CRS-3 / SpX-3 Falcon version(?).

[kevin-rf]

Since, I kinda threw the CRS-1/SpX-1 thread a little off topic with a question.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=29131.msg922461#msg922461

Do we know for sure that CRS-3 will be a Falcon v1.1 and not a v1.0?

I just feel I have not seen anything that says CRS-3 will definitely be on a v1.1 Falcon. Anyone have any quotes or sources that will answer this one way or another.

[Space Pete]

CRS-3 will include the first external ISS payloads to fly on Dragon - NOFBX (Nitrous Oxide Fuel Blend eXperiment), HDEV (High Definition Earth Viewing), and OPALS (Optical PAyload for Lasercomm Science).

So I wonder how the Principal Investigators of these payloads feel about the increased risk posed by F9v1.1?

[Jason1701]

All indications are that CRS-2 (F9 005) will be the final v1.0. When CSR-3 flies, 1.1 will already have been flown on the MDA flight, diminishing the risk. I don't think it matters how the PIs feel; SpaceX is allowed to use whatever launch vehicle they want.

[joek]

I just feel I have not seen anything that says CRS-3 will definitely be on a v1.1 Falcon. Anyone have any quotes or sources that will answer this one way or another.

As close as I've seen to definitive, from Q&A with SpaceX founder and chief designer Elon Musk, Spacefilght Now, May 18 2012:

Musk: The next version of Falcon 9 will be used for everything. The last flight of version 1.0 will be Flight 5. All future missions after Flight 5 will be v1.1. We've got this mission, which is Flight 3. And we've two CRS [Commercial Resupply Services] missions, Flight 4 and Flight 5, which will fly Version 1.0. Then all future missions, CRS or otherwise, will fly Version 1.1.

[Raul]

At Post C2+ Splashdown Briefing - May 31, Musk said
..first small technologic upgrade of Dragon no.6 (SpX-4). Next big upgrade of Dragon v2 (reusable, with motoric landing by SuperDracos).
http://www.space-multimedia.nl.eu.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7628

I don't see other reasons for upgrade of Dragon 6, then by reason of using him together with F9v11. I mean upgrades like enhanced storage of fuel in Dragon capsule, extended trunk, etc. Let's say Dragon v1.1.
There is possible that Dragon 6 will be first on F9v11 because of that, but in parallel it doesn't mean that Dragon 5 (Spx-3) can't already fly on F9v11 still in non-upgraded version in terms of progressive changes.

So my estimated scenario:
SpX-2 - F9 flight 5 - Last F9 v1.0
MDA Cassiope - F9f6 - First F9 v1.1
SpX-3 - F9 flight 7 - First using F9v11 for light version of Dragon
SpX-4 - F9 flight 8 - First upgraded Dragon(v1.1) for utilize full F9v11 capacity

[ugordan]

This presentation from Feb 2012 also confirms SpX-3 and onward will be F9 v1.1.
www.aiaa.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=7544

Chart on slide 3 says "Hardware schedule in work for Falcon 9 version 1.1"