SpaceX CRS-26
Launch of CRS-26
NamesSpX-26
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorSpaceX
COSPAR ID2022-159A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.54371Edit this on Wikidata
Mission duration45 days, 14 hours and 59 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftCargo Dragon C211[1]
ManufacturerSpaceX
Dry mass9,525 kg (20,999 lb)
DimensionsHeight: 8.1 m (27 ft)
Diameter: 4 m (13 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date26 November 2022, 19:20:42 UTC[2]
RocketFalcon 9, B1076.1
Launch siteKennedy Space Center, LC-39A
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
Recovered byMegan (ship)
Landing date11 January 2023, 10:19 UTC[3]
Landing siteGulf Of Mexico
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.66°
Docking with ISS
Docking portHarmony zenith
Docking date27 November 2022, 12:39 UTC
Undocking date9 January 2023, 22:05 UTC
Time docked43 days, 9 hours and 26 minutes

SpaceX CRS-26 mission patch  

SpaceX CRS-26, also known as SpX-26, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on 26 November 2022.[2] The mission was contracted by NASA and flown by SpaceX using a Cargo Dragon. This was the sixth flight for SpaceX under NASA's CRS Phase 2 contract awarded in January 2016.

Cargo Dragon

Main article: SpaceX Dragon 2

SpaceX plans to reuse each Cargo Dragon up to five times. Cargo Dragon does not include SuperDraco abort engines, seats, cockpit controls or life support system neded on a Crew Dragon.[4][5] Dragon 2 improves on Dragon 1 in several ways, including lessened refurbishment time, leading to shorter periods between flights.[6]

Cargo Dragon capsules under the NASA CRS Phase 2 contract land near Florida in the ocean.[4][6]

Payload

NASA contracted for the CRS-26 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date of launch, and orbital parameters for the Cargo Dragon.[7]

ISS Roll Out Solar Arrays (iROSA)

See also: Roll Out Solar Array

Second pair of new solar arrays using XTJ Prime space solar cells. They were delivered to the station in the unpressurized trunk of the Cargo Dragon spacecraft.[8]

The installation of these new solar arrays, designated 4A and 3A, required two spacewalks: one to prepare the worksite with a modification kit and another to install the new panel.[8][9]

Research

NASA Glenn Research Center studies:[10]

European Space Agency (ESA) research and activities:

CubeSats

CubeSats carried by this mission, deployed through NRCSD#24 (including ELaNa 49) and J-SSOD#24:[12][13][14]

Gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Kanayama, Lee (16 September 2022). "SpaceX and NASA in final preparations for Crew-5 mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  2. ^ a b Navin, Joseph (27 November 2022). "NASA, SpaceX launch and dock CRS-26 mission to ISS". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  3. ^ Garcia, Mark (11 January 2023). "Dragon Resupply Ship Splashes Down Returning Critical Science". NASA. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  4. ^ a b Office of Inspector General (26 April 2018). Audit of Commercial Resupply Services to the International Space Center (PDF) (Report). Vol. IG-18-016. NASA. pp. 24, 28–30. Retrieved 4 April 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ "Dragon 2 modifications to Carry Cargo for CRS-2 missions". Teslarati. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (2 August 2019). "SpaceX to begin flights under new cargo resupply contract next year". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  7. ^ "SpaceX Commercial Resupply". ISS Program Office. NASA. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 4 April 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  8. ^ a b Clark, Stephen (21 November 2022). "Second pair of new space station solar arrays set for launch on Dragon cargo ship". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  9. ^ Clark, Stephen (13 January 2021). "Boeing says assembly complete on first set of new space station solar arrays". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  10. ^ "ISS Research Program". Glenn Research Center. NASA. 1 January 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. ^ "ESA Television - Videos - 2020 - 12 - Thomas Pesquet Alpha mission training - Suture in space for Alpha with Thomas Pesquet".
  12. ^ "Upcoming SpaceX-26 Mission to Launch Several Nanoracks Customer Payloads to the ISS". Nanoracks. 21 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Past ElaNa CubeSat Launches". NASA. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. ^ 「きぼう」から超小型衛星3機放出に成功! (in Japanese). JAXA. 11 January 2023. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  15. ^ "The Scintillation Prediction Observation Research Task". Documentation and Information Center, São Paulo Research Foundation. Retrieved 30 November 2022.