SpaceX planning first crewed vehicle launch
Jan 9, 2019, 2:00 PM
SpaceX continues work on their prototype starship that is being called "test hopper" at the Boca Chica Beach site, near Brownsville, Texas, Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk plans to launch a rocket to Mars by 2024. (Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
(Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP)
Elon Musk and SpaceX have some ambitious plans for rocket launches in 2019!
In 2018, SpaceX had 21 successful rocket launches and plans for an even more aggressive launch schedule for 2019, with the first of the “crewed” vehicles set for a potential Jan. 17 launch window.
A setback on this launch may be due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has idled around 90 percent of NASA employees who oversee much of the launch control facility.
Many space observers feel that the February 2018 launch of the Falcon Heavy and its unique Red Tesla Roadster as one of the more impressive launches of the entire year.
The Falcon Heavy rocket will be launched a number of times in 2019.
The Falcon Heavy is able to launch payloads into space for future moon and Mars missions.
The first of these “crewed” vehicles will be launched without humans, so as to test the reliability of the craft and its ability to dock in space with the International Space Station and other related missions.
Elon Musk has stated that these are critical and “especially dangerous,” in that SpaceX would become the first private company to place humans in orbit.
The new space vehicle is an upgraded version of the current Dragon capsule.
This new and improved version will have state-of-the-art flight systems and enhanced emergency escape systems, in the unlikely event that future astronauts need to abort a mission.
Just in case you missed any or all of the 21 SpaceX missions of 2018, you can view all of them in this amazing video.
The Crew Dragon 2 vehicle will be launched atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster and provide another way for future crew members to get to the ISS and other manned space stations.
Up until now, the only way for astronauts to get to the ISS has been to launch to space on the Russian Soyuz rocket platform.
Future plans call for SpaceX to launch a high-tech version of the Crew Dragon 2 on a mission to orbit the moon.
This is possible by 2023. The rocket that will be used on this mission is the new Big Falcon Rocket, a launch vehicle much more powerful than even the current Falcon Heavy.
You can see a full list of SpaceX missions for 2019 here.
To print your own monthly star chart, click here.
To view satellites/dates/times of passage, click here.
Listen to the Dr. Sky Show on KTAR News 92.3 FM every Saturday morning at 3 a.m.
