 31, 2020 William Harwood STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION [SFN]
Crew Dragon astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken aboard the International Space Station. Credit: NASAWith Hurricane Isaias threatening Florida’s East Coast, astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken are awaiting a go-ahead on plans to undock from the International Space Station Saturday, setting up a fiery plunge to splashdown Sunday, presumably in the Gulf of Mexico, to close out a 64-day flight.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/31/crew-dragon-astronauts-ready-for-re-entry-splashdown/Weather could postpone Crew Dragon returnby Jeff Foust — July 30, 2020 [SN]
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft splashing down at the end of the uncrewed Demo-1 mission in March 2019. The Demo-2 mission is set to end with a splashdown Aug. 2, if weather is favorable. Credit: NASA/Cory HustonWASHINGTON — NASA and SpaceX are ready to wrap up a test flight of the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, but poor weather could delay the return of the spacecraft and its two-person crew.
A July 29 “return flight readiness review” by NASA approved plans to wrap up the Demo-2 test flight and bring NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley back to Earth, a little more than two months after their launch to the International Space Station.
https://spacenews.com/weather-could-postpone-crew-dragon-return/Crew Dragon astronauts pack up for return to EarthAugust 1, 2020 William Harwood [SFN]
Russian cosmonaut Ivan Vagner tweeted this photo Saturday of Crew Dragon astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken placing their mission patch on the space station docking port where the Dragon is attached. Credit: Ivan Vagner/RoscosmosCrew Dragon astronauts Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken thanked their space station crewmates for a productive two-month visit, readied their SpaceX capsule for departure and stood by for a final “go” from flight controllers to undock Saturday night, setting up a Gulf of Mexico splashdown Sunday afternoon.
“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go,” Behnken tweeted.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/01/crew-dragon-astronauts-pack-up-for-return-to-earth/Hurley, Behnken heading home on final leg of Crew Dragon test flightAugust 1, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
Diagram of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Credit: SpaceXAstronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken undocked from the International Space Station Saturday aboard their Crew Dragon capsule “Endeavour,” heading for a parachute-assisted splashdown Sunday in the Gulf of Mexico to wrap up a 64-day test flight of SpaceX’s commercial human-rated spaceship.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/01/hurley-behnken-heading-home-on-final-leg-of-crew-dragon-test-flight/Crew Dragon undocks from space stationby Jeff Foust — August 1, 2020 [SN]
The Demo-2 Crew Dragon spacecraft undocks from the International Space Station Aug. 1. Credit: NASAWASHINGTON — A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying two NASA astronauts on a test flight undocked from the International Space Station Aug. 1 ahead of a splashdown less than 24 hours later.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour by the crew of the Demo-2 mission, undocked from the station’s Harmony module at 7:35 p.m. Eastern and started to maneuver away from the station. The undocking went according to plan and the spacecraft performed a series of thruster burns to move away from the station.
https://spacenews.com/crew-dragon-undocks-from-space-station/Astronauts back on Earth after ‘extraordinary’ Dragon test flightAugust 2, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday with two NASA astronauts on-board. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsReturning home after a 64-day test flight, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken blazed through Earth’s atmosphere and parachuted into the Gulf of Mexico inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft Sunday, a final major step before NASA formally certifies the crew capsule for operational missions to the International Space Station.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/02/astronauts-back-on-earth-after-near-flawless-dragon-test-flight/Crew Dragon splashes down to end successful test flightby Jeff Foust — August 2, 2020 Updated 6:30 p.m. Eastern with post-splashdown press conference. [SN]
A SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft splashes down in the Gulf of Mexico Aug. 2 to conclude the Demo-2 commercial crew test flight. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsWASHINGTON — SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico Aug. 2, successfully completing a test flight and crossing the finish line of the decade-long commercial crew program.
https://spacenews.com/crew-dragon-splashes-down-to-end-successful-test-flight/Relive the final descent of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraftAugust 4, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsA video from SpaceX shows the company’s Crew Dragon capsule plunging toward the Gulf of Mexico, then unfurling a series of parachutes to slow the spaceship carrying two NASA astronauts from 350 mph to a relatively gentle 15 mph for splashdown Sunday.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/04/relive-the-final-descent-of-spacexs-crew-dragon-spacecraft/Dragon astronauts describe sounds and sensations of return to EarthAugust 4, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
Astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are seen Sunday aboard a helicopter that carried from the SpaceX’s “Go Navigator” recovery ship in the Gulf of Mexico to Naval Air Station Pensacola, where they boarded a NASA jet for a flight back to their home base in Houston. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsTwo days after becoming the first U.S. space fliers to splash down in the sea in more than 45 years, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken on Tuesday described their fiery ride back to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule to cap a “flawless” test flight, setting the stage for operational flights beginning later this year.
The dramatic tracking video released by SpaceX late Monday shows the capsule deploying two drogue chutes at an altitude of around 18,000 feet, or 5,500 meters, while moving at about 350 mph, or more than 560 kilometers per hour.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/04/dragon-astronauts-describe-sounds-and-sensations-of-returning-to-earth/Demo-2 astronauts praise performance of Crew Dragon spacecraftby Jeff Foust — August 5, 2020 [SN]
NASA astronauts Bob Behnken (left) and Doug Hurley give thumbs-up from inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft shortly after the spacecraft was brought on board a recovery ship after splashdown Aug. 2. Credit: NASA/Bill IngallsWASHINGTON — The NASA astronauts who flew on the SpaceX Demo-2 commercial crew vehicle said they were pleasantly surprised at how well the Crew Dragon spacecraft performed.
At an Aug. 4 press conference, astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley praised SpaceX and NASA’s commercial crew program for their work developing the Crew Dragon spacecraft that they returned to Earth in two days earlier, completing a mission that lasted a little more than two months.
https://spacenews.com/deno-2-astronauts-praise-performance-of-crew-dragon-spacecraft/Back at Cape Canaveral, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule preps for next missionAugust 12, 2020 Stephen Clark [SFN]
SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft returned to Cape Canaveral on Aug. 7 aboard the “Go Navigator” recovery ship. Credit: Stephen Clark/Spaceflight NowFresh off a 64-day test flight to the International Space Station with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken, SpaceX’s first human-rated Crew Dragon spaceship is back at Cape Canaveral for inspections, refurbishment and upgrades before flying to the station again with a four-person crew next spring.
The crew capsule — named “Endeavour” by Hurley and Behnken — arrived at Port Canaveral on Aug. 7 aboard SpaceX’s “Go Navigator” recovery ship after sailing from the Gulf of Mexico, where the Dragon spacecraft splashed down under parachutes Aug. 2 south of Pensacola, Florida.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/08/12/back-at-cape-canaveral-spacexs-crew-dragon-capsule-begins-preps-for-next-mission/