SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon CRS-2 SpX-2 MISSION GENERAL DISCUSSION

[Space Pete]

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is hard at work simulating the Dragon release.

[cambrianera]

Actually, I'm quite excited seeing the downmass capability from ISS largely ripristinated (obviously not at shuttle levels, neither costs).
Mars is really far in my thoughts

[mlindner]

Quick question. Will Dragon be trailing or leading the iSS? I have a pass over here at 7:37. It's just after sunrise, but will try to see something.

[AJA]

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is hard at work simulating the Dragon release.

Haha..brilliant. Where is she though? That can't be one of the pads?

Also - I read this on the updates thread

Go/No Go for free drift - given.

Wasn't Dragon always in free drift since the time the "Go" for capture was given all those days ago? Or are they talking about ISS being in free drift?

[corrodedNut]

Interesting tidbits of the crew thats out at the splash down site.

100ft boat with an A frame for lifting Dragon out of the water.
90ft crew boat with tracking.
and two 94ft for carrying people and recovery team.
Over a dozen engineers and technicians as well as a full dive team.

Can we identify which boats these are? I know we know of the A frame boat, but what about the rest?

From the previous mission:

http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=30190.msg983836#msg98383

2 ships carrying 2 rigid "inflatable" boats.

[Antares]

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is hard at work simulating the Dragon release.

Haha..brilliant. Where is she though? That can't be one of the pads?

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Endeavour+Condominium,+East+NASA+Parkway,+Seabrook,+TX&hl=en&ll=29.565283,-95.062337&spn=0.032288,0.055747&sll=29.566738,-95.06223&sspn=0.016219,0.027874&oq=endeavo&t=h&hq=Endeavour+Condominium,&hnear=E+NASA+Pkwy,+Seabrook,+Texas&z=15

[HOTTOL]

The recovering vessel seems to be going around a tight 3nm circle...

Random guess: probably engine idling and moving to avoid drift from currents?

Looks like a north-south holding pattern.

I can't seem to find American Islander on the AIS map.
Would you help locate it ?
thx

[Kabloona]

The recovering vessel seems to be going around a tight 3nm circle...

Random guess: probably engine idling and moving to avoid drift from currents?

Looks like a north-south holding pattern.

I can't seem to find American Islander on the AIS map.
Would you help locate it ?
thx

See Avron's post above and click on his link for recent positions.

[HOTTOL]

Random guess: probably engine idling and moving to avoid drift from currents?

Looks like a north-south holding pattern.

I can't seem to find American Islander on the AIS map.
Would you help locate it ?
thx
[/quote]

See Avron's post above and click on his link for recent positions.
[/quote]
That's my starting point (it's yesterday evening's position) . However, once I refresh American Islander boat disappears !

[Chris Bergin]

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is hard at work simulating the Dragon release.

Now that is funny!

[mlindner]

The recovering vessel seems to be going around a tight 3nm circle...

Random guess: probably engine idling and moving to avoid drift from currents?

Looks like a north-south holding pattern.

I can't seem to find American Islander on the AIS map.
Would you help locate it ?
thx

See Avron's post above and click on his link for recent positions.

That's my starting point (it's yesterday evening's position) . However, once I refresh American Islander boat disappears !

Click "show track" and you can see further positions. Also when you quote people, be careful when deleting portions of the quotes, you made a mistake in your last post.

[Galactic Penguin SST]

NASA astronaut Cady Coleman is hard at work simulating the Dragon release.

Now that is funny!

The same green dragon watching the white Dragon leaving the grasp of the ISS. 

[Space Pete]

This shocking behavior should be reported to the Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Dragons (SPCD).

@Astro_Cady:
Share your ideas on new ways for astronauts & Cmdr_Hadfield to practice SpaceX Dragon Release from ISS!! http://pic.twitter.com/N5rQXiq9fP

[Ben the Space Brit]

This shocking behavior should be reported to the Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Dragons (SPCD).

@Astro_Cady:
Share your ideas on new ways for astronauts & Cmdr_Hadfield to practice SpaceX Dragon Release from ISS!! http://pic.twitter.com/N5rQXiq9fP

Dragonrider LAS concept prototype #1 (NOTE FROM ELON: "You, box, possessions from desk, door, parking lot, goodbye!")

[StephenB]

When is the trunk separated?

[dsmillman]

When is the trunk separated?

About 3 minutes after the deorbit burn ends.

[StephenB]

When is the trunk separated?

About 3 minutes after the deorbit burn ends.

Thanks! I wonder how they assure that there is no post separation collision. I'd imagine that the trunk has more drag than the capsule.

[Kaputnik]

Where can I get a working track for Dragon? SpaceX webcast page isn't working for me.

[mlindner]

Where can I get a working track for Dragon? SpaceX webcast page isn't working for me.

There isn't one. Don't think any TLEs were grabbed for it between separation and now. Just use the ISS track for a rough estimate. It will be lagging the ISS as its going significantly slower. The ISS passes over the landing zone at roughly 12:27 EST (11 minutes from now).

http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.aspx?satid=25544&lat=30.42973&lng=-119.9707&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=EST&mjd=56377.6852538426

[Kabloona]

When is the trunk separated?

About 3 minutes after the deorbit burn ends.

Thanks! I wonder how they assure that there is no post separation collision. I'd imagine that the trunk has more drag than the capsule.

Dragon has much higher ballistic coefficient than trunk/solar arrays, so it will quickly fall behind Dragon and never catch up before burning up.