Mission Alpha: Thomas Pesquet ready to take off
The Mission Alpha team: (l to r) Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Thomas Pesquet and Akihiko Hoshide.
© SpaceX via AP / Montage Graphic Studio FMM
Text by: Simon Rozé Follow
5 mins
This Friday, April 23, at 11:49 am (French time), a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
On board, four astronauts en route to the International Space Station: Thomas Pesquet, Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur and Akihiko Hoshide.
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From our special correspondent in Cape Canaveral,
It's a lost habit that returns: an astronaut launch campaign from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The third since May 2020, after a hiatus of almost 10 years and the end of the space shuttle program. “
It was a difficult time,”
remembers Derrol Nail, who is commenting on the launches on NASA TV today. “
At the beginning, there was a great disappointment, employees had to leave, the staff of the center was reduced.
At the time, without a rocket, without a sovereign means of reaching the International Space Station, the United States was forced to call on Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, to bring their astronauts aboard the Soyuz. The Kennedy Space Center staff goes from just over 20,000 to around 8,000.
To remedy this, NASA is launching the Commercial Crew Program: calling on private companies to regain its sovereignty in this area. “
It's a little different, but overall the mission doesn't change. We once again have access to space from American soil and that is very important,
”said Derrol Nail.
In this case, two companies are chosen: Boeing and SpaceX.
It is the latter, in advance, which carried out the first flight marking this renewed pride in May 2020. That of Thomas Pesquet is the third carried out by the company.
NASA no longer owns the rocket, but that suits it: "
This allows us to allocate fewer resources to serving the Space Station and low Earth orbit
," said John Posey, senior engineer of the program. Nasa.
“
My team is much smaller than in the days of the shuttle and it is a real benefit for the agency which can concentrate on further exploration.
"
The building where SpaceX assembles its rockets.
Thomas Pesquet's Falcon 9 is already in place on launch pads 39A.
© Simon Rozé / RFI
So for this mission to the International Space Station, SpaceX is in the driver's seat and the company has not hesitated to bring its methods with it, primarily reuse. The first stage of its Falcon 9 rocket as well as the Dragon capsule at its top, on the edge of which the astronauts are seated, will indeed be used for the second time. A revolution in the uses of NASA.
Another impact of this subcontracting is the unfolding of the launch sequence: "
It's an absolutely remarkable timed choreography
," said Philippe Willekens, the head of the communication department of the European Space Agency, to which Thomas Pesquet belongs.
“
The astronauts will arrive in Tesla
[another company of Elon Musk, owner of SpaceX;
editor's note]
from the building where they will have put on their spacesuits from the future.
The company has indeed designed its own spacesuits, giving them an aspect straight out of a science fiction film.
The rocket is installed on launch pad 39A of the Kennedy Space Center, the most emblematic: it is from here that the Apollo missions to the Moon as well as the space shuttles took off.
The Dragon capsule and the footbridge that provides access to it, at the top of the Falcon 9 rocket. © Simon Rozé / RFI
The rest, however, is more traditional: “
They will arrive at the foot of the launcher, will go around it and take the elevator to reach the catwalk.
There, they will have a few minutes to make a final phone call to the family.
They then go to a small white room where they will place a signature, a small autograph.
They will finally settle into the capsule and all the verification processes will begin.
"
We will then be about two hours before the launch.
At 5:49'2 '', the nine Merlin engines at the base of the Falcon 9 launcher will ignite and the craft will begin its ascent in the Florida sky.
It will only take him about ten minutes to reach space.
After that, it will take approximately 23 hours for the Dragon capsule to catch up with the International Space Station and begin the docking procedure.
Two hours later, the time to ensure the seal between the spacecraft and the ISS, the airlock will be opened and
Thomas Pesquet, Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur and Akihiko Hoside will
enter: the beginning. of their six-month assignment.
►
To read also: What will be the mission of Thomas Pesquet on board the ISS?
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