“We’re assured that we perceive the difficulty and might nonetheless fly the entire mission safely.”Cracked DragonOver the weekend, three NASA astronauts and a Roscosmos cosmonaut launched on board a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Florida to the Worldwide Area Station, the eighth crew rotation mission involving the spacecraft.That is regardless of floor management recognizing a small crack forming on the seal of the Crew Dragon’s hatch throughout countdown, a scary discovery that highlights how a lot this explicit capsule has already been via.The spacecraft, dubbed Endeavour, flew to area for the fifth time on Sunday, having already spent a complete of 466 days in orbit, longer than every other astronaut shuttle ever, as Ars Technica studies.Happily, SpaceX’s mission management had a more in-depth have a look at the crack and decided there was no imminent hazard.”We’re assured that we perceive the difficulty and might nonetheless fly the entire mission safely,” a member of the mission management workforce advised the already boarded and patiently ready crew members.Subsequent Cease SpaceAfter efficiently launching into orbit, courtesy of a lift from a brand-new Falcon 9 rocket, the workforce safely docked with the station early Tuesday morning.As soon as Endeavour splashes down in August, bookending its fifth mission, the spacecraft may have met its life restrict.”Proper now, we’re licensed for 5 flights on Dragon, and we’re extending that life out,” NASA’s business crew program supervisor Steve Stich advised reporters. “I believe the aim can be for SpaceX to say 15 flights of Dragon. We might not get there in each single system.”Nonetheless, some particular person elements of the Crew Dragon capsule are already accepted for 15 flights, whereas others need to be re-qualified, in keeping with Sitch.It is unlikely Endeavour’s small crack would be the final anomaly to be noticed by floor management. NASA has purchased 14 operational Crew Dragon flights from the Elon Musk-led firm, per Ars.Someday subsequent week, a unique Crew Dragon capsule dubbed Endurance will return 4 crew members, finishing its third mission into area.Cracks or not, SpaceX has already confirmed the longevity of its astronaut transportation car with aplomb — which may’t be stated of fellow Industrial Crew contractor Boeing’s Starliner, a shuttle that has been in improvement hell for a few years now.Extra on Crew Dragon: Boeing Is Getting Completely Destroyed by SpaceX