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.
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