NASA SpaceX’s dragon cargo will launch around June 28 and will be the 25th automated cargo vessel to deliver to ISS bye SpaceX. Due to MMH vapor found in propulsion chamber vessel was delayed. But after further inspection and testing the Dragon Cargo CRS-25 will join the other spacecrafts in ISS around June 28.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) release a statement about the launch of the CRS-25 Dragon cargo to ISS (International Space Station) on June 10. The statement indicates that the launch will be delayed untill June 28.
The uncrewed mission to ISS delayed due to the finding of unusually high level of mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) vapor in the part of the propulsion system of SpaceX Dragon capsule.
Hydrazine is a highly toxic fuel use by Draco thrusters, which server as the engine of the SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft CRS-25. According to NASA statement, high levels of hydrazine vapor were measured in certain isolated region of the Draco thruster propulsion system.
NASA is further determining the source of the high hydrazine vapor and delayed the launch until further notice.
After offloading the propellant and oxidizer for the further inspection and testing about the cause of such high MMH vapor. NASA reported on June 8 that the launch date should be around June 28 as further inspection are in process.
In the meantime, Flight Engineers Jessica Watkins of NASA and Samantha Cristoforetti of ESA (European Space Agency) are using the time of delay to learn more about the procedure of the Dragon Cargo’s docking system to prepare for their roles when they monitor Dragon’s automated arrival and docking.
Dragon is launched by a Falcon 9 launch vehicle which is also developed by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral, Florida. At the end of mission Dragon lands in the Atlantic Ocean, east of Florida with the parachutes.
Dragon cargo CRS-25 will be the fifth flight for SpaceX under NASA’s CRS phase 2 contract. The launch site of the spacecraft is Kennedy Space Centre, LC-39A.
CRS-25 will carry a myriad of new experiments for the space station crew to conduct, including investigation into the effects of global dust composition on climate and experiments to measure aging and recovery in human immune systems.
Dragon cargo will join the ISS around June 28 and add to the traffic which is currently happening on ISS as there are many spacecrafts already docked there. Namely SpaceX’s crewed dragon freedom, a Russian Soyuz vessel and Etc.
History of NASA SpaceX’s Dragon cargo
Dragon, privately develope spacecraft build by American Corporation SpaceX and the first private spacecraft to carry astronauts to orbit. They started developing Dragon space capsule in 2004 for both the cargo and crew vessel. They made a public announcement in 2006 with a plan of entering service in 2009.
The first test flight to carry cargo was launched on May 22, 2012. Dragon can carry about 6000 Kg of supplies to ISS. NASA contracted with SpaceX for 20 uncrewed Dragon flights to ISS from 2020 onwards.
SpaceX also developed a second version of spacecraft in which they will carry astronauts and the capacity will be around 7. The first test flight of astronauts occurred on May 2020.
SpaceX also have a sperate launch vehicle Flacon 9 which is specially developed to launch Dragon spacecrafts in Cape Canaveral Florida. Due to the successful test of both cargo vessel and crew vessel. NASA awarded SpaceX a contract to deliver cargo to ISS and CRS-25 is (as the name suggest) the 25th cargo spacecraft to deliver the cargo to the ISS
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