Check the Space X web site for videos of their Dragon flights recently and you will see the parachute lines snap out of that holding area on the side of the capsule. Nifty.
Quote from: edfishel on 01/08/2012 08:56 pmCheck the Space X web site for videos of their Dragon flights recently and you will see the parachute lines snap out of that holding area on the side of the capsule. Nifty.It's really a clever design!
No more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.
Quote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 01:42 amNo more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.No more clever, but a very clever adaptation. This fascinating illustration has the parachute up front and the bidle in back. Because of the docking adapter up front, Dragon has no room there for the parachutes or drogue chutes. SpaceX mirrored the Gemini system to put the chutes where they had volume, in back, and reversed the bridal run to the anchors forward so that the capsule hangs appropriately. Possibly no more clever, and not new, but clever enough. SpaceX may have started with a blank sheet, but not an empty bookshelf.
SpaceX may have started with a blank sheet, but not an empty bookshelf.
As most technical solutions out there, something is always based on something else ;-) but I like the general idea of this heavy integrated capsule to put as much as possible in the lower section of dragon. But if they integrate more and more there (LAS) I have my questions if they have enough space or if they need to enhance this section. Question will be, if they already had LAS an other elements in mind at the drawing phase of dragon or not. If you look at the early animations of dragon, you see the LAS as a standard tractor tower and not integrated.
Quote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 01:42 amNo more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.Of course, that was a hold-over from the original Gemini recovery system...
Quote from: simonbp on 01/09/2012 07:51 pmQuote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 01:42 amNo more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.Of course, that was a hold-over from the original Gemini recovery system...Correct. But the vestigial bridle arrangement for Gemini's paraglider reorientation meant that under a round parachute the airbag method of landing shock mitigation required for Mercury could be eliminated. Gemini would impact the water at its edge rather than flat on. Apollo had to do the same thing to reduce impact loads, and as far as I know, so does Dragon.
Quote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 09:08 pmQuote from: simonbp on 01/09/2012 07:51 pmQuote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 01:42 amNo more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.Of course, that was a hold-over from the original Gemini recovery system...Correct. But the vestigial bridle arrangement for Gemini's paraglider reorientation meant that under a round parachute the airbag method of landing shock mitigation required for Mercury could be eliminated. Gemini would impact the water at its edge rather than flat on. Apollo had to do the same thing to reduce impact loads, and as far as I know, so does Dragon.And I believe so does Orion?
Quote from: Robotbeat on 01/09/2012 09:12 pmQuote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 09:08 pmQuote from: simonbp on 01/09/2012 07:51 pmQuote from: HMXHMX on 01/09/2012 01:42 amNo more clever than the McDonnell-Douglas Gemini bridle arrangement.Of course, that was a hold-over from the original Gemini recovery system...Correct. But the vestigial bridle arrangement for Gemini's paraglider reorientation meant that under a round parachute the airbag method of landing shock mitigation required for Mercury could be eliminated. Gemini would impact the water at its edge rather than flat on. Apollo had to do the same thing to reduce impact loads, and as far as I know, so does Dragon.And I believe so does Orion?I'n not following Orion, but I believe so.