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The Crew Dragon Endeavour (C206) is a Crew Dragon spacecraft manufactured by SpaceX and used by NASA'sCommercial Crew Program. It was launched into orbit on top of a Falcon 9rocket on 30 May 2020 and successfully docking to the International Space Station (ISS) on 31 May 2020 as part of the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission, the first crewed flight test of Dragon capsule, carrying Douglas Hurley and Robert Behnken. It is the spacecraft used in the first crewed orbital spaceflight from the United States soil since STS-135 in July 2011, of which Hurley was pilot. The spacecraft, currently, is docked to the ISS.
The spacecraft was named by Hurley and Behnken after the Space ShuttleEndeavour, the spacecraft the both of them first flew on.
History
C201 explosion and replacement
After the success of Crew Dragon Demo-1, the spacecraft used on the mission, Crew Dragon C201, was originally planned to be used for the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test. But on 20 April 2019, Crew Dragon C201 was destroyed in an explosion during static fire testing at the Landing Zone 1 facility. On the day of the explosion, the initial testing of the Crew Dragon's Draco thrusters was successful, with the accident occurring during the test of the SuperDraco abort system.
Crew Dragon C205, then slated to be used for the Demo-2 mission, was subsequently used for the in-flight abort test. Endeavour, then, was assigned to the Demo-2 mission, replacing Crew Dragon C205.
Crew Dragon Demo-2
Main article: Crew Dragon Demo-2SpaceX Crew Dragon Endeavour as it approached the International Space Station
On 17 April 2020, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced the first crewed Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station would launch on 27 May 2020. Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley crewed the mission, marking the first crewed launch to the International Space Station from US soil since STS-135 in July 2011. The original launch was postponed to 30 May 2020 due to weather conditions at the launch site.
The second launch attempt was successful, with capsule C206, later named Endeavour by the crew, launching on 30 May 2020 19:22 UTC. The capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station on 31 May 2020 at 13:54 UTC.
Launching in the Dragon 2 spacecraft was described by astronaut Bob Behnken as "smooth off the pad" but "we were definitely driving and riding a dragon all the way up... a little bit less g's but more 'alive' is probably the best way I would describe it."
Flights
Endeavour was flown in space on the Crew Dragon Demo-2 mission on 30 May 2020 and is currently docked to the ISS. The spacecraft was rated to spend 119 days in orbit, having less capability than the full production Crew Dragon which is capable of staying in space for up to 210 days. Days after the successful mission, NASA gave SpaceX approval to reuse flight-proven spacecraft. Hence, it is unclear whether Endeavour will fly again in future missions.
First crewed flight test of Dragon capsule, flight extended from two weeks to 6-16 weeks in order to allow the crew to bolster activity on the ISS ahead of USCV-1, including partaking in several planned spacewalks. Also marks the first crewed orbital spaceflight from US soil since STS-135 in July 2011, of which Hurley was pilot. Marks the first US spaceflight to deliver expedition crew to the ISS since Nicole Stott's launch on STS-128 in August 2009.
"Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
"Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
"Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
"Twitter". mobile.twitter.com. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
"We were suprised a little bit at how smooth things were off the pad ... and our expectation was as we continued with the flight into second stage that things would basically get a lot smoother than the Space Shuttle did, but Dragon was huffing and puffing all the way into orbit, and we were definitely driving and riding a dragon all the way up, and so it was not quite the same ride, the smooth ride as the Space Shuttle was up to MECO. A little bit less g's but a little bit more 'alive' is probably the best way I would describe it." "NASA Astronauts Arrive at the International Space Station on SpaceX Spacecraft". youtube.com. Retrieved May 31, 2020. at 3:46:02
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Endeavour approaches the ISS, prior to docking..jpg)
