LIVE: SpaceX Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) FD10 - EOM - UNBERTH, ENTRY, SPLASHDOWN

[Go4TLI]

I especially liked the fact that their "recovery force" consisted of a commercial salvage barge, two rubber boats, and a NASA P-3 Orion.  No aircraft carrier task force necessary.   

And that also make the greeting parade of vehicles for the shuttle seem extravagant. However things might get a little more involved if and when there is crew coming back in the Dragon.

Based on your knowledge, what vehicles were "extravagant"?  How would SpaceX land a 122 foot long winged orbiter capable of carrying 7 and several Dragons back in its a payload bay? 

For the love of goodness what *would* Elon do in this case so that we all know?

[kevin-rf]

For the love of goodness what *would* Elon do in this case so that we all know?

He would land it during peak hours at LAX and complain that it had to circle the airport for 45 minutes waiting for the runway of course!

[Comga]

SpaceX vs Shuttle is silly and oh so OT.
Anyone have an answer to my simple question about landing offset distance?

[manboy]

SpaceX vs Shuttle is silly and oh so OT.
Anyone have an answer to my simple question about landing offset distance?

I think you're probably either going to have to contact SpaceX or wait for the CRS-1 press conference to ask.

[yg1968]

This should probably be linked in this thread:

Not sure if that one been posted

[manboy]

Dragon C2+ in Washington D.C., although for some reason I couldn't find any news on this event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/7602853192/in/photostream/

[Comga]

Dragon C2+ in Washington D.C., although for some reason I couldn't find any news on this event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/7602853192/in/photostream/

Incredibly little mention in the press.  All I can find is
http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1995086/spacex_displays_dragon_spacecraft_in_washington_dc/

I believe it's located at 1050 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC, about a kilometer northeast of the White House. 

[Prober]

Dragon C2+ in Washington D.C., although for some reason I couldn't find any news on this event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/7602853192/in/photostream/

Looks like the traveling PR tour they were talking about.

[manboy]

Dragon C2+ in Washington D.C., although for some reason I couldn't find any news on this event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/7602853192/in/photostream/

Incredibly little mention in the press.  All I can find is
http://www.redorbit.com/news/space/1995086/spacex_displays_dragon_spacecraft_in_washington_dc/

That was Dragon C1.

I believe it's located at 1050 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC, about a kilometer northeast of the White House. 

Close but its actually in front of the Historical Society of Washington building.

Google street view

[Lars_J]

Dragon C2+ in Washington D.C., although for some reason I couldn't find any news on this event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootbearwdc/7602853192/in/photostream/

Here is one of the shots of the Dragon from that flickr series without the "mood lighting" - I tried to brighten and enhance it a little bit:

[grythumn]

Does anyone know how long it will be there and if it is open to the public? Might be worth trekking to DC after work..

-R C

[manboy]

Does anyone know how long it will be there and if it is open to the public? Might be worth trekking to DC after work..

-R C

Well according to SilentOatmeal

"The guy said that only congressional people will get to see it and it won't be open to the public."

https://twitter.com/SilentOatmeal/status/225436656315015171

[grythumn]

Thanks, saves me a trip through the DC beltway. Even against traffic it's a pain.

-R C

[Space Pete]

Some newly released (this past week) images of the entire Expedition 31 crew inside Dragon during its flight:
http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-31/ndxpage59.html

Also, here's a new post-splashdown photo:
http://spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com/p208064181/h3af4ad49#h3af4ad49

[oiorionsbelt]

Also, here's a new post-splashdown photo:
http://spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com/p208064181/h3af4ad49#h3af4ad49

The guy on top of Dragon in that photo is wearing a hard hat. That seems odd. Did he swim over to Dragon from the barge hat in hand, so to speak, then put it on, or was he lowered onto Dragon from a crane wearing the hard hat?

[Jason1701]

Also, here's a new post-splashdown photo:
http://spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com/p208064181/h3af4ad49#h3af4ad49

The guy on top of Dragon in that photo is wearing a hard hat. That seems odd. Did he swim over to Dragon from the barge hat in hand, so to speak, then put it on, or was he lowered onto Dragon from a crane wearing the hard hat?

I think he came from the small boat (off camera) and climbed up Dragon. He appears to be wearing a wet suit.

[Zed_Noir]

Also, here's a new post-splashdown photo:
http://spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com/p208064181/h3af4ad49#h3af4ad49

Think the guy climb on top of the capsule using the parachute risers? Or are there handholds on the capsule exterior?

[dcporter]

Pretty sure he rode in from orbit.

[yg1968]

Here is a July 24th presentation by Alan Lindenmoyer which provides a mission summary of the SpaceX COTS C2+ flight:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/672215main_1-SpaceX%20C2_Summary_NAC_20120724_508.pdf

[rickl]

Here is a July 24th presentation by Alan Lindenmoyer which provides a mission summary of the SpaceX COTS C2+ flight:
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/672215main_1-SpaceX%20C2_Summary_NAC_20120724_508.pdf

That's very interesting.

There's not much mention of the Lidar spurious reflection problem during approach, which means that it was pretty insignificant.

Revised mortar shock collar appears to have performed much better than C1

I'm not sure what that means exactly.

It appears that CRS-1 has slipped to October.

All in all, it looks like the COTS 2+ mission was a resounding success, just as it appeared to be.