SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) GENERAL DISCUSSION

[Paul Howard]

This test is becoming headline news and that bothers me a little. The expectations are just too high for a test launch.

Yes. It bothers me too.

Can I ask why? Headlines are better than no interest.

[peter-b]

This test is becoming headline news and that bothers me a little. The expectations are just too high for a test launch.

Yes. It bothers me too.

Can I ask why? Headlines are better than no interest.

Because if anything goes wrong, or is perceived to have gone wrong, or can be misinterpreted in a way that allows others to represent it as having gone wrong, it'll be used as yet another stick to finish beating CCDev funding to death in Congress.

This is no longer a mission that will be judged on its technical merits.

[Space Pete]

Isn't the Dragon's hatch reversed compared to all of the other USOS hatches (and the ones on HTV and Cygnus) in that the latching mechanism is on the inside to protect it durring reentry? If so, I would assume thay want something more than just the position of a pointer viewd thru the window to confirm the latches are engaged before undocking.

Good thoughts! I too noticed that the tension rod assemblies are on the inside rather than the outside, and I too thought this might be re-entry related (although I think the outside of the hatch may have a white heat-proof covering like the CBM bulkhead does), but I hadn't considered that the camera (if that's what it is) might be to record correct operation of the tension rods.

[Robotbeat]

This test is becoming headline news and that bothers me a little. The expectations are just too high for a test launch.

Yes. It bothers me too.

Can I ask why? Headlines are better than no interest.

Because if anything goes wrong, or is perceived to have gone wrong, or can be misinterpreted in a way that allows others to represent it as having gone wrong, it'll be used as yet another stick to finish beating CCDev funding to death in Congress.
...

Schadenfreude seems to be a disease killing the future of our country, these days.

[RDoc]

+1

[SpacexULA]

So what are the next big milestones headed up to the launch?

Final integration
Wet Dress Rehearsal
Test Fire on pad?

[Robotbeat]

So what are the next big milestones headed up to the launch?

Final integration
Wet Dress Rehearsal
Test Fire on pad?

SORR (Stage Operations Readiness Review) on April 5th, FRR (Flight Readiness Review) on April 16th.

[Lurker Steve]

This test is becoming headline news and that bothers me a little. The expectations are just too high for a test launch.

Yes. It bothers me too.

Can I ask why? Headlines are better than no interest.

Because if anything goes wrong, or is perceived to have gone wrong, or can be misinterpreted in a way that allows others to represent it as having gone wrong, it'll be used as yet another stick to finish beating CCDev funding to death in Congress.

This is no longer a mission that will be judged on its technical merits.

This is just the beginning. Forget about being judged on technical merits. They are being judged on their ability to fulfill their portion of the CRS contract. Every flight after this will be ever more critical. One failure on a real mission, and they end up in the same penalty box as Taurus XL, not to mention the delays affect the ISS logistics planning.

[Robotbeat]

This test is becoming headline news and that bothers me a little. The expectations are just too high for a test launch.

Yes. It bothers me too.

Can I ask why? Headlines are better than no interest.

Because if anything goes wrong, or is perceived to have gone wrong, or can be misinterpreted in a way that allows others to represent it as having gone wrong, it'll be used as yet another stick to finish beating CCDev funding to death in Congress.

This is no longer a mission that will be judged on its technical merits.

This is just the beginning. Forget about being judged on technical merits. They are being judged on their ability to fulfill their portion of the CRS contract. Every flight after this will be ever more critical. One failure on a real mission, and they end up in the same penalty box as Taurus XL, not to mention the delays affect the ISS logistics planning.

That's totally unfair. The other contestants are not cargo providers, thus there's no risk of them being put in a "penalty box" anymore than any other launch anomaly, unless you're going to count any EELV problem. Come on, your bias is showing, here.

[Antares]

It may be unfair, but that's the irrational nature of the political realm.

[Garrett]

3 WDRs have been done, 1 with a dry Dragon. Test Fire should be the final thing after FRR.

Any idea when the test-fire (hotfire?) will be performed? I suppose I could always go look up the timeline for the COTS Demo 1 flight to get some idea of when it'll be, but whereas it would probably take me 30 minutes to find it, I'm sure some of you here know it off by heart

[Ben the Space Brit]

Are we sure that the hotfire test is on the schedule?

[manboy]

3 WDRs have been done, 1 with a dry Dragon. Test Fire should be the final thing after FRR.

Any idea when the test-fire (hotfire?) will be performed? I suppose I could always go look up the timeline for the COTS Demo 1 flight to get some idea of when it'll be, but whereas it would probably take me 30 minutes to find it, I'm sure some of you here know it off by heart

According to Chris/Will, a few days prior to launch.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/03/spacex-successful-falcon-9-wdr-dragons-iss-debut/

[Chris Bergin]

This is IMPORTANT and a RULE: This thread needs to remain on specific comments to the thread title - SpaceX COTS 2/3. Derailing is not allowed, we have numerous threads for all required debates, and splinter threads can be created if needed. Be civil at all times.

Reminder. Only took three pages this time.

[jacqmans]

RELEASE: 12-103

NASA, SPACEX ANNOUNCE NASA SOCIAL FOR FALCON 9 LAUNCH ATTEMPT

WASHINGTON -- NASA and Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will
invite 50 of their social media followers to a two-day NASA Social
April 29-30 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event is
expected to culminate in the launch of SpaceX's second Commercial
Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration flight. SpaceX's
Falcon 9 rocket is targeted to lift off at 12:22 p.m. EDT on April
30, in an attempt to become the first commercial company to send a
spacecraft to the International Space Station.

Registration opens at noon EDT Thursday, April 5, and closes at noon
Friday, April 6. Fifty participants will be selected from online
registrations.

For more information on NASA Social and to register, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/social

A NASA Social is an event for people who use NASA's social media
accounts. For this event, fans and followers on Twitter, Facebook and
Google+ are eligible to register. Participants will have unique
in-person experiences with SpaceX and NASA, which they are encouraged
to share with others through their favorite social network. Guests
will view the launch, tour NASA facilities at Kennedy, speak with
representatives from both organizations, view the SpaceX launch pad,
meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media, and
meet members of SpaceX and NASA's social media teams.

SpaceX will launch its Dragon spacecraft atop its Falcon 9 launch
vehicle to test and prove its systems for a rendezvous with the space
station. The flight's objectives include a fly-under of the station
to validate operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a
safe rendezvous, berthing to the station and returning the Dragon
spacecraft to Earth.

Because portions of this event may take place in restricted areas,
registration is limited to U.S. citizens.

Since 2006, NASA's COTS program has invested financial and technical
resources to stimulate private sector efforts to develop and
demonstrate safe, reliable and cost-effective space transportation
capabilities. In a multi-phase strategy, the program spurs the
innovation and development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles from
commercial industry to create a new system of delivering cargo to
low-Earth orbit and the space station.

For more information about COTS, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/cots

To find all the ways to connect and collaborate with NASA, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/connect

To follow SpaceX on Twitter, visit:

http://www.twitter.com/SpaceX

For more information about the International Space Station, visit:


http://www.nasa.gov/station

For more information about SpaceX or the Dragon spacecraft, visit:

http://www.spacex.com

[Chris Bergin]

Now that's how marketing is done!

You mean like NASA and ESA have been doing for a good while now?

[manboy]

snip

I am so jealous of who ever gets those tickets. I wonder where they'll be viewing the launch from?

[Comga]

MEDIA ADVISORY: M12-057

NASA TO HOLD BRIEFING PREVIEWING SPACEX MISSION TO SPACE STATION

HOUSTON -- NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston will hold a media
briefing on Monday, April 16, to preview the SpaceX demonstration
mission to the International Space Station, currently scheduled for
launch April 30.

The briefing will immediately follow a Flight Readiness Review (FRR)
conducted by senior NASA managers, space station partners and SpaceX
officials. The review likely will conclude in the early afternoon.
The briefing will be broadcast live on NASA Television and on the
agency's website.

During the flight, SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft will conduct a series of
checkout procedures, which will test and prove its systems in advance
of the rendezvous with the space station. The primary objectives for
the flight include a fly-under of the station at a distance of 1.5
miles (2.5 kilometers) to validate the operation of sensors and
flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous. The spacecraft also
will demonstrate the capability to abort the rendezvous.

If the checkout procedures go well, Dragon will perform the rendezvous
while the station crew works inside the complex to grapple the
vehicle with the station's robotic arm. Dragon will be berthed to the
Earth-facing side of the Harmony node. At the end of the mission, the
crew will reverse the process, detaching Dragon from the station,
after which Dragon will return to Earth and be recovered.

Briefing participants include:
-- William Gerstenmaier, NASA associate administrator for Human
Exploration and Operations
-- Michael Suffredini, International Space Station program manager
-- Alan Lindenmoyer, Commercial Orbital Transportation Services
program manager
-- Elon Musk, SpaceX chief executive officer and chief designer
-- Holly Ridings, NASA flight director

Reporters can ask questions from participating NASA centers or via
telephone by contacting the Johnson Space Center newsroom 15 minutes
before the start of the briefing at 281-483-5111.

For those attending in person, the deadline for reporters to request
credentials at Johnson is Monday, April 9, for international
residents and Friday, April 13, for U.S. citizens.

Media can follow updates on the progress of the FRR and briefing start
time by following NASA on Twitter at:

http://www.twitter.com/NASA

For more information on the flight, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/spacex

[Chris Bergin]

SpaceX just sent out the release again on the FRR, but added: "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will attend a NASA briefing at Johnson Space Center on April 16th to discuss SpaceX's upcoming mission".

[Space Pete]

SpaceX just sent out the release again on the FRR, but added: "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk will attend a NASA briefing at Johnson Space Center on April 16th to discuss SpaceX's upcoming mission".

Will be kinda funny to see a billionaire sitting alongside NASA managers discussing the mission. I wonder how Mr. Musk will field in-depth technical questions, since most of the answers would be proprietary, I imagine.

I just hope it keeps the feel of Shuttle briefings (technical and informative), and doesn't become a "SpaceX is awesome" (fancy CGI and fluff) briefing.