Crew Dragon Freedom

{{Infobox individual space vehicle

| name = Crew Dragon Freedom

| image = SpaceX Crew-4 Preflight 40.jpg

| caption = Crew Dragon Freedom during rollout to pad 39A in April 2022.

| image_alt =

| serial = C212{{cite web |title=Ax-1 Mission Briefing | website=YouTube |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpHvNHfDLm0&t=2575s}}

| owner = SpaceX

| manufacturer = SpaceX

| dimensions = {{Convert|4.4|x|3.7|m|abbr=on}}

| dry_mass =

| communciation =

| power = Solar panel

| rocket = Falcon 9 Block 5

| location = Florida

| first_flight_date = 27 April–14 October 2022

| first_flight = Crew-4

| last_flight_date = 28 September 2024–18 March 2025

| last_flight = Crew{{nbhyph}}9

| flights = 4

| time = 372 days, 14 hours, 48 minutes

| travelled =

| orbits =

| previous = C211

| next = C213

}}

Crew Dragon Freedom (serial number C212) is the fourth operational Crew Dragon reusable spacecraft manufactured and operated by SpaceX. It first launched on 27 April 2022 to the International Space Station (ISS) on the SpaceX Crew-4 mission. It was subsequently used for two private spaceflight missions to the ISS operated by Axiom Space, Axiom Mission 2 in May 2023 and Axiom Mission 3 in January 2024. It most recently launched to space in September 2024 on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission. The capsule was named after the fundamental human right of freedom and the Freedom 7 capsule that took astronaut Alan Shepard on the first human spaceflight from the United States.

History

On 23 March 2022, it was announced that Dragon C212 had been given the name Freedom. Astronaut Kjell Lindgren said that the name was chosen because it celebrates a fundamental human right, and the industry and innovation that emanate from the unencumbered human spirit.{{cite tweet|user=astro_kjell|author=Kjell Lindgren|date=23 March 2022|number=1506677192121622528|title=FREEDOM!! Crew-4 will fly to the International Space Station in a new Dragon capsule named 'Freedom.' The name celebrates a fundamental human right, and the industry and innovation that emanate from the unencumbered human spirit. 1/}} The name also honors Freedom 7, the space capsule used by Alan Shepard's Mercury Redstone 3, the first United States human spaceflight mission (May 5, 1961).{{Cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-032322a-spacex-crew4-freedom-dragon-name.html|title= SpaceX Dragon 'Freedom' named for first astronaut's ride into space|date=2022-03-23|accessdate=2022-05-02}}{{Cite tweet|user=NASA_Johnson|author=Johnson Space Center PR|date=31 March 2022| number=1509572680655192070|title=Launch update! NASA's SpaceX #Crew4 mission is now launching no earlier than April 20 at 6:37 a.m. ET. The four astronauts are set to arrive at the @Space_Station the next day.}}

On 16 April 2022, Freedom was transported from SpaceX's processing facility in Cape Canaveral to Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center.{{cite web | title=NASA to Air Crew Activities as Crew-4 Astronauts Prepare, Return to Earth | website=Space Coast Daily | date=October 12, 2022 | url=https://spacecoastdaily.com/2022/10/nasa-to-air-crew-activities-as-crew-4-astronauts-prepare-return-to-earth/ | access-date=October 12, 2022}} Freedom's maiden flight, SpaceX Crew-4, was originally scheduled for 20 April 2022 but was delayed to 23 April due to launch preparations.{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Elizabeth |date=2022-04-14 |title=SpaceX's Crew-4 astronaut mission delayed again, to April 23 |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-4-mission-delayed-april-23 |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Space.com}} The mission was later delayed again because the docking port needed for arrival (Harmony zenith port) was occupied by Crew Dragon Endeavour on Axiom Mission 1 (Ax-1). Ax-1's departure, originally set for 19 April, was delayed until 25 April due to bad weather in the recovery zones in the Atlantic Ocean.{{Cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=2022-04-20 |title=Next SpaceX crew launch on hold to wait for return of private astronaut mission |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2022/04/20/crew-4-delayed-to-wait-for-ax-1-return/ |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Spaceflight Now}} Freedom successfully launched for SpaceX Crew-4 on 27 April 2022.{{Cite web |last=Dinner |first=Josh |date=2022-04-27 |title=SpaceX launches Crew-4 astronauts to space station on a Dragon named Freedom |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-crew4-astronaut-launch-success |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Space.com}}

Flights

List includes only completed or currently manifested missions. Dates are listed in UTC, and for future events, they are the earliest possible opportunities (also known as {{Abbr|NET|no earlier than}} dates) and may change.

class="wikitable sticky-header" style="font-size:0.90"
Flight No. ! Mission and Patch ! Launch ! Landing ! Duration ! Remarks ! Crew ! Outcome
1 \| Crew-4 50px \| 27 April 2022, 07:52:55 \| 14 October 2022, 20:55:03 \| {{Time interval\|27 April 2022 07:52:55\|14 October 2022 20:55:03\|sep=comma\|show=dhm}} \| Long duration mission. Ferried four members of the Expedition 67/68 crew to the ISS. \| {{Unbulleted list\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Kjell N. Lindgren}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Robert Hines}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|ITA}} Samantha Cristoforetti}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Jessica Watkins}}}} \| {{Success}}
2 \| Axiom Mission 2 (patch) \| 21 May 2023, 21:37:09 \| 31 May 2023, 03:04:24 \| {{Time interval\|21 May 2023 21:37:09\|31 May 2023 03:04:24\|show=dhm\|sep=,}} \| Fully private flight to the ISS. Contracted by Axiom Space. Axiom employee served as commander, Saudi Space Agency bought two seats and sent two astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, and microgravity.{{Cite web \|date=2023-03-23 \|title=Saudi astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, microgravity in space \|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2023/03/23/Saudi-astronauts-to-research-cancer-cloud-seeding-microgravity-in-space \|access-date=2023-04-06 \|website=Al Arabiya English \|language=en}} Third seat purchased by a tourist. \| {{Unbulleted list\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Peggy Whitson}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} John Shoffner}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|KSA}} Ali AlQarni}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|KSA}} Rayyanah Barnawi}}}} \| {{Success}}
3 \| Axiom Mission 3 (patch) \| 18 January 2024 21:49:11 \| 9 February 2024 13:30 \| {{Time interval\|18 January 2024 21:49:11\|9 February 2024 13:30\|show=dhm\|sep=,}} \| Fully private flight to the ISS. Axiom employee served as commander, other seats purchased by AM, TUA and SNSA/ESA. \| {{Unbulleted list\|{{Nowrap\|{{flagicon\|USA}} / {{flagicon\|ESP}} Michael López-Alegría}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|ITA}} Walter Villadei}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|TUR}} Alper Gezeravcı}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|SWE}} Marcus Wandt}}}} \| {{Success}}
4 \| Crew{{nbhyph}}9 50px \| 28 September 2024, 17:17:21 \| 18 March 2025, 21:57:07 \| {{Time interval\|28 September 2024 17:17:21\|18 March 2025 21:57:07\|show=dhm}} \| Long-duration mission. Was the first crewed mission to launch from SLC-40.{{Cite web \|last=Niles-Carnes \|first=Elyna \|date=2024-08-06 \|title=NASA Adjusts Crew-9 Launch Date for Operational Flexibility – NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Mission \|url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/08/06/nasa-adjusts-crew-9-launch-date-for-operational-flexibility/ \|access-date=2024-08-06 \|website=NASA \|language=en-US}} Launch was delayed and ferried two crew members of the Expedition 72 crew to the ISS and returned them, along with the crew from the Boeing Crew Flight Test because of issues with the {{ComV\|Starliner\|Calypso}}.{{Cite web \|date=2024-08-24 \|title=NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule \|url=https://apnews.com/article/boeing-spacex-nasa-astronauts-starliner-e4e81e5a6c23dee2f8f72260ddea011c \|access-date=2024-08-26 \|website=AP News \|language=en}} \| {{Unbulleted list\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Nick Hague }}\|{{flagicon\|RUS}} Aleksandr Gorbunov\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Barry E. Wilmore (landing only)}}\|{{Nowrap\|{{Flagicon\|USA}} Sunita Williams (landing only)}}}} \| {{Success}}

class="wikitable sticky-header" style="font-size:0.90"

Flight No.

! Mission and Patch

! Launch

! Landing

! Duration

! Remarks

! Crew

! Outcome

| Crew-4 50px

| 27 April 2022, 07:52:55

| 14 October 2022, 20:55:03

| {{Time interval|27 April 2022 07:52:55|14 October 2022 20:55:03|sep=comma|show=dhm}}

| Long duration mission. Ferried four members of the Expedition 67/68 crew to the ISS.

| {{Unbulleted list|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Kjell N. Lindgren}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Robert Hines}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|ITA}} Samantha Cristoforetti}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Jessica Watkins}}}}

| {{Success}}

| Axiom Mission 2 (patch)

| 21 May 2023, 21:37:09

| 31 May 2023, 03:04:24

| {{Time interval|21 May 2023 21:37:09|31 May 2023 03:04:24|show=dhm|sep=,}}

| Fully private flight to the ISS. Contracted by Axiom Space. Axiom employee served as commander, Saudi Space Agency bought two seats and sent two astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, and microgravity.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-23 |title=Saudi astronauts to research cancer, cloud seeding, microgravity in space |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/saudi-arabia/2023/03/23/Saudi-astronauts-to-research-cancer-cloud-seeding-microgravity-in-space |access-date=2023-04-06 |website=Al Arabiya English |language=en}} Third seat purchased by a tourist.

| {{Unbulleted list|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Peggy Whitson}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} John Shoffner}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|KSA}} Ali AlQarni}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|KSA}} Rayyanah Barnawi}}}}

| {{Success}}

| Axiom Mission 3 (patch)

| 18 January 2024 21:49:11

| 9 February 2024 13:30

| {{Time interval|18 January 2024 21:49:11|9 February 2024 13:30|show=dhm|sep=,}}

| Fully private flight to the ISS. Axiom employee served as commander, other seats purchased by AM, TUA and SNSA/ESA.

| {{Unbulleted list|{{Nowrap|{{flagicon|USA}} / {{flagicon|ESP}} Michael López-Alegría}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|ITA}} Walter Villadei}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|TUR}} Alper Gezeravcı}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|SWE}} Marcus Wandt}}}}

| {{Success}}

| Crew{{nbhyph}}9 50px

| 28 September 2024, 17:17:21

| 18 March 2025, 21:57:07

| {{Time interval|28 September 2024 17:17:21|18 March 2025 21:57:07|show=dhm}}

| Long-duration mission. Was the first crewed mission to launch from SLC-40.{{Cite web |last=Niles-Carnes |first=Elyna |date=2024-08-06 |title=NASA Adjusts Crew-9 Launch Date for Operational Flexibility – NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Mission |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/08/06/nasa-adjusts-crew-9-launch-date-for-operational-flexibility/ |access-date=2024-08-06 |website=NASA |language=en-US}} Launch was delayed and ferried two crew members of the Expedition 72 crew to the ISS and returned them, along with the crew from the Boeing Crew Flight Test because of issues with the {{ComV|Starliner|Calypso}}.{{Cite web |date=2024-08-24 |title=NASA decides to keep 2 astronauts in space until February, nixes return on troubled Boeing capsule |url=https://apnews.com/article/boeing-spacex-nasa-astronauts-starliner-e4e81e5a6c23dee2f8f72260ddea011c |access-date=2024-08-26 |website=AP News |language=en}}

| {{Unbulleted list|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Nick Hague }}|{{flagicon|RUS}} Aleksandr Gorbunov|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Barry E. Wilmore (landing only)}}|{{Nowrap|{{Flagicon|USA}} Sunita Williams (landing only)}}}}

| {{Success}}

References

External links

{{Commons category-inline|Crew Dragon Freedom|Crew Dragon Freedom}}

Category:SpaceX Dragon 2

Category:Individual space vehicles

Category:NASA spacecraft

Category:Crewed spacecraft