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SPACEX IN-FLIGHT ABORT TEST (IFA), Jan 19, 2020, KSC, 8:00 am ET (window open until 2:00 pm ET)
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UPDATE, JANUARY 19: The test was successfully conducted at 10:30 am ET this morning. The post-launch press conference will take place at 11:30 am ET. Watch on NASA TV.
UPDATE, JANUARY 18: The test has been postponed to January 19 due to high winds and waves in the recovery area. The launch windows again opens at 8:00 am ET. This time it is a 6-hour rather than 4-hour window so is open until 2:00 pm ET. The weather is also iffy on January 19. January 20 is another backup day.
UPDATE, Jan 17: SpaceX says the best chance for the test is late in the 4-hour launch window due to weather forecasts in the recovery area. “Current weather data suggests our best opportunity for the launch escape test will be towards the end of the four hour window, but we will continue to provide updates as new data becomes available.” It will air on SpaceX.com as well as the NASA TV and NASA social media outlets.
UPDATE: January 14: NASA will provide live coverage on NASA TV of the test itself as well as pre- and post-test press conferences. The schedule is as follows:
- Friday, January 17, 1:00 pm ET: Pre-test press conference with —
- Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- Benji Reed, director, Crew Mission Management, SpaceX
- Mike McAleenan, launch weather officer, 45th Weather Squadron
- Saturday, January 18, 7:45 am ET: NASA TV coverage begins
- Saturday, January 18, 9:30 am ET: Post-test press conference with —
- Jim Bridenstine, administrator, NASA
- SpaceX representative
- Kathy Lueders, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- Victor Glover, astronaut, NASA Commercial Crew Program
- Mike Hopkins, astronaut, NASA Commercial Crew Program
UPDATE, January 13: The test is scheduled for 8:00 am ET on January 18. It has a four hour launch window.
UPDATE, JANUARY 12: The static fire test was successfully completed yesterday and the In-Flight Abort test remains scheduled for January 18. Time TBA.
UPDATE: JANUARY 6: The test has been postponed to no earlier than January 18.
ORIGINAL ENTRY: SpaceX will conduct an In-Flight Abort (IFA) test of its Falcon 9/Crew Dragon commercial crew system to demonstrate that the capsule can separate from the rocket after liftoff and safely return a crew to a water landing in event of an emergency.
The test has been rescheduled a number of times. As of December 19, it is currently expected on January 11, 2020.
Crew Dragon launches will take place from launch complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, which SpaceX leases from NASA.