Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test

Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test
	Falcon 9 booster B1046.4 is destroyed by aerodynamic forces following the ejection of Crew Dragon C205
Names	SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test; Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration;
Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	SpaceX
Mission duration	8 minutes and 54 seconds
Apogee	42 km (138,000 ft)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft	Crew Dragon C205
Spacecraft type	Crew Dragon
Manufacturer	SpaceX
Start of mission
Launch date	19 January 2020, 15:30:00 UTC (10:30 am EST)
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1046.4)
Launch site	Kennedy, LC‑39A
End of mission
Recovered by	Capsule: MV GO Searcher; Trunk: MV GO Navigator;
Landing date	19 January 2020, 15:38:54 UTC (10:38:54 am EST)
Landing site	Atlantic Ocean
	; Mission patch Commercial Crew Development ← Boeing OFT SpaceX Demo-2 → Crew Dragon flights ← SpaceX Demo-1 SpaceX Demo-2 →

The Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test (also known as Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration^[5]) was a successful test of the SpaceX Dragon 2 abort system, conducted on 19 January 2020. It was the final assessment for the Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 launch system before they would be certified to carry humans into space.^[6] Booster B1046.4 and an uncrewed capsule C205 were launched from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) on a suborbital trajectory, followed by an in-flight abort of the capsule at max Q and supersonic speed. The test was carried out successfully: the capsule pulled itself away from the booster after launch control commanded the abort, and landed safely.

^ Clark, Stephen (14 January 2020). "Video: Preview of dramatic Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
^ "SpaceX surprises after recovering spacecraft 'trunk' in one piece". Teslarati. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
^ "The trunk is on board GO Navigator". Twitter. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
^ "Dragon trunk from in-flight abort test is in surprisingly good shape!". Twitter. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
^ "Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration – Press Kit" (PDF). SpaceX.
^ Northon, Karen (19 January 2020). "NASA, SpaceX Complete Final Major Flight Test of Crew Spacecraft". NASA. Retrieved 12 November 2022.

[1] Clark, Stephen (14 January 2020). "Video: Preview of dramatic Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 3 March 2020.

[2] "SpaceX surprises after recovering spacecraft 'trunk' in one piece". Teslarati. 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

[3] "The trunk is on board GO Navigator". Twitter. Retrieved 8 October 2021.

[4] "Dragon trunk from in-flight abort test is in surprisingly good shape!". Twitter. Retrieved 8 October 2021.

[:2-5] "Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration – Press Kit" (PDF). SpaceX.

[:1-6] Northon, Karen (19 January 2020). "NASA, SpaceX Complete Final Major Flight Test of Crew Spacecraft". NASA. Retrieved 12 November 2022.

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Spacecraft properties
Falcon 9 booster B1046.4 is destroyed by aerodynamic forces following the ejection of Crew Dragon C205
Names	SpaceX In-Flight Abort Test Crew Dragon Launch Escape Demonstration

Mission type	Technology demonstration
Operator	SpaceX
Mission duration	8 minutes and 54 seconds
Apogee	42 km (138,000 ft)^[1]


Spacecraft	Crew Dragon C205
Spacecraft type	Crew Dragon
Manufacturer	SpaceX


Start of mission
Launch date	19 January 2020, 15:30:00 (19 January 2020, 15:30:00) UTC (10:30 am EST)
Rocket	Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1046.4)
Launch site	Kennedy, LC‑39A


End of mission
Recovered by	Capsule: MV GO Searcher Trunk: MV GO Navigator^[2]^[3]^[4]
Landing date	19 January 2020, 15:38:54 (19 January 2020, 15:38:54) UTC (10:38:54 am EST)
Landing site	Atlantic Ocean

Mission patch Commercial Crew Development ← Boeing OFT SpaceX Demo-2 → Crew Dragon flights ← SpaceX Demo-1 SpaceX Demo-2 →