Launch News SpaceX Falcon 9 F3 COTS2+ Updates

[orb]

Florida Today - The Flame Trench: Secondary payloads dropped from SpaceX demo:

SpaceX won't launch a pair of small communications satellites during its next demonstration flight for NASA, which is targeted for launch Feb. 7 from Cape Canaveral.

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NASA had been reviewing plans to deploy the Orbcomm payloads on the next flight to ensure they wouldn't interfere with the Dragon capsule's first visit to the station.

The press release says the revised launch plan reduces risk for Orbcomm and allows SpaceX to focus on its upcoming demonstration under NASA's Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program.

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[orb]

SpaceX: Updates:

Going Solar

January 7, 2012

For its first mission to the International Space Station, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will use deployable solar arrays as its primary power source for running sensors, driving heating and cooling systems, and communicating with SpaceX’s Mission Control Center and the Space Station. Dragon’s solar arrays generate up to 5,000 watts of power — enough to power over 80 standard light bulbs. The solar arrays, shielded by protective covers during launch, deploy just minutes after Dragon separates from the Falcon 9 second stage, as it heads towards its rendezvous with the Space Station.

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Universe Today: Solar Powered Dragon gets Wings for Station Soar

 

[Kyle]

At L-25 days and counting of SpaceX's COTS-2/3 Dragon mission to the International Space Station.

This mission will, as already established, mark the highly historic first commercial mission to the International Space Station. It will also signal a transition, being the first mission to launch from the Cape to the Space Station since STS-135, the first ever unmanned mission ever to launch from America to the space station, and the first ever mission to go to ISS from CCAFS.

Launch on February 7th coincidentally was the launch date for 2 pressurized modules of the International Space Station and an attempted launch date for another. STS-98 with Destiny, STS-122 with Columbus, and attempted early February 7th, STS-130 with Tranquility. Also a February 7th date, as already established, will be a night launch as well. This is all assuming though there isn't a delay.

We can't have an abort on this launch, the launch window is too short compared to all the other SpaceX missions, most of which have featured aborts after ignition, including the first Falcon 9 flight. I wonder, if SpaceX can manage to sort out any kinks in the launch processing flow that day to achieve that 10 minute window, as NASA proved it could do with the Space Shuttle with perfection up to the very last mission. That will be another test for SpaceX, albeit minor to what will come.

 

[orb]

Parabolic Arc: New Delay for SpaceX’s Dragon Flight to Space Station:

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Update on Next SpaceX Launch

In preparation for the upcoming launch, SpaceX continues to conduct extensive testing and analysis.

We believe that there are a few areas that will benefit from additional work and will optimize the safety and success of this mission.

We are now working with NASA to establish a new target launch date, but note that we will continue to test and review data. We will launch when the vehicle is ready.

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SPACE.com: 1st Private Rocket Launch to Space Station Delayed

Florida Today - The Flame Trench: SpaceX won't launch Feb. 7

NASASpaceflight: Dragon ISS flight slips – SpaceX determined to return US crewed access to LEO

Universe Today: SpaceX Delays Upcoming 1st Dragon Launch to ISS

 

[NovaSilisko]

Feh. Not more delays...

 

[T.Neo]

I wonder what these "few areas" are. Hopefully nothing too serious.


Wait, I know... SpaceX is obviously so horribly inept at launch operations/preparing their vehicles for flight, that they can't make the launch date and are coming up with excuses to delay it.

This message is proudly brought to you by ULA.

 

[RisingFury]

I still say they won't launch before March or at least end of February.

SpaceX gets things done, but never on time.

 

[PhantomCruiser]

While I'm a bit disappointed, I'd rather see it done right, that fail in a spectacular fashion.

As I've told my boss on multiple occasions "You can have it right, or now. Pick one."

 

[NovaSilisko]

SpaceX gets things done, but never on time.

Pretty much! =p

 

[Kyle]

Rumors are, this delay is longer than a week or so. April is being hinted at for a NET.

In all honesty, if that's true I highly doubt we will see COTS-2/3 until Summer knowing SpaceX.

 

[Kyle]

March 20th, 2012 appears to be the new NET date for liftoff.

@InsideKSC The SpaceX COTS 2/3 launch from CCAFS has been tentatively scheduled for March 20, 2012.

 

[Orbinaut Pete]

March 20th, 2012 appears to be the new NET date for liftoff.

At that time, there will only be one US crewmember aboard the ISS, and Dragon captures require two crewmembers, which won't occur until 1st April. Prior to 20th March, there could be a conflict between Dragon and ATV-3. So I'd say NET April for launch.

 

[Kyle]

At that time, there will only be one US crewmember aboard the ISS, and Dragon captures require two crewmembers, which won't occur until 1st April. Prior to 20th March, there could be a conflict between Dragon and ATV-3. So I'd say NET April for launch.

April 1st is Soyuz TMA-04M docking. Dragon takes a few days to get to ISS, and I would imagine that they would want to dock and get everything over with ASAP. I'd tag a launch date around the first 5 days of April IMO.

 

[RGClark]

The Russians and some members of NASA were uncertain about SpaceX's ability to perform the linkup with the ISS successfully. For a $100 billion asset, that is an understandable concern.

A couple of suggestions. First hire away from the Russians some top guys involved with the Progress cargo vehicle to the ISS and from the Europeans some top guys involved with the ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle(ATV). For the billion dollar cargo supply contract SpaceX has with NASA, it can afford to do that.

Secondly, prior to the ISS docking mission do some rendezvous missions in space with the Dragon spacecraft. Ideally it would be with a vehicle that it could actually dock with. The Progress M-13M cargo vehicle for instance is scheduled to undock from the ISS in a few days. According to the Wikipedia page the undocking is scheduled for the 25th:

Progress M-13M.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progress_M-13M

while on this NASA release it's listed as on the 23rd:

NASA ISS On-Orbit Status 19 January 2012.
Source: NASA HQ
Posted Thursday, January 19, 2012
http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=39635

The release of a small Russian satellite from the Progress and the de-orbit burn for the Progress is scheduled to occur a day later. Could the undocking or least the de-orbit burn be postponed for enough time for SpaceX to launch the Dragon to be able link up with the Progress vehicle?

In any case, the current plan is not for Dragon to perform the final link-up with ISS under its own power and navigation capabilities but just to get close enough for the robot arm to grapple it and pull it to the station to dock with it. So for this, all the Dragon has to do is demonstrate the ability to get close enough to some orbiting satellite without colliding with it to within a similar distance is it would be to the ISS. It might be able to do this several times with different satellites to further demonstrate this capability.


Bob Clark

 

[orb]

Florida Today - The Flame Trench: SpaceX launch no earlier than late March:

SpaceX's won't launch its Dragon capsule to the International Space Station until at least late March, a spokesperson confirmed today.

The company recently announced it wouldn't launch on its target date of Feb. 7, but hadn't said how long the wait might be.

SpaceX has a March 20 launch date tentatively reserved with the Eastern Range.

The means the mission will follow the flight of Europe's ATV-3 cargo vehicle, which is scheduled to launch March 9 and dock at the station March 19.

SpaceX has not specified the issues that resulted in the delay, saying only that it would launch the Dragon and its Falcon 9 when ready.

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Parabolic Arc: SpaceX Dragon Launch Delayed Until Late March

CBS News Space: SpaceX cargo launch on hold until at least late March

SPACE.com: 1st Private Rocket Launch to Space Station Delayed Until March

 

[Kyle]

Forgive my ignorance, but if the problem is with NASA being unsure how SpaceX ability to preform the docking, why didn't we see such intense scrutiny over the HTV and ATV maiden voyages?

 

[T.Neo]

I believe the whole issue has arisen from the original agreement SpaceX had with NASA; they wanted the incremental approach, with COTS 2, then COTS 3. As time went on, for whatever reason (impatience, confidence, cost, PR), they requested to combine the objectives of both missions into a single flight (hence COTS 2/3).

 

[RGClark]

About the suggestion to test the Dragon's docking capability on the Progress cargo vehicle, on another forum it was noted the docking mechanisms are not compatible. Anyone know if docking adapters such as those described here

Question on the APAS docking system.
http://orbiter-forum.com/showthread.php?t=22235

will allow the Dragon and the Progress to dock?

Bob Clark

 

[T.Neo]

will allow the Dragon and the Progress to dock?

No. Progress uses the probe-and-cone system that is used on the Russian side of the station. Dragon currently uses a CBM berthing port (not a docking port, the vehicle has to be captured by other means and held together with the other port for berthing) but could be flown with the APAS-95 or NDS ports in future (for the manned variant).

Progress and Dragon cannot dock.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

SpaceX Update:

2012 | Year of the Dragon

January 23, 2012

Today marks the start of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar and this year, SpaceX's Dragon will become the first privately developed spacecraft to visit the International Space Station.

Space travel is one of the most difficult of all human endeavors, and success is never a guarantee. This flight introduces a series of new challenges and new magnitudes of complexity; if even the smallest thing goes wrong, we will be forced to abort the mission.

What is guaranteed, however, is our commitment. There will be challenges along the way, but SpaceX will again make history and become the first private company to send a spacecraft to the Space Station. We take this responsibility very seriously and will not stop until we succeed.

Dragon is a spacecraft unlike any other. Not only is it the first privately developed spacecraft to successfully return from Earth orbit, but it is also the only reusable spacecraft designed for human transport in operation today. In the coming days, we'll take a closer look at some of Dragon's advanced technologies in celebration of the Year of the Dragon and the opening of a new era in space travel.

In the meantime, checkout out the interactive panorama below for a look inside Dragon in its cargo configuration, as it will be on its first mission to the International Space Station:

http://www.spacex.com/panorama/index.html

At the top you have the hatch that will connect with the International Space Station. To the side is the hatch as well as racks and straps to hold cargo, which in our next mission will include several hundred pounds of astronaut provisions. And on the floor, just above the heat shield, is additional storage space behind metal doors that are shown both open and closed.