SpaceX Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test

Today we witnessed an amazing test of the SpaceX Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 booster. In preparation for the return of manned space flight, NASA requires a demonstration that the crew capsule can safely separate from the rocket. To demonstrate this capability, SpaceX decided to perform the separation at the most dangerous point in the ascent – just after throttling up after passing the point of maximum dynamic pressure.

We started the day by driving up to Cherie Down Park in Cape Canaveral. We arrived before dawn and watched the sun rise from the beach. As the launch time approached, we walked up and down the beach. The weather wasn’t great, but it was better than yesterday, when the launch was postponed. The launch was delayed, but eventually was cleared for lift off. After lift off, the rocket quickly disappeared into the clouds. I lost sight of it for several seconds, then I saw what looked like an enormous explosion. The Falcon 9 booster had exploded, reminiscent of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. Less than a minute later, I saw something streaking downward and heard a sonic boom. The falling object hit the ocean with another giant explosion!

The test was a complete failure, or was it? The booster explosion was expected. Due to the separation of the Crew Dragon, the booster was no longer aerodynamic. The force of the air was so great that it ripped the rocket apart. The object that I saw streaking toward and eventually hitting the ocean was the second stage booster. What I did not see was the Crew Dragon separating from the second stage moments before the first explosion and accelerating out of harm’s way.

When we returned home, we watched the replay of the mission on YouTube. From the video, we learned that the mission was a complete success. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t have a clear view of the launch and the capsule slowly descending below its four large parachutes.

For additional information, photos, and video, see the Space.com article and photos.

Space Race 2020

Today was the first race of the year for us. It was the 4th Annual Space Race. Unlike most races, this race was in the evening and was only 3 kilometers. And even better yet, it was in the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Susan, Andrew, and I drove up with plenty of extra time to explore the sights. We started in the Rocket Garden, then hung out in Constellation Plaza, where we jumped on sensors in the pavement that caused a counter to increase. The team who got the most jumps the quickest got to “launch” their rocket. As race time neared, we moved over to the Orbit Cafe.

Saturn IB, in the Rocket Garden

The course started outside the Orbit Cafe, wound behind the Rocket Garden, went South through the parking lot to the main entrance, turned around and went back North, through the bus stop, in front of the Atlantis building, back around the Rocket Garden again, then through the main entrance to the finish line.

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Map

Being that this was my first race since the Turkey Trot, I was motivated to redeem myself and finish the race with a respectable time. I got a very slow start due to the mass of humanity in front of me at the starting line who apparently wanted to walk the course. Once past them, Andrew and I jogged together for almost a mile. He dropped off the pace and I continued for a bit longer before dropping back to a walk. I continued the run a bit, walk a bit strategy for the remainder of the race. As I approached the Atlantis exhibit, I tried to fire myself up by thinking about all the astronauts who flew in the Space Shuttle over the years. Would they have walked the course? Of course not, they were all highly motivated and disciplined individuals. It didn’t help; I still walked past the exhibit. In the end, I finished in 20:11, which is a pace of 10:51 per mile.

For more pictures, click below.