From my old console days, the "10:1" rule is helpful: For a height difference of H miles, the two vehicles horizontal range changes by 10 x H miles per rev. Approx. So a height difference of 30 km, means a range change of 300 per rev ... It's called a 'SWAG'. A useful first guess.
The tracking site n2yo.com has the Dragon at 519 km altitude and ISS at 419 km. If I understood correctly according to a poster here this would mean ISS is roughly gaining 10 x 100 or 1000 km per orbit.
Quote from: Galactic Penguin SST on 03/02/2013 03:54 pmSo when would the decision need to be made for an ISS approach attempt tomorrow? Apparently the Dragon is now in a higher orbit than the ISS (332 x 507 km) to let the ISS to catch up from behind.What is your source for those orbit parameters?They are different than what has been posted earlier and don't conform to standard rendezvous maneuvers.
So when would the decision need to be made for an ISS approach attempt tomorrow? Apparently the Dragon is now in a higher orbit than the ISS (332 x 507 km) to let the ISS to catch up from behind.
Quote from: JimO on 03/02/2013 12:17 pmFrom my old console days, the "10:1" rule is helpful: For a height difference of H miles, the two vehicles horizontal range changes by 10 x H miles per rev. Approx. So a height difference of 30 km, means a range change of 300 per rev ... It's called a 'SWAG'. A useful first guess.Very useful, thanks Mr. Oberg!Quote from: ap12 on 03/02/2013 04:00 pmThe tracking site n2yo.com has the Dragon at 519 km altitude and ISS at 419 km. If I understood correctly according to a poster here this would mean ISS is roughly gaining 10 x 100 or 1000 km per orbit.Everyone else, please note that JimO's rough rule generally applies to circular orbits, not elliptical orbits. The 100 km difference above does NOT apply to JimO's rule, because Dragon isn't at that altitude for the whole orbit. Dragon will be correcting the horizontal offset a lot slower than you think.
Tidbit: The ISS astrunauts finally found the Dragon Ventilation duct they were looking for behind a panel in (IIRC) node 2. If I understood it right, They got a tip from Suni and went to the panel with a screwdriver first thing this morning, and found it along with a missing CTB of stuff.
I had long assumed with as much planning as goes into operations, that everything is given a place, so if an astronaut didn't know what to do with something, they could radio MCC and ask. I wouldn't expect quite as much thoroughness as white room closeout, but at least enough that bags full of stuff don't end up stowed some place other than lockers.
Has NASA made a decision on a new berthing date yet?
Quote from: davey142 on 03/02/2013 06:06 pmHas NASA made a decision on a new berthing date yet?No, or it would have been noted.Aiming for Sunday, but it was still with the ISS side to decide last I heard.
Dragon Docking With Station Set for SundaySaturday, March 02, 2013 2:49 PMInternational Space Station Program and SpaceX managers Saturday gave the go-ahead for the SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle to rendezvous with the station on Sunday, March 3.The station’s Mission Management Team unanimously agreed that Dragon’s propulsion system is operating normally along with its other systems and ready to support the rendezvous two days after Friday’s launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla.Dragon is scheduled to be captured Sunday at 6:01 EST by NASA Expedition 34 Commander Kevin Ford and NASA Flight Engineer Tom Marshburn. Once grappled, Dragon will be installed onto the Earth-facing port of the Harmony module by ground experts at mission control in Houston. The cargo vehicle will be bolted into place through commands by Flight Engineer Chris Hadfield of the Canadian Space Agency.The operation of time-critical scientific experiments being delivered to the station on Dragon will be reviewed during the course of berthed operations to ensure that all planned investigations are completed. Despite the one-day delay in Dragon’s arrival at the station, its unberthing, release and splashdown remain planned for Monday, March 25.SpaceX officials reported to the multinational management team that all of Dragon’s systems are operating as planned in the wake of the temporary loss of three of four banks of thrusters after Dragon separated from the Falcon 9 rocket Friday. The time required to recover normal operation of all 18 Draco thrusters and verify their readiness caused the one-day delay.SpaceX said it has high confidence there will be no repeat of the thruster problem during rendezvous, including its capability to perform an abort, should that be required.NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and grapple on Sunday, March 3 will begin at 3 a.m. Eastern time. Coverage of berthing operations on NASA TV will begin at 7:30 a.m.
International Space Station Program and SpaceX managers Saturday gave the go-ahead for the SpaceX’s Dragon cargo vehicle to rendezvous with the station on Sunday, March 3.http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/launch/index.html
Quote from: Space Pete on 03/02/2013 02:02 pmI really don't know what SpaceX's problem seems to be when it comes to releasing info on this door -Because they don't deem it as newsworthy. It is minutia and not worth the effort. Much like prop tank pressurization upon stage separation, there wasn't a callout for that, but we heard about it when it didn't happen. So assume everything is going well until told otherwise. Welcome to commercial space. News doesn't report everything when it comes to other satellite deployments. Only hear when something doesn't work.
I really don't know what SpaceX's problem seems to be when it comes to releasing info on this door -
What's interesting Jim is that SpaceX had a PR plan all setup, if you were watching their stream. They had plans to show off the solar deploy and also had some video waiting for Vandenberg. So this issue blew their PR plans.
