Author Topic: SpaceX / NASA Collaboration - Red Dragon - Goddard Teleconference.  (Read 42635 times)

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
« Last Edit: 09/21/2016 06:56 pm by Chris Bergin »

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Conference starts at 2pm CST..lots of people joining the call currently.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Dan Lester / Phil McAlister are the speakers for todays call. -

For more on the NASA manager:
https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/?s=Mcalister

Very high call turnout... lots of people still joining.
« Last Edit: 09/21/2016 07:27 pm by Chris Bergin »

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Starting now...

Harley Thronson - Giving an initial greeting to the call.

Slides will be on the University of Texas website (FISO) after the fact.

Handing over to Phil..

Is there a way to listen in?

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Phil starting to speak about the expanded level of collaboration with SpaceX, this will go into more detail on NASA's role will be in the mission. Does have some detail on the Red Dragon mission.

NASA is a "consultant to SpaceX" .. Has limited design input (which is good)

I don't have access to the slides currently..


Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270

Offline Chris Bergin

Is there a way to listen in?

They record it and will upload the slides at a latter day, per their usual route. One reporter noted he couldn't get in, so perhaps limited space. Well done to ML if so.
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 rdale

  • Assistant to the Chief Meteorologist
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10390
  • Lansing MI
  • Liked: 1415
  • Likes Given: 171
Is there a way to listen in?

Only if invited, the telecon is not public until the archive is posted later.

http://spirit.as.utexas.edu/~fiso/archivelist.htm

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Companies really benefitting from the collaboration with NASA on various projects.. Mutually beneficial.

Increases the likelihood NASA will have access to the capabilities in the future (unfunded agreements)

Q - Does NASA expect to do this type of unfunded project again
A - There is an on ramp to this type of project, possibility to do again but no set plans.

20 bids were submitted, down selected to 4.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Mostly labor costs, NASA funded that via left over funds from COTS.

$2-3 million left over, appropriated for partnerships.

Chose SpaceX, (SpaceX has Mars aspirations!)

When SpaceX submitted proposal, generic, no fixed plans at time of submission, basic architecture plan only.

SpaceX, Orbital ATK, Frontier (Space suits), ULA - Vulcan LV, currently focused on ACES upper stage.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
In late 2015, SpaceX submitted the Red Dragon mission, - Could really benefit from an expanded NASA collaboration, SpaceX approached NASA for expanded collaboration (more than the 2-3 million available)

NASA created a feasibility study, cost estimates and top level mission feasibility.

Goal was Mars technology and systems.

Additional funding was identified, modified agreement to facilitate the collaboration.

SpaceX responsible for RD through flight and post flight.

6 areas,

Deep space comms, mars relay support

Mars trajectory.

EDL

Flight systems technical review.

Planetary protection.

(missed the other one)

SpaceX interested in POTENTIALLY delivering ISRU tech, Working with NASA.

Payload not set, allowing other people to submit requests.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
NASA will get MOST of SpaceX EDL data - Cannot get via any other means. Is what NASA gets from the mission.

Space Tech Mission Directorate - JPL, JSC and other centers - Leading tech demonstrator design and EDL.

JPL helping with Planetary Protection.

SpaceX funded mission - NASA providing on call support an limited full time, mostly civil servant.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
NASA's participation - Highly desired, not mission critical, higher probability of success with support. DSN a big help, something SpaceX could have done alone.

First mission opportunity 2018, missions every 26 months. Plan to be increasingly independent of NASA, eventually phasing out completely.

RD Mission architecture.

F9 Heavy, (first flight) 1st Q next year - Red Dragon will launch from Cape Canaveral - FAA license.

Nose cone jettisoned, Mars transfer orbit - 180 days to cruise - jettison trunk - EDL - Hopefully landing on Mars.

Huge success even if they *just* land on Mars. - Couple of days of data on Mars surface would be excellent.

« Last Edit: 09/21/2016 08:22 pm by Marslauncher »

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Mars is hard, need both Govt and Private Sector to get there.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Tech needed -

Large mass payloads - 20/30 tonnes landed.

Dragon would be smaller than desired but larger than anything else.

Heavy mass - 130 Tonnes optimal.

Fast return to Earth. (Re-entry speed)

---

Feasibility study - What are the benefits for NASA..

Offline Chris Bergin



Heavy mass - 130 Tonnes optimal.



That's the hat tip to the political requirement for SLS Block 2. A lot believe Block 1B, EUS and Advanced Booster could be the workhorse, but nope - they still want this Block 2 for those extra 10 or so mTs.

Sorry, just saying ;)
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 Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Not a side thing, Mission functional for NASA.

Offers critical data on supersonic retro propulsion at least 10 years prior than NASA could get it, no NASA missions even on the books.

Q - What challenges have they faced so far with ITAR restrictions on international collaboration
A - Agreement has several pages on IP, Govt rights - Science data will be disseminated to academic community.


Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Q - Planetary Protection --

A - Approval for mission is immature so far, not necessarily NASA's role, is the US Govt, NASA will have input, providing advice to SpaceX to sterilize spacecraft. - Area still in development - FAA will have a role, State Dept and NASA.

Offline Marslauncher

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 327
  • Liked: 809
  • Likes Given: 270
Gail Allen - working with PP officer, participating as one of the partners, SpaceX has agreed to comply with NASA's guidelines / requirements.

Tags:
 

Advertisement NovaTech
Advertisement Northrop Grumman
Advertisement
Advertisement Margaritaville Beach Resort South Padre Island
Advertisement Brady Kenniston
Advertisement NextSpaceflight
Advertisement Nathan Barker Photography
1