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Dragon C209
C209 at Kennedy in May 2021.
TypeSpace capsule
ClassDragon 2
OwnerSpaceX
ManufacturerSpaceX
Specifications
Dimensions4.4 m × 3.7 m (14 ft × 12 ft)
PowerSolar panel
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5
History
LocationInternational Space Station
First flight
Last flight
Flights4
Flight timeCurrently in orbit
Dragon 2s
← C208
Endurance →

Dragon C209 is the second Cargo Dragon 2 spacecraft, and the second in a line of International Space Station resupply craft which replaced the Dragon capsule, manufactured by SpaceX. The missions are contracted by NASA under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. It was being flown for the first time on the CRS-22 mission on 3 June 2021.[1] This was the second flight for SpaceX under NASA's CRS Phase 2 contract awarded in January 2016. This was also the second time a Cargo Dragon was docked at the same time as a Crew Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX Crew-2. This mission used a new Booster B1067.1.[2]

Cargo Dragon

C209 is the second SpaceX Dragon 2 cargo variant. C209 and the other Cargo Dragons are different from the crewed variant by launching without seats, cockpit controls, astronaut life support systems, or SuperDraco abort engines. The Cargo Dragon improved on many aspects of the original Dragon design, including the recovery and refurbishment process.

The new Cargo Dragon capsules splash down under parachutes in the Atlantic Ocean east of Florida or in the Gulf of Mexico, rather than the previous recovery zone in the Pacific Ocean west of Baja California. This NASA preference was added to all CRS-2 awards to allow for cargo to be more quickly returned to the Kennedy Space Center after splashdown.

Flights

Mission Patch Launch date (UTC) Duration Landing date (UTC) Notes Outcome
CRS-22 3 June 2021
17:29:15 		36 days 10 July 2021
03:29 		Second time Dragon 2 was used for a CRS mission, Second launch of phase 2 of CRS missions, Second time a Cargo Dragon and Crew Dragon were docked to the ISS at the same time. Success
CRS-24 21 December 2021
10:07:08 		34 days 24 January 2022
21:05 		Fourth time Dragon 2 used for a CRS mission, fourth launch of phase 2 of CRS missions Success
CRS-27 15 March 2023 00:30 31 days 15 April 2023, 20:58 UTC[3] Seventh time Dragon 2 will be used for a CRS mission, Seventh launch of phase 2 of CRS missions Success
CRS-30 21 March 2024 20:55 30 days (Planned) ? Tenth time Dragon 2 will be used for a CRS mission, tenth launch of phase 2 of CRS missions Docked at ISS

See also

References

  1. ^ Clark, Stephen (23 October 2020). "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  2. ^ Thompson, Amy (4 June 2021). "A SpaceX Dragon will launch fresh NASA supplies to space station today". Space.com.
  3. ^ Lavelle, Heidi (15 April 2023). "SpaceX Cargo Dragon Splashes Down, Returning Science to Earth for NASA". NASA. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
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