SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)

[mr. mark]

Spacex is trying to save money. You don't save money by pushing another flight into the schedule instead of sticking with the schedule and waiting it out while doing additional ground based software and hardware testing. They are now too far into a combined launch schedule. Only a change by NASA to do multiple flights will change that.

[jabe]

won't argue that...thought flight test may have been more beneficial then more testing..hope next flight won;t be delayed too much over this delay...
jb

[Rocket Guy]

The November 30/much of December timeframe would have been a night launch based on ISS orbital parameters. End of January/February should be at night as well.

[Comga]

anik updated the ISS schedule entry to "end of January/February (TBD) - Dragon (SpX-D) launch" with the February bit added today.

[Chris Bergin]

Pete's article yesterday covered the change of date:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/09/soyuz-tma-21-earth-nasa-confirms-new-iss-flight-manifest/

PS RIA's "Private U.S. capsule not to dock with ISS" article:
http://en.rian.ru/world/20110916/166890060.html

Is being dismissed as not true by NASA.

[Prober]

Pete's article yesterday covered the change of date:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2011/09/soyuz-tma-21-earth-nasa-confirms-new-iss-flight-manifest/

PS RIA's "Private U.S. capsule not to dock with ISS" article:
http://en.rian.ru/world/20110916/166890060.html

Is being dismissed as not true by NASA.

What the ISS Partners are not speaking with "one voice".  Thought we were past this. 

[hop]

What the ISS Partners are not speaking with "one voice".

No, a garbled report in Russian mainstream media is not evidence of this.

The combined flight has not actually been fully approved, even though everyone is working toward that. While we don't know what Solovyov's actually said, I'd expect this was the source of the confusion.

[balan h20]

If SpaceX Cot2/3 has been rescheduled to Feb why is it still listed as Nov 30 w/ docking on a updated Sept 15 schedule. The same schedule that shows the new progress launch and Nov 14 Crew launch.

[AnalogMan]

If SpaceX Cot2/3 has been rescheduled to Feb why is it still listed as Nov 30 w/ docking on a updated Sept 15 schedule. The same schedule that shows the new progress launch and Nov 14 Crew launch.

Could you post a link to this schedule? - thanks.

[balan h20]

The launch schedule is at this link.

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html

[joek]

Could you post a link to this schedule? - thanks.

GSFC mission database shows SpaceX COTS demo 2/3 NET Feb 2012:
http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php
http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/MissionData.php?mission=COTS%20SpaceX%20Demo-2/3
(Also note OSC demo-1 now May 2012)

[balan h20]

I see both of these and I want the earlier date. I believe the later date because I am used to disapointment. I truly wish the NASA published date would hold though and by the luch of the Irish they could launch in NOV.

[robertross]

I see both of these and I want the earlier date. I believe the later date because I am used to disapointment. I truly wish the NASA published date would hold though and by the luch of the Irish they could launch in NOV.

Sorry, but that doesn't seem likely. The Russian rocket issues 'dominate' everything now for ISS ops, along with the ISS's own issues, and anything going on at SpaceX that feeds into its own slip it that these latest issues could help 'mask' (if true).

A 'NET' date is just that: 'No Earlier Than'. Just because they haven't updated all the sites doesn't make it hold.

[AnalogMan]

Could you post a link to this schedule? - thanks.

GSFC mission database shows SpaceX COTS demo 2/3 NET Feb 2012:
http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/launches.php
http://msdb.gsfc.nasa.gov/MissionData.php?mission=COTS%20SpaceX%20Demo-2/3
(Also note OSC demo-1 now May 2012)

Could have sworn I posted that already - must be losing it 

[joek]

Could have sworn I posted that already - must be losing it 

Duh, sorry, should have been replying to balan h20.

[Geron]

February 2012 boohoo. Guess I will have an oppertunity to divert my auxiliary focus elsewhere for a while.

[grdja]

Well if ISS gets de-manned due to that Russian failure COTS Demo 2 will likely launch never.

[robertross]

Well if ISS gets de-manned due to that Russian failure COTS Demo 2 will likely launch never.

Only if ISS was de-crewed and never crewed again. Otherwise, it will fly.

[Prober]

February 2012 boohoo. Guess I will have an oppertunity to divert my auxiliary focus elsewhere for a while.

So this makes for how many Falcon 9 launches in 2011?

[manboy]

February 2012 boohoo. Guess I will have an oppertunity to divert my auxiliary focus elsewhere for a while.

So this makes for how many Falcon 9 launches in 2011?

A frowny face.