SpaceX returns to the ISS, a perfect kickoff to Yuri's Night weekend #CRS8 #YurisNight #ISSRC

This post has been significantly delayed because of all the awesome April activities including +Yuri's Night, +NASA Swarmathon and NASA's +International Space Apps Challenge. A little has been lost from the raw emotion of +SpaceX's triumphant return to the +International Space Station and historic landing on a barge out at sea for the first time, but as always, the photos retell the best stories.

As always, the blog starts with the launch pic. Right on time, no delays, a nice way to end the week and begin the Yuri's Night weekend!

SpaceX CRS-7 launch and explosion from the Banana River #CRS7 #NASASocial

The quiet serenity of sailing towards a launchpad with the wind at your back mixed with a rocket launching to space is a surreal and rare experience. The rocket was silenced after a few minutes of ascent, and we didn't even know that it exploded until ~4 minutes later. It looked like we just lost track of it in the bight morning sky and clouds. +SpaceX will recover from this accident and be back on track to the ISS.

Our view of the SpaceX​ #CRS7 launch, as we sailed North on the Banana River in the no motor zone. I'm confident that the Falcon will sail to the stars again. Jen and I had been trying to take our boat sailing for a launch since we got her last year, but it wasn't until this launch was delayed from it's original weekday slot to the weekend that made it possible. I was selected as a #NASASocial +NASA #NASASocial attendee, but decided that this opportunity to sail to a launch could not be missed. The silver lining is that this is exactly the launch photo I wanted to get framed by the sails and sheets.

Rhiannon Roberts holds out a thermal blanket from the +NASA Orion Program. This item did not fly on the EFT-1 test flight, but the #NASASocial group did see components of the tiles that did fly to space and back.

Hanging out with WWE/WWF's Diva Debra in front of the VAB [@WWEDivaDebra]

+Chris Haber pulled out the big lens right when the sound wave hit us.

Although Teddy looks adorable as always, he was not liking our close view because of the noise and vibrations. 

The last image of rocket in one piece.

We thought this was MECO, but it was an explosion. I didn't take photos after because I couldn't see anything anymore and I was looking for the first stage to re-light heading to the barge (we did see that on a previous SpaceX launch).

June 28

Falcon 9   •  SpaceX CRS 7

Launch time: 1421:11 GMT (10:21:11 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket failed to launch the ninth Dragon spacecraft on the seventh operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight was conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from June 13. Moved forward from June 22. Delayed from June 19 and June 26. Read our full story. [June 28]

Space!

Ryan

Live from #LSA5, it's a rocket launch! SpaceX launches #CRS6 on 2nd attempt.

Another successful launch to the +International Space Station for +SpaceX! I was able to join +NanoRacks for the VIP watching on the first attempt, but unfortunately, like each CRS before this one, it was scrubbed. I was happy to see Chris Lewicki, a fellow Board member of +Yuri's Night and his team from +Planetary Resources. The 2nd attempt went off perfectly as the weather was more favorable. I had a great view with other attendees at the 5th International Workshop on Lunar Surface Applications on Cocoa Beach.

+Chris Lewicki hanging out at OSB II before the launch waiting for +Planetary Resources Arkyd 3 payload. Unfortunately the first attempt was a scrub.

There she goes! Everyone was looking a bit too far to the right, but found it pretty quickly as she rose over the horizon.

Watching the launch with attendees at the 5th International Workshop on Lunar Surface Applications in Cocoa Beach. What a great (and lucky) add on for a conference!

The long view. We were able to watch the rocket all the way to MECO of the first stage. I spent the next ~5 minutes on the beach trying to spot the first stage relighting, but it snuck by. It did come close to landing on the SpaceX barge!

The official stats:

April 14	Falcon 9   •  SpaceX CRS 6
Launch time: 2010:41 GMT (4:10:41 p.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the eighth Dragon spacecraft on the sixth operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Dec. 5, Feb. 4, April 8 and April 10. Scrubbed on April 13. Read our full story. [April 14]

Space!

Ryan

Lucky 7. Florida Tech's #SABOL (#ISSRC payload) off to #ISS on #CRS5. Go #Dragon!

+Florida Institute of Technology's payload SABOL, Self-Assembly in Biology and the Origin of Life (A study into Alzheimer’s), was +Space Florida's 7th sponsored payload winner from the International Space Station Research Competition, flying with +NanoRacks launched on +SpaceX's Falcon 9 inside the Dragon capsule. The experience is best retold in photos and videos. This program has been the most rewarding experience I have had at Space Florida with the opportunity to be a tangent-team member to 7 ISS payloads, and as one team politely commented, their shepherd.

"Congratulations on shepherding us into orbit!"

 To learn more about the ISSRC winning teams please visit: http://www.spaceflorida.gov/iss-research-competition/issrc-teams

The ISSRC was run by Space Florida and designed to inspire innovation as well as provide unique research opportunities and access to the ISS.

4 @SpaceFlorida #ISSRC winners launched payloads to the ISS on the #CRS4 mission

From Space Florida's International Space Station Research Competition (ISSRC), 4 of the 7 winners launched to space on +SpaceX's Falcon 9 inside the Dragon capsule on the Commercial Resupply Services Mission 4 (CRS-4). The ISSRC flights were arranged in partnership with +NanoRacks. Photo highlights below include the final testing (9/16) and handover (9/17) of SyNRGE^3; a press conference for teams to present their work to the media (9/18) and a reception with +Made In Space (9/19), both of which I organized; and then the launch viewing attempts (one scrub 9/20 and then the launch 9/21). The video I shot with my iPhone is at the end of the post. What a great experience! Sleep was a luxury that I didn't have during the week, but it was a thrill to help launch science to the ISS. In the middle of this madness, I also ran an Egg-Drop activity for kids at +NASA Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex for the NASA Family Education Night. To learn more about the ISSRC winning teams please visit: http://www.spaceflorida.gov/iss-research-competition/issrc-teams

The second of three launches in the program.

Gary and Adam triple test everything before flight of SyNRGE^3 from +Limerick Institute of Technology and +CSS-Dynamac in the Space Life Sciences Lab in Exploration Park.

SpaceX CRS-3 Mission with Space Florida ISSRC Winners Project MERCCURI and HEART FLIES

Space Florida ran an ISS Research Competition (ISSRC) and 2 of the 7 winners LAUNCHED to the ISS on the +SpaceX / +NASA CRS-3 Mission on a Falcon 9 v1.1 rocket inside the Dragon capsule. Space Florida paid for the flights with a special competition agreement with +NanoRacks. Photos are from payload integration of Project MERCCURI, the launchpad, the T-1 hour scrub, and then finally launch day on April 18th for Project MERCCURI and HEART FLIES! It was an honor to support this competition and help send science to the ISS. Looking ahead, I can't wait for CRS-4 and CRS-5 to send up the remaining 5 teams!

The ISSRC Logo

Project MERCCURI payload prep by +Carl Carruthers from NanoRacks in the Space Life Sciences Lab (SLSL) being expertly guided by Space Florida's Tony Gannon

Project MERCCURI microbes on dry ice at the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF) at +NASA's Kennedy Space Center 

The Edge Lady inspects Project MERCCURI making sure the astronauts won't cut themselves on the hardware

The Project MERCCURI microbes with sharp edges touched up

The payloads are safe behind Cold Stowage doors

Tony and I hosted a reception with NanoRacks for the winners at Bacchae Wine Bar in Cape Canaveral

Jen and I in front of SpaceX's Launch Complex 40

Project MERCCURI and HEART FLIES in front of their payloads that are sitting on top of the rocket, unfortunately the launch was scrubbed with 1-hour left on the clock (April 14)

Maybe one day I'll get to ride a rocket to the ISS

Darlene (Project MERCCURI), Mila (HEART FLIES) and I in the KSC Press Site. They both had a bunch of interviews before the actual launch

Finally! Up up and away!

A Photoshop version to show the rocket and dark smoke. It was a cloudy day and the contrast wasn't great. Project MERCCURI, NanoRacks and Space Florida hung out together at OSB-II to watch the launch

There she goes, on her way to the ISS

Project MERCCURI is VERY happy about the launch FINALLY going!

About the ISSRC (from the press release I helped write)

The Space Florida ISS Research Competition was designed to inspire innovation as well as provide unique research opportunities and access to the ISS. Winners of the Space Florida ISS Research Competition were selected by an independent panel of 14 judges representing a variety of NASA centers, renowned national academic institutions, payload developers and commercial companies with interest in microgravity research. Judges reviewed proposals based on their potential for developing ‘breakthroughs’ in basic research on materials, biology and the environment, as well as fostering a greater understanding of complex drugs and remedies to improve life on Earth. The full press release is available HERE.

About Project MERCCURI

University of California-Davis, SCISTARTER.com and ScienceCheerleader.com

The Project MERCCURI team (Microbial Ecology Research Combining Citizen & University Researchers) has been gathering microbial samples at a variety of public venues around the country including football and basketball games, as well as sites of historic interest. Microbes from those swab samples will be delivered to the ISS and the growth/behavior of these microbes will be compared with duplicate cultures in Earth-based labs. Additionally, crewmembers will take swap samples on the ISS, which will be analyzed to understand the microbial community present on Station. Leading scientists on this project include Dr. +Jonathan Eisen, Dr. +David Coil, Dr. Jenna Lang, Mr. +Russell Neches, Ms. Wendy Brown, Ms. +Darlene Cavalier and Mr. Mark Severance.

About HEART FLIES

Ohio State University, Stanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and NASA Ames Research Center

The HEART FLIES (Heart Effect Analysis Research Team conducting Fly Investigations and Experiments in Spaceflight) payload will be studying the effects of spaceflight on the function, morphology and gene expression in fruit fly hearts. These results are part of an effort to understand the cardiovascular effects of spaceflight on humans and provide improved countermeasures and treatments for future astronauts. The research is being led by Dr. Peter H. Lee, Dr. Sharmila Bhattacharya, Dr. Rolf Bodmer and Dr. Karen OIorr.

April 18

Falcon 9  •  SpaceX CRS 3

Launch time: 1925:22 GMT (3:25:22 p.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the fifth Dragon spacecraft on the third operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from April 6, Sept. 30, Nov. 11, Dec. 9, Jan. 15, Feb. 11, Feb. 22, March 1, March 16 and March 30. Scrubbed on April 14. See ourMission Status Center. [April 18]

Space!

Ryan

SpaceX CRS-2 or SpX-2 or SpaceX-2! Falcon 9 Launch of Dragon

The morning launch was very smooth. Everything on time and no crazy traffic. I'm sure as we approach human launches the crowds will grow. The launch seemed quick, and not as loud, but it was still great to see. Apparently Dragon had some thruster pod issues with only 1 of 4 working. They were able to fix a second pod and deploy the solar arrays. Hopefully they will reach station and the science can continue smoothly. We will know more soon... stay tuned! The white clouds behind the white rocket were not ideal for photos.

CRS-2 off to rendezvous with the International Space Station

The crowd in front of the CCAFS viewing bleachers

The official stats:

March 1	Falcon 9  •  SpaceX CRS 2
Launch time: 1510 GMT (10:10 a.m. EST) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the fourth Dragon spacecraft on the second operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from December and Jan. 18. See our Mission Status Center. [March 1]

Space!

Ryan

Rockets light up October skies in Florida - #GPSIIF3 & #CRS1 #Dragon Launches on Delta IV & Falcon 9

Two launches in the span of four days occurred on the Space Coast this week with ULA's Delta IV rocket carrying the GPSII-F3 satellite (October 4th) and SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket lifting a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station for the Commercial Resupply Services Mission, CRS-1 (October 7th, they also had a secondary payload). This week has been window into our future on the Space Coast where we can expect multiple launches per week, every week. I hope we open space access to the point of daily launches, at least suborbital flights.

SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch of the Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station for the Commercial Resupply Services Mission, CRS-1

The photo composite of the Falcon 9 launch above is of five photos, each with 13 seconds of exposure. The photomerge created an interesting inversion in the middle of the contrail, but I like the artistic feature. This was my first night launch, so based on my Shuttle launch experience I was expecting 10-15 seconds before hitting a cloud deck. I was off by a significant factor, but at least I will be ready for the next night launch, of which there will be plenty! The HD video I shot with my phone is below. It was like watching a star get lifted into the night sky.



These are a couple of my favourite shots from the Delta IV launch. I love the long contrail that rockets leave behind that connect the earth to the cosmos, ripping a hole through the atmosphere. The classic zoom picture of a rocket just off the launch pad with a strong reflection in the water never gets old. It's a very personal souvenir that captures the excitement of the launch, and the immense power of the rocket.

This Delta IV launch was flawless on a beautiful morning from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station Launch Complex 37B.

The Delta IV rocket carrying the GPSII-F3 satellite well clear of the tower and heading into the cosmos.

The official stats form the launches:

Oct. 4	Delta 4  •  GPS 2F-3
Launch time: 1210 GMT (8:10 a.m. EDT) Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida The United Launch Alliance Delta 4 rocket deployed the Air Force's third Block 2F navigation satellite for the Global Positioning System. The rocket flew in the Medium+ (4,2) configuration with two solid rocket boosters. Delayed from Sept. 20. See our Mission Status Center. [Oct. 4]

Oct. 7/8

Falcon 9  •  SpaceX CRS 1

Launch time: 0035 GMT on 8th (8:35 p.m. EDT on 7th) Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the third Dragon spacecraft on the first operational cargo delivery mission to the International Space Station. The flight is being conducted under the Commercial Resupply Services contract with NASA. Delayed from Aug. 9 and Sept. 24. See our Mission Status Center. [Oct. 7]