Dragon SpX-13 Cargo Mission to ISS
SpaceX's 13th operational Dragon mission to the International Space Station lifted off from Florida's Space Coast on December 15 to send 2,205 Kilograms of hardware and supplies to ISS. The mission marked the return to Space Launch Complex 40 fifteen months after the pad sustained damage in the explosion of the Falcon 9 rocket with AMOS-6 in September 2016. Also, SpX-13 is the first mission involving a flight-proven booster and a re-used Dragon spacecraft, in-line with SpaceX's ongoing efforts to make re-use a routine element of the company's missions.
Dragon SpX-13 spent one month attached to ISS, delivering 1.6 metric tons of pressurized cargo plus two external payloads comprised of a new Space Debris Sensor, and a critical payload for measuring the total energy input to Earth from the Sun. It departure and landing is set for January 13, 2018 with release from ISS at 10 UTC and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean set for 15:36 UTC.
Launch: December 15, 2017 - 15:36 UTC | Mission Updates |
Launch Vehicle: Falcon 9 FT | Cargo Overview |
Payload: Dragon SpX-13 | Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle |
Ascent Duration: 10 Minutes | Countdown Timeline |
Cargo Upmass: 2,205kg | Launch Profile |
Dragon RNDZ: December 17, 2017 | Dragon Spacecraft |
End of Mission: January 13, 2018 | ISS Expedition 53 |