Cargo spacecraft "Dragon CRS-30" (SpX-30, Cargo Dragon C209)

Launch, orbit & landing data: Satcat n° / COSPAR ID  59287 / 2024-054A Launch date - time  21 March 2024 - 20:55 UTC Launch site  CCK, SLC-40 Launch vehicle  Falcon-9 v1.2 Block 5 (Booster B1080-6) Spacecraft  Cargo Dragon C209 Manufacturer  SpaceX Dimensions cabine  Height: 8.1m (27 ft) - Dia: 4m (13 ft) Launch mass   9525 kg Cargo Mass (kg)  2841 kg Total cargo mass (kg)  Pressurised: 2210 kg  Unpressurised: 631 kg Geocentric orbit:    - Perigee / Apogee   km    - Eccentricity      - Inclination  51.66°    - Period

Credit: Collectspace.com

Description:

• SpaceX CRS-30, sometimes identified by NASA as SpX-30, was an American cargo spacecraft flight to the International Space Station (ISS), that launched on 21 March 2024. It was operated by SpaceX under a Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA. The spacecraft is a Cargo Dragon, serial number C209, which made its fourth flight on this mission. This mission was the first Cargo Dragon to launch from Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 since the second generation capsule was introduced on the SpaceX CRS-21 mission. In that time, a tower and access arm were added to the pad, allowing late loading of supplies into the spacecraft.
• Cargo Dragon capsules under the NASA CRS Phase 2 contract land near Florida in the ocean.

Payload:

• The Cargo Dragon spacecraft was loaded with a total of 2,841 kilograms (6,263 lb) of cargo and supplies before its launch, including 2,841 kilograms (6,263 lb) of pressurised and 631 kilograms (1,391 lb) of unpressurised cargo. Dragon's trunk also contains a new spare pump for the space station's external thermal loop system.

Vehicle hardware: 415 kg Science investigations: 1135 kg Crew supplies: 545 kg Spacewalk equipment: 90 kg Computer resources: 25 kg

CRS-30 cargo.

Mission details:

• Falcon 9 and Cargo Dragon launched at 20:55 UTC on 21 March 2024, for SpaceX's 30th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station. Falcon 9's first stage booster B1080 successfully landed at Landing Zone-1 (LZ-1) eight minutes after launch, and Cargo Dragon separated from the 2nd stage 4 minutes later. Dragon autonomously docked to the International Space Station's Harmony module on Saturday, March 23, at 11:19 UTC. It delivered 2,841 kilograms of supplies and a spare pump for the station's external thermal loop system, which was located in Dragon's trunk. CRS-30 was the first to launch with a Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral, and the first to use the newly-constructed crew and cargo access tower at the pad.

External links:

• Wikipedia: Dragon CRS-30 mission.

Astrophilately covers:

CRS-30 Splashdown, cancel Houston.

CRS-30 Splashdown, cancel Tempa.