Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test
{{Use American English|date=July 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}
{{Infobox spaceflight
| name = Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test
| image = Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test (16814592054).jpg
| image_caption = DragonFly launches at the start of the flight
| names_list = SpaceX Pad Abort Test
| mission_type = Technology demonstration
| operator = SpaceX
| mission_duration = {{time interval|6 May 2015 13:00|6 May 2015 13:01:39|show=dhms|sep=,}}
| spacecraft = {{ComV|Crew Dragon|C201|full=nolink}}
| spacecraft_type = {{ComV|Crew Dragon}}
| manufacturer = SpaceX
| launch_date = {{Start date text|6 May 2015, 13:00|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (9:00{{nbsp}}am{{nbsp}}EDT)
| launch_site = Cape Canaveral, SLC{{nbhyph}}40
| landing_date = {{End date text|6 May 2015, 13:01:39|timezone=yes}}{{nbsp}}UTC (9:01:39{{nbsp}}am{{nbsp}}EDT)
| landing_site = Atlantic Ocean
| insignia = Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test.png
| insignia_caption = Mission patch
| programme = Commercial Crew Development
| next_mission = Crew Dragon Demo-1
| programme2 = Crew Dragon flights
| next_mission2 = Demo-1
}}
The Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test (officially known as the SpaceX Pad Abort Test){{cite web|title=SpaceX Pad Abort Test|url=https://www.nasa.gov/content/spacex-pad-abort-test/|website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA|access-date=14 July 2020|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200714170116/https://www.nasa.gov/content/spacex-pad-abort-test/|archive-date=14 July 2020|date=May 2015|quote=Brief Description: SpaceX Pad Abort Test|url-status=live}} {{PD-notice}} was a spacecraft test conducted by SpaceX on 6 May 2015 from the Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. As part of the development of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the test demonstrated the spacecraft's abort system capability, verifying the capsule's eight side-mounted SuperDraco thrusters' capability to quickly power itself away from a failing rocket while it is still on the ground. It was one of the two tests conducted by SpaceX on the abort system of spacecraft, the other one being the Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test conducted on 19 January 2020.
History
The flight was the one of four tests for the Commercial Crew Program (CCiCap) award given to SpaceX in 2012.{{cite web|last=Foust|first=Jeff|date=2015-05-06|title=SpaceX Successfully Tests Dragon Abort System|url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-successfully-tests-dragon-abort-system/|publisher=SpaceNews|access-date=2020-06-24}} The capsule had 270 sensors as well as a dummy and had weights to simulate a crewed launch.{{cite web|title=SpaceX Demonstrates Astronaut Escape System for Crew Dragon Spacecraft|url=http://www.nasa.gov/press-release/spacex-demonstrates-astronaut-escape-system-for-crew-dragon-spacecraft|last=Siceloff|first=Steven|website=nasa.gov|publisher=NASA|date=2015-05-06|access-date=2020-06-24}} {{PD-notice}}
The vehicle lifted off at 13:00 UTC on 6 May 2015. After reaching a maximum height of about {{cvt|1187|m}}, slightly lower than expected; Dragon jettisoned its trunk about 21 seconds after the liftoff.{{cite web|last=Bergin|first=Chris|date=2015-05-05|title=Dragon 2 conducts Pad Abort leap in key SpaceX test|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/05/dragon-2-pad-abort-leap-key-spacex-test/|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=2020-06-24}} The Dragon then deployed both the drogue and three main parachutes as expected. The vehicle splashed down safely in the ocean to the east of the launchpad in the Atlantic Ocean 99 seconds after the liftoff about 8 seconds earlier then planned.{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/05/06/spacex-crew-capsule-completes-dramatic-abort-test/|title=SpaceX crew capsule completes dramatic abort test|url-status=live|publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=6 May 2015|access-date=2020-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150507203404/http://spaceflightnow.com:80/2015/05/06/spacex-crew-capsule-completes-dramatic-abort-test/ |archive-date=7 May 2015 }}{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|date=2015-07-08|title=SpaceX delays next Crew Dragon abort test|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2015/07/08/spacex-delays-next-crew-dragon-abort-test/|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=2020-06-24}} The landing site was expected to be about {{cvt|2.3|km}} away from the launchpad but landed closer to shore then expected. The slight underperformances were linked to a fuel mixture ratio issue was detected after the flight in one of the eight SuperDraco engines, but did not materially affect the flight.{{cite web|title=SpaceX Crew Dragon pad abort: Test flight demos launch escape system|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-050615a-spacex-dragon-pad-abort.html|publisher=CollectSpace.com|date=6 May 2015|access-date=14 May 2015}}
The C201 capsule, dubbed DragonFly was originally planned to be used for the in-flight abort test expected to fly after this mission. However, SpaceX and NASA decided later to use the capsule used for Demo-1 for the in-flight abort test as there were design changes after construction of DragonFly. However, as that capsule was destroyed SpaceX used the one planned to be used for Demo-2.{{cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2020/01/spacex-crew-dragon-in-flight-abort-test/|title=SpaceX conducts successful Crew Dragon In-Flight Abort Test|last1=Atkinson|first1=Ian|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|date=17 January 2020|access-date=5 July 2020}}
Gallery
{{Gallery|Dragon Pad Abort Test.jpg|Liftoff|Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test (17436749351).jpg|Trunk separation|Crew Dragon Pad Abort Test (17435146682).jpg|Descent|title=Pad Abort Test|align=center|footer=|style=text-align:center;|mode=packed|alt1=|alt2=|alt3=|alt4=|alt5=|alt6=|alt7=}}
See also
{{Portal|Spaceflight}}