Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) GENERAL DISCUSSION (Read 510311 times)

rdale · « **Reply #960 on:** 05/31/2012 01:22 pm »

Quote from: Lurker Steve on 05/31/2012 01:15 pm

Yes, there are operating Oil Platforms in the gulf that don't want space debris falling on them.

Is that "yes" an official answer or just an opinion?

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28585.0

beancounter · « **Reply #961 on:** 05/31/2012 01:30 pm »

Quote from: rdale on 05/31/2012 01:10 pm

Add 4 hours to the existing EDT timelines.

Ah thank you.

Lurker Steve · « **Reply #962 on:** 05/31/2012 01:31 pm »

Quote from: rdale on 05/31/2012 01:22 pm

Quote from: Lurker Steve on 05/31/2012 01:15 pm
Yes, there are operating Oil Platforms in the gulf that don't want space debris falling on them.

Is that "yes" an official answer or just an opinion?

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28585.0

My opinion.

Of course, you could check a satellite map and see if there is a landing zone in the gulf approxiametely the same size as the current zone in the Pacific they are using for the COTS 2+ capsule. Make sure it is in US territorial waters.

rdale · « **Reply #963 on:** 05/31/2012 01:35 pm »

Thanks - I was just confused since there's a 29+ page thread on SpaceX's announcement of a Texas launch site

MP99 · « **Reply #964 on:** 05/31/2012 01:50 pm »

Quote from: beancounter on 05/31/2012 01:10 pm

Apologies if this has already been posted but does anyone have the timelines in GMT? Many thanks.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28970.msg904276#msg904276

cheers, Martin

beancounter · « **Reply #965 on:** 05/31/2012 01:52 pm »

Quote from: MP99 on 05/31/2012 01:50 pm

Quote from: beancounter on 05/31/2012 01:10 pm
Apologies if this has already been posted but does anyone have the timelines in GMT? Many thanks.

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=28970.msg904276#msg904276

cheers, Martin

Thanks also.

sanman · « **Reply #966 on:** 05/31/2012 01:55 pm »

I don't mean to ask a rude question, but I want to understand how liability is split in COTS/CRS. What if Dragon burns up on re-entry, and isn't able to return the cargo as intended? Does SpaceX still get paid?

The astronauts onboard the station have to do their part to ensure that the Dragon successfully undocks and arrives back on Earth with its return cargo. What if an astronaut makes a mistake that doesn't get caught in time, and this causes Dragon to malfunction, burn up, etc?

How do you split liability in a public-private partnership?

LaunchedIn68 · « **Reply #967 on:** 05/31/2012 02:04 pm »

I have a question as I was not able to find any animation of Dragon's re-entry such as the one for Orion.

What is the orientation for Dragon during the deorbit burn?

Is it trunk forward in the direction of flight, rear firing thrusters on Dragon, and then when the trunk is jettisoned Dragon performs a manuever to get out of the way of the trunk?

Or for the de-orbit Dragon has forward firing thrusters, the trunk is jettisoned, and Dragon performs a flip over manuever so the heat shield is in the direction of flight?

Thanks.

Prober · « **Reply #968 on:** 05/31/2012 02:29 pm »

Quote from: Jim on 05/31/2012 03:33 am

Quote from: Go4TLI on 05/31/2012 03:02 am
It's actually MMH/N2O4. And if they were offloaded at the port, what does one do with the prop then?

One would offload them at the Sealaunch facility in Long Beach, just as C-1 did, where all the equipment was shipped, which has standing permits, with clear areas and facilities specifically for such operations, and has shipped and received such propellants many times

Agree it would be the logical place, however isn't this a Boeing owned facility? Thought Sealaunch only uses the services?

2nd choice could be services near Vandenberg? Isn't an Astrotech West out there?

Rex Chan · « **Reply #969 on:** 05/31/2012 02:36 pm »

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Thrusters will also fire during reentry to adjust touchdown point. Next version will land w helicopter precision #Dragon

Is this new news? I didn't realize Dragon could do that...

kevin-rf · « **Reply #970 on:** 05/31/2012 02:41 pm »

Hints at a build a little, test a little approach to implementing propulsive landing?

sanman · « **Reply #971 on:** 05/31/2012 02:47 pm »

So before an actual crewed mission, will they be sending up an unmanned SuperDraco-Dragon to dock with the ISS?

What's the flight# for the first SuperDraco-Dragon launch with powered landing?

VatTas · « **Reply #972 on:** 05/31/2012 02:47 pm »

Quote from: Rex Chan on 05/31/2012 02:36 pm

Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Thrusters will also fire during reentry to adjust touchdown point. Next version will land w helicopter precision #Dragon

Is this new news? I didn't realize Dragon could do that...

Next Dragon version, not next Dragon.

Rex Chan · « **Reply #973 on:** 05/31/2012 02:50 pm »

Quote from: VatTas on 05/31/2012 02:47 pm

Quote from: Rex Chan on 05/31/2012 02:36 pm
Elon Musk ‏@elonmusk
Thrusters will also fire during reentry to adjust touchdown point. Next version will land w helicopter precision #Dragon

Is this new news? I didn't realize Dragon could do that...
Next Dragon version, not next Dragon.

Oops! Was referring to the first part of the tweet - that *this* Dragon can fire Draco in atmo to target splashdown area. I just thought it was all parachutes and the de-orbit burn.

VatTas · « **Reply #974 on:** 05/31/2012 02:51 pm »

I wonder how they even talk about spotting Dragon deorbit burn from ISS? Draco plume is invisible in vacuum, and these little dots of light in the thrusters that could be seen during departure burns are barely seen at close distance.

ugordan · « **Reply #975 on:** 05/31/2012 02:52 pm »

This has been irking me ever since the mission started: why does everyone call Dracos "engines"? What's wrong with thrusters?

Eer · « **Reply #976 on:** 05/31/2012 02:55 pm »

Question - they say the Dragon de-orbit burn is a 100m per second burn.

1g, if I recall, is about 10m/s.

Does that mean Dragon is experiencing ~10g deceleration?

Rex Chan · « **Reply #977 on:** 05/31/2012 02:56 pm »

Quote from: Eer on 05/31/2012 02:55 pm

Question - they say the Dragon de-orbit burn is a 100m per second burn.

1g, if I recall, is about 10m/s.

Does that mean Dragon is experiencing ~10g deceleration?

That change in velocity of 100 m/s takes 9 minutes, so probably not.

Robert Thompson · « **Reply #978 on:** 05/31/2012 02:57 pm »

Does that hypergolic fuel get cleaned up and reused?

sanman · « **Reply #979 on:** 05/31/2012 02:57 pm »

They said that this re-entry would be the same profile as a crewed re-entry.