LIVE: SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) LAUNCH and FD1 UPDATES

[apace]

C/38350  Solar array cover  304 x 339 km
D/38351  Solar array cover  305 x 343 km

Any idea how fast the solar array covers will burn into the atmosphere?

[jcm]

The 2nd stage is supposed to decay out of orbit in ~1 year, how long will the solar array covers stay up?

A/38348  Dragon     294 x 372 km  initial elements; maneuvered [NOTE: mistake on my part?] at around 0933 UTC to 335 x 355 km
B/38349  Falcon 9 St 2: 271 x 331 km
C/38350  Solar array cover  304 x 339 km
D/38351  Solar array cover  305 x 343 km

I would guess a month or less, they will have high drag

[Hotdog]

Anyone found a youtube or other video of the press conference?

[Airlock]

Anyone found a youtube or other video of the press conference?

Here you go.

[corrodedNut]

From SpaceX media page: http://www.spacex.com/press.php?page=20120522

"Hawthorne, CA – Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft to orbit in an exciting start to the mission that will make SpaceX the first commercial company in history to attempt to send a spacecraft to the International Space Station — something only a handful of governments have ever accomplished.

At 3:44 a.m. Eastern, the Falcon 9 carrying Dragon launched from SpaceX’s launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Now Dragon heads toward the International Space Station. On that journey it will be subjected to a series of tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the station.

Broadcast quality videos, including video inside of the SpaceX factory, may be downloaded at www.vimeo.com/spacexlaunch and high-resolution photos are posted at www.spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com.

At a press conference held after the launch, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer Elon Musk began, “I would like to start off by saying what a tremendous honor it has been to work with NASA. And to acknowledge the fact that we could not have started SpaceX, nor could we have reached this point without the help of NASA… It’s really been an honor to work with such great people.”

The vehicle’s first stage performed nominally before separating from the second stage. The second stage successfully delivered the Dragon spacecraft into its intended orbit. This marks the third consecutive successful Falcon 9 launch and the fifth straight launch success for SpaceX.

“We obviously have to go through a number of steps to berth with the Space Station, but everything is looking really good and I think I would count today as a success no matter what happens with the rest of the mission,” Musk said.

He continued by expressing his gratitude to the more than 1,800 SpaceX employees. “People have really given it their all.” Describing the scene inside of SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California, he said, “We had most of the company gathered around SpaceX Mission Control. They are seeing the fruits of their labor and wondering if it is going to work. There is so much hope riding on that rocket. When it worked, and Dragon worked, and the solar arrays deployed, people saw their handiwork in space operating as it should. There was tremendous elation. For us it is like winning the Super Bowl.”

Explaining the significance of the day, Musk stated, “This mission heralds the dawn of a new era of space exploration, one in which there is a significant commercial space element. It is like the advent of the Internet in the mid-1990s when commercial companies entered what was originally a government endeavor. That move dramatically accelerated the pace of advancement and made the Internet accessible to the mass market. I think we’re at a similar inflection point for space. I hope and I believe that this mission will be historic in marking that turning point towards a rapid advancement in space transportation technology.”

This is SpaceX’s second demonstration flight under a 2006 Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) agreement with NASA to develop the capability to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station. Demonstration launches are conducted to determine potential issues so that they might be addressed; by their very nature, they carry a significant risk. If any aspect of the mission is not successful, SpaceX will learn from the experience and try again.



Mission Highlights: During the mission, Dragon must perform a series of complex tasks, each presenting significant technical challenges (dates subject to change):

May 22/Launch Day: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launches a Dragon spacecraft into orbit from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
May 23: Dragon orbits Earth as it travels toward the International Space Station.
May 24: Dragon’s sensors and flight systems are subjected to a series of complicated tests to determine if the vehicle is ready to berth with the space station; these tests include maneuvers and systems checks in which the vehicle comes within 1.5 miles of the station.
May 25: NASA decides if Dragon is allowed to attempt berthing with the station. If so, Dragon approaches. It is captured by station’s robotic arm and attached to the station, a feat that requires extreme precision.
May 25 - 31: Astronauts open Dragon’s hatch, unload supplies and fill Dragon with return cargo.
May 31: After approximately two weeks, Dragon is detached from the station and returns to Earth, landing in the Pacific, hundreds of miles west of Southern California.


About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches the world’s most advanced rockets and spacecraft. With a diverse manifest of 40 launches to deliver commercial and government satellites to orbit, SpaceX is the world’s fastest growing launch services provider. In 2010, SpaceX became the first commercial company in history to put a spacecraft into orbit and return it safely to Earth. With the retirement of the space shuttle, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft will soon carry cargo, and one day astronauts, to and from the Space Station for NASA. Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX is a private company owned by management and employees, with minority investments from Founders Fund, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, and Valor Equity Partners. The company has over 1,800 employees in California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Florida. For more information, visit www.SpaceX.com."

[Hotdog]

Thanks

Anyone found a youtube or other video of the press conference?

Here you go.

[corrodedNut]

[corrodedNut]

[kevin-rf]

Doesn't that belong on the OMG thread Amazing you could hear it through the glass walls on the regular feed!

[anik]

Does someone know exact time of liftoff? 07:44:38.??? UTC

[Lar]

Fascinating that the efforts of remote manipulation @ISS are transiting through the hinge of that door

Not just the hinge - in the image I attached below, you can see that there are three attachment points on the door that attach to three corresponding attachment points on the shell of the Dragon.

There was a concern that the hinges alone wouldn't be able to take the SSRMS manoeuvring loads.

Sorry, I'm a newb here, feel free to move this to the proper thread if this question is out of order here in the updates thread... but I'm a bit confused about how this door/hinge/gripper target thingie actually works. The device that the robotic manipulator end effector grips appears to be on the inside of the door, correct? In the closed door shot, is it correct that the down facing triangle and three bolts are how the device is attached to the door? What is the function of the brown metallic up facing triangle just above the door? Depending on how the door hinges upward, one could imagine that these two triangles mate somehow so that the device isn't just transmitting force through the hinges.

If so, how? Is there more detail available on how this mechanism works, exactly? And what if the door won't properly close again? For the demo flight that would be a loss of vehicle, presumably, but for commercial service, would that necessitate an EVA to fix things? If so, who would pay the EVA costs for that? (presumably SpaceX, as a fixed price provider, should have to)

Thanks.

[Chris Bergin]

And a quick one from me. Going to write an article now based on where we are and setting us up through phasing.

Sources/L2 saying zero (and I mean zero) issues on the SpaceX hardware side from countdown to this point, which is astronishing.

[JimO]

And a quick one from me. Going to write an article now based on where we are and setting us up through phasing.

Sources/L2 saying zero (and I mean zero) issues on the SpaceX hardware side from countdown to this point, which is astronishing.

I think you may have accidentally coined a charming neologism to describe this astronautical astonishment --

"astronishing"

Works for me.

[e of pi]

Sorry, I'm a newb here, feel free to move this to the proper thread if this question is out of order here in the updates thread... but I'm a bit confused about how this door/hinge/gripper target thingie actually works.

I'm a bit of a newb myself, but here's my attempts to answer.

The device that the robotic manipulator end effector grips appears to be on the inside of the door, correct?

Correct. It's the circular sort of sattelite dish thing in the open door picture.

In the closed door shot, is it correct that the down facing triangle and three bolts are how the device is attached to the door? What is the function of the brown metallic up facing triangle just above the door? Depending on how the door hinges upward, one could imagine that these two triangles mate somehow so that the device isn't just transmitting force through the hinges.

That is in fact what they do! They aren't part of the grapple fixture itself, rather they are for transmitting forces from the actual grapple mechnism and the door to the main vehicle structure. That's not a secondary function, it's the prime reason they exist.

If so, how? Is there more detail available on how this mechanism works, exactly?

Beyond that they mate and lock, I'm not sure there's much else in terms of publically available information.

And what if the door won't properly close again?

not a question we currently know the answer to, though presumably they've studied it internally. One of the downsides of commercial is the higher degree of information that we've come to expect from Shuttle is proprietary.

[Chris Bergin]

And a quick one from me. Going to write an article now based on where we are and setting us up through phasing.

Sources/L2 saying zero (and I mean zero) issues on the SpaceX hardware side from countdown to this point, which is astronishing.

I think you may have accidentally coined a charming neologism to describe this astronautical astonishment --

"astronishing"

Works for me.

Totally on purpose, Jim. Honest!

(Whoops, tired!! )

Big threads for launch attempt 1 and successful attempt 2, so I'm thinking we'll create a new thread for the on orbit phasing and testing, with another live thread for the big ISS part (to berthing) of the mission, to save people going through pages and pages for the latest info.

[Rex Chan]

Hello! New guy here. I can see a lot of updates come from the SpaceX web feed, NASA TV, Twitter, etc. Where will info for the next stage come from? It doesn't sound like there will be any more live web video??

[Ben the Space Brit]

Big threads for launch attempt 1 and successful attempt 2, so I'm thinking we'll create a new thread for the on orbit phasing and testing, with another live thread for the big ISS part (to berthing) of the mission, to save people going through pages and pages for the latest info.

Only 23 pages so far, Chris, and the noise level is fairly low.  I think that we can afford to wait for 7:30UT tomorrow to start the FD2 thread.

Yes, I am predicting sufficient interest that a seperate FD thread for each day (like with shuttle missions) might be necessary.

[tigerade]

Commercial Spaceflight Federation congratulates SpaceX and NASA:

http://www.commercialspaceflight.org/2012/05/commercial-spaceflight-federation-congratulates-spacex-nasa-successful-launch-orbital-insertion-dragon-capsule/

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation Congratulates SpaceX and NASA on the Successful Launch and Orbital Insertion of the Dragon Capsule
by sbandla on May 22, 2012

Washington D.C. – The Commercial Spaceflight Federation congratulates Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) and NASA for a successful launch and orbital insertion of the Dragon spacecraft this morning. Dragon was launched atop a Falcon 9 rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral, FL and will continue to perform maneuvers and system checks, while maintaining communications at a fly-under distance of 1.5 miles from the International Space Station as part of a demonstration mission under NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) program.

CSF President Michael Lopez-Alegria said, “The entire team at SpaceX and at NASA should be commended for their success on this third test flight of the Falcon 9 rocket. The preparations and precautions taken by SpaceX and NASA in months past have contributed to their exemplary performance today. After seeing the smooth launch SpaceX just executed, it is easy to forget that this is indeed rocket science.”

“This is a testament to the viability of the commercial spaceflight industry,” CSF Chairman Eric Anderson said. “Congratulations to SpaceX for successfully completing the first steps of this demonstration flight. Elon and his team’s success today is an important milestone in achieving a sustainable space program.”

“SpaceX’s successful launch this morning is a great accomplishment, and is an important milestone for commercial spaceflight,” said Mark Sirangelo, former Chairman of CSF and current Chairman of Sierra Nevada Corporation Space Systems.  “The Shuttle may be retired, but the American dream of space exploration is alive and well, and the commercial space industry is working hard to provide U.S. access to low-Earth orbit.”

John Logsdon, Professor Emeritus at the George Washington University, Space Policy Institute said, “This demonstration flight for NASA’s COTS program provides valuable experience for SpaceX, but also for NASA and the entire industry that will be carrying cargo and eventually crew to the International Space Station. Congratulations to SpaceX for extending their streak of successful Falcon 9 launches. ”

About the COTS Program

The Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) is a NASA program created in 2006 to work with the private sector to develop safe, reliable and cost-effective transportation to the International Space Station. The program is fixed-price, milestone-based, and requires cost-sharing with the private sector to protect taxpayer dollars and incentivize performance.

About the Commercial Spaceflight Federation

The mission of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) is to promote the development of commercial human spaceflight, pursue ever-higher levels of safety, and share best practices and expertise throughout the industry. The Commercial Spaceflight Federation’s member companies, which include commercial spaceflight developers, operators, spaceports, suppliers, and service providers, are creating thousands of high-tech jobs nationwide, working to preserve American leadership in aerospace through technology innovation, and inspiring young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. For more information please visit www.commercialspaceflight.org or contact Executive Director Alex Saltman at [email protected] or at 202.349.1121.

[Chris Bergin]

Hello! New guy here. I can see a lot of updates come from the SpaceX web feed, NASA TV, Twitter, etc. Where will info for the next stage come from? It doesn't sound like there will be any more live web video??

Firstly, welcome to the site's forum, Rex. We're all learning with this flight as it's not like a Shuttle misson with 24/7 NTV.

I'm writing an article based on what's immediate and there will be numerous sources (including SpaceX on twitter for example). It's all about phasing to catch the ISS for a good while at the moment, however.

Big threads for launch attempt 1 and successful attempt 2, so I'm thinking we'll create a new thread for the on orbit phasing and testing, with another live thread for the big ISS part (to berthing) of the mission, to save people going through pages and pages for the latest info.

Only 23 pages so far, Chris, and the noise level is fairly low.  I think that we can afford to wait for 7:30UT tomorrow to start the FD2 thread.

Yes, I am predicting sufficient interest that a seperate FD thread for each day (like with shuttle missions) might be necessary.

Yeah, probably keep this going for a good number of hours yet (and like through to early morning GMT tomorrow for the next thread). Then a FD2+ thread, taking us through phasing and into the ISS' backyard. Then the big day live.

That should work.

[corrodedNut]

The first abort demonstration is coming up soon or already happened. Will there be any coverage?