SpaceX CRS-20

SpaceX CRS-20 (CRS-20), also known as SpaceX-20, was a Commercial Resupply Service mission to the International Space Station (ISS) launched on 7 March 2020.[1] The mission was contracted by NASA and was flown by SpaceX using Dragon. This was SpaceX's last flight for Dragon 1 and concluded the NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-1) contract extension.

SpaceX CRS-20
C112 approaches the ISS
NamesCRS-20
SpaceX-20
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorSpaceX
COSPAR ID2020-016A
SATCAT no.45341
Mission duration31 days
Spacecraft properties
SpacecraftDragon C112.3
Spacecraft typeDragon CRS
ManufacturerSpaceX
Dry mass4200 kg
DimensionsHeight: 6.1 metre
Diameter: 3.7 metre
Start of mission
Launch date7 March 2020, 04:50:31 UTC [1][2]
RocketFalcon 9
Launch siteCape Canaveral, SLC-40
ContractorSpaceX
End of mission
DisposalRecovered
Landing date7 April 2020, 18:50 UTC [3]
Landing sitePacific Ocean
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Inclination51.66°
Berthing with ISS
Berthing portHarmony nadir [1]
RMS capture9 March 2020, 10:25 UTC
Berthing date9 March 2020, 12:18 UTC [1][2]
Unberthing date7 April 2020, 10:30 UTC [1][3]
RMS release7 April 2020, 13:06 UTC [3]
Time berthed29 days
Cargo
Mass1977 kg
Pressurised1509 kg
Unpressurised468 kg
Fuel705 kg
Gaseous50 kg
Water420 kg

SpaceX CRS-20 mission patch
 

The twenty (20) missions by SpaceX under the CRS-1 contract carried more than 43,000 kg (94,000 pounds) of cargo to the International Space Station, and returned about 33,000 kg (74,000 pounds) of equipment and specimens to Earth, according to NASA.[4]

The second contract (CRS-2) was awarded in January 2016 and will begin with the SpaceX CRS-21 mission planned for December 2020 using Dragon 2.

The Dragon capsule C112 used for CRS-20 previously flew to the ISS on CRS-10 and CRS-16.[5] It arrived at the ISS on 9 March 2020 at 10:25 UTC and was captured by the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm, the last capture of a Dragon with Canadarm2. Cargo Dragon 2 vehicles, which will replace Dragon 1, will dock directly at the space station.[6]

The 1st stage booster B1059 previously supported the CRS-19 mission.

Launch schedule history

On February 2016, it was announced that NASA had awarded a contract extension to SpaceX for five CRS additional missions (CRS-16 to CRS-20).[7] On June 2016, NASA Inspector General report had this mission manifested for 2019,[8] but by June 2019 the launch had been pushed back to March 2020.[9]

Primary payload
Main article: Columbus – External Payload Facility § Bartolomeo

NASA contracted for the CRS-20 mission from SpaceX and therefore determines the primary payload, date of launch, and orbital parameters for the Dragon CRS.[10] The CRS-20 mission carries 1977 kg of cargo to ISS.[11][12][13]

  • Science investigations: 960 kg
  • Vehicle hardware: 219 kg
  • Crew supplies: 273 kg
  • Spacewalk equipment: 56 kg
  • Computer resources: 1 kg
  • Unpressurized payloads: Bartolomeo Platform 468 kg

Bartolomeo (named for the younger brother of explorer Christopher Columbus), is an external payload platform developed by Airbus Defence and Space, German-built and operated by the European Space Agency. Bartolomeo provides power and data transmission for up to 12 payload slots and is the first external commercial research platform to be installed on the ISS.[14][15][16]

Along with Bartolomeo, the Dragon cargo mission delivers about a ton of scientific experiments, including biological research investigations studying microgravity's impact on stem cells, intestinal diseases and chemical reactions.[16] The Bartolomeo platform was robotically removed from Dragon's trunk section and installed outside ISS on 2 April 2020. A spacewalk to route power and communication wiring to the Bartolomeo facility for activation has been postponed. The EVA was originally planned in mid-April 2020, but the space station will not be at full staffing level of six crew members until autumn 2020. When activated, Columbus will have a new outdoor deck to host a range of materials science, Earth observation and space science instruments.[17]

Interoperable Radio System (IORS) is the foundation element of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) next-generation radio system on ISS. A total of 4 flight units and 10 total units are being built by the ARISS hardware team. The first IORS radio system shipped on CRS-20 was installed in the ISS Columbus module by Expedition 63 Commander, Chris Cassidy on 2 September 2020.[18][19] System activation was first observed at 01:02 UTC on 2 September 2020 by ARISS control station and amateur radio ground operators. Initial operation of the new radio system began as an FM cross band repeater.

A second IORS flight unit is expected to be launched on a later 2020 cargo flight for installation in the Russian Service module.[20]

ISS National Laboratory The Dragon spacecraft was also packed with spare parts and replacement hardware for the space station's research facilities and life support systems. The components included upgraded hardware for the station's urine processing system, which converts human waste into drinking water. The new components allow NASA teams to test out modifications designed to extend the lifetime of the urine processing system's distillation assembly ahead of future missions to the Moon and Mars, which will require longer-lasting life support equipment.[12]

See also

References
  1. Joachim Wilhelm Josef Becker (9 March 2020). "ISS Expedition 62". SpaceFacts. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. Jonathan C. McDowell (10 March 2020). "Space Report No. 776". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  3. Jonathan C. McDowell (17 April 2020). "Space Report No. 777". Jonathan's Space Report. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  4. Clark Stephen (7 April 2020). "With successful splashdown, SpaceX retires first version of Dragon spacecraft". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  5. Krebs, Gunter. "Dragon C2, CRS-1,... CRS-20 (SpX 1,... 20)". Gunter’s Space Page. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  6. Wall, Mike (9 March 2020). "SpaceX Dragon cargo ship, the last to be caught by robot arm, arrives at space station". Space.com. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  7. de Selding, Peter B. (24 February 2016). "SpaceX wins 5 new space station cargo missions in NASA contract estimated at US$700 million". Space News.
  8. NASA Office of Inspector General (28 June 2016). NASA's Response to SpaceX's June 2015 Launch Failure: Impacts on Commercial Resupply of the International Space Station (PDF). NASA Office of Inspector General (Report). NASA. p. 13. Retrieved 18 July 2016. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  9. "Launch Schedule". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
  10. Gaskill, Melissa (19 February 2020). "Improving Shoes, Showers, 3D Printing: Research Launching to the Space Station". NASA. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  11. SpaceX SpX-20 Mission Overview (PDF) (Report). NASA. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  12. ISS National Lab Mission Overview: SpaceX CRS-20 (Television production). ISS National Laboratory. 2 March 2020. Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  13. "SpaceX CRS-20 NSSDCA/COSPAR ID:2020-016A". NASA. Retrieved 28 July 2020. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  14. Krebs, Gunter. "Bartolomeo (CEPHFISS)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  15. Staff Writers (27 January 2020). "Bartolomeo starts its journey to the International Space Station". Space Daily.
  16. Clarke, Stephen (6 March 2020). "ISS to receive new outdoor deck for science experiments". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  17. Clarke, Stephen (3 April 2020). "Pandemic prompts few changes to busy month on space station". Spacefligt Now.
  18. ARISS PR (2 September 2020). "First Element of ARISS Next-Generation Radio System Installed and Operating on ISS". ARRL. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  19. Jordan, Dave (2 September 2020). "First Element of ARISS Next Generation (Next-Gen) Radio System" (Press release). Houston, TX: ARISS PR. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  20. Bauer, Frank (22 December 2019). "First Element of ARISS Next Generation Radio System Readied for Launch on SpaceX CRS-20" (Press release). ARISS. AMSAT-NA. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
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