Boeing's CST-100 capsule updates & discussion

[Namechange User]

As long as everyone is speculating, I'll say it's actually powered by a small matter/anti-matter reactor developed out at Area 51. 

[Downix]

Also for all we know this craft could be battery powered. 

I can see the commercial now...

**a Boeing crew, hustling around the new capsule** Ok folk, time to turn it on!
**they back away, and behind the capsules battery door... the Energizer Rabbit**

[kkattula]

Depending on average power requirement, they could probably just use batteries up to maybe 3 or 4 days. If they can draw power from the ISS when docked, then power wouldn't be a factor limiting their stay there.

[Namechange User]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

[Downix]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

From the reports that have come out, its primary job is to go to and from a Bigelow spacestation, positioned either in LEO or EML1. Just guessing tho.

[manboy]

Depending on average power requirement, they could probably just use batteries up to maybe 3 or 4 days. If they can draw power from the ISS when docked, then power wouldn't be a factor limiting their stay there.

But won't the batteries decompose over those six months?

[pathfinder_01]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

From the reports that have come out, its primary job is to go to and from a Bigelow spacestation, positioned either in LEO or EML1. Just guessing tho.

This is a LEO craft so you can rule out EML1. The only questions is if battery technology has advanced to the point where it could be used for this kind of craft. Or if they go with the old stand by fuel cells.

[pathfinder_01]

Depending on average power requirement, they could probably just use batteries up to maybe 3 or 4 days. If they can draw power from the ISS when docked, then power wouldn't be a factor limiting their stay there.

But won't the batteries decompose over those six months?

Probably not if they are kept within tempurature limits.

[manboy]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

From the reports that have come out, its primary job is to go to and from a Bigelow spacestation, positioned either in LEO or EML1. Just guessing tho.

The only questions is if battery technology has advanced to the point where it could be used for this kind of craft. 

Well do you mean just lithium ion batteries?

[pathfinder_01]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

From the reports that have come out, its primary job is to go to and from a Bigelow spacestation, positioned either in LEO or EML1. Just guessing tho.

The only questions is if battery technology has advanced to the point where it could be used for this kind of craft. 

Well do you mean just lithium ion batteries?

No I was thinking battery technology of all kinds.  I know lithium ion can store a lot of power and be lightwieght. I don't know if they can store enough power to support a craft holding 7 people for 2-3 days to get to the ISS.

[ChefPat]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

Bigelow has stated that he wants the first LEO station in a 350 mile orbit. That is what this craft will have to do.
I doubt it will see much creep until after it has done this a few times.
Eventually Bigelow will want something capable of a Lunar surface access, but not until he's ready to drop a complex on the Moon.

[simonth]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

From the reports that have come out, its primary job is to go to and from a Bigelow spacestation, positioned either in LEO or EML1. Just guessing tho.

The only questions is if battery technology has advanced to the point where it could be used for this kind of craft. 

Well do you mean just lithium ion batteries?

No I was thinking battery technology of all kinds.  I know lithium ion can store a lot of power and be lightwieght. I don't know if they can store enough power to support a craft holding 7 people for 2-3 days to get to the ISS.

Fuel cell technology has about 4 times the specific energy density that lithium-ion batteries or lithium-ion polymer batteries or LiPF6 batteries etc. have. The only battery technology that can challenge fuel cell technology would be lithium-air batteries and we are unfortunately at least a decade away from getting that technology into any type of application.

[Danderman]

But there is a lot more to long-term on-orbit capability (180days at station, e.g.) than power requirements.

Care to elaborate on that? I thought that once capsule is attached to the station, it can disable its ECLSS. Assuming there's no living payload stored, the capsule on its own won't use any oxygen. Please correct me if I'm wrong. (I'm a software engineer, not a rocket scientist.)
 

If the propellants for re-entry cannot be stored for 180 days, the vehicle will have problems getting home.

[yg1968]

Good idea creating this thread. There has been a lot of talk on Boeing's capsule since CCDev was announced but it was in various threads. It's nice to have a centralized thread on this topic.

Some of the prior discussion on the CCDev announcement (including Boeing's proposal) can be found here:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=20268.0

Here is Boeing's press release when CCDev was announced:
http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1054

Some pictures of the capsule can be found here:
http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/hyperbola/2010/02/pictures-boeingbigelow-aerospa.html

[yg1968]

Richest info source is the CCDev Space Act agreement:

http://www.nasa.gov/centers/johnson/pdf/444144main_NNJ10TA03S_boeing_saa.pdf

Here is a first quarter update on their progress under CCDev:
http://www.recovery.gov/Transparency/RecipientReportedData/pages/RecipientProjectSummary508.aspx?AwardIdSur=99382&AwardType=Grants

[kevin-rf]

The only battery technology that can challenge fuel cell technology would be lithium-air batteries and we are unfortunately at least a decade away from getting that technology into any type of application.

Is that true for a closed system?

[FinalFrontier]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

Most likely? Its a commcecial crew LEO taxi for ISS. Thats it. I don't see any reason that boeing would design this to have lifeboat or long duration stay capability if Orion is going to serve as an additional lifeboat to the soyuz capsules.

Its a commercial crew taxi. Thats all, IMO.

[ChefPat]

Most likely? Its a commcecial crew LEO taxi for ISS. Thats it. I don't see any reason that boeing would design this to have lifeboat or long duration stay capability if Orion is going to serve as an additional lifeboat to the soyuz capsules.

Its a commercial crew taxi. Thats all, IMO.

I would expect it to be able remain on station for the duration of a stay at a Bigelow facility.

[Robotbeat]

Most likely? Its a commcecial crew LEO taxi for ISS. Thats it. I don't see any reason that boeing would design this to have lifeboat or long duration stay capability if Orion is going to serve as an additional lifeboat to the soyuz capsules.

Its a commercial crew taxi. Thats all, IMO.

I would expect it to be able remain on station for the duration of a stay at a Bigelow facility.

Good point.

Also, is it not possible to have the capsule launched on a more direct trajectory, so that you can get into the vicinity of ISS within a short time (i.e. minutes or hours, not days)? ULA claimed they could do that with their Payload Bay Fairing, so why not a capsule?

[Namechange User]

In all seriousness folks, what is this vehicle meant to do?

Once you answer that, and do not go on adding in capabilities and "if's" (which is something called requirements creep, that NASA is often chastized for) then you have your answer on what powers this vehicle. 

Most likely? Its a commcecial crew LEO taxi for ISS. Thats it. I don't see any reason that boeing would design this to have lifeboat or long duration stay capability if Orion is going to serve as an additional lifeboat to the soyuz capsules.

Its a commercial crew taxi. Thats all, IMO.

And there you go.....