Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) GENERAL DISCUSSION (Read 510307 times)

sojourner · « **Reply #160 on:** 04/19/2012 04:31 am »

Dang, thanks.

A friend of mine on another forum insists that even though this is a test flight that may not even reach the ISS that though not critical, "important" cargo is on board.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #161 on:** 04/19/2012 04:33 am »

Quote from: sojourner on 04/19/2012 04:31 am

Dang, thanks.

A friend of mine on another forum insists that even though this is a test flight that may not even reach the ISS that though not critical, "important" cargo is on board.

It's all on L2:
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28687.0

tigerade · « **Reply #162 on:** 04/19/2012 04:40 am »

Quote from: sojourner on 04/19/2012 12:40 am

Not sure if it's out there, but if it is, can someone point me to a list of the cargo for the flight?

Yes, it's on L2.

Lol. Really I told Chris that the coverage of COTS 2 has been extraordinary on L2. It's really worth your pennies.

sojourner · « **Reply #163 on:** 04/19/2012 04:45 am »

Yeah, currently unemployed, so that's not happening.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #164 on:** 04/19/2012 04:48 am »

Quote from: sojourner on 04/19/2012 04:45 am

Yeah, currently unemployed, so that's not happening.

$20 for 3 2 months, FWIW.

Jason A · « **Reply #165 on:** 04/19/2012 04:55 am »

Two months Robotbeat http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/ and yes, L2 is best thing in the internet ever and it's helping the site pay the servers, which must be massive based on L2 alone. Nothing but awesome.

Space OurSoul · « **Reply #166 on:** 04/19/2012 05:23 am »

I just joined L2 yesterday, and I'm working my way through the L2 sections.

It's like stepping into a cave full of treasure.

Comga · « **Reply #167 on:** 04/19/2012 05:41 am »

Quote from: manboy on 04/17/2012 06:35 pm

Quote from: Comga on 04/17/2012 06:21 pm
Quote from: manboy on 04/17/2012 05:33 pm
Has anyone realized that Dragon's 19 days at the ISS will be longer then that of any other American spacecraft (I believe the current record is 12 days). And the mission following that will be another record breaking flight (30 days berthed to ISS).
Isn't this "grasping as straws" and "apples to oranges"?
Are you a baseball fan? :-)
I have no clue what you're trying to say.

Your sequencing of the COTS 2+ flight into some numerical order reminds me of the endless statistics that baseball fans can conjure up.

On the other hand, you are correct that Dragon will stay attached to the ISS longer than any Shuttle mission. However, this is not longer than any of the Skylab Apollo capsules was docked to Skylab. Does that make it a record or not as good?

As JimOman said "The point is Dragon will set some new US records. That's a good thing no matter who you cheer for. "
I am cheering, no matter how you want to quantize it.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #168 on:** 04/19/2012 04:53 pm »

What a great thread of late!

Per this manifest, I'm looking at a window to write a Dragon article Friday (already started the one for the 23rd) as there's a lot more interest in this manifest than I assumed there would be.

(Still waiting on some additional info).

erioladastra · « **Reply #169 on:** 04/19/2012 05:33 pm »

Quote from: beancounter on 04/18/2012 07:47 am

Quote from: Patchouli on 04/18/2012 03:34 am
Quote from: Prober on 04/18/2012 02:52 am

That review was very good, and alot of things came out of it. Elon was downplaying the mission. But SpaceX comes out fine even if they screw up. NASA will cover for SpaceX, because they must.

SpaceX has the only "possible" download mass available. I don't want to start anything, but the we are seeing the early signs of the effects of the loss of the shuttle.

For now they have the only substantial down mass capability but that may change when Boeing's and SNC's vehicles are ready.

Haven't seen any down mass capability for CST-100 or DC. Thought they were crew only. Anyone have any info' on that.

And agreed, SpaceX Dragon will be the only vehicle in next few years with any usable down mass capability. Soyuz has next to nothing other than a bit of personal space. Even that's being generous. The others are just garbage disposal which while important, doesn't help when it comes to returning equipment for refurbishment or research racks, etc.

One to two freezers and a few hundred pounds of cargo for any of these commcercial crew vehicles are required for downmass.

majormajor42 · « **Reply #170 on:** 04/20/2012 06:20 am »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/19/2012 04:53 pm

What a great thread of late!

Per this manifest, I'm looking at a window to write a Dragon article Friday (already started the one for the 23rd) as there's a lot more interest in this manifest than I assumed there would be.

(Still waiting on some additional info).

Don Pettit really wants to know if there will be fresh fruit.

Great video by him posted over on the update thread. Love the Western outpost analogy.

ChefPat · « **Reply #171 on:** 04/20/2012 12:41 pm »

Strawberries are in season all over the Southern US right now. Especially Florida.

(hint, hint)

Prober · « **Reply #172 on:** 04/20/2012 04:42 pm »

Quote from: ChefPat on 04/20/2012 12:41 pm

Strawberries are in season all over the Southern US right now. Especially Florida.
(hint, hint)

Strawberry pie a nice surprice.

Rhyshaelkan · « **Reply #173 on:** 04/21/2012 05:52 am »

What are the procedures for sending fresh produce to the ISS? Could they be picked up at the market, inspected, and flown in a days time? I never have luck with strawberries lasting long. Very much a use them or lose them.

Geron · « **Reply #174 on:** 04/21/2012 06:19 am »

I just read that Musk told National Geographic that he gave the upcoming COTS mission only a 60% chance of total success. That is just slightly better than a coin toss! He sure is becoming less of an optomist in his old age...

"Musk knows that many setbacks await. He places the odds at total success for Dragon's upcoming mission, including successful docking with the ISS, at perhaps 60 percent."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/04/120416-nasa-spacex-dragon-launch-readiness-space-station-science/

docmordrid · « **Reply #175 on:** 04/21/2012 07:26 am »

It's called "lowballing expectations" - makes a good result seem exponentially better than it otherwise would, but if something goes wrong it's projected as semi-expected. Management 101.

SpacexULA · « **Reply #176 on:** 04/21/2012 12:53 pm »

Quote from: Rhyshaelkan on 04/21/2012 05:52 am

What are the procedures for sending fresh produce to the ISS? Could they be picked up at the market, inspected, and flown in a days time? I never have luck with strawberries lasting long. Very much a use them or lose them.

Sealed in Nitrogen and kept refrigerated strawberrys can last for a few months.

Paul Howard · « **Reply #177 on:** 04/21/2012 01:12 pm »

Here's that article Chris was talking about http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/04/cargo-up-down-spacexs-dragon-demonstrate-importance-downmass/

I like the mission patch.

jabe · « **Reply #178 on:** 04/21/2012 01:26 pm »

with ATV and HTV being successful first try... those missions had same complexity? Or did they do THAT much more testing before flight to reduce risk of failure?
jb

MP99 · « **Reply #179 on:** 04/21/2012 02:32 pm »

Quote from: Geron on 04/21/2012 06:19 am

I just read that Musk told National Geographic that he gave the upcoming COTS mission only a 60% chance of total success. That is just slightly better than a coin toss! He sure is becoming less of an optomist in his old age...

"Musk knows that many setbacks await. He places the odds at total success for Dragon's upcoming mission, including successful docking with the ISS, at perhaps 60 percent."

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/04/120416-nasa-spacex-dragon-launch-readiness-space-station-science/

I can't help wondering if SpaceX could have launched a pure COTS2 mission sometime last year, and how much that would have reduced the risk of the following COTS3 mission.

cheers, Martin