Engineering:SpaceX CRS-18

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Short description: 2019 American resupply spaceflight to the ISS
SpaceX CRS-18
Dragon C108.3 approaching the ISS
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorSpaceX
Mission duration32 days, 22 hours, 19 minutes
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftDragon C108.3
Spacecraft typeDragon CRS
ManufacturerSpaceX
Dry mass4,200 kg (9,300 lb)
DimensionsHeight: 6.1 m (20 ft)
Diameter: 3.7 m (12 ft)
Start of mission
Launch date25 July 2019 22:01 UTC[1]
RocketFalcon 9
Launch siteCape Canaveral SLC-40
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
DisposalRecovered
Landing date27 August 2019 20:20 (2019-08-27UTC20:21) UTC[2]
Landing sitePacific Ocean,
off Baja California
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Inclination51.6°
Berthing at ISS
Berthing portHarmony nadir
RMS capture27 July 13:11 UTC[3]
Berthing date27 July 2019 16:01 UTC[4]
Unberthing date27 August 2019 12:25 UTC[5]
RMS release27 August 2019 14:59 UTC[5]
Time berthed30 days, 20 hours, 24 minutes
NASA SpX-18 mission patch
NASA SpX-18 mission patch  

SpaceX CRS-18, also known as SpX-18, was SpaceX's 18th flight to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services program for NASA. It was launched on 25 July 2019 aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.[6][7]

The same Dragon capsule has previously flown to the ISS in April 2015 and December 2017.[8] This was the first time a capsule was used for a third flight.

Primary payload

CRS-18 launch

In February 2016, it was announced that NASA had awarded a contract extension to SpaceX for five CRS additional missions (CRS-16 to CRS-20).[9]

NASA has contracted for the CRS-18 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date/time of launch, and orbital parameters for the Dragon space capsule. It carried the third International Docking Adapter (IDA-3).[10]

The following is a breakdown of cargo bound for the ISS:[11]

  • Science investigations: 1,192 kg (2,628 lb)
  • Crew supplies: 233 kg (514 lb)
  • Vehicle hardware: 157 kg (346 lb)
  • Spacewalk equipment: 157 kg (346 lb)
  • Computer resources: 17 kg (37 lb)
  • External payloads: IDA-3 534 kg (1,177 lb)[12]

The Dragon spacecraft also featured a handful of ceramic heat shield tiles, meant to flight-test a critical component of the SpaceX Starship spacecraft.[13]

SpaceX CRS-18
  • Launch of CRS-18
    Launch of CRS-18
  • Falcon 9 landing at LZ-1
    Falcon 9 landing at LZ-1
  • Dragon approaching the ISS
    Dragon approaching the ISS
  • Dragon decals indicating two prior flights
    Dragon decals indicating two prior flights

See also

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Stephen (25 July 2019). "New docking port, spacesuit and supplies en route to space station". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/07/25/new-docking-port-spacesuit-and-supplies-en-route-to-space-station/. 
  2. ↑ Bergin, Chris (27 August 2019). "CRS-18 Dragon completes mission with Pacific Ocean Splashdown". NASA SpaceflightNow. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2019/08/crs-18-iss-pacific-ocean-splashdown/. 
  3. ↑ Dragon Captured With New Science Experiments
  4. ↑ Dragon Installed to Station’s Harmony Module for Cargo Operations
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Live coverage: Dragon supply ship heading back to Earth today
  6. ↑ "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. July 19, 2019. https://spaceflightnow.com/launch-schedule/. 
  7. ↑ SpaceX (July 25, 2019), CRS-18 Mission, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlgrxVuP5jk, retrieved July 25, 2019 
  8. ↑ @SpaceX (July 19, 2019). "The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously visited the @space_station in April 2015 and December 2017". https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1152361282982465536. 
  9. ↑ de Selding, Peter B. (February 24, 2016). "SpaceX wins 5 new space station cargo missions in NASA contract estimated at $700 million". Space News. http://spacenews.com/spacex-wins-5-new-space-station-cargo-missions-in-nasa-contract-estimated-at-700-million/. 
  10. ↑ Pietrobon, Steven (August 20, 2018). "United States Commercial ELV Launch Manifest". http://www.sworld.com.au/steven/space/uscom-man.txt. 
  11. ↑ "spaceflightnow.com/2019/07/25/new-docking-port-spacesuit-and-supplies-en-route-to-space-station". July 25, 2019. https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/07/25/new-docking-port-spacesuit-and-supplies-en-route-to-space-station/. 
  12. ↑ "SpaceX's Cargo Dragon to Deliver New Space Station Docking Adapter for Commercial Crew Spacecraft" (in en). July 12, 2019. https://blogs.nasa.gov/kennedy/2019/07/12/spacexs-cargo-dragon-to-deliver-new-space-station-docking-adapter-for-commercial-crew-spacecraft/. 
  13. ↑ Ralph, Eric (July 24, 2019). "SpaceX testing ceramic Starship heat shield tiles on flight-proven CRS-18 Cargo Dragon". https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-starship-heat-shield-cargo-dragon-testing/. 



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