SpaceX CRS-6 explained

SpaceX CRS-6
Names List:SpX-6
Mission Type:ISS resupply
Operator:SpaceX
Spacecraft Type:Dragon 1
Manufacturer:SpaceX
Dimensions:Height:
Diameter:
Launch Date:14 April 2015, 20:10:41 UTC
Launch Rocket:Falcon 9 v1.1 (B1015)
Launch Site:Cape Canaveral, SLC-40
Launch Contractor:SpaceX
Disposal Type:Recovered
Landing Date:21 May 2015, 16:42 UTC
Landing Site:Pacific Ocean
Orbit Reference:Geocentric orbit[1]
Orbit Regime:Low Earth orbit
Orbit Inclination:51.65°
Docking:
Docking Type:berth
Capture Date:17 April 2015, 10:55 UTC
Docking Date:17 April 2015, 13:29 UTC
Undocking Date:21 May 2015, 09:29 UTC
Release Date:21 May 2015, 11:04 UTC
Insignia:SpaceX CRS-6 Patch.png
Insignia Caption:NASA SpX-6 mission patch
Programme:Commercial Resupply Services
Previous Mission:SpaceX CRS-5
Next Mission:SpaceX CRS-7
Programme2:Cargo Dragon
Previous Mission2:SpaceX CRS-5
Next Mission2:SpaceX CRS-7

SpaceX CRS-6, also known as SpX-6, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station, contracted to NASA. It was the eighth flight for SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft and the sixth SpaceX operational mission contracted to NASA under a Commercial Resupply Services contract. It was docked to the International Space Station from 17 April to 21 May 2015.

Launch history

In July 2014, the launch was scheduled by NASA for February 2015, with berthing to the station occurring two days later. However, as a result of delays in the launch of the previous SpaceX CRS-5 mission, SpaceX CRS-6 launched on 14 April 2015. In late March, 2015, the launch was scheduled for 13 April 2015,[2] but was later postponed to 14 April 2015 due to weather conditions.[3]

A Federal Communications Commission (FCC) application submitted for temporary communication frequency authority noted the launch planning date as no earlier than 8 April 2015. The application also confirmed communication uplinks for use with the first stage of this mission as it attempted to conduct a first-ever propulsive landing on the Autonomous spaceport drone ship after staging.[4]

Payload

Primary payload

NASA has contracted for the CRS-6 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date/time of launch, and orbital parameters for the Dragon space capsule. The Dragon spacecraft was filled with of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support about 40 of the more than 250 science and research investigations that will occur during Expedition 43 and Expedition 44.[5]

Among other items on board:

Secondary payload

SpaceX has the primary control over manifesting, scheduling and loading secondary payloads. However, there are certain restrictions included in their contract with NASA that preclude specified hazards on the secondary payloads, and also require contract-specified probabilities of success and safety margins for any SpaceX reboosts of the secondary satellites once the Falcon 9 second stage has achieved its initial low Earth orbit (LEO).

SpaceX CRS-6 included science payloads for studying new ways to possibly counteract the microgravity-induced cell damage seen during spaceflight, the effects of microgravity on the most common cells in bones, gather new insight that could lead to treatments for osteoporosis and muscle wasting conditions, continue studies into astronaut vision changes and test a new material that could one day be used as a synthetic muscle for robotics explorers of the future. Also making the trip was a new espresso machine for space station crews.

A part of this payload includes science experiments from high schools, such as a project from Ambassador High School in Torrance, California.[10]

Return payload

Dragon returned of cargo to Earth.

Post-launch flight test

See main article: SpaceX reusable launch system development program. After the separation of the second stage, SpaceX conducted a flight test and attempted to return the nearly-empty first stage of the Falcon 9 through the atmosphere and land it on a floating platform called the autonomous spaceport drone ship. The unmanned launch vehicle technically landed on the floating platform, however it came down with too much lateral velocity, tipped over, and was destroyed.[11] Elon Musk later explained that the bipropellant valve was stuck, and therefore the control system could not react rapidly enough for a successful landing.[12]

This was SpaceX's second attempt to land the booster on a floating platform after an earlier test landing attempt in January 2015 had to be abandoned due to weather conditions. The booster was fitted with a variety of technologies to facilitate the flight test, including grid fins and landing legs to facilitate the post-mission test. If successful, this would have been the first time in history that a launch vehicle booster was returned to a vertical landing.[13]

On 15 April 2015, SpaceX released a video of the terminal phase of the descent, the landing, the tip over, and a small deflagration as the stage broke up on the deck of the ASDS.[14]

Capsule reflight

The Dragon capsule used for this mission was successfully flown a second time in December 2017 with SpaceX CRS-13. The capsule made its third and final flight as part of the SpaceX CRS-18 mission on 25 July 2019.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: DRAGON CRS-6. N2YO.com. 31 May 2021.
  2. Web site: Launch Schedule. 4 April 2015.
  3. Web site: Lawler. Richard. SpaceX's next try at landing a reusable rocket is minutes away . Engadget. 13 April 2015.
  4. Web site: OET Special Temporary Authority Report. 4 April 2015.
  5. Web site: SpaceX CRS-6 Sixth Commercial Resupply Services Flight to the International Space Station. NASA. April 2015. 31 May 2021.
  6. Web site: ARKYD: A Space Telescope for Everyone . KickStarter. 26 May 2016. 31 May 2021.
  7. News: Wilhelm. Steve. First step toward asteroid mining: Planetary Resources set to launch test satellite. 2014-10-19. Puget Sound Business Journal. 2014-10-16.
  8. Web site: Antares 130 debut with fourth Cygnus ready for second attempt . NASASpaceFlight.com. 27 October 2014. 31 May 2021.
  9. News: Graham. William. SpaceX Falcon 9 scrubs CRS-6 Dragon launch due to weather . NASASpaceFlight.com. 13 April 2015. 14 April 2015.
  10. Web site: Nanoracks-Ambassador High School-Pollen Propulsion in a Microgravity Environment (Nanoracks-AHS-Pollen Propulsion). NASA. 3 April 2015. 6 April 2015.
  11. Web site: CRS-6 First Stage Landing. YouTube. 16 April 2015.
  12. Web site: Elon Musk on Twitter. Twitter. 14 April 2015. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20150415043005/https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/588166157510828033. 15 April 2015.
  13. News: Bergin. Chris. SpaceX preparing for a busy season of missions and test milestones. 4 April 2015. NASASpaceFlight.com. 2015-04-03.
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhMSzC1crr0 CRS-6 First Stage Landing