Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 for Demo-1, the first flight test of the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, is targeted for Saturday, March 2, at 2:49 a.m. EST from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. On this uncrewed mission, the first under the agency’s Commercial Crew Program, the Crew Dragon will fly to the International Space Station in an end-to-end demonstration of the company’s ability to launch astronauts to the orbiting laboratory and return them home. To learn more, read the prelaunch feature story.
Join us at 2 a.m. for countdown coverage here on the blog and on NASA TV.
Mission Timeline (all times approximate)
COUNTDOWN
Min/Sec—Events
-45:00—SpaceX Launch Director verifies “go” for propellant load
-37:00—Dragon launch escape system is armed
-35:00—RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) loading begins
-35:00—First stage LOX (liquid oxygen) loading begins
-16:00—Second stage LOX loading begins
-07:00—Falcon 9 begins engine chill prior to launch
-05:00—Dragon transitions to internal power
-01:00—Command flight computer to begin final prelaunch checks
-01:00—Propellant tank pressurization to flight pressure begins
-00:45—SpaceX Launch Director verifies go for launch
-00:03—Engine controller commands engine ignition sequence to start
-00:00—Liftoff of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft
LAUNCH, LANDING AND DRAGON DEPLOYMENT
Min/Sec—Events
00:58—Max Q (moment of peak mechanical stress on the rocket)
02:35—First stage main engine cutoff (MECO)
02:38—First and second stages separate
02:42—Second stage engine starts
07:48—First stage entry burn
08:59—Second stage engine cutoff (SECO-1)
09:24—First stage landing burn
09:52—First stage landing
11:00—Dragon separates from second stage