Space exploration company SpaceX is on the brink of finalizing certification for a new space launch pad, with the goal of expanding their capacity to send humans to space. This development is expected to alleviate launch site congestion and allow for a larger number of astronauts to embark on missions.
To date, SpaceX has successfully completed 13 crewed missions, all of which were launched from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. This pad is currently the only one certified for human spaceflight. However, the company has always had plans to upgrade a second pad, known as SLC-40 at the neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, in order to increase their crew launch capabilities.
Following significant progress, SpaceX is now on the verge of reaching this goal. Last fall, a crew access arm was installed on the launch tower, a crucial component that allows astronauts to access the crew Dragon spacecraft. In addition, a new emergency egress system was installed at the pad to allow for a swift evacuation in the event of an emergency.
“This will not only allow us to scale to bigger towers and spaceships, but also accommodate up to 100 people on the Starship,” noted VP of Launch Kiko Dontchev in a social media post.
Just recently, the company tested the emergency chutes from the pad 40 crew tower in Florida, showcasing the progress of this important enhancement.
This is all part of the company’s plan to continue with their routine cargo missions for NASA, with the CRS-30 cargo resupply mission set to launch tomorrow at 4:55 p.m. EDT. This will mark their 30th mission delivering crucial materials to astronauts aboard the International Space Station since 2012.
During a media teleconference in February, Bill Gerstenmaier, SpaceX’s VP of build and flight reliability, stated that this cargo flight is a stepping stone towards launching astronauts. Both cargo and crew missions rely on variants of the Dragon spacecraft.
“We would like to do a cargo flight first if we can. We think CRS-30 is probably the right time to do that,” Gerstenmaier revealed. “The work’s pretty much completed at the pad. [We’ve] got some stuff to do next week, but we’ll be in good shape for CRS-30.”
