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    1. Space Exploration
    2. Human Spaceflight

    SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo-1 Test Flight in Pictures

    News
    By Hanneke Weitering published 8 March 2019

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    SpaceX launched the first test flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft on March 2, 2019. Riding on top of a Falcon 9 rocket, the uncrewed capsule began its round-trip journey to the International Space Station. If the mission goes according to plan, SpaceX plans to start launching astronauts this summer. 

    Full Coverage: SpaceX Dragon Crew Demo-1 Flight to Space Station

    The Falcon 9 and Dragon lifted off from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:49 a.m. EST (0749 GMT). On March 3, it arrived at the International Space Station, where it will remain docked for one week before returning to Earth. See photos of the mission in this gallery!

    Page 1 of 62
    Page 1 of 62

    SpaceX launched the Crew Dragon Demo-1 mission from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The launchpad once supported NASA's Apollo and Space Shuttle programs, and SpaceX has refurbished it for commercial crew launches to the International Space Station. 

    Page 2 of 62
    Page 2 of 62

    A long-exposure photo shows the Falcon 9 rocket's fiery trail as it heads into space. 

    Page 3 of 62
    Page 3 of 62

    Smoke billows out from below the Falcon 9 rocket as it begins its journey to deliver the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit. 

    Page 4 of 62
    Page 4 of 62

    In this close-up shot of the Crew Dragon's liftoff, a fog of liquid oxygen coats the Falcon 9 rocket. 

    Page 5 of 62
    Page 5 of 62

    The Crew Dragon spacecraft blasts off on top of a Falcon 9 rocket. 

    Page 6 of 62
    Page 6 of 62

    The Falcon 9 rocket's reflection gleams on the surface of the water outside NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

    Page 7 of 62
    Page 7 of 62

    The Falcon 9's rocket plume illuminates the launch support structure in the dark predawn sky as it lifts off from NASA's historic pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

    Page 8 of 62
    Page 8 of 62

    For its first test flight, the Crew Dragon space capsule launched without a crew on board — except for this "dummy," a mannequin named Ripley wearing one of SpaceX's sleek new spacesuits. The so-called "anthropomorphic test dummy," or ATD, is packed with sensors that will collect data that SpaceX will use to plan for future crewed missions. 

    Full Story: Meet Ripley, SpaceX's Dummy Astronaut Riding on Crew Dragon Test Flight

    Page 9 of 62
    Page 9 of 62

    Bright-blue flames spew from the Falcon 9 rocket shortly after it reached "Max Q," or the point in its flight where the aerodynamic force in front of the rocket is at its strongest.

    Page 10 of 62
    Page 10 of 62

    The Crew Dragon successfully deployed into orbit about 11 minutes after liftoff. 

    Page 11 of 62
    Page 11 of 62

    A “Celestial Buddy” joined Ripley the dummy astronaut on the first test flight of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. The planet Earth plush is the spacecraft's "zero-g indicator," a very low-tech device that floats around freely when the spacecraft experiences weightlessness. 

    Full Story: SpaceX Adds Adorable 'Zero-G Indicator' Inside the Crew Dragon

    Page 12 of 62
    Page 12 of 62

    The Falcon 9 rocket booster returned to Earth and landed on SpaceX's drone ship, named "Of Course I Still Love You," which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Florida. 

    Page 13 of 62
    Page 13 of 62

    As the Falcon 9 rocket booster stands tall on the drone ship after nailing an upright landing, a view from inside the Crew Dragon spacecraft showed the "zero-g indicator" — a planet plush — beginning to float in microgravity. 

    Page 14 of 62
    Page 14 of 62

    Canadian Space Agency astronaut David Saint-Jacques captured this photo of the Crew Dragon as it approached the International Space Station on March 3, 2019.

    Page 15 of 62
    Page 15 of 62

    A view from one of the International Space Station's external cameras shows the Crew Dragon docked outside the Harmony module. 

    Page 16 of 62
    Page 16 of 62

    The Crew Dragon spacecraft is seen approaching the International Space Station's in this view from one of the station's external cameras. 

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    Page 17 of 62

    Before it docked with the International Space Station, the Crew Dragon saw its shadow on the station's solar arrays. 

    Page 18 of 62
    Page 18 of 62

    The Dragon opened its nose cone to prepare for docking with the International Space Station. 

    Page 19 of 62
    Page 19 of 62

    The Crew Dragon approaches the International Space Station for docking (while the Canadarm2 robotic arm photobombs in the foreground).

    Page 20 of 62
    Page 20 of 62

    One of the space station's external cameras captured this view of the Dragon just moments before it docked at the station's Harmony module. 

    Page 21 of 62
    Page 21 of 62

    The "zero-g indicator" gets a bump from CSA astronaut David Saint-Jacques that sends it tumbling around the Crew Dragon.

    Page 22 of 62
    Page 22 of 62

    NASA astronaut Anne McClain poses with Ripley and the Celestial Buddies "zero-g indicator" inside the Crew Dragon. 

    Page 23 of 62
    Page 23 of 62

    Even satellites tracked SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 rocket. Here's a view from DigitalGlobe's WorldView-1 satellite of the Crew Dragon and its booster rolling out to Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Feb. 28, 2019.  Read more in our full story here.

    Page 24 of 62
    Page 24 of 62

    Another WorldView-1 satellite view captured this view of SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 rocket as they rolled out to the pad on Feb. 28, 2019. The rocket is still horizontal on Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It appears as thin white line extending to the right of the launch pad. The larger black dash is denotes the meeting point of the first and second stages. The smaller black area is the actual Crew Dragon capsule.

    Page 25 of 62
    Page 25 of 62

    The Falcon 9 rocket stands tall on the launchpad with the Crew Dragon spacecraft on top after it was transported it from the horizontal integration facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

    Page 26 of 62
    Page 26 of 62

    In this photo taken at dusk on Feb. 28, 2019, SpaceX's transporter erector raises the Falcon 9 rocket to a vertical position on Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was transported from the horizontal integration facility earlier that day. 

    Page 27 of 62
    Page 27 of 62

    The Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft lift off from NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

    Page 28 of 62
    Page 28 of 62

    A crowd of spectators watches the launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo-1 mission at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

    Page 29 of 62
    Page 29 of 62

    A long-exposure shot shows the Falcon 9 rocket rising into the sky behind the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

    Page 30 of 62
    Page 30 of 62

    A Falcon 9 rocket, with the Crew Dragon space capsule on top, rolls out from the horizontal integration facility at Kennedy Space Center and begins to make its way toward the launch pad on Feb. 28, 2019. 

    Page 31 of 62
    Page 31 of 62

    A photo taken from the top of the Falcon 9 rocket provides a clear view of the Crew Dragon space capsule. When this photo was taken, the Falcon 9 was being rolled out from the horizontal integration facility at Kennedy Space Center toward the launch pad on Feb. 28, 2019.  

    Page 32 of 62
    Page 32 of 62

    Clouds roll in over Kennedy Space Center in Florida as the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon arrive at NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A, on Feb. 28, 2019.  

    Page 33 of 62
    Page 33 of 62

    The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft roll out to NASA's historic Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 28, 2019. 

    Page 34 of 62
    Page 34 of 62

    Workers monitor the transporter-erector vehicle as it rolls the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft toward the launch pad. 

    Page 35 of 62
    Page 35 of 62

    The transporter erector hoists the Falcon 9 rocket up to a vertical position at Pad 39A  on Feb. 28, 2019. 

    Page 36 of 62
    Page 36 of 62

    SpaceX's first Crew Dragon spacecraft and its Falcon 9 rocket on Launch Pad 39A of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

    Page 37 of 62
    Page 37 of 62

    A crowd of spectators watches the launch of SpaceX's Crew Dragon Demo-1 mission. 

    Page 38 of 62
    Page 38 of 62

    SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine stand before the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon at Launch Complex 39A along with NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken.

    Page 39 of 62
    Page 39 of 62

    A bridge known as the "crew access arm" provides a walkway for astronauts to board the Crew Dragon. 

    Page 40 of 62
    Page 40 of 62

    From left to right: SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, NASA astronauts Victor Glover, Doug Hurley, Bob Behnken, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine and NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins stand in the crew access arm during a tour of Launch Complex 39A on March 1, 2019.

    Page 41 of 62
    Page 41 of 62

    A view from the fixed service structure on Pad 39A shows where astronauts will board the Crew Dragon from the crew access arm. 

    Page 42 of 62
    Page 42 of 62

    The sun sets behind the Falcon 9 rocket on the evening before its launch. 

    Page 43 of 62
    Page 43 of 62

    Crew Dragon is pictured on the morning of its departure from the International Space Station on March 8, 2019. 

    Page 44 of 62
    Page 44 of 62

    A close-up view from one of the space station's external cameras shows the Crew Dragon attached to the International Docking Adapter outside the Harmony module.

    Page 45 of 62
    Page 45 of 62

    The Crew Dragon undocked from the International Space Station on March 8, 2019 at 2:32 p.m. EST (0732 GMT). 

    Page 46 of 62
    Page 46 of 62

    The Crew Dragon drifts away from the International Space Station shortly after undocking on March 8, 2019. 

    Page 47 of 62
    Page 47 of 62

    The Crew Dragon drifts away from the International Space Station shortly after undocking on March 8, 2019. 

    Page 48 of 62
    Page 48 of 62

    Earth and part of the space station can be seen in this view of the Crew Dragon's departure on March 8, 2019. 

    Page 49 of 62
    Page 49 of 62

    Crew Dragon's nose cone, which opened up to allow it to dock at the space station, closes before re-entry. 

    Page 50 of 62
    Page 50 of 62

    The Crew Dragon drifts away from the International Space Station shortly after undocking on March 8, 2019. 

    Page 51 of 62
    Page 51 of 62

    Page 52 of 62
    Page 52 of 62

    The Crew Dragon capsule deploys its first set of parachutes while descending to Earth for a splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. 

    Page 53 of 62
    Page 53 of 62

    All four parachutes deployed flawlessly as the Crew Dragon came in for its historic first splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean. 

    Page 54 of 62
    Page 54 of 62

    Houston, we have a splashdown! The Crew Dragon executed a picture-perfect water landing on March 8, 2019 at 8:45 a.m. EST (1345 GMT). 

    Page 55 of 62
    Page 55 of 62

    Recovery crews rush to the Crew Dragon capsule after splashdown. 

    Page 56 of 62
    Page 56 of 62

    The Crew Dragon bobs in the Atlantic Ocean as recovery teams come by boat to retrieve it. 

    Page 57 of 62
    Page 57 of 62

    Recovery teams tow the Crew Dragon to SpaceX's recovery vessel. 

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    Page 58 of 62

    The Crew Dragon capsule is towed onto the recovery vessel. 

    Page 59 of 62
    Page 59 of 62

    A hydraulic lift hoists the Crew Dragon out of the water and onto the recovery ship.

    Page 60 of 62
    Page 60 of 62

    Looking like a toasted marshmallow, the Crew Dragon sits on the recovery vessel. 

    Page 61 of 62
    Page 61 of 62

    The recovery vessel brings the Crew Dragon back to shore. 

    Page 62 of 62
    Page 62 of 62
    Hanneke Weitering
    Hanneke Weitering
    Social Links Navigation
    Contributing expert

    Hanneke Weitering is a multimedia journalist in the Pacific Northwest reporting on the future of aviation at FutureFlight.aero and Aviation International News and was previously the Editor for Spaceflight and Astronomy news here at Space.com. As an editor with over 10 years of experience in science journalism she has previously written for Scholastic Classroom Magazines, MedPage Today and The Joint Institute for Computational Sciences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. After studying physics at the University of Tennessee in her hometown of Knoxville, she earned her graduate degree in Science, Health and Environmental Reporting (SHERP) from New York University. Hanneke joined the Space.com team in 2016 as a staff writer and producer, covering topics including spaceflight and astronomy. She currently lives in Seattle, home of the Space Needle, with her cat and two snakes. In her spare time, Hanneke enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains, basking in nature and looking for dark skies to gaze at the cosmos. 

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