SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft test fire ahead of first astronaut mission

SpaceX's Crew Dragon astronaut spacecraft successfully fired its launch-escape engines on the ground on Wednesday (Nov. 13) at the company's facilities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida — paving the way for a high-altitude rocket escape test and demonstrating engineers have apparently fixed the problem that triggered an explosion during a similar ground firing in April. If that test flight goes well, SpaceX is then poised to fly humans on the Crew Dragon for the first time next year.
The ground test Wednesday was a significant achievement for SpaceX as the company steps closer toward launching astronauts, a goal set back by months after an April 20 explosion destroyed a Crew Dragon spacecraft that had recently returned from an unpiloted test flight to the International Space Station.
“Full duration static fire test of Crew Dragon’s launch escape system complete,” SpaceX tweeted Wednesday. “SpaceX and NASA teams are now reviewing test data and working toward an in-flight demonstration of Crew Dragon’s launch escape capabilities.”
SpaceX and NASA did not publicize the schedule for Wednesday’s static fire test in advance.
The test-firing occurred at approximately 3:08 p.m. EST Wednesday on a test stand at Landing Zone 1, the site where SpaceX lands Falcon 9 rocket boosters for reuse.
The engines that SpaceX ignited, are part of the Crew Dragon’s emergency abort system — a crucial part of the spacecraft that will activate if there’s ever a catastrophe during launch. The Crew Dragon is designed to travel into space on top of one of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets, but if for some reason that rocket fails in mid-air, the emergency engines embedded in the hull of the spacecraft will ignite and carry the capsule away to safety. The capsule would then land using its own parachutes.
In this video Engineering Today will discuss SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft which fired up its emergency escape engines. SpaceX passes Crew Dragon test that previously ended in an explosion.
Let’s get into details.

#EngineeringToday #SpaceX #SpaceXCrewDragon

Inspired by

AUDIO:

[ScienceChap]

You have to wonder why Boeing has received in excess of 4 billion dollars and appears to be way behind SpaceX who have received just over 3 billion. Plus a trip on Starliner is 90 million a time whereas Crew Dragon is 55 million.

[tiapc]

7:52 what?? The SpaceX parachutes did not struggle to perform? The Mark 2 chutes worked fine. They are switching to the Mark 3 chutes because the material is stronger and safer.

[jaimes]

with the amount of force that star-liner test capsule hit the ground with, i would not have wanted to be in it.

[nathanielhosea]

It's just stands to reason that SpaceX will have to face critics, but, then, that's part of the hazards that a company has to deal with in making progress. No one has all of the answers about anything, especially when it comes to developing new ideas, concepts and principles. The more interesting questions remain unanswered until someone attempts to discover the truth about what is possible and what is not. Just because mistakes are made does not mean one is offline, it just means one hasn't opened up the right doors. Information is always available to us.

[nbholifield]

Great video!! Thank you!!! GO TEAM SPACEX!!!!

[MrKKUT]

That starliner landing looked a little rough lol

[nathanchapman]

Your videos are great, well informed. One of your videos came up on my reccomened and I'm glad I've got hooked. You've earned my subscription. Keep up the great work!!

[properfunny]

Do you plan on talking about the cost per seat between the two companies? With the recent revelation the project costs it look like one will be significantly more expensive then the other, and more expensive then the Russian program currently charges.

[assarstromblad]

Love the professional way you explain the history of the project and how you talk about the news. Keep going!

[MarkusHJordi]

Nice video, nice summary!
Perhaps it could have been mentioned that in the Boeing Starliner 2 parachutes were deployed instead of 3 as planned. However, the test was classified a success, as Nasa & Boeing said.

[HockeyDay]

How come Boeing isn’t doing an in flight abort test, they only had to do the ground test? Something is fishy here

[edinnorthcarolina--ovelhog]

Competition is a good thing. It will ensure both Space X and Boeing produce the best products that they can.

[AdamosDad]

Its to bad NASA didn't take this much care with safety when launching the Challenger shuttle.

[jonasamadeolucas]

I am following and watching videos and news about SpaceX and see in your video information and images that I did not saw in other good channels. Thank you very much.
Could be nice a video with a comparison of SpaceX and Boing projects.

[BarryObama]

Did the uncrewed "Crew Dragon " that docked with the ISS have Draco engines installed and if so, were they fueled? Or was the test5not complete and SpaceX and or NASA worried about fully fueled functional Draco engines exploding while near or docked to the ISS? Has NASA made any statements regarding this? How do they feel about the safety of the ISS crew with a Dragon fully fueled and docked to the ISS. I haven't heard one peep about it.

[GutarJohn]

Love the videos! I will say though to trim the silence between parts down a bit. I think it will flow better that way. Like shave 1-2 seconds off the transitions. Minor nit-pick. :)

[joltran]

Does this guy do the best narration ever?

[johnblack]

I hope that this is not a design fault. Other manned capsules have an escape tower mounted on top of the capsule. Crew dragon is the only capsule to have on board built in rockets that use some nasty chemicals more like a solid fuel rocket or a shuttle booster or even a V2..

[MG-erdm]

Nice... much happy! 🤗🤗🤗
P.S Love the narrator & easy format.

[hermannabt]

Crew Dragon's problem is the hydraulic shock from the long distance between engines and propellant tanks. It'd be interesting to see how they solved it.