Crew-2

Spacecraft continue to advance, and one of the latest new spacecraft to enter operation is SpaceX’s Dragon capsule. As Crew-3 prepares for launch to the station, Crew-2 needs to return home, and Crew-2’s Dragon capsule is nearing the limit for continuous-time in space. But what is that limit, and why is the spacecraft limited?

NASA has delayed the launch of Crew-3 to no sooner than Monday, November 8, at 9:51 p.m. due to poor weather conditions locally and in abort zones. NASA also stated that they will now look at returning Crew-2 as soon as this Sunday, November 7, confirming our speculations earlier this week.

We’ve seen not one but two delays now for SpaceX’s Crew-3 mission. While we hope for a speedy recovery for the crew member who suffered from the “minor medical issue,” we have to ask, What does this mean for the return home for Crew-2, the current residents of the ISS?

On April 23 at 5:49 a.m. EDT, SpaceX launched their Crew-2 mission. Its Falcon 9 rocket carried astronauts Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Akihiko Hoshide and Thomas Pesquet to the International Space Station in Crew Dragon capsule Endeavour.

After a day of traveling in SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, the Crew 2 astronauts docked with the International Space Station to begin their 6 months stay on the orbiting laboratory. This marked the first time two Crew Dragons were at the station at one time.

On April 23rd, at 5:49 ET SpaceX launched a Dragon 2 Crew Capsule to the International Space Station.

SpaceX’s Dragon capsule has been a huge success with the launch of DM-2 and Crew 1 for NASA last year. This year they have two more missions to launch crew rotations to the International Space Station under the Commercial Crew Program with the next coming up this week.

Date: Friday, April 23nd, 5:49 AM EDT

SpaceX’s first operational crewed mission for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program has been on the International Space Station (ISS) since November of last year. The crew is planning to prepare the station for a new group of astronauts coming up in April from both Russia and the US.

SpaceX will conduct its third mission to send astronauts to space on April 20 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. A Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft will send two NASA astronauts, one JAXA astronaut, and one ESA astronaut to the International Space Station. The mission called Crew-2 will be the first SpaceX flight for a European Space Agency astronaut and the second for a Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut.

Shane Kimbrough serves as commander for the next SpaceX crewed mission called Crew-2, and this week the NASA astronaut revealed their official mission patch. The international crew that consists of Kimbrough (NASA), Megan McArthur (NASA), Akihiko Hoshide (JAXA), and Thomas Pesquet (ESA) will launch from LC-39A no earlier than March 30, 2021.

The vibrant patch design includes the last names of each crew member, a fiery red dragon affixed to a starry background, and the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft launching upward. “The determined expression of the dragon in the patch reflects the strength of the team and their contribution to the exploration of space,” says Kimbrough.