Author Topic: SpaceX Falcon 9/Dragon CRS-3 SpX-3 PROCESSING/Pre-LAUNCH UPDATES (Read 241966 times)

ChrisWilson68 · « **Reply #40 on:** 08/16/2013 05:36 pm »

Quote from: Space Pete on 08/16/2013 11:01 am

Quote from: mlindner on 08/16/2013 10:51 am
I'd suggest you pull the line from the article because we don't know exactly what value is being qualified here.

Respectfully, I disagree - to me, the line in the slide is clear.

It says "The F9v1.1 rocket is planned to increase the upmass capability from 800 kg to 1580 kg of cargo". That says to me that the old limit was 800kg, and the new limit will be 1580kg.

If the line had been referring to the F9 V1.1 providing an increase of between 800kg and 1580kg, then surely it would have read "The F9v1.1 rocket is planned to increase the upmass capability by 800 kg to 1580 kg of cargo"?

Furthermore, such a statement wouldn't even make sense - how could SpaceX be designing a rocket whose performance parameters are so unknown? Of course there will always be minor differences between projected and actual performance, but a difference of 780kg (1580-800)? If true, that would suggest that SpaceX don't have any hard numbers to go by, and are effectively just upgrading the F9 and will "see what they get" at the end.

Having the amount of additional cargo be a range doesn't necessarily mean that SpaceX doesn't know the performance. There can be several other things a range could mean. It could mean that the maximum goes up by 800 kg if it's all in pressurized and it goes up by 1580 kg if you're talking about pressurized and unpressurized together. It could mean that all future flights will have at least 800 kg more cargo than any previous flight and some will have up to 1580 kg more, so the limit is 1580 kg or above but depending on the flight, only 800 kg more is planned for some flights. There could be other meanings we haven't thought of.

It's just one sentence on one slide.

AJW · « **Reply #41 on:** 08/16/2013 06:02 pm »

Context is missing since we are looking at a single page from the middle of a longer document, but is the 1580 kg mentioned at the top of the page likely related to the 1580 kg mentioned at the end?

cneth · « **Reply #42 on:** 08/16/2013 06:29 pm »

As AJW points out, the top of the slide says "Expecting full launch/return complement of 1580kgs". I don't really see any way to interpret that as a delta amount.

I think it all makes sense. This slide seems clearly aimed at 'users' of the ISS, who could care less about absolute Falcon performance, or even about packaging - they just care about how much 'usable' stuff is going to get delivered.

stone · « **Reply #43 on:** 08/16/2013 06:49 pm »

The 800kg up mass correspond perfectly with the last cargo transported to the ISS. During the last press debriefing for exactly that flight it was said that the Dragon mass was at the limit of what the F9 V1.0 can do.

NASAs wording: it is planned to increase the up-mass, is very un-polite if they would believe in it they would use a word will increase.

A up mass of 1580kg looks OK for the volume of the pressurized compartment, very similar to the Progress M.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #44 on:** 08/17/2013 12:57 pm »

Quote from: mlindner on 08/16/2013 10:51 am

Quote from: Space Pete on 08/15/2013 09:16 am
Quote from: mlindner on 08/15/2013 06:33 am
Chris what was the source of the 800kg limit on Dragon. I find that hard to believe.

My source was a recent (late July) ISS status presentation to the NASA Advisory Council by ISS Program Director Sam Scimemi.

The slide in question is attached - see the last line:

"The F9v1.1 rocket is planned to increase the upmass capability from 800 kg to 1580 kg of cargo."

Don't know whether that's total cargo or just pressurised cargo though.

I agree they are unbelievable numbers - Dragon was sold as having 3,300kg of up-mass. Progress can do 2,500kg. Maybe an example of over-optimistic SpaceX performance claims.

I'd suggest you pull the line from the article because we don't know exactly what value is being qualified here.

We do. Pete is correct. The article is correct.

Reminder: This is an UPDATE thread.

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #45 on:** 10/19/2013 04:09 am »

Updated status on the launch date, etc....via L2:
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/10/spacexs-dragon-moved-february-11/

Chris Bergin · « **Reply #46 on:** 11/12/2013 06:09 pm »

CRS-3 article on L2 info on the EMU up and down tasks for Dragon and launch date considerations:

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/spacex-crs-3-dragon-spacesuit-relay/

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #47 on:** 11/15/2013 06:56 am »

Per NASA's launch schedule page the launch of SpaceX CRS-3 has moved to February 22.

kniklas · « **Reply #48 on:** 11/24/2013 10:15 am »

Yesterday was delivered first stage of Falcon 9 to Cape:
https://twitter.com/KingCodeMonkey/status/404323810591387648/photo/1

probably it is stage for CRS3 launch, maybe somebody can verify this using other sources...

guckyfan · « **Reply #49 on:** 11/24/2013 10:19 am »

Quote from: kniklas on 11/24/2013 10:15 am

Yesterday was delivered first stage of Falcon 9 to Cape:
https://twitter.com/KingCodeMonkey/status/404323810591387648/photo/1

probably it is stage for CRS3 launch, maybe somebody can verify this using other sources...

Why for CRS3? Thaicom-6 seems more likely to me as already mentioned in the Thaicom thread.

Jakusb · « **Reply #50 on:** 11/24/2013 11:52 am »

Any news on the testing of S1 and S2 of this launch at McGregor?

mlindner · « **Reply #51 on:** 11/24/2013 02:28 pm »

Quote from: Jakusb on 11/24/2013 11:52 am

Any news on the testing of S1 and S2 of this launch at McGregor?

That's still back at the factory I think. McGregor will be getting the F9R-1 vehicle first, if its not there already.

AnalogMan · « **Reply #52 on:** 01/02/2014 03:18 pm »

Came across this update slide for SpX-3 from an NAC meeting held 10 December 2013. Has approximate times for HW delivery to CCAFS.

EMU 3003 is manifested on this flight, with opportunities to fly two more suits this year (Summer and Fall) if required.

Also EMU 3015, which has a failed/clogged sublimator (No-Go for EVA), is planned for return on this mission.

Galactic Penguin SST · « **Reply #53 on:** 01/25/2014 02:14 pm »

From here:

SpaceX-3 Prepack: Wakata commenced prepacking activities in support of the upcoming SpaceX-3 mission. An estimated 25 hours of crew time will be spent towards prepacking activities in the coming weeks. SpaceX-3 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 1st and rendezvous with ISS on March 3rd.

averagespacejoe · « **Reply #54 on:** 01/25/2014 04:22 pm »

With a new estimated date of March 1st what would be the new launch window? It was 12:15pm EST a week before so 2 or 3 hours earlier now?

dsmillman · « **Reply #55 on:** 01/26/2014 09:34 am »

Quote from: averagespacejoe on 01/25/2014 04:22 pm

With a new estimated date of March 1st what would be the new launch window? It was 12:15pm EST a week before so 2 or 3 hours earlier now?

For launches from the Cape to the ISS, a launch is approximately 24 minutes earlier for each day of delay.

Comga · « **Reply #56 on:** 01/27/2014 05:27 am »

Quote from: dsmillman on 01/26/2014 09:34 am

Quote from: averagespacejoe on 01/25/2014 04:22 pm
With a new estimated date of March 1st what would be the new launch window? It was 12:15pm EST a week before so 2 or 3 hours earlier now?
For launches from the Cape to the ISS, a launch is approximately 24 minutes earlier for each day of delay.

So by simple arithmetic 9:27+/- AM on March 1?

anik · « **Reply #57 on:** 02/05/2014 01:14 pm »

As per http://novosti-kosmonavtiki.ru/forum/messages/forum10/topic13485/message1200289/#message1200289, SpX-3 launch is planned on March 16th.

Ben the Space Brit · « **Reply #58 on:** 02/05/2014 02:53 pm »

At this rate, they'll be able to launch Orbcomm a month early!

FWIW, though, Spaceflight Now is still listing as 3/1/14.

Robotbeat · « **Reply #59 on:** 02/05/2014 03:53 pm »

Not surprising to me. Space is hard.^TM

Also, do we know if the stages and the Dragon are at the Cape right now?