Author Topic: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight  (Read 78980 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/05/snc-captive-carry-test-dream-chaser-take-flight/

Great work by Lee Jay to get photos and videos of this test (L2). Used some in the article.
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Offline Lars_J

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #1 on: 05/29/2012 09:18 pm »
Thanks for the article - but a Q: Was this a full size Dream Chaser or a sub-scale one?
(The article did not specify - or I missed it)

Offline Jason1701

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #2 on: 05/29/2012 09:20 pm »
Pictures looked totally full scale.

Chris, you might want to write that ETA means Engineering Test Article. ;)
« Last Edit: 05/29/2012 09:24 pm by Jason1701 »

Offline Downix

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #3 on: 05/29/2012 09:21 pm »
Thanks for the article - but a Q: Was this a full size Dream Chaser or a sub-scale one?
(The article did not specify - or I missed it)
Based on the images, if its sub-scale, the finished one could not be lifted by Atlas, so I'd call this full-size.
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Offline Chris Bergin

Thanks for the article - but a Q: Was this a full size Dream Chaser or a sub-scale one?
(The article did not specify - or I missed it)

Full size, but without engines. I'll add that into the article! :)
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Offline jimvela

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #5 on: 05/29/2012 09:26 pm »
Wow!  I wish I'd have known, I'd have tried to arrange a chance to shoot pictures.

Is the date of the drop test @ Edwards known?

Offline Chris Bergin

Wow!  I wish I'd have known, I'd have tried to arrange a chance to shoot pictures.

Is the date of the drop test @ Edwards known?

Not known yet, but SNC have offered Lee Jay a tour and interview tomorrow! So more articles to come! :)
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Offline neilh

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #7 on: 05/29/2012 09:35 pm »
Sweet! Looking forward to the drop test.
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Offline Lee Jay

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #8 on: 05/29/2012 09:40 pm »
Wow!  I wish I'd have known, I'd have tried to arrange a chance to shoot pictures.

Is the date of the drop test @ Edwards known?

Not known yet, but SNC have offered Lee Jay a tour and interview tomorrow! So more articles to come! :)

The day after tomorrow, actually.

Offline Dappa

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #9 on: 05/29/2012 09:49 pm »
Nice scoop! Good article, great pictures! (especially on L2)

But I'm wondering, the article says that a drop test from a plane is to be carried out under CCDev-2. If that's the case, why would SNC do a captive carry test with a helicopter?

Is it possible that a high altitude drop test from a (White Knight 2 like) airplane is not planned until later (CCDev-3?), and CCDev-2 is only going to see a drop test from the SkyCrane?

Offline JBF

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #10 on: 05/29/2012 09:53 pm »
What is the purpose behind a captive test? Unless it's just to make sure the hookups work before the drop test....
« Last Edit: 05/29/2012 10:09 pm by JBF »
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Offline simonbp

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #11 on: 05/29/2012 09:57 pm »
Partially, as well as verifying that the payload puts no crazy loads on the carrier aircraft and as a practice of procedures. If you look through the history of air-launched experimental aircraft (e.g. X-1, X-15, Enterprise, SS1), it's pretty common to have several captive carries before the first release.

Offline mr. mark

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #12 on: 05/29/2012 09:58 pm »
Not sure if this is just a full scale model or an actual spacecraft?

Offline Jorge

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #13 on: 05/29/2012 10:00 pm »
Not sure if this is just a full scale model or an actual spacecraft?

Full scale engineering test article.
JRF

Offline Jorge

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #14 on: 05/29/2012 10:01 pm »
What is the purpose behind a captive test? Unless it's just to bake sure the hookups work before the drop test....

Verify the dynamics of the config before the drop test.
JRF

Offline Chris Bergin

There's a video of the lift (as opposed to the flight), via hobbyspace.com



The kid in the video is exactly what I'd sound like if I was there ;D
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Offline Rocket Science

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #16 on: 05/29/2012 10:15 pm »
Nice touch with the NASA meatball. ;)
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Offline mmeijeri

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #17 on: 05/29/2012 10:15 pm »
The kid in the video is exactly what I'd sound like if I was there ;D

A wocket ship, do you find that ... wisible .. Mr Shelby? ;)

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Offline Lee Jay

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #18 on: 05/29/2012 11:47 pm »
What is the purpose behind a captive test? Unless it's just to bake sure the hookups work before the drop test....

Verify the dynamics of the config before the drop test.

If the drop test is from White Knight II, isn't the attachment and therefore the dynamics very different than the dynamics in this case?

Offline simonbp

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Re: SNC Captive Carry test sees Dream Chaser take flight
« Reply #19 on: 05/29/2012 11:51 pm »
IIRC, the plan was to do low-altitude drops from the Sky Crane first, and then move on to higher altitude/speed drops from WK2.

Dropping from the Sky Crane is presumably lower cost, both from a rental and insurance point of view...
« Last Edit: 05/29/2012 11:52 pm by simonbp »

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