Author Topic: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon  (Read 46433 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/01/spacex-test-parachute-system-commercial-crew-dragon/

Used the materials added below and expanded on LAS and other things. The ascent abort is going to be very interesting, including visually, but I didn't want to run that out of L2 until SpaceX respond, so that'll be another article.

NASA Release and photos.
http://www.nasa.gov/content/nasa-commercial-crew-partner-spacex-tests-dragon-parachute-system/

NASA Video:


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Offline Joffan

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.
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Offline rcoppola

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #2 on: 01/17/2014 11:37 pm »
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.
That's my understanding as well. Do we know the mechanism of this "firing"? We know they don't like pyro.
« Last Edit: 01/17/2014 11:37 pm by rcoppola »
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Offline joek

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #3 on: 01/17/2014 11:43 pm »
Thanks again Chris (that was fast!), and congrats to SpaceX.  In the article you state:
Quote
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.
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.
« Last Edit: 01/17/2014 11:47 pm by joek »

Offline joek

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #4 on: 01/17/2014 11:51 pm »
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.
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).

Offline rcoppola

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #5 on: 01/17/2014 11:56 pm »
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.
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).
So a type of pressurized gas canister? (Meaning not a chemical destructive charge)
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Offline Chris Bergin

Thanks again Chris (that was fast!), and congrats to SpaceX.  In the article you state:
Quote
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.
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.

Thanks! (Would have been faster, but had 50 things to do at the same time ;D)

Pad abort is Q3/Q4 I was told. Will ask to update (per the second article I'll be doing).
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Offline Thorny

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #7 on: 01/18/2014 12:29 am »
Just wondering about the article... what is the subject of the third photograph? It looks like a mountain or boulder.

Offline manboy

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #8 on: 01/18/2014 12:33 am »
Just wondering about the article... what is the subject of the third photograph? It looks like a mountain or boulder.
Dragon test article being carried by a helicopter.
« Last Edit: 01/18/2014 12:35 am by manboy »
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Offline dragon44

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #9 on: 01/18/2014 02:58 am »
The Dragon drogue chutes have always been mortar deployed.

http://www.airborne-sys.com/pages/view/spacex-dragon-capsule and
http://www.airborne-sys.com/pages/view/airborne-systems-technology-brings-space-x-spacecraft-to-saf

I think the SpaceX preference against pyro doesn't mean 100% exclusion of pyro devices.

For instance, read the description of this SpaceX YouTube video:

Offline darkenfast

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #10 on: 01/18/2014 06:35 am »
Just wondering about the article... what is the subject of the third photograph? It looks like a mountain or boulder.

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Offline meekGee

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #11 on: 01/18/2014 06:40 am »
A question for the veterans on this thread - has anyone seen a parachute test with induced tumble like this before?
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Online docmordrid

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #12 on: 01/18/2014 07:29 am »
Emulating an asymmetrical SuperDraco firing?
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Offline mlindner

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #13 on: 01/18/2014 08:25 am »
A few interesting screenshots from the video.

First image shows the fiery red from just after the drogue mortar fires, so they're apparently using pyros rather than compressed gas. Second shows just after parachute ejection and that the mortars and drogues were above the line where the nosecap meets the spacecraft.

Also, was there any new information in the NSF article that wasn't in the NASA press release?
« Last Edit: 01/18/2014 08:31 am by mlindner »
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Offline cambrianera

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #14 on: 01/18/2014 09:40 am »
Does anyone have any guesses as to what the protuberances are?


They could be fairings for high speed cameras, to follow the deployment of lines and early deployment of parachutes (maybe unzip of protection).
Close up on one of mlinder screenshots above seems to show some hole for the lenses.
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Offline douglas100

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #15 on: 01/18/2014 10:22 am »
Emulating an asymmetrical SuperDraco firing?

Or maybe emulating the tumbling you would get after an abort?
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Offline cambrianera

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #16 on: 01/18/2014 10:26 am »
Another view of the bottom protuberance (green oval) and one for the drogue chute (red oval).
Likely high speed cameras.
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Offline mrmandias

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #17 on: 01/18/2014 01:59 pm »
Great article.

Offline Roy_H

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #18 on: 01/18/2014 02:14 pm »
8000ft, How high does the pad abort take the Dragon? I would think it would be a lot less than 8000ft, so I don't understand the validity of this test.
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Offline Ben the Space Brit

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Re: SpaceX test parachute system for Commercial Crew Dragon
« Reply #19 on: 01/18/2014 02:18 pm »
I think that image of Dragon descending under its parachutes must have brought back a lot of good memories to the Apollo guys.
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