Loren has an interview with Bridenstein up on the Verge that makes me wonder about commercial crew schedules for both providers.Any thoughts?
Quote from: DigitalMan on 07/12/2019 08:24 pmLoren has an interview with Bridenstein up on the Verge that makes me wonder about commercial crew schedules for both providers.Any thoughts?Can you post the exact quote from the article? But to answer your question, but some internal target dates for SpaceX launches have been posted to L2 recently and both the IFA and DM-2 dates differ from the latest public schedule released by NASA
Bridenstine: So SLS is an example, but also Commercial Crew is going to have to be re-baselined. So when I say re-baselined, I mean rescheduled. People have seen that the Crew Dragon blew up during a test of the Super Draco engines that are used during launch abort should one occur. We’re going to have to come up with new dates for that and, of course, make sure that the dates for the Boeing launch are locked down as well, which may need to be adjusted. But we’re going to have that reassessed as well.
We’re going to let those leaders come in and make sure that we can re-baseline some of our projects and programs to include SLS and Orion, and Commercial Crew.
I’m wondering what “re-baselining” means exactly. Can you point to anything specific that you would like to see change under this new leadership?We need new dates for SLS, for example. I mean, I’ve been very public about the challenges that we’ve had with the SLS program. We know that we’re not going to make a June 2020 launch at this point. What we haven’t done at this point is set a new date, and I’d like to bring in somebody new that can buy in and help us make certain that whatever date we select next is realistic, achievable, and that we can move toward that new date.So SLS is an example, but also Commercial Crew is going to have to be re-baselined. So when I say re-baselined, I mean rescheduled. People have seen that the Crew Dragon blew up during a test of the Super Draco engines that are used during launch abort should one occur. We’re going to have to come up with new dates for that and, of course, make sure that the dates for the Boeing launch are locked down as well, which may need to be adjusted. But we’re going to have that reassessed as well.
One of the nuggets to come out of this was when asked if SpaceX or Boeing would fly a crewed mission this year, @JimBridenstine , who has been steadfast that at least one would happen in 2019, said: "I honestly don't know."
Did I miss this being posted somewhere else already?https://www.spacex.com/news/2019/07/15/update-flight-abort-static-fire-anomaly-investigationEdit to add:Write by Bill Harwood at CBS Newshttps://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-explosion-destroyed-crew-dragon-spacecraft-blamed-on-leaking-valve/?ftag=CNM-00-10aac3a
NASA’s Kirk Shireman: Boeing and SpaceX still have multiple flight tests before they’re ready to fly crew rotation missions. Some significant uncertainly remains on schedule, and won’t be able to remove that for a few months. #ISSRDC
SpaceX’s crewed Dragon launch debut likely to slip into 2020 as NASA pursues “realistic” dates..By Jamie Groh Posted on August 3, 2019https://www.teslarati.com/spacex-nasa-crewed-dragon-launch-debut-delays/
Please explain in the area below why an STA is necessary:This application uses information from previous grant, 1829-EX-ST-2019. This STA is necessary to authorize launch vehicle communications for SpaceX Mission 1357, a launch from Complex 39a, Kennedy Space Center. The application includes a sub-orbital first stage, and a simulated orbital second stage. Trajectory data shall be provided directly to NTIA, USAF, and NASA. All downrange Earth stations are receive-only. Launch licensing authority is FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
The @SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and #CrewDragon spacecraft that will be used for the In-Flight Abort test have arrived at SpaceX facilities in Cape Canaveral, Fla. for preparation ahead of the test!
You know, there is so much trouble I could get in there. So, our tradition is, and I believe it is a good tradition, is we let the companies announce their dates and because I hear so many dates about so many things, I'd be happy to find the latest dates for you. But I can tell you both companies are working very hard. I know that the next month, both SpaceX and Boeing are planning abort tests which is the next step, and then after that we have a Boeing uncrewed flight test, or they call it OFT (Orbital Flight Test) and we have demo 2 which is flying two crew members on the SpaceX crew dragon. Those companies are progressing towards not only completing those vehicles and testing them, but also completing all the analysis and tests to make sure it is safe for crew members to fly. They are working as hard as they can, as quickly as they can, NASA is working closely with them. And so, I can tell you we track it everyday. We talk to them, we talk to the commercial crew program, we talk to Boeing and SpaceX. It's really progressing . The thing I am excited about is testing. Every test is really good even if it doesn't work exactly like we expect, it is still good information. And so all these things are very very positive, they are working very hard and I believe we will see them soon ...... we will find the official dates for you and again you know that those dates might change and as soon as they do, we will let you know.
Chris Ferguson, Boeing test pilot and astronaut, says the Starliner spacecraft’s pad abort test is planned in November. The pad abort vehicle will roll to the pad at White Sands in the “very near future,” he says. Pad abort will be followed by uncrewed flight test to ISS.
That's a two month slip from their earlier September date, right? (I might have my dates confused.)
On Tuesday, Musk said both the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon vehicle that will be used for the in-flight abort test have been shipped to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The hardware must still be configured for the test flight, but he estimated that it will occur toward the end of November or early December...."We had to reallocate some resources to speed this up & received great support from Airborne, our parachute supplier," Musk said on Twitter. "I was at their Irvine factory with the SpaceX team on Sat and Sun. We’re focusing on the advanced Mk3 chute, which provides highest safety factor for astronauts."
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Boeing expects to carry out a pad abort test for its CST-100 Starliner commercial crew vehicle in early November, followed by an uncrewed orbital flight test in mid-December, a company executive said Oct. 8.During a panel session of the International Symposium for Personal and Commercial Spaceflight (ISPCS) here, John Mulholland, vice president and program manager for commercial programs for Boeing’s space exploration business unit, said the company was targeting a Dec. 17 launch of its Starliner vehicle on a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 from Cape Canaveral.
