Author Topic: SpaceX COTS Demo 1 Updates  (Read 638925 times)

Offline Antares

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #420 on: 11/09/2010 01:57 am »
Part of it is the offset from Shuttle since SpaceX is also using the SRB boats in hopes to track and recover the first stage.
If I like something on NSF, it's probably because I know it to be accurate.  Every once in a while, it's just something I agree with.  Facts generally receive the former.

Offline mr. mark

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #421 on: 11/09/2010 02:18 am »
Question concerning parachute system. I was watching the hd drop test video and the parachutes are released out of a large hatch. This opening seems to be very large. Is this how the parachutes will be released on the upcoming cargo flights? Will such a large hole take on water at splashdown creating problems for downmass capability?

Offline Comga

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #422 on: 11/09/2010 04:55 am »
The launch moved to November 19 due to range conflict with Delta 4-Heavy.
Go baby go!!! My prediction was for the 19th. :)
No baby no!
Now December 7 according to SpaceflightNow.
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline Lars_J

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #423 on: 11/09/2010 04:55 am »
Question concerning parachute system. I was watching the hd drop test video and the parachutes are released out of a large hatch. This opening seems to be very large. Is this how the parachutes will be released on the upcoming cargo flights? Will such a large hole take on water at splashdown creating problems for downmass capability?

No, the large hole that opens up is outside of the pressurized volume of the capsule. It is situated at the base of the capsule between the Draco thruster banks, in the unpressurized "service section/ring" just above the edge of the heat shield.
« Last Edit: 11/09/2010 04:56 am by Lars_J »

Offline ChefPat

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #424 on: 11/09/2010 11:39 am »
The launch moved to November 19 due to range conflict with Delta 4-Heavy.
Go baby go!!! My prediction was for the 19th. :)
No baby no!
Now December 7 according to SpaceflightNow.
:(
Playing Politics with Commercial Crew is Un-American!!!

Offline Kaloyan

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #425 on: 11/09/2010 12:02 pm »
And here's a news article about the delay from SpaceNews.com
« Last Edit: 11/09/2010 12:03 pm by Nakun »

Offline mr. mark

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #426 on: 11/09/2010 03:34 pm »
This is not good news about the FAA. How do we know that they will even be ready for approval by December 7th? They have had these documants for over a year and the application is still not processed. Does anyone here know a basic timeline for FAA approval. This could go on into next year.

Offline ugordan

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #427 on: 11/09/2010 03:38 pm »
They have had these documants for over a year and the application is still not processed.

If the article said the FAA wanted to have information that was only recently acquired by SpaceX via ground tests of the Dragon flight unit, then it's not "for over a year", is it?

Also, how can you talk about "basic time for approval" when this is the first commercial reentry licence ever to be issued?

Also #2, I have faith SpaceX will be able to delay the flight further all by themselves. They won't need the FAA for that. I'm only partly sarcastic.
« Last Edit: 11/09/2010 03:40 pm by ugordan »

Offline iamlucky13

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #428 on: 11/09/2010 06:39 pm »
They have had these documants for over a year and the application is still not processed.

They've had parts of it for over a year. They've had the final application for less than two weeks:

Quote
after more than a year spent tying up loose ends associated with the recoverable space capsule’s re-entry license application, which the company submitted in final form to federal regulators Oct. 29
...
Price said the FAA is still reviewing a number of key pieces of information about the re-entry that it requested in June 2009 but did not receive until Oct. 29, 2010.

http://www.spacenews.com/venture_space/111005-spacex-awaiting-faa-approval-license.html

Offline beancounter

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #429 on: 11/10/2010 01:05 am »
My impression is that the FAA, the range, and NASA have been pretty good so far as SpaceX goes.  A point SpaceX has made on at least one occasion.  I don't think there's any delay agendas in the offing and from the looks of it, I'd say that they're all trying to get SpaceX up and running as fast as possible while ensuring safety and following the normal requirements for any launch.

It seems delays are just part and parcel of the space launch business and that so-called nu-space companies are as prone to this as the older established ones.
Beancounter from DownUnder

Offline AlexCam

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #430 on: 11/10/2010 07:58 pm »

It seems delays are just part and parcel of the space launch business and that so-called nu-space companies are as prone to this as the older established ones.

Not so much the space launch business is burdened by delays but the introduction of new products in the aerospace industry in general.

Soyuz and Ariane 5 launches are very often right on schedule.

Offline mduncan36

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #431 on: 11/10/2010 08:18 pm »

It seems delays are just part and parcel of the space launch business and that so-called nu-space companies are as prone to this as the older established ones.

Not so much the space launch business is burdened by delays but the introduction of new products in the aerospace industry in general.

Soyuz and Ariane 5 launches are very often right on schedule.


Well in fairness, both of them have had quite a bit of time and numerous attempts with which to become proficient. I recall the initial experience with both vehicles ending less than happily.

Offline baldusi

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #432 on: 11/11/2010 03:40 pm »
Not so much the space launch business is burdened by delays but the introduction of new products in the aerospace industry in general.

Soyuz and Ariane 5 launches are very often right on schedule.
Ariane 5 haven't been able to make their objective of six launches this year. In fact, they are fighting to even make five. Apparently they had some quality issues with a tank's supplier and had a three month delay. And let's not mention the Soyuz from Kourou delay. They are  years delayed. The worst part is that they already have two rockets full qualified and two more on the way, but the launch platform isn't ready.

Offline AlexCam

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #433 on: 11/13/2010 12:17 pm »
Not so much the space launch business is burdened by delays but the introduction of new products in the aerospace industry in general.

Soyuz and Ariane 5 launches are very often right on schedule.
Ariane 5 haven't been able to make their objective of six launches this year. In fact, they are fighting to even make five. Apparently they had some quality issues with a tank's supplier and had a three month delay. And let's not mention the Soyuz from Kourou delay. They are  years delayed. The worst part is that they already have two rockets full qualified and two more on the way, but the launch platform isn't ready.

Arianespace is the prime example of what I tried to say. "Soyuz from Kourou" is a new product, which has faced and is still facing countless delays and technical difficulties. This is common in the aerospace industry, be it the A380, the Boeing Dreamliner, the Falcon 1 and 9 introduction, the Space Shuttle program in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the ISS etc.

However, once the system and product is mature, delays only occur before firm launch dates are set (e.g. with Arianespace launching potentially only 5 times this year instead of 6, although 6 is still possible). You hardly ever see slips of 6-9 months between launches for Ariane 5.

Having said that, once the Falcon 9 "product" and launch process matures, SpaceX time will more closely align to real time. This should be the case in about 18-24 months, if not, then SpaceX is facing problems.

Offline iamlucky13

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #434 on: 11/16/2010 02:48 am »
My impression is that the FAA, the range, and NASA have been pretty good so far as SpaceX goes.

At the same time, SpaceX did in the past express some frustrations with bureaucracy. The instance that comes to mind is complaining about range availability at Vandenberg back when they were planning to launch the first Falcon 1 from there. Although others have dismissed it as a show to cover for their many and huge delays, I'm not convinced they didn't actually think they were on track to make a (likely to fail) launch attempt.

I suspect, however, that whatever their frustration then was, they've come to accept a large part of it as necessary, if distasteful and not always perfectly run.

Offline zaitcev

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #435 on: 11/16/2010 04:17 pm »
The instance that comes to mind is complaining about range availability at Vandenberg back when they were planning to launch the first Falcon 1 from there.
I heard that relationship in general started off a wrong foot, including a case when the base commander threw Elon out of his office once, for being too arrogant. Perhaps now being hobbled by the real work at the Cape, SpaceX representatives are welcome at Vanderberg once again. It is all only rumors though. We need a tell-it-all book by a retiree.

Offline stockman

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #436 on: 11/16/2010 05:12 pm »
Is it possible to get this thread back on ACTUAL COTS1 updates please? the discussions here are all valid but are probably better suited to the spacex discussion thread...
One Percent for Space!!!

Offline telomerase99

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #437 on: 11/16/2010 06:42 pm »
With the fourth crack now found in the Shuttle are we looking at Cots 1 potentially later than Dec 7? Does this Cots flight have to follow the Shuttle flight?

If the Shuttle flight is bumped for 30 days would this flight have to wait to follow it?

Offline Jim

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #438 on: 11/16/2010 06:44 pm »
They are unrelated

Offline Mike_1179

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Re: COTS Demo 1
« Reply #439 on: 11/16/2010 07:16 pm »
How much time is required for the range to reconfigure from STS-133 to COTS1?

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