Nice article.My understanding of these additional parachute tests, added in August last year for $20 million, is that the drogues are effectively fired out of the capsule, not merely "released". Probably in order to be effective even in the tumbling case set up here.
The pad abort test article Dragon is already being processed at SpaceX’s Californian base, ahead of its short flight in the latter half of this year.
Quote from: Joffan on 01/17/2014 11:25 pmMy understanding of these additional parachute tests, added in August last year for $20 million, is that the drogues are effectively fired out of the capsule, not merely "released". Probably in order to be effective even in the tumbling case set up here.That's my understanding as well. Do we know the mechanism of this "firing"? We know they don't like pyro.
My understanding of these additional parachute tests, added in August last year for $20 million, is that the drogues are effectively fired out of the capsule, not merely "released". Probably in order to be effective even in the tumbling case set up here.
Quote from: rcoppola on 01/17/2014 11:37 pmQuote from: Joffan on 01/17/2014 11:25 pmMy understanding of these additional parachute tests, added in August last year for $20 million, is that the drogues are effectively fired out of the capsule, not merely "released". Probably in order to be effective even in the tumbling case set up here.That's my understanding as well. Do we know the mechanism of this "firing"? We know they don't like pyro.Presumably there is an active mechanism, as the milestone mentions "mortar firing" tests, including a "flight-intent gas generator" (two preceding this drop test).
Thanks again Chris (that was fast!), and congrats to SpaceX. In the article you state:QuoteThe pad abort test article Dragon is already being processed at SpaceX’s Californian base, ahead of its short flight in the latter half of this year.So we shouldn't expect to see the pad abort test before July?p.s. Also glad to see SpaceX is back to the expected 15 milestones, instead of the 17 shown in the last NASA CCP progress report.
Just wondering about the article... what is the subject of the third photograph? It looks like a mountain or boulder.
Does anyone have any guesses as to what the protuberances are?
Emulating an asymmetrical SuperDraco firing?