Launch News SpaceX Dragon V2 Pad Abort Test, May 6, 2015

[Kyle]

SpaceX will conduct the first of two abort tests of its new Dragon V2 spacecraft designed to carry humans to the International Space Station and BLEO. The pad abort test will be conducted at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 and will test the design of the 3D printed SuperDraco Engines NET May 5th, 2015, the 54th anniversary of the MR-3 flight. NASA TV will cover the event live.

Mission: Dragon V2 Pad Abort Test

Launch date: May 6th, 2015

Launch window: 9:00am EDT - 2:30pm EDT

Launch site: Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral AFS, Florida.

SOURCE OF ARTICLE: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/spacex-ready-launch-key-commercial-crew-test/

The Dragon 2 test vehicle, part of SpaceX’s Commercial Crew drive in cooperation with NASA, is set for a Pad Abort test from SLC-40 on May 5.

Following the completion of the Test Readiness Review (TRR), NASA confirmed the test date and noted the event will be webcast on NASA TV.

The abort vehicle has been outfitted with seven seats, one of which is already occupied by a human-size test dummy, embedded with a suite of sensors.

The dummy has been placed in a “black composite flight article” seat, whereas the other seats are constructed from an aluminum metal frame with white steel plates bolted to them to simulate crew weight. The interior is surrounded by bare isogrid walls, accompanied by a few black boxes.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Does the Dragon 2 utilize a parachute for pad abort recovery, or does it do a powered descent?

 

[Frilock]

My understanding is there will be a backup chute, and that in the event of an abort, or powered landing failure, the chute would be deployed.

 

[francisdrake]

To my understanding, the fuel for the SuperDraco thrusters can either be used for an abort, or for a powered landing. There is not enough fuel for both. So the capsule should land on parachutes after the abort.

 

[Astro SG Wise]

To my understanding, the fuel for the SuperDraco thrusters can either be used for an abort, or for a powered landing. There is not enough fuel for both. So the capsule should land on parachutes after the abort.

What if it aborted, then drogue parachute down, and then parachute detaches, then retro-propulsive landing.

 

[Urwumpe]

What if it aborted, then drogue parachute down, and then parachute detaches, then retro-propulsive landing.

No fuel left for that - the abort alone consumes already that much fuel. Abort means "Get the away from here" - you need distance to the rest of the launcher as quick as possible.

 

[Kyle]

T-7 days!

 

[Astro SG Wise]

No fuel left for that - the abort alone consumes already that much fuel.

So, the dragon in the SpaceX Launch Vehicles and Dragon addon can do that. Unrealistic?

 

[Urwumpe]

So, the dragon in the SpaceX Launch Vehicles and Dragon addon can do that. Unrealistic?

Absolutely.

Especially: What do you call an abort? Can you do an pad abort with it? Really?

 

[Hlynkacg]

Can you do an pad abort with it? Really?

You can but I'm having trouble thinking of a realistic scenario where you wouldn't try to maximize separation.

 

[Urwumpe]

You can but I'm having trouble thinking of a realistic scenario where you wouldn't try to maximize separation.

Thats what I mean. Sure you can just lift off and try to land only 50-100 meters away from the launcher.

But in reality, you want to land at least 5 km away and want to be at least 1 km away faster than you can say "Pad abort".

 

[Kyle]

1-day slip to May 6th.

http://www.spaceflightinsider.com/o...ad-abort-test-slips-to-no-earlier-than-may-6/

 

[Cosmic Penguin]

Article from SpaceX themselves about 5 things to know on the pad abort test :tiphat:

 

[fraxudemspas]

Apparently there was a static fire today.

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/595656079490600960/photo/1

 

[N_Molson]

I'm not sure the space background was absolutely necessary on the trajectory drawing, a lot of amateur rocketry does better than an apoapsis of 1,500 meters :lol:

They showcase the thing like a suborbital flight, and there isn't even an ant aboard... :rofl:

Thats what I mean. Sure you can just lift off and try to land only 50-100 meters away from the launcher.

But in reality, you want to land at least 5 km away and want to be at least 1 km away faster than you can say "Pad abort".

I totally agree, it seems to me that the thing is quite under-powered for its purpose !

 

[Astro SG Wise]

Apparently there was a static fire today.

Sweet. Can't wait to see it land with astronauts in it for the first time. It's going to look like something out of Halo :sweet:.

 

[Hlynkacg]

I totally agree, it seems to me that the thing is quite under-powered for its purpose !

You realise that the quoted line is discussing the addon not the IRL space craft yes?

10.5 Gs for 6 seconds is nothing to sneeze at, and certainly adequate for the current purpose.

 

[N_Molson]

10.5 Gs for 6 seconds is nothing to sneeze at, and certainly adequate for the current purpose.

Soyuz SAS gave 22-23 Gs AFAIR.

Equipping the capsule with 8 powerful engines is a compromise in performance anyways. It adds extra mass.

 

[Unstung]

Equipping the capsule with 8 powerful engines is a compromise in performance anyways. It adds extra mass.

But a bonus is that the rocket does not have to haul a big tower much of the way to orbit. Dragon can also use the engines later to land on ground and avoid saltwater.

It's unusual that Dragon will carry the trunk when it aborts, why is this? The trunk is useless mass and will be disposed of in an abort scenario regardless of whether it's attached to the Falcon 9.

 

[Urwumpe]

But a bonus is that the rocket does not have to haul a big tower much of the way to orbit.

No LAS has ever made it into orbit or even just close to it, they are discarded as soon as possible. Often they are discarded shortly before or shortly after second stage ignition. Their penalty on the payload is much lower than you might think.