SpaceX One Small Step Closer To Manned Launch

HAWTHORNE, CA – Hawthorne-based SpaceX moved one step closer to a manned launch Thursday when its sleek Crew Dragon, designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station, rolled into launch position at Cape Canaveral.

The Crew Dragon will be carrying a mannequin covered in sensors and outfitted in a SpaceX spacesuit, along with about 400 pounds of supplies and equipment. The Crew Dragon, a stepped-up version of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft used to carry cargo, is scheduled for its first launch at 11:49 p.m. Friday.

This unmanned launch, using a spacecraft meant to carry astronauts, is a dry run for SpaceX to launch astronauts into space. If all goes well, SpaceX is planning for a manned launch this summer – NASA astronauts have already been selected for the historic mission. The move toward manned launches is at the heart of the private sector space race, and Friday's launch will be closely watched by the aerospace industry.

While the Crew Dragon mission will be unmanned, it will be testing the new ship's capabilities and ability to self-dock at the Space Station. Cargo-carrying Dragon capsules are usually captured by the Space Station's robotic arms and brought into the docking bay. The Crew Dragon is designed to dock and un-dock on its own.

The spaceship is expected to arrive at the International Space Station at about 3 a.m. California time on Sunday. The ship will remain docked at the station until about 11:30 p.m. California time March 7, when it begins its journey back to Earth. It is expected to splash down in the Atlantic Ocean – slowed by four parachutes – about six hours later.

Assuming the test flight goes well, SpaceX is scheduled to actually launch astronauts into space for a short demonstration flight this summer, possibly in July. NASA has already chosen astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Hurley for the historic mission. Assuming no issues with that flight, two other astronauts – Victor Glover and Mike Hopkins – will later become the first humans carried by a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.

City News Service contributed to this post