Follow the key events of the Falcon 9 rocket’s ascent into orbit from Cape Canaveral on SpaceX’s sixth operational resupply mission to the International Space Station. Exact times for re-entry and landing of the Falcon 9’s first stage have not been released by SpaceX.
Data source: SpaceX
T-0:00:00: Liftoff
After the rocket’s nine Merlin engines pass an automated health check, four hold-down clamps will release the Falcon 9 booster for liftoff from Complex 40.
T+0:01:10: Mach 1
The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Mach 1, the speed of sound.
T+0:01:23: Max Q
The Falcon 9 rocket reaches Max Q, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure.
T+0:02:37: MECO
Moments after two of the Falcon 9’s first stage engines shut down, the remaining seven Merlin engines cut off at an altitude of 80 kilometers, or about 50 miles, and a velocity of Mach 10.
T+0:02:41: Stage 1 Separation
The Falcon 9’s first stage separates from the second stage four seconds after MECO. The spent stage will descend back to Earth for an attempted landing on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
T+0:02:49: Stage 2 Ignition
The second stage Merlin vacuum engine ignites for a nearly seven-minute burn to inject the Dragon payload into orbit.
T+0:03:29: Nose Cone Jettison
The nose cone covering the Dragon spacecraft’s berthing port is jettisoned after the rocket climbs above the dense lower atmosphere.
T+0:09:00: First Stage Landing
The Falcon 9’s first stage will land on SpaceX’s autonomous spaceport drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
T+0:09:27: SECO
The second stage Merlin vacuum engine shuts down after reaching a target orbit with a low point of 199.2 kilometers (123.8 miles), a high point of 365.5 kilometers (227.1 miles), and an inclination of 51.6 degrees.
T+0:10:02: Dragon Separation
The Dragon spacecraft separates from the Falcon 9 second stage to begin pursuit of the International Space Station.
T+0:12:00: Begin Solar Array Deployment
Dragon’s two power-producing solar arrays begin unfolding after their covers are jettisoned. The solar arrays extend 54 feet tip-to-tip.
The International Space Station got a new shipment of supplies Friday, and astronauts living on the outpost shared their photos of the SpaceX Dragon cargo craft during the rendezvous.
Packed with an array of experiments and provisions, including a custom-made Italian espresso maker, SpaceX’s unmanned Dragon cargo capsule reached the International Space Station on Friday after a precise laser-guided rendezvous more than 250 miles above Earth.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched from Cape Canaveral with a 2.2-ton package of supplies and experiments for the International Space Station on Tuesday, but the booster toppled over after descending to a barge parked in the Atlantic Ocean.
