SpaceX COTS Demo 2 Updates

[cuddihy]

I would agree with Simon.  Platforms are static and can't hit the hardware plus you don't need a certification to operate from one.  Where is the air exchange unit for the personnel entering the capsule via the ladder?  It is a confined space.

Air exchange looks like left behind of Dragon, blue hose going into Dragon there.

That is half assed.

Huh? How much money do you have to spend to change out some air?

This the way it's done all over the world. I went in about every void and tank on a submarine with nothing more advanced. It's not a clean room requirement, right?

[robertross]

I would agree with Simon.  Platforms are static and can't hit the hardware plus you don't need a certification to operate from one.  Where is the air exchange unit for the personnel entering the capsule via the ladder?  It is a confined space.

Air exchange looks like left behind of Dragon, blue hose going into Dragon there.

That is half assed.

Huh? How much money do you have to spend to change out some air?

This the way it's done all over the world. I went in about every void and tank on a submarine with nothing more advanced. It's not a clean room requirement, right?

Pinched or a collapsed hose is possible, as well as bag tearing (which is what that is, a long bag). Having what amounts to a vacuum hose with a spiral wound internal support structure ensures these conditions cannot happen. The ducting they use on the ISS through the hatches between the shuttle and structure is a prime example of a safer method.

[corrodedNut]

All of the hoses look spiral-wound or reinforced to me. Also, now that I look closely, there appears to be purpose built platform to the left of the Dragon and behind the two cherry pickers. It has a padded, semi-circle cutout about the same diameter as the trunk. I can't explain why they're not using it now, maybe the photographer waited till it or the capsule was moved away so as to get a clearer picture.

I wish we could get a look under that plastic. I think we'd finally see what the grapple fixture and door looks like.

I was hoping they would release videos of the seperation and solar array gimbal tests. Footage from similar tests were included in previous updates.

I hope it's all well documented, for posterity at least. In the meantime, I'll try to be patient.

[kraisee]

That is half assed.

I don't think that's exactly fair Jim.

A low-cost reinforced plastic tube through the hatch is exactly how Shuttle circulated air into the crew cabin and that worked successfully for over three decades.




It seems to me that whenever humans are involved, hatches are just going to be left open for extended periods of time.   Given that, a cheap and simple hose through the hatch makes a great deal of sense.

So if everyone from Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Shuttle, Orion and now Dragon is doing it "half assed", as you say, would you at least take the time to describe the better ways that are used elsewhere?

Ross.

[HIP2BSQRE]

Here we can see the attachment points for the solar arrays on the [t]runk... nice photos...

There it is.  A real live spacecraft.  Michael Griffin's legacy!
http://www.thespacereview.com/article/1266/1

 - Ed Kyle

Even a stopped watch shows the right time twice per day.  The COTS program is certainly one of the brighter spots on his record.

But there was potential for so much more....

[arnezami]

Looks like an MVac nozzle can be seen in the background.

There's also an interstage visible on the right between the two structures.

(and a smiley  )

I see two smileys

happy people.

[Jim]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

[corrodedNut]

Here's a platform in use. I think we can assume it and any others were moved out the way only temporarily.

[SpacexULA]

Here's a platform in use. I think we can assume it and any others were moved out the way only temporarily.

Are you sure that platform would have been usable with the trunk underneath?

That image is of a Dragon sitting on it's roller cart.

Considering how little of a Dragon's life at the Hawthorne facility will see it sitting on a trunk, why would they build a scaffold for Dragon + Trunk operations until they have enough vehicles in process that it would be used on a regular basis?

BTW serious question, didn't know if OSHA or ISO required such things.

[Lee Jay]

BUT! It's nice to see that they first spend money to build the spacecraft and NOT using first the money to build the supporting structures.

Scaffolding is orders of magnitude cheaper than scissor lifts and BSEWPs (man-lifts).  That's why it's used at many/most construction sites.  It's better and cheaper unless you have to have the go anywhere flexibility of a lift.

I agree that it's a little lame to put the ventilator in a scissor lift, especially since they have some permanent support with railing right behind it (really nice looking too).  My guess is that they know this and that this is a temporary situation while they wait for better structures to arrive from design and/or fabrication.  You never know what details led someone to do something that looks obviously stupid from afar when it makes perfect sense if you know the real reasons.

[apace]

BUT! It's nice to see that they first spend money to build the spacecraft and NOT using first the money to build the supporting structures.

Scaffolding is orders of magnitude cheaper than scissor lifts and BSEWPs (man-lifts).  That's why it's used at many/most construction sites.  It's better and cheaper unless you have to have the go anywhere flexibility of a lift.

I agree that it's a little lame to put the ventilator in a scissor lift, especially since they have some permanent support with railing right behind it (really nice looking too).  My guess is that they know this and that this is a temporary situation while they wait for better structures to arrive from design and/or fabrication.  You never know what details led someone to do something that looks obviously stupid from afar when it makes perfect sense if you know the real reasons.

True. My comment was more in the general view, it's nice to see that a new craft is finished and it's also nice to see the step to step progress from first craft to the next one... I hope they can keep their way to improve hardware step by step.

[Nomadd]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

What would you call the way the shuttle hose is hanging by a bungee cord that looks like it's half restricting it?

[Tcommon]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

What would you call the way the shuttle hose is hanging by a bungee cord that looks like it's half restricting it?

As a design engineer, you learn never to criticize another's design without also putting your own idea on the table for criticism. I get the sense that Jim isn't a design engineer.

[Lurker Steve]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

What would you call the way the shuttle hose is hanging by a bungee cord that looks like it's half restricting it?

As a design engineer, you learn never to criticize another's design without also putting your own idea on the table for criticism. I get the sense that Jim isn't a design engineer.

Those air hoses are not placed by design engineers. That's a manufacturing engineer's job. Design engineers don't have anything to do with equipment that's not physically part of the spacecraft.  I don't know what Jim's job is, but from the pictures that he has shared, I can tell that he has been around plenty of launch vehicles and spacecraft in various stages of assembly.

[Tcommon]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

What would you call the way the shuttle hose is hanging by a bungee cord that looks like it's half restricting it?

As a design engineer, you learn never to criticize another's design without also putting your own idea on the table for criticism. I get the sense that Jim isn't a design engineer.

Those air hoses are not placed by design engineers. That's a manufacturing engineer's job. Design engineers don't have anything to do with equipment that's not physically part of the spacecraft.  I don't know what Jim's job is, but from the pictures that he has shared, I can tell that he has been around plenty of launch vehicles and spacecraft in various stages of assembly.

So? How is that germane?

[Prober]

Half assed was putting the air ventilator on a manlift  vs a platform and nothing to do the ducting

What would you call the way the shuttle hose is hanging by a bungee cord that looks like it's half restricting it?

Why must we go for pages of comments off one line from Jim?  Maybe Jim has a point or not.  Look maybe learn and move on.
 
 

[arnezami]

Jim just needs a hug. And we all know it. Now lets move on.

[sdsds]

Examining the photo more closely, it does not appear the MovinCool unit is on the scissor lift.  Instead it appears to be on a (black and red) mobile platform in front of the scissor lift.  Am I seeing that wrongly?

[N45deg]

You are correct.  It is not on the Scissor lift. 
Hint: look at the railings.

[arnezami]

And perhaps, colored navigation lights?

Btw. Are the red and blue lights for the ISS crew to easily see what the orientation of the dragon spacecraft (+trunk) is? Or is there another purpose for it?