Author Topic: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 - Mission Updates : Dec - Jan (2020/21)  (Read 183860 times)

Offline Comga

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #20 on: 09/07/2020 09:37 pm »
IDA-2 is on PMA-2, and IDA-3 is on PMA-3.  The numbers are nicely consistent.

In one sense I'm glad this happened, otherwise we'd be talking about IDA-2 on PMA-3 and confusing ourselves on a regular basis.


According to Gunter's PMA-1 was lost on CRS-7,
PMA-2 is on Node-2 Forward, and
PMA-3 is on Node-2 Zenith

On the other hand that doesn't prevent us from confusing ourselves in other ways.  You linked to Gunter's page on the IDAs but your post mentions the PMAs.  It was IDA-1 that was lost, not PMA-1.  PMA-1 links the US segment with the Russian segment.

Sorry
Careful hypertext and sloppy typing. ::)
I did mean IDA's, not PMA's
You are so right about other ways to confuse ourselves.  :-[
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?


Offline Orbiter

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #22 on: 09/29/2020 03:21 pm »
From the Crew-1 pre-launch press update today, CRS-21 under construction. Will use the LC-39A CAA to load cargo.
« Last Edit: 09/29/2020 03:22 pm by Orbiter »
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #23 on: 09/29/2020 03:23 pm »
https://twitter.com/spacex/status/1310962850601545728

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After launch of Crew Dragon’s first operational mission with astronauts on board, SpaceX will launch its 21st cargo resupply mission to the ISS – the first to use the upgraded version of Dragon outfitted for cargo missions
« Last Edit: 09/29/2020 03:23 pm by FutureSpaceTourist »

Offline pochimax

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #24 on: 09/29/2020 08:00 pm »
Anybody thinks it is bigger than Crew Dragon? Some extension in the upper part? Or am I confusing the image because of the crane?

Offline cohberg

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #25 on: 09/29/2020 08:13 pm »
Anybody thinks it is bigger than Crew Dragon? Some extension in the upper part? Or am I confusing the image because of the crane?

The pressure vessel stops at the red latch.

The top portion houses the NDS / the vestibule and the large nozzles for the forward bulkhead dracos + a host of sensors / instruments.


Offline Alexphysics

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #26 on: 09/29/2020 08:14 pm »
Anybody thinks it is bigger than Crew Dragon? Some extension in the upper part? Or am I confusing the image because of the crane?

That part on Crew Dragon is full with hardware for the pressurization system of the Super Dracos on each pod and on the front side of this image is where the parachutes are stored so without all the hardware for that it looks more visible than on Crew Dragon and the feeling there's more capsule on the top
« Last Edit: 09/29/2020 08:17 pm by Alexphysics »

Offline pochimax

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #27 on: 09/29/2020 08:15 pm »
Thanks to all, it was only a wrong impression.

Offline darkenfast

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #28 on: 09/30/2020 04:29 am »
Pochimax's impression was bugging me because it DID look like something was different.  I compared images of the two versions of Dragon and no, they haven't stretched anything.  Then I realized that we're seeing the new Cargo Dragon without its "skin".  That makes it appear skinnier and stretched out.  It's kind of like seeing a furry dog in the bath for the first time!
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Offline Josh_from_Canada

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #29 on: 10/04/2020 09:49 pm »
This might be too early to ask, but do we know what booster will be used for this flight?
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Offline Comga

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Re: SpaceX F9 / Dragon 2 : CRS2 SpX-21 : November 15, 2020
« Reply #30 on: 10/05/2020 10:30 pm »
This might be too early to ask, but do we know what booster will be used for this flight?

If we did, it would be in the first post of the SpaceX Manifest thread.
It's not so we probably don't.
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline zubenelgenubi

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SFN Launch Schedule, updated October 6:
Launch delayed from November 15 to November 22, 2020.
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Offline FutureSpaceTourist

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https://twitter.com/nanoracks/status/1314595191039438854

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The #BishopAirlock is....READY. We're packed up (again) and moving down the road for delivery to @SpaceX tomorrow. Next week, we begin procedures for installation in the #Dragon trunk!

Offline zubenelgenubi

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More from https://blogs.nasa.gov/commercialcrew/2020/10/10/nasa-spacex-crew-1-launch-update/ :
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Additional upcoming NASA missions rely on the Falcon 9 for launch. The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launch still is targeted for Tuesday, Nov. 10, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and NASA's SpaceX CRS-21, is targeted for launch in late November or early December, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. NASA and SpaceX will use the data from the company's hardware testing and reviews to ensure these critical missions are carried out with the highest level of safety.
« Last Edit: 10/11/2020 12:21 am by zubenelgenubi »
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Offline gongora

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« Last Edit: 10/12/2020 08:06 pm by gongora »

Offline Comga

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I don't see any more vestigial window features in either photo.
That speaks to a thorough design upgrade from both the COTS Dragon 1 and the Crew Dragon.
(I apologise if this is not strictly specific to the CRS-21 flight.)
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline gongora

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I don't see any more vestigial window features in either photo.
That speaks to a thorough design upgrade from both the COTS Dragon 1 and the Crew Dragon.
(I apologise if this is not strictly specific to the CRS-21 flight.)

Look upthread, they're covered now by the TPS

Offline Comga

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I don't see any more vestigial window features in either photo.
That speaks to a thorough design upgrade from both the COTS Dragon 1 and the Crew Dragon.
(I apologise if this is not strictly specific to the CRS-21 flight.)

Look upthread, they're covered now by the TPS

Yes, the holes are still in the pressure shell, but they used to be covered with plugs in the white (SPAM?) material and visible on the far wall. This is much cleaner and looks more thought out. 
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline russianhalo117

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I don't see any more vestigial window features in either photo.
That speaks to a thorough design upgrade from both the COTS Dragon 1 and the Crew Dragon.
(I apologise if this is not strictly specific to the CRS-21 flight.)

Look upthread, they're covered now by the TPS


Yes, the holes are still in the pressure shell, but they used to be covered with plugs in the white (SPAM?) material and visible on the far wall. This is much cleaner and looks more thought out.

Agree, its clearly a different aeroshell (new door panel, new panel for areas next to door (to cover the windows), 4x panels for each of the pods) which most were not predicting. Why make them still with the superdraco humps / pods?

This engineer choice has to be due to not wanting to develop a 2nd set of CFD models for takeoff. I can't imagine the reentry model still holds with the additional streamlining for the SD pods.
Common aerodynamics, thermodynamics, plumbing et cetera. Majority commonality versus two separate designs makes the certification process easier.

Offline whitelancer64

I don't see any more vestigial window features in either photo.
That speaks to a thorough design upgrade from both the COTS Dragon 1 and the Crew Dragon.
(I apologise if this is not strictly specific to the CRS-21 flight.)

Look upthread, they're covered now by the TPS

Yes, the holes are still in the pressure shell, but they used to be covered with plugs in the white (SPAM?) material and visible on the far wall. This is much cleaner and looks more thought out.

My guess is that NASA asked SpaceX to remove the windows between the SuperDracos on the Crew Dragon after the outer aeroshell had already been fabricated, necessitating a cover. Presumably, subsequent Crew Dragons will have a smooth aeroshell where the windows used to be, and not a visible cover. I also guess that SpaceX wants the pressure vessel to be close to 100% the same as possible between Crew and Cargo Dragon, so I'd figure the front two windows by the hatch to remain plugged for Cargo Dragons in the future.
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