COTS-2+

Launch Success

Liftoff Time (GMT)

07:44:38 AM

Tuesday May 22, 2012

Watch Replay

Official Livestream

Mission Details

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Launch Notes

The launch of the first commercial spacecraft to visit the International Space Station.

Dragon C2+

Wiki

Dragon C2+, also known as SpaceX COTS Demo Flight 2 (COTS 2), was the second test-flight for SpaceX's uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft, launched on the third flight of the company's two-stage Falcon 9 launch vehicle. The flight was performed under a funded agreement from NASA as the second Dragon demonstration mission in the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program. The purpose of the COTS program is to develop and demonstrate commercial sources for cargo re-supply of the International Space Station (ISS). The Dragon C2+ spacecraft was the first American vehicle to visit the ISS since the end of the Space Shuttle program. It was also the first commercial spacecraft to rendezvous and berth with another spacecraft.

Low Earth Orbit

1 Payload

6,650 kilograms

Rocket

Retired
Falcon 9 Block 1 (v1.0)

Active 2010 to 2013

SpaceX logo

Agency

SpaceX

Price

$59.50 million

Rocket

Diameter: 3.7m

Height: 54.9m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 10,450 kg

GTO: 4,540 kg

Liftoff Thrust

4,940 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 5.2m

Height: 13m

Stages

2

Launch Site

SLC-40

Cape Canaveral SFS, Florida, USA

Fastest Turnaround

2 days 8 hours

Stats

Falcon 9


3rd

Mission

1st

Mission of 2012

SpaceX


8th

Mission

1st

Mission of 2012

2012


28th

Orbital launch attempt