Dragon v2 Kremlinology from Helodriver's unveiling pics

[Jim]

Don't see any pressure seals on the hatch or the hatch opening.

[docmordrid]

If you look closely at the outer rim of pic #3 there's what looks like a white O-ring type seal, and I'd bet that thick black band is part of an inflatable pressure seal.

Seen those before in isolation and biohazard labs. 'Inflatable seal (or gasket) door'. Also dynamic seal. IIRC they can also be used in water-tight hatches for marine applications. In this application those are likely the passive side seals with the inflatable active side seals in the door frame. Easier to plumb the gas  supply there.

Once those seals inflate it's going absolutely nowhere, locked tight as a drum - with or without locking pawls. Ditto for any gas flow.

[Lar]

Is an inflatable seal vulnerable to gas pressure loss? Either from faulty valving or from the rubber perishing or otherwise puncturing? I would be surprised if that was the only seal or if it was used for mechanical locking.

[IslandPlaya]

What you prefer? Metal on metal seals?

[docmordrid]

If I were doing it there would be a mechanical latch with regular gaskets and the inflatables.  Redundancy, especially if the inflatables are on separate circuits.

BTW: after reading up inflatables are used in fighters and other aerospace apps so they do have heritage.

[meekGee]

An inflatable seal won't stress the hatch like an elastic seal with discrete latches would.

[Lars_J]

Of course that's not the final hatch mechanism or seal. Or do you think that the final capsule will have a neat car-like chrome handle to open it up? I drink the "SpaceX koolaid" more than most, but the gullibility in this thread is pretty staggering.

The size of the hatch and the window might stay. Everything else is subject to change.

This is a show model. Would they send flight hardware on a PR trip? (This thing is going on tour to D.C.)

I know what usual responses I will get for this, and I should just rename myself to Cassandra or something. Musk makes a generic statement about "flight hardware" and all common sense is out the window.

[QuantumG]

This is a show model. Would they send flight hardware on a PR trip? (This thing is going on tour to D.C.)

Yes.

Musk makes a generic statement about "flight hardware" and all common sense is out the window.

He said what he said.

[Borklund]

He said "Most of what you see here is flight hardware." (emphasis mine). Do we really have to have 18 pages filled with pointless speculation on things like pressure seals being absent from the hatch of a mostly flight hardware new Dragon V2?

[docmordrid]

Is it an inflatable seal? Looks like one (and I've seen many) and right now looks is all we can go on.

Are inflatable seals up to the task? Likely. They can hold high pressures, vacuums and temps (they're used in ovens and medical sterilizers) and the seal is solid enough for biohazards and chemicals.

If it's an inflatable could they change it? Certainly. Will they change it? No one knows but them. They may well drop the chrome handle or other features, but not without a reason. What would the reason for not using inflatable seals be?

[Roy_H]

He said "Most of what you see here is flight hardware." (emphasis mine). Do we really have to have 18 pages filled with pointless speculation on things like pressure seals being absent from the hatch of a mostly flight hardware new Dragon V2?

Agreed, he also said that "this one will go to orbit". That suggests to me that the abort test version is completed, and at least one DragonFly.

[Jim]

If you look closely at the outer rim of pic #3 there's what looks like a white O-ring type seal, and I'd bet that thick black band is part of an inflatable pressure seal.

Outer rim is the heat shield and not the pressure vessel.  The "hatch" is on the right.

Inflatable is over kill.  Orings are easy and only takes two.

[inventodoc]

Why would they make the effort to design, machine and install the chrome handle if they didn't intend to use it? That would seem like a waste.

[Giovanni DS]

Is the chrome handle present in the base model or is optional?

[clongton]

Why would they make the effort to design, machine and install the chrome handle if they didn't intend to use it? That would seem like a waste.

Operational hatch handle will likely resemble aircraft exterior doors, like this:

[Nomadd]

 It could be a compression seal. As in the outer and inner parts of the door drawing together to expand the seal. That would have the added benefit of internal pressure helping when the craft was in vacuum.

[JasonAW3]

It could be a compression seal. As in the outer and inner parts of the door drawing together to expand the seal. That would have the added benefit of internal pressure helping when the craft was in vacuum.

Not really such a good idea.  The idea brings back memories of Apollo 1.

[Jim]

passive seal is the "only" way to go.  Need no power or source of energy other than the mechanical energy used to lock the hatch. 

[obi-wan]

If you look closely at the outer rim of pic #3 there's what looks like a white O-ring type seal, and I'd bet that thick black band is part of an inflatable pressure seal.

Seen those before in isolation and biohazard labs. 'Inflatable seal (or gasket) door'. Also dynamic seal. IIRC they can also be used in water-tight hatches for marine applications. In this application those are likely the passive side seals with the inflatable active side seals in the door frame. Easier to plumb the gas  supply there.

Once those seals inflate it's going absolutely nowhere, locked tight as a drum - with or without locking pawls. Ditto for any gas flow.

I've used inflatable seals for both underwater robots and pressure suit entry mechanisms. They work well if you can continually pressurize them, but are a potential source of leaks. They also aren't all that solid if loaded in shear, since they are made of elastomers. Even assuming they're using an 8.3 psi cabin pressure, it's still about 3500 pounds of force trying to open the door. I definitely think you would absolutely want mechanical latches, even with an inflatable seal.

[JBF]

If you look closely at the outer rim of pic #3 there's what looks like a white O-ring type seal, and I'd bet that thick black band is part of an inflatable pressure seal.

Seen those before in isolation and biohazard labs. 'Inflatable seal (or gasket) door'. Also dynamic seal. IIRC they can also be used in water-tight hatches for marine applications. In this application those are likely the passive side seals with the inflatable active side seals in the door frame. Easier to plumb the gas  supply there.

Once those seals inflate it's going absolutely nowhere, locked tight as a drum - with or without locking pawls. Ditto for any gas flow.

I've used inflatable seals for both underwater robots and pressure suit entry mechanisms. They work well if you can continually pressurize them, but are a potential source of leaks. They also aren't all that solid if loaded in shear, since they are made of elastomers. Even assuming they're using an 8.3 psi cabin pressure, it's still about 3500 pounds of force trying to open the door. I definitely think you would absolutely want mechanical latches, even with an inflatable seal.

You can see 2 of them in the picture; I'm willing to bet there are more.