Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) PRE LAUNCH UPDATES (Read 245078 times)

krytek · « **Reply #340 on:** 04/27/2012 07:41 am »

Quote from: Space Pete on 04/26/2012 10:46 pm

Some good views of the Dragon CCP (Crew Command Panel) near the Lab RWS.

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-30/html/iss030e250643.html

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-30/html/iss030e250651.html

Paperwork....in space!

Garrett · « **Reply #341 on:** 04/27/2012 08:41 am »

Is the Falcon 9 static fire test still scheduled for today? I have a vague recollection of some talk about another type of FRR going on today that might, for some reason, delay the fire.
If it is today, do we have a time?
Cheers

ugordan · « **Reply #342 on:** 04/27/2012 08:43 am »

Quote from: Garrett on 04/27/2012 08:41 am

Is the Falcon 9 static fire test still scheduled for today?

As of now, Monday.

manboy · « **Reply #343 on:** 04/27/2012 08:57 am »

Quote from: Space Pete on 04/26/2012 10:46 pm

Some good views of the Dragon CCP (Crew Command Panel) near the Lab RWS.

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-30/html/iss030e250643.html

http://www.spaceflight.nasa.gov/gallery/images/station/crew-30/html/iss030e250651.html

Why isn't the CCP in Cupola?

kevin-rf · « **Reply #344 on:** 04/27/2012 12:32 pm »

I want that Mars telescope dome!

TimL · « **Reply #345 on:** 04/27/2012 01:07 pm »

Me too, but I don't have the 12 grand to buy the small 7' from AstroHaven...

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #346 on:** 04/27/2012 01:15 pm »

Good news:

SpaceX to Webcast Static Fire for Upcoming Mission on Monday

Mission Would Make SpaceX the First Commercial Company to Attempt to Send a Spacecraft to the International Space Station

Hawthorne, CA – On Monday, April 30, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company’s upcoming launch.

The webcast, available at www.spacex.com, is set to begin at 2:30 PM ET/ 11:30 AM PT, with the actual static fire targeted for 3:00 PM ET/ 12:00 PM PT.

The 9 engine test will take place at the company’s Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station as part of a full launch dress rehearsal leading up to the second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) launch. During the rehearsal, SpaceX engineers will run through all countdown processes as though it were launch day. The exercise will end with all nine engines firing at full power for two seconds.

After the test, SpaceX will conduct a thorough review of all data as engineers make final preparations for the upcoming launch, currently targeted for May 7. SpaceX plans to launch its Dragon spacecraft into low-Earth orbit atop a Falcon 9 rocket. During the mission, Dragon’s sensors and flight systems will be subject to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station. If NASA decides Dragon is ready, the vehicle will attach to the station and astronauts will open Dragon’s hatch and unload the cargo onboard.

This will be the first attempt by a commercial company to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station, a feat previously performed by only a few governments. Success is not guaranteed. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again.

It is also the second demonstration flight under NASA’s program to develop commercial supply services to the International Space Station. The first SpaceX COTS flight, in December 2010, made SpaceX the first commercial company in history to send a spacecraft to orbit and return it safely to Earth. Once SpaceX demonstrates the ability to carry cargo to the space station, it will begin to fulfill its Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract for NASA for at least 12 missions to carry cargo to and from the space station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft were designed to one day carry astronauts; both the COTS and CRS missions will yield valuable flight experience toward this goal.

SpaceX also plans to broadcast the entire launch live at www.spacex.com on launch day.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #347 on:** 04/27/2012 01:18 pm »

Oh and that WAS the mission patch we saw on a L2 document a few weeks back! (Funny as the document was not FRR or such level, it was a launch site support document and thus we couldn't work out if it was the official patch!

)

ChrisC · « **Reply #348 on:** 04/27/2012 04:53 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/27/2012 01:15 pm

Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company’s upcoming launch. ... SpaceX also plans to broadcast the entire launch live at www.spacex.com on launch day.

My fingers will be crossed that it actually works for the static fire, but even if it does I wouldn't count on it working for the actual launch.

Their stream couldn't hold up during the previous Falcon 1 and 9 launches, so I seriously doubt they will hold up under what will be a huge audience for the actual launch. We'll end up relying on NASA cameras and general media (e.g. CNN). At least this time, we'll have those options since it's officially a demo for NASA.

e of pi · « **Reply #349 on:** 04/27/2012 05:03 pm »

I dunno, the webcast for Falcon 9 Flight 2 seemed a lot better than that for Flight 1, and IIRC didn't they hire someone specializing in webcasting in the last year or so? I think I remember someone's name being talked about here, but I can't recall who.

mrbliss · « **Reply #350 on:** 04/27/2012 05:04 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/27/2012 01:18 pm

Oh and that WAS the mission patch we saw on a L2 document a few weeks back! (Funny as the document was not FRR or such level, it was a launch site support document and thus we couldn't work out if it was the official patch! )

And will there be a "plus" patch to sew on, after the C2 requirements are achieved?

corrodedNut · « **Reply #351 on:** 04/27/2012 05:09 pm »

These images are credited to NASA, expect to get higher res versions before long:

EDIT- Now they are, and more:

http://mediaarchive.ksc.nasa.gov/search.cfm?cat=225

Keep checking, more are being added.

mrhuggy · « **Reply #352 on:** 04/27/2012 06:51 pm »

Quote from: ChrisC on 04/27/2012 04:53 pm

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/27/2012 01:15 pm
Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will webcast a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket’s nine powerful Merlin engines in preparation for the company’s upcoming launch. ... SpaceX also plans to broadcast the entire launch live at www.spacex.com on launch day.

My fingers will be crossed that it actually works for the static fire, but even if it does I wouldn't count on it working for the actual launch.

Their stream couldn't hold up during the previous Falcon 1 and 9 launches, so I seriously doubt they will hold up under what will be a huge audience for the actual launch. We'll end up relying on NASA cameras and general media (e.g. CNN). At least this time, we'll have those options since it's officially a demo for NASA.

SpaceX hired a guy that knows how to stream big NASA events very well like the past shuttle launches (not NASA). I'm very confident that the SpaceX webcast will be 'Awesome'.

Jason1701 · « **Reply #353 on:** 04/27/2012 07:01 pm »

The guy with the stache was great, I hope he's back.

mr. mark · « **Reply #354 on:** 04/27/2012 07:07 pm »

Integration pic.

oiorionsbelt · « **Reply #355 on:** 04/27/2012 07:27 pm »

The guy in the foreground has a "Magic Dragon" tee shirt

mr. mark · « **Reply #356 on:** 04/27/2012 07:32 pm »

Another angle of Solar Pontoon. You can see the black molding between the heatshield and the pontoon.

mr. mark · « **Reply #357 on:** 04/27/2012 07:40 pm »

And now for the most important part...designer headwear.

Maverick · « **Reply #358 on:** 04/27/2012 07:43 pm »

Quote from: Chris Bergin on 04/27/2012 01:18 pm

Oh and that WAS the mission patch we saw on a L2 document a few weeks back! (Funny as the document was not FRR or such level, it was a launch site support document and thus we couldn't work out if it was the official patch! )

Not surprised. L2's special section for this mission is awesome. Really helped by the level of people providing answers to things too!

oiorionsbelt · « **Reply #359 on:** 04/27/2012 07:46 pm »

Can anyone shed any light on what the smooth bumps are on the lower part of the nose cone?
Also, I've never seen any jettison mechanism for the nose cone, is it the same or similar to the stage separation mechanism?