SpaceX's New Crew Access Arm Prepares for Private Astronaut Mission
SpaceX has installed a new Crew Access Arm on the recently built Crew Launch Tower at Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida, providing additional infrastructure to support its increasing launch cadence. The new tower aims to alleviate pressure on Launch Complex 39A, the only active launch pad in the US for crewed missions. Despite being under construction, SLC 40 remains the world's busiest launch site, with 46 launches from this pad alone this year. The upcoming launch schedule for LC-39A is busy, prompting SpaceX to potentially use SLC-40 for the Axiom 3 mission, which would mark the first crewed launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in over 50 years. These developments are crucial for SpaceX to achieve its target of over 100 launches in 2024.