SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)

[ugordan]

I bet those 9 engines will make a huge x in the sky at night.

Saturn V's cross pattern was more pronounced on account of only having engines at the square corners and center. The GG exhaust on F9 also makes the cross distorted somewhat:

[docmordrid]

Imagine what an FH night launch would look like

[Space Pete]

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 20/12/2011.

After yesterday's successful checkouts of the CUCU (COTS UHF Communication Unit) equipment and shutdown of ground systems, CDR Dan Burbank powered down the onboard CUCU hardware early in the morning. [The testing had posed a minor command line issue which was assessed by MCC-X (SpaceX Mission Control Center), resulting in troubleshooting procedures for CDR Burbank. After cycling the circuit breaker for CUCU RIO A (Remote Input/Output A), ground teams received data from this RIO and verified proper command capability with CUCU.]

[douglas100]

I bet those 9 engines will make a huge x in the sky at night.

Compare also with Soyuz. Also cross shaped with more than twice the number of engine nozzles.

[Lars_J]

I don't think the 9 engines will make much of an 'X' in the sky. The engines are just too close to each other. We haven't been able to see that on the previous two launches. (unless I've missed some excellent tracking footage)

[ugordan]

See 5 posts above...

[Lurker Steve]

I don't think the 9 engines will make much of an 'X' in the sky. The engines are just too close to each other. We haven't been able to see that on the previous two launches. (unless I've missed some excellent tracking footage)

Some people are just geometry-challenged.

[Lars_J]

See 5 posts above...

Thanks for that... I had not seen that image/angle before. I was posting from my iPhone, and for some reason the mobile version of this forum does not show any attached images - even as links.

[2552]

https://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer/status/149987552991002624:
Photo Update: The COTS Demo 2/3 Dragon spacecraft getting prepped at Cape Canaveral. Looking ahead to the new year. http://pic.twitter.com/dyI61hHJ

[docmordrid]

Thanks for that... I had not seen that image/angle before. I was posting from my iPhone, and for some reason the mobile version of this forum does not show any attached images - even as links.

I have the same problem from my iPhone - that and an inability to re-edit posts without going to full version.

[Ben the Space Brit]

Interesting to see a level of clean proceedures being followed during Dragon C2 processing.  What level of clean is needed for the spacecraft?

[Ronsmytheiii]

The completed Falcon 9 Demo 2/3 vehicle in the SpaceX hangar at Cape Canaveral. Getting ready for 2012.

https://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer

[ugordan]

Rehashing the same images they already posted in the update page a week ago.

[Comga]

Rehashing the same images they already posted in the update page a week ago.

Agreed

46 days until launch and still so little information and so few images.  No trunk, no closeouts on the Dragon.  I guess it's no longer important to them to show and boast.  Was it two years ago when they posted new images of Falcon 9 at CCAFS every few days?

[ugordan]

The lack of any images of the 2nd stage is also conspicuous, including people who got tours of the hangar. What are they hiding there? Judging by last reports it's not Orbcomms.

[Lars_J]

Rehashing the same images they already posted in the update page a week ago.

Agreed

46 days until launch and still so little information and so few images.  No trunk, no closeouts on the Dragon.  I guess it's no longer important to them to show and boast.  Was it two years ago when they posted new images of Falcon 9 at CCAFS every few days?

We've seen the trunk at the launch site:  http://images.spaceref.com/news/2011/ooSpaceXDragon3.jpg

[ugordan]

Complete Dragon/Falcon 9 at the Cape:
http://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer/status/150263744814002176/photo/1

Are you kidding me?

[mr. mark]

Probably the next pics we see, if history is a guide, will be just before the test fire sometime in mid late January, approx. 3 weeks. At least the next pics most likely will be of an all up vehicle should be interesting.

[ugordan]

Complete Dragon/Falcon 9 at the Cape:
http://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer/status/150263744814002176/photo/1

Are you kidding me?

Haha, check the SpaceX twitter or facebook pages ;-) new pic just arrived an hour ago ;-)

You complain how SpaceX is "under special view by some members here" without actually knowing what we talked about?

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26616.msg843282#msg843282

[apace]

Complete Dragon/Falcon 9 at the Cape:
http://twitter.com/#!/SpaceXer/status/150263744814002176/photo/1

Are you kidding me?

Haha, check the SpaceX twitter or facebook pages ;-) new pic just arrived an hour ago ;-)

You complain how SpaceX is "under special view by some members here" without actually knowing what we talked about?

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=26616.msg843282#msg843282

Argh! Missed that. My fault.