LIVE: SpaceX Dragon COTS Demo (C2+) FD4 UPDATES

[psloss]

Approaching sunset and TDRS LOS in a little less than eight minutes.

About 20 minutes from here to capture point at 10 meters.

[Ronsmytheiii]

[Ronsmytheiii]

[psloss]

Current range about 23 meters.

[Chris Bergin]

SpaceX sent this out to the media just now:

UPDATED TIMES

TODAY: SpaceX Dragon Spacecraft to Attempt to Attach to the International Space Station

 

Hawthorne, CA – Today, Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) will attempt to send its Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station.  SpaceX is the first commercial company in history to attempt to send a spacecraft to the station.  Only four governments – the United States, Russia, Japan and the European Space Agency – have ever achieved this challenging technological feat.

 

If today’s operations are successful, astronauts could open the hatch tomorrow morning.

 

Times are approximate and may very well change. Dragon berthing is contingent on a successful grapple. 

 

EVENT:                                                 Grapple Attempt: Dragon is captured by the station’s robotic arm

TIME:                                    Estimated to occur shortly

 

EVENT:                                                 Attempt to Attach: Dragon is attached to the International Space Station

TIME:                                    Estimated approximately 3 hours after grapple

 

EVENT:                                                 Media Briefing to Discuss Historic Mission

PARTICIPANTS:                 Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO and Chief Designer

Mike Suffredini, NASA ISS Program Manager     

Alan Lindenmoyer, NASA COTS Program Manager           

Holly Ridings, NASA Flight Director

TIME:                                    After Dragon attaches – watch for update

DIAL IN INFO:                    NASA’s Johnson Space Center Newsroom 281-483-5111

 

For NASA TV downlink information, schedules and links to streaming video, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv .

 

More broadcast quality videos may be downloaded at vimeo.com/spacexlaunch and high-resolution photos at spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com.

 

CONTACT:                           Kirstin Grantham, SpaceX 202-649-2716

[email protected]

 

Josh Byerly, Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111

[email protected]

 

Trent J. Perrotto, NASA Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1100

[email protected]

 

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.

 

                                                                                # # #

 

 

Kirstin Brost Grantham | Communications Director | SpaceX | 202-649-2716

 

More on the NASA/SpaceX Launch & Mission to the Space Station

Launch Press Kit: http://www.spacex.com/downloads/COTS-2-Press-Kit-5-14-12.pdf

High-Resolution Photos: spacexlaunch.zenfolio.com

Download Broadcast Quality Videos: vimeo.com/spacexlaunch

[brettreds2k]

First attempt will be a nighttime capture attempt, wow!!

[RocketEconomist327]

Possible night time capture!

[Ronsmytheiii]

Hawthorne expect 13:45 to be in position,  14:02 capture (at night)

[Chris Bergin]

14:02 GMT (30 mins from now) potential op - but a nighttime opportunity.

[Ronsmytheiii]

Don asking whether crew have say, ground says yes but timeline reflects light on orbit but not on ground

[Chris Bergin]

ISS has turned on some lights to help with the lighting conditions.

[Ronsmytheiii]

[psloss]

Range now about 20 meters.

Capture windows would be at 9:02 Central (night time) or 9:28 (day)...both of those would be in the next hour.

[Chris Bergin]

8 mins to the 10 meter hold point.

[Ronsmytheiii]

[Chris Bergin]

Ku band coming in and out at the moment. Relevant to live video from the ISS.

[ugordan]

It appears Dragon is slightly yawing back and forth judging by the SSRMS camera and solar panel horizontal orientation.

[edkyle99]

[docmordrid]

Crossed 15 meters

[psloss]

ISS comm via TDRS-Z for a few minutes, no video; then will be on TDRS-W (both S-band and Ku-band).