SpaceX CRS-5

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SpaceX CRS-5
CRS-5 Dragon on approach to the ISS
NamesSpX-5
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorSpaceX / NASA
COSPAR ID2015-001A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.40370
Websitehttps://www.spacex.com/
Mission duration30 days (planned)
31 days, 14 hours, 56 minutes (achieved)
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftDragon C107
Spacecraft typeDragon CRS
ManufacturerSpaceX
Launch mass6,000 kg (13,000 lb)
Dimensions8.1 m (27 ft) (height)
4 m (13 ft) (diameter)
Start of mission
Launch date10 January 2015, 09:47:10 UTC
RocketFalcon 9 v1.1
Launch siteCape Canaveral, SLC-40
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
DisposalRecovered (failure)
Recovered byAutonomous spaceport drone ship
Landing date11 February 2015, 00:44 UTC [1]
Landing siteAtlantic Ocean
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit[2]
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.65°
Berthing at ISS
Berthing portHarmony nadir
RMS capture12 January 2015, 10:54 UTC [3]
Berthing date12 January 2015, 13:54 UTC [4]
Unberthing date10 February 2015, 17:11 UTC
RMS release10 February 2015, 19:10 UTC
Time berthed29 days, 3 hours, 17 minutes
Cargo
Mass2,317 kg (5,108 lb) [5]
Pressurised1,823 kg (4,019 lb)
Unpressurised494 kg (1,089 lb)

NASA SpX-5 mission patch  

SpaceX CRS-5, also known as SpX-5, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station (ISS), conducted by SpaceX for NASA, and was launched on 10 January 2015 and ended on 11 February 2015. It was the seventh flight for SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft and the fifth SpaceX operational mission contracted to NASA under an ISS resupply services contract.

Launch history

Launch of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle carrying CRS-5

By July 2014, the launch was scheduled by NASA for December 2014, with docking to the station projected to occur two days after launch.[6] Originally scheduled for a 16 December 2014 launch, the mission was changed to 19 December 2014, in order to give SpaceX more preparation time for a successful launch. The launch was postponed again to 6 January 2015, in order to allow more tests before committing to a firm launch date.[7][8]

On 6 January 2015, the launch attempt was placed on hold at 1 minute 21 seconds prior to scheduled lift-off after a member of the launch team noticed actuator drift on one of two thrust vector control systems of the Falcon 9 second stage engine.[9] As this launch had an instantaneous launch window, meaning no delays are possible in the launch sequence, the flight was postponed to 9 January 2015.[9] On 7 January 2015, the flight was rescheduled for 10 January 2015.[10]

The Falcon 9 launch vehicle carrying the CRS-5 Dragon spacecraft successfully launched on 10 January 2015 at 09:47:10 UTC.[11] Dragon reached the station on 12 January 2015. It was grappled by the Mobile Servicing System (Canadarm2) at 10:54 UTC and berthed to the Harmony module at 13:56 UTC.[12]

Primary payload

The Dragon spacecraft for CRS-5 carried 2,317 kg (5,108 lb) of cargo to the ISS. Included in this was 490 kg (1,080 lb) of provisions and equipment for the crew, 717 kg (1,581 lb) of station hardware, 577 kg (1,272 lb) of science equipment and experiments, and the 494 kg (1,089 lb) Cloud Aerosol Transport System (CATS).[11]

CATS is a LIDAR remote sensing instrument designed to measure the location, composition and distribution of pollution, dust, smoke, aerosols and other particulates in the atmosphere. CATS is to be installed on the Kibō module external facility and is expected to run for at least six months, and up to three years.[13][14]

Upon completion of its stay, Dragon was loaded with 1,332 kg (2,937 lb) of outgoing cargo, returning it back to Earth.[5]

Post-launch flight test