Author Topic: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)  (Read 772850 times)

Online Chris Bergin

SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« on: 08/29/2011 10:27 pm »
UPDATE thread for SpaceX's Falcon 9 (Flight 3) - COTS-2 Demo.
Previous thread (1000 posts, 150,000 reads):
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=23538.0


Links:
SpaceX Forum Section:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?board=45.0 - please use this for general questions, non updates.

SpaceX News Articles from 2006 (Including numerous exclusive Elon interviews):
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=21862.0


SpaceX News Articles (Recent):
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/tag/spacex/


Recent COTS2/3 Specific articles:

NASA managers aligning to combine final Dragon COTS test missions:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/05/nasa-aligning-combine-final-dragon-cots-missions/

ISS managers evaluating SpaceX via safety reviews ahead of debut arrival:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/08/iss-managers-spacex-test-safety-reviews-ahead-debut-arrival/

ISS Managers Conduct Expedition 29 FRR, Prepare Station for Post-Shuttle Ops - by Pete Harding:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/08/iss-managers-expedition-29-frr-prepare-station-post-shuttle-operations/


L2 SpaceX Section (now building nicely as we head into NASA's COTS/CRS - Includes COTS-2 Presentations from a NASA Review):
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=tags&tags=SpaceX


This is IMPORTANT and a RULE: This thread needs to remain on specific comments to the thread title - SpaceX COTS 2/3. Derailing is not allowed, we have numerous threads for all required debates, and splinter threads can be created if needed. Be civil at all times.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline Prober

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10348
  • Save the spin....I'm keeping you honest!
  • Nevada
  • Liked: 721
  • Likes Given: 729
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #1 on: 08/30/2011 11:07 pm »
Anyway SpaceX can bump up the launch of the Cots 2 to say end of Sept.?
 
If you wait for a Combo demo in Nov. it just might get cancelled out.
2017 - Everything Old is New Again.
"I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant..." --Isoroku Yamamoto

Offline spacetraveler

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 687
  • Atlanta, GA
  • Liked: 165
  • Likes Given: 26
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #2 on: 08/31/2011 04:03 am »
Anyway SpaceX can bump up the launch of the Cots 2 to say end of Sept.?
 
If you wait for a Combo demo in Nov. it just might get cancelled out.

When has SpaceX ever bumped "up" a launch?

Not going to happen.

Offline corrodedNut

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1542
  • Liked: 216
  • Likes Given: 133
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #3 on: 08/31/2011 12:04 pm »
http://yfrog.com/j295tvj

"Good simulation today.With mission control Houston+Dragon control at SpaceX in California.Demate+Release"

Offline Lars_J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6160
  • California
  • Liked: 677
  • Likes Given: 195
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #4 on: 08/31/2011 01:40 pm »
http://yfrog.com/j295tvj

"Good simulation today.With mission control Houston+Dragon control at SpaceX in California.Demate+Release"

Who's twitter feed was that from?
EDIT: It is from ESA astronaut André Kuipers, training for ISS expedition 30/31: http://twitter.com/#!/astro_andre

Anyway, I'm attaching the full picture. I was trying to figure out if the grapple fixture was still under the hatch, or it had been relocated. But it is hard to tell from this image.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 01:49 pm by Lars_J »

Online Chris Bergin

Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #5 on: 08/31/2011 03:08 pm »
No L2 hinting is allowed in the public threads. Any news of interest will be made into news.

It only sends a couple of SpaceX people here in a tizzy (I know who they are), as much as their PAO are now over four months late in getting my questions answered (after agreeing to take them - and could be answered by PAO themselves). I know we're not the only large space site to have this issue.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Online Comga

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6466
  • Liked: 4572
  • Likes Given: 5136
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #6 on: 08/31/2011 03:54 pm »
I was trying to figure out if the grapple fixture was still under the hatch, or it had been relocated. But it is hard to tell from this image.

From the display on the left it looks to still be under the hatch.
My question is whether it is still on the hinged door, or fixed behind the door.  The idea of transmitting the torques through the hinge still seems line an unneccesary complication.

(Is this "hinting"?  I don't understand Chris' admonition.)
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Online Chris Bergin

Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #7 on: 08/31/2011 04:46 pm »
No, I removed the hinting posts.
Support NSF via L2 -- Help improve NSF -- Site Rules/Feedback/Updates
**Not a L2 member? Whitelist this forum in your adblocker to support the site and ensure full functionality.**

Offline beb

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 271
  • Liked: 12
  • Likes Given: 8
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #8 on: 08/31/2011 04:51 pm »
No L2 hinting is allowed in the public threads. Any news of interest will be made into news.

It only sends a couple of SpaceX people here in a tizzy (I know who they are), as much as their PAO are now over four months late in getting my questions answered (after agreeing to take them - and could be answered by PAO themselves). I know we're not the only large space site to have this issue.
Even though my earlier post has been expunged I feel it served its purpose. "L2 hinting" means claiming to know something that other people don't know because they read it on L2.

I haven't actually seen an answer to this but can SpaceX go ahead with the COTS3 part of the mission if the ISS is unmanned? o they need a crew on board to demonstrate berthing or can it be handled ground-side?

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #9 on: 08/31/2011 04:52 pm »
I haven't actually seen an answer to this but can SpaceX go ahead with the COTS3 part of the mission if the ISS is unmanned? o they need a crew on board to demonstrate berthing or can it be handled ground-side?

They can't even go ahead with the COTS 2 part of the mission as I understood it. The CUCU unit needs to be checked out.

Basically, no crew - no launch.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 04:52 pm by ugordan »

Offline go4mars

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3748
  • Earth
  • Liked: 158
  • Likes Given: 3463
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #10 on: 08/31/2011 05:00 pm »
can SpaceX go ahead with the COTS3 part of the mission if the ISS is unmanned?

Basically, no crew - no launch.
How would this affect the flow of money?  Is there a contingency for this? 
Could a dockable crew dragon be sent in 2-3 years? 


Also, another hypothetical question; if the ISS is abandoned or irreparably damaged (be it Carrington event or otherwise), is there a clause somewhere in the COTS contract describing what happens?
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 05:02 pm by go4mars »
Elasmotherium; hurlyburly Doggerlandic Jentilak steeds insouciantly gallop in viridescent taiga, eluding deluginal Burckle's abyssal excavation.

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #11 on: 08/31/2011 05:04 pm »
Basically, no crew - no launch.

How would this affect the flow of money?  Is there a contingency for this?

Flow of money? When they complete the milestones, they get the money.

Contingency? After all the delays they had, this potential episode with Soyuz is just a drop in the bucket.

Offline corrodedNut

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1542
  • Liked: 216
  • Likes Given: 133
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #12 on: 08/31/2011 05:29 pm »
Another update, from the ISS side:

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/580728main_5%20-%20Suffredini%20NAC%20August%202%202011_508.pdf

What is "SpX-1"? Same as CRS-1 and/or Flight4?
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 05:32 pm by corrodedNut »

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #13 on: 08/31/2011 05:33 pm »
What is "SpX-1"? Same as CRS-1?

I believe so.

Offline Lars_J

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6160
  • California
  • Liked: 677
  • Likes Given: 195
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #14 on: 08/31/2011 05:42 pm »
From that PDF it seems like Dragon radiators are wrapped around the outside of the trunk. Still no confirmation of the location of the grapple fixture :)

Offline go4mars

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3748
  • Earth
  • Liked: 158
  • Likes Given: 3463
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #15 on: 08/31/2011 05:52 pm »
Flow of money? When they complete the milestones, they get the money.

So if ISS is abandoned or destroyed, SpaceX will be uncompensated for their investment?  I'm not judging, just curious.  In fact, I prefer financial risk to be on the private sector as a general principal.  But would be a little surprised if there weren't some type of "clause" in the contract for such a scenario.

Contingency? After all the delays they had, this potential episode with Soyuz is just a drop in the bucket.

Which delays are you referring to?  ISS construction?  ISS science program?  Orbital and SpaceX in implementing COTS?  Shuttle decommissioning?  The Russian investigators? 
Evacuating the ISS would be a pretty big "drop" in the bucket imo.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 05:53 pm by go4mars »
Elasmotherium; hurlyburly Doggerlandic Jentilak steeds insouciantly gallop in viridescent taiga, eluding deluginal Burckle's abyssal excavation.

Offline ugordan

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8520
    • My mainly Cassini image gallery
  • Liked: 3543
  • Likes Given: 759
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #16 on: 08/31/2011 05:54 pm »
Which delays are you referring to?  ISS construction?  ISS science program?  Orbital and SpaceX in implementing COTS?

This. Mostly SpaceX, OSC started late and their delays weren't as big as SpaceX'. Yet, anyway.

Evacuating the ISS would be a pretty big "drop" in the bucket imo.

Drop in the bucket schedule-wise. I thought that wasn't ambiguous.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 05:56 pm by ugordan »

Offline corrodedNut

  • Full Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1542
  • Liked: 216
  • Likes Given: 133
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #17 on: 08/31/2011 05:59 pm »
From that PDF it seems like Dragon radiators are wrapped around the outside of the trunk. Still no confirmation of the location of the grapple fixture :)

If you're talking about page 11, those Dragon diagrams are clearly out of date, jugding by the "Dragon Claw". However, I haven't seen or read anything to indicate that the radiator design has changed from how it is depicted here.

Looks like "Dragon to F9 Mate" is in about 3 weeks, assuming everything is on schedule.

"Final integration for T[hermal]Vactest scheduled to complete beginning of August...T[hermal]Vactesting is schedule to start mid August".

Thermal Vac tests should be done by now, does anyone know if this has happened, and where?

Offline arnezami

  • Full Member
  • **
  • Posts: 285
  • Liked: 267
  • Likes Given: 378
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #18 on: 08/31/2011 06:04 pm »
From the pdf (SpaceX Demo ISS Integration Status : Safety)

Quote
Upcoming:
• Phase III scheduled in August.
• All Phase III Hazard Reports should be approved by late Sept.
Boeing Integrated Hazard Report approval scheduled in October.

Boeing? Anybody know what's that about?

Offline Nomadd

  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8840
  • Lower 48
  • Liked: 60431
  • Likes Given: 1305
Re: SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)
« Reply #19 on: 08/31/2011 06:05 pm »
 They probably don't want to use CRS because that would apply to both Spacex and Orbital. And if one of them slipped or they added or deleted a mission the numbers could start getting messy. Easier to have separate codes for the two companies.
« Last Edit: 08/31/2011 06:06 pm by Nomadd »
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
0