Author Topic: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2  (Read 771916 times)

Offline SWGlassPit

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1340 on: 06/28/2018 04:37 pm »
can someone point me in the direction on how the main parachute restrictors work. It doesn't seem passive to me because the same force on the chutes are applied for a time until they release and let them open more. Is it a timed release?

It's almost undoubtedly how pretty much all parachute disreefing has been done -- pyro-based guillotine cutters (like this company makes) based on altitude/airspeed criteria.

Offline deruch

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1341 on: 06/29/2018 03:40 pm »
Quote
spacex Another view of SpaceX’s 16th Crew Dragon parachute test recently completed at Naval Air Facility El Centro in Southern California

https://instagram.com/p/BkgA3f8lPgo/

Are there 2 different types of main parachute being tested here?  3 of the mains are red&white on the dome part and white on the sidewalls.  The fourth is red&white throughout.  Is that oddball coloring indicating some actual difference?
Shouldn't reality posts be in "Advanced concepts"?  --Nomadd

Offline SWGlassPit

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1342 on: 06/29/2018 05:29 pm »
I'm about 99% certain it's just so you can tell them apart.  There doesn't appear to be any functional difference.

Offline 1

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1343 on: 06/29/2018 05:45 pm »
Yeah, I think that's just a "chute 1" designator, so to speak. And it's not just dragon. They had a similar color scheme on the Orion tests.

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1344 on: 07/09/2018 12:48 pm »
Quote
Kavandi: SpaceX just wrapped up thermal vacuum testing [of Crew Dragon] at Plum Brook. #AIAAPropEnergy

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1016302142062321665

Edit to add context:

Quote
The AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum is starting at 8 am EDT with a keynote by NASA Glenn director Janet Kavandi. That’ll be webcast along with some other sessions, such as one later this morning on SLS and Orion:

https://twitter.com/jeff_foust/status/1016288877034790912
« Last Edit: 07/09/2018 12:51 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1345 on: 07/09/2018 02:06 pm »
And now... to the Cape!!

Back in June SpaceX said:
"Crew Dragon is at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station testing facility in Ohio, home to the largest thermal vacuum chamber in the world, to demonstrate its capability to withstand the extreme temperatures and vacuum of space. Once complete, Crew Dragon will travel to Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its first flight."

https://www.instagram.com/p/BkQ8w0mFoxa/

Looks like their hardware at least is on track for a September launch.
Note that Elon has been guiding for Crew Dragon's shipment to the cape in late July since May 2nd, so they may even be slightly ahead of schedule  ;)
« Last Edit: 07/09/2018 02:07 pm by AbuSimbel »
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Offline russianhalo117

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1346 on: 07/09/2018 06:44 pm »
Yeah, I think that's just a "chute 1" designator, so to speak. And it's not just dragon. They had a similar color scheme on the Orion tests.
each chute has its own designating pattern.

Offline yg1968

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« Last Edit: 07/10/2018 03:57 am by yg1968 »

Offline IntoTheVoid

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1348 on: 07/10/2018 10:52 pm »
It has left Ohio and is on its way to KSC:
Is that 'is confirmed on its way to KSC' or 'is presumed on its way to KSC, based on prior SpaceX statements.'?
Because the article only quotes the prior statements from SpaceX.

Online Alexphysics

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1349 on: 07/10/2018 11:11 pm »
I think this is enough to confirm it:

Quote
In a speech at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Propulsion and Energy Forum here July 9, Janet Kavandi, director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, said the spacecraft recently left the center’s Plum Brook Station after a series of thermal vacuum and acoustics tests.

“They just left yesterday or today,” she said in her remarks at the conference.

Offline IntoTheVoid

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1350 on: 07/11/2018 01:08 am »
I think this is enough to confirm it:

Quote
In a speech at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’ Propulsion and Energy Forum here July 9, Janet Kavandi, director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, said the spacecraft recently left the center’s Plum Brook Station after a series of thermal vacuum and acoustics tests.

“They just left yesterday or today,” she said in her remarks at the conference.
That says nothing about the destination. I'm hopeful that it's on its way to KSC, as prior statements intended, but that's not the same thing as confirmed. That's presumed, unless one has more knowledge than the article or prior statements (or even Kavandi's Jul 9 statements).

Online FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1351 on: 07/12/2018 09:00 pm »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo

Further edit: even higher res added
« Last Edit: 07/18/2018 09:44 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline jpo234

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1352 on: 07/12/2018 09:27 pm »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/
So, where are we in the flow to DM-1?
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Offline deadman719

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1353 on: 07/13/2018 02:45 am »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo

Anyone have insight as to why the window on the right side has a plate instead of a glass? 

Respectfully,
Rob

Offline cppetrie

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1354 on: 07/13/2018 03:01 am »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo

Anyone have insight as to why the window on the right side has a plate instead of a glass? 

Respectfully,
Rob
Covers for transport? There appear to be covers over every opening to seal out debris. Seems likely they’d cover the glass to prevent debris from damaging the glass in transit.

Offline deadman719

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1355 on: 07/13/2018 03:09 am »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo

Anyone have insight as to why the window on the right side has a plate instead of a glass? 

Respectfully,
Rob
Covers for transport? There appear to be covers over every opening to seal out debris. Seems likely they’d cover the glass to prevent debris from damaging the glass in transit.

I thought that at first. If it was for protection during shipment, why would the left window have plastic taped over the window while the right one appears to have a bolted-in-place panel?

Offline Robotbeat

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1356 on: 07/13/2018 03:32 am »
Probably for the same reason the uncrewed Dragons typically don't have windows.
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Offline woods170

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1357 on: 07/13/2018 07:01 am »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo

Anyone have insight as to why the window on the right side has a plate instead of a glass? 

Respectfully,
Rob
Covers for transport? There appear to be covers over every opening to seal out debris. Seems likely they’d cover the glass to prevent debris from damaging the glass in transit.

I thought that at first. If it was for protection during shipment, why would the left window have plastic taped over the window while the right one appears to have a bolted-in-place panel?

The window at the right is not actually a window. It is a cover-plate to fill in the void between the outer-shell panels where there could be a window (per design) but where there is not actually a window on this particular vehicle. The pressure shell underneath doesn't have the window frame welded into it at that location.

The DM-1 vehicle carries only two windows, one each left and right of the crew hatch. There is no need to carry more given that the vehicle is un-crewed and the two windows present are enough to satisfy window qualification requirements on this mission.

Offline RoboGoofers

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1358 on: 07/13/2018 03:47 pm »
Quote
spacex Crew Dragon arrived in Florida this week ahead of its first flight after completing thermal vacuum and acoustic testing at @NASA’s Plum Brook Station in Ohio

https://www.instagram.com/p/BlJVBidF4I2/

Edit to add: higher-res photo
I didn't expect the silver paint. Aesthetic or functional?

Offline gongora

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Re: SpaceX Dragon 2 Updates and Discussion - Thread 2
« Reply #1359 on: 07/13/2018 04:00 pm »
What are we seeing in that photo of Dragon 2 with the Super Dracos?
Beyond the white or light grey ramps, as opposed to black, are those covers over the exhaust ports?
I wonder if they are to prevent water intrusion and were added when SpaceX went from land landing to ocean?
Notice two things from the HR version of that photo: (1) The exhaust ports are covered by something that is marked as "remove before launch", and (2) The color of the ramps is not grey, but silver.  That makes sense in the same sense as they silvered much of the tail portion of SpaceShip Two.  Reflecting heat away is more effective than absorbing it, at least for certain cases.

The silver material is NOT for heat reflection.

It is the same silver-colored material that is used to cover the primary heat shield on Cargo Dragon, as well as the primary heat shield on Crew Dragon. It is for moisture protection. Given that the exhaust ports for Super Draco are covered in the same material as the primary heat shield (PICA-X) you can expect the same application of silvery material for moisture protection.

PICA(-X) is known to absorb moisture (water) from the atmosphere. When absorbed into the PICA material the water negatively influences the performance of PICA as a heat shield material. It is therefore necessary to prevent PICA from absorbing moisture. That is why the PICA is covered in the silvery material as seen in the recent pictures.

More on this subject: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1083&context=me_etds

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