įirst commercial mission with a private customer, first launch from Vandenberg, and demonstration flight of Falcon 9 v1.1 with an improved 13-tonne to LEO capacity. Last launch of the original Falcon 9 v1.0 launch vehicle, first use of the unpressurized trunk section of Dragon. NASA stated that this was because SpaceX could not guarantee a high enough likelihood of the second stage completing the second burn successfully which was required to avoid any risk of secondary payload's collision with the ISS. This was due to one of the nine Merlin engines shutting down during the launch, and NASA declining a second reignition, as per ISS visiting vehicle safety rules, the primary payload owner is contractually allowed to decline a second reignition. ( more details)ĬRS-1 was successful, but the secondary payload was inserted into an abnormally low orbit and subsequently lost. Two days later, it became the first commercial spacecraft to board the ISS. The Dragon spacecraft demonstrated a series of tests before it was allowed to approach the International Space Station. SpaceX cut off the end of the nozzle and got NASA's approval to fly in this configuration. Before the launch, SpaceX discovered that there was a crack in the nozzle of the 2nd stage's Merlin vacuum engine. ( more details) It also included eight CubeSats, and a wheel of Brouère cheese. Attempted to recover the first stage by parachuting it into the ocean, but it disintegrated upon reentry, again before the parachutes were deployed. Maiden flight of SpaceX's Dragon capsule, consisting of over 3 hours of testing thruster maneuvering and then reentry.
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