SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)

[Lars_J]

I'm wondering when the solar panel covers will be jettisoned - presumably when the top cap is?

[robertross]

I actually think it *is* visible, just very nearly out of sight.

Yup, you can just make out the outline of those trapezoidal shapes.

As an aside, I don't care much how it looks, as long as it flies, and it works.

[DaveH62]

I actually think it *is* visible, just very nearly out of sight.

Yup, you can just make out the outline of those trapezoidal shapes.

As an aside, I don't care much how it looks, as long as it flies, and it works.

Does anyone know how much battery power they have if the solar panels fail to open? Seems they would need to jettison and unfurl fairly soon after releasing the second stage.

[docmordrid]

This PDF

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/478108main_Day2_P11r_IP_SpaceX_Beck.pdf

says 16 kwh for DragonLab.

[Ben the Space Brit]

A new tweet from SpaceX with a new Dragon picture:

https://twitter.com/#!/SpaceX/status/167356882053378049/photo/1

Photo Update: Dragon complete with trunk at the SpaceX hangar, preparations continue for the historic mission ahead. http://pic.twitter.com/1JdcCTK4

Purely IMO, but I think that she's looking quite good.  She'll look better when all the decails are added.

[woods170]

Looks like the trunk is getting a little chubby. 

Sure they will rework the whole trunk in the future as part of the learning curve.

Emphasis mine. You work for SpaceX?

[grakenverb]

Looks cool to me.  If the trunk gets any larger it will look like Lone Starr's Winnebago, though.

[Seer]

I like the look as well, the whiteness is almost dazzling.

[Robotbeat]

A new tweet from SpaceX with a new Dragon picture:

https://twitter.com/#!/SpaceX/status/167356882053378049/photo/1

Photo Update: Dragon complete with trunk at the SpaceX hangar, preparations continue for the historic mission ahead. http://pic.twitter.com/1JdcCTK4

Purely IMO, but I think that she's looking quite good.  She'll look better when all the decails are added.

Forget decals! She'll look better attached to Station.

[Comga]

I see that anik has put COTS-2/3 back on his listing of the ISS schedule for early April:

April (TBD) - Dragon (SpX-D) launch
April (TBD) - Dragon (SpX-D) capture and berthing (to Harmony nadir) by SSRMS
April (TBD) - Dragon (SpX-D) unberthing (from Harmony nadir) and release by SSRMS
April 19 - Progress M-14M undocking (from Pirs)
April 20 - Progress M-15M launch
April 22 - Progress M-15M docking (to Pirs)

I wonder about phasing for both Dragon and Progress.  That would seem to constrain the Falcon 9 launch to a handful of windows.

[Rocket Guy]

An update tonight from SpaceX (reported on a few sites) says they are now targeting late-April at the very earliest.

SpaceflightNow reports April 20 placeholder booked on the range as of today. But sounds iffy as always.

[Wyvern]

Jeez I wonder how far right the COTS2/3 launch will be pushed when we actually get into late April.

[QuantumG]

"Plus three months".

[manboy]

Although I understand the need for additional testing these delays are still starting to drive me nuts.

[Prober]

"Plus three months".

ur too easy, look more toward Aug.     I see room for another poll

[QuantumG]

ur too easy, look more toward Aug.     I see room for another poll

I will in May.

[Comga]

An update tonight from SpaceX (reported on a few sites) says they are now targeting late-April at the very earliest.

SpaceflightNow reports April 20 placeholder booked on the range as of today. But sounds iffy as always.

Again from anik's list:
April 19 - Progress M-14M undocking (from Pirs)
April 20 - Progress M-15M launch
April 22 - Progress M-15M docking (to Pirs)
April - Progress M-14M deorbit
April 30 - Soyuz TMA-22 undocking (from Poisk) and landing [Shkaplerov, Ivanishin, Burbank]
May 15 - Soyuz TMA-04M launch [Padalka, Revin, Acaba]
May 17 - Soyuz TMA-04M docking (to Poisk)
June (TBD) - spacewalk (ISS Russian EVA-31) from Pirs airlock [Padalka, TBD]
July 1 (TBD) - Soyuz TMA-03M undocking (from Rassvet) and landing [Kononenko, Kuipers, Pettit]
July 15 (TBD) - Soyuz TMA-05M launch [Malenchenko, S.Williams, Hoshide]

There is only about a week in late April after the Progress docking before the station goes to three occupants.  However, after the May 17 docking of Soyuz TMA-04M, there is a long period, possibly two months, with no other traffic.  Much as I hate to say it, that span looks to me like a good target for COTS-2/3 if they don't go in early April.

But I don't see a reason to posit other dates just because one is pessimistic or optimistic, or to throw up prognostications without backup.  And one poll of baseless conjectures is fun, but sufficient.  Now if someone has other evidence or deductions, I would be interested to hear them.

edit: spelling correction

[Seer]

The date of launch is always about 10 weeks away.

[Space Pete]

There is only about a week in late April after the Progress docking before the station goes to three occupants.  However, after the May 17 docking of Soyuz TMA-04M, there is a long period, possibly two months, with no other traffic.  Much as I hate to say it, that span looks to me like a good target for COTS-2/3 if they don't go in early April.

I agree - if they don't go in that 8 day stretch in late April, it'll be NET mid-May.

[Wyvern]

I wonder what needs testing.  Obviously Spacex underestimated how much testing they would have to do but I wonder if their are actually major issues that have been popping up or if they are just being very thorough. 

Guess we'll just have to see in the coming months.