CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.– SpaceX has actually fired up the rocket that will introduce its next team of astronauts toward the International Space Station this weekend. The personal spaceflight company conducted a static-fire test before dawn Thursday (Oct. 28) of its Falcon 9 rocket at Pad 39A here at NASAs Kennedy Space. The test is among the last significant milestones ahead of a planned launch on Sunday (Oct. 31). That launch will begin Crew-3, SpaceXs 3rd functional crewed mission to the International Space Station for NASA. Crew-3 will send three NASA astronauts and one German spaceflyer to the orbiting lab.Live Updates: SpaceXs Crew-3 astronaut missionTodays fixed fire– a routine test that guarantees a rocket is prepared to fly– happened as expected in the predawn hours. Smoke and fire billowed briefly as the Falcon 9s 9 first-stage Merlin 1D engines were lit while the rocket stayed anchored to the pad. Soon afterward, SpaceX tweeted that the fixed fire was a success and that the business will be progressing with its organized Halloween launch.Crew-3 is set to launch at 2:21 a.m. EDT (0641 GMT) on Oct. 31, sending a Crew Dragon pill named Endurance skyward. Following an effective liftoff, the Falcon 9s very first phase is expected to land on one of SpaceXs drone ships, called Just Read the Instructions. If all goes as prepared, Endurance will invest simply under 24 hours trailing the space station before getting to the orbital station early Monday (Nov. 1). NASA astronauts Kayla Barron, Raja Chari and Thomas Marshburn, and Europes Matthias Maurer present with the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Endurance just before its launch pad rollout. (Image credit: NASA) Endurance is new, but it sits atop a formerly flown rocket: This Falcon 9s very first stage likewise introduced a robotic freight objective to the area station in June.The Falcon 9 and Endurance were rolled out of their hangar and onto the launch pad at Complex 39A on Wednesday morning (Oct. 27). Standing 215 feet (65 meters) tall, the pair was lifted upright later on that afternoon. Secured to the launch pad, groups worked over night to prep the rocket for its static fire test. They loaded the rocket with super-chilled propellants– kerosene and liquid oxygen.The nine first-stage engines quickly fired at 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT) Thursday, producing 1.7 million pounds of thrust while the booster remained strongly on the ground. Engineers examined the data prior to validating that they would continue with a launch on Sunday.The static fire test begins the heels of a flight preparedness evaluation, which cleared the mission for flight on Monday evening (Oct. 25), and the crews arrival in Florida. Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron of NASA were joined by the European Space Agencys Matthias Maurer as they got here at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 26). Up next is a full dress rehearsal for the crew. Currently, forecasters at the 45th Space Delta here at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station forecast an 80% possibility of beneficial conditions for liftoff on Sunday morning. The only cause for concern is a small chance of flight through rainfall. Follow Amy Thompson on Twitter @astrogingersnap. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook..
That launch will kick off Crew-3, SpaceXs 3rd functional crewed objective to the International Space Station for NASA. (Image credit: NASA) Endurance is brand-new, but it sits atop a previously flown rocket: This Falcon 9s very first phase likewise launched a robotic freight mission to the area station in June.The Falcon 9 and Endurance were rolled out of their hangar and onto the launch pad at Complex 39A on Wednesday morning (Oct. 27). Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, and Kayla Barron of NASA were joined by the European Space Agencys Matthias Maurer as they got here at Kennedy Space Center on Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 26). Currently, forecasters at the 45th Space Delta here at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station forecast an 80% opportunity of favorable conditions for liftoff on Sunday early morning.