Dragon Combined Demo (ISS - NET Feb. 7)

[Dr Mordrid]

First stage is at KSC, Dragon has been powered up and worked to spec immediately. Software tests will continue for another couple of months.

Meanwhile, NASA is still twiddling their thumbs over the idea of blending the C2 (ISS approach only) and C3 (ISS docking) missions to accelerate Dragon's operational status. If they do then the C2 goals would have to be met before a go-ahead for docking is given.

This video is the second stages 60 second test fire at the SpaceX McGregor, Texas test facility. Testing is complete and it was to arrive at KSC today for integration with the first stage.

When viewing remember that the first stage is 9X as powerful now, and will be more than that with next years huge Merlin 1D engine upgrade. Merlin 1D will also be the engine used in Falcon Heavy.

Engine: Merlin 1 Vacuum (M-Vac)
Fuel: RP-1 (rocket grade kerosene) & liquid oxygen
Igniters: dual-redundant TEA-TEB (reliable multiple starts)
Nominal burn time: 345 seconds
Vacuum thrust: 617,000 Newtons
ISP (specific impulse): 304 seconds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O90FROx8J3Y

[Dr Mordrid]

Regarding blending the COTS C2 and C3 flights and Dragon going straight to the ISS on this next flight - looks like a GO. NASA staffer this week -

We haven't made a final decision but we're pretty close. As far as technically can we combine the flights and feel comfortable, that you can do the demonstration steps planned for both of the missions in one mission, and get the delta testing done on the ground to make up for what you may not have gotten on the first demo flight? - we're there, technically we're good.
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But the planning is all assuming that we're flying the next flight to ISS - that's what we'll be doing, so we're not losing any time with regard to being prepared for that flight. And its probably in ... later in November launch date that we'll go for it - that hasn't been finalized yet.

[Dr Mordrid]

Aviation Week....

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Agency and company officials reached agreement on planning dates of Nov. 30 for the launch and Dec. 7 for the rendezvous and berthing of the Dragon cargo spacecraft with the station during a July 15 meeting.

The plan depends on how SpaceX intends to manage the deployment of two small satellites during the flight that could pose an impact hazard to the station. “I think we will find a way to sort that out,” Suffredini says.
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The two satellites are from ORBCOMM, who is launching a new constellation of communications birds into a 775km high orbit. The Falcon 9's 2nd stage would deploy Dragon at 300km first, then re-aim itself for another burn to boost the ORBCOMM's to their orbit. IIRC it will also drop off a few microsatellites.

For the record: this 2nd stage can also throw large payloads to the Moon or Mars - in the latter case it could have sent both Spirit and Opportunity to Mars in one launch. Thing is, SpaceX is planning an even bigger one.

[Dr Mordrid]

MAJOR UPDATE in my email -

Notable is that the Trunk/service module has sprouted solar panel fairings that extend out from either side. This is a major change to the mold line, probably to accommodate larger solar panels.

Also interesting is the anticipated production rate at Hawthorne -

Significant additional tooling and automation with be added to the factory, as we build towards the capability of producing a Falcon 9 first stage or Falcon Heavy side booster every week and an upper stage every two weeks. Depending on demand, Dragon production is planned for a rate of one every six to eight weeks.

WOW!

SPACEX | COMMERCIAL CREW DEVELOPMENT

August 15, 2011

Over the last several months, SpaceX has been hard at work preparing for our next flight — a mission designed to demonstrate that a privately-developed space transportation system can deliver cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS). NASA has given us a Nov. 30, 2011 launch date, which should be followed nine days later by Dragon berthing at the ISS.

NASA has agreed in principle to allow SpaceX to combine all of the tests and demonstration activities that we originally proposed as two separate missions (COTS Demo 2 and COTS Demo 3) into a single mission. Furthermore, SpaceX plans to carry additional payloads aboard the Falcon 9’s second stage which will deploy after Dragon separates and is well on its way to the ISS. NASA will grant formal approval for the combined COTS missions pending resolution of any potential risks associated with these secondary payloads. Our team continues to work closely with NASA to resolve all questions and concerns.

This next mission represents a huge milestone not only for SpaceX, but also for NASA and the US space program. When the astronauts stationed on the ISS open the hatch and enter the Dragon spacecraft for the first time, it will mark the beginning of a new era in space travel.

Through continued private-public partnerships like the one that helped develop the Falcon 9 and Dragon system, commercial companies will transform the way we access space. Together, government and the private sector can simultaneously increase the reliability, safety and frequency of space travel, while greatly reducing the costs.

The update below highlights our recent progress towards the combined C2/C3 mission and missions beyond. From the 1,500 team members here at SpaceX, thank you for your continued support, and for joining us in this exciting, vital adventure.



This week, we successfully completed a wet dress rehearsal (WDR) for the Falcon 9 Flight 3 launch vehicle at Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral, Florida. The WDR is a significant test during which we load propellant into the vehicle and perform all operations just as we would on launch day right down to T-1 seconds, at which point we abort and detank the propellant.

Since our last flight, we have made significant upgrades to the launch pad to streamline the countdown. For example, we installed new liquid oxygen (LOX) pumps that reduced our previous loading time from 90 minutes to under 30. Improvements like this are getting us closer to our long term goal of Falcon 9 going from hangar to liftoff in under an hour. This is no easy task for a vehicle with about the same takeoff weight as a fully loaded Boeing 747, but if a 747 can do it reliably day after day, then Falcon 9 can too.



In a SpaceX clean room in Hawthorne (Los Angeles) California, technicians prepare the Dragon spacecraft for thermal vacuum chamber testing. The open bays will hold the parachutes. NASA has given us a launch date of Nov 30, 2011 for Falcon 9 Flight 3, which will send a Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program.



Also in Hawthorne, we have conducted separation tests of the Dragon trunk from the Falcon 9 second stage. Release mechanisms hold the trunk (top, with solar panel covers on left and right sides) to the stage (bottom). When activated, springs on the Falcon 9 push against the Dragon trunk. The trunk separates and the test fixture’s counterbalance system raises the spacecraft up and away.



In the Hawthorne factory high bay, we tested the Dragon solar array rotary actuator by hanging the full array from the ceiling. The actuator (top center) turns the entire array. In flight, the solar panels will track the sun for maximum energy capture.

Upper Left: First stage tank, with domes and barrels for the second stage. Upper Right: All nine Merlin engines have been individually tested in Texas and then returned to California for integration into the thrust assembly. Lower Left: Composite interstage structure that joins the stages. Lower Right: The pressure vessel for the CRS-1 Dragon spacecraft has 10 cubic meters (350 cu ft) of interior volume. Photos: Roger Gilbertson / SpaceX

We are well into production with all parts (shown above) for the following launch, Falcon 9 Flight 4 and its Dragon CRS-1 spacecraft, which should be the first commercial cargo resupply mission under NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. Significant additional tooling and automation with be added to the factory, as we build towards the capability of producing a Falcon 9 first stage or Falcon Heavy side booster every week and an upper stage every two weeks. Depending on demand, Dragon production is planned for a rate of one every six to eight weeks.



Demolition work continues at Space Launch Complex 4 East, our new launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base on the central coast of California. Recently, the crew dropped the big “hammerhead” overhanging structure from the legacy Titan IV Mobile Service Tower (sequence above). Removing the tower is a major step in upgrading the pad for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. We are targeting late 2012 to bring Falcon Heavy to Vandenberg for vehicle to pad integration tests and 2013 for liftoff. Falcon Heavy will be the most powerful rocket in the world.

Stay tuned for more updates on the combined COTS-2 and COTS-3 mission to the ISS, slated for launch on Nov 30, 2011.

[Dr Mordrid]

Prepping Dragon C2/C3 in the Dragon's Den at Hawthorne, California. It should leave for KSC within 2-3 weeks for integration into the Falcon 9 launcher.

SpaceX has 7 Dragons in various stages of completion, and are preparing to test the Super Draco launch escape/propulsive landing engines at the White Sands Test Facility near Las Cruces, New Mexico soon. 8 of these will be integrated into the Dragon's engineering bay where the other thrusters are located.

There is some debate of the Super Draco will use the typical hypergolic bi-propellant (a toxic brew: monomethylhydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide) used for the Draco maneuvering thrusters or if they'll switch everything to NOFBx - a propitiatory mono-propellant (1 fluid) by Firestar Technologies.

Some think they'll go with the existing hypergolic system and move to NOFBx much later, some think they'll make the jump with the first installation of Super Draco. Either way, NOFBx gets tested on an ISS experimental platform in 2012 with everyone including SpaceX, Boeing, NASA etc. etc. crossing their fingers.

Firestar has former SpaceX people in its management.

NOBFx = Nitrous Oxide Fuel Blend x, a mix of nitrous oxide with a fuel and blending agents in various proportions (the "x") according to the mission. By storing both oxidizer and fuel in a stabilized mix it simplifies the plumbing considerably and it's not anywhere near as toxic as hypergolics. It also delivers a higher specific impulse (more "MPG") than hypergolics.

Firestar Technologies....

NOFBx American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 2011 presentation (PDF)....

Full sized pic of the Dragon's Den....

(the lithium-aluminum segments at bottom left are friction stir welded (FSW - top left) into ring segments, from which the Falcon 9 monocoque tankage is assembled - again using FSW. This segmentation lets them customize fuel/oxidizer volumes if necessary for higher energy missions - just add rings and move the bulkheads, which are also FSW'd into place. This will be done for the F9 Block II and Falcon Heavy to accommodate the higher fuel/oxidizer volumes needed by the new Merlin 1D engines)

Cropped pic

[Dr Mordrid]

Dragon C2/C3 arrives at KSC's Launch Complex-40 today.

http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011310220015

[Dr Mordrid]

A pic of another part of the Dragon assembly area. Between sessions in the Dragon's Den, Dragons in various states of assembly (and the C1 flight Dragon) are kept here. Counting the already flown C1 there are a total of 9 Dragons, and likely another just starting up to take C2/C3's slot on the floor.

[Dr Mordrid]

Dragon C2/C3 arrived at KSC on time, and we have new pictures.

There are obvious changes to Dragon - a transition from Block 0 to Block 1

1) it looks more "finished"
2) the PICA-X heat shield has a new outer layer that looks like metalized ceramic
3) no portholes or hatch window in the cargo version
4) the experiment bay is moved and for cargo will house the ISS arms grapple adapter
5) more refined thruster trim panels
6) revised & relocated Trunk umbilical port
7) small access panels around the top

Attached pics show the truck arriving by truck, other angles etc.

[Dr Mordrid]

Also - a graphic showing the paperwork difference between Shuttle, cargo Dragon and crew Dragon -

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX's Scott Henderson speaking at the USAF Museum -

Dragon C2/C3 targeting a Jan. 7, 2012 launch. The next Soyuz flight will carry the astronauts trained for the mission and the required software upgrades.

SpaceX is looking at KSC Launch Complex 39A, one of the former Shuttle pads, for Crew Dragon flights. LC 39A/B are next door to their current pad at LC-40.

[Dr Mordrid]

SpaceX's test center in McGregor is having an open house (see attachment.)

Also some pics of Dragon & the Trunk being integrated.

Got these from one of their interviews -

Falcon 9's avionics is Linux-based.

Part of the Merlin engine’s qualification testing involves feeding a stainless steel nut into the fuel and oxidizer lines while the engine is running, which means into the turbopump. They have to keep running.

[Dr Mordrid]

Interesting bits from NASA regarding the upcoming Dragon mission to ISS.

First is that S/W and firmware updates are being done on ISS's Dragon control systems, along with interesting details on how this is done, and second is confirmation that the C2 and C3 demo flights are now merged into a Dragon Combined Demo (DCD)

Dan Burbank is the ISS Expedition 30 Commander.

From ISS On-Orbit Status Report for 29/11/2011.

In preparation of tomorrow's scheduled CUCU (COTS UHF Communications Unit) software & Dragon CCP (Crew Command Panel) firmware update, CDR Dan Burbank installed a USB thumb drive (#60) and readied a blank CD (#1675) in SSC-10 (Station Support Computer-10). The ground then uplinked a software patch and burned it on the CD. New software, version R3.2, will be loaded into the CUCU from a DVD delivered on STS-135/ULF-7 and a patch from the thumb drive.

CUCU is the SpaceX avionics box that is used for space-to-space communication with "Dragon" during rendezvous. CUCU contains two completely redundant strings, and each string needs a software update to the RIO (Remote Input/Output) control modules, the radio and the 1553 card. In addition, the firmware on the CCP will need to be updated for both the primary and spare CCP. The software update is done with a T61p laptop that will be booted to the Linux operating system from the ULF-7 DVD. After the software load, MCC-X (SpaceX's Control Center in Hawthorne, CA) will be doing some checkouts of the box and then Dan Burbank will do a checkout of both CCPs.

Background: The originally planned Demo 2 & 3 missions have been merged. For the new "Dragon" Combined Demo, "Commanding from ISS" via the CCP will be demonstrated while the spacecraft flies 2.5 km under the ISS.

[Dr Mordrid]

Finally, it's official. Dragon's ISS flight is on for Feb. 7

RELEASE: 11-413

NASA ANNOUNCES LAUNCH DATE AND MILESTONES FOR SPACEX FLIGHT

WASHINGTON -- NASA has announced the launch target for Space Exploration Technologies' (SpaceX) second Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) demonstration flight will be Feb. 7, 2012. Pending completion of final safety reviews, testing and verification, NASA also has agreed to allow SpaceX to send its Dragon spacecraft to rendezvous with the International Space Station (ISS) in a single flight.

"SpaceX has made incredible progress over the last several months preparing Dragon for its mission to the space station," said William Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate. "We look forward to a successful mission, which will open up a new era in commercial cargo delivery for this international orbiting laboratory."

Gerstenmaier said, "There is still a significant amount of critical work to be completed before launch, but the teams have a sound plan to complete it and are prepared for unexpected challenges. As with all launches, we will adjust the launch date as needed to gain sufficient understanding of test and analysis results to ensure safety and mission success."

During the flight, Dragon will conduct a series of check-out procedures that will test and prove its systems in advance of the rendezvous with the station. The primary objectives for the flight include a fly-by of the space station at a distance of approximately two miles to validate the operation of sensors and flight systems necessary for a safe rendezvous and approach. The spacecraft also will demonstrate the capability to abort the rendezvous, if required.

Dragon will perform the final approach to the ISS while the station crew grapples the vehicle with the station's robotic arm. The capsule will be berthed to the Earth-facing side of the Harmony node. At the end of the mission, the crew will reverse the process, detaching Dragon from the station for its return to Earth and splashdown in the Pacific off the coast of California. If the rendezvous and attachment to the station are not successful, SpaceX will complete a third demonstration flight in order to achieve these objectives as originally planned.

"SpaceX is on the forefront of demonstrating how a partnership between the government and private industry can lead to new capabilities and provide a large return on investment," said Alan Lindenmoyer, program manager for COTS at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"SpaceX is excited to be the first commercial company in history to berth with the International Space Station. This mission will mark a historic milestone in the future of spaceflight," said SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. "We appreciate NASA's continued support and their partnership in this process."

Begun in 2006, NASA's COTS program is investing financial and technical resources to stimulate efforts within the private sector to develop and demonstrate safe, reliable and cost-effective space transportation capabilities. In a multiphase strategy, the program is spurring the innovation and development of new spacecraft and launch vehicles from commercial industry, creating a new system of delivering cargo to low-Earth orbit and the International Space Station.

Through Space Act Agreements, SpaceX will receive up to $396 million and Orbital Sciences Corporation, NASA's other COTS partner, will receive up to $288 million for the successful completion of all milestones in the agreements. To date, SpaceX has received $376 million for completing 36 out of 40 milestones and Orbital has received $261.5 million for completing 23 out of 29 milestones.

For more information on COTS, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/cots

For more information on the International Space Station, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/station

For more information on SpaceX or the Dragon spacecraft, visit:

http://www.spacex.com

[Dr Mordrid]

Link....

Former Senators Sign on as Lobbyists for Space Company

Former U.S. senators Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and John Breaux (D-La.) are part of a team of Patton Boggs lobbyists advocating for a commercial space transportation company, according to paperwork filed with Congress on Thursday.

The former senators and three of their Patton colleagues represent Hawthorne, Calif.-based Space Exploration Technologies Corp., also known as SpaceX. They are lobbying for the company on "issues related to commercial space transportation," according to the paperwork. With the retirement this year of NASA's space shuttle fleet, the reusable aircraft manufacturer is preparing to take control of the delivery of cargo and astronauts to the International Space Station.

Lott and Breaux, senior counsels at Patton, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. A SpaceX spokeswoman didn’t have an immediate comment.

Patton is the second firm that SpaceX retained in the last few months to lobby on its behalf, according to congressional records. Heather Podesta + Partners filed paperwork in November to lobby for the company.
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