SpaceX COTS Demo 2/3 Updates (THREAD 2)

[Comga]

By the way, this image from Chris' reusable Falcon article gave about the best impression to date of the size of the Solar Panel pontoons.

I'm intregued by the change in the size of the solar array fairings. Were the early renderings simply guesses without reference to what SpaceX's engineers were actually doing (quite possible) or was it that analysis of the spacecraft's requirements led to them needing bigger solar arrays that could no longer be fit inside the sides of the trunk?

IMO the current solar array configuration is cheaper than the previous one. The Dragon trunk don't need to have complex 3D geometry and trunk interior arrangement is without the protrusion from housing the solar arrays as previously. Also each solar array only got 5 segments. Guess SpaceX opts for bigger components size, but fewer parts.

The part about "without protrusions" is not strictly correct.  You can see in the installation photo that there are significant breaks from the cylindrical structure of the Trunk, and there must be interior hardware behind the mounting points. 

It is an interesting compromise that maintained much of the interior volume and kept the stowage compartment volume relatively simple at the cost of major protrusions from the original profile.

[dcporter]

This seems like an example of SpaceX accepting weight / aerodynamics (?) tradeoffs in order to keep focused on the $/kg (or similar) bottom line.  That has always struck me as SpaceX's biggest innovation: just choosing the right metric for their engineers to optimize.

[mr. mark]

"Sexy Dragon Magic"- VH. Here's hoping for a great flight next month. By the way, what's the status on night launch.

[Jim]

This seems like an example of SpaceX accepting weight / aerodynamics (?) tradeoffs in order to keep focused on the $/kg (or similar) bottom line.  That has always struck me as SpaceX's biggest innovation: just choosing the right metric for their engineers to optimize.

Or they couldn't get anything else to work

edited

[Jason1701]

"Sexy Dragon Magic"- VH. Here's hoping for a great flight next month. By the way, what's the status on night launch.

I believe it was confirmed to be in the 2000 hour.

[baldusi]

This seems like an example of SpaceX accepting weight / aerodynamics (?) tradeoffs in order to keep focused on the $/kg (or similar) bottom line.  That has always struck me as SpaceX's biggest innovation: just choosing the right metric for their engineers to optimize.

They couldn't get anything else to work

As in "this was a desperate measure" or as in "they were not happy with the other options"?

[Jim]

This seems like an example of SpaceX accepting weight / aerodynamics (?) tradeoffs in order to keep focused on the $/kg (or similar) bottom line.  That has always struck me as SpaceX's biggest innovation: just choosing the right metric for their engineers to optimize.

They couldn't get anything else to work

As in "this was a desperate measure" or as in "they were not happy with the other options"?

meant to add an "or"

[dcporter]

Or they couldn't get anything else to work

Fair nuff... Did they want to integrate the panels into the trunk body, and try, and fail? Or did they try and decide that success was too expensive? Or did they decide up front that trying at all (beyond CGI) wasn't worth it? I suppose at some part of the cost/benefit curve they're geniuses for tapping out; at another part they're human and at the bottom bit they're kind of just burning money.

[Robotbeat]

They need a 5-meter fairing for commercial satellite launches. The solar array pontoons are tiny in comparison.

[mr. mark]

This flight can't move to the Live Events section soon enough. Hope to see some new pics soon of the completed Dragon and the fully integrated vehicle.

[TrueBlueWitt]

Or they couldn't get anything else to work

Fair nuff... Did they want to integrate the panels into the trunk body, and try, and fail? Or did they try and decide that success was too expensive? Or did they decide up front that trying at all (beyond CGI) wasn't worth it? I suppose at some part of the cost/benefit curve they're geniuses for tapping out; at another part they're human and at the bottom bit they're kind of just burning money.

Or perhaps moving part of the panel volume outside the core of the trunk provided them with more room for profitable "secondary" payloads?

[rdale]

SpaceX COTS-2 Mission Animation

Animation of the launch, flight and landing of a SpaceX Dragon capsule on a demonstration mission to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS program.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=128674521

[apace]

SpaceX COTS-2 Mission Animation

Animation of the launch, flight and landing of a SpaceX Dragon capsule on a demonstration mission to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS program.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=128674521

Looks like an old animation with old trunk.

[manboy]

SpaceX COTS-2 Mission Animation

Animation of the launch, flight and landing of a SpaceX Dragon capsule on a demonstration mission to the International Space Station as part of NASA's COTS program.

http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/videogallery/index.html?media_id=128674521

Looks like an old animation with old trunk.

Correct (originally posted December 2008)

[Rocket Guy]

The WDR won't be Monday.

[mr. mark]

Did not know that the WDR was coming up so soon. Any projections as to when WDR will take place? Does this include roll out of the vehicle? I assume from your statement that the vehicle is now fully integrated?

[Jason1701]

You can't do a WDR without rolling out the vehicle.

[sdsds]

You can't do a WDR without rolling out the vehicle.

And in the SpaceX model (compared to e.g. Atlas), you don't roll out the vehicle until right before you intend to do something with it at the pad.

[TOG]

You can't do a WDR without rolling out the vehicle.

And in the SpaceX model (compared to e.g. Atlas), you don't roll out the vehicle until right before you intend to do something with it at the pad.

Is there a camera from NASA that can show a rollout "in real time"?  Perhaps we could be able to watch from farther away?  Any ideas about the schedule?

[Prober]

You can't do a WDR without rolling out the vehicle.

And in the SpaceX model (compared to e.g. Atlas), you don't roll out the vehicle until right before you intend to do something with it at the pad.

Is there a camera from NASA that can show a rollout "in real time"?  Perhaps we could be able to watch from farther away?  Any ideas about the schedule?

You forget SpaceX doesn't care for live feeds, unless under their control.