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#160
by
yg1968
on 01 Mar, 2017 14:16
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#161
by
rockets4life97
on 02 Mar, 2017 00:18
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Does an Atlas V/Vulcan and a Starliner have the capability to do a moon flyby as recently announced for the FH and Crew Dragon?
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#162
by
Lars-J
on 02 Mar, 2017 01:20
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Does an Atlas V/Vulcan and a Starliner have the capability to do a moon flyby as recently announced for the FH and Crew Dragon?
CST-100 seems to be a bit heavier (13-14mt?), and Atlas V with 5 boosters only has a capacity of ~9mt to GTO (TLI requires more delta-v), so I don't think so.
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#163
by
arachnitect
on 05 Mar, 2017 13:39
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IIRC, Boeing said CST is not designed for BEO missions, in particular it lacks a lunar return capable heatshield.
Related: not clear to me if CST-100 has positive power balance with the solar array "mission kit" installed. This thing is pure LEO taxi.
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#164
by
Steven Pietrobon
on 07 Mar, 2017 07:08
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IIRC, Boeing said CST is not designed for BEO missions, in particular it lacks a lunar return capable heatshield.
Given enough money, I'm sure Boeing could design a Lunar capable heat shield for CST-100.
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#165
by
The man in the can
on 10 Mar, 2017 21:04
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#166
by
The man in the can
on 10 Mar, 2017 21:08
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#167
by
arachnitect
on 11 Mar, 2017 01:57
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Really enjoyed this video, especially how they handled the audio. Much more fun to listen to the wind and hardware than some lame voice-over.
Hope the tests continue to go well.
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#168
by
woods170
on 11 Mar, 2017 14:45
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Really enjoyed this video, especially how they handled the audio. Much more fun to listen to the wind and hardware than some lame voice-over.
Hope the tests continue to go well.
Agreed. Much more fun to enjoy this than the fancy PR stuff. Hardware being put to the test is a much better sight than some talking head.
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#169
by
Chris Bergin
on 13 Mar, 2017 13:38
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#170
by
larmeyers
on 13 Mar, 2017 13:51
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Apologies if this is an old topic, but is there any info regarding why Starliner needs to jettison its heat shield (at 4,500 ft)? Am I correct that both Dragon 2 and Orion will land with theirs? thanks...
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#171
by
yokem55
on 13 Mar, 2017 14:30
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Apologies if this is an old topic, but is there any info regarding why Starliner needs to jettison its heat shield (at 4,500 ft)? Am I correct that both Dragon 2 and Orion will land with theirs? thanks...
It probably has to do with being able to deploy the airbags and allow for a slower touchdown.
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#172
by
Roy_H
on 13 Mar, 2017 15:34
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Apologies if this is an old topic, but is there any info regarding why Starliner needs to jettison its heat shield (at 4,500 ft)? Am I correct that both Dragon 2 and Orion will land with theirs? thanks...
It probably has to do with being able to deploy the airbags and allow for a slower touchdown.
That and there are rocket nozzles for slowing down just before landing. These nozzles are blocked by the heat shield.
Orion lands in water and Dragon has their rockets on the side so they do not need to jettison their heat shields.
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#173
by
Roy_H
on 13 Mar, 2017 15:47
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I am surprised that the Russian made RD180 engines are still an issue. All the plans for making them were delivered many years ago at the start of the contract. They have proven to be highly reliable, so what is the issue?
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#174
by
baldusi
on 13 Mar, 2017 19:27
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I am surprised that the Russian made RD180 engines are still an issue. All the plans for making them were delivered many years ago at the start of the contract. They have proven to be highly reliable, so what is the issue?
ITAR and the equivalent Russian laws. Any exchange requires an inquire for each set of questions. And you can get fined even from asking a question that might divulge that you know something that's not common knowledge. Besides, they had not all the data. Some things like anti corrosion treatment on the nozzle were not included. And the whole Russian system engineering is very different from the US. So asking for their paper trail to match NASA's expectations is a gruesome prospect.
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#175
by
Prettz
on 13 Mar, 2017 23:33
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I am surprised that the Russian made RD180 engines are still an issue. All the plans for making them were delivered many years ago at the start of the contract. They have proven to be highly reliable, so what is the issue?
ITAR and the equivalent Russian laws. Any exchange requires an inquire for each set of questions. And you can get fined even from asking a question that might divulge that you know something that's not common knowledge. Besides, they had not all the data. Some things like anti corrosion treatment on the nozzle were not included. And the whole Russian system engineering is very different from the US. So asking for their paper trail to match NASA's expectations is a gruesome prospect.
Why would NASA need to know such details as those in order to declare an engine man-rated? Why is what they already know not enough?
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#176
by
su27k
on 14 Mar, 2017 04:18
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#177
by
brickmack
on 14 Mar, 2017 15:58
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#178
by
arachnitect
on 03 Apr, 2017 04:05
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#179
by
FutureSpaceTourist
on 03 Apr, 2017 05:55
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United Launch Alliance Completes Crew Emergency Egress System
ULA and Terra-Nova Zipline provide NASA and commercial astronauts with safe, new generation egress option
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., (April 2, 2017) – The final test of the Emergency Egress System (EES) was conducted recently, signifying the completion of another United Launch Alliance (ULA) milestone supporting NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The EES was developed in support of Boeing’s Starliner crew capsule and is a means of rapid egress for astronauts in case of an anomaly.
“ULA is absolutely focused on the safety of the crews we will be supporting, and, although we hope to never use it, we are excited to announce the Emergency Egress System is fully operational,” said Gary Wentz, vice president of Human & Commercial Services. “Through our partnership with Terra-Nova, a company that designs and builds zip lines for recreational use, a modified, off-the-shelf product has been designed and constructed to meet our needs and reduce costs, while maintaining reliability and safety.”
The egress cables are situated on level 12 of the Crew Access Tower (CAT), 172 feet above the Space Launch Complex 41 pad deck at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and will allow the crew to evacuate the CAT quickly to a landing zone more than 1,340 feet from the launch vehicle. The EES can accommodate up to 20 personnel, including ground crew and flight crew.
Terra-Nova, LLC (makers of the ZipRider® Hybrid) offered a commercially developed EES based on their “off-the-shelf,” patented designs. The ZipRider was easily adaptable to ULA’s specific needs, while offering an unmatched safety record, and providing the best overall value.
In just 30 seconds, the rider reaches top speeds of 40 mph. The riders control their speed by releasing pressure on the handles, with the ability to glide to a gentle stop at the landing zone. There are 30 feet of springs on each cable located in the landing area to gradually slow a rider down if they forget to brake. Terra-Nova will install a training system located north of the CAT for riders to practice on before final training on the operational EES.
The Boeing Company is developing Starliner and selected ULA’s Atlas V rocket for human-rated spaceflight to the International Space Station. ULA’s Atlas V has launched more than 70 times with a 100 percent mission success rate.
“Crew safety is paramount, and the ULA Emergency Egress System hits the mark for an effective yet simple system that is adapted from other commercial applications,” said Chris Ferguson, Boeing director of Starliner Crew and Mission Systems and a former NASA astronaut. “We look forward to spaceflight operations next year knowing that every measure to protect the flight and ground crew has been employed."
With more than a century of combined heritage, United Launch Alliance is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider. ULA has successfully delivered more than 115 satellites to orbit that aid meteorologists in tracking severe weather, unlock the mysteries of our solar system, provide critical capabilities for troops in the field and enable personal device-based GPS navigation.
http://www.ulalaunch.com/ula-completes-crew-emergency-egress-system.aspxEdit: add 4th picture showing handles used to control descent speed