Engineering:SpaceX CRS-34

From HandWiki
SpaceX CRS-34
Cargo Dragon approaches the International Space Station on May 17, 2026
NamesCRS SpX-34
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorSpaceX
Mission duration39d 3h 22m (in progress)
≈30 days (planned)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeCargo Dragon‑6[1]
ManufacturerSpaceX
Start of mission
Launch dateMay 15, 2026, 22:05:41 UTC (18:05:41 EDT)
RocketFalcon 9 Block 5 (B1096‑6), Flight 638
Launch siteCape Canaveral, SLC‑40
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric orbit
RegimeLow Earth orbit
Docking with ISS
Docking portHarmony forward
Docking dateMay 17, 2026, 10:37 UTC
Time docked37 days, 14 hours and 51 minutes
Cargo
Mass2,948 kg (6,499 lb)
Pressurised2,132 kg (4,700 lb)
Unpressurised816 kg (1,799 lb)

Mission insignia  
← SpaceX CRS-33
SpaceX CRS-35 →

SpaceX CRS-34, also known as SpX-34, is an International Space Station (ISS) cargo resupply mission contracted by NASA and operated by SpaceX. The flight launched on May 15, 2026, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is SpaceX's 34th cargo delivery mission under the Commercial Resupply Services program. The mission used Cargo Dragon C209, marking the spacecraft's sixth flight, along with Falcon 9 booster B1096 on its sixth flight.[1]

Manifest

The spacecraft was loaded with 2,948 kg (6,499 lb) of cargo, comprising:[2][3]

  • Pressurized payload: 2,132 kg (4,700 lb)
    • Crew supplies: 618 kg (1,362 lb)
    • Science investigations: 831 kg (1,832 lb)
    • Spacewalk equipment: 128 kg (282 lb)
    • Vehicle hardware: 469 kg (1,034 lb)
    • Computer resources: 84 kg (185 lb)
  • Unpressurized payload: 816 kg (1,799 lb)
    • CLARREO Pathfinder and STP-H11 were carried as unpressurized payloads inside the trunk

Some NASA scientific payloads on CRS-34 are:[3]

  • ODYSSEY: microgravity simulators to conduct space biology studies.
  • Green Bone: a bone scaffold made from rattan wood that acts like real bone.
  • SPARK: studies how the spleen changes and how red blood cells break down in space.
  • CLARREO Pathfinder: measures sunlight reflected by the Earth and the Moon.
  • Laplace: study of the evolution and growth of dust aggregates in proto-planetary disks.
  • STORIE: charged particle "storm ring" detector.[4]

Other cargo includes replacement parts and upgrades for onboard exercise equipment, water management, waste management, as well as new maintenance equipment.[2] The mission also carried a prototype of the French IVA spacesuit developed by Spartan Space for testing by the ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot.[5]

Launch

Cargo Dragon sits atop a Falcon 9 rocket with Freedom 250 logo at Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40

NASA selected a targeted launch date of no earlier than May 12, 2026, at 00:16 UTC (7:16 p.m. EDT on May 11) for CRS-34, with a backup opportunity on May 13 at 22:50 UTC (6:50 p.m. EDT).[1][6][7]

On May 11, 2026, at 17:00 UTC (1:00 p.m. EDT), the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 35 percent chance of favorable weather conditions for the May 12 attempt, improving to 65 percent for the May 13 opportunity.[8]

NASA scrubbed the May 12, 2026, attempt at 20:26 UTC (4:26 p.m. EDT) due to poor weather conditions. The following day's attempt was scrubbed at T−28 seconds at approximately 22:50 UTC (6:50 p.m. EDT).[9][10]

A third launch attempt was successfully on May 15, 2026, at 22:05:41 UTC (18:05:41 EDT). The 45th Weather Squadron forecasted a 90 percent chance of favorable conditions for the launch.[10][11][12]

Launch attempt summary

Note: Times are local to the launch site (Eastern Daylight Time).

Attempt Planned Result Turnaround Reason Decision point Weather go (%) Notes
1 12 May 2026 19:16 12 May 2026, 7:16:00 pm Scrubbed — Weather 12 May 2026 16:26 12 May 2026, 4:26 pm 35
2 13 May 2026 18:50:50 13 May 2026, 6:50:50 pm Scrubbed 0 days, 23 hours, 35 minutes Weather 13 May 2026 18:50:22 13 May 2026, 6:50 pm (T−0:28) 65
3 15 May 2026, 18:05:41 15 May 2026, 6:05:41 pm Success 1 day, 23 hours, 15 minutes 90

Arrival and return

NASA astronaut Jack Hathaway and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot monitored CRS-34's automatic arrival and docking with the ISS at 10:37 UTC on May 17.[2][13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "CRS-34 MISSION". https://www.spacex.com/launches/crs-34/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Zakrzewski, Joseph. "NASA’s SpaceX 34th Commercial Resupply Mission Overview". https://www.nasa.gov/general/nasas-spacex-34th-commercial-resupply-mission-overview/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Dodson, Gerelle Q.. "NASA Sets Coverage for SpaceX 34th Station Resupply Launch, Arrival". https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-sets-coverage-for-spacex-34th-station-resupply-launch-arrival/. 
  4. ↑ Thomas, Vanessa. "NASA’s STORIE Mission to Tell Tale of Earth’s Ring Current". https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasas-storie-mission-to-tell-tale-of-earths-ring-current/. 
  5. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2026-05-18). "French Spacesuit Prototype Delivered to the International Space Station" (in en-US). https://europeanspaceflight.com/french-spacesuit-prototype-delivered-to-the-international-space-station/. 
  6. ↑ Dodson, Gerelle Q.. "NASA Invites Media to SpaceX’s 34th Resupply Launch to Space Station". https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-invites-media-to-spacexs-34th-resupply-launch-to-space-station/. 
  7. ↑ "NASA’s SpaceX CRS-34". https://www.nasa.gov/event/nasas-spacex-crs-34/. 
  8. ↑ Leone, Anthony. "Weather a concern for SpaceX’s resupply launch to International Space Station". https://mynews13.com/fl/orlando/space/2026/05/11/spacex-nasa-crs-34-mission. 
  9. ↑ Robinson-Smith, Will. "Poor weather causes NASA, SpaceX to scrub launch attempt of 34th Cargo Dragon mission to the space station". https://spaceflightnow.com/2026/05/12/live-coverage-nasa-spacex-to-launch-34th-cargo-dragon-mission-to-the-space-station/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Neale, Rick. "After clouds scrub NASA-SpaceX launch, target time moves to Friday evening". https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2026/05/13/after-weather-scrub-nasa-and-spacex-move-crs-34-iss-launch-to-may-15-from-cape-canaveral-florida/90069495007/?gnt-cfr=1. 
  11. ↑ Tribou, Richard. "Sonic boom potential back again Friday as SpaceX tries for launch to space station". https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2026/05/15/sonic-boom-potential-back-again-friday-as-spacex-tries-for-launch-to-space-station/. 
  12. ↑ "Launch Mission Execution Forecast: Falcon 9 CRS-34". https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/Portals/14/Weather/Falcon%209%20CRS-34%20L-0%20Forecast%20-%2015%20May%20Launch.pdf. 
  13. ↑ Garcia, Mark A.. "SpaceX Dragon Docks to Station Filled with New Science Experiments". https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2026/05/17/spacex-dragon-docks-to-station-filled-with-new-science-experiments/. 

Template:Orbital launches in 2026



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Engineering:SpaceX_CRS-34&oldid=4385236"