Up Close with Inspiration4 Falcon 9 Rocket and Crew Dragon Prelaunch on Pad 39A: Photos

Posted On: September 17, 2021
Posted By: Ken Kremer
Comments: 0

For SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – Prior to liftoff of the Inspiration4 mission with the first all civilian crew including no professional astronauts on Wednesday evening, Sept. 15, media photographers had the opportunity to photograph the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule at Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Florida’s Spaceport.

Check out a collection of our prelaunch photos of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon taken at pad 39A by the Space UpClose team of Ken Kremer and Jean Wright.

SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience integrated atop recycled Falcon 9 rocket for Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to orbit. Liftoff on Sept 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

UpClose view of SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience atop Falcon 9 with Crew Access Arm astronaut walkway for Inspiration4 mission launch on Sept. 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience and Falcon 9 rocket ready for launch on Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to orbit on Sept 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Jean Wright/spaceupclose.com

On September 15 the crew of Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian human spaceflight mission launched to orbit at 8:02:56 PM EDT (0002:56 GMT) shortly after sunset Wednesday evening on a now thrice flown SpaceX Falcon 9 from historic Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

UpClose view base of SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience and Falcon 9 rocket ready for launch on Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to orbit on Sept 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Jean Wright/spaceupclose.com

SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience and Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Access Arm astronaut walkway ready for launch on Inspiration4 all-civilian mission to orbit on Sept 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Jean Wright/spaceupclose.com

Check out our launch story with additional launch photos taken at the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39 Press Site and remote cameras at pad 39A.

Space jellyfish spawned moments after 1st stage booster separation from picture perfect Inspiration4 launch as second stage and 1st all civilian crew aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience hurtle to orbit – after 8:02 p.m. ET, Sept. 15, 2021 liftoff from Launch Complex 39A NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Falcon 9 booster fires cold gas nitrogen thrusters to orient for upcoming soft landing on droneship 8 minutes later in Atlantic Ocean. Mission goal is raising charity funds to benefit childhood cancer research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Inspiration4 launch of 1st all civilian crew aboard SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience hurtle to orbit after 8:02 p.m. ET liftoff on Sept. 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission goal is raising charity funds to benefit childhood cancer research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Inspiration4 is the world’s first all civilian mission to low Earth orbit with a crew of four private people

The four-person crew will spend three days in orbit after liftoff but will not be docking to the International Space Station (ISS).

The three day mission will conclude with splashdown in the Atlantic Ocean off the east coast of Florida slated for 7:06 p.m. ET

My commentary and analysis about Inspiration4 has been featured in several stories on WKMG CBS News Orlando and WFTV ABC News Orlando on Sep 13, 14 and 15.

WKMG CBS

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/09/14/inspiration4-crew-writing-new-narrative-of-human-spaceflight/

https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/09/13/launch-time-inspiration4-liftoff-window-opens-wednesday-night/

WFTV ABC

https://www.wftv.com/news/local/all-suited-up-inspiration4-crew-completes-full-dry-dress-rehearsal-ahead-historic-launch/2DP4BMUQWBDIHINNDOR2HG6WWY/

*Dr. Ken Kremer of Space UpClose commentary about Inspiration4 mission for WKMG CBS 6 Orlando news*

Ken and Jean are onsite at KSC for live reporting of the Inspiration4 mission.

Jean Wright and Ken Kremer of Space UpClose for launch of Inspiration4 on Sept 15, 2021 from Launch Complex 39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Credit: Ken Kremer/Jean Wright/spaceupclose.com

Watch Ken’s continuing reports about SpaceX Crew and Cargo Dragons, Artemis and NASA missions, SLS, Orion, SpaceX Starlink, Commercial Crew and Starliner and Crew Dragon and onsite for live reporting of upcoming and recent SpaceX and ULA launches including Crew 1 & 2, ISS, Solar Orbiter, Mars 2020 Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, NRO spysats and national security missions and more at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

Stay tuned here for Ken’s continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.
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