Spacex falcon 9 starlink

Employees of SpaceX work on the Crew Dragon reusable spacecraft after a press conference at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Photo: AFP/Philip Pacheco

SpaceX prepares Starlink launch and Crew Dragon abort test

It’s going to be a busy weekend for SpaceX as it prepares the Crew Dragon’s final test before it will be used to transport astronauts. Here’s what you need to know.

Spacex falcon 9 starlink

Employees of SpaceX work on the Crew Dragon reusable spacecraft after a press conference at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Photo: AFP/Philip Pacheco

SpaceX is preparing for two major events this weekend. Crew Dragon’s In-Flight Abort Test during which the Falcon 9 rocket will be destroyed, and the launch of additional Starlink satellites.

Update: SpaceX confirmed on Saturday 18 January that the Crew Dragon in-flight abort test (IFA test). The launch will now be moved to Sunday 19 January, at 15:00 SAST (South African Standard Time).

“Standing down from today’s in-flight Crew Dragon launch escape test attempt due to sustained winds and rough seas in the recovery area.”.

SpaceX on Twitter

Upcoming SpaceX tests and launches

Crew Dragon’s In-Flight Abort Test

SpaceX confirmed that it’s preparing for the Crew Dragon’s launch escape system, “which will verify the spacecraft’s ability to carry astronauts to safety in the unlike event of an emergency during ascent.

“Static fire of Falcon 9 complete – targeting 18 January for an in-flight demonstration of Crew Dragon’s launch escape system”.

SpaceX

The abort test, known in full as Crew Dragon’s In-Flight Abort (IFA) test, is set to take place at 15:00 South African Standard Time (SAST) on Saturday 18 January, at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex.

The test will include Crew Dragon’s ‘escape’ from a supersonic Falcon 9 rocket. Seeing as the Falcon 9 Rocket (B1046) will be destroyed in the process, it will produce some spectacular fireworks.

Technicians will attach the Crew Dragon spaceship to the Falcon 9 rocket ahead of the test. On Friday 18 January, two NASA astronauts will practice launch day procedures.

RIP Falcon 9

The astronauts will be on-board during the four-hour test. If all goes according to plan, the astronauts will be boarding next Crew Dragon spaceship for a flight to the International Space Station (ISS).

The Falcon 9 booster used in the test, known as B1046, has flown three times so far – in May, August and December of 2019. The fourth flight will be its last.

When one netizen said on Twitter that fans will “miss the core B1046 Block 5 booster”, Elon Musk replied: “We tried to design a way to save B1046, but not possible.”

Starlink satellite launch

On Monday 20 January 2020, SpaceX will launch the next batch of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit as part of Musk’s plan to provide a global broadband Internet network.

SpaceX is planning as many as 35 Starlink launches throughout 2020, including flights to carry new a broadband satellite into orbit. However, the Starlink project left scientists worried.

SpaceX is currently the operator of the world’s largest active satellite constellation; there are currently 180 Starlink satellites orbiting this here planet we call home.

Starlink space junk

The company is planning the launch of at least 42 000 additional satellites over the next decade. Astronomers are worried that it would “muck up” space. In addition, space debris remains a larger concern.

Speaking to Sky & Telescope back in June 2019, senior space debris mitigation analyst Stijn Lemmens, said that the Starlink space debris could interact with other objects and cause collisions.

At the time, the Starlink mission only included the launch of 12 000 satellites. Musk has since then decided to launch 35 000 additional satellites. Lemmens warned:

“The space debris issue is mostly caused by the fact that we leave objects behind in orbit; which are then a target for collisions either with fragments of a previous collision event or with big, intact objects. Currently, most space debris comes from explosive break-up events; in the future, we predict collisions will be the driver. It’s like a cascade event: Once you have one collision, other satellites are at risk for further collisions.”